From The Albany County Sheriff’s Office

The Albany County Sheriff’s Office was made aware of a text message being sent out claiming to be UniWyo Federal Credit Union. This scam is trying to persuade individuals into giving them sensitive information (i.e. social security numbers, bank accounts, checking and routing numbers). Please remember, if your bank was trying to get a hold of you, they would not send a text message.

Tips to help avoid becoming a victim to this scam include:

* Never give personal or financial information to an unsolicited caller or email.

* Be suspicious of callers who demand immediate payment for any reason.

* Stay private. Regularly update privacy settings for social media sites. Scammers often make their stories more believable by trolling for personal information on Facebook, Twitter, and similar sites.

* Remember that anyone who has the number on a prepaid card has access to the funds on your card

* Never wire money, provide debit or credit card numbers to a stranger.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has a tremendous amount of information and resources available to protect consumers. Information can be found by visiting www.consumer.ftc.gov/scam-alerts