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Identity theft happens when someone steals your personal information and uses it without your permission.  It is a serious crime that can wreak havoc with your finances, credit history, and reputation – and it can take time, money, and patience to resolve.

How to protect your information

• Never give out any personal information including your date of birth, Social Security number or passwords
• Report lost or stolen checks or credit cards immediately.
• Review your credit reports.  You have a right to a free credit report every 12 months from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies.  To order your report, visit annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228.
• Read your bank, credit card, and account statements.  If a statement has errors or doesn’t come on time, contact the business.
• Shred all documents containing personal information: bank statements, unused checks, deposit slips, credit card statements, pay stubs, medical billings and invoices.
• Don’t respond to email, text, and phone messages that ask for personal info.  Legitimate companies do not ask for information this way.

Credit Reporting Agencies

Equifax
PO Box 105069
Atlanta, GA 30349-5069
www.equifax.com
To order a report:  800-685-1111
To report fraud:  800-525-6285

Experian
PO Box 2002
Allen, TX 75013-0949
www.experian.com
To order a report:  888-397-3742
To report fraud:  888-397-3742

TransUnion
PO Box 1000
Chester, PA 19022
www.transunion.com
To order a report:  800-916-8800
To report fraud:  800-680-7289

Debit Card Fraud

Debit Card Fraud takes place every day in a variety of ways.  You can’t always prevent it from happening, but you can create some obstacles and make it tougher for someone to get hold of your cards and card numbers.  Incorporating a few practices into your daily routine can help keep your cards and account numbers safe.  For example, keep a record of your account numbers, their expiration dates and the phone number to report fraud for each company in a secure place. 

Other fraud protection practices include:

• Don’t give your account number to anyone on the phone unless you’ve made the call to a company you know to be reputable. If you’ve never done business with them before, do an online search first for reviews or complaints.
• Carry your cards separately from your wallet. It can minimize your losses if someone steals your wallet or purse. And carry only the card you need for that outing.
• During a transaction, keep your eye on your card. Make sure you get it back before you walk away.
• Never sign a blank receipt. Draw a line through any blank spaces above the total.
• Save your receipts to compare with your statement.
• Open your bills promptly — or check them online often — and reconcile them with the purchases you’ve made.
• Report any questionable charges to the card issuer.
• Notify your card issuer if your address changes or if you will be traveling.

MSEFCU is committed to providing you with the most advanced fraud protection solutions available.  In keeping with this commitment, we have implemented a tool which allows us to restrict debit card use in countries identified as having a high volume of fraudulent activity.

For more information about fraud prevention and other tips on how to protect your information, visit NCUA Fraud Prevention Center: http://www.mycreditunion.gov/fraud/Pages/default.aspx

Regulation E:  Electronic Fund Transfers

Regulation E is a consumer protection law designed to protect consumer accounts established primarily for personal, family or household purposes making electronic fund transfers. Excluded from coverage are non-consumer accounts, such as Trust, Corporations, Partnership, etc.  The term “electronic fund transfer” (EFT) generally refers to a transaction initiated through an electronic terminal, telephone, computer, or magnetic tape that instructs, or authorizes a financial institution either to credit or debit a consumer’s asset account.

Regulation E gives consumers a way to notify their financial institution that an EFT has been made on their account without their permission. If you believe an unauthorized EFT has been made on your account, contact us immediately.

Non-consumer accounts are not protected by Regulation E.

A non-consumer member using online banking and/or bill pay is not protected under Regulation E. Because the member is not protected by Regulation E, precautions should be made by the member to evaluate and review the controls in place to ensure that they correspond with the risk level that the member is willing to accept.  The member should also perform a risk assessment and evaluate the controls they have in place periodically. The risk assessment should be used to determine the risk level associated with any internet activities the non-consumer member performs and any controls in place to mitigate these risks.

Unsolicited Contact

MSEFCU will never contact its members to request their security logon credentials such as the combination of your username and password.  If you receive a request of this type, do not respond to it.  Please call us immediately at 209-383-5550 or e-mail us at info@mercedschoolcu.org to report any activity of this nature.                                                                                             

MSEFCU will only contact its members regarding online banking activity on an unsolicited basis for the following reasons:

• Suspected fraudulent activity on your account;
• Inactive/dormant account;
• To notify you of a change or disruption in service; or
• To confirm changes submitted to your online banking profile.

 If you receive an unsolicited contact from a MSEFCU staff member for any reason not stated above, your identity will be confirmed through a series of security questions and you will always have the option of hanging up and calling MSEFCU to confirm that validity of our request.  Remember, we will NEVER ask for your logon security credentials.

To find a list of common financial scams and how to avoid them click here.

Disclaimer: Links to other websites found here are provided to assist in locating information. MSEFCU does not provide, and is not responsible for, the product, service, or overall website content available at a third party site. MSEFCU neither endorses the information, content, presentation, or accuracy nor makes any warranty, express or implied, regarding any external site.

7/2017