Centro de Seguridad

We want to make you aware of a recent scam that affected some members over the weekend so you can stay protected.

Fraudsters are spoofing Pathways’ phone number to make calls appear as if they’re coming from our fraud department. During these calls, the scammers may:

• Claim suspicious debit card transactions were blocked
• Provide a fake case number
• Ask for your debit card expiration date and CVV to “reissue” your card

🚩 This is a scam.

Please remember:

• Pathways will NEVER ask for your full card number, expiration date, or CVV.
• Caller ID can be faked. Even if it looks like our number, don’t trust the call at face value.
• If you receive a call like this, hang up and contact us directly at 800-367-7485.
• If something feels off, trust your instincts. It’s always okay to pause and double-check.

If you’re ever unsure, we’re here to help. Calling us directly ensures you’re speaking with a trusted Pathways team member who can review your account and keep everything secure.

Thank you for helping us protect your financial well-being. Scammers may be persistent—but together, we stay one step ahead.

Security Update

Unexpected Calls Claiming Your Money Is at Risk

If you get a call that tries to panic you — claiming fraud on your card, a hacked bank account, tax debt, or that your benefits will end today — treat it as a potential scam.

What to do if you receive a call like this

• Get basic details — then hang up. Ask what company they claim to represent, then end the call.
• Verify independently. Contact the company using a trusted number from your card, statement, or official website.
• Avoid searching for phone numbers online. Scammers can place ads so fake numbers appear at the top of search results.
• Talk to someone you trust. Legitimate fraud departments will never demand secrecy.

Never do these things during an unexpected call

• Don’t share personal or account information.
• Don’t provide one-time passcodes or verification codes.
• Don’t give anyone remote access to your phone or computer.
• Don’t send money through gift cards, wire transfers, or crypto.

Source: Federal Trade Commission Consumer Alert, “How to handle unexpected calls that claim your money is at risk” (January 2026).

With Valentine’s Day approaching, love is in the air.

And while getting hit by Cupid’s arrow can often feel new and exciting, it’s important to be wary of a fairy tale romance that turns out to be too good to be true.

Sweetheart or romance scams are on the rise, which involve scammers pursuing romantic relationships with their victims with the sole purpose of stealing their hard-earned money. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost nearly $550 million to sweetheart scams in 2021, up 80 percent from 2020.

At Pathways Financial Credit Union, we’re here to help you protect your finances and protect you from fraudsters who want to leave you and your credit union account broken-hearted.

Signs of a sweetheart scam

Sweetheart scams overwhelmingly take place online, where scammers can manipulate information to make the situation appear much different than reality. And while perpetrators of sweetheart scams may have names and profile pictures attached to their accounts, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re being truthful in how they’re presenting themselves.

Scammers often feature attractive photos on their profiles to lure you in, and usually move quickly and say all the right things to make their victims feel a sense of attachment right away. They typically give an excuse for not being able to meet in person and say they’re working in a profession that often requires travelling for work, i.e., the military, construction, or an overseas student.

Once they establish a romantic and emotional connection with their victim, they’ll often ask for money to cover the cost of an unexpected emergency, such as a car repair, travel expenses, or a phone or internet bill to maintain the connection.

Scammers can start with a small financial ask and then continue to ask for more money gradually or they can ask for a large sum right away and press for urgent action. They’ll often ask for payment through non-traditional methods, such as gift cards or wire transfers.

How to protect yourself

Always request to meet potential romantic matches in person in a public place or via video, especially before sharing any personal or financial information. If the person refuses, especially multiple times, you’ll likely know something is fishy.

A good rule of thumb is that if something feels too good to be true, it usually is. You can run the situation by a friend or loved one and get their advice. You can also search for their name and 'scam' online to see if any results appear, or run a reverse image search to determine the origin of their profile picture.

Even if the person you’re talking to online is pressuring you or sharing a sympathetic story, you should never feel pressured to send money or share your personal financial information. If the person you’ve connected with is in it for the right reasons, they’ll never pressure you to give them money.

If you’ve already sent money or someone has your financial information, be sure to inform your credit union and any other financial institution right away and shut off the funds to the would-be scammer.

