Safe & Sound
We work diligently to ensure your data is held with the highest security. If anything is ever in question, we’re here. Below are several ways you can reach us or get an extra layer of protection.
April 2025 Scam Alert
Please be aware of calls or texts from anyone claiming to be the Sno Falls CU Fraud Department. Do not provide your card number, PIN or other sensitive information over the phone or by text. Hang up and call us at our direct number to confirm account activity.
Main Phone
(425) 888-4004
After Hours
(800) 243-7860
Lost or Stolen Cards
During business hours
Call (800) 243-7860
After business hours
Call (888) 241-2510
Report electronic fraud by emailing:
abuse@snofalls.com
Report your card missing or disable it in online banking.
Member Account Safety
We prioritize your account security and are always working to ensure the safety of your funds and personal information. Help us increase your cybersecurity by following best practices, enabling available security features, and familiarizing yourself with our methods of confirming your identity.
Cybersecurity Best Practices
Below are steps that you and your family can take to ensure your devices are safe.
Update Software
Software updates provide you with a more efficient and stable digital experience by enhancing functionality and address existing issues such as bugs and crashes.
Protect Your Devices
Install antivirus and anti-malware software to protect your devices from cyberattacks. Only use trusted, password-protected internet networks and avoid using public USB ports.
Interacting with Sno Falls
Scammers might try to impersonate Sno Falls employees and systems. Below are ways to know if you are actually interacting with Sno Falls – or with a criminal trying to access your accounts.
1. Sno Falls employees will not ask for your Online Banking User ID or password.
2. We will not ask for your account security phrases or photos, or one-time security codes if we call you. We will not ask for your card number or CVV code if we call you to verify activity on your account.
3. We will not include a link in a text message. Do not click on suspicious links.
4. We will not request one-time security codes or Zelle® SMS validation codes if we call you.
5. We may send a one-time security code and ask you to provide it for identity verification if you:
• Call Sno Falls for any reason.
• Set up a wire transfer online.
• Log in to Online Banking or the mobile app.
This helps us protect your accounts and prevent unauthorized access.
Sno Falls Security Features
Learn more about our internal security features that you can enable to better protect your Sno Falls accounts.
One-time PIN Authentification
A one-time PIN authentification feature may be used when logging into online banking. This security feature will send a one-time security code to your email address on file that you will then use to gain online banking access.
A one-time security code will also be sent to members who log into online banking using an unknown browser.
Transaction Monitoring
1. To edit transaction monitoring settings, log into online banking on your internet browser or through the Sno Falls app. From your online dashboard, click on the Bell icon in the top right corner.
2. From the Security tab, click on + Add New Alert.
3. Select an Alert Type, a SFCU card to receive alerts for and an email or phone number to send alerts to. Click Submit once finished.
Card Controls
1. To edit card controls, log into online banking on your internet browser or through the Sno Falls app. From your online dashboard, click on Cards in the left side menu.
2. Choose the card you’d like to edit controls for on the left. Select card controls such as reporting a missing card or setting travel settings.
Our Security Systems
We’re always working hard to protect you. Our websites are secured with industry-standard encryption and time-sensitive session cookies.
All Sno Falls mobile app releases undergo methodical and rigorous testing to ensure that member privacy and account security are protected.
Our systems and employees conduct 24/7 fraud monitoring on accounts and credit/debit cards in an attempt to identify and respond to any unusual and unexpected activity.
We’re insured by the NCUSIF. Federally insured credit unions offer a safe place for you to save your money, with deposits insured up to at least $250,000 per individual depositor. The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) is the independent agency that administers the NCUSIF. Like the FDIC’s Deposit Insurance Fund, the NCUSIF is a federal insurance fund backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government.
Maintain Financial Security
Don’t Be A Victim
- Verify The Vendor
Review seller contact information (name, email, phone number, addresses) before purchasing. Never provide personally identifiable information, money, jewelry, gift cards, checks, or wire information to unverified contacts. Detected scams are often posted online to alert the public. - Take Your Time
Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers create a sense of urgency to produce fear and lure victims into immediate action. Call the police immediately if you feel there is a danger to yourself or a loved one. - Avoid Unsolicited Messaging
Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, emails, online links, popups, social media ads and door-to-door service offers.
Legitimate customer, security, or tech support companies will not initiate unsolicited contact with individuals
Legitimate lotteries and beneficiaries do not need to pay upfront taxes and fees to claim a prize or inheritance. Playing foreign lotteries in any form is a violation of federal law.
