FRAUD ALERT: Chime/Go2Bank solicitations for new bank accounts
UCLA has recently learned that some members of the UCLA community are receiving emails from financial institutions named Chime and Go2Bank. These emails may come in different forms and under a variety of subject lines. Some of the identified subject lines are:
- Welcome to Chime!
- Congrats! SpotMe is activated
- <YOUR NAME>, your GO2bank account is ready to go
- Please verify your bank account
- Please confirm your email address
- Action Required: Activate Features
Anyone receiving an email from Chime or Go2Bank asking them to confirm a new bank account or activate features should not click on any links. Instead, you should reach out to the bank directly and inform them that you believe someone has fraudulently opened an account in your name. Ask the bank to close the account and confirm the closure with you once complete. Also, ask the bank to flag the account as fraudulent. They should do this anyway but ask them to confirm.
You can contact Chime at 844-244-6363 and support@chime.com. Individuals may contact Go2Bank at 855-459-1334 or by using one of the methods listed at https://www.go2bank.com/help/contact-us. It is generally easier to get in touch with these banks via their online support rather than via telephone as they are not traditional brick-and-mortar establishments.
Other actions you can take to protect yourself
- Place a fraud alert on your credit file: We recommend impacted individuals place a fraud alert on their credit file by contacting one of the three nationwide credit bureaus listed below. You do not have to contact all three bureaus. The credit bureau you contact must tell the other two to place a fraud alert on your credit report. If a fraud alert is placed on a consumer’s credit file, certain identity verification steps must be taken prior to extending new credit.
- File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, law enforcement and your state Attorney General: Identity theft is a crime. If you suspect you have been a victim of identity theft or fraud, file a complaint with the FTC at https://www.identitytheft.gov/. You should also file a police report with local law enforcement and report the fraud to your state Attorney General. Ask for a copy of these reports and keep them on file, for your records.
- Sign up for credit monitoring: If you haven’t already done so, we recommend all individuals sign up for the Experian credit monitoring service being offered by the UC.
