Fraud Prevention
Do not share your Columbia Connect user ID, password or your account information with anyone.
We will never call, text or email you and ask for your user ID or password.
Do not share personal details online.
Avoid sharing things like your location, home address, phone number or other personal information on social media sites. If two-factor authentication is an option, use it.
Be wary of public Wifi.
If you use public Wifi, do not access any secure sites or sites that require logins.
Don’t trust caller ID.
Fraudsters can manipulate caller ID to make it look like you are receiving a call from us or another trusted source. Hang up and call the number on the back of your bank-issued debit or ATM card.
Do not click on unsolicited emails or texts.
Links could contain malware that gets downloaded to your device.
Do not provide others access to your computer or mobile device.
Fraudsters may call pretending to be a vendor who wants to fix an issue with your computer or “uninstall” malware but actually use it to gain access to your device.
Only send money to those you know and trust.
Common Scams
Insisting a payment must be made with an electronic person-to-person payment service
If an offer seems too good to be true or you do not know and trust the person you are sending money to and they insist the payment be made through an electronic person-to-person payment service, it is often a scam.
Purchasing a puppy or kitten
Sellers often ask for a deposit or payment in full when reserving a puppy or kitten. However, there are many scammers pretending to have these animals but after you make your payment, your puppy or kitten never arrives or you cannot reach them again to arrange for pickup.
Overpayments from vendors
Another common payment scam is a vendor contacting you for a service and sending a payment then saying they overpaid and ask you send the difference back to them. All the while, the original deposit never actually gets made to your account.
Reporting Suspicious Activity
Report any suspicious activity on your account to our Client Care team immediately.
Client Care can be reached at 877-754-5074, Monday – Friday, 6:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. PT and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. PT