Alaska Air Group Credit Union

Shred Week 2024: Social Engineering & How to Protect Yourself

May 2024 | Financial Education

This shred week, we are discussing wa

ys to protect yourself from identity theft. Today we are specifically focusing on social engineering.

Fraudsters are crafty individuals that trick people out of money. They look for victims who willingly share information through a variety of channels including email, phone calls and text messages.

Social engineering is the use of manipulative tactics to trick victims into performing a desired action or disclosing private information.

Fraudsters conduct social engineering through:

Phishing: the practice of sending fraudulent emails or other messages to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.

Vishing: the practice of making fraudulent phone calls or leaving voice messages to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as bank details and credit card numbers.

Smishing: the practice of sending fraudulent text messages to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords, one-time-passcodes, or credit card numbers.

Pretexting: Social engineering that plays upon emotions by creating a story to charm or scare a victim into disclosing information or giving money – oftentimes in the form of gift card(s) or cash so that it is untraceable.

Common types of scams

Signs of a scam

  • Contacting you directly
  • Playing upon emotions (romance, fear, etc.)
  • Pressure is ramped up when you push back
  • Asking for personal information
  • You pay them
  • They want cash or gift cards

Learn how to Protect yourself from identity theft – Alaska Air Group Credit Union here.

Note: Once you send money to a scammer, there may be no way to recoup your money. If you sent the money yourself, you are authorizing the transaction and it is not protected by the federal government, meaning you could be out thousands of dollars.

Watch our video here to learn more:

 

Keep an eye out for more tips and tricks this Shred week!

Beware of Romance Scams this Valentine’s Day

“Please send me $1,500. I can’t pay my rent this month.” I’ve only started seeing Ruth a couple months ago. It feels so serious between us, but I already sent her $2,000 last month. “If I don’t get...

Goodbye Zelle, Hello Instant Pay

On March 31st, 2025, Zelle will make an important update to its terms and conditions. Existing Zelle users who do not have an active account at a participating financial institution will no longer...

Alaska Air Group Credit Union Recognized as a Top Regional Credit Union

We are honored to share that Alaska Air Group Credit Union was awarded a top spot among America's Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions in 2025 by Newsweek. In sharing the recognition, Newsweek...
Seattle Office
(206) 824-9800
Anchorage Office
(907) 563-5335