2021 Scam Update

Our members are reporting receiving fraudulent calls claiming to be from Sandia Area. Fraudsters are spoofing the Sandia Area telephone number and are calling claiming that transactions have been blocked and requesting our members’ online banking credentials in order to unblock the account.

The fraudster will remain on the phone while transferring money to another account they control. In many cases the Sandia Area online banking is generating authentication codes to perform the transfer and the fraudsters are requesting those codes.

Steps to protect yourself and your money:

• Never, ever, ever give out your online banking ID or PIN to anyone– we won’t ask for it. You should protect that online ID as if it were cash in your wallet.
• Do not give out an authentication code contained in an email or SMS text message to anyone over the phone. Sandia Area representatives will not ask you for that information over the phone.
• Sign up for multi-factor authentication & alerts through online banking so that you receive notification of any transaction taking place on your account.

Sandia Area takes aggressive steps to protect our members from becoming victims of fraud.

• We actively restrict access to members’ online banking if you don’t frequently login to protect your information.
• We have multifactor authentication available.
• We have industry leading transaction notification and alerts.
• We use biometric authentication for online banking sign on.

Sandia Area will never call you to reset your online banking username or password. If you’re unsure of the authenticity of a call you’ve received, call or text us at: 505.256.6343 during normal business hours 8 am-6 pm M-F/ 9 am-1 pm Sat.