Government or law enforcement officials will not contact a subject by phone to notify they are under investigation.
No vendor or government/law enforcement official should demand immediate payment or require payment via prepaid cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or mailed cash. - Install Security Software
Make sure all computer anti-virus and security software and malware protections are up to date. Use reputable anti-virus software and firewalls. - Remote Access
Never give unknown, unverified persons remote access to devices or accounts. - Online Profiles
Be careful what you post and make public online. Scammers can use details shared on social media and dating sites to better understand and target you. - Use two-factor/multi-factor authentication
Two-factor/multi-factor authentication, or an authentication system that requires more than one distinct authentication factor for successful authentication1, makes it hard for a scammer to gain access to your accounts. These are the three categories: Something you know (like a password or PIN), something you have (like a smart card/token), or something you are (like your fingerprint/face ID). - Set up unique passwords/usernames
When you reuse a password for social media profiles, apps, email accounts, online shopping and even medical sites, you are increasing your risk of being hacked. If a scammer finds out one password/username that you use for multiple platforms, they can rapidly gain access to other sites that use the same login information. - Do your homework
Scammers often pose as fake companies or online sellers during the holiday season. If you see a social media ad or website popup that’s too good to be true, we recommend not inquiring with the company or seller. Scammers can also take advantage of consumers by sending suspicious emails asking for login information, offering a free gift or inviting you to claim a prize. If you are familiar with the vendor, visit their website directly to see if the deal is real. In most cases, it is best to go straight to the source when purchasing this holiday season.
Find Your Security Topic
Federal Trade Commission data shows that consumers reported losing nearly $10 billion to fraud in 2023.1
View different types of fraud below to keep you and your family safe.
Direct Impersonation
Online Shopping Scams – Scammers may call or text you pretending to be a large retail company such as Amazon in order to obtain money/sensitive information under the guise of giving you a refund for a purchase you may have never made
Prizes, Sweepstakes, and Lotteries – The initial contact in a Lottery/Sweepstakes scam involves offering congratulations for winning a contest, lottery, or sweepstakes the victim did not enter. Scammers then demand the victim pay upfront fees and taxes to claim their “prize.”
Investment Scams – Investment fraud happens when people try to trick you into investing money. Criminals might want you to invest money in stocks, bonds, notes, commodities, currency, or even real estate.
Consumers reported losing more money to investment scams—more than $3.8 billion—than any other category in 2022. That amount more than doubles the amount reported lost in 2021.1
Business and Job Opportunities – Job scam could involve you paying for starter kits, so-called training, or certifications that are useless. Additionally, a business scam could occur where you deposit a check from your new employer, the employer then asks you to send some money back due to “overpayment,” but the check will ultimately bounce, and the bank will want you to repay the full amount of the fake check, while the scammers keep the real money you sent them.
Donation Fraud – This type of imposter fraud includes dishonest persons who impersonate charities like St. Jude while pocketing donations. Donation fraud often occurs during holiday season or following natural disasters.
Impersonating Family/Friends – Other scammers even reach out via social media or banking apps like Venmo disguised as your family member/close friend in desperate financial need.
Impersonating An Office – Government Impersonation criminals pretend to contact you from government agencies like the Social Security Administration, IRS, or Medicare. Scammers will demand payment or personal information by threatening government benefits or well-being.
Imposter fraud involves scammers who lie and pretend to be someone else in order to trick you into sending money or sensitive information to them. The FTC reported $2.6 billion to imposter fraud in 2022, making it the second most frequent type of fraud behind identity theft.2
Remote Computer Access
Imposter fraud includes scammers who contact you asking for remote digital device access in order to perform tasks such as tech repair or bank assistance. Often these hackers are impersonating trusted companies like Apple or your primary financial institution. If the imposter is given access, they can wreak havoc on your personal data. They can access and steal information on the spot or install malware and remotely return to your device for future hacking.
Gift Cards/Wire Transfers
It’s a cause for concern when any online retailer or service provider ask for payment via gift card or wire transfer. Gift card fraud is popular with scammers because gift cards are easy for consumers to find and buy, and they have fewer protections for buyers compared to other payment options. Both gift card and wire transfers are more like cash: once these forms of payment been transferred to the imposter, the money is near impossible to trace and have return.
Subscription Services
Watch out for subscription services with fine print indicating an unusually large subscription amount per month after the initial payment. Card companies will often side with the subscription service if fraud is reported due to the contract confirmed on your end.
Always verify identity before giving out sensitive information or money. Never allow remote access to any device unless the user is authenticated. And finally, consider the implications of scammer activity when choosing your payment option for online purchases.
