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I Think I Got Scammed. What Do I Do Now? 

Maybe you sent money for something that never arrived. Maybe you shared a verification code with someone who claimed to work at your credit union. Now something feels wrong, and you’re trying to figure out what to do next. 

You might feel worried, frustrated, or embarrassed. You do not need to have everything figured out before asking for help. 

If your Zing account or card may be affected, call us at 303-573-1170. Tell us about any suspicious transactions or account information you shared, even if you have not noticed money missing. Zing’s account disclosures direct members to report suspected unauthorized access and transfers promptly. 

Stop communicating with the suspected scammer 

End the call or conversation, and do not send additional money or share more information. To check a suspicious request, contact the organization through a phone number you already trust, such as the number on the back of your card. Do not rely on the phone number or link provided in the message. 

For example, someone might claim there is fraud on your account and offer to help you fix it. Rather than following their instructions, end the conversation and contact your credit union directly. A familiar name, or phone number on your screen does not prove who is contacting you.

Tell us what happened in your own words 

When you contact Zing, explain how the person reached you, what they asked you to do, and any information or money you shared. Have the approximate transaction amount and date ready if you know them. You can report a concern even if you are unsure exactly what happened. 

You could start with: 

“I think I may have been scammed. Someone contacted me through [a call, text, email, or app], and this is what happened. I shared [the information involved] or sent [the amount and payment method]. Please help me secure my account and explain what I should do next.” 

It is important to explain who actually sent the payment. Someone accessing your account and making a transfer is different from you sending money after being misled. Sharing a code or other information after being deceived does not automatically determine how a transaction will be classified. Report what happened as soon as possible so the situation can be reviewed. 

You do not need to decide how the transaction should be classified before reporting it. 

Do not delay your call while gathering screenshots or waiting for a police report.

For covered electronic-transfer error claims, a financial institution must begin its investigation after receiving the required notice; it cannot make a police report a condition of starting that investigation. 

Ask about the next steps for your payment 

The next steps depend on how the money was sent and what happened. Contact the financial institution or company involved right away, explain the situation, and ask about options to stop the payment, dispute it, or request the money back. Not every payment can be canceled or recovered. 

For a transaction with a dispute option in Zing’s digital banking, select the transaction, open the three-dot menu, choose “Dispute Transactions,” and follow the prompts. If you do not have digital banking, do not see that option, or need help identifying the right process, call us. If someone may have access to your account, tell us about that concern too. 

If you paid through a payment app, contact the app’s support team. Let Zing know if your Zing card or account was involved. For a wire transfer, contact the institution or company that sent it. For gift card payments, contact the gift card company and keep the card and receipt. For cryptocurrency payments, contact the exchange or ATM operator involved. 

Report the issue as soon as you notice it. Deadlines and required follow-up depend on the transaction and circumstances. Ask about any written notice or documents you need to provide, where to send them, and the deadline. An initial phone call may not complete every required step, particularly for credit-card billing errors. 

What about temporary credit? 

Some disputes qualify for temporary credit while they are investigated. You may hear this called provisional credit. The requirements and timing depend on the transaction and applicable rules. Temporary credit does not mean the investigation is finished or that the credit is final; it may be reversed depending on the outcome. Ask what applies to your claim and review any notices you receive. 

What if you deposited a suspicious check? 

Tell Zing about the check and any money you sent after depositing it. Do not spend or send back money from a check you suspect is fake. Seeing the money in your available balance does not prove the check is genuine. A fake check can be discovered after funds have been made available. 

Secure the accounts and devices involved 

If you shared a password, change it on the affected account and anywhere else you used the same password. Turn on two-factor authentication when available. This adds another verification step when someone signs in. If you cannot access the account, use the provider’s official account-recovery process. 

Pay attention to your email account, too. Someone with access to your email may be able to request password resets for other accounts. Review your recovery phone number and email address, check for unfamiliar forwarding rules, and use the option to sign out of other devices when available. 

If someone gained remote access to your computer or asked you to install software, get help from a trusted technical-support provider. Update your security software, run a scan, and address anything it identifies. Do not return to the suspected scammer for help securing the device. 

Save the details, but do not send sensitive information through regular email 

Keep the original messages, emails, receipts, and payment confirmations. Save screenshots of listings or profiles and write down the dates, amounts, phone numbers, and usernames involved. Keep these records somewhere secure so they are available for follow-up. 

When providing documents to Zing, ask how to send them securely. Do not include sensitive information, such as your member number or Social Security number, in ordinary email. Zing’s Contact Us page specifically warns against sending sensitive information that way. 

Protect your identity if personal information was exposed 

If someone used your personal information to impersonate you or open accounts, the Federal Trade Commission’s identity-theft recovery website can help you report it and create a recovery plan. 

A credit freeze can help make it harder for someone to open new credit in your name by restricting access to your credit report. To freeze your credit with the three nationwide credit bureaus, contact Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion separately. Placing and lifting a freeze is free. You can temporarily lift it when you need to apply for credit. 

An initial fraud alert works differently. It tells businesses to take additional steps to verify your identity before granting new credit. You only need to contact one of the three bureaus to place it; that bureau must notify the other two. An initial alert is free and lasts one year. Neither option replaces contacting Zing about your existing accounts and suspicious transactions. 

