Security Center

FMFCU takes online security seriously. We use the most advanced technology possible, including firewalls, encryption, network monitoring, and more. In addition, our Online Banking includes Multi-Factor Authentication through Secure Access Codes and even fingerprint technology that provides enhanced security measures so personal banking information is secured with the best possible software.

Our Security Center gives information about FMFCU’s Security Policies and Procedures, today’s latest online security news and alerts, tips to keep your computer up-to-date. Be sure to check back here often for the latest information regarding online security including current alerts.

SECURING YOUR PERSONAL BANKING INFORMATION

• Online Banking

  Security Overview

  Online Banking uses Secure Access Codes, passwords, and/or fingerprint technology (mobile phones) to prevent unauthorized users from viewing or modifying account member data. By using the most current home banking security hardware, software, and procedures, it is designed to protect a critical area of the system. These areas include network security, data integrity, and authentication.

   

  Network Security

  The credit union’s database is not hosted on a machine connected to the Internet. All calls to the database must be passed through the Online Banking web server. The Online Banking web server is a multi-homed machine with one network interface exposed to the Internet. On this exposed card all non-Online Banking related traffic is blocked by several firewalls that simply drop any packets that attempt to communicate with anything but the password protected site. The user must authenticate to the web server to make a proxy connection to a secondary machine that will in turn connect to our mainframe systems.

   

  Data Integrity

  When the user attempts to connect to the system the server will redirect them to a secure session using RSA 128 bit encryption over SSL. If the user’s browser does not support this they will be denied access and presented with a page describing why and where they can download the correct software. If the user has the proper software installed then the Online Banking server will identify itself to the user’s PC using a digital certificate issued by DigitCert, Inc. to ensure that the client is connected to the authentic Online Banking server. Next the client PC and server will negotiate a session key, and from this moment on all communication between the client and the server will be a 128-bit encrypted session, which is considered unbreakable with today’s technologies. After the client and server have established a secure connection the user will be prompted for their account name and password in order to proceed into the web site. At no time are password stored or transmitted in an unencrypted form.

   

  Site Validity

  1. Once you Login to Online Banking from our home page, you will be connected to our online banking provider to sign into Online Banking. Q2 Software, Inc. is the provider for FMFCU Online Banking.
  2. This sign-on page displays a padlock depending on the browser, and the subdomain shown in the url box is https://secure.fmfcu.org
  3. Clicking on the Certificate Information will show the certificate issued to FMFCU (secure.fmfcu.org)

   

  Authentication

  The third layer in the Online Banking security model prevents unauthorized visitors from accessing member account data at the authentication level. Members may then change their passwords at anytime during an Online Banking session, but only after successfully logging in with the initial passwords and a Secure Access Code. To prevent “brute force” attempts at guessing, or cracking a password, Online Banking can lock out the account after a certain number of invalid logons. Finally, Online Banking sessions expire after a certain number of minutes when no activity takes place. This is done to prevent someone other than the logged-in member from continuing the session if that member has left their computer terminal. In addition, the credit union uses transaction-level security questions for verification when authorizing monetary transactions.

• Online Banking Frequently Asked Questions

  Login/ Enrollment Questions

   

  What is the criteria for the Login ID?
  Valid Login IDs will meet the following criteria:

   

  • Your Login ID must contain at least 1 alpha character.
  • Note: the Login ID can not be your member number or a list of numbers. 

   

   

  What is the password criteria?
  New FFIEC guidelines have mandated added security. For your added protection, it must

  • be at least 8 characters long
  • be no more than 24 characters long
  • contain a minimum of one number
  • contain a minimum of 1 lower case character
  • contain a minimum of 1 upper case character
  • not be the same as the last 3 passwords

   

  Will I be required to provide an e-mail address when I log into the new system?
  YES.  Online Banking requires all users to submit a valid e-mail address.  If you don’t have an e-mail address on file with FMFCU, you will be prompted to provide one.

   

  What if I have never enrolled in Online Banking?   How do I enroll?
  If you are a first time user, click on the “Enroll” link located directly beneath the Login ID field on FMFCU’s home page.

  For first-time users, return to the homepage. In the Member Login area, click “Enroll.”  Complete the fill out the Online Banking Enrollment form. This will also automatically enroll you in Online Statements.

  NEED INFO HERE: Once validated, a temporary password will be sent to the email entered. Since the password will expire in 30 minutes, you should take this action only when you plan on completing the process and have immediate access to the email address you entered.

