Navy Federal Fraud Protection: Keeping Your Money Safe

As a Navy Federal Credit Union customer, you're protected from hackers, imposters, and credit card fraud.

By Paul Dughi

Updated 10 January 2022

Navy Federal Fraud Protection: Keeping Your Money Safe

Banking & Finance Scam Statistics 2020 USA

393k credit card fraud reports

564k total banking & credit related reports

$1,566 loss median reported loss (investment scams)

Source: 2019-20 Consumer Sentinel Report

Sections on this page

Navy Federal Fraud Protections
How To Report a Fraudulent Transaction on Your Navy Federal Account
Will Navy Federal Refund My Money for Fraudulent Charges?
How to Dispute Transactions With Navy Federal
Navy Federal Fraud Protection: FAQs

Navy Federal fraud protection policies are in place to help protect your money from scammers and thieves. The credit union monitors your accounts 24/7 to look for suspicious activity. In many cases, they may notify you of potential fraud before you might notice it. They also encrypt all transactions transmitted or stored on company databases to prevent exposure.

Navy Federal Fraud Protections

Navy Federal Credit Union offers several ways for you to help protect your accounts, such as:

Notifications to alert you of account activity based on the threshold you set, such as charges over a certain amount.
The ability to freeze or unfreeze your credit or debit card so no one else can use it. If you notice your card is missing or lost, you can freeze it to avoid any new charges from being authorized. If you find it, you can unfreeze it to use again. Using the Navy Federal mobile app, you can freeze and unfreeze your account as often as you want.
Paperless statements to reduce your risk of identity fraud from someone stealing your mail.
Two-step verification to request a security code be sent to your smart device before authorizing a login to your account. (Adds an extra level of protection to your account on top of just your password.)
Biometrics, such as a fingerprint or facial recognition, sign in to the Navy Federal app for additional security. If you lose your phone, others won’t be able to use it to access your account.
VoiceID as a security option when calling Navy Federal—your voice and a standard passphrase will be required. You can sign up for this service for free.

How To Report a Fraudulent Transaction on Your Navy Federal Account

If you notice suspicious activity or unauthorized transactions on your Navy Federal account, take it seriously and report it right away.

You can report fraudulent transactions by:

Going online to your Navy Federal account. You can fill out a form or use the secure messaging feature.
Calling (888) 842-6328.
Visiting your local Navy Federal branch to report the scam in person.

Contact Details

Navy Federal Credit Union

Phone: 1-888-842-6328
Website: https://www.navyfederal.org/
Contact page: https://www.navyfederal.org/contact-us.html

Phone: 1-888-842-6328
Email: [email protected]
Contact page: https://www.navyfederal.org/services/security/report-fraud.html

Verified Contact Details

It's important to verify links and contact details to beat imposters.

While you can report fraud by mail, the credit union recommends you call, go online, or head to a branch office rather than wait for a response. However, it is a good idea to follow up any fraud reports in writing to:

Navy Federal
PO Box 3000
Merrifield, VA 22119-3000

A written letter helps document the fraud in case you need proof that you did make a report. Your letter should include your name and address, account information, date of the unauthorized charge, the amount charged, the date and time you reported it, and any other relevant information.

Navy Federal Fraud Protection: How to Protect Yourself

One of the best ways to protect your Navy Federal account from scammers is to be aware of the different types of fraud out there, such as fake Navy Federal email scams. Once you know how they work, you can better protect your money.

Protect Your Credit

Navy Federal also recommends placing a fraud alert on your credit report through Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. If you let one of the credit bureaus know, they will notify the other two automatically. Alerts are free but must be renewed every 90 days.

Equifax: (800) 685-1111
Experian: (888) 397-2742
TransUnion: (888) 909-8872

Notify the Authorities

Navy Federal also recommends you file a police report and let other government agencies know about the fraud. They track fraud complaints to help warn other consumers and alert law enforcement authorities.

You can report fraud to:

Your state’s Attorney General office
The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
The Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Fraud Center
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

Will Navy Federal Refund My Money for Fraudulent Charges?

Navy Federal goes above the requirements established under the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA). Under the FCBA, if a thief steals your account information, but you still have physical possession of the card, you have no liability for fraudulent transactions.

If you lose your credit card or have your credit card stolen and a thief uses it to make a purchase, your total liability is limited to $50. However, if you report it lost or stolen before a purchase is made, any charges are waived.

Navy Federal has a zero-liability policy. If you report fraud promptly, Navy Federal will investigate. They will issue a provisional credit to your account while investigating—sometimes on the same day. The zero-liability policy applies to:

Navy Federal debit cards

Navy Federal credit cards
Go Prepaid
VISA BUXX

You must report fraudulent charges promptly, especially in the case of a debit card. Federal law limits on debit cards are different. If you wait more than two days to report it, your liability can rise to $500. If you wait 60 days or longer, there is no protection under the law.

Navy Federal’s zero-liability policy does apply to debit cards, but only if you report it promptly.

How to Dispute Transactions With Navy Federal

If you did authorize a transaction, but it does not appear correctly on your account, you can also dispute it. For example, someone overcharges you. You can:

Go online to the Navy Federal website
Call (888) 842-6328
Visit your local branch

Navy Federal Fraud Protection: FAQs

What should I do if I lose my Navy Federal credit or debit card?

If your credit card or debit card is lost or stolen, call Navy Federal as soon as possible at (888) 842-6328. They will put a hold on your account, preventing any additional charges. They will issue you a new card with a new number, although it may take a few days to get to you by mail.

Does Navy Federal offer fraud protection for fraudulent charges?

Yes. Navy Federal has a zero-liability policy if you are a victim of fraud. This only applies to unauthorized charges, such as someone stealing your credit card number and using it. If you gave the scammers permission to charge your credit card or withdraw from your account with a debit card, zero liability does not apply.

How do I report Navy Federal impersonation scams?

If you are the victim of fraud or identity theft, call Navy Federal Credit Union as soon as possible on their 24-hour service hotline at (888) 842-6328. You can report scam attempts from people trying to pose as someone from Navy Federal by these methods.

Forward a scam or suspicious email to [email protected] along with the original subject line and the name of your internet service provider (ISP).
To report a phone or text scam, send an email to [email protected] with the time and date of the call or text, the number it came from (if available), and a summary of what was asked.
To report social media scams using Navy Federal’s name, send an email to [email protected] with the contents and the social media account originating it.

Navy Federal will never ask for your personal information over the phone, by text, or in email.

Are Payments Through Zelle, Venmo, or Gift Cards Covered?

Zero liability does not apply to peer-to-peer services, such as Zelle or Venmo if you authorized the payments. For example, if you purchase an item using Zelle and you never received the item, this will not be covered—even if it was a scam and payments were made from a Navy Federal account or through the digital banking app.

If someone steals your account credentials and makes a transaction without your consent, Navy Federal will provide protection.

Gift cards are not covered regardless of where purchased. They work the same as cash.