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Cybersecurity Month: 7 Financial-Level Steps to Stop P2P & Credit Card Scams

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Cybersecurity Month: 7 Financial-Level Steps to Stop P2P & Credit Card Scams. Protecting Your Finances Starts with Awareness

October 20th, 2025

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and at MTC Federal Credit Union, protecting your financial well-being is more than a priority — it’s a promise.

As peer-to-peer (P2P) payment apps make sending and receiving money faster and more convenient, scammers have evolved just as quickly. Across the U.S. — and right here in South Carolina and Oklahoma — criminals are finding new ways to trick consumers into authorizing payments that can’t be reversed.

Fraud risk is universal, but smart prevention starts locally. Whether you call the Palmetto State home or live near our Ardmore, Oklahoma division, these steps will help you recognize threats, protect your accounts, and respond fast if something seems off.

💼 7 Financial-Level Steps to Protect Your Money

  1. Real-Time Fraud Monitoring
    Our systems track transaction patterns and flag suspicious P2P and card activity before it reaches your account.
  2. Smart Transaction Limits
    Daily and weekly caps on transfers help prevent large losses if a scam attempt occurs.
  3. Recipient Verification for P2P Payments
    We add additional authentication layers when sending money to a new contact or device.
  4. Strategic Holds on Risky Transfers
    Certain transactions may trigger brief delays for verification — a small pause that can stop a large loss.
  5. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) & Real-Time Alerts
    Every login and high-value transaction should have multiple verification points. Alerts notify you instantly if something looks wrong.
  6. Dedicated Fraud Response Team
    Our specialists respond immediately to investigate suspicious activity and minimize potential damage.
  7. Member Education & Transparency
    We share emerging scam trends, prevention tips, and real-world examples to keep our members informed and empowered.

Fraud Trends in Our Regions

While scams evolve everywhere, some patterns hit closer to home. MTC Federal serves members in both South Carolina and Southern Oklahoma (Ardmore region) — and each region has unique local fraud activity and reporting trends.

  • South Carolina - From crypto-ATM scams to spoofed government calls, South Carolina has seen a rise in tech-enabled fraud targeting both individuals and small businesses.
  • Oklahoma / Ardmore Region - In Oklahoma, P2P scams often start with text (“smishing”) messages, fake toll notifications, or spoofed local government numbers — including city utility calls.

Protect Yourself with MTC Federal Member Tools

  • Card Controls: Instantly lock, unlock, or restrict your debit and credit cards through the MTC Federal digital banking platform.
  • Alerts: Get notified immediately for new purchases, large transactions, or online activity.
  • Credit Savvy – Free Real-Time Credit Monitoring: Track your credit score, monitor report changes, and receive personalized insights — all for free. Credit Savvy gives you real-time visibility into your credit health and early warnings of potential identity theft.
  • Identity Protection: Use IdentityTheft.gov for free recovery tools and AnnualCreditReport.com for regular monitoring.
  • Password & Login Security: Use strong, unique passwords and enable MFA wherever possible — especially for P2P apps and digital banking.

🚨 If You Suspect Fraud:

  1. Contact MTC Federal Credit Union immediately. We can freeze your accounts or stop transactions before they process.
  2. Report it: File a report with ReportFraud.FTC.gov.
  3. Notify local authorities: Fraud can also be reported to your state’s Attorney General or Consumer Affairs office.
  4. Place a credit freeze or alert with the credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion).

Our Commitment to Member Security

At MTC Federal, we believe cybersecurity is a shared responsibility — and we take it seriously. By combining financial-level fraud prevention with member awareness and powerful digital tools, we make it harder for criminals to succeed.

Whether you’re banking in South Carolina or Oklahoma, stay alert, stay informed, and know that your credit union is always working behind the scenes to keep your accounts secure.

Take control of your security today. Log in to MTC Federal Digital Banking to explore card controls, set alerts, and activate Credit Savvy for free.