   

  I Forgot My Online Banking Password, What do I do?
  In the Member Login area, click “Forgot password.” Enter your Login ID. Select a secure access code delivery method. Enter the Secure Access Code and then create a new password.

   

  What Browsers are supported?
  Visit our Online Banking Requirements page.

   

   

  Service Questions

   

  Will I receive a pop up blocker when I access Bill Pay, check copies, etc?
  Since many of our services are provided by partner organizations, it is required that you allow pop ups from the new site.

   

  Can Alerts be sent to my mobile phone?
  Yes! Alerts can be sent via text or phone Plus they can also be sent via email or secure messaging.

   

  Can I download to Personal Financial Management programs?
  YES. Online Banking supports a variety of download options including Quicken, QuickBooks, CSV, XLS, and OXF formats.

   

  Where do I find the link for the download options?
  After clicking on an Account tile, you will see an arrow pointing downward. Click on it and you will be prompted to choose the type of file to save. The file will then download.

   

  Why would I want to change the view on my home page?
  You can group Accounts by dragging them into a group. Once you start dragging a tile, and mailbox icon will popup at the bottom of the screen. Drag it into the mailbox and create your group. Drag more into them to create categories to help you organize your loans, deposits, and even external accounts.

   

   

  Am I able to see the Point of Sale transactions that haven’t yet posted to my account?
  YES. They will be listed under Transactions in the appropriate Account tile.

   

  Am I able to see direct deposit or other electronic transactions that haven’t yet posted to my account?
  YES. They will be listed under Transactions in the appropriate Account tile.

• Emails from FMFCU

  The majority of our marketing, security notices, events, and other come from eservices@eservices.fmfcu.org. FMFCU will never ask you for personal account information via e-mail. In addition, our latest technology allows you to identify authentic FMFCU e-mails when they arrive. A unique “E-Mail Key” appears at the bottom of every e-mail sent to you from FMFCU’s general address. This key is a 128-bit Globally Unique Identifier (GUID), which will be unique for each e-mail sent to you from our eservices@eservices.fmfcu.org address.

  This is an example of what the key looks like in the bottom-left corner of every FMFCU e-mail:

  
  FMFCU members will always be able to confirm any e-mail’s authenticity by calling our Member Service Center at 610-325-5100. Our advisors will be able to verify the e-mail when you provide them with your e-mail address, or with the E-Mail Key. In the event your E-Mail Key does not match our records, the e-mail(s) are likely to be a phishing scam and will be reported.

   

  Exceptions

  1. Our Member Service Center individual staff members can reply to you or send you e-mails which are routed through a different server. These generally are responses directly to member inquiries and never contain personal banking information. These e-mails do not contain the e-mail key.

   

  2. Person to Person (P2P) payments emails are sent from payzur@acculynk.com.

   

  3. Our Online Statement vendor sends out e-mail notifications when statements or tax forms are ready. The notifications come from bitstatement.org with a unique sequence number each month (for security).

   

  4. We occasionally send out emails for pre-approved home equity and mortgage officers. These come from gomarquis.com. They help us to make sure your information is verified before sending.

   

  Additional Information

  To help us send out targeted e-mails to our membership about product and service information, we utilize a third-party vendor. This vendor also is utilized for online surveys, events, web polls, and referrals. Some forms may even be used on our web site so that we can serve you better. These forms are secure and encrypted when sent to our third-party vendor. Our Member Relationship Advisors then login to their secure servers and retrieve the information.

  E-mails sent via our third-party vendor are actually sent from our own subdomains that we have set up under our fmfcu domain. Currently, it is:

  • eservices@eservices.fmfcu.org

  Only our third-party vendor has the details for these subdomains so you’ll know nobody else can utilize these domains.

  NOTE: To make sure you receive our important e-mails, please make sure you’ve given the above mentioned addresses permission in your e-mail clients such as Outlook, Hotmail, and Gmail. Sometimes certain keywords are picked up by filtering software and legitimate e-mails are sent to your spam folder. By allowing our subdomains to come through, you’ll be sure to receive FMFCU messages.