Report the scam through the appropriate channels 

You can report scams to the Federal Trade Commission through its fraud-reporting service. For online crime, you can also submit a complaint to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, known as IC3. These reports help agencies identify patterns and share information for potential investigations, but they do not guarantee an individual response or recovery. 

Keep a copy of any report you submit. Contact local law enforcement directly for urgent concerns, and call 911 if you or someone else is in immediate danger. Reporting to an agency is separate from notifying Zing or the payment provider, so continue following the instructions for your account or claim. 

Watch out for anyone promising to recover your money 

After a scam, someone else may contact you claiming they can get your money back. They might say they work for a recovery company or government agency and ask for an upfront fee or access to your financial accounts. 

This can be another scam. Be cautious of unexpected offers to recover money, and do not pay someone who contacts you promising a refund in exchange for a fee. Verify any claimed organization independently before sharing information. 

You do not have to handle this alone 

You do not need to know every financial term or determine exactly which kind of scam occurred before reaching out. If your Zing account or card may be involved, call 303-573-1170 and explain what happened. You can also find additional information in Zing’s Scam & Fraud Protection Guide. 

Think You Were Scammed? Quick Action Checklist 

  • Stop communicating with the suspected scammer 
  • Contact Zing immediately at 303-573-1170 
  • Never share passwords, one-time verification codes, PINs, or online banking credentials 
  • Change passwords for affected accounts 
  • Save messages, receipts, and transaction details 

 

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TRUTH IN SAVINGS DISCLOSURE

Except as specifically described, the following disclosures apply to all the accounts.

  1. Rate Information. The dividend rate, or interest rate, and annual percentage yield on your accounts are set forth on the reverse side. The annual percentage yield is a percentage rate that reflects the total amount of dividends/interest to be paid on an account based on the dividend/interest rate and frequency of compounding for an annual period. For Certificates of Deposit and IRA Certificates of Deposit, the interest rate and annual percentage yield are fixed and will be in effect for the term of the account.  The annual percentage yield is based on an assumption that interest will remain on deposit until maturity.  A withdrawal will reduce earnings.
  2. Nature of Dividends. Dividends are paid from current income and available earnings after providing for the required reserves.  The dividend rates and annual percentage yields are the prospective rates and yields that the Credit Union anticipates paying for the applicable dividend period.
  3. Compounding and Crediting. Interest and dividends will be compounded and credited as set forth on the reverse side.  The dividend/interest period for each account is also set forth on our Rate and Fee Schedule.  The dividend/interest period begins on the first calendar day of the period and ends on the last calendar day of the period.
  4. Balance Information. The minimum balance required to open each account is set forth.  Interest is calculated by the daily balance method which applies a daily periodic rate to the principal in the account each day.
  5. Accrual of Dividends. Dividends will begin to accrue on cash deposits on the business day you make the deposit to your account.  Dividends will begin to accrue on noncash deposits (checks) on the business day you make the deposit to your account.  If you close your account before accrued dividends are credited, accrued dividends will not be paid.
  6. Account Limitations. The account limitations for each account are set forth in our Membership and Account Agreement
  7. Your account will mature on the maturity date set forth on your account receipt or renewal notice.
  8. Early Withdrawal Penalties. A penalty may be imposed if you withdraw any of the certificate funds before the maturity date or the renewal date, if this is a renewal account.
  9. Amount of Penalty. For Certificates of Deposit and IRA Certificates of Deposit the amount of the early withdrawal penalty for your account is 90 days’ interest for a term of 12 months or less, and 180 days’ interest for a term over 12 months.
  10. How the Penalty Works. The penalty is calculated as a forfeiture of part or all of the interest that have been earned on the account.  This penalty applies to earned interest and principal.
  11. Renewal Policy. Certificate of Deposit accounts will automatically renew for another term upon maturity.  You have a grace period of seven days in which to change or withdraw the funds without being charged an early withdrawal penalty.
  12. Exception to Early Withdrawal Penalties. At our option, we may redeem the account before maturity without imposing an early withdrawal penalty under the following circumstances:
    • When an account owner dies
    • or is determined legally incompetent by a court
    • or other body of competent jurisdiction.
  13. Nontransferable / Nonnegotiable. Your account is nontransferable and nonnegotiable.  The funds in your account may not be pledged to secure any obligation of an owner except obligations with the Credit Union.
  14. FEES FOR OVERDRAWN ACCOUNTS. Fees may be imposed on each check, draft item, ATM card withdrawal, debit card withdrawal, debit card point of purchase, preauthorized automatic debit, telephone initiated withdrawal or any other electronic withdrawal or transfer transaction that is drawn on an insufficient available account balance.  The entire balance in your account may not be available for withdrawal, transfer or payment of a check, draft or item.  You may consult the Funds Availability Policy for information regarding the availability of funds in your account.  Fees for overdrawing your account may be imposed for each overdraft, item or transaction.  If we have approved an overdraft protection limit for your account, such fees may reduce your approval limit.  Please refer to the Rate and Fee Schedule for current fee information.

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