We are committed to protecting all of your personal information and accounts with us from being used in an unauthorized manner 24/7. Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information (name, address, credit/debit card information, date of birth, social security number, account numbers, etc.) to commit theft or fraud without your permission.
Social Engineering
Phishing, SMiShing and Vishing
Social engineering refers to fraudsters manipulating people into performing actions or divulging personally identifiable, confidential, and/or proprietary information such as passwords, bank information, and other personal data to commit fraud. Social engineering relies heavily on human interaction and trust and often involves tricking people into breaching normal security procedures. The primary methods of social engineering include email (phishing), text (SMiShing), and phone (Vishing).
Phishing is the most popular form of social engineering. In either phishing or SmiShing methods, clicking on links, advertisements in websites, etc. can download cyber technology to:
- Read and store your emails including your contacts (names, phone numbers, email addresses, etc.).
- Use your device to take pictures or distribute illegal items without your knowledge.
- Steal your ‘virtual goods’ including access to software licenses, proprietary and confidential information, personally identifiable information, etc.
- Apply ransomware to your device or network that disables access to your data until you pay the requested ransom to the hackers.
How to Protect Yourself
- Don’t open an email attachment, even if it appears to be from a friend or co-worker, unless you’re expecting it or are absolutely sure you know what it contains
- Watch out for email subject lines or emails contacting only a generic message such as “check this out” or “thought you’d be interested in this.” Call your friends to make sure they sent the email before you open the attachment or click any links in the message.
- Don’t reply to an email, phone call or text message that does these things:
- Requires you to give your personal or account information either directly in the email or on a website the email sends you; some attacks, for example, use pop-up windows on web pages to ask for your confidential information
- Threatens to close or suspend your account if you don’t take immediate action
- Invites you to answer a survey that asks you to enter personal or account information
- Tells you your account has been compromised, then asks you to give or confirms your personal or account information
- Tells you there are unauthorized charges on your account, then asks you to give your personal or account information
- Asks you to confirm, verify or update your account, credit card or billing information
- Stay away from offers of money or prizes. You’re almost certainly dealing with a scam when you see an email or website that does these things:
- Asks you to provide your account information because someone wants to send you money
- Claims you have a refund coming to you
- Says you’ve won a contest
- Look over your credit reports carefully—and at least once a year. You can request a free annual credit report from each of the 3 national credit reporting agencies, whether or not you suspect any unauthorized activity on your account, by visiting www.AnnualCreditReport.com or calling 1-877-FACTACT (1-877-322-8228). Or you can request the reports by directly contacting each of the agencies below:
- Equifax: 866.349.5191
- Experian: 888.397.3742
- TransUnion: 800.916.8800
Internet of Things (IOTs)
IOTs are “Smart” objects that are interconnected via the internet enabling them to send and receive data. Consider your phone, tablet, or that new ‘Smart’ refrigerator that tracks your inventory. What about the various technology devices that instantly connect you to play music, control your ‘Smart’ home, get information such as news, weather, and alerts? These are all IOTs in which data is sent and received over the internet. If not properly protected, the information sent to and from can be accessed by others.
How to Protect Yourself
- Sign-out or lock your devices.
- Be aware of what is going on in the news with mobile devices and scams.
- Don’t let others use your personal devices (computer, phone, or other IOTs).
- Create secure PINs and passwords. Don’t use birth dates, parts of your Social Security or driver’s license numbers, your address or your children’s or spouse’s names. Someone trying to steal your identity probably has some or all of this information.
- Install anti-virus and firewall software on your IOTs and keep them up to date. Make sure your anti-virus software scans incoming communications and files for viruses that could cause you trouble.
- A firewall is software or hardware designed to block unauthorized access to your computer. It’s especially important to run a firewall if you have a broadband connection (such as from a cable modem or DSL line) because your connection is always open, so you’re more likely to be a target. Most common operating systems (including Windows®XP and Vista, and Apple’s OS X) come with a built-in firewall, but you may have to turn the feature on.
Shoulder Surfing
Stealth is the key to this form of social engineering. This technique utilizes direct observation methods, such as looking over someone’s shoulder, to obtain passwords, PIN numbers, security codes, confidential or personal information and similar data in ATM or teller lines.
How to Protect Yourself
- Be aware of your surroundings and be sure no one is looking over your shoulder in public areas and reading information from your device’s screen.
- Make it a habit to review your statements and transactions on a regular basis to make sure that everything looks accurate.
Wallet/Purse Theft
Traditional theft of a wallet, purse, or checkbook are still common means of obtaining personal information.
How to Protect Yourself
- Be aware of your surroundings
- Always leave your Social Security Card at home and limit what you carry in your wallet or purse.
- Don’t print your driver’s license, phone or Social Security number on your checks.
- Make it a habit to review your statements and transactions on a regular basis to make sure that everything looks accurate.
- Keep your personal identification numbers (PINs) for your ATM and credit cards safe, and don’t write your PIN on the card itself or store it in the same place you store your card.
- If you don’t get one or more of your regular bills in the mail, call each company to find out why. A thief could have filed a false change-of-address notice to send your mail to another address.
- Look over your credit reports carefully—and at least once a year. You can request a free annual credit report from each of the 3 national credit reporting agencies, whether or not you suspect any unauthorized activity on your account, by visiting www.AnnualCreditReport.com or calling 1-877-FACTACT (1-877-322-8228). Or you can request the reports by directly contacting each of the agencies below:
- Equifax: 866.349.5191
- Experian: 888.397.3742
- TransUnion: 800.916.8800
To read more about information security, visit the following resource websites: