ID Theft scams have been increasing drastically. Nearly half of all U.S. citizens became a victim of some form of identity theft in 2020. In 2021, there were 5.7 million reports of identity theft and fraud, up from 4.7 million in 20201.
Recovering from Identity Theft can take years and can be expensive. Review these 7 steps you can take to avoid it in the first place.
Add multi-factor authentication for accounts that offer it. Multi-factor authentication offers extra security by requiring two or more credentials to log in to your account. The additional credentials you need to log in to your account fall into two categories: something you have — like a passcode you get via text message or an authentication app, or something you are — like a scan of your fingerprint, your retina, or your face. Multi-factor authentication makes it harder for scammers to log in to your accounts if they do get your username and password. Do not give your personal information to someone who calls, emails, or texts you. It could be a scammer trying to steal your information.
One of the ways that would-be identity thieves acquire information is through "dumpster-diving", aka trash-picking. If you are throwing out bills and credit card statements, old credit card or ATM receipts, medical statements or even junk-mail solicitations for credit cards and mortgages, you may be leaving too much information lying about. Buy a personal shredder and shred all papers with personal information on them before disposing of them.
When you sell, trade or otherwise dispose of a computer system, mobile device, hard drive, thumb drive, or even a recordable CD, DVD or backup tape, you need to take extra steps to ensure the data is completely, and irrecoverably destroyed. Use a tool to erase hard drives and removable media securely, however physically destroying the device is also a viable option. Shredders designed specifically to shred CD / DVD media and other storage devices exist, as well as vendors offering secure destruction services.
Verify the charges, purchases or other entries on your statement are legitimate and match up with your records so that you can quickly identify and address any suspicious activity. For secure access to electronic copies of your statements, register within online or mobile banking for e-statement delivery.
ApplePay, AndroidPay, and SamsungPay are available to use with your American Riviera Bank debit card. When you use one of these digital wallets your cardholder information is not shared and remains secure on your mobile device.
In addition to digital wallets, Your American Riviera Bank MasterCard debit card is contactless, which means you can tap and pay anywhere you see the RDIF symbol. Contactless cards have a computer chip and a tiny antenna they use to talk to a card reader when you want to buy something. To make that happen, the card sends the reader a one-time code, or token, with information that doesn't expose your actual account details. The next time you buy something, it will send a different code. Using this near-field-communication (NFC) is much safer than using a magnetic stripe. When you can't tap and pay, you can use the embedded microchip in the card.
Your American Riviera Bank MasterCard debit card comes with MasterCard ID Theft Protection to better safeguard you against possible identity theft and bring you security and peace of mind. Keep in mind you must enroll to benefit from these protections.
MasterCard ID Theft Protection:
Know that we will NEVER call and ask