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ID Theft Prevention

First Federal Bank is committed to protecting your personal information. That’s why we offer free Fraud Resolution Services with our Advantage Checking Account. We have also compiled the tips on this page to help you prevent the loss of your identity.

Please note that First Federal will never call you and ask for personal information. Do not ever give your account number or PIN to anyone claiming to be calling from the Bank. If you are unsure, ask to call the caller back, and contact the Account Information Center Toll Free at 866-AIC-FFBH (870.365.8329 Harrison area), Monday through Friday, 7:30am-5:30pm, and Saturday, 8am-12pm.

For details, review First Federal's Privacy Policy or download the brochure.

You may also visit IdentityFraud.com for a variety of resources.

At Home

Store personal information in a safe place. Information such as account numbers, credit card numbers, social security number, Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), birth date, and your mother's maiden name, should be secure. Do not keep your PINs near your checkbook, ATM, debit, or credit cards. Do not give your PIN to anyone.

Shred any papers that may contain personal information, including items such as junk mail, prescreened credit card offers, ATM receipts, canceled checks, expired credit cards, bank statements, receipts, doctor bills, and insurance documents.

Guard your mail against theft. If you are going to be out of town for even a day or two, have someone check your mail and store it for you until you return.

New check orders typically take ten business days for delivery. If you do not receive your checks within that time, contact First Federal to report them as lost or stolen. When you receive new checks, verify that the full order has been delivered to ensure none were stolen during transit.

Pay attention to billing and statement cycles. If you do not receive a monthly statement, ask the institution about it; this may mean that bill has been diverted by an identity thief. Check account statements carefully to ensure all charges, checks, and withdrawals were authorized.

Mail & Phone Calls

Do not provide personal information over the telephone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you initiate the transaction and know who you are dealing with.

Thieves sometimes steal mail directly out of mailboxes: they want your checks, cash, credit card applications, and bank account statements. To keep your outgoing mail secure, deposit it in an official USPS mail collection box. You can also sign up for Online Banking, E-Statements, and Online Bill Payment to receive that information electronically.

If there is something on a bill that looks suspicious, contact the biller immediately. This may be a sign of ID theft.

Reduce the amount of prescreened credit and insurance offers you receive by calling 1-888-5OPTOUT or visit OptOutPreScreen.com.

The Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service will help reduce direct mail marketing. Visit the Do Not Call Web site to place your phone number on the Do Not Call list to reduce the amount of telemarketing you receive.

Notify companies with which you do business that you do not want your personal information shared for promotional purposes.

Out of the Home - Shopping and Services

Carry only the minimum amount of identifying information and credit cards that you need. Do not carry your Social Security Card in your wallet, and be wary about giving out your Social Security Number.

Avoid putting your address, telephone number, or driver's license number on signed credit slips. Take your receipts with you to shred. "Dumpster diving" is common at large retail areas.

Credit Reports

Check your credit reports once a year. Look for any accounts that you have never owned, misspellings in your personal information, account balances, addresses where you have never lived, or any other incorrect information.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies - Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion - to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. For detailed information on how to access your free credit report, visit the FTC Web site, or go directly to annualcreditreport.com.

Passwords

It is best to use passwords that contain a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols. Avoid passwords that use the last four digits of your social security number, mother's maiden name, birth and anniversary dates, names of pets, or even your hometown baseball team.

Steps for Victims

The FTC and other groups have created an ID Theft Affidavit to assist you in reporting possible ID theft. Complete instructions are included in the Affidavit. You may also visit the FTC's Identity Theft Site for helpful information.

Contact the Police to file a report.
Call all the three major credit bureaus and have them flag your accounts with a "fraud alert". Find out how long the fraud alert will remain on your report in case you need the time extended. Also, ask for a copy of your credit report so you can identify any unusual activity.
Request that the credit bureaus note that accounts were closed “at customer’s request” due to fraud.
Notify your credit card companies and any banks where your accounts may be at risk.
Check with the Postal Service to see if any change of address requests have been filed under your name.
Keep all copies of documents related to the theft.
Keep records of all telephone calls. Note the name and the title of person who assisted you, along with the date and time of the phone call.
Keep copies of all correspondence.

Federal Government Resources

Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft Hot Line: 877 IDTHEFT or 877.483.4338
Social Security Fraud Hot Line: 800.269.0271
U.S. Postal Inspectors: 800.372.8347

Nonprofit Resources

Identity Theft Resource Center: 858.963.7935
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: 619.298.3396

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