• Password Management
  • First and foremost, DON’T EVER give our your Online Banking password. Do not share it with friends.
  • Make your password as complex as possible, but easy for you to remember. A suggestion is to take a sentence that is common to you and use the first letter in each word. We advise you to change simple passwords, like “password123.” Do NOT use “dictionary” words.
  • Do NOT use just one password for all of your web sites. If one web site is hacked, you could be a target of the other sites you use the same password.
  • Do NOT write your password down on paper and place it in a common area like your keyboard. If you need to write it down, put it somewhere safe.
  • Password managers: You may want to consider online or local programs that help you manage all of your passwords.
• Security Policy

  Head over to our Disclosures section here.

Software Resource Center

• Internet Browsers

  We recommend keeping your browsers and operating systems (Microsoft, Linux, and Mac OS) up-to-date with the latest versions and patches. For best results with our web site and Online Banking and Bill Pay, we suggest using current versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Opera or Safari browsers.

  BROWSER INFORMATION

  Microsoft Internet Explorer & Edge	The fast and fluid browsers recommended for Windows.
  Firefox	Browsing made easy. Customizable.
  Chrome	Google Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier.
  Opera	The Opera browser is a fast, simple and safe way to get around on the web.
  Safari (Mac OS)	The best browser for your Mac.

   

• Understanding Firewalls

  If your computer is always on or you surf for long periods of time, you should have a firewall set up. Firewalls help stop hackers from getting into your computer and stealing personal information. They also can put your computer in stealth mode and automatically make your computer invisible to anyone on the Internet. By definition, a firewall is simply a program or hardware device that filters the information coming through the Internet connection into your private network or computer system. If an incoming packet of information is flagged by the filters, it is not allowed through (How Stuff Works.com).

   

  Windows

  Windows 10, 8, and 7 offer a built in firewall which should be utilized unless your running third-party software. Make sure you always perform Windows Updates, no matter what Windows version you have, to get the latest patches including firewall modifications.

   

  Mac OS X

  Mac OS X also includes firewall software. More information can be found here in their support section.

   

  *Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union does not endorse these products. This is for informational purposes only.

• Spyware and Software Solutions

  Spyware by definition is malicious code that is designed to intercept or take over a user’s computer. This is all done without permission of the user. Spyware may install itself on your machine with you even without knowing it. Why? Because many times it is embedded in things you click on in e-mails or the internet and you may not even be aware that it is spyware.After spyware installs itself on a computer, it reviews what you do and where you surf. Then it gathers various information from your computer and sends it to the perpetrator. Some spyware just pops up banners on your computer, others attempt to gather passwords and other personal financial information and send it to a criminal.Spyware is a costly problem to consumers and companies. Sometimes the only solution is to completely reinstall the operating system. But here are steps you can take to help avoid spyware intrusion.

   

  Prevention

  Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) provide tools for spyware including Comcast and Verizon which you should take advantage. Other third-party software may help protect your computer from spyware or assist in the removal of it (some are free). The following is a list* to get you started:

   

  • Ad-Aware
  • Grisoft’s ewido anti-spyware
  • Norton Internet Security AnitSpyware Edition
  • McAfee Internet Security Suite and Antispyware
  • Spybot
  • Spyware Doctor
  • Trend Micro’s Anti-Spyware
  • Webroot Spy Sweeper
  • Windows Defender

   

  *Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union does not endorse these products. This is for informational purposes only.

• Virus Protection

  It’s a good idea to install virus and/or internet protection software. Virus scannning software monitors your computer and online activity and automatically tells you if something is trying to invade your computer. It can stop viruses, worms, and Trojan horses and also helps you scan attachments in e-mails or other files you bring into your computer.

  ALWAYS keep your virus protection software updated. You can save yourself time and money by getting the latest updates.

  Third-party virus protection software solutions include*:

   

  • AVG Security and Anti-Virus
  • Norton Antivirus
  • McAfee Total Protection
  • ZoneAlarm
  • Trend PC-cillin Internet Security

   

  Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) may also provide you with anti-virus software. For example, Verizon and Comcast provide these tools as of the writing of this page.

  For up to date threats, visit Cnet’s Security Center* or Symantec’s Threat Explorer*.

   

  *Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union does not endorse these products or web sites. These are for informational purposes only.

Get Educated

• Alerts & Fraud Info

  Head over to our Alerts section here.

• Identity Theft

  This section covers identity theft and how to prevent it, both online and in everyday life. Although we would like to provide you with as much information as possible, we can’t cover everything, so please use the resources at the bottom of this page for more information.