Seniors beware

In recent years, fraudsters have increasingly targeted seniors for sweetheart scams due to factors ranging from robust retirement accounts to a higher likelihood of living alone. According to the FBI, 6,700 people over the age of 60 lost more than $350 million to sweetheart scams in 2023.

If you’re a senior and feel like you may be a victim of a sweetheart scam, contact a friend, loved one, or your financial institution right away and cut off all contact with the suspected scammer.

We’re here to help

If you have questions about your financial well-being or if something doesn’t feel quite right, give us a call or visit a local branch today. We’re here to help make sure you and your hard-earned money are well protected.

Scammers tell lots of different stories to try to get your money or personal information. They want you to hurry and do what they say before you have time to think, check out their story, or reach out to someone who might intervene. That’s where the FTC’s new tool, How I’ll Avoid a Scam: My Action Plan, can help.

CLICK HERE to view it!

What Is a Virtual Kidnapping Scam?

Scammers are increasingly using sophisticated technology to trick people into believing a loved one has been kidnapped. They may use spoofing techniques to make it look like the call is coming from the victim’s phone number. The scammers then contact family members and demand ransom money for the release of the so-called hostage.

Red Flags to Watch For:

• You receive a call from a number belonging to a family member or loved one, but an unfamiliar voice claims they’ve been kidnapped.

• This is a psychological manipulation tactic that relies on fear, urgency, and deception. The caller demands money quickly—often via wire transfer, prepaid debit card, cryptocurrency, or mobile payment app.

• The caller insists you do not contact law enforcement or hang up.

• There is no verifiable information provided—just emotional pressure.

How to Protect Yourself:

• Stay calm and try to contact the person allegedly kidnapped via a different method.

• Ask the caller questions only the real person would know—or that a scammer couldn’t answer.

• Hang up and call local law enforcement immediately.

• Be cautious with sharing personal information online (including your phone number and family details on social media).

• Do not send money or give out financial information to someone threatening you over the phone.

We want to alert you to an active phone call spoofing scam affecting Pathways members. Scammers are impersonating our fraud department and calling members using spoofed phone numbers that appear to come from Pathways.

📞 How the Scam Works:

🔐 The caller claims to be from Pathways’ fraud team and warns of suspicious activity on your account.
🧑‍💻 They ask for your online banking username and then request the verification code (2FA) sent to your phone.
💸 Once they gain access, they transfer money out of your account, often to an account fraudulently opened at Pathways under another name.

🛡️ Protect Yourself:

🚫 Know our policy: Pathways will never call you and ask for:

• Your full debit card number

• PIN or CVV

• Online banking login credentials

• 2FA codes

• Email passwords

• More than the last 4 digits of your card

📞 Verify suspicious contact: If something feels off, hang up and call us directly at 614-416-7588.

🔗 Avoid clicking links in unexpected emails or texts. Always go directly to our website or app.

Imagine this: You receive a text message from your bank alerting you to suspicious transactions on your account. You respond "No" to confirm they aren’t yours. Moments later, you get another text—this time asking you to speak with a fraud specialist to resolve the issue. Thinking it’s your bank, you press 1, and before you know it, fraudsters have taken control of your email, phone, and financial accounts.

Unfortunately, this isn’t a hypothetical situation—it happened to a member. In just a few hours, fraudsters attempted to wire $5,000 out of their account and successfully opened fraudulent credit cards in their name.

This article will break down exactly how this scam works and what you can do to protect yourself.

Step 1: Establishing Legitimacy

Fraudsters begin by gathering personal information such as your name, phone number, and card details—often from data breaches or the dark web. They then attempt small fraudulent transactions, which trigger legitimate fraud alerts from your financial institution.

Since you receive a text asking if these transactions are legitimate, you respond “No.” This is exactly what fraudsters want. They follow up immediately with another text, spoofing your bank’s phone number, stating:

“We need to speak with you regarding the recent fraudulent transactions on your account. Press 1 if you can talk now.”

Once you press 1, you’re connected with the scammer, who already knows details of the fraudulent transactions, making them seem trustworthy.

