Identity Theft & Phishing

News stories continue to appear about fraud committed with stolen personal information. Why is this so important? In today's information era, it is quite simply easy to have your identity stolen. As your bank, committed to your financial safety, we feel you need to know the latest info to keep your personal information and your accounts safe. REMEMBER - First Federal of Bucks County will never send emails asking you to submit your personal and/or financial information.

Please be extremely cautious of any suspicious emails asking for your personal or financial information. If an email appears to be legitimate because it comes from a company you do business with, you should call the company to confirm they sent the email. This type of fraudulent email activity is commonly known as "Phishing".

Prevent It!

• Be suspicious of any email with urgent requests for personal financial information. Phishers typically include upsetting or exciting (but false) statements in their emails to get people to react immediately and provide information such as usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc.
• If you suspect an email might not be authentic, call the company on the telephone, or log onto the website directly by typing in the Web address in your browser, opening a new browser session.
• Always ensure that you're using a secure website when submitting credit card or other sensitive information via your Web browser. To make sure you're on a secure Web server, check the beginning of the Web address in your browser's address bar - it should be "https://" rather than just "http://" and have a "lock" symbol in the bottom corner of your screen.
• Regularly log into your online banking accounts. Don't leave it for as long as a month before you check each account. Regularly check your bank, credit and debit card statements to ensure that all transactions are legitimate. If anything is suspicious, contact your bank and all card issuers.
• Ensure that your browser is up to date and security patches applied. In particular, people who use the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser should immediately go to the Microsoft Security home page to download a special patch relating to certain phishing schemes.
• You can greatly minimize your risk by maintaining up-to-date antivirus, antispyware, and firewalls on your computer. This will greatly reduce the possibility that a virus will redirect you to the malicious Web site.

Cure It!

• Cancel lost credit cards immediately. However, the key is having the toll-free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep a separate list where you can find it quickly and easily. Report it to your bank if your checkbook is stolen.
• File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your purse or wallet was stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and it is a first step toward an investigation is one is required. If you believe your Social Security number has been compromised, call the Social Security Administration's fraud line to report it.
• Contact credit-reporting agencies. This is perhaps the most important and least discussed step. Call the three national credit-reporting agencies immediately and ask them to placed a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. With an alert in place, any company checking your credit knows your information was stolen and they must contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS & WEBSITES

Credit Reporting Agency Numbers

Equifax	To report fraud call 888-766-0008
Experian	To report fraud call 888-397-3742
TransUnion	To report fraud call 800-680-7289

Other Numbers to Call if Fraud Is Suspected

Federal Trade Commission	Web: www.consumer.gov/idtheft Phone: 877-ID THEFT
Social Security Administration	Phone: 800-269-0271
US Postal Inspection Service	Web: www.usps.com/postalinspectors

Websites With More Information*

On Guard Online	Information Security Quizzes from the Federal Government
BBB - Better Business Bureau	Take the identity theft quiz and get tips on prevention
FDIC Online Security Guide	FDIC's "Don't Be An Online Victim"
FTC - Federal Trade Commission	FTC's guide to "phishing"
Opt-Out Pre-screen	Register with Credit Bureaus to opt out from pre-approved credit offers
Do-Not-Call Registry	Add your name to the FCC's National Do-Not-Call Registry

*Note… The above links will take you to external websites. The information provided by each of these services is the sole responsibility of the entity providing the information. The links to each entity is for the convenience of our members. First Federal of Bucks County make no representation, warranty, or endorsement regarding the accuracy of the information provided. Any warranties or representations expressed or implied are hereby disclaimed in their entirety.