   

  General Online Tips

  • Use a current browser that supports secure and private transactions.
  • Install and regularly update virus detection software.
  • Use personal firewall software.
  • Update your computer platform (Windows, MAC OS, etc.) regularly.
  • Do not allow unauthorized access to your PC.
  • Do not open email attachments from unknown sources.
  • Make sure family members or others using your computer know what to do if it becomes infected.
  • Protect your PINs and passwords; create PINs and passwords that do not use readily identifiable information like names, birthdates and phone numbers.

   

  General Everyday Tips

  • Buy a shredder if you don’t have one. Shred financial and personal documents before you throw them away
  • Don’t give out personal information over the phone, internet, or mail unless you are dealing with someone you know
  • Try to use passwords that are different from your birth date, last four digits of your Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, etc. to deter thieves.
  • Be alert to bills that don’t arrive in the mail, unexpected credit card or account statements, denial of credit for no reason, calls or letters about purchases you did not make
  • Keep your personal information in a secure place at home

   

  Online Third-party Resources

  NCUA Publication on Identity Theft -You Have the Power to Stop Identity Theft. Consumer guidance on how to stop electronic identity theft.

  www.IdentityTheftActionPlan.com – by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. Get easy-to-implement advice about how to protect yourself and you can download a tool kit so that you’re prepared in case of an emergency.

  FTC’s Identity Theft Web Site – This website is a one-stop national resource to learn about the crime of identity theft.

  Identity Theft Resource Center – A nonprofit, nationally respected program dedicated exclusively to identity theft

  President’s Task Force on Identity Theft – Take action and get educated with these resources.

• Phishing, Web Targeting and Prevention

  Online Targeted Attacks have become extremely widespread in today’s Internet world. Fraudsters are targeting individuals, businesses, and worldwide corporations using some of the following types of attacks: Phishing, Spear Phishing,Vishing, Pharming, SMiShing, Card Cracking, and Viruses.

   

  Every day someone is attacked and their computer or personal information is compromised. FMFCU members need to be prepared to recognize these attempts and this section will help you understand what to look for when surfing the net or reading e-mails.

   

  Read below for descriptions of these attacks.

   

  PHISHING

  Phishing is defined as the use of fraudulent communications, fraudulent web sites, and popups to lure victims into divulging personal information such as passwords, financial data and other sensitive information. This information then leads to financial crime and identity theft.

   

  How It Works

  The term Phishing comes from the fact that Internet scammers are using increasingly sophisticated lures as they “fish” for users’ private information. The most common ploy is to copy the look and feel of a web page from a major site and use that design to set up a nearly identical page that appears to be part of the company’s site.

   

  LEARN HOW TO IDENTIFY PHISHING AND TAKE ACTION

  It is very important to read our section on how to identify phishing. Internet users around the world are getting phished daily and it’s up to you to know how to prevent these criminals from getting your personal information.

   

  SPEAR PHISHING

  This version of phishing targets specific individuals, organizations, or busineses. Many times, the email is crafted in such a way that the victim really believe it is being sent from someone they know within their organization. The email leads the unknowing recipient to a bogus website full of malware or asks the victim to send them confiential files like employee information. These emails often use clever tactics to get victims’ attention.

  According to Kaspersky Lab, a leading security firm, many times, government-sponsored hackers and hacktivists are behind these attacks. Cybercriminals do the same with the intention to resell confidential data to governments and private companies. These cybercriminals employ individually designed approaches and social engineering techniques to effectively personalize messages and websites. As a result, even high-ranking targets within organizations, like top executives, can find themselves opening emails they thought were safe. That slip-up enables cybercriminals to steal the data they need in order to attack their networks.

   

  VISHING

  Vishing is a combination of “voice” and phishing. The criminal uses a computer to receive “Voice Over IP” calls from legitimate consumers who have been told to call a certain number from a phone call made by the criminal.

   

  How It Works

  The fraudster sets up software to dial select phone numbers. When the phone is answered, an automated voice recording is played. It tells the consumer that fraudulent activity has occurred on their credit or debit card. It then instructs them to call a certain phone number which is actually the criminal’s computer. Then the consumer is instructed to enter their card number, PIN, expiration date, and other personal information. Once the consumer does this, the criminal now can use the card and commit fraud.

  Read how to protect yourself. This article from CNET.com explains it all.

   

  PHARMING

  Pharming crimeware misdirects users to fraudulent sites or proxy servers, typically through DNS hijacking or poisoning. The fraudster can either change the hosts file on a consumer’s computer or typically, the criminal can somehow get into an ISP’s server and change the web site’s IP address so that when you type in a web site name, it goes to the criminal’s web site and not the official site.

