This article was originally published on July 3, 2025. It has been updated with additional information about how to discriminate between legitimate UC services and fraud attacks.

UC employees and retirees have raised the alarm about suspicious messages recently. They’ve reported emails, invitations and cold calls offering retirement counseling from “advisers” who claim to work for or with UC.

Don’t be fooled. UC counselors and advisers will never reach out to you unprompted to make an appointment, request your personal information or pressure you into making changes to your benefits.

If you receive a suspicious email or call, check with your location’s information security or benefits office before engaging or scheduling an appointment.

Getting help from UC

If you have questions about your UC Retirement Plan pension benefits or the retirement process, you can call the Retirement Administration Service Center at 800-888-8267, Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (PT), or schedule an appointment with a retirement counselor.

UC contracts exclusively with Fidelity Investments for financial education and guidance. You may have received messages from the UC Retirement System with a Fidelity Investments email address, letting you know about upcoming webinars or other services.

To talk one-on-one with a UC-dedicated workplace financial consultant, call (800) 558-9182 (no appointment needed), Monday–Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (PT). You can also make an appointment using Fidelity’s online appointment scheduler for UC employees and retirees.

If you prefer to consult an outside investment adviser, it’s important to do your research. Always ask for and carefully read the adviser’s “Form ADV”, which registered investment advisers (RIA) must complete to register and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission and/or state securities regulators. The Form ADV reports each RIA’s professional background, including business, ownership, clients, employees, business practices, affiliations, current registrations, employment history, and disclosures about certain disciplinary events involving the individual.

You can view an adviser’s most recent Form ADV online by visiting Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD), an official US Government site, at adviserinfo.sec.gov.

Learn more about security threats and how to stay safe in a digital world.