Beware of scams

You can take steps to protect your personal information and beware of fraudulent scams. Unfortunately, scammers and bad actors are always trying new ways to get access to personal information.

Some fraud attempts involve Caller ID spoofing phone numbers for legitimate businesses, or scammers call from other numbers claiming to be employees from various companies. For example, a scammer might call and claim to be from Centra’s Fraud Department. While on the phone, the scammers say that you’ll be receiving a text message about fraud on your debit card and advise you on how to respond.

Please know that our Team Members will never tell you how you should respond to a fraud text alert. If you receive one of these alerts, carefully review the purchase information and only reply ‘yes’ if you’re certain that you or your family made the purchase.

In addition, some fraud attempts may come in the form of a text message, also known as smishing. These texts might claim to be your financial institution or a well-known company. For example, a scammer might text you claiming to be a Centra representative and direct you to click a link or call a number. It’s important to never click these links.

Centra will never call or text you to ask for any personal information, including login information and card numbers. If you receive a call or text from someone who claims to be Centra, and you weren’t expecting a call or text from us, please call us directly at 800-232-3642 or reach out to us here.

IF YOU EVER DOUBT THE VALIDITY OF A CALL FROM SOMEONE WHO SAYS THEY ARE A CENTRA REPRESENTATIVE, PLEASE HANG UP AND CALL US AT 800-232-3642.

Follow these tips to protect yourself from scammers:

• Trust your instincts. If a call doesn’t seem quite right, hang up.
• Don’t engage with scammers over the phone or through messages. Some of these fraudsters are skilled at obtaining personal information, even if the victim is wary of the scammer.
• Some fraudulent emails or texts try to mimic messages from well-known retailers and companies. Always check the sender’s email address or phone number and carefully look through the message for any typos, misspellings, or incorrect domain names. If you don’t recognize the number or address, don’t click any links or respond.

You can learn more about ways to protect your personal information and avoid scams on our Fraud Awareness page.