Guard Against Identity Theft!

Identity theft affects 1 in every 3 people.
It is the fastest growing crime in America.

Here are steps you can take to stop thieves from stealing your good name:

• Remove mail promptly from your mailbox. Do not use your mailbox for outgoing mail. Identity
  thieves raid mailboxes looking for credit card
  offers, statements and credit card payments!
• Sign up for our email notification service so you
  will receive (usually within minutes) email
  notifications of every debit card transaction made
  on your account.
• Destroy/shred pre-approved credit card offers
  before you throw them out. Thieves go thru
  garbage looking for information. You can stop receiving prescreened credit offers by calling
  1-888-5OPTOUT.
• Guard your social security number. Do not carry it with you; keep it in a safe place at home or safety deposit box. Make a copy of the cards/ID in your wallet or purse for reference if they are stolen.
• Do not give out your PIN or credit card numbers
  over the phone unless you initiated the
  transaction.
• When choosing a PIN, use one that is hard to
  guess. Avoid the last 4 digits of your social security number, your mother’s maiden name, birthdates, names of pets, etc. Use a mix of numbers, letters and symbols that is meaningful only to you.
• Be wary of any mail, telephone or Internet request for information. Also be careful of unexpected e-mails that look as if they are from a legitimate company asking you to enter some information
  at a linked web site. Make sure your family members also know not to give out any info. to others.
• Make sure you have your receipts when you leave
  a store or ATM and do not throw them into public trash cans.
• Check your credit report annually. Review your
  bills and statements carefully when you receive them. If you haven’t received a bill/statement
  when you usually do, contact the company to see why.
• Report lost or stolen checks immediately. Examine new checks to be sure none were stolen during shipment. Store them in a safe and secure location. You can have them delivered to the credit union if you wish.

What to do if you’re a victim of identity theft:

• Document your actions; keep copies of records
  and time spent on straightening out the identity theft.
• If your wallet or purse is lost/stolen, inform your financial institution ASAP. A copy of all the cards in your wallet will help you tell them which ones were lost/stolen.
• Contact the police and file a report.
• Contact the fraud department at each of the three credit bureaus. Equifax: 800-525-6285; Experian: 800-397-3742; Trans Union : 800-680-7289.
  Have them flag the accounts with a “fraud alert”.
• If your social security number has been compromised call the Social Security Fraud Hot
  Line: 800-269-0271. If mail service was used in
  the fraud call the U. S. Postal Inspectors: 800-
  372-8347.
• Contact the DMV to see if another license was
  issued in your name.
• For additional info/advice call the Federal Trade Commission: 877-IDTHEFT.