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Stop Social Security-Related Scams

Published: January 8, 2025

Recognize the four basic signs of a scam.

Scammers pretend to be from a familiar organization or agency like the Social Security Administration. They may email attachments with official-looking logos, seals, signatures or employee credentials.
Scammers mention a problem or a prize. They may say your Social Security number was involved in a crime or ask for personal information to process a benefit increase.
Scammers pressure you to act immediately. They may threaten you with arrest of legal action.
Scammers tell you that you can pay to avoid the penalty, or solve the issue, using a gift card, cryptocurrency, wire or money transfer, or by mailing cash. They may also tell you to transfer your money to a “safe” account.
Neither Brewery Credit Union nor the Social Security Administration would ever call you to ask for money or your personal information. If someone does, you can safely assume they are a scammer trying to trick you into giving them money.

You should always hang up on scammers and consider reporting fraudulent or criminal behavior. If in doubt on a call, hang up and call the Social Security office direct from a number you know is legitimate.

You can report Social Security-related scams to the SSA’s web site at www.ssa.gov/scam.

As always, if you have any questions about scams or think you may have been a victim of a scammer, please call or stop by one of the Brewery Credit Union branches.

BREWERY CREDIT UNION MISSION STATEMENT

“Providing superior financial service while economically empowering our Members and Community.”

We do our best every day to complete this mission with the greatest member satisfaction and highest quality service.

MEMBER OWNED

We have members, not customers. Brewery Credit Union is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors elected by the member-owners.

NOT-FOR-PROFIT

As a not-for-profit organization, we focus on meeting members needs. This means we take our profits and use them to offer lower loan rates, higher savings rates, and fewer service fees.

PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE

Every day at Brewery Credit Union, you invest in the community and the community invests in you. We lend deposits to members who and work in Southeastern Wisconsin neighborhoods, making sure your money stays here.

WE ARE A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL INSTITUTION (CDFI)

Brewery Credit Union (BCU) offers the same commitment to our members since we chartered in 1934 as Brewery Workers Credit Union. The Brewery Workers Union Local 9 represented the many breweries and malting companies in Milwaukee. They formed the Credit Union for those in the brewing industry to have a safe place to borrow and save. The Brewery Workers Union Local 9 was also the original home of the Brewery Workers Credit Union. The Credit Union moved to Schlitz Brewery for a number of years until building our current home on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. In 1984, the Credit Union changed our name to Brewery Credit Union and currently offers membership to anyone who lives in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Waukesha, Racine, Kenosha, or Washington counties, in addition to members of the Museum of Beer and Brewing. “Once a member always a member,” means should you ever relocate out of the area, your membership can continue.

Our members have access to the many products and services that Brewery Credit Union offers. We pride ourselves on offering new technology to make transacting business easier and faster than ever. The Credit Union’s mission of economically empowering our members and communities means that we will not judge a member for a blemished past. We want to help our members reach their financial goals and dreams. We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to achieve financial security and have access to safe, low-cost financial products and services. If you believe our mission will benefit you financially, or your membership will support members seeking to benefit from our mission, we would like you to become a member/owner of our great organization.