Identifying and Preventing Account Fraud

We take your privacy and security very seriously. Learn how to report fraud. You can pause your debit card if you ever have concerns about a transaction.1 To pause your card, go to Account Services > Manage Your Card in Online Banking. In the mobile app, click the menu in the top-right corner and go to Card Manager and click on the card to see the options.

What Is Account Fraud?

Account fraud occurs when a cybercriminal gains access to a person's legitimate financial account and uses it to commit criminal activity, including:

  • Withdrawing money or making unauthorized purchases.
  • Opening an account with a stolen identity.

Types of Account Fraud

  • Debit card fraud happens when a criminal gets access to your debit card number or PIN and makes unauthorized purchases or withdrawals from your account.
  • Credit card fraud occurs when a thief acquires credit card information and uses it to purchase items without the cardholder's authorization. For example, scammers obtain your credit card information, then use it to purchase goods on Amazon and bill it to you.
  • Check fraud involves illegitimately using checks to commit fraudulent activities such as check forgery. For example, a bad actor accesses someone's check, forges their signature and presents it at a financial institution for cash.
  • Wire fraud involves wire transfers, often submitted online. In some cases, scammers will steal a person's username and password and wire money to themselves.

Signs of Account Fraud

Signs that you may be a victim of account fraud include:

  • Your statement contains charges you don't recognize.
  • You notice several small charges from your account — a signal someone could be testing your card in advance of a major purchase.
  • You don't recognize the name of the company attached to the charge.
  • Charges appear from unfamiliar or distant locations you haven't visited.
  • You experience a significant and unexpected drop in your available credit balance.
  • You receive phone calls requesting credit or debit card information.

What You Can Do

Following digital security and identity theft best practices can help prevent fraud from occurring. The best way to spot potential fraud is to regularly monitor your accounts. Check your balance and recent transactions at least daily. The sooner you can detect fraud, the easier it will be to limit its impact on your finances and life.

How We're Working To Protect You

For your protection, BECU routinely monitors accounts for fraudulent activity and may call you to verify a transaction(s) that does not follow your normal usage. Remember: BECU will never ask for your personal information over the phone, through social media, email or text. Visit our Member Account Security page to learn more about how BECU communicates and interacts with members.

How To Report Fraud

  • To report unauthorized charges on your BECU account:
    • Call 800-233-2328 during regular business hours: Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. Pacific Time. For TTY support, dial 711 for the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS).
    • Send a secure message. Monday - Friday, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Saturday - Sunday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
    • BECU debit card after hours: 888-241-2510 or 909-941-1398 (collect outside U.S.). 
    • BECU credit card after hours: 866-820-2999. For credit card TTY support 24/7: 888-918-7323.
  • To report a scammer impersonating BECU
    • Criminals are spoofing BECU's phone number and claiming to be from our fraud department. They may notify you via phone calls or texts requesting information about your account. Remember: BECU will never ask for your personal information over the phone, through social media, email or text. If you receive a suspicious message that appears to be from us, you can alert us by emailing phishing@becu.org. For security reasons, please don't include any personal account information in email.
  • Additional ways to report a scam

Related Resources

1Recurring transactions may still process while the debit card is paused. BECU is not responsible for any fees that may result from recurring transactions that do or do not process as a result of a paused debit card. If your card is lost, stolen, or you suspect fraud, contact us immediately at 800-233-2328.