Identity Theft Awareness Week: Monitor Your Accounts

Identity Theft Awareness Week is January 26-30. Resolve to protect your identity this New Year by checking your bank statements and credit report regularly to catch errors or unfamiliar unauthorized transactions.

Protect yourself from fraud before it strikes. Set a goal to monitor your account statements or activity regularly so you can spot errors and discrepancies. And, see if you can incorporate more ways to protect your identity into your everyday routines.

Tips for Protecting Your Identity

• Don’t carry multiple credit cards or sensitive documents like your Social Security card.
• Shred any documents with your personal or financial information, such as bank or credit card statements.
• Consider placing a freeze on your credit with the credit bureaus, which restricts access to your credit reports for opening new accounts or loans. If you apply for credit, you can temporarily unfreeze your accounts.
• Review your account and bank statements promptly for suspicious activity; better yet, enroll in Online or Mobile Banking so that you can monitor account activity weekly or daily.
• Set Mobile and Online Banking account alerts to help you monitor and spot unusual account activity.
• Regularly review your credit reports to identify errors or changes. You can obtain free copies of your credit reports annually with each of the three credit bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com.
• Protect your mail. If you’re going on vacation, temporarily pause mail delivery. Avoid the use of postal service mailboxes that are not located within a USPS office as these are frequent targets for identity thieves.
• Use Online Bill Pay to avoid mailing checks whenever possible.
• Secure all your computers, phones, and other devices with strong passwords and up-to-date malware protection.
• Never share your personal information over the phone or through email or text if you receive an unsolicited request; legitimate banks and service providers will never make that type of request.
• Avoid using public Wi-Fi even when it’s password protected and strongly consider signing up for a secure virtual private network (VPN).
• Don’t include too much personal information on social media and use strong privacy settings.
• Create strong and unique passwords and regularly change them for all your online accounts.

Want to learn more about Identity Theft Prevention?  

This Identity Theft Awareness Week, we’re equipping you with the information you need to protect your personal information all year round. Watch for new content all week long. Visit our Identity Theft Awareness Week webpage to learn more or drop by any office to pick up a free Identity Theft brochure.

bankESB is here to protect you.

Your security is our priority. Remember, bankESB will NEVER contact you to ask you for personal or financial information. Contact 855.527.4111 or stop by your nearest office if you think you’ve been the victim of fraud.