|
|
| We are a leading full-service independent community bank that helps families and businesses make the most of life’s opportunities. By combining state-of-the-art technology with our own brand of local decision making, we can deliver the quality financial products and services you need, how, when and where you need them. We have more branches open Sundays than any other bank in the Hudson Valley, and virtually all of our branches are open on Saturday. |
|
Phishing & Spoofing
What is identity theft?
Identity theft is when someone “steals” your identity and impersonates you in order to open credit or bank accounts, rent apartments, or make major purchases: spending as much money as they can in as little time as possible, before moving on to another victim.
While victims are usually not responsible for the majority of their imposters’ bills, they are often left in a financial mess, with a bad credit report that can make it difficult to write checks, borrow money, rent an apartment, or even get a job.
Two new online methods of identity theft are “phishing” and “spoofing”. To learn more about them, click here.
Simple ways to protect yourself
While there is no ironclad way to guarantee you will never fall victim to identity theft, there are ways you can reduce your risk:
- Mind your mailbox. Remove your mail as soon after delivery as possible. And do not leave outgoing mail in your mailbox; take it to the post office or a collection box instead.
- Watch what is in your wallet. Do not carry your Social Security card or anything with its number on it. Memorize your Social Security number and your PIN numbers and never write them down on anything you carry. Destroy all of your receipts when you no longer need them.
- Protect your credit and debit cards. Whenever you receive a new card, sign it immediately. Never loan your card to anyone. Notify your bank, credit card companies and other financial institutions when you change your address or phone number and be sure to report all lost or stolen cards immediately. Never put your account number on the outside of any envelope.
- Stay on top of all your statements. Alert companies you have accounts with if you do not receive your statement. Check receipts to make sure you have received your own. Shred any information containing your account numbers, credit card numbers or other important information before you discard it. Frequently check your credit reports and Social Security statements.
- Adopt a “need to know” approach. Do not give out your personal information or account numbers to anyone until you have confirmed the identity of the person requesting the information and that they absolutely need it.
- Shop reputable retailers. Stick with well-known retailers or web sites. Make sure the web site is secure by looking for the little “lock” icon and use only one card for online purchases so it’s easier to spot a potential problem on your bill.
What to watch for
Even if you are very careful, you may still fall victim to an identity thief. Some signs to watch for are:
- You are not receiving bills or mail, which may indicate an address change by an identity thief;
- You are receiving bills and statements for accounts that you did not open;
- You are being contacted by collections agencies about merchandise or services that you did not purchase.
If something does go wrong
If you do suspect that your personal information has been lost or stolen to commit fraud or theft, Provident Bank is here to help.
1. Immediately file a police report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place. Get a copy of the report (or at least its number) in case you need to show proof of the crime.
2. Call our Security Services professionals at 845.369.8469. Our security representatives are here to give you the support you need to minimize the theft’s impact on your Provident Bank accounts.
3. Contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus.
- Equifax – 1.800.525.6285
- Experian – 1.888.397.3742
- TransUnion – 1.800.680.7289
4. Close any accounts that have been tampered with, or opened fraudulently. While our professionals will assist you with your Provident Bank accounts, you also should write to the security or fraud departments of any other credit accounts you may have, including those with other banks, credit card companies, retailers, phone companies, utilities and other service providers.
5. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can contact the FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline:
- By phone – 1.877.IDTHEFT (438.4338)
- By TDD – 1.202.326.2502
- Online at Identity Theft
- By mail at -
Identity Theft Clearinghouse
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20580
Remember, keep records of everything involved in your efforts to clear up the fraud, including copies of written correspondence an records of telephone calls.
Phishing & Spoofing
While online banking offers you greater convenience than ever before, it is important to use this technology wisely, and to protect yourself against online identity theft, known as “phishing” and “spoofing”.
In a “phishing” scam, bank customers receive an e-mail from the thieves claiming the bank requires personal information, such as a Social Security or account number. The fraudsters may even direct the target to a fake bank web site. This is known as “spoofing”, in that a legitimate web site is mimicked to illegally obtain an individual’s sensitive personal information.
To protect yourself:
- Be wary of any e-mail asking you for personal information your bank should already know.
- Never divulge personal account data or Social Security numbers over the Internet.
- Remember, Provident Bank will never ask for such information in that manner.
- Report any suspicious e-mail to Provident Bank, but never via the Internet site being referenced in the e-mail itself.
Top of Page |
