Saturday, September 21st

Education

There were 15.4 Million victims of ID theft in 2016 with a total amount of $16 billion stolen. In the past 6 years identity thieves have stolen over $107 billion. The numbers are alarming and the situation are real. Identity theft happens in a number of ways (online phishing, dumpster diving, skimming and more). Here are some steps you can take if you happen to fall a victim to this crime. 

• Understanding Identity Theft
• Understanding Phone Fraud
• Malware
• Check Your Credit Report
• ID Theft - 5 Prevention Steps

Detection

eLerts

Keep abreast of changes in your account balance, withdrawal and deposit amounts and manage major activities through Online Banking eLerts. Simply log into Online Banking and select XX then create the account alert that you would like to monitor. You will receive an email notification when your account meets that requirement. It’s easy, fast and effective at auto-managing your account.

SMS Guardian

Enroll your Visa^® Debit card in the new SMS Guardian anti-fraud text alert notification service, which sends transaction alerts directly to your mobile phone or other SMS-enabled device. When a purchase that meets the monitoring criteria takes place, a text will be sent to you for review. If you think a particular transaction is fraudulent, reply immediately. A fraud analyst will block the card and follow up with you by phone. This added layer of security enables fraudulent activity to be identified and stopped immediately, which significantly reduces the likelihood that subsequent unauthorized transactions will occur.

To sign up, log into Online Banking and select the "Options” tab then "Transaction Alerts”. You will be prompted to enter your card information.

Tips to Keep in Mind:

• Ignore messages asking for personal information. Whether it’s an email, phone call, text message, or an ad, don’t click the links or call phone numbers; it’s a common phishing tactic. Crooks behind these messages try to trick you into revealing sensitive information. Please note that Prince George’s Community Federal Credit Union will never contact you asking for account or personal information.
• Know whom you’re dealing with. Don’t send money to an online seller you’ve never heard of; do business only with sites you know. Always use your Visa® card because it offers fraud protection. If you want to do business with a merchant you’re not familiar with, search online for the company name and website, and look for any negative reviews.
• Wiring money. Don’t wire money to strangers, especially those who insist on wire transfers for payment, or claim to be a relative or friend facing an emergency.
• Read your monthly statements. The best method is to go paperless with eStatements and avoid your mail from every being intercepted by criminals. Regardless of the method used, it is important to carefully review your credit card and account statements every month, and contact us immediately about charges you didn’t make or transactions you didn’t authorize.
• Update your account information. In the event of an emergency, we will contact you using the contact information on file. It’s a good idea to keep your contact information updated so we can reach you when needed.
• Make us aware when you travel. Be sure to inform us if you’ll be traveling out of the country so we can monitor your account for fraudulent transactions.