Best Practices
Tips To Keep Your Information Safe
One easy way to protect yourself is to NEVER send funds without doing your research and asking questions.
Do not give out any of the following:
- Your account number
- Account passwords
- Online banking login ID
- Social security number
- Secure access code
- Personal Identification Number (PIN)
Never provide personal information - No legitimate company will call or email you to confirm your account or personal information.
Call your financial institution directly - Call your Financial Institution's official phone number to verify (or report) the suspicious activity. Scammers often use high-pressure tactics to scare you into sharing information.
Automated calls - Hang up on automated calls claiming to be the IRS, FBI, or local law enforcement. If a message is left with a phone number to call, do not call the number back.
Be cautious of emails - Emails may ask you to click a link to verify account information from a legitimate company where you have an account, but the email could be fraudulent. Contact the company directly using a phone number or website you know is valid.
Remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is!
Smart Device Security Tips
Scammers can access your smart device, but we have a few tips to keep your devices secure.
- Lock your phone with a unique pin number to prevent anyone from accessing it if lost or stolen.
- Use a paid Virtual Private Network (VPN) service when on public WiFi or when traveling.
- Use two-factor authentication with important online services such as email and financial services.
- Uninstall smartphone apps you are no longer using.
Stay Safe Online
Stay safe while you're using an internet browser.
- Use a modern internet browser and keep it up to date.
- Change your usernames and passwords frequently.
- Install and run anti-virus software on your computer. Allow your anti-virus software to scan your computer regularly.
- Use two-factor authentication with important online services.
Strong Passwords
Use a trusted password manager to manage the different passwords for each service you utilize. When possible, create unique usernames and strong passwords. Many password managers include browser add-ons and mobile apps. Remember to never share your login credentials.
Don't use names and numbers that are easy to guess like a birth date, number in sequence, house number, etc. Do not use one password for everything. Have multiple passwords and change them often.
A strong password should consist of a combination of:
- Lowercase letters
- Upper case letters
- Numbers
- Special characters
(i.e. @, &, !, etc.)
Debit Mastercard® Fraud Protection
- We've partnered with our debit card processor to provide 24/7 monitoring for unusual or abnormal activity on your Debit Mastercard.
- If unusual activity is suspected, a text message or automated phone call is placed to resolve the issue.
- Your response to the text or phone call to confirm the transactions are valid results in the alert being cleared and you can use your debit card again.
- Your response to the text or phone call to confirm the transactions are fraudulent results in the card being blocked, stopping any further fraudulent transactions.
- Feel free to contact us at 800.223.1983 to verify the validity of any alert you receive about your Debit Mastercard.
