Protect Your Identity

Protecting Yourself

 
  • Report lost or stolen checks immediately. Review new deliveries of checks to make sure none have been stolen in transit.
  • Notify your bank of suspicious phone inquiries such as those asking for account information to “verify a statement” or “award a prize”.
  • Shred financial solicitations or financial statements before disposing of them.
  • Deposit your mail into a secure, official Postal Service collection box.
  • If regular bills fail to reach you, call the company to find out why. Someone may have filed a false change-of-address notice to divert your mail and steal your identity.
  • If your bills include questionable items, investigate immediately. This is often the first sign of identity theft fraud.
  • Avoid phishing scams. Never reply directly or click on a link in response to an email that asks for personal or financial information. If you are concerned about your account contact the company or institution via a website you know to be genuine. Remember – your bank will never contact you “out of the blue” to ask for personal financial information.

Measures Your Bank Takes

Substantial measures are in place at your bank to protect your identity against theft and fraud:

  • Privacy Policies – Our privacy policies protect your personal and financial information. These policies are stringent and enforced, with employee training provided regularly.
  • Internal Confidentiality – Access to nonpublic information about you is limited to employees who need to know that information to provide you with products and services.
  • Information Security – Keeping your financial information secure is one of our most important responsibilities. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect customer information.

Checklist for Identity Theft Victims

If you become a victim of identity theft you should do the following:

  • File a police report.
  • Contact your banker.
  • Notify credit bureau fraud units.
  • Place a fraud alert statement on your credit report.
  • Request that credit bureaus identify accounts closed due to fraud as “closed at consumer’s request”.
  • Request free credit reports (fraud victims are entitled to two free credit reports from each of the credit bureaus).
  • Report check theft to check verification companies.
  • Check post office for unauthorized change of address requests.
  • Follow-up contacts with letter and keep copies of all correspondence.