Summit Bank wants you to have the information necessary to protect yourself against identity theft. With attacks on personal and financial information becoming more sophisticated and aggressive, it's time to take action to protect yourself. You can act now to activate your complimentary six-month subscription into IDENTITY GUARD GOOD START program. With your enrollment you will receive:
- Daily credit bureau monitoring
- E-mail notification of changes in your credit file
- Unlimited toll-free access to Credit Education Specialists
You can sign up now and get six months free - with no obligations! Take charge of your identity today and protect your credit and your good name.....for free! Protect yourself with IDENTITY GUARD today.
While there are no guarantees about avoiding identity theft, it's important for you to know: We strongly suggest that you do not share your personal login ID, password or other sensitive information. If you receive an email that requests this type of action, you should be suspicious. We also suggest you report suspicious emails or calls to the Federal Trade Commission through the Internet at www.consumer.gov/idtheft, or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT.
What is Identity Theft?
Identity theft involves the unlawful acquisition and use of someone's identifying information, such as:
- Name
- Address
- Date of Birth
- Social Security Number
- Mother’s Maiden Name
- Drivers License
- Bank or Credit Card Account Number
Thieves then use the information to repeatedly commit fraud in an attempt to duplicate your identity which may include opening new accounts, purchasing automobiles, applying for loans, credit cards, and social security benefits, renting apartments and establishing services with utility and telephone companies. It can have a negative effect on your credit and create a serious financial hassle for you.
How do they get my personal information?
Lost or stolen personal items: They may obtain your personal information by finding or stealing your checkbooks, credit cards, driver license or Social Security cards.
Mail: They may steal your mail, including bank and credit card statements, credit card offer, new checks, and tax information. They may also complete a "change of address form" to divert your mail to another location.
On-lookers: They will watch and/or listen to you conduct personal business such as entering your PIN when you use your ATM or debit card or when you are talking on the telephone.
Dumpster diving: They may rummage through your trash, the trash of businesses, or public trash dumps in a practice known as "dumpster diving."
Internet: They use the Internet to look for personal pages that contain information like genealogical data with your mother's maiden name that can be used to set up a credit card account or possibly access existing accounts.
Phishing: They may obtain personal information from you through the use of "pop-ups" or emails. These emails have Internet links to deceive you into disclosing sensitive information such as bank account numbers and social security numbers. Oftentimes the email appears as if it comes from a trusted source. It directs you to a "spoof" website that encourages you to divulge sensitive information.
Pretexting: They may obtain your personal information on the phone by posing as a legitimate company and claiming that you have a problem with your account.
Skimming: They may steal your credit or debit card numbers by capturing the information in a data storage device in a practice known as "skimming." They may swipe your card for an actual purchase, or attach the device to an ATM machine where you may enter or swipe your card.
How to protect your identity?
Report lost or stolen checks or credit cards immediately.
Shred all documents containing personal information, like bank statements, unused checks, deposit slips, credit card statements, pay stubs, medical billings, and invoices.
Don't put your trash out until shortly before it will be picked up.
Pay bills online or mail bill payments and other items that contain personal information at a U.S. Postal Service drop box rather than in your curbside mailbox. Don't put any mail in your curbside mailbox until shortly before it will be picked up daily.
Take your mail out of your curbside mailbox as soon as possible after it has been delivered. If you are traveling, have the U.S. Postal Service hold your mail or have someone you trust pick it up daily.
Limit the information on your checks (for example, don't include driver's license number, social security number, or telephone number), and don't carry around any more cards than necessary.
Don't give any of your personal information in person, over the telephone, or over the Internet to anyone-unless you have a very good reason to trust them.
Don't give any of your personal information to any web sites that do not use encryption or other secure methods to protect it.
Use security software and/or hardware. This software and/or hardware can be purchased on-line or from most software retailers.
Don't use PINs or other passwords that are easy to guess (for example, don't use birth dates or spouse, child, pet or mothers maiden names). Regularly change your passwords. Also, create a username that is unique and difficult for others to guess.
Examine your credit card and financial institution statement immediately upon receipt to determine whether there were any unauthorized transactions. Report any that you find immediately to the financial institution.
Make a prompt inquiry if bills or statements are not received in a timely fashion-this could mean that they are being diverted by an identity thief.
Obtain copies of your credit report periodically from each of the three major reporting agencies to be sure that they are accurate. Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union are required to provide you with one free credit report a year.
What do I do if I suspect I'm a victim of fraud or my identity has been stolen?
If you suspect that your personal information has been compromised, follow these important steps:
Immediately notify your financial institution(s). You'll need to get new account numbers, new PIN, etc.
Report any suspicious activity immediately. Scrutinize the charges on your financial statements carefully to ensure that they are legitimate. If there is a questionable transaction or a fraudulent transaction, report it immediately.
Call the three major credit bureaus to request that a fraud alert be placed on your credit report.
Contact your local police department. Financial fraud is a crime.
Call the Federal Trade Commission's ID Theft hotline at (877) IDTHEFT to report it. The FTC maintains a program to assist victims of identity theft. The Center logs complaints and provides assistance and information to victimized consumers to rectify damage to their credit and personal reputation.
Notify the U.S. Postal Inspectors Office. Victims of fraud should contact their local post office to report any crime involving stolen mail or use of the mail in furtherance of a fraud scheme. It is a felony.
Contact the Social Security Administration at (800) 269-0271. The Social Security Hotline allows a victim of identity theft to report misuse of a Social Security number. You may also visit your local Social Security Office to obtain further information.
