You Can
Fight Identity Theft
Dear Internet Customers,
From time to time, I receive Internet Security information from various sources. On this new link, I will add this information for your benefit and your protection. If you have any questions about this information, please feel free to contact me.
Thank you,
Terri L. Baird
Internet Administrator
865-675-9444 |
WARNING: Internet Pirates are Trying
to Steal Your Personal Financial Information -
Here's the Good News: You Have the Power to Stop Them
There's a new type of Internet piracy called
"phishing." It's pronounced "fishing," and that's exactly
what these thieves are doing: "fishing" for your personal financial
information. What they want are account numbers, passwords, Social Security
numbers, and other confidential information that they can use to loot your
checking account or run up bills on your credit cards.
In the worst case, you can find yourself a victim of
identity theft. With the sensitive information obtained from a successful
phishing scam, these thieves can take out loans or obtain credit cards and
even driver's licenses in your name. They can do damage to your financial
history and personal reputation that can take years to unravel. But if you
understand how phishing works and how to protect yourself, you can help stop
this crime.
Here's how phishing works:
In a typical case, you'll receive an e-mail that appears
to come from a reputable company that you recognize and do business with, such
as your financial institution. In some cases, the e-mail may appear to come
from a government agency, including one of the federal financial institution
regulatory agencies.
The e-mail will probably warn you of a serious problem
that requires your immediate attention. It may use phrases, such as
"Immediate attention required," or "Please contact us
immediately about your account." The e-mail will then encourage you to
click on a button to go to the institution's Web site.
In a phishing scam, you could be redirected to a phony
Web site that may look exactly like the real thing. Sometimes, in fact, it may
be the company's actual Web site. In those cases, a pop-up window will quickly
appear for the purpose of harvesting your financial information.
In either case, you may be asked to update your account
information or to provide information for verification purposes: your Social
Security number, your account number, your password, or the information you
use to verify your identity when speaking to a real financial institution,
such as your mother's maiden name or your place of birth.
If you provide the requested information, you may
find yourself the victim of identity theft.
How to Protect Yourself:
1. Never provide your personal information in
response to an unsolicited request, whether it is over the phone or over
the Internet. E-mails and Internet pages created by phishers may look exactly
like the real thing. They may even have a fake padlock icon that ordinarily is
used to denote a secure site. If you do not initiate the communication, you should
not provide any information.
2. If you believe the contact may be legitimate,
contact the financial institution yourself. You can find phone numbers and
Web sites on the monthly statements you receive from your financial
institution, or you can look the company up in a phone book or on the
Internet. The key is that you should be the one to initiate the
contact, using contact information that you have verified yourself.
3. Never provide your password over the phone or in
response to an unsolicited Internet request. A financial institution would
never ask you to verify your account information online. Thieves armed with
this information and your account number can help themselves to your savings.
4. Review account statements regularly to ensure all
charges are correct. If your account statement is late in arriving, call
your financial institution to find out why. If your financial institution
offers electronic account access, periodically review activity online to catch
suspicious activity.
What to do if you fall victim:
- Contact your financial institution immediately and
alert it to the situation.
- If you have disclosed sensitive information in a
phishing attack, you should also contact one of the three major credit
bureaus and discuss whether you need to place a fraud alert on your file,
which will help prevent thieves from opening a new account in your name.
Here is the contact information for each bureau's fraud division:
Equifax
800-525-6285
P.O. Box 740250
Atlanta, GA 30374
Experian
888-397-3742
P.O. Box 1017
Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion
800-680-7289
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92634
- Report all suspicious contacts to the Federal Trade
Commission through the Internet at www.consumer.gov/idtheft,
or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT.
You Can Fight Identity
Theft - Here's How:
Never provide personal financial
information, including your Social Security number, account numbers or
passwords, over the phone or the Internet if you did not initiate the contact.
Never click on the link provided in
an e-mail you believe is fraudulent. It may contain a virus that can
contaminate your computer.
Do not be intimidated by an e-mail or
caller who suggests dire consequences if you do not immediately provide or
verify financial information.
If you believe the contact is
legitimate, go to the company's Web site by typing in the site address
directly or using a page you have previously book marked, instead of a link
provided in the e-mail.
If you fall victim to an attack, act
immediately to protect yourself. Alert your financial institution. Place
fraud alerts on your credit files. Monitor your credit files and account
statements closely.
Report suspicious e-mails or calls
to the Federal Trade Commission through the Internet at www.consumer.gov/idtheft,
or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT.
A message
from the federal bank, thrift and credit union regulatory agencies
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
National Credit Union Administration
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Office of Thrift Supervision
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