Security
Novartis Federal Credit Union takes very seriously the protection and confidentiality of your personal financial information. We have created this page to assist you in the case your information is compromised. We are here to help you get back to normal operations as soon as possible. Your feedback on this site is appreciated. You may contact us at info@novartisfcu.org .
Identity Theft Information
AlertMe - Fight ID Theft 
Chart Your Course of Action
Social Security Numbers
Phishing Advice
Tips for Protecting Your Personal Information
Federal Trade Commission Advice
Recent Scams You Should Be Aware Of
Introduction
In the course of a busy day, you may write a check at the grocery store, charge tickets to a ball game, rent a car, mail your tax returns, change service providers for your cell phone, or apply for a credit card. Chances are you don't give these everyday transactions a second thought. But an identity thief does.
Identity theft is a serious crime. Identity theft is a crime in which an imposter obtains key pieces of information such as Social Security and driver's license numbers and uses it for their own personal gain. People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years and thousands of dollars cleaning up the mess the thieves have made of a good name and credit record. In the meantime, victims of identity theft may lose job opportunities, be refused loans for education, housing, or cars, and even get arrested for crimes they didn't commit. Humiliation, anger, and frustration are among the feelings victims experience as they navigate the process of rescuing their identity.
There are four types of identity theft crime:
1. Financial ID Theft —This type of case typically focuses on your name and Social Security number (SSN). This person may apply for telephone service, credit cards or loans, buy merchandise, lease cars or apartments.
2. Criminal ID Theft —The imposter in this crime provides the victim's information instead of his or her own when stopped by law enforcement. Eventually when the warrant for arrest is issued it is in the name of the person issued the citation- yours.
3. Identity Cloning —In this crime the imposter uses the victim's information to establish a new life. They work and live as you. Examples: Illegal aliens, criminals avoiding warrants, people hiding from abusive situations or becoming a "new person" to leave behind a poor work and financial history.
4. Business or Commercial Identity Theft —Businesses are also victims of identity theft. Typically the perpetrator gets credit cards or checking accounts in the name of the business. The business finds out when unhappy suppliers send collection notices or their business rating score is affected.
No matter what type of identity theft is involved, the result is a long and sometimes arduous road to recovery. As in all crimes, preventing the crime from occurring in the first place is key.
Identity theft is a complex problem. You will not be able to work on clearing your name as fast as you'd like. Companies move slowly, partly to protect you. Most imposters are never found, let alone arrested or convicted. This is often not the fault of law enforcement, but rather the nature of the crime. So, work with the police, help them out when you can, but let them investigate. Work on clearing your name and getting your life back to normal.
How identity thieves use your personal information
Steps to Take When Identity Theft Happens
Chart of Action
Tips on Your ID Theft Case
File a Police Report
Credit Bureau Information
What You Can Do
AlertMe - Fight Identity Theft
Download Identity Theft Coach
- They may call your credit card issuer to change the billing address on your credit card account. The imposter then runs up charges on your account. Because your bills are being sent to a different address, it may be some time before you realize there's a problem.
- They may open new credit card accounts in your name. When they use the credit cards and don't pay the bills, the delinquent accounts are reported on your credit report.
- They may establish phone or wireless service in your name.
- They may open a bank account in your name and write bad checks on that account.
- They may counterfeit checks or credit or debit cards, or authorize electronic transfers in your name, and drain your bank account.
- They may file for bankruptcy under your name to avoid paying debts they've incurred under your name, or to avoid eviction.
- They may buy a car by taking out an auto loan in your name.
- They may get identification such as a driver's license issued with their picture, in your name.
- They may get a job or file fraudulent tax returns in your name.
- They may give your name to the police during an arrest. If they don't show up for their court date, a warrant for arrest is issued in your name.
How identity thieves use your personal information:
- They may call your credit card issuer to change the billing address on your credit card account. The imposter then runs up charges on your account. Because your bills are being sent to a different address, it may be some time before you realize there's a problem.
- They may open new credit card accounts in your name. When they use the credit cards and don't pay the bills, the delinquent accounts are reported on your credit report.
- They may establish phone or wireless service in your name.
- They may open a bank account in your name and write bad checks on that account.
- They may counterfeit checks or credit or debit cards, or authorize electronic transfers in your name, and drain your bank account.
- They may file for bankruptcy under your name to avoid paying debts they've incurred under your name, or to avoid eviction.
- They may buy a car by taking out an auto loan in your name.
- They may get identification such as a driver's license issued with their picture, in your name.
- They may get a job or file fraudulent tax returns in your name.
- They may give your name to the police during an arrest. If they don't show up for their court date, a warrant for arrest is issued in your name.
Steps to Take When Identity Theft Happens
It is important to act promptly. Place your phone calls immediately and follow up in writing within 30 days.
