Home Warranty Scams: How to Protect Yourself Against Them

Recently, some of our members were targeted by a Home Warranty Notice scam. This isn’t the first time this scam has been used, and it probably won’t be the last. But don’t worry! If you stay alert and aware, you can avoid becoming a victim.

Here’s how the scam works:

A letter is sent to your home from a company you’ve never heard of. It says “Final Notice” at the top and declares that your Home Warranty, secured by Merrimack Valley Credit Union, is either expiring very soon or has already expired. The letter states that it’s urgent that you contact them immediately.  There’s a phone number to call to speak to an agent. 

Their goal? To get you on the phone where they ask for your personal and/or banking information. 

The information that was used to create the letter was likely obtained from free records at the Registry of Deeds. The Credit Union did not share any of your information with this company.

How can you protect yourself?

It’s important to remain vigilant without being anxious! Here’s how you can protect your privacy and your finances:

• Trust your gut! When you receive a communication via the mail, email, or phone that makes you question whether it’s real or not, it’s likely not real.    
• Ask questions! If you receive something that mentions MVCU but didn’t come from the credit union, call us at 800-356-0067. Our Fraud Detection team is happy to help.
• Read the letter closely! Solicitations that use unnecessary urgency are almost always a scam. “Contact Us Immediately”, “Final Notice”, and “we will revoke your eligibility” are all ways to get you to act first and ask questions later. Remember, you didn’t receive a first notice because there wasn’t one!   
• Never give out your bank account or personal information! If you do call the number on the letter, as soon as they start asking for non-public information, hang up. 
• Dispose of the letter! Shredding is the safest way to destroy any documents containing personal information. 

If you are the victim of any scam, do not wait to contact us. The scammers are becoming very sophisticated, so don’t be ashamed or embarrassed. The sooner you let us know what happened, the better the chances are that we can help you. Our goal is always your financial safety and security. 

Stay up to date on scams impacting our members by visiting our Scam & Security Awareness Page. 

Category: Privacy & Security