All Hughes branches will be open from 9 AM to 1 PM on Tuesday, December 24th, for Christmas Eve and will be closed on Wednesday, December 25th, for Christmas Day.
Scheduled Maintenance
We will perform scheduled maintenance on Sunday, December 22nd, between 5 AM and 9 AM MST. Online Banking, Bill Pay, and Voice Response will be inaccessible during that time. We appreciate your patience.
The upcoming main navigation can be gotten through utilizing the tab key. Any buttons that open a sub navigation can be triggered by the space or enter key.
The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. Enter
and space open menus and escape closes them as well. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items.
Enjoy a better banking experience on our free mobile app.
Available for iOS and Android
Fraud Protection
Hughes Federal Credit Union will never call or send text messages asking for verification of credentials like User ID or Password.
There’s a wide variety of scams but they all share the same goal: to take what’s yours. Our goal is to make sure you have the resources and information you need to stay vigilant and combat fraud and scammers. Check out these tips and resources for more information on some of the most common scams and what you can do to stay safe.
Four common types of scams
Overpayment scams
Scammers will “overpay” by sending you a check. The scammer will then request for you to refund the difference however, the check they’ve sent you is counterfeit, leaving you liable for the loss.
Phishing
You receive an email or phone call asking you to verify your account information. Please note, Hughes will never send these types of emails or call asking you to verify your information.
Automatic withdrawals
Scammers will often call asking for donations for charity or claiming you’ve won a contest in an attempt to collect banking information and set up automatic withdrawals from your account.
Unsolicited check fraud
Consumers receive a check for a few dollars but cashing or depositing the check results in you unknowingly signing up for a product or service that’ll end up costing you more than what you received.
Scam Updates
Check out these recent articles from the Federal Trade Commission:
Never send personal financial details to anyone via text message or by clicking on a hyperlink sent via text.
If you receive a direct message from a social media connection related to money, don’t respond or click on any hyperlinks. Instead, contact the person offline and verify whether the direct message is genuine.
Never provide your financial account login details to anyone via telephone. Call or visit your financial institution to verify any unusual requests.
Did you experience identity theft?
If you suspect you have been a victim of identity theft, visit IdentityTheft.gov to report and start on a recovery plan.
Checking PLUS account holders have access to their very own licensed attorney to assist in filing police reports, contacting financial institutions, creditors, credit bureaus and even utility companies on their behalf. Upgrade to Checking PLUS free for 90 days and get the help when you need it.
To enroll in eStatements, log in to online banking. From the dashboard, select Accounts in the menu bar, then select Statements and Documents from the drop-down menu. Click the Enroll button. Once enrolled, you will no longer receive paper statements in the mail.
To enroll in eStatements, log in to the mobile banking app. Click on Menu in the header, select Accounts, then select Statements and Documents. Click the Enroll button. Once enrolled, you will no longer receive paper statements in the mail.
Find the appropriate Fraud form and follow the instructions.
Report Scams
If you think that you may have fallen victim to one of these scams, please contact us.
While fraud and unemployment have always been around, the Covid-19 pandemic has left millions of Americans jobless, producing the highest unemployment rate since the Great Depression. As struggling individuals look to their unemployment benefits for
relief, scammers have quickly jumped on the opportunity to siphon millions by using unsuspecting identity theft victims–whether they’re unemployed or not.
The worst part? If your identity has been stolen, you most likely won’t know until it’s too late. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself and what you can do if you have fallen victim to unemployment fraud.
How will I know if my information was used to claim unemployment benefits?
Because unemployment benefits are categorized as taxable income, claimants will receive a 1099-G, a tax form that states you have “received” unemployment compensation for the year. If you didn’t receive unemployment benefits for the
year, this is a clear sign that your identity has been used to claim benefits in your name.
You may also be notified by your employer about an application that has been submitted while you’re still employed. Or you may find yourself in need of unemployment benefits and may discover that someone has already made that claim for you and
is collecting your funds.
What can I do to prevent this from happening to me?
Scammers have more access to personal information than ever before, utilizing various techniques like data breaches, email phishing schemes, social media accounts, cold-calling and more. Here are some ways to protect yourself:
Be cautious of any phone calls, text messages, letters, websites or emails that are asking you to provide them with your personal information like social security numbers and birthdates. If you’re unsure, always check with the company or organization directly to see if the communication is genuine and secure.
Monitor your bank accounts regularly and look for any unauthorized transactions.
Request your free credit report. All three credit bureaus; Equifax, TransUnion and Experian are offering
free weekly credit reports to help combat identity theft during the Covid-19 pandemic. Be sure to immediately report any fraudulent activity you find to the three major credit bureaus to have them place an alert on your records.
What do I do if my identity has been stolen to claim unemployment benefits?
If you’ve received a 1099-G for a fraudulent claim, you’ll need to report it to your employer and state unemployment agency. Be sure to keep a record of who you spoke to and any confirmation numbers.
Next, you’ll want to report the fraud to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC should then assist in placing extended fraud alerts and credit freezes to your
credit report which will help prevent scammers from opening new accounts in your name.
The Internal Revenue Service also states that you should file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) by completing an NCDF Complaint Form online, or by calling 866-720-5721.
If you are a victim of unemployment fraud, the good news is the processing of your tax returns or refunds should remain unaffected. Bad news, if you’re unemployed it will prolong your legitimate claim process. If your e-filed tax return is rejected
because someone has already fraudulently filed your taxes, you’ll need to file Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit. The IRS also recommends signing up for the IRS Identity Protection PIN Program which will help prevent thieves from filing your taxes.
Need a little help? Hughes Federal Credit Union’s Checking PLUS comes
equipped with Restoration Rescue, a comprehensive restoration service that provides you with a licensed attorney, highly specialized in identity theft restoration that will assist in filing police reports and contacting all credit bureaus, creditors,
financial institutions, merchants, even utility companies on your behalf.
Try Checking PLUS free for 90 days and enjoy additional consumer protection services like junk mail reduction, lost document recovery and more.