Elder Fraud
Elder Fraud cost Americans over the age of 60 $3.1 Billion in 2022. Globally, Elder Fraud is a growing issue as criminals increasingly use online scams to target older adults, especially those living alone.3
Call Center Fraud
Over a third of Elder Fraud stems from Tech and Customer Support / Government Impersonation.3
Tech and Customer Support scammers take advantage of victims’ unfamiliarity with technology, online banking, and newer payment methods, like cryptocurrency, to quickly take as much money as possible.
Government Impersonation criminals pretend to contact you from government agencies like the Social Security Administration, IRS, or Medicare. Scammers will demand payment or personal information by threatening government benefits or well-being.
Investment Fraud
Investment fraud involves complex financial crimes often characterized as low-risk investments with guaranteed returns.
They comprise of advanced fee frauds, Ponzi schemes, pyramid schemes, market manipulation fraud, real estate investing, and trust-based investing.
Lottery/Sweepstakes/
Inheritance Fraud
The initial contact in a Lottery/Sweepstakes scam involves offering congratulations for winning a contest, lottery, or sweepstakes the victim did not enter. Scammers then demand the victim pay upfront fees and taxes to claim their “prize.”
Inheritance scams function very similarly as the victim is informed an unknown, distant relative has left a large inheritance to the victim. Criminals then ask the victim to pay taxes and fees to receive the inheritance money.
Confidence/Romance Scams
Confidence/Romance scams involve a criminal using the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim.
Scam artists often say they are in the military, or a trades-based industry engaged in projects outside the U.S. That makes it easier to avoid meeting in person—and more plausible when they request money be sent overseas for a medical emergency or unexpected legal fee.
Grandparent Scams also fall into this category, where criminals impersonate a panicked loved one, usually a grandchild, nephew, or niece of an elderly person who appears to be in need of money immediately.
Extortion
Extortion occurs when a criminal demands something of value from a victim by threatening physical or financial harm or the release of sensitive data. Extortion is used in various schemes including email extortion attacks, hitman schemes, and government extortion.
Non-Delivery Fraud
The combination of online shopping and social media creates easy venues for scammers to post false advertisements for goods and services. Many victims of Non-Delivery Fraud report ordering items from links advertised on social media and either receiving nothing at all or receiving something completely unlike the advertised item.
Cryptocurrency Fraud
Cryptocurrency Scams totaled over $1 billion in losses in 2022.3
Cryptocurrency is exploited in frauds and scams, particularly
the use of cryptocurrency ATMs, crypto investments, and crypto support impersonations. Overall, cryptocurrency is becoming a preferred payment method for all types of scams, particularly in Investment Scams, where losses can reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars per victim.
Russia | Ukraine Fraud
Scammers may reach out via text, call, email or social media in attempt to steal your funds or personal information citing the Russia/Ukraine War. Scammers may ask for money to escape their country, or bury a loved one. Avoid answering suspicious communications as well as links and never send funds to a recipient that you would not give cash to.
Dangers of Public Charging
Planning to travel? The FBI warns consumers against using free public charging stations, such as those found in airports, hotels or shopping centers.
Crooks have managed to load malware onto public USB charging stations to maliciously access electronic devices while they are being charged, AKA Juice Jacking. Malware installed through a corrupted USB port can lock a device or export personal data and passwords directly to the perpetrator. Criminals can then use that information to access online accounts or sell it to other bad actors.
In some cases, criminals may have intentionally left cables plugged in at charging stations. There have even been reports of infected cables being given away as promotional gifts.
Avoid Juice Jacking
1. Avoid using a public USB charging station. Bring AC, car chargers, and your own USB cables with you when traveling. Alternatively, you can carry a portable charger or external battery to charge your devices from.
2. If you have to use a public charging station, USB Data-blockers and charging-only cables are recommended to keep data safe. If you plug your device into a public USB port and a prompt appears asking you to select “share data” or “charge only,” always select “charge only.”
P2P Fraud
Platforms like Venmo, Zelle®, Apple/Google Pay and PayPal are peer-to-peer payment methods. They allow consumers to transfer money using bank accounts, debit cards or credit cards.
P2P payments are comparable to sending cash and the transfer usually requires just a few clicks. For these reasons, P2P platforms have become a target for scammers.
Evade Crooks
1. Review your transaction details before you send it.
2. Send payment AFTER the good or service has been received.
3. Monitor and opt in to strong security settings and two-factor authentification when available.