Fraud Prevention

HOW TO PREVENT IDENTITY THEFT

• Keep your personal information private and secure. If you are being asked to provide your personal information, make sure you know you are communicating with someone you know to be valid.  Use a shredder to destroy any personal documents that are no longer useful.
• Place passwords on your credit card, bank, and phone accounts. Avoid using easily available information such as your birth date, your Social Security number or your phone number.
• Do not give out personal information over the phone, through the mail, or on the Internet unless you initiated the contact or you are certain you are communicating with someone you know to be valid.
• Deposit your outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local post office. If you're planning to be away from home and can't pick up your mail, call the U.S. Postal Service at 800.275.8777 to request a vacation hold.
• To obstruct identity thieves who may pick through your trash or recycling bins to capture your personal information, tear or shred any documents that contain your personal information. To opt out of receiving offers of credit in the mail, call: 888.5.OPTOUT  / 888.567.8688.
• When going out, carry only the identification information, credit and debit cards that you may actually need.

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HOW TO DEAL WITH IDENTITY THEFT

• Place fraud alerts on your credit report. Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening any more accounts in your name. Close the accounts that you know, or believe, have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
• File a report with your local police. When you file a report, provide as much information as you can about the crime, including the date, time, and place of the identity theft and the fraudulent accounts opened.
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. You can file a complaint online at www.ftc.gov/idtheft or call toll-free: 877.IDTHEFT / 877.438.4338.

Exercise your rights to review your credit record and report fraudulent activity. To order your free annual credit report from one or all of the national consumer reporting companies, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll-free 877.322.8228.

For more information about the steps to take on obtaining your credit report, contact the credit bureaus listed below:

• Equifax: 800.525.6285 or www.equifax.com
• Experian: 888.397.3742 or  www.experian.com
• TransUnion: 800.680.7289 or www.transunion.com