Protecting Your Information
The Internet is a powerful tool that provides a wealth of information and time saving benefits. Along with the power and convenience of the Internet comes the risk of identity theft and fraud. The security of our customers' information is of utmost importance to Peoples Bank. In an effort to protect you from any possible fraud, we are providing some information on current methods being used in identity theft.
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Choosing an ATM
Using an ATM
- Where possible, use ATMs with which you are most familiar. Alternatively, choose well-lit, well-placed ATMs where you feel comfortable.
- Scan the whole ATM area before you approach it. Avoid using the ATM altogether if there are any suspicious-looking individuals around or it looks too isolated or unsafe.
- Avoid opening your purse, bag or wallet while in the line for the ATM. Have your card ready in your had before you approach the ATM.
- Notice if anything looks unusual or suspicious about the ATM indicating it might have been altered. If the ATM appears to have any attachments to the card slot or key pad, do not use it. Check for unusual instructions on the display screen and for suspicious blank screens If you suspect that the ATM has been interfered with, proceed to another ATM and inform the bank.
- Avoid ATMs which have messages or signs fixed to them indicating that the screen directions have been changed, especially if the message is posed over the card reader. Banks and other ATM owners will not put up messages directing you to specific ATMs, nor would they direct you to use an ATM which has been altered.
Managing Your ATM Use
- Be especially cautious when strangers offer to help you at an ATM, even if your card is stuck or you are experiencing difficulty with the transaction. You should not allow anyone to distract you while you are at the ATM.
- Check that other individuals in the line keep an acceptable distance from you. Be on the look-out for individuals who might be watching you enter your PIN.
- Stand close to the ATM and shield the keypad with your hand when keying in your PIN (you may wish to use the knuckle of your middle finger to key in the PIN).
- Follow the instructions on the display screen, e.g. do not key in your PIN until the ATM requests you to do so.
- If you feel the ATM is not working normally, press the Cancel key and withdraw your card and then proceed to another ATM, reporting the matter to your financial institution.
- Never force your card in to the card slot.
- Keep your printed transaction record so that you can compare your ATM receipts to your monthly statement.
- If your card gets jammed, retained, or lost, or if you are interfered with at an ATM, report this immediately to the bank and/or police using the help line provided or nearest phone.
- Do not be in a hurry during the transaction, and carefully secure your card & cash in your wallet, handbag or pocket before leaving the ATM.
- Memorize your PIN (if you must write it down, do so in a disguised manner and never carry it with your card).
- NEVER disclose you PIN to anyone, whether to a family member, bank staff or police.
- Do not use obvious and guessable numbers for your PIN like your date of birth, or the last four digits of your phone number.
- Change your PIN periodically, and , if you think it may have been compromised, change it immediately.
- Set your daily ATM withdrawal limit at your branch at levels you consider reasonable.
- Regularly check your account balance and bank statements and report any discrepancies to your bank immediately.
ATM Security Tip
An ATM scam involves thieves putting a thin, clear, rigid plastic sleeve into the ATM card slot. When you insert your card, the machine can't read the strip, so it keeps asking you to re-enter your PIN number.
Meanwhile, someone behind you watches as you tap in your number. Eventually you give up, thinking the machine has swallowed your card and you walk away. The thieves then remove the plastic sleeve complete with card, and empties your account.
The way to avoid this is to run your finger along the card slot before you put your card in. The sleeve has a couple of tiny prongs that the thieves need to get the sleeve out of the slot, and you'll be able to feel them.
MasterCard® SecureCode™
In order to protect you against unauthorized online purchases, a new program is being implemented in partnership with MasterCard®.
MasterCard®SecureCode™ is designed to personalize your online purchasing experience. Beginning on February 1, 2005, when you make an online purchase at a participating merchant, you may be asked to create a personal code that will be associated with your MasterCard® account number - your SecureCode™. You will then be asked to enter your SecureCode™ for all future purchases at a participating merchant. If you prefer, you can create your SecureCode™ before you shop online, by registering through this website after February 1.
For additional information or to view a demo about MasterCard® SecureCode™, click here.
- Please be aware of a computer virus (identified 08/21/2007) that could effect Bill Pay. This virus may cause a fraudulent screen to appear in the online Bill Pay window. The screen posts messages that attempt to trick clients into providing sensitive information such as account information and passwords - information the bill payment system already knows and you should not provide again.
- If you are using Bill Pay and a new screen appears out of context asking you to provide sensitive information, do not provide this information. If in doubt of the validity of a Bill Pay screen, please contact Customer Care 800-374-6123 option 0.
- Report lost or stolen credit cards immediately.
- Sign your card on the signature panel as soon as you receive it.
- Protect your cards as if they were cash—never let them out of your sight.
