After receiving a suspicious text message claiming to be from HAPO Community Credit Union, a Tri-Cities resident drove to the local branch in person to see if it was a scam. Turns out their gut was right.

HAPO confirmed on the spot that it was a scam. The text came from a full 10-digit phone number, not the five-digit short code that all legitimate HAPO messages come from.

Hapo Credit Union Warns Members How the Scam Works

The scammers are impersonating HAPO through fraudulent text messages and calls designed to create urgency and panic. They are directing members to provide their online banking username and password, their card number, and the CVV code on the back of the card.

Some victims are being told they must conduct a transaction immediately to protect their money.

HAPO will never ask you to perform a transaction to protect your funds. HAPO will never ask for your CVV code. HAPO will never request access to your online banking credentials through a text or phone call.

The One Detail That Gives It Away Every Time

This is the simplest way to identify a fraudulent HAPO message. Just look at the number it came from. Every legitimate text alert from HAPO comes from a five-digit short code number. If you receive a text about your HAPO account from a full 10-digit phone number, it is not HAPO.

It is that easy to tell.

This same scam targeted HAPO members back in 2013, and the playbook has not changed much. The technology is slightly different, but the approach is identical: create fear, demand immediate action, and harvest your financial information before you have time to think.

What to Do If You Receive One of These Messages

Do not respond to the text.

Do not call the number provided in the message.

Do not click any links.

Do not provide any account information, card numbers, or passwords to anyone who contacts you claiming to be HAPO.

Instead, contact HAPO directly using the number on the back of your card or on hapo.org and report what you received.

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