Webster Five Cents Savings Bank is concerned about our customers and wants you to have the safest and most secure online banking and bill paying experience possible.

What is Internet 'phishing'?

Phishing is an online scam that uses a replica of an existing Web site or email you are familiar with to "spoof" or fool you into submitting personal, financial, or password information. The high-tech scammer uses spam to deceive consumers into disclosing their credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security numbers, and other sensitive information.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the emails pretend to be from businesses the potential victims deal with - for example, their Internet service provider (ISP), online payment service or bank. The fraudsters tell recipients that they need to "update" or "validate" their billing information to keep their accounts active, and direct them to a "look-alike" Web site of the legitimate business, further tricking consumers into thinking they are responding to a bona fide request. Unknowingly, consumers submit their financial information - not to the businesses - but the scammers, who use it to order goods and services and obtain credit.

Webster Five Cents Savings Bank will never email you or email an Internet link that requests you to input personal information such as your account number. We caution you to make sure you are dealing with the correct company over the Internet and to understand what will be done with your information. Always check that you have typed the correct website address before entering personal information onto any website.

What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your name, Social Security number, credit card number or other identifying information, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes.

Identity theft is a serious crime. People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years - and their hard-earned money - cleaning up the mess thieves have made of their good name and credit record. In the meantime, victims may lose job opportunities, be refused loans, education, housing or cars, or even be arrested for crimes they didn't commit.

Tips to Avoid Being Victimized

To help protect you from 'phishing' and identify theft, the FTC, the nation's consumer protection agency, offers this guidance:

If you get an email that warns you, with little or no notice, that an account of yours will be shut down unless you reconfirm your billing information, do not reply or click on the link in the email. Instead, contact the company cited in the email using a telephone number or Web site address you know to be genuine.

Avoid emailing personal and financial information. Before submitting financial information through a Web site, look for the "lock" icon on the browser's status bar. It signals that your information is secure during transmission.

Keep your deposit and withdrawals slips, credit card receipts and bills, bank statements; personal identification numbers (PINs) and any other documents that bear your Social Security number and other personal information where they will be safe.

Tear up or shred credit card receipts, bank statements and unused credit card offers before throwing them away. Opt out of pre-approval credit offers by calling 1-888-50PT-OUT.

Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to determine whether there are any unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, call your credit card company or bank to confirm your billing address and account balances.

Report suspicious activity to the FTC. Send the actual email spam to uce@ftc.gov. If you believe you've been scammed, file your complaint at www.ftc.gov, and then visit the FTC's Identity Theft Web site (www.ftc.gov/idtheft).

If you believe that your identity has been stolen, here's what to do now:

Step 1: Protect your finances

Contact the three major credit reporting agencies to put yourself on Fraud Alert and request a free copy of your credit report. Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening any more accounts in your name. Contact any of the three consumer reporting companies below to place a fraud alert on your credit report. You only need to contact one of the three to place an alert. The company you call is required to contact the other two, which will place an alert on their versions of your report. (1)

Equifax - www.equifax.com
To order your report, call: 800-685-1111 or write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
To report fraud, call: 800-525-6285 and write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

Experian - www.experian.com
To order your report, call: 888-EXPERIAN (397-3742) or write: P.O. Box 2002, Allen TX 75013
To report fraud, call: 888-EXPERIAN (397-3742) and write: P.O. Box 9530, Allen TX 75013

Trans Union - www.transunion.com
To order your report, call: 800-888-4213 or write: P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022
To report fraud, call: 800-680-7289and write: Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634

Once you have placed a fraud alert on your report review your credit report carefully. Look for inquiries from companies that you haven't contacted, accounts you didn't open, and debts on your accounts you can't explain. Verify that your SSN, address(es), name or initials, and employers are correct. If you discover fraudulent or inaccurate information, get it removed.

Step 2: Close all compromised accounts

Call and speak with someone in the security or fraud department of each company immediately. Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Follow up in writing, and include copes (NOT originals) of supporting documents. Send your letters certified mail, return receipt requested, so you can document what companies received and when. Keep a detailed file of your correspondence and enclosures.

Step 3: File a police report

You will need a police report to dispute unauthorized charges and for any insurance claims. Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and others that may require proof of the crime. If the police are reluctant to take your report, ask to file a "Miscellaneous Incidents" report or try another jurisdiction, like your state police. You can also check with your states Attorney General's office to find out of state law requires the police to take reports of identity theft. Check www.naag.org for a list of state Attorneys Generals

Step 4: File your complaint

File your complaint with the FTC. The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint also helps the FTC learn more about identity theft and the problems victims are having so they can better assist you.

If you have any questions, please call Webster Five Cents Saving Bank directly at 800-696-9401.

Other important web sites and phone numbers to get help:

(1) Some lenders use a product, a FICO® score, offered by Fair Isaac Corporation, in underwriting loan applications. If you are in the process of applying for a loan, you should check with your lender to ensure that the FICO score being used in the underwriting process reflects any error corrections that you have submitted to the credit bureau.

FICO® is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation