Online phishing scam hits UCLA's University CU
LOS ANGELES (2/18/05)--Another phishing scam has taken advantage of the good reputation of credit unions and their members' trust in them, this time in Los Angeles.
Students from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) are receiving online e-mail scams claiming to be from University CU, a $346 million asset credit union. The fraudulent notice directs recipients to a website and asks them for personal information.
However, the credit union is not sending out the e-mail. The phishing scam takes students to a website that has graphics stolen from the credit union and that continually sends spam to e-mail addresses ending in "edu," Steve Serco, a spokesman for the $346 million asset credit union, told U-Wire (Feb. 16). The fraudulent e-mails claim the user's account will be liquidated unless the information is entered on another site.
So far, no one from UCLA has taken the bait and provided their credit card number or other personal information.
"University CU did not and will not send out e-mail notices asking members to enter their account numbers. This is an attempt by thieves to trick consumers into providing personal information for illegal use," President/CEO Chuck Bumbarger said in a press release.
The credit union services the University of California at Los Angeles, and extends services to students at Pepperdine University, Loyola Marymount University, and the Getty Museum. All are potential targets of the scam.
Earlier this week the Credit Union National Association experienced a similar phishing episode, prompting a national fraud alert. People who receive such e-mails should not click on the links in the message. Instead, they should delete the message (News Now Feb. 15 and Feb. 16).
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