Step 2: Gaining Access to Your Device

Next, the fraudsters claim they can see unauthorized activity on other accounts linked to your digital wallet. To “help” you, they ask you to share your phone screen with them. Once you grant them access, they direct you to:
✅ Change your Apple ID or email password—giving them full control over your accounts.
✅ Enable call forwarding by dialing *72 + a new number—rerouting all your calls and texts to them.

At this point, the fraudsters can receive any text-based authentication codes meant for you, allowing them to reset passwords, take over online banking accounts, and bypass multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Step 3: Taking Over Financial Accounts

While keeping you on the phone, scammers begin making fraudulent transactions. Since they have access to your phone and email, they can:
🔹 Reset passwords to your online banking and email.
🔹 Answer security questions by asking you for the information directly.
🔹 Approve e-signature requests using stolen credentials.

They’ll keep you on hold, claiming they are “working with other banks” to stop the fraud, ensuring you don’t contact your real financial institution.

Step 4: Cashing Out

Once fraudsters have full control, they move quickly to:
💰 Wire money out of your accounts (if possible).
💳 Open fraudulent credit cards and loans using your personal details.
🛍 Charge up those accounts before you even realize what’s happened.

This process happens fast—sometimes in just a few hours.

How We Caught the Scam

Fortunately, in this case, our team noticed some red flags:
🚩 Long pauses during security questions—scammers were relaying answers from the real member in real-time.
🚩 Inconsistent device logins—our system detected access from multiple devices with different operating systems.
🚩 Failed phone verification—when we called the member’s registered phone number, it had been forwarded to the fraudsters.

Because of these red flags, we stopped the fraudulent wire transfer before it went through.

How to Protect Yourself from Account Takeover Scams

✅ Never share your phone screen or grant remote access to someone claiming to be from your bank.
✅ Be cautious of unexpected texts or calls—scammers can spoof numbers to make them appear legitimate.
✅ Check the phone number—official fraud alerts should come from the same number your bank typically uses.
✅ Never forward your calls—if you’re asked to dial *72 or another forwarding code, don’t do it.
✅ Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all important accounts—but use an authentication app instead of SMS codes, which can be intercepted.
✅ If in doubt, call your bank directly using the number on your statement or website—never use a number provided in a suspicious text.

What to Do If You Suspect You’re a Victim

If you think you’ve been targeted by a scam like this, take action immediately:
🔹 Contact your bank or credit union to report the fraud.
🔹 Change passwords for your email, banking, and Apple ID.
🔹 Disable call forwarding by dialing *73 (or your carrier’s specific code).
🔹 Monitor your accounts and credit report for unauthorized activity.

Scams like these are becoming more sophisticated, but by staying informed, you can protect yourself from financial fraud. Always be cautious when dealing with unexpected messages, and remember: If something feels off, trust your instincts and verify directly with your financial institution.

Scams comunes – Comisión Federal de Comercio

Mientras que los ciberdelincuentes siguen diseñando nuevos métodos para obtener acceso a datos y fondos personales, hay algunos “grapas” que siempre deben estar en la mirada. Mantente al día sobre la última información sobre las estafas comunes de la Comisión Federal de Comercio.

Más información del Gobierno

Lista de estafas y situaciones comunes de fraude compiladas por la Oficina Federal de Investigaciones.

Best Practices for Online Banking Security:

• Brief: Guidelines for maintaining strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and monitoring account activity.
• Source: American Bankers Association (ABA) - Safe Online Banking Tips
  
  

Fraud Prevention Checklists:

• Brief: A downloadable checklist for everyday use to prevent falling victim to common fraud schemes.
• Source: National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) - Fraud Prevention Center

Identity Theft: What It Is and How It Happens

• Brief: An in-depth look into the nature of identity theft, common tactics used by thieves, and the impact it can have on victims.
• Source: Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - About Identity Theft

Preventing Identity Theft: Best Practices

• Brief: Strategies for safeguarding personal information online and offline to prevent identity theft.
• Source: FTC - Protecting Your Identity

Fraud Alerts and Credit Freezes

• Brief: Explanations on how to place fraud alerts or freeze credit to prevent further damage.
• Source: FTC - Credit Freeze FAQs

Identity Theft Recovery Plans:

• Brief: Step-by-step advice on what to do if you’re a victim of identity theft.
• Source: Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - Identity Theft Recovery Steps