Contact the fraud departments of any one of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit file. The first one you contact will contact the other two. Follow up with a written Seven-year Victim Statement.
Contact and close any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. These may include credit card companies, telephone and cell phone companies, credit unions, and banks. Follow up in writing within thirty days.
If your Novartis Federal Credit Union Accounts have been tampered with, please contact us immediately at info@NovartisFCU.org.
To Report Fraudulent use of your checks, contact these organizations:
- Check Rite/ Global payments (800) 638-4600
- SCAN (800) 262-7771
- Tele-Check (800) 710-9898
- Chex Systems (888) 478-6356 or (800) 842-5880
Ask each creditor if they will accept an ID Theft Affidavit provided by the FTC to report your claim. The ID Theft Affidavit can be used to alert companies when a new account was opened fraudulently in your name.
It is particularly important to follow up with credit card companies in writing.
File a police report. Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and others that may require proof of the crime.
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline toll-free at 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338)
If you get a new driver's license, be sure to ask for a new license number. In
If mail service was used in the fraud, contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. This agency is helpful if any fraudulent utility bills or apartment leases show up on your credit report.
Keep a record of your conversations and correspondence. Document the time and money you spend on clearing your name. In some states, any person found guilty of financial identity theft will be ordered to pay restitution to the victim for any financial loss, including lost wages.
You may want to use the form, “Chart Your Course of Action,” to help yourself get organized. Exactly which steps you should take to protect yourself depends on your circumstances and how your identity has been misused.
Useful Resources on the Web
Get a copy of ID Theft:
When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name.
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Identity Theft
As a further precaution, you may want to consider adding a fraud victim statement, which will remain on your credit report for seven years. This statement asks credit grantors to contact you by phone before granting credit. What this means is that you may not be able to get instant credit, since you will not be home to answer the verification call from the credit grantor. Victim statements are generally added when a consumer has confirmed that someone is using their identification information in a fraudulent manner.
To add a victim statement to your personal credit report and to order your personal credit report through U.S. mail, please provide the information below, along with a copy of the page of your phone bill that displays your name, address and home phone number. It must show your name, address and home phone number. You also may give a business number where credit grantors can contact you.
| Experian PO Box 9556 Allen, TX 75013 |
TransUnion P.O. Box 6790 Fullerton, CA 92834 |
Equifax PO Box 740256 Atlanta, GA 30374 |
They will need the following Identification information
- Your Name,
- Your Address,
- Your Social Security Number,
- Your Date of Birth,
- Your home telephone number, and
- A description of the situation and any comments you wish to make.
Use this form to record the steps you've taken to report the fraudulent use of your identity.
Keep this list in a safe place for reference.
» Introduction
» Steps to Take When Identity Theft Happens
» Chart of Action
» Tips on Your ID Theft Case
» File a Police Report
» What You Can Do
» AlertMe - Fight Identity Theft
» Download Identity Theft Coach
Tips on Organizing Your ID Theft Case
- Accurate and complete records will greatly improve your chances of resolving your identity theft case.
- Follow up in writing with all contacts you’ve made on the phone or in person. Use certified mail, return receipt requested.
- Keep copies of all correspondence or forms you send.
- Write down the name of anyone you talk to, what he or she told you, and the date the conversation occurred. Use Chart Your Course of Action, below, to help you.
- Keep the originals of supporting documentation, like police reports, and letters to and from creditors; send copies only.
- Set up a filing system for easy access to your paperwork.
- Keep old files even if you believe your case is closed. One of the most difficult and annoying aspects of identity theft is that errors can reappear on your credit reports or your information can be re-circulated. Should this happen, you’ll be glad you kept your files.
Tips on Filing a Police Report
Provide documentation. Furnish as much documentation as you can to prove your case. Debt collection letters, credit reports, your notarized ID Theft Affidavit, and other evidence of fraudulent activity can help the police file a complete report.
Be persistent. Local authorities may tell you that they can’t take a report. Stress the importance of a police report; many creditors require one to resolve your dispute. Also remind them that under their voluntary “Police Report Initiative,” credit bureaus will automatically block the fraudulent accounts and bad debts from appearing on your credit report, but only if you can give them a copy of the police report. If you can’t get the local police to take a report, try your county police. If that doesn’t work, try your state police.
If you’re told that identity theft is not a crime under your state law, ask to file a Miscellaneous Incident Report instead. See the list of state laws below.
Be a motivating force. Ask your police department to search the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel database for other complaints in your community. You may not be the first or only victim of this identity thief. If there is a pattern of cases, local authorities may give your case more consideration.
That’s why it’s also important to file a complaint with the FTC. Law enforcement agencies use complaints filed with the FTC to aggregate cases, spot patterns, and track growth in identity theft. This information can then be used to improve investigations and victim assistance.
