Patelco Fraud Center
Learn how to avoid the latest scams, keep your accounts safe, and get help from Patelco.
Is it a scam?
Contact us first before you give away personal information or money – we’ll help you figure out if it’s a scam.
Watch out for recent scams
Protect yourself from the latest scams.
Did Patelco reach out to you?
Scammers may be impersonating Patelco. Here’s how to verify if it was Patelco contacting you.
How to report fraud to Patelco
At Patelco, we’ll be with you on every step of your financial journey, including when you’re a victim of fraud. Contact us immediately if you suspect fraud on your account(s), or if you responded to a suspicious email, text message or phone call.
Know the red flags
Fraudsters can tap into your emotions or try to catch you off guard.
Here are 5 red flags to watch out for based on Patelco’s fraud monitoring.
If you answer “yes” to any of these, you may be the target of a scam. Don’t click on any links or share any information with the person contacting you.
If you’ve lost money to a scam, contact us as soon as possible to see if we can place protection on your account and try to recover funds.
Want to learn even more about common red flags and protecting yourself from fraud? Download Patelco’s fraud booklet here. We even have a version tailored with information for older people. Click here to download a copy.
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1. Did someone claiming to be Patelco call and ask for card information, one-time passcode and/or login credentials to online banking?
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2. Were you contacted by someone out of the blue and pressured to transfer your money (to “protect” it) or to wire them money?
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3. Were you asked to hide information from or lie to Patelco or your other financial institution(s)?
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4. Does this transaction involve a foreign country, territory, or state where you don’t have contacts or connections?
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5. Were you “overpaid” or “over reimbursed” for something and are now being asked to send the “extra” money back?
Voice authentication for safer calls
It’s here now
We’re now able to authenticate your identity via natural conversation when you call us.
Highly accurate voice recognition
It analyzes multiple unique aspects of your natural voice, making it very challenging to mimic.
Easy to enroll
Next time you call us, you can request to be enrolled – just be sure your contact information is up to date first.
Next level voice security
When you call us, we’ll compare your voice to your voiceprint – making it quicker to authenticate you and help with your question.
More about voice authentication
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Voice authentication is a type of biometric authentication, a security process that relies on unique biological characteristics like a fingerprint. In this case, it’s a voiceprint – which includes your individual pitch, tone, and pronunciation.
No, you don’t have to – but we highly recommend it as an additional layer of security so that we know it’s you when you call us.
Next time you call 800.358.8228, just tell us you want to enroll. Your contact information must be up to date, and we’ll ask you to authenticate yourself with personal information so that we can be sure it’s your voiceprint we’re saving.
Our voiceprint identification system is designed to be resistant to deepfake technology, making it more difficult for fraudsters to impersonate you.
There are many benefits to using voice authentication. First, it enhances security by adding an extra layer of protection to help guarantee we’re talking to you. Second, it’s a more seamless and faster experience for you – so you can get authenticated faster and get down to the business of your call.
Fraud happened. Now what?
Fraudulent debit or credit card activity
File a claim immediately using our online claims center by logging into Patelco Online™. See other details here.
I called Patelco – what else can I do?
It’s important to act quickly and to report it to the authorities. Read our tips for being proactive.
Suspicious account activity that's not yours
We’re here to guide and support you if you notice account activity that’s not yours. Contact us immediately.
Identity theft happened
Here’s what you can do to act fast and recover if you’ve been a victim of identity theft.
Keep Your Personal Information
Private
We’ll never call, text or email you unexpectedly and ask for your:
- online banking password
- card PIN
- card’s 3-digit security code
Frequently asked questions about fraud
Fraudsters have become more proficient at faking caller ID – so just because your phone shows Patelco, that doesn’t mean it’s really us.
Red flags include someone calling you to ask information we already know – such as your card number, Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, etc. We already have this information and will never call to ask.
When in doubt, disconnect and call us at our known number, 800.358.8228.
With people using the internet to pretty much do everything, online scams are on the rise. Read more about the top internet scams here.
As text messaging becomes more prevalent around the world, text message scams are also becoming more common. Read more about text message, or “smishing,” scams here.
All sorts of financial services are available to help you manage your finances, and many will require you to share your data with them. Learn more about how data sharing works, what you should consider when asked to share your data, and how to protect your data and accounts. Read more about sharing data on financial apps here.
All sorts of services are available to help you manage your finances, and many will ask you to share your data with them (like your online banking credentials). Learn more about how data sharing works, what you should consider when asked to share, and how to protect yourself. Read more about social media scams here.
In 2021, over 92,000 victims over the age of 60 reported losses of $1.7 billion to the IC3. This represents a 74 percent increase in losses over losses reported in 2020.1 The top scams targeting are government impersonation scams, sweepstakes and lottery scams, robocalls and phone scams, computer tech support scams, and grandparent scams. Read more about fraud against elders here.
The best way to avoid fraud
Don’t give personal information or money to anyone who calls or texts you. Learn more >
Is it a scam?
We’re here to help you figure out if it’s a scam before you give out any personal information or transfer money. Call us at 800.358.8228 and enter extension 5323 to talk with a specialist. You can also schedule an appointment with our Fraud Experience Team (for the type of appointment, select FRAUD CONSULTATION).
Recent Fraud Newsletters
Read tips in our past newsletters.
Learn More About Fraud
January 10, 2024
Don’t be fooled by job listing that sounds too good to be true. Look for these warning signs to identify job opportunities to stay away from!
February 10, 2023
Crypto can be appealing – but there’s a lot of scams that use crypto to try and part you from your money. Find out about the most popular and how to avoid them.
February 10, 2023
Social media is a great way to connect with friends and with companies – but scammers are out there too. Find out how to stay socially safe with the experts at Patelco.
How to protect your account
- Keep your contact information up to date so we can contact you quickly if we see suspicious activity on your account
- Sign up for Patelco Online™ or the Mobile App to view account activity
- Set up Two-Factor Authentication for added security each time you log in
- Manage account alerts, card alerts and transaction controls
- Choose SMS (or text message) as your primary alert and notification channel for timely information
- Designate a Trusted Contact for your account in case we cannot get ahold of you
More fraud resource and prevention tips
Discover the additional resources that Patelco has put together for members like you.
