Text scam targets credit union customers

CEDAR RAPIDS - Collins Community Credit Union debit card holders are at risk of receiving a phony text message looking to steal personal account information.

“We've been receiving numerous calls to our call center,” said Collins Community Credit Union President and CEO Richard Benhart.

The credit union has nine locations throughout Eastern Iowa servicing 63,000 people. On Tuesday, hundreds of customers received fraudulent text messages urging them to share their debit card information.

“It said that my card had been deactivated and that I needed to call this number,” said scam victim Owen Heires.

Victims say the text message looks legitimate, but when customers returned a call to the listed number, that's when they started to notice red flags.

“They told me I needed to change my pin number, and I told them no, I'm not doing that,” said Heires.

That's exactly what Benhart wants all potential victims to do.

“We want the membership to apply a little common sense. We're not going to call them to do this. We're indicating that we did not originate this. Therefore, don't react to it,” said Benhart.

Fearing he had already done too much, Heires went to the bank to get a new card and account.

“If something doesn't feel right then don't follow through with it. Please contact us or a financial institution,” said Benhart.

Benhart says the credit union will flag suspicious accounts and watch for any unauthorized activity.

The phone number referenced in the text message has since been disconnected. But any customer that already called the fraudulent number and gave out debit card and pin information is urged to stop into the Collins Community Credit Union to close that account.

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