Protecting Our Members: Real Stories of Scam Prevention Success
Every day, our team is dedicated to helping members not only reach their financial goals but also protect what they’ve worked hard for.
Scams and fraud attempts are becoming increasingly sophisticated. However, thanks to the vigilance, care, and compassion of our team members, several recent member stories ended in relief rather than loss.
Here are three inspiring stories shared by our team members who went above and beyond to protect our members from falling victim to scams:
From Member Advisors Jami & Breanna
“One afternoon, a shared branching member came in planning to withdraw all of her funds. As we began talking with her, she explained that she needed the money immediately to pay a ‘bondsman’ who said she had an outstanding warrant for her arrest.
Something didn’t feel right, so we took some extra time to talk through the situation with her. Together, we discovered it was a fake warrant scam. The fraudsters were preying on her fear to convince her to hand over everything she had saved.
When we explained that it was a scam and that she wouldn’t be arrested, she was overwhelmed with relief. She actually cried happy tears and thanked us for caring enough to step in. Before she left, she said she planned to open her own account with us because of how much we looked out for her.”
From Member Experience Assistant Manager Bradley
“One day, a non-member came in trying to cash two checks totaling $15,500. The checks were drawn from the account of one of our long-time members who has been struggling with her health and showing signs of dementia.
This didn’t fit her usual behavior, so we told the individual we couldn’t immediately cash the checks and that he should take them to his own financial institution. He became angry but left, saying he’d come back with our member.
A few hours later, he returned with her, insisting we cash the checks. I spoke directly with the member, and it became clear she wasn’t fully aware of what was happening. The man claimed to be a contractor working on her deck, but the situation didn’t add up. I gently redirected the conversation to protect her, and the non-member eventually left.
Afterward, I contacted her joint account holder who was shocked to learn what was going on. It turned out this ‘contractor’ was connected to a neighbor’s son, and they had already manipulated her into withdrawing $15,000 from her retirement account for a fake project. Her daughter discovered additional unsigned checks that had been completed as well.
We helped the family take immediate steps to protect our member's finances and begin the process of establishing conservatorship. While the situation was heartbreaking, we were grateful to have intervened before any further damage could be done.”
From Member Experience Manager Karen
“I was assisting the team on the front line when a member approached asking to withdraw $15,000 in cash. I let him know that amount would need to be ordered and asked a few questions to understand what the funds were for. He said it was for home improvements, but as we talked, I could tell something was off. He was shaking and looked very concerned.
I invited him into an office for a private conversation, and that's when he opened up about what was really happening. He had received a call from someone claiming to be from PayPal, saying they had accidentally overpaid him and needed him to return the money in cash. The scammer had even hacked his account, transferring money from his credit card to his checking account so it looked legitimate. They were waiting outside in the parking lot for him to confirm he had the cash.
We immediately locked down his account, changed his account number, and secured his online banking. Thankfully, no money was lost. When he went back to his car, the scammer was still on the phone, so I offered to speak with them myself. I picked up and said, ‘Hello, Police Department.’ The line went dead immediately.
The member left that day not only protected but also educated on how to safeguard his information moving forward.”
These stories remind us why vigilance and compassion matter. We’re incredibly proud of our team for their commitment to protecting our members and their money.
We’re not just a financial institution - we’re a community that looks out for one another.