- Don't leave your credit cards in your car's glove compartment. An alarmingly high proportion of all credit card thefts are from car glove compartments.
- Never write down your PIN—memorize it.
- Ensure that you get your card back after every purchase.
- Always check sales vouchers for the correct purchase amount before you sign them, and keep copies of your vouchers and ATM receipts.
- Always check your billing statement and verify the amounts of your purchases.
- Make a comprehensive list of all your cards and their numbers and store it in a safe place.
- Don't volunteer any personal information when you use your credit card, other than by displaying personal ID as requested by a merchant.
- Don't lend your card to anybody. You are responsible for its use. Some credit card misuse can be traced directly to family and friends.
- Never disclose your PIN to anyone. No one from a financial institution, the police, or a merchant should ask for your PIN. You are the only person who needs to know it. When selecting a PIN, always avoid the obvious—your name, telephone number, date of birth, or any simple combination thereof.
- To ensure the proper use of your debit card while traveling in foreign countries, please contact a Peoples Bank representative for assistance.
- Never send payment information via email. Unlike secure web sites that protect your private data, email-or any other exchange of information over the Internet, such as instant messaging-is not fully protected from being read by outside parties.
- Be aware of any email message that requests personal data-such as passwords, PINs, or your social security number-or sends you to a web site that asks for such information. These messages may involve the illegal practice of “spoofing,” or forging an email address to resemble another, legitimate address and business.
Note: Never send personal information via an email. - If you have received an email that spoofs Peoples Bank, please click here to notify Peoples Bank of the specifics of the illegal email.
- Please be advised that some of our valued customers have received Fraudulent Email Messages requesting their Peoples Bank account information. These emails are not from Peoples Bank and responding to these emails with your account information could lead to financial losses or identity theft. Peoples Bank does not request personal information on our clients via email. Please contact Customer Care by phone or email if you are suspicious about email requests regarding your financial account information.
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Please be aware that fraudulent emails are in circulation claiming to be from the IRS. These emails claim everything from someone has enrolled the recipient's credit card number in the IRS' EFTPS payment system to stating you are entitled to a federal tax refund. These emails instruct the recipient to visit a site by clicking on a link provided in the email. Please note that the IRS Antifraud Commission is a fictitious group and the IRS does NOT send unsolicited emails asking for personal information. If you receive an email such as this please send it to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov for investigation.
Mail and telephone solicitations bring many tempting offers, but not all are legitimate! Be especially careful about deals that sound too good to be true, and keep the following advice in mind:
- Be wary of high-pressure sales tactics, especially if the sale must be made now.
- Record the name, address, and phone number of the soliciting organization, and obtain names of other customers who can supply references.
- Ask questions. The fewer questions the telemarketer can answer, the less likely that it is a legitimate business.
- Do not give your account number over the phone unless you initiated the call.
- When in doubt, consult the Better Business Bureau or the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
- Notify the post office immediately if you change your address.
- Make sure your mailbox is secure, and promptly remove mail.
- If you are not receiving mail, call the post office immediately. Some crooks are able to forge your signature and have your mail forwarded elsewhere for the purpose of obtaining information that will allow them to apply for credit in your name.
- If you are told of a forwarding order placed on your mail without your knowledge, go to the post office to check the signature and cancel the order. Ask the post office to track down the forwarded mail—it can remain in the postal system for up to 14 days so may not yet have landed in the criminal's hands.
Rebate Phone Call
At least one scheme using the word “rebate” as part of the lure has been identified. In that scam, consumers receive a phone call from someone identifying himself as an IRS employee. The caller tells the targeted victim that he is eligible for a sizable rebate for filing his taxes early. The caller then states that he needs the target’s bank account information for the direct deposit of the rebate. If the target refuses, he is told that he cannot receive the rebate.Refund e-mail
The IRS has seen several variations of a refund-related bogus e-mail which falsely claims to come from the IRS, tells the recipient that he or she is eligible for a tax refund for a specific amount, and instructs the recipient to click on a link in the e-mail to access a refund claim form. The form asks the recipient to enter personal information that the scamsters can then use to access the e-mail recipient’s bank or credit card account.Audit e-mail
Using a technique calculated to get almost anyone’s attention, the e-mail notifies the recipient that his or her tax return will be audited. This is the first scam of which the IRS is aware that uses this to get the victim to respond. This e-mail is a phony. The IRS does not send unsolicited, tax-account related e-mails to taxpayers.Changes to Tax Law e-Mail
This bogus e-mail is addressed to businesses, accountants and “Treasury” managers. It instructs them to download information on tax law changes by clicking on a series of links to publications on businesses, estate taxes, excise taxes, exempt organizations and IRAs and other retirement plans.Paper Check Phone Call
In a current telephone scam, a caller claims to be an IRS employee who is calling because the IRS sent a check to the individual being called. The caller states that because the check has not been cashed, the IRS wants to verify the individual’s bank account number. The caller may have a foreign accent.What to Do
Those who have received a questionable e-mail claiming to come from the IRS may forward it to a mailbox the IRS has established to receive such e-mails, phishing@irs.gov, using instructions contained in an article titled “How to Protect Yourself from Suspicious E-Mails or Phishing Schemes.” Following the instructions will help the IRS track the suspicious e-mail to its origins and shut down the scam.Source Information:
IRS. 21 April 2008. "IRS Warns of New E-Mail and Telephone Scams Using the IRS Name; Advance Payment Scams Starting." <http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=178061,00.html>
“Phishing” uses fraudulent email messages and fraudulent websites to fool recipients into divulging personal authentication data such as account usernames and passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc. Because these fraudulent emails and websites look “official” many people are tricked into disclosing valuable information -- which results in financial losses and identity theft.
