Protect Your Identity

The best way to protect yourself from fraud and identity theft is to educate yourself on how to prevent it. With so much information being exchanged it is imperative that you understand how to manage your personal information. Listed below are some key ways you can protect yourself.

How to Protect Yourself

Monitor your bank and credit card accounts regularly. You can check your account information over the phone, at ATM's, or using the Internet.
Reduce the amount of paper in your life, and shred sensitive documents.
Lighten your wallet; most identity theft comes from lost or stolen wallets, checkbooks, and credit cards.
Take advantage of your right to obtain a free credit report.
https://www.annualcreditreport.com

How to Safeguard Your Information

Look for website privacy policies and disclosures.
Secure online accounts with difficult-to-guess personal identification numbers.
Use online accounts; they are a "safe" way to do business.
Get a separate e-mail account for your personal e-mail.
Do not open e-mail attachments from unknown senders.
Clear your temporary Internet files after browsing.
Opt-out of third party information sharing.
Log off or lock your computer whenever you are away.
Choose passwords that are hard for others to guess.
Don't give your passwords to anyone, and don't store them in an easy-to-find place.
Install anti-virus and anti-spyware software on your PC, and keep it up-to-date.
Only use software from reliable vendors.

Visit the websites below to learn more about the crime of fraud and identity theft in our nation.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/
http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/

Password Complexity

It is important to verify that only authorized persons log into online banking. This is achieved by verifying your password. When you submit your password, it is compared with the password we have stored in our secure data center.

We allow you to enter your password incorrectly a limited number of times; too many incorrect passwords will result in the locking of your online banking account until you call us to reinitialize the account. We monitor and record "bad-login" attempts to detect any suspicious activity (i.e. someone trying to guess your password).

You play a crucial role in preventing others from logging on to your account. Never use easy-to-guess passwords. Examples:

Birth dates
First names
Pet names
Addresses
Phone numbers
Social Security numbers

Never reveal your password to another person. You should periodically change your password in the User Option section of Internet Banking.

Scams

A scam is an intentional attempt to mislead you with the goal of personal gain. There are many different types of mail, telephone, and e-mail scams. One of the most popular types of scam is called "phishing." "Phishing" is an attempt to acquire your personal information by posing as a legitimate business.

The most important thing you can do to prevent being a scam victim is to never give your money, or personal information, to an unknown business or person, especially one who has contacted you. To ensure you know who you are communicating with you should call or mail the company back using phone numbers or addresses you know are correct.

To learn more about different types of scams, and how to prevent them visit these sites:

http://www.lookstoogoodtobetrue.com
http://www.fbi.gov/majcases/fraud/fraudschemes.htm

Credit Report

You are entitled to receive one free credit report every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. This free credit report can be requested through the Internet, by phone, or by mail. Click below to be directed to annualcreditreport.com for more details.

https://www.annualcreditreport.com

Equifax
To report fraud, call: 888-766-0008 and write:
P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
http://www.equifax.com/
To order your credit report, call: 800-685-1111 or write:
P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

TransUnion
To report fraud, call: 800-680-7289 and write:
Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634,
http://www.transunion.com/
To order your credit report, call 800-888-4213 or write:
P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022

Experian
To report fraud, call: 888-397-3742 and write:
P.O. Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013
http://www.experian.com/
To order your credit report, call: 888-397-3742 or write:
P.O. Box 2002, Allen, TX 75013

Filing a Complaint
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) developed this website to give victims of cyber crime a convenient easy-to-use reporting mechanism that alerts authorities of suspected criminal or civil violations.

http://www.ic3.gov/

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