August 20, 2024
SCAM ALERT: We've heard reports of a phishing scam targeting our members. The scammers are sending emails that look like they're from Golden West, asking you to update your account. Don't fall for it! This is a scam. Golden West will NEVER ask you to log in to your eStatement or email accounts through an email link. If you received this email or one like, do not click the link and immediately delete it.
If you have any questions, call the Golden West Help Desk at 1-855-888-7777, option 1.
Learn more about how to spot phishing scams: https://theexchangesd.com/the-trouble-with-compromised.../
June 14, 2023
SCAM ALERT: A malicious email with the subject line “IT Support” passed through the Golden West filters and arrived in some customer inboxes today. This email contained a malicious link. Anyone who clicked on the link may have infected their computer or device.
The message appears deceptive as it says it is from goldenwest.net and is signed as though it came from Golden West IT Support. It did not. Golden West will never send an unsolicited email requiring action on your account including asking subscribers to confirm or change passwords. Never click on links or attachments in these types of emails or from senders you do not know. DELETE THESE MESSAGES IMMEDIATELY. If the information is important and pertinent to you, the sender will reach out another way.
March 30, 2023
VIRUS ALERT: A malicious email with the subject line “Action Required” passed through the Golden West filters and arrived in some customer inboxes yesterday. This email contained an attachment with a virus. Anyone who clicked on the attachment may have infected their computer or device. Antivirus protection such as the VIPRE Advanced Security solution that Golden West offers should detect and resolve the issue.
The message appears deceptive as it includes the Golden West logo and is signed as though it came from Golden West Technical Support. It did not. Golden West will never send an unsolicited email requiring action on your account. Never click on links or attachments in these types of emails or from senders you do not know. DELETE THESE MESSAGES IMMEDIATELY. If the information is important and pertinent to you, the sender will reach out another way.
March 24, 2023
SCAMMERS ARE AT IT AGAIN – THIS TIME BY PHONE. A customer received a call this morning from someone claiming to be with Golden West and wanting to adjust the customer’s TV. Golden West sometimes calls customers for things like equipment upgrades or maintenance issues, but this was not the case this morning.
To ensure a call from Golden West is legitimate, ask for the caller’s name and job title. You can then call the number printed on your bill, in the phone book, or found on the goldenwest.com website and ask for that person to continue the conversation.
It’s said that imitation is the best form of flattery, but Golden West is not flattered. We work hard to keep our customers protected while also protecting you from fraud.
March 17, 2023
Email Phishing Scam
We have received reports of customers receiving a phishing email that appears to be taking advantage of quarantined emails. Some spam filters have allowed this message through. Reports state that it has a convincing Golden West logo attached when the email is opened. If you have received this suspicious email, DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK OR PROVIDE INFORMATION. Our teams at Golden West have since put a global block on this sending address.
April 15, 2022
Phone Scam
We have received reports of customers receiving calls from a Pain Management clinic requesting personal and medical information. This is a phishing attempt, if you receive a phone call like this, the best thing to do is hang up immediately.
March 30, 2022
Cable TV Scam Alert
We are aware of a recent scam in which a caller claiming to be from Golden West asks questions about their cable service and offers a discount on their monthly bill. The caller is very persuasive and requests customers press the MENU button on their remote control twice followed by some additional steps on the receiver. This is a phishing attempt where the caller is likely trying to obtain personal information. As a reminder, Golden West will never contact you requesting information in this manner. If you receive a phone call like this, the best thing to do is hang up immediately.
August 30, 2021
Auto Pay Email Scam Alert
We’ve received reports of customers receiving a scam email that appears to be from Golden West. The message states that their auto payment has not been received and requests they update their payment information. This is a phishing attempt to collect your personal information. Please DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK OR PROVIDE INFORMATION. Golden West does not send account-related emails that require any sort of login.
Below is what this AUTO PAY EMAIL SCAM looks like:
August 18, 2021
Scam Email
We received reports of a scam email asking members to read and agree to the terms of service. This is a scam email, please DO NOT click on the link or provide any information.
January 22, 2021
Scam Email
We received reports of a scam email asking member to change their password. This is a spam email, please do NOT click on the link.
Scammers periodically send variations of this type of email message that appear to be from Golden West. Golden West does not send account-related emails that require any sort of login or password change.
January 14, 2021
Scam Email
We received reports of a scam email asking member to click on a link to authorize their account. This is a spam email, please do NOT click on the link.
