Connect Credit Union has put into place many safeguards to protect your information , in fact, we feel it is our most important responsibility. We have in place various methods to protect your information both internally and online. You also play a role in protecting your personal information. We’ve provided some information here to help you avoid becoming a victim of Identity Theft.
Identity Theft - Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personally identifiable information, such as your name, Social Security number, or credit card number, without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes.
The Federal Trade Commission estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. In fact, you or someone you know may have experienced some form of identity theft.
You play a large role in protecting your personal information. At Connect, we want to ensure your funds are as secure as possible and would like to provide you with some tips to safeguard your personal information.
You can do this by ensuring that your computer is up-to-date with all anti-virus software, any operating system updates have been completed and the use of a firewall is highly recommended.
You should be wary of any emails that request personally identifiable information to avoid becoming a victim of Identify Theft. It is important to use supported browsers when accessing secure sites.
Shredding documents with personal information before discarding and avoiding giving out your Social Security number or other personal information as much as possible can help to deter identity thieves.
Inspecting your credit reports, financial statements and bills regularly for unauthorized activity can also help to detect suspicious activity.
As soon as you suspect identity theft, it’s important to place a “Fraud Alert” on your credit reports, file a police report, report it to the FTC and close the affected accounts.
You can learn more about identity theft and how to protect your personal information by visiting the FTC official website.
