Holiday shopping starts earlier every year. So do the scams built around it.

What This Means for You

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and it lands at exactly the right moment. Retailers start their holiday promotions weeks before Thanksgiving now, and scammers follow the same calendar. The fake shipping text that shows up in October is testing the waters for the fake shipping text that shows up in December, when you’re actually expecting three packages and won’t stop to double-check a fourth.

None of this requires new habits, just sharper versions of habits you probably already have.

Key Takeaways

• Scam volume climbs starting in October as holiday shopping ramps up
• A text about a delivery you didn’t order is the most common way in
• TFCU will never call or text asking for your full account number or online banking password

Watch the Shipping Text You Didn’t Expect

A text claiming a package couldn’t be delivered, with a link to “confirm your address,” is one of the oldest tricks still working. If you’re not expecting a delivery, don’t tap the link. If you are expecting one, go to the retailer’s app directly instead of trusting the link in the text.

Gift Cards Are a Red Flag, Not a Payment Method

No legitimate business, and no legitimate part of TFCU, will ever ask you to pay a bill, a fee, or a fine using gift cards. If someone on the phone is asking you to read off the numbers on the back of a gift card, that’s the entire scam. Hang up.

When Something Feels Off, Call the Number on Your Card

Not the number in the text. Not the number in the email. The number printed on the back of your TFCU debit or credit card connects you to a real person who can tell you in about thirty seconds whether something is legitimate.

Proudly Tucson

TFCU spends October reminding members about the basics because the basics work. If something about a message, a call, or a request feels rushed or urgent in a way that doesn’t sit right, that urgency is usually the tell. Slow down and check before you click, pay, or share anything.

Mini-FAQ

How do I know if a message is really from TFCU?

TFCU won’t ask for your full account number, card number, or online banking password over the phone or by text. If you’re unsure, hang up and call the number on the back of your card.

What should I do if I already clicked a suspicious link?

Call a branch right away so we can check your account and help you change any passwords that might be at risk.

Are these scams really more common in October?

Fraud attempts tend to climb as holiday shopping starts, which is exactly why Cybersecurity Awareness Month falls in October.