Scammers periodically send variations of this type of email message that appear to be from Golden West. Golden West does not send account-related emails that require any sort of login.
August 3, 2020
Scam Email
We received reports of a "phishing" email addressed to members. The message attempts to have customers click a link.
Scammers periodically send variations of this type of email message that appear to be from Golden West. Golden West does not send account-related emails that require any sort of login.
July 20, 2020
Phishing Email
We received reports of another “phishing” email circulating. This message attempts to trick customers like you into clicking on the link and then sharing your email address and password. Don’t do it!
Scammers periodically send variations of this type of email message that appear to be from Golden West. Golden West does not send account-related emails that require any sort of login. To protect yourself and others from future email attempts like this one, always check what EMAIL ADDRESS the message is from, not just the name. In this case, even the name is suspicious as “Goldenwest” is not one word. Stay safe out there!
April 17, 2020
Phishing Email
This email is NOT from Golden West - please do not click on the link and delete the email. Please call 1-855-888-7777 if you have any questions.
April 16, 2020
Phishing Email
We’ve received reports of customers getting a phishing email that appears to be from Golden West. The message says that due to Golden West upgrades your mailbox is out-dated and provides a link – please DO NOT click on this link. This is a phishing email trying to collect your personal information.
This email is NOT from Golden West - please do not click on the link and delete the email. A copy of the email is below. Please call 1-855-888-7777 if you have any questions.
April 15, 2020
COVID-19 Scam Alert Tips
March 20, 2020
COVID-19 Scam Alerts
The FCC launched a COVID-19 Consumer Warnings and Safety Tips web page to alert consumers to coronavirus phone call and text message scams. Remember, do not respond to calls or texts from unknown numbers, or any others that appear suspicious and do not click on links. For the most current information and examples of the calls and messages visit https://www.fcc.gov/covid-scams.
January 23, 2020
Email Scam Alert
We have received reports of another email phishing scam reaching people’s inboxes. A message appearing to be from Golden West suggests clicking on a link and then asks for a username or password. This message is not from Golden West; Golden West will never ask you to provide any login details through an email message.
Whether it’s Golden West or another company being spoofed, never provide any login details after clicking on a provided link in an email message. Always go directly to a company’s website from your web browser and login from there.
November 7, 2019
Email Scam Alert
Customers have been reporting a phishing email scam that appears to be coming from goldenwest.net as well as several different Gmail accounts with the subject line: GOLDENWEST AUTOMATED RESPONSE. This email is NOT from Golden West - please do not click on the link and delete the email. A copy of the phishing email is below. Please call 1-855-888-7777 if you have any questions. Thanks!
August 21, 2019
Email Scam Alert
Customers are reporting they have received an email saying their “Goldenwest” account has been temporarily locked and asks them to click an “Update E-mail” link. This email is NOT from Golden West – please do not click on the link and delete the email. Please call 855-888-7777 if you have any questions. Thanks!
July 2, 2019
DOXO Payment Alert
There is an on-line bill pay website that appears to be affiliated with Golden West, but it is not. Doxo.com is third-party website that allows people to pay bills via their site. However, doxo.com may charge their users extra fees, and Golden West cannot control when/if we will receive payments from doxo.com. This may result in a late payment or even disconnection due to non-payment. To make sure you’re paying Golden West directly, call 1-855-888-7777 or visit https://www.goldenwest.com/my-account/estatement/.
As always, if you receive suspicious phone calls or emails from someone claiming to be a representative of Golden West, please notify us. We will do our best to alert all our members.
July 15th, 2019
Phone Call Scam Alert
We received a report of a customer receiving a call from what appeared to be Golden West asking questions about their credit card. This call was a spoof and is not from Golden West. Please ignore phone calls from unknown numbers and callers asking about personal information. If this happens to you please hang up and call the company back directly.
January 17th, 2019
Email Scam Alert
We received a report of a customer receiving an email from what appears to be from Golden West threatening to delete their email account. This is a spam ad and is not from Golden West. Please ignore messages or emails like this.
As always, if you ever have questions on whether a pop-up ad, email or phone call is from Golden West, please contact us. We’ll be happy to confirm if you need to take action on your account.
December 31, 2018
Pop-Up Scam Alert
We received a report of a customer receiving a pop-up ad that appears to be from Golden West, offering them of a chance to win a $1,000 Walmart gift card. This is a spam ad and is not from Golden West. Please ignore messages or pop up ads like this.
As always, if you ever have questions on whether a pop-up ad, email or phone call is from Golden West, please contact us. We’ll be happy to confirm if you need to take action on your account.
