Consumer Fraud Alerts

Fraud continues to rise, and we want to help keep our customer-owners informed and protected. Below are some of the latest scams making the rounds—stay alert and stay safe.

Keep in mind, if you receive a suspicious message that appears to be coming from us, or discover a potentially phony Farm Credit of the Virginias print or digital communication, please let us know by calling (800) 919-3276, or by sending an e-mail to info@fcvirginias.com so that we may take appropriate action.

Mortgage Postcard Scam

Have you received a postcard or letter about a time-sensitive issue with your loan account or mortgage urging you to call an unknown phone number? If you have, you are not alone. Scammers across the country are pulling public data records to target you and your information.

What are these postcards and who is sending them?

These postcards (which come in a variety of colors) are being sent to consumers across the country. Please be aware that this is a scam and the postcards did not come from Farm Credit of the Virginias. There is even a disclaimer in the bottom right corner indicating the sender is not affiliated with our ACA.

How did the postcard senders get my information?

At Farm Credit of the Virginias, we’re committed to protecting our customer’s personal information. We would never send you a postcard requesting that you call us regarding your mortgage or loan account. We do not sell or otherwise distribute our customer's personal information to non-affiliate third parties. Some information about loans and mortgages, regardless of what lender the consumer works with, is public record. That’s how someone may obtain your contact information. Note that the account number listed does not match yours; this should immediately alert you to the likelihood of this being a scam.

Should I call the number on the postcard?

We advise our customer-owners to NOT call the number listed.

What should I do if I get this postcard?

The best thing to do is disregard the postcard. Please let us know by calling (800) 919-3276 or by sending an e-mail to info@fcvirginias.com so that we may take appropriate action.

Fraudulent Texts Regarding Your Loan

Farm Credit of the Virginias values your privacy and relationship with us as a customer-owner, therefore, we want to ensure you are aware of this trending scam. A few customer-owners received the below text message claiming to be affiliated with Farm Credit of the Virginias in an attempt to perpetuate fraud.

What should I do if I get this text?

Please let us know by calling (800) 919-3276 or by sending an e-mail to info@fcvirginias.com so that we may take appropriate action.

Fraud Resources

We’ve compiled the following tips and resources to help inform and protect our customer-owners from the growing threat of fraud. These resources are designed to raise awareness, offer practical steps for prevention and provide guidance on what to do if you’ve been affected.

Tips for Protecting Yourself from Fraud & Identity Theft

Email Best Practice

Avoid clicking on any links in unsolicited e-mails, particularly e-mails that ask (either directly or by pointing to a website) for personal, financial, or identity information. Instead, directly type the website URL into your browser to access the site. Access the Farm Credit of the Virginias website by typing the URL directly (https://www.farmcreditofvirginias.com)
If you receive an e-mail that warns you, with little or no notice, that an account of yours will be shut down unless you reconfirm your billing information, do not reply or click on the link in the e-mail. Instead, contact the company cited in the e-mail using a telephone number or website address you know to be genuine.
To stay up to date on current consumer scams and for more information check out the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice webpage here!

Guidance Against E-Mail & Internet-Related Fraud

E-mail and internet-related fraudulent schemes, such as “phishing,” are being perpetrated with increasing frequency, creativity and intensity. Phishing involves the use of seemingly legitimate e-mail messages and websites to deceive consumers into disclosing sensitive material, such as bank or loan account information, Social Security numbers, credit card data, passwords and personal identification numbers (PINs). The perpetrator of the fraudulent e-mail message may use various means to convince the recipient that the message is legitimate and from a trusted source with which the recipient has an established business relationship. Techniques such as a false “from” address or the use of seemingly legitimate company logos, weblinks and graphics may be used to mislead e-mail recipients.

In most phishing schemes, the fraudulent e-mail message will request that recipients “update” or “validate” their financial or personal information in order to maintain their accounts, and direct them to a fraudulent website that may look very similar to the website of the legitimate business. These websites may include copied or “spoofed” pages from legitimate websites to further trick consumers into thinking they are responding to a bona fide request. Some consumers will mistakenly submit financial and personal information to the perpetrator who will use it to gain access to financial records or accounts, commit identity theft or engage in other illegal acts.

For more information around spoofing or phishing explore FBI resources here.

Fraud Recovery Resources

It is an uneasy feeling when you misplace your wallet or realize you have been a victim of fraudulent activity. If you find yourself a victim of fraud, do not panic because resources are available. The Federal Trade Commission provides resources to help identify a recovery plan that you can access here.

Privacy & Security

Rest assured, protecting your personal information and privacy is a top priority in all aspects of our business. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of privacy and security across all our systems and services. We understand your expectation of privacy and confidentiality of personal financial information when seeking the assistance of outside professionals to obtain credit. We have taken great care in establishing policies to protect your personal and financial information, as well as security procedures and internal controls to protect your privacy.