Never disclose any personal information to anyone. The bank specifically does not contact its customers asking for account or other identifying information.
Social engineering is the attempt to manipulate or trick a person into providing confidential information to an individual that is not authorized to receive such information.
Shoulder surfing- shoulder surfers are criminals that acquire personal information through eavesdropping. Shoulder surfers may obtain information while standing in line at a Bank branch or ATM. Others may use binoculars to spy on their victims. Still others may stand outside branch windows and observe computer screens that contain confidential account information. In all instances, the objective is to obtain confidential information.
- Talk quietly and protect your transaction at the teller window.
- When using the ATM block the view of others when entering your PIN number.
Skimming is another type of theft or fraud. This typically occurs when an otherwise legitimate transaction has been completed and the credit card or debit card information is captured.
This type of fraud is typical of two situations. The first being unsuspecting ATM machines where a device is installed that reads the magnetic strip as the card is passed through. A pinhole camera may also be used to capture a persons PIN Number. The second type of "skimming" can occur when someone such a store clerk, waiter, or bartender has possession of a credit or debit card outside of the customers view. The skimmer swipes the card and uses a small keypad to enter the 3-4 digit Card Security Code (located on the back of a card). Once the card information is captured, fake cards may be created and used to make purchases without the customer's knowledge.
Peoples Bank Counterfeit Checks
Additional information on check scams and how to tell if you have been given a "fake check."
Spyware and adware can come in many forms, some come bundled with free software, others exploit known security weaknesses in your computers web browser to put themselves on your computer. Often these programs will merely track your browsing and searching habits, recording where you go and how often. Peoples Bank has taken the initiative to assist you in protecting your privacy and personal information. Below you will find a brief introduction to what spyware is, and how to further educate yourself about it.
Spyware consists of computer software that gathers information about a computer user and then transmits this information to an external entity without the knowledge or informed consent of the user. Though spyware and the related adware are not critical threats to your privacy, they do gather and transmit about your comings and goings on a computer.
Adware is software that may have been installed on your computer by a remote site. Many free utilities that you download from the Internet will install hidden software that sends details of the websites you visit and other information from your computer (which can include your email address) to advertisers so they can target you with popup ads and spam. More malicious adware will change your homepage, default search engine, add inappropriate favorites to your bookmarks list, and inundate you with pop-ups.
Due to the complexity and amount of knowledge required to properly remove spyware it is recommended that you not attempt this yourself, instead contact your technical support, or local computer service shop. If you do so choose to attempt remove spyware yourself, Peoples Bank cannot be liable. We simply mean to inform you of an increasing hazard of being connected to the Internet.
How can someone steal your identity? Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your name, Social Security number, credit card number or other identifying information, without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes.
Identity theft is a serious crime. People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years - and their hard-earned money - cleaning up the mess thieves have made of their good name and credit record. In the meantime, victims may lose job opportunities, be refused loans, education, housing or cars, or even get arrested for crimes they didn't commit.
If you think your identity has been stolen, here's what to do now:
Contact the fraud departments of any one of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit file. The fraud alert requests creditors to contact you before opening any new accounts or making any changes to your existing accounts. As soon as the credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the other two credit bureaus will be automatically notified to place fraud alerts, and all three credit reports will be sent to you free of charge. The companies' toll-free numbers are: Equifax,1-800-525-6285; Experian, 1-888-397-3742; and TransUnion,1-800-680-7289.
Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Use the ID Theft Affidavit when disputing new unauthorized accounts.
File a police report. Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and others that may require proof of the crime.
File your complaint with the FTC. The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint also helps us learn more about identity theft and the problems victims are having so that we can better assist you. (FTC Hotline 1-877-438-4338)
For more in-depth information on recovering from identity theft and help with specific problems, read ID Theft: When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name