Protecting Against Identity Theft
Identity Theft. It’s all over the news, and many people wonder what they can do to better protect themselves from having their identity stolen. Citizens Bank has put together the information below which may help you to better educate yourself about identity theft and the steps you can take today to protect your identity.
Use Online Banking
Internet banking and electronic statements offer many advantages that traditional banking and paper statements do not. When you use internet banking:
- You can can check the activity on your account at any time, any day, even when the bank is closed.
- You are much less likely to overdraw your account if you are always aware of your balance and outstanding items.
- You can have email alerts sent to you notifying you of specific types of transactions or if your balance falls below a certain point.
- You are immediately aware of any unusual activity in your account, so you can immediately report any illegal or suspicious activity to Citizens Bank.
- When you receive electronic statements, you receive them the day they are issued instead of having to wait for them to arrive in the mail.
- Electronic statements reduce the amount of paper used, making them better for the environment and reducing cost for everyone.
Be Smart With Debit Cards
Never use your debit card online. Credit cards offer buyer protections that are unavailable to debit card users.
Get Rid Of All The Paper
Shred all materials which contain personal, non-public information such as Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, or anything else someone could potentially use to steal your identity. Also switch to receiving electronic bank statements. not only does it reduce the paper clutter, there are several disadvantages to having paper statements:
- They can be delayed or lost in the mail.
- They can be used for criminal purposes if they are intercepted or found.
- They use a lot of paper and cost more to print and to mail.
- If you have unusual or fraudulent activity on your account, you may not find it for days or even weeks after it occurred.
More Resources On Protecting Your Identity
The FDIC Identity Theft Information Page
A page to inform consumers about available information about identity theft.
IDtheft.gov
Your one stop resource for government information about identity theft
Identity Theft Resource Center
A nonprofit, nationally respected organization dedicated exlusively to the understanding and prevention of identity theft.
The Department of Justice
Information concerning protecting your identity at home and while you travel.
