Protect Your Financial Data

Your Identity May Be Your Most Valuable Asset

Here are some everyday things you can do to protect yourself from being a victim of identity and fraud.

Learn more about Phishing from the
Federal Trade Commission - Click on the fish.

Check your credit report. Make sure your credit history is correct by checking your credit report with each of the three national credit reporting companies. Learn more.
If you bank or pay credit cards on-line, avoid passwords that include personal information, such as mother's maiden name or date of birth. Instead, use something unique that only you know.
Don't give out personal information over the phone, through the mail, or on the Internet unless you've initiated the contact and are sure you know who you're dealing with.
Banks will not ask you to verify personal information over the phone or via email. If you receive a phone call or email asking you to verify information, end the call, do not respond, and call the bank directly.
If you receive an e-mail asking for personal information, do not hit the reply button or click on any website link in the e-mail. Instead, go directly to the sender's website by typing in the sender's website address.
Protect your personal information. Don't leave sensitive documents containing personal information where anyone can see it.
Use a shredder before disposing of personal records, especially financial records - preferably a cross-cut shredder (thieves have been known to paste together single-shred documents to obtain information).
Don't use an automatic log-in feature on your computer.