What to Do If You're the Victim of Fraud

If you think you’re a victim of a scam — whether it’s phishing, vishing, smishing or a malware attack — you’re not alone. In 2021, nearly 850,000 complaints were filed with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), the central hub for reporting cybercrime in the US. Here’s what to do if you’ve been a victim of fraud.

Contact your financial institution

If you notice suspicious activity on your Patelco account and think it’s fraud, contact us right away. We can help you verify whether fraud has occurred, and take the next necessary actions.

To ensure you have the latest security features:

Call Patelco immediately at 800.358.8228, send a secure message through Patelco Online™ or visit a local branch. If you’ve noticed a fraudulent charge on your debit or credit card, you can dispute the transaction.

Notify government agencies

Next, you’ll want to report the crime to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. They’ll route the information to federal, state, local or international law enforcement as needed.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also shares consumer complaints and online scams with law enforcement and can tell you what steps to take next. To report fraud to the FTC, visit reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Notify local authorities

Cover your bases by contacting your local police department. The State of California also recommends notifying your region’s High Technology Crimes Task Force or the State Attorney General’s eCrime unit.

Consider a credit freeze

Consider a credit freeze if you shared personal information. To get started, contact the top three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. All offer credit freeze services.

• Equifax allows you to freeze your credit online with a myEquifax account, by mail, or by calling 888.298.0045
• Manage your credit freeze online with an Experian account or call 888.397.3742
• TransUnion offers the option to set up a credit freeze online, or call 800.916.8800

If you're a victim of elder fraud

If you or someone you care for is a victim of elder fraud, contact Adult Protective Services. Find them in your area with the Eldercare Locator, a government-sponsored national resource. Visit their website or call 800.677.1116.

If you're a victim of smishing

If you are a victim of a texting scam, report it to:

• Your local law enforcement agency
• Your wireless service provider, by forwarding the message to 7726 (SPAM).
• Any financial institutions where you have accounts
• The Federal Communications Commission
• The Federal Trade Commission