Tips to Protect Yourself

Federated Bank takes every precaution to make sure your account and personal information remain safe. Below are some simple steps you can take to minimize your chances of becoming a victim of fraud and identity theft.

• Free Annual Credit Report
• Identity Theft Precautions
• Email and Internet Safeguards

Free Annual Credit Report

It is important to review your credit report at least once a year to ensure that the information is correct and free of any suspicious activity. Under the FACT Act amendments to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you are entitled to one free Personal Credit Report in a 12 month period. To request this free annual report, you may contact the Central Source online at www.annualcreditreport.com or call toll free (877) FACT ACT (322-8228).

Credit Bureaus

In addition, a credit report can be ordered from each of the credit bureaus listed below. The credit bureaus charge a fee for the credit report; however, this fee is waived if you meet certain criteria such as being turned down for credit in the past 60 days.

Order Credit Report

Equifax www.equifax.com
1-800-525-6285
Experian www.experian.com
1-888-397-3742
TransUnion www.transunion.com
1-800-680-7289

Identity Theft Precautions:

1. Delete suspicious emails from unknown sources without opening them.
2. Never provide personal information over the phone or the Internet if you did not initiate the contact. Federated Bank will NEVER ask you for any private information (such as account numbers, \ passwords, social security numbers, etc.) through an unsolicited email.
3. Purchase a shredder and shred financial and personal documents you no longer need, such as credit card offers, pay stubs and utility bills, before discarding them.
4. Only carry necessary identification in your wallet or purse. For example, do not carry your Social Security card.
5. Do not print your Social Security number on your checks.
6. When a Social Security number is requested, confirm that it is actually needed rather than some other identifier.
7. Use online banking to pay your bills online. The fewer personal documents sent through the mail, the less chance there is for identity theft.
8. Closely monitor your bank account statements and credit card bills. Contact your financial institution immediately if there’s a discrepancy in your records or if you notice something suspicious, such as a missing payment or an unauthorized withdrawal.
9. Do not send confidential information such as account numbers and passwords over the Internet in an email.
10. Avoid using public computers, such as those in libraries, hotels or Internet cafes to connect to online banking sites because of the risk of spyware residing on the public equipment.
11. Reduce the number of credit offers you receive by contacting the National Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies at 1-888-5-OPTOUT (567-8688) or visiting their site at www.optoutprescreen.com. You can opt out of receiving credit offers for five years or opt out of receiving them permanently.

Online and Mobile Banking Security Steps:

Step 1: Protect Your Computers, Cell Phone and other Mobile Devices
• Install and set your anti-virus and anti-malware software to update automatically.
• Make sure to keep your web browser software up-to-date by installing the most recent version.
• Protect yourself with a FREE Trusteer Rapport security software download.
• Keep the operating system for your computer or mobile device up-to-date.
• If you use your computer, cell phone, or mobile devices to conduct mobile banking, and your device is lost or stolen contact your financial institution and service provider immediately.
• Never leave your computer, cell phone, or other mobile devices logged on and /or unattended in public.
• Password protect and lock your computers, cell phone, or other mobile devices when not in use.
• Do not store financial or personal information on your computers, cell phone, or mobile device.
• Only download applications from reputable sources. Be suspicious when installing applications that require you to provide information that has nothing to do with the application’s purpose.
• If you believe your mobile device is infected with malware, contact your service provider.
Step 2: Keep Your Information Secure
• If you have any doubts about the authenticity of an email, which appears to be from Federated Bank or involves a Federated Bank account, attach any suspicious emails you may receive to a new email and send them to info@federatedbank.com. Then, be sure to delete the suspicious emails from your mailbox.
• Do not click on links or attachments if an unsolicited emails asking for personal information. Federated Bank will NEVER ask you for any private information (such as account numbers, passwords, social security numbers, etc.) through an unsolicited email.
• If you receive an email that warns you, with little or no notice, that an account of yours will be shut down unless you reconfirm your personal information, do not reply or click on the link in the email. Call the company cited in the email using a telephone number you know to be genuine to confirm if the request is authentic.
• Do not give out personal information. Check a website’s privacy policy before you give them your email address.
• Always use secure passwords. A secure password consists of upper and lower case letters and numbers, and should not contain dictionary words, names or birth dates. Customers should also avoid using the same password for multiple sites and may want to consider using password vault software to securely manage passwords.
• Never share your password with anyone.
• Do not include personal or sensitive data in, or in response to, an email.
• Monitor your account activity closely and watch for unusual activity. You can use Federated Bank’s Online Banking to monitor account balances and activity 24/7.
• When you finish your online and/or mobile banking sessions, be sure to log out.
Step 3: Practice Safe Web Browsing
• Only allow pop-ups from sites that you authorize.
• Do not give out personal information to blogs, forums, and other social networking sites.
• Only make online purchases using secure sites that encrypt your information. To determine if a site encrypts your information look for the locked padlock icon in the browser and “https:” in the address line.
• Never access a website from a link in a suspicious email.
• Access online banking sites by typing the address directly into the browser’s address bar.
• Be cautious of clickable advertisements, pop-up windows, or fake dialogue boxes with urgent messages. They are often tactics that fraudsters use to try and access your personal information.
• Phishing attempts and unsolicited requests don’t just happen via email. They can also arrive via social media.
• Be careful about what you post personally and professionally-too much information can help scammers reach their goals.