  This type of attack is not common and many ISPs have upgraded their software to prevent pharming since it’s introduction.

  Example: The fraudster sets up an 800 phone line to have people call in. They mail (yes, snail mail) bogus postcards or letters to victims and have them call the telephone number. Once the victim calls the telephone number, the victim provides all the typical information needed to validate an account. In the mean time, the fraudster collects what is needed and the victim is assured things are fine based on the validated information. The sad part is that the victim actually is completely unsuspecting that anything fraudulent occurred since they personally called the telephone number rather than receiving a call. It is also more assuring that the inquiry was via the mail. Based on simple marketing metrics for response rates, the numbers will add up for a fraudster to spend the money to mail the letters.

  How the pharm works: The pharm uses a toll free number, which would have been registered, possibly using fake names or contact information. The appearance of a toll free number on the pharm resonates with the typical toll free phone numbers used by the legitimate financial institution. When users dial the toll free number, they are greeted by a recorded message apparently from the FI. Below is a transcript of a recorded message:

   

  Pharmer: Welcome to FI account verification.
  Please type your 16 digits card number.
  user: [types invalid 16 digit credit/debit card number]
  Pharmer: Please type your 16 digits card number.
  user: [types valid 16 digit credit card number]
  Pharmer: Please type expiration date, month first year later.
  user: [types 4 digit date]
  Pharmer: Please type the last 4 digits of the primary card holder’s social security.
  user: [types 4 digits]
  Pharmer: Wait please till processing. Thank you. Your account has been verified. [Message terminates]

   

  SMiShing

  SMiShing are cell phone and mobile device text messages with links to web sites that extracts credit card numbers and other private data. Targeted victims could also be coaxed into downloading unsuspecting software containing Trojan horse viruses. SMiShing is short for “SMS phishing.”

   

  How It Works

  Cell phone users receive messages that read: “We’re confirming you’ve signed up for our dating service. You will be charged $2/day unless you cancel your order at our website.” Many consumers fearful of incurring premium rates on their cell phone bill visit the web site. However, once they arrive, they are prompted to download a program which is actually a Trojan horse.

  Cell phones with Internet access are especially at risk. By clicking on a link in a smishing message, you can unknowingly allow a hacker to steal your personal information, activate your phone’s camera or even listen in on your private cell phone conversations. In some cases, these programs can send fake messages to people in a phone’s contact list. It’s important to think before you click.

   

  Card Cracking

  Cracking Cards is a scam which involves depositing a stolen/counterfeit check into someone’s bank account and then using their debit card to withdraw the money before the bank realizes what’s going on. Authorities believe this scam started in the South Side of Chicago and has been on the rise throughout the United States. This scam is believed to be costing banks millions of dollars every year.

  How the Scam Works Authorities claim that scammers often target cash strapped individuals, especially college students whom authorities believe make up as much as 25 percent of the victims. They often lure them into giving them their card and pin number by promising them a small cash amount upfront. Authorities claim scammers are also using social media to advertise their service and telling potential victims that they will deposit money in their bank account and they can keep a portion of it. Victims of this scam are often left with nothing but negative balances in their bank accounts since the checks are fake.*

  * http://www.hipwiki.com/Cracking+Cards+(Bank+Scam)

• Phishing Prevention

  Take Action

   

  Today, you must always be on the lookout for phishing scams. To help you identify phishing and avoid getting scammed, we suggest the following:

   

