Scams and Guides Relating to: Alliant Credit Union

1. Scams to Watch Out For
2. How to Beat Alliant Credit Union Scams
3. Protection Against Alliant Credit Union Scams

Alliant Credit Union is the largest credit union in Illinois and one of the largest in the U.S. When Alliant was first founded in 1935, it was called the United Airlines Employees’ Credit Union. A group of United Airlines employees wanted to organize a credit union that was a safe place to save and get loans at fair rates. 

Alliant Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative that has 600,000 members nationwide. They offer “better-than-bank” rates and have a strong focus on member benefits, which include: 

• Online banking
• Award-winning mobile banking app
• Retirement and investment services
• Ongoing personal finance education
• 24/7 customer service (holidays included)

Scams to Watch Out For

Scammers will often try to impersonate Alliant Credit Union and target its customers, so staying alert and aware is essential. Some scams you should be cautious of as an Alliant Credit Union customer include:

• Card skimming
• Phone number spoofing (phishing calls)
• Phishing 

Card Skimming 

Scammers will buy and attach a skimming device to ATMs, self-service payment kiosks (like at gas pumps), or anywhere else you slide or enter your debit or credit card. 

When you use the machine, the device reads and stores your card information. Some devices are so advanced they can get the information from just the chip on your card. 

Scammers may also set up cameras near the PIN pad to record the PIN association with your card. Other times they might use PIN pad overlays that record these numbers. The overlay just sits on top of a pad and may make it look and feel thicker than usual. 

Once your card is skimmed, the scammer will be able to make fraudulent purchases online and may even withdraw money from an ATM after making a copy of the card.  

Phone Number Spoofing

This occurs when a scammer intentionally changes what appears on your Caller ID. They will either: 

• Change their number, so it appears they share the same zip code with you (under the assumption that a local number is more trustworthy). 
• Have their name appear on your phone as “Alliant Credit Union” or something similar. 

You should never automatically trust a caller based on what the Caller ID is telling you. It’s easy for scammers to change what you see when they’re calling you, so you should always proceed with caution.

Phishing 

Scammers can target Alliant Credit Union customers in various types of phishing scams. Scammers send text messages, emails, and even call you, pretending to be from the Credit Union, hoping that you’ll provide them with your information. They’re after things like your:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Social Security number (SSN)
• Bank account number
• Alliant Credit Union login information
• Answers to your security questions

The different types of phishing that you should be aware of include:

• Spear phishing—targets a specific group or individual and may include personal information in the email. 
• Smishing—using text messages to send a link with a virus or link to a phishing website while pretending to be from a company or organization. 
• Vishing—scammers will try to contact you through voice calls while pretending to be from a legit company to get your personal or banking information. (Often utilizes number spoofing.)

How to Beat Alliant Credit Union Scams

Scammers are always targeting people who are not vigilant about their banking accounts or are easily convinced to give out their information. If you want to protect yourself from Alliant Credit Union scams, follow these tips:

• Pay close attention to any devices you put your card into.  
• Don’t use ATMs or other machines in sketchy areas.
• Try to use Apple Pay or touch-free options instead of inserting your card.
• Never answer phone calls from phone numbers you don’t recognize.
• Never give out your personal information if you are suspicious of the caller.
• Avoid clicking on links sent to you through text message or email.
• Go directly to websites or contact companies directly if you are suspicious of a call or email.
• Report any scams directly to Alliant so they can investigate and put a stop to them. 

Protection Against Alliant Credit Union Scams

Alliant Credit Union offers several perks for its members to help protect them against all sorts of scams. 

Fraud Monitoring  

Alliant will automatically monitor your account for any suspicious activity. If there are any red flags, they will place a hold on your account and get in contact with you before it can be approved. 

Travel Notification Feature

Notify Alliant Credit Union if you are planning to travel out of state or overseas. This will allow you to use your card without them automatically locking your account for suspicious activity. You can access this feature through their app or their online banking website. 

Contact Details

Alliant Credit Union

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• General Enquiries
• Report Fraud

Phone: 800-328-1935
Website: https://www.alliantcreditunion.org/
Contact page: https://www.alliantcreditunion.org/help/contact

Phone: 800-328-1935

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Verified Contact Details

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

Secure Browsing

Because Alliant is a primarily digital financial institution, they guarantee secure browsing when using their app or website. They want customers to be confident their data is protected. 

Victim of Identity Theft

If you are a victim of identity theft, Alliant Credit Union offers protection if you have shown responsible card use in the past. You will be liable for a maximum of $50 if your credit or debit card is used fraudulently (some cards have $0 liability).

Device Verification

Alliant urges all members to register each device they plan on using the Alliant app or website on. If you or someone else attempts to login on to an unregistered device, they will have to answer additional security questions. 

Touchless Card Security

As a way to protect you against ATM skimming devices, Alliant offers a touchless way to pay. You can tap your card against the device rather than putting it directly into the machine. This will protect your PIN and card numbers from scammers and their skimming devices. 

Insurance

Your Alliant Credit Union account is insured for up to $250,000. 

Mail Fraud

You are given the option to make your account paperless to protect your mail from being stolen and reduce the risk of receiving fake Alliant Credit Union mail. Going paperless means all your account information will be online, and Alliant will never try to contact you through the mail.  

Debit Card Protection Program

If you have a suspicious transaction, Alliant will send you a text asking, “Is this transaction fraudulent?” You can quickly reply “No,” and the transaction will be approved. Otherwise, you can answer “Yes,” the transaction will be declined, and a fraud specialist will contact you shortly to help protect your account in the future. If you don’t reply promptly, they will attempt to get a hold of you over the phone. 

The only numbers they will contact you from are:

• Text: 72718
• Phone: 855-219-5399