3 Key Fraud Prevention Security Tips
With more websites, apps, and ways to store your card details, it's important to ensure credit card thieves can't get your information. Follow these simple tips to help keep your private information, private.
1.Refresh the Ways You Guard Your Cards
Check your debit or credit card when it’s returned after paying for items. Make sure it’s your card that’s returned.
Don’t give your card number over the phone unless you initiated the call to a merchant you know and trust.
Don’t respond to emails asking for your account number even if they look to be from your financial institution. Credit or debit card numbers are never used for “personal ID.”
Check your account frequently. If you notice suspicious activity, report it immediately.
2. Learn the Ways You can Proactively Protect Your Identity
Check your free credit report annually from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Set alerts with each credit bureau to receive fraud notifications.
Update your account user names, passwords, and/or PINs for all your financial accounts. Use a hard-to-guess password, and never use the same password for multiple sites.
Be wary of phishing emails, texts, and social media messages that imitate legitimate institutions. These are designed to capture your personal information.
3. Check for Tampering at the ATM
Check for some obvious signs of tampering at the top of the ATM, near the speakers, the side of the screen, the card reader itself, and the keyboard. Look for color or material, graphics that aren't aligned correctly, or anything else that doesn't look right.
If you have multiple machines, compare them to each other. If one ATM has a flashing card entry to show where you should insert the ATM card and the other ATM has a plain reader slot, something may be wrong. Since most skimmers are glued on top of the existing reader, they may obscure the flashing indicator.
If the keyboard doesn't feel right—too thick, perhaps—then there may be a
PIN-snatching overlay.
Even if you can't see any visual differences, push on or wiggle everything. ATMs are solidly constructed and generally don't have any jiggling or loose parts. Tug at protruding parts like the card reader. See if the keyboard is securely attached and just one piece.
Look for pinholes that might be hiding a camera. Maybe it's over your shoulder or through a hidden camera.
Think you may be a victim of fraud?
If you think you are a victim of fraudulent activity, please call us at 800-325-9905 or you can request an in-person appointment to speak with a team member.