· Order a copy of your credit report from the three major credit bureaus. Your credit report contains information on where you work and live, the credit accounts that have been opened in your name, how you pay your bills and whether you've been sued, arrested or filed for bankruptcy. Make sure it's accurate and includes only those activities you've authorized. By law, credit bureaus can charge you no more than $9 for a copy of your credit report.
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Equifax Experian TransUnion |
· Place passwords on your credit card, bank, and phone accounts. Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your SSN or your phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers. When opening new accounts, you may find that many businesses still have a line on their applications for your mother's maiden name. Ask if you can use a password instead.
· Secure personal information in your home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your home.
· Ask about information security procedures in your workplace or at businesses, doctor's offices or other institutions that collect your personally identifying information. Find out who has access to your personal information and verify that it is handled securely. Ask about the disposal procedures for those records as well. Find out if your information will be shared with anyone else. If so, ask how your information can be kept confidential.
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Active Duty Alerts for Military Personnel If you are a member of the military and away from your usual duty station, you may place an active duty alert on your credit reports to help minimize the risk of identity theft while you are deployed. Active duty alerts are in effect on your report for one year. If your deployment lasts longer, you can place another alert on your credit report. When you place an active duty alert, you'll be removed from the credit reporting companies' marketing list for pre-screened credit card offers for two years unless you ask to go back on the list before then. See Consumer Reporting Companies for contact information. The process for getting and removing an alert, and a business's response to your alert, are the same as that for an initial alert. You may use a personal representative to place or remove an alert. |
Maintaining Vigilance
· Don't give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or on the Internet unless you've initiated the contact or are sure you know who you're dealing with. Identity thieves are clever, and have posed as representatives of banks, Internet service providers (ISPs), and even government agencies to get people to reveal their SSN, mother's maiden name, account numbers, and other identifying information. Before you share any personal information, confirm that you are dealing with a legitimate organization. Check an organization's website by typing its URL in the address line, rather than cutting and pasting it. Many companies post scam alerts when their name is used improperly. Or call customer service using the number listed on your account statement or in the telephone book. For more information, see How Not to Get Hooked by a 'Phishing' Scam, a publication from the FTC.
- Treat your mail and trash carefully
· Deposit your outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local post office, rather than in an unsecured mailbox. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox. If you're planning to be away from home and can't pick up your mail, call the U.S. Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777 to request a vacation hold. The Postal Service will hold your mail at your local post office until you can pick it up or are home to receive it.
· To thwart an identity thief who may pick through your trash or recycling bins to capture your personal information, tear or shred your charge receipts, copies of credit applications, insurance forms, physician statements, checks and bank statements, expired charge cards that you're discarding, and credit offers you get in the mail. To opt out of receiving offers of credit in the mail, call: 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688). The three nationwide consumer reporting companies use the same toll-free number to let consumers choose not to receive credit offers based on their lists. Note: You will be asked to provide your SSN which the consumer reporting companies need to match you with your file.
· Don't carry your SSN card; leave it in a secure place.
· Give your SSN only when absolutely necessary, and ask to use other types of identifiers. If your state uses your SSN as your driver's license number, ask to substitute another number. Do the same if your health insurance company uses your SSN as your policy number.
· Carry only the identification information and the credit and debit cards that you'll actually need when you go out.
· Be cautious when responding to promotions. Identity thieves may create phony promotional offers to get you to give them your personal information.
· Keep your purse or wallet in a safe place at work; do the same with copies of administrative forms that have your sensitive personal information.
· When ordering new checks, pick them up from the credit union instead of having them mailed to your home mailbox.
Introduction
Steps to Take When Identity Theft Happens
Chart of Action
Tips on Your ID Theft Case
File a Police Report
What You Can Do
AlertMe - Fight Identity Theft Program
Download Identity Theft Coach
Novartis Federal is excited to announce AlertMe, a new credit-monitoring service designed to help members fight identity theft which is a growing problem that affects millions of Americans.
AlertMe gives early warning of activity on your credit report. Since credit report activity can be a sign of possible identity theft, early detection can help you catch problems quickly to minimize losses.
AlertMe monitors your Experian credit file daily. New accounts, credit cards over the credit limit, and address changes are just a few of the items AlertMe monitors. If an activity occurs, AlertMe will send you an email alerting you to the activity. You can log into the AlertMe Web site to read details about the activity and determine if it is suspicious. AlertMe will also send an email to remind you to order your annual free credit reports.
The AlertMe cost is $4.25 month. Quarterly and annual plans are available at a reduced rate. To enroll or learn more, simply click here. 
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A Special Word About Social Security Numbers Your employer and financial institutions will need your SSN for wage and tax reporting purposes. Other businesses may ask you for your SSN to do a credit check if you are applying for a loan, renting an apartment, or signing up for utilities. Sometimes, however, they simply want your SSN for general record keeping. If someone asks for your SSN, ask: · Why do you need my SSN? · How will my SSN be used? · How do you protect my SSN from being stolen? · What will happen if I don't give you my SSN? If you don't provide your SSN, some businesses may not provide you with the service or benefit you want. Getting satisfactory answers to these questions will help you decide whether you want to share your SSN with the business. The decision to share is yours. |
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Federal Trade Commission Launches Website to Fight Cyber Crime
In an attempt to address the rising cyber crime threat, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) on January 10, 2006 unveiled an online tool designed to help consumers avoid becoming victims of Internet scams.
At the website, www.onguardonline.gov, consumers can take interactive quizzes designed to enlighten them about identity theft, phishing, spam and online-shopping scams. If the user selects a wrong answer, the program explains why that particular misconception about Internet security can lead to trouble.
Elsewhere on the site, consumers can find detailed guidance on how to monitor their credit histories, use effective passwords and recover from identity theft.
Five federal agencies and 13 private organizations partnered to sponsor the OnGuard Online website. Information on the site is not copyrighted, and the FTC encourages companies and other organizations to download and widely disseminate the information.
"We're trying to make the information as accessible as possible, with tips so people can take action," said Nat Wood, the FTC's assistant director for consumer and business education. The increasing concern about online threats is one of the reasons we could put together such a blue-chip coalition for a program like this," says Wood. "E-commerce is great, but we just want people to have the tools to use it safely."
Recent Scam Alerts You Should Be Aware Of
Know risks of paying at the pump
McLEAN, Va. (8/13/08)--The next time you fill up, think twice about using the "pay at the pump" option. Police have uncovered a skimming device on some gas station pumps, installed by thieves so they can steal your credit and debit card data (USA TODAY Aug. 5).
This hard-to-detect electronic device has been discovered at gas stations in five states--California, Delaware, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Washington--with $1 million to $3.5 million stolen from unsuspecting customers.
Several crooks have bypassed the skimming device and intercepted data by hacking into a wireless connection used by the station. Some stations wirelessly transmit credit card data from the pump to their central computers. All a thief has to do is wait nearby, hack in, and download the data to a laptop (creditcards.com Mar. 17).
Although skimming devices have been used at ATMs, they just recently have been discovered on the inside or outside of gas station pumps. Police are asking gas station owners and attendants to put seals on the pumps and check them daily, but no real precautionary measures have yet been put in place.
To protect your card data at the pump and elsewhere, take protective measures:
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Pay inside. If you're using debit or credit at gas stations, consider paying inside and signing all receipts. Or, for added peace of mind, use cash. Some stations offer discounts for patrons who use paper money rather than plastic.
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Monitor your accounts. Check financial statements online or as soon as they arrive, and report any problems. Also, order a credit report once a year from each of the three credit-reporting agencies--Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Visit annualcreditreport.com.
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Safeguard your numbers. Memorize your personal identification number (PIN), don't carry your Social Security card with you, and don't write either of those numbers on any of your cards or in your address book.
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Choose credit option. When using your debit card, the cashier may ask, "Credit or debit?" Typically, credit transactions that require a signature offer better protection against fraud than those conducted using a PIN number. Also, choosing "debit" often is treated as an ATM transaction, which could subtract from any free monthly "allowance" of debit transactions to which you may be entitled. Take this into account with all purchases, not just gas.
- Get help. If you suspect fraudulent activity, tell the station attendant and contact local law enforcement immediately.
Crooks use rebate checks to snare victims
2/11/08-Crooks are drumming up new ways to heist money from victims' financial accounts. Some of those scams use the government's new economic stimulus package's proposed rebate checks as bait (Associated Press via CNNMoney.com).
Despite well-publicized warnings, victims unwittingly hand over personal information--such as account numbers or Social Security numbers. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) officials warn that a variety of scams could be around through the end of the tax season and beyond (irs.gov Jan. 30).
Be on the lookout for these phone and e-mail scams:
- Give account info for direct deposit of rebate. The caller claims to be from the IRS and promises a sizable rebate in return for bank account information--which supposedly is required for the direct deposit. If you refuse, you're told you can't receive the rebate. Hang up--it's a scam.
- Click on link for refund claim form. This bogus e-mail message looks legitimate, but if you respond and enter personal information, expect your accounts to run dry.
- Click on link because your return is being audited. The link prompts you to complete forms with personal and account information. Hit the delete button and keep identity thieves at bay.
- Check not cashed--please verify account info. The caller claims to be from the IRS and to have sent out a check. But don't comply with any request for an account number over the phone--or in an e-mail message.
Bottom line: Don't let rebate-check anticipation cloud your senses. If a tax preparer tries to convince you to take out a short-term advance loan on your stimulus rebate check, just say no. Consumer advocates expect these loan products--which carry excessive interest rates typically aimed at people who can't afford them--to pop up as soon as rebate checks are in the mail.
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