Identity Theft

Protecting your identity is one of the most important things you can do as a consumer. Identity theft is a crime in which your identity is stolen and used to borrow/withdraw money or open charge accounts. Identity theft is on the rise but by taking steps to protect your personal and financial information you can minimize your chances of being victimized. Below is a list of suggestions to help safe guard your personal and financial information.

• Do not disclose account numbers, log-in information, credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc. to unfamiliar vendors or unsolicited requests.
• Store new and old checks in a safe place.
• Do not print social security numbers or driver license numbers on checks, if a merchant or service provider requests this information ask if they have another method for tracking accounts.
• Be suspicious of offers that seem to good to be true, this is usually a lure to get personal information from you, in return for a prize.
• Use a paper shredder on all documents containing sensitive information, instead of just throwing them away.
• Check all credit card and bank statements, and your credit report annually, for accuracy.

Resources:

Pegasus Bank has compiled a list of resources that can be used in protecting against and reporting fraud.

Credit-Reporting Bureaus

It is a good idea to check your credit report on an annual basis. To request a credit report contact one of the following companies:

Experian: 1-888-397-3742 - www.experian.com
Equifax: 1-800-685-1111 - www.equifax.com
Trans Union: 1-800-916-8800 - www.transunion.com

To report credit report fraud contact:

Experian: 1-888-397-3742
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289

Deposit Account Verification

ChexSystems, Inc. provides deposit account verification services to its financial institution members to aid them in identifying account applicants who may have a history of account mishandling. ChexSystems, Inc. is a consumer-reporting agency. You may contact ChexSystems at:

Chex Systems, Inc.
Attn: Consumer Relations
7805 Hudson Road
Suite 100
Woodbury, MN 55125.
By phone at 800-428-9623 or fax at 602-659-2197

Websites

The Consumer Debit Resource site is dedicated to helping you develop good debit practices, basic knowledge and skills to manage and maintain checking accounts, so that you can build a solid foundation that will allow you to fully participate, enjoy, and access mainstream financial services.

www.consumerdebit.com/consumerinfo/us/en/index.htm

Marketing Lists

You may contact the following companies to have your name and address removed from marketing lists.

Mail Preference Service
c/o Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735

Telephone Preference Service
c/o Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9014
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9014

Social Security Administration

For questions regarding your Social Security Number, or if you feel someone has obtained your number please call the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213

Federal Trade Commission

For complaints:

Phone:
FTC Identity Theft Hotline 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338)

Mail:
Identity Theft Clearinghouse
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington DC 20580-0001

Ask for a copy of ID Theft: When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name, a free comprehensive consumer guide to help you guard against and recover from identity theft.

Check Verification Companies

Equifax: 1-800-337-5689
TeleCheck: 1-800-710-9898
United Check Control: 1-800-299-1331

National Do Not Call Registry

www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx

The National Do Not Call Registry gives you a choice about whether to receive telemarketing calls at home. Most telemarketers should not call your number once it has been on the registry for 31 days. If they do, you can file a complaint at this website. You can register your home or mobile phone for free. Your registration will be effective for five years.