Fraud prevention
This archived May 2025 Fraud Watch covers three ways criminals try to redirect payments or obtain account access: business email compromise, fake support calls, and malicious QR codes. The guidance below has been refreshed for clarity and checked against the linked primary sources.
Archive note: Originally published May 29, 2025. The examples are general fraud-prevention guidance and do not describe a specific Noven CreditUnion incident or current threat report.
May 2025 Fraud Watch: Email, Phone and QR Scams
Business email compromise (BEC) uses a message that appears to come from a familiar executive, employee, supplier, title professional, or business partner. A criminal may ask for an urgent wire, provide changed invoice details, or request payroll or account information. The FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report recorded approximately $2.77 billion in reported losses categorized as BEC. This is a historical complaint-loss figure, not a forecast or a measure of every loss.
- Verify new or changed payment instructions by calling a trusted number already on file. Do not use a number supplied in the message.
- Require a second authorized person to review high-value or changed payments.
- Use multifactor authentication for business email and review access when staff roles change.
- Check the full sender address and payment details. A familiar display name is not proof that a message is genuine.
Fake support calls
An unexpected caller may claim that an account or device is compromised and ask you to install software, approve a sign-in, or share a verification code. End the call and check the account through its official website or application. For Google accounts, Google says unsolicited calls, texts, or emails claiming to be Google Security and demanding a code or password are scams. Never share a password or one-time code with an unexpected caller.
QR code scams
A QR code can send you to a lookalike sign-in page or payment destination. Before entering credentials or paying, inspect the address shown after scanning and confirm it belongs to the organization you intended to reach. Treat a sticker covering another code, an unexpected payment prompt, or pressure to act immediately as a reason to stop and verify another way.
If you may have sent money to a scammer
Contact your financial institution immediately using a verified number or secure channel and explain what happened. Ask whether a payment trace, recall, or other response is available; recovery is not guaranteed. Preserve the messages and payment details, report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, and contact local law enforcement when appropriate.
For more practical guidance, visit Noven CreditUnion Security and Fraud Awareness or online banking FAQs. For a general question, use the Noven CreditUnion contact page. Do not send passwords, full account numbers, card numbers, or verification codes through the general contact form.