  • Do not reply to or click on a link in an e-mail that warns you, with little notice or prior legitimate expectation that an account of yours will be shut down unless you confirm your billing information. Instead, contact the company cited in the e-mail using an authenticated telephone number or other form of communication that you are sure is genuine.
  • Legitimate companies, especially financial institutions should never ask you to verify your account information. If you get an email that asks for this type of information, delete it and report it to the company being phished.
  • Before submitting financial information through a website, look for the locked padlock on the browser’s status bar or look for “https://” at the beginning of the web address in your browser’s address window. The presence of a padlock and the https:// does not guarantee that the website is legitimate or secure. However, the absence of either the padlock or the https:// does indiciate that the web site is not secure.
  • Identifying a phishing e-mail may be easier than it appears. Sometimes, the entire e-mail is a graphic which may be a sign. If you cannot highlight words, then you know it’s a graphic, sometimes with a link. Also, if you hover your mouse over the graphic or other links, you can usually view the actual link (at the bottom of your screen or a hover line). The link may be something else than it actually says in the e-mail. If you do click on the graphic or link, check the url to make sure it actually is from the domain of your financial institution.
    • For example, if FMFCU sent you an email, the url from the link you clicked should be www.fmfcu.org. If it has a slash after it, like www.fmfcu.org/savings.htm, that’s ok, because as long as the url ends with fmfcu.org before the slash, it is from us.
    • If it looks like this: www.fmfcu.org.fake.domain.org, then it is not from us. The real domain here is domain.org and you are being phished.
  • Use anti-virus software and make sure you have a firewall in place.
  • Review all financial statements (online or paper) as soon as you can so you can see if any unauthorized charges are present. Log into FMFCU’s Online Banking for an even more up-to-date transaction history.
  • Never send e-mails with sensitive personal or financial information. E-mails are not secure. Visit official websites and login securely to send this type of information.
  • Always be aware of attachments in e-mails. Never open an attachment from someone you do not know. This could contain a potential virus.
  • Always make sure your web browser contains the latest patches. Newer browsers will eventually contain anti-phishing features to help you even more.

  If you think you’ve been phished, you may file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ftc.gov. Here you can take some steps to minimize your risk. Also make sure you order your credit report and review it periodically.

  If you’ve been phished by a fake FMFCU e-mail, please contact us immediately and if possible, send us a copy of the e-mail so we can take steps to bring down the fraudulent site. For more information about phishing, please visit our Security Links section.

   

  Additional Resources

  • NCUA Phishing Brochure
• Internet Use and Mobile Devices

  This section covers safety tips for using the internet and mobile devices. These tips will help prevent identity theft, both online and in everyday life. FMFCU is committed to keeping your identity and financial information confidential. As we now provide access to accounts through Mobile Banking, we would like to remind you of steps you can take to ensure a secure experience. Although we would like to provide you with as much information as possible, we can’t cover everything, so please use the resources at the bottom of this page for more information.

   

  General Mobile Device Tips

  • DO NOT respond to email or text messages that appear to come from FMFCU that ask for any personal or account information. These are examples of phishing or smishing.
  • DO NOT use public Wi-Fi spots to perform mobile banking functions on your devices.
  • Be careful when downloading software, such as Applications. Downloads should always be from a trusted and approved source and endorsed by your mobile service provider.
  • Avoid “free offers” and “free ringtones”. An email or instant message that offers free software downloads, such as ringtones, may contain viruses or malware.
  • Never reply to text messages from people or places that you do not know.
  • Lock or protect your mobile device with a password. If it’s lost or stolen any personal information stored on the device will be more difficult to access.
  • If you lose your mobile device, report it to your mobile service provider immediately. IF circumstances warrant, you may also report a stolen mobile device to your local police station along with your service provider.

   

  General Online Tips

  • If you suspect fraud through any communication or website that bears a resemblance to FMFCU, report those security issues here (phishing, text messages, suspicious
    phone calls, etc.) or e-mail us at abuse@fmfcu.org.
  • Download and install antivirus software for your mobile device, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Regularly update virus detection software.
  • Use personal firewall software.
  • Update your computer platform (Windows, MAC OS, etc.) regularly.
  • Use a current browser that supports secure and private transactions.
  • When using internet browsers always look for the ‘httpS’ and green lock icon in the address bar – this signifies your communication with the website is encrypted and secure.
  • Do not allow unauthorized access to your PC or mobile device.
  • Do not open email attachments from unknown sources.
  • Protect your PINs and passwords; create PINs and passwords that do not use readily identifiable information like names, birthdates and phone numbers.

   

  Online Third-party Resources and Articles

  NCUA Publication on Identity Theft -You Have the Power to Stop Identity Theft. Consumer guidance on how to stop electronic identity theft.

  Tax-Related Identity Theft – An identity thief may use your Social Security number (SSN) to get a tax refund or a job. This is tax-related identity theft.  Read this comprehensive FTC Consumer guide to how to deal with it and how to repair your identity.

  www.IdentityTheftActionPlan.com – by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency. Get easy-to-implement advice about how to protect yourself and you can download a tool kit so that you’re prepared in case of an emergency.

  FTC’s Identity Theft Web Site – This website is a one-stop national resource to learn about the crime of identity theft.

  Identity Theft Resource Center – A nonprofit, nationally respected program dedicated exclusively to identity theft

  President’s Task Force on Identity Theft – Take action and get educated with these resources.