For anyone who has watched the news recently, it's apparent that identity
thieves continue to prey on unsuspecting victims.
One of the latest
involves the pending economic stimulus rebate checks set to be mailed in late
spring to those who meet the guidelines outlined by Congress. Another scam
involves tax returns. These are just two of many scams authorities are alerting
consumers about.
The staff and management of NEAFCU want to keep our
members safe from such instances, so we want to offer the following tips
provided by the Federal Trade Commission:
AVOID IDENTITY THEFT
BY:
- Shredding paperwork containing your personal
information
- Protecting your social security number
- Avoiding giving
our your personal information by phone or by internet unless you know the person
you are dealing with.
- NEVER clicking on e-mails that are unsolicited and
keeping your virus and spyware up-to-date on your computer.
- Using
passwords that aren't obvious -- avoiding birthdates, names or the last four
digits of your social security number.
- Keeping personal information in a
secure place.
The FTC also offers these tips for detecting ID Theft:
- Be alert when bills should be arriving.
- Look at all financial statements to ensure the charges reflect your
purchasing behavior.
- Act immediately if you receive unusual credit card or account
statements.
- If you receive a denial of credit for no obvious reason, contact the credit
bureaus.
- If you begin receiving calls or correspondence regarding accounts you did
not open, again, contact the credit bureaus immediately.
The FTC also advises that you review your credit report regularly. Federal
laws allow every US Citizen the opportunity to receive their credit report at NO
COST once a year from the credit bureaus. You can visit
www.annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228
to request your report. You can also request the report in writing by sending a
request to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, PO Box 105281, Atlanta, GA
30348-5281.
If you suspect ID Theft has occurred, the FTC recommends:
Placing a fraud alert on your credit reports by contacting all
three bureaus:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian: 1-888-Experian
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
Closing accounts you suspect have been compromised or opened
without your knowledge.
Filing a police report.
Reporting to the FTC by visiting ftc.gov/idtheft or by calling
1-877-ID-THEFT or TYY, 1-866-653-4261. You can also contact the FTC by mail
at: Identity Theft Clearing House, Federal Trade Commission,
Washington, DC 20580
Your credit union also encourages you to contact us immediately if
you feel your account has been compromised. You can report your NEAFCU credit
card, debit or ATM cards lost or stolen by calling during the times the credit
union is closed:
DEBIT/ATM: 1-800-383-8000
CREDIT CARD: 1-800-325-3678.