October 29, 2018
Social Security Administration (SSA) Scam Calls
We have received the following alert from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regarding spoofed Social Security Administration(SSA) scam calls.
Scammers are spoofing the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) 1-800 customer service number to try to get personal information.
Here’s how it works: Your phone rings. Your caller ID shows that it’s the SSA calling from 1-800-772-1213. The caller says he/she works for the Social Security Administration and needs your personal information – like your Social Security number – to increase your benefits payments. (Or they threatens to cut off your benefits if you don’t give the information.)
According to the FTC, 1-800-772-1213 is the SSA’s real phone number, but the scammers on the phone are spoofing the number to make the call look real.
The FTC offers the following tips to combat this latest scam:
If you get one of these calls, Hang up!
The SSA will not threaten you. Real SSA employees will never threaten you to get personal information. They also won’t promise to increase your benefits in exchange for information. If they do, it’s a scam.
If you have any doubt, hang up and call SSA directly. If you dial the number, you know who you’re getting. If a call comes in from that number, you can’t be sure it’s really SSA calling.
If you get a spoofed call, report it. If someone calls, claiming to be from SSA and asking for information like your Social Security number, report it to SSA’s Office of Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 or https://oig.ssa.gov/report. You can also report these calls to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.
September 27th, 2018
Solicitor Alert:
A member recently notified Golden West about someone going door-to-door in the Canistota area using a story of conducting a survey for the phone company. According to the member, the person was initially vague about who they represented and was somewhat intrusive, asking personal questions about the member’s telephone and television services and fees. The person was actually a solicitor wanting to transfer the member’s service from Golden West to another provider.
Thankfully, this member realized the value of her Golden West service enough to send the solicitor on her way and to make us aware of the situation. While this may not be a case of outright fraud, it is similar to other phishing scenarios.
Golden West remains committed to meeting and exceeding the needs of our members. We offer consistent rates for everyone – not just newly acquired customers. We continually upgrade infrastructure so our members can receive high-quality, fast, reliable service. When problems do arise, we have folks available locally to help. We also invest in the communities we serve through financial contributions, payroll investments and employees volunteering.
The bottom line is that we are here for you now and in the future. And we appreciate all the members of the cooperative.
If you would like to sign up for Golden West services, please call 1-855-888-7777.
April 16, 2018
PHISHING SCAM
We’ve received reports of customers getting spam email that appears to be from Golden West. The message says Golden West is launching a new messaging platform and needs you to click a link to enhance to the new service – please DO NOT click on this link. These are spam emails trying to collect your personal information and are not from Golden West.
Golden West does not send out emails saying your account will be suspended unless you click on a link or provide personal information in a form. Delete these emails immediately. Please call us at 1-855-888-7777 if you have any questions.
March 8, 2018
CONSUMER ALERT:
Protect Yourself Against 'Neighbor Spoofing', Scam Callers Placing Phone Call That Appear to be Local
Caller ID Information Can Be Manipulated to Fool and Defraud Consumers
WASHINGTON, March 8, 2018—The Federal Communications Commission is warning consumers about “neighbor spoofing” scams where thieves manipulate caller ID information in ways that make calls appear to have been placed locally. While a call might originate overseas, the caller ID information on the recipient’s phone would appear as though the call is coming from the consumer’s own area code and local exchange. In general, scammers use such spoofing to increase the likelihood that consumers pick up the phone and to increase the consumer’s trust in the call.
For complete details click on pdf link below:
FCC Spoofing warning to Consumers.pdf
March 24, 2017
EMAIL SCAM ALERT
We’ve received reports of customers getting spam email that appears to be from Golden West. The message says your email account will be suspended unless you click on a link – please DO NOT click on this link. These are spam emails trying to collect your personal information and are not from Golden West.
Golden West does not send out emails saying your account will be suspended unless you click on a link or provide personal information in a form. Delete these emails immediately. Please call us at 1-855-888-7777 if you have any questions.
December 4, 2017
PHONE SCAM ALERT
We’ve recently received reports that customers are receiving pop-up offers that appear to be from Golden West, informing them that their phone has been selected to win a $1,000 gift card. These spam ads are not actually from Golden West. Please ignore these messages or pop up ads.
As always, if you ever have questions on whether a pop-up ad, email or phone call is from Golden West, please contact us. We’ll be happy to confirm if you need to take action on your account.
1-855-888-7777 • info@goldenwest.com