Scammers will try anything to trick you into thinking they are legitimate callers. One of the latest scam techniques involves “spoofing” a phone number. Spoofing a phone number means that when a scammer calls you, it appears on your caller ID that they are calling from a familiar number. For example, scammers can use software that makes it look like your bank or credit union is calling you, leading you to believe the call is trustworthy. 

Such calls almost always begin with the caller asking you to "verify" your account information. Never provide or confirm personal or financial information during any call that YOU DID NOT INITIATE! Gulf Winds will never call you out of the blue requesting personal, private information like your full social security number or PIN #. If you receive a call that appears to be from Gulf Winds that raises suspicion, hang up and call us directly.

Here's how one of these calls might go...

Your phone rings and the caller ID says it’s Gulf Winds calling so you answer it. The person on the other line starts right in, saying: 

Hello! I’m calling from Gulf Winds. Someone’s been using your debit card ending in 1234 at Walgreens. I’ll need to verify your full social security number, which ends in 5678, correct? I’ll also need your full debit card information so we can cancel your card and block the unauthorized activity. 

Just because the caller ID shows the name of your financial institution, and the caller already knows some of your personal information, doesn’t mean that it’s a legit phone call. IT’S A SCAM! These fraudsters are counting on the call upsetting you so that you provide your personal information in a panic. Once they get your information they will use it to pull money from your account or leverage your information in their next scam. 

Here's a few tips to avoid these scam tactics

• Do not assume your caller ID is proof of whom you're dealing with. Scammers can make it look like they're calling from a company or number you know and trust. 
• If you get an unsolicited phone call, email or text from someone asking for your personal identifying information, don’t respond. Instead, hang up and call the company directly on a number you know is valid. 
• Never provide or confirm personal or financial information during any call that you didn't initiate. Do not trust someone just because they have personal information about you. Scammers have ways of obtaining that information to use against you.
• Never respond to "yes or no" questions or push any phone buttons if prompted to opt-out of future calls.  Scammers use these tactics to identify live phone lines, and the number of calls to your line may increase as a result.
• Visit GoGulfWinds.com/Security to report suspected fraud and get helpful tips to protect yourself from scammers.