Category: Security

In today’s 24/7 culture, where everything is electronic and moves at lightning speed, it’s essential to stay alert and protect yourself against fraud. Here are some tips that can help: • Review your credit at least once a year from each of the three national reporting agencies. These are available to you without a cost here. • Monitor your account activity as often as possible, easily and conveniently, with free Online & Mobile Banking. Check for unauthorized transactions, verify your purchases, and accomplish so much more. Read More....

More and more, people are seeking employment online but some may be inadvertently placing themselves at risk of identity theft. The FBI has investigated scams where criminals are searching job boards for personal information, particularly posted resumés with Social Security numbers and other details. Here are some tips to help protect yourself: •Don't include your identifying data or physical address -- simply list an email at which you can be reached. •Never agree to wire a portion of a check or deposit back to a company representative who tells you this is required to be hired. Most times, the initial…

Summer is in full swing and, although there are lots of outdoor activities going on, it’s also a season when children remain tethered to electronic devices. To follow are a couple of tips for keeping your kids cyber-secure. • Many youngsters carry smartphones these days, which keep them connected to each other and able to reach their parents in emergencies. It’s wise to be knowledgeable about the apps your kids are using on these phones and make sure they are downloaded from reputable stores, with the proper privacy disclosures and settings. • Apps sharing locations with friends and family can be useful,…

It’s that time of year: family vacations, day excursions, maybe even the trip of a lifetime when you’re flying to Europe. There’s no better way to pay for these opportunities than with your America First Visa® Credit and Debit Cards. But before you leave, it’s important that you inform us you’re going to be traveling so we can take steps to guard your resources. Simply call 1-800-999-3961. That way, we can monitor and/or block transactions if they have a high probability of being fraudulent, and we can contact you if we see something that looks suspicious. And please remember to…

Although fraud and identity theft can occur to anyone at any time, there are solid steps you can take to reduce the recovery time if you unfortunately become a victim: •Contact all three agencies for copies of your credit report. You may order one for free at annualcreditreport.com. You can also visit these agencies individually: TransUnion here or via 1-800-680-7289; Experian or at 1-888-397-3742; Equifax, 1-880-525-6285. Then review your reports carefully according to the outline below: Recognize all accounts listed and confirm that the balances are in line with your records. Determine the legitimacy of persons and entities requesting or receiving a copy…

Law enforcement personnel and public officials are being warned of an increased risk in cyberattacks. But these kinds of electronic crimes can happen to anyone, at any time. Hacking collectives effectively leverage open-source, publicly available information identifying people, then use that data to inflict harm and steal resources. Compiling and posting an individual's personal information without permission is known as doxing. This is gathered from social media and other Web sites includes home addresses, phone numbers, emails, and passwords. While eliminating your exposure in the digital age is difficult, you can take steps to minimize your risk: Carefully consider all…

According to Reuters, millions of people find themselves victims of identity theft every year. It can happen to anyone, but here are five easy steps you can take to help protect yourself: Do not list your Social Security and driver’s license numbers on your checks. Install antivirus and anti-spyware software on your home computer & mobile devices. Never provide anyone who calls or emails you with your personal or account data. Your credit union will never contact you first and ask you for your information. Never write your Personal Identification Number (PIN) on any card or on a piece of…

To keep your electronic life safe & secure, you can take advantage of the following tips to remove clutter, upgrade technologies, and perform a digital spring cleaning. 1. Get rid of excess files. Go through all of your folders, including the recycle bin, and discard items no longer in use. 2. Organize all forms of media in labeled folders. 3. Streamline your desktop so it isn’t inundated with icons that slow boot-up times. 4. Uninstall programs you never or rarely initiate, reducing the potential for malware. 5. Update your passwords by making them unique, never the same, and having different…

The proliferation of online & electronic scams isn’t slowing down, but there are ways you can avoid becoming a victim. It’s always a good idea to take the following steps to prevent theft and enhance your safety: Create different passwords for all of your applications and change them frequently. Don't leave your home computer on all the time -- it’s like leaving a door unlocked. Think before you click. Never blindly open attachments or links. Use free antivirus or protective software. Add a firewall to your system to prevent unauthorized users from gaining access. Report any fraud attempt to us…