BOARDMAN, Ohio — Credit union websites, social media channels and branches are filled with warnings, and yet members continue to be victimized by scams involving the impersonation of CU employees.
The latest: a Boardman, Ohio man lost more than $1,700 after falling victim to a scam in which a caller posing as a representative of the $203-billion Navy Federal Credit Union convinced him to transfer money from his account, according to WFMJ.
WFMJ reported the victim told police he received a phone call from someone claiming to be with Navy Federal Credit Union, who said his account had been compromised.
According to police, the caller told the man the only way to protect his money was to transfer it from his account to Cash App.
Was Suspicious, But…
The man told investigators he initially thought the request seemed suspicious. However, WFMJ reported he became convinced the call was legitimate after noticing the incoming phone number matched the customer service number printed on the back of his credit card.
Police said the man first attempted to transfer the funds through Cash App, but the transaction failed. The scammer then instructed him to send the money using Bitcoin, directing him to a fraudulent link to complete the transfer.
The victim ultimately lost $1,757, according to WFMJ.
Police have not identified any suspects, and no charges had been filed as of the station’s report.