Contact the Department of Motor Vehicles. If your driver's license is stolen, report the theft immediately to your local Department of Motor Vehicles. Ensure that a duplicate license was not recently issued in your name to an imposter.
Keep detailed notes of your repair efforts. Keep a log of all contacts and copies of all documents; follow up your contact calls in writing.
Check these resources for more information on identity theft and what to do it you're a victim:
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
ABA Education Foundation
Equifax
P O Box 105069
Atlanta, GA 30349-5069
www.equifax.com
To order a report: (800) 685-1111
To report fraud: (800) 525-6285
Experian
P O Box 2002
Allen, TX 75013-0949
www.experian.com
To order a report: (888) 397-3742
To report fraud: (888) 397-3742
Trans Union
P O Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022
www.transunion.com
To order a report: (800) 916-8800
To report fraud: (800) 680-7289
Other Information
Spyware/Adware
Organizations that capture information about usage and buying behavior patterns on the Internet are now emerging. Some of these organizations monitor individual Internet activity through software downloaded to your personal computer or on a public computer you use, which is called “spyware”. This includes everything you type on your computer, such as card numbers, account numbers and passwords. It also includes the personal and confidential information on the secure pages that you browse and the personal and confidential information you provide when you use an otherwise secure on-line application.
Beware of downloading software with offers of “free email virus protection” or a “no cost Internet accelerator” or other such enticements. These offers can result in a third party company monitoring your Internet activity.
Consider the purchase of a hardware firewall and/or bundled security software product. ** Make sure you update on a regular basis **
Never use public computers when connecting to on-line banking or other secure web sites where you will enter confidential information.
Internet/Counterfeit Cashier's Checks/Nigerian Scams
There are several variations of these scams. One is when a letter, e-mail, or fax arrives from Nigeria or other foreign countries stating the writer needs assistance getting millions of dollars out of Africa and they are looking for people in the United States to help them. They say that a US bank account is needed to deposit these funds, and offer the participant a percentage of the proceeds. These letters always ask for account information, and they generally also ask for a check to be sent to them immediately for “expenses”. Another common scam is when someone from a foreign country offers to purchase something advertised over the internet (puppies, farm equipment, boats, etc.). They send a cashier's check for much more than the purchase price, and tell the seller to deposit the check and wire the excess back to them or to a 3rd party. These turn out to be counterfeit checks, and are often undetectable. By the time the originating bank rejects them, the unwitting seller may have already wired the money, and will lose at least the amount that was wired out. The customer is then responsible to make restitution to their bank for the full amount of the counterfeit cashier's check. If you did respond and suffered a loss, you should contact the United States Secret Service at 570-346-5781, PO Box 247, Scranton, PA 18501.
Canadian/International Lottery Scams
A similar scam is called the “Canadian Lottery Scam” in which the victim is told that they have won the Canadian or an International Lottery. They are then sent a counterfeit cashier's check and asked to wire money for taxes to the Canadian government. The customer deposits the cashier's check, wires a percentage of the money to an account in Canada (or elsewhere) to pay the fake taxes, then the original check is returned as counterfeit. The victim has then lost whatever money they wired out. It is a violation of US law to purchase foreign lottery tickets by phone or mail. You should ignore any that you receive, and give the materials to your local postmaster. You can also contact the US Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP (www.ftc.gov), or “Phonebusters”, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Task Force, at 1-888-495-8501, (www.phonebusters.com).
Home Improvement Scam
With this scam, an individual or group of people approach an elderly person's home and convince them that they had done work for them in the past, or that they need a new roof and that they will do the job for a fraction of what someone else would charge them. Once they gain the person's trust they may rob their homes or do an unacceptable job for an exorbitant fee. You can contact the US Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP (www.ftc.gov) or the Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-800-2560.
Phishing/ID Theft
Phishing is a high-tech internet scam that tries to deceive you into disclosing your credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security numbers, passwords, or other sensitive information. Phishers send an e-mail or pop-up message that claims to be from a business or organization that you deal with: your Internet service provider (ISP), a well-known bank, online payment service, or even a government agency such as the FDIC. The message usually says that you need to ‘update’ or ‘validate’ your account information, and might threaten some dire consequence if you don't respond. The message directs you to a Web site that looks just like the legitimate organization's site, but isn't. The purpose of the bogus site is to trick you into divulging your personal information so the perpetrators can steal your identity and run up bills or commit crimes in your name. Watch for the security padlock that designates a secure site. Don't ever provide any personal information over the internet (or on the phone) if you have not initiated the transaction. If you think you are a victim of ID Theft, contact your local police, credit card companies, and banks.
Unsolicited Telephone Calls
Customers have received unsolicited phone calls from unknown callers asking for banking information, social security numbers, or other personal information. In some cases the callers have identified themselves as from the bank. Your bank would already have your account number on file. Never disclose this information over the telephone to an unknown caller. Once the bank routing and transit and account information are given out, the caller then uses that information to debit the customer's account without their knowledge or permission or to steal your identity.
What to do if you encounter one of these scams
The FBI advises the following actions, depending on how the scam information was received:
E-Mail - do not respond and delete the message
Fax - do not respond and throw it away
US Mail - send the letter and envelope to the US Postal Inspector's Office at PO Box 60035, Harrisburg, PA 17106 or visit
http://postal-service.com
If the intended victim did respond, and if there was a loss involved, the person should contact the United States Secret Service at 570-346-5781, PO Box 247, Scranton, PA 18501.
Remember... if it sounds too good to be true...it probably is!