Fraud Protection


3/9/2023- UPDATE-Brute Force Attack

First Citizens' has become aware that some of our debit cards have been subject to a Brute Force Attack. The members that have been affected by this attack will be communicated with shortly.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

What is a Brute Force Attack?

A brute force attack is a hacking method that uses trial and error to crack passwords, login credentials, and encryption keys. It is a simple yet reliable tactic for gaining unauthorized access to individual accounts and organizations’ systems and networks. The hacker tries multiple usernames and passwords, often using a computer to test a wide range of combinations, until they find the correct login information.

The name "brute force" comes from attackers using excessively forceful attempts to gain access to user accounts. Despite being an old cyberattack method, brute force attacks are tried and tested and remain a popular tactic with hackers.

 
 
 

First Citizens’ Federal Credit Union has around-the-clock monitoring to help protect against fraud. With this service, fraud specialists watch for suspicious card activity on your account 24/7, 365 days a year.

As a result, when transactions occur that are not consistent with your usual card activity, you will receive a notification from First Citizens’ Federal Credit Union’s Detection Center to verify the authenticity of these transactions; sometimes even while the transaction is happening. 

If a suspicious transaction does take place, look for the following:
  • A text message from our First Citizens’ Credit Union’s Fraud Detection Center, with the ability to respond.
  • An email from noreply@enfactnotifications.com, verifying that the recent transactions on your debit card were made with your authorization.
  • A telephone call from First Citizens’ Federal Credit’s Fraud Detection Center agent. In certain instances you may receive a call from our automated system.
Please Note: Our agents will make two attempts to call you with a gap of 15 minutes between each call.

If fraud is suspected on your account our Fraud Detection Center will contact you as mentioned above to verify the transactions in question. You will not be asked to provide any account information or personal information such as your social security number, PIN number or any other particular account information. You will be asked to confirm details of the transaction to assist in identifying any suspected fraudulent activity; details such as the date of the transaction, the amount of the transaction and or the merchant.

If the charges are valid, you may continue to use your card. If the charges are not valid, your card will be blocked to prevent any further fraudulent activity. You will then need to contact us directly to report the fraud and order a replacement card. You may contact us by phone at 1-800-642-7515, or visit any branch office.

Note: First Citizens’ Federal Credit Union’s Fraud Detection Center cannot stop a charge once it has been approved. They simply block your card to prevent further fraud. Once the fraudulent transaction has posted to your account, First Citizens’ Federal Credit Union will work with you to complete the required reports to assist in attempting to recoup any unauthorized paid charges.