Scam Alert

Topic: Survey Reward

Reported May 22, 2008

Commonwealth Credit Union has been made aware that some of our members are receiving a fraudulent email claiming to be from us. This phishing email indicates that we will add $100 to your account if you follow a link attached in the email and complete a quick 5 question survey concerning your account information. This is a fraudulent phishing email and is NOT from Commonwealth Credit Union.

There are several ways to identify this as a scam. First, there is no security "lock" icon on the screen to indicate that the login screen is a secure site. The email address also begins with http instead of https, indicating this is not a secure site. Commonwealth Credit Union's Home Banking site is a secure site on a secure web server.

Most important, never, at any time, will Commonwealth Credit Union ask you for verification of your account information via email, phone, etc.

Also, although the embedded link in this email appears to be from www.ccuky.org, a simple way to prove this is to place your mouse over the link and let it hover there a moment. The true address will pop up and show the true address of the link. What you see is not always what you get!

Our sincere thanks to the members who forwarded this email to us so that we can warn our other members about this phishing scam. If you ever have any doubt or concern about any email communication you receive from us, please feel free to contact us at our published phone numbers: 800.228.6420 or 502.564.4775.

*****TEXT OF THE SCAM EMAIL APPEARS BELOW*****

Dear Member,

At The Commonwealth Credit Union , the highest interest to our members,
is the safekeeping of confidential information you have entrusted to us and using it in a secure manner.
A fundamental element of safeguarding your confidential information is to provide protection against unauthorized access or use of this information.
We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that comply with federal
guidelines to guard your nonpublic personal information against unauthorized access.

At this time we need you to confirm your e-mail address with our existing database.
In return The Commonwealth Credit Union will add $100 credit to your account,
just for taking part in our quick 5 question survey.
As soon as our database will be updated we need to make few important announcements
to our members so please update your contact information with no delay.
To get started click the link below:

https://www.ccuky.org/

Our database will be instantly updated.
We are committed to the secure use and protection of member information on our website.
If you have any questions regarding our services, please check the website or call our member service.

Best Regards The Commonwealth Credit Union
PO Box 978
Frankfort, KY 40602-0978

If you responded to the above email, notify us immediately. In addition, you may want to do the following:

Log onto www.ccuky.org and click on Security Alert. This will take you to the Identity Theft Coach and a link to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website and link to the following publication: Identity Theft Kentucky Victim Kit at http://ag.ky.gov/consumer/identity . You may also refer to the following Web site – www.consumer.gov/idtheft. These resources can provide you with step-by-step assistance in handling identity theft as the following:

Contact one of the three major credit bureaus and request that the credit bureaus place a “fraud alert” and a “victim’s statement” in your credit file. (The credit bureaus will notify the other two bureaus of the Fraud Alert.) The following are the phone numbers of the three national credit bureaus:

Equifax (800) 525-6285;
Experian (888) 397-3742; and,
Trans Union (800) 680-7289;

Request from the credit bureaus a free credit report. Credit bureaus must provide a free credit report if you believe the report is inaccurate due to fraud;
Review the credit reports in detail to determine if any fraudulent accounts have been established. Determine if any unknown inquiries have been made. Unknown inquiries may be indicators of someone attempting to establish a fraudulent account;
Contact all financial institutions and creditors where you have accounts. Request that they restrict access to the account, change any password or close the account altogether, if there is evidence that the account has been the target of identity theft;
File a police report to document the crime; and,
Contact the Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Hotline at (877) ID-THEFT (438-4338). The FTC puts the information into a secure consumer fraud database and shares it with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.