Protecting Your Account:
[ How to Report a Fraud ]
Protecting Your Account and Identity
The best line of defense against fraud begins with you. The following list of valuable tips is presented to help you protect yourself. Working together, we'll ensure you enjoy a safe relationship with FAIRWINDS Credit Union and help you avoid falling victim to account fraud or identity theft.
Preventing account fraud
- Question suspicious emails or phone inquiries. Unless you initiated the contact, FAIRWINDS Credit Union will not request your personal information (member number, Social Security number, or mother's maiden name) through email, U.S. mail, or by phone. Please notify us immediately if you receive odd calls or emails claiming to come from FAIRWINDS Credit Union. Be especially wary of those requesting account information to "award a prize" or "verify a statement."
- Protect your accounts. Never loan your credit or Debit Card or share your passwords with anyone who is not authorized on your account. Do not share your member numbers with anyone unless you intiated the contact.
- Report lost or stolen checks or credit cards immediately. Review new checks to make sure none were stolen in transit. Be aware of the expiration date on your credit card; if you do not receive a reissued card before the expiration date, notify member services.
- Store new and cancelled checks securely and always use tamper-resistant checks. FAIRWINDS Credit Union checks include many safety features, such as tamper-resistant packaging and chemically sensitive paper to deter alterations.
- Guard your ATM and online banking information. Avoid using obvious or easily obtainable information as your password. Don't share your passwords with anyone or write them down. For more tips, read our Security FAQs.
- Curtail the use of paper documents. Use electronic payment options where available, such as Bill Payer and free online account access with FAIRWINDS Online.
Preventing identity theft
- Don't give out financial information online or on the phone unless you initiated the contact, and know the party you're dealing with.
- Shred unnecessary financial documents, including old statements, invoices, and unwanted pre-approved credit offers.
- Promptly retrieve incoming mail, and don't put outgoing mail in your residential mailbox.
- If regular bills or statements stop reaching you, take action. Call the company's customer service number. Someone may have filed a false change-of-address notice to divert your mail.
- Don't ignore suspicious charges. If doubtful or unauthorized charges appear on your bills or statements, call immediately to resolve the discrepancy.
- Keep personal numbers off your checks. Never preprint your driver's license or Social Security number on your checks.
Check your credit report
As part of your ongoing vigilance against identity theft, we recommend that you periodically check your credit report. For a small fee, you can obtain a copy of your credit report at any time from one of the three major credit bureaus:
For more information
For additional information about account fraud and identity theft, you can refer to www.consumer.gov/idtheft — the U.S. government's central Web site for information about identity theft.
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