SAN ANTONIO – Hundreds of members of Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union who were targeted by impersonation scams during the second quarter of 2026, with several victims losing thousands of dollars, have criticized the credit union in local media, arguing they have been denied reimbursement.
KENS 5 reported that at least three members told the television station they collectively lost thousands of dollars after scammers posing as RBFCU employees convinced them to approve fraudulent transactions. Consumer protection attorney Bill Clanton told KENS 5 he has been contacted by at least 10 people with similar complaints and is evaluating multiple potential cases.
According to a statement from the credit union cited by KENS 5, confirmed impersonation scams involving RBFCU increased by an average of 100 additional cases per month during the second quarter. The credit union did not disclose the total number of incidents.
Victims Say Main Number Spoofed
Victims told KENS 5 the scammers often spoofed RBFCU’s main telephone number and claimed to be calling from the credit union’s fraud department to warn of unauthorized account activity. Several said the callers already possessed sensitive personal information, including usernames, passwords, dates of birth or portions of Social Security numbers, making the calls appear legitimate.
One victim, identified only as Erik, told KENS 5 he initially questioned whether the caller was legitimate but became convinced after the caller accurately recited personal account information.
Text Messages Appeared Legit
According to the report, victims then received text messages appearing to come from the same five-digit number RBFCU uses for legitimate notifications. The messages prompted them to approve what they believed were transactions returning money to their accounts. Instead, the approvals authorized transfers of funds to scammers. Some victims reportedly lost more than $50,000 through multiple transfers.
Victims also told KENS 5 they were unable to immediately report the fraud because the scams often occurred after business hours and they could not reach the credit union’s fraud department until the following day.
Why RBRCU Denied Reimbursement
KENS 5 reported that RBFCU denied reimbursement requests submitted by the victims it interviewed. According to denial letters reviewed by the station, the credit union concluded the transfers were authorized because they were initiated using the members’ account credentials and therefore fell outside protections provided under federal electronic funds transfer regulations.
Clanton disputed that interpretation, telling KENS 5 the denials may violate the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. He argued that consumers who are tricked into providing account credentials may still be protected under the law and that the key legal issue is whether the transfer itself was initiated without the consumer’s authorization.
KENS 5 said it asked RBFCU whether its denial letters complied with the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and requested an interview with credit union officials.
Statement From RBFCU
In a statement provided to the television station, RBFCU said it is aware of the increase in impersonation scams affecting members and the community and continues to educate consumers on how to recognize and report suspicious activity.
The credit union said its fraud and operations teams are investigating the incidents in cooperation with law enforcement and encouraged members to remain vigilant when receiving unsolicited communications, even when they appear to come from trusted organizations.
