On this page we will notify you of any scams that we have learned about that may directly affect the security of your California Bear Credit Union Account.

CraigsList Member Recruitment Scam

We have received information that California Bear Credit Union was mentioned in a scam posting on CraigsList. The posting calls out to the members of many credit unions telling them that they could make $75 person helping people who are NOT eligible for membership to become members of their respective credit unions.

California Bear does NOT partner with anyone to recruit new credit union members and we would never ask our members to refer someone to the credit union who was not eligible to join according to the restrictions of our Field of Membership.

The text of the posting is included below:

Attn. Navy Federal, PenFed Credit, or other
Credit Union Members!!! (Los Angeles, CA)
Date: 2010-03-09, 1:46PM PST
Reply to: serv-bxw8z-1636412095@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
If you are a Navy Federal, PenFed Credit, or other Credit Union memberplease
contact us today!!!
We wil pay you $75.00 to sponsor others that would like to join the credit union that you are a
member of but do not meet the membership requirements. Please email for details.
A few of the credit unions we are seeking members with include the following but are not limited to
the ones listed so all credit union members are encouraged to apply.
PATELCO
AFTRA/SAG
USALLIANCE
E1 FINANCIAL
FIRST ENTERTAINMENT CREDIT UNION
20TH CENTURY FOX
SUN CREDIT UNION
MUSICIANS CREDIT UNION
AEROSPACE
ANGELUS CAN EMPLOYEES
CAL STATE L.A.
CALIFORNIA BEAR
CEDARS-SINAI
EPISCOPAL COMMUNITY
FARMERS INSURANCE GROUP
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WEST
FIRST CITY
GUIDANCE CHURCH OF RELIGIOUS SCIENCE
L.A. HEALTHCARE
PACIFIC RESOURCE
PRINTING INDUSTRIES CREDIT UNION
U S ENGINEERS L. A.
UNIVERSITY CREDIT UNION
USC
WATER AND POWER COMMUNITY
• Location: Los Angeles, CA
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

Fraudulent E-Mails Claiming to be from the FDIC

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has warned of e-mails that appear to be sent from the FDIC that ask recipients to download and open a "personal FDIC insurance file" to check their deposit insurance coverage. These e-mails are fraudulent and were not sent by the FDIC. The FDIC is attempting to identify the source of the e-mails and disrupt the transmission.

Currently, the subject line of the fraudulent e-mails includes the wording "check your Bank Deposit Insurance Coverage." The e-mails state: "You have received this message because you are a holder of a FDIC-insured bank account. Recently FDIC has officially named the bank you have opened your account with as a failed bank, thus, taking control of its assets."

The e-mails ask recipients to "visit the official FDIC website" by clicking on a hyperlink provided, which appears to be related to the FDIC and directs recipients to a fraudulent Web site. The Web site includes hyperlinks that appear to open forms. However, it is believed that clicking on the hyperlinks will cause an unknown executable file to be downloaded. While the FDIC is working with the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) to determine the exact effects of the executable file, recipients should consider the intent of the software as a malicious attempt to collect personal or confidential information, some of which may be used to gain unauthorized access to online banking services or to conduct identity theft. Financial institutions and consumers should NOT access the Web site or download the executable files provided on the Web site.

This is a scam, please don't visit the website that is listed in the message.

Text Message "Account Closed" Scam

It has come to our attention that some of our members are receiving at text message stating the following:

"Dear member, your CaliforniaCU account is closed due to unusual activity. Call 1-866-310-2545. "

Please note that California Bear Credit Union, any other reputable financial institution, would not send out a broadcast text message to it's members or customers with information about their account.

This is a scam, please don't call the phone number listed in the text message.

Real Estate Loan Modification Scam

It has come to our attention that perpetrators of loan modification scams are using publicly-available mortgage information to send out “offers” to borrowers that appear to be endorsed by or offered by the lender.  In the cases we have seen, the lenders had no knowledge of the scam until it was brought to their attention by an alert borrower who became suspicious.

DFI encourages mortgage lenders to alert all their staff to loan modification scams and to promptly report them to their management and to the local district attorney or State Attorney General’s office, as appropriate.

Real Estate Loan Scam

We have learned that California Bear Credit Union members that have a First Mortgage loan with the credit union are receiving a deceptive letter. The letter appears to have been sent from California Bear Credit Union, in reality the letter is a solicitation for a loan modification from a law office based in Riverside using information they obtained from public records.

California Bear Credit Union does not work with nor endorse the law office of Zachary and Gonzalez in any way. If you have any questions about your mortgage loan please contact us at (800) 954-2327 and we will be happy to help you.

Click here to see a copy of the letter from Zachary and Gonzalez.

Click here to visit our regulatory updates page.