Phisher or whatever has me nervous

[user 26]

888 241 2440 call from phishers ...
last night there was a message on my voice mail from blahblah security for my credit union 'wanting to verify charges on my credit card'. they know my name, my credit union and my phone number. I checked my account online, all looked fine. I emailed the credit union directly and called them directly. I DID NOT return the phone call from 'security.'
Today, the CEO of my credit union confirms they do NOT have a 3rd party contact members about their accounts. I provided him with the phone number and could tell him exactly was said. I have the message on my voice mail still.
Message sounded so professional. and they have the name of my little credit union with my name and phone number ... very scary!

 

[Madeleine]

Maybe they don't have all 3 of those pieces of information. It's quite possible they randomly picked a bank name and called people who live near it. If you answered last night but didn't bank there they would have apologized and said they must have the wrong phone number and moved on.
We've only had real calls from our cc company but I never talk to the person who calls, I always call back the number on the back of the card.
Interestingly, there are 5 pages of complaints/questions./info about this phone number and they seem evenly divided between 'scam' and 'legit' which rarely happens.
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-888-241-2440
You're always better off to call the phone number on the card after hours or call the CU directly in the morning.

 

[user 26]

yes. i read those reviews. it's very odd to see the positive ones.
i don't like it one bit that whoever has my private phone number and name.
i try to stay on top of the latest scam techniques. like contacting people about their credit card and giving the FIRST few numbers which are all the same for every card or something. wish these folks would put their brains to use for good.

 

[Madeleine]

yes. i read those reviews. it's very odd to see the positive ones.
i don't like it one bit that whoever has my private phone number and name.
i try to stay on top of the latest scam techniques. like contacting people about their credit card and giving the FIRST few numbers which are all the same for every card or something. wish these folks would put their brains to use for good..

Call your CU again and ask if they do business with that company. Maybe the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

 

[Generic]

My policy is simple and I use it with all companies. Anytime any of them refuse, I know immediately that the phone call is fake. And yes, both my bank as well as Amex has gladly understood and accepted my method. This is what you do...
"I have no problem discussing this matter with you, but in order for me to verify who you are, I need your name and your extension. I will hang up with you and call the office number listed on the back of my card and ask them to pass me on to your extension."
Everyone who is legitimate will be glad that you are prudent and will abide. Anyone fake will try to talk you out of hanging up and calling the company. But the answer is simple, hang up and call the office. It was ease your fears and from that point, they know, you aren't an easy mark.
And as I say, I have done this many times anytime a company that I do business with calls me and I need to validate who they are. I don't give anything out if you call me, even if the called ID identifies you. It's easy enough to spoof caller ID as well.