- Try not to carry your Social Security card on you, use a random number instead of your Social Security number on your driver's license, and don't have your Social Security number pre-printed on your checks.
- Mail bills, credit card applications, and anything with your personal or financial information from the post office or a locked mail box, and if you order checks for your account, request to pick them up from your financial institution; thieves may steal mail from your home and use the information to create new accounts.
- Don't give your personal or financial information to someone you don't know, no matter what the situation or how urgent it seems.
- Protect your personal information. When asked for your Social Security number, ask how it will be used, how it will be protected from ID theft, and whether another number will do.
- Don't store personal information on electronic devices. Password-protect your laptops, wireless phones, pagers, and MP3 players.
- Shred documents that contain personal identifying information before tossing them in the trash; cross-cut shredding papers, versus strip-cut shredding, creates confetti-like pieces that are very difficult for thieves to reassemble.
- Check your account statements for errors as soon as they arrive. If there is an error, or if your statements don't arrive on time, contact the financial institution or company. Criminals may have changed the address on your account to hide fraudulent activity.
- Check your credit report every year for errors and unauthorized accounts. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com to request a free credit report from each of the major credit reporting agencies - Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Stagger your requests. For example, get one free report from Experian, in four months get a free report from TransUnion, and in another four months get a free report from Equifax.
- Never click on a link in an E-mail if there is a possibility it is fraudulent. Even without entering personal information on the site, clicking on the link - even to unsubscribe - could install a virus or spyware on your computer and retrieve personal information without your knowledge.
- Never provide your personal or financial information via E-mail or an unsecured Web page, even if it is to a person or company you know.
- Keep your computer updated with the most current virus protection software and pop-up blockers.
- If you go online to shop or conduct financial transactions, be sure to access the site by typing in the address manually.
- Before you begin a financial or personal transaction online, be sure the site's URL begins with "https" and look for the locked icon in the lower right-hand corner of the browser window. (It's not enough for a lock to be displayed on the Web page.)
- Don't be intimidated by urgent E-mail messages warning of the consequences of not following its instructions.
- If you feel that the E-mail is legitimate, contact the sender using a Web address or phone number that you know is valid, perhaps from a statement you've received.
- If you are a victim of a phishing scam, contact the company whose name was on the message using a known phone number, place alerts on your credit files, and monitor your account statements closely.
- Report suspicious E-mails and phone calls to the Federal Trade Commission at http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/ or call 1-877-ID-THEFT.
- Arsenal Credit Union does not solicit personal information via E-mail. If you receive any suspicious contact by E-mail claiming to be from ACU, contact us at 314.962.6363 (or toll-free at 1.800.719.6363). Please also forward the E-mail to us at arsenalcu@arsenalcu.org. This will help us protect you and other members against fraud.
- If you get a phone call and someone asks you to give or confirm credit card or personal information, hang up. Then call your credit union or the financial institution that issued the card by using the phone number on the back of the card or on your statement and report the attempt.
- If you get a call from someone who claims to be from a financial institution you do business with and who knows your credit card account number but wants the three-digit code on the back of the card, immediately hang up.
- If you get an E-mail message asking you to call a toll-free number to verify account information, delete the E-mail. Never provide personal information or account information based on an E-mail request.
- Don't be fooled by the fact that the caller's phone number appears to be a regional telephone number; it could have been spoofed using Voice over Internet Protocol.
- Be suspicious of any phone or E-mail contact that doesn't use your first name or surname.
- Never dial a call return number - or reply to an E-mail - regarding any financial matter.
Although you may not be able to keep hackers or dishonest employees out of your credit card processor's office, you can take simple defensive measures to keep thieves from stealing your credit card information from the garbage. (Note: because debit cards can be used at many of the same places you can use a credit card, these tips apply to both.)
- Make sure your credit card company has your current phone number so it can contact you if it sees suspicious charges on your card.
- Don't use a debit card for online purchases. Unlike credit cards, most debit cards don't have a limited fraud liability.
- Don't authorize payments or give out personal information over the phone unless you call a specific creditor and know its reputation.
- Review your credit card and checking account statements regularly. Many thieves will "test out" a card by charging small amounts, such as at a gas station.
- Notify your card issuer if a monthly statement fails to arrive in the mail. Criminals may have changed the address on your account to hide fraudulent activity.
- Check your account statements for errors as soon as they arrive. If there is an error, contact the financial institution as soon as possible.
- Shred pre-approved credit card offers, statements, and bills that contain account numbers or other personal information before throwing them away.
- Keep a record of your account numbers, card expiration dates, and the card issuers' phone numbers in a safe place - but not in your wallet.
- Be careful about using your credit card at Internet cafes or anywhere with a wireless connection.
- Check your credit report every year for errors and unauthorized accounts. Go to www.annualcreditreport.com to request a free credit report from each of the major credit reporting agencies - Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Stagger your requests. For example, get one free report from Experian, in four months get a free report from TransUnion, and in another four months get a free report from Equifax.
- Never give out your personal information to someone if you didn't initiate the contact.
- Be leery of messages that convey a sense of urgency, such as fraud on one of your accounts or threats to close your account unless you "verify" your personal information.
- If you question the validity of the contact, don't give out your information. Instead, contact the organization through known information, such as a phone number from an account statement, to inquire about the problem. (Don't use contact information provided during the suspicious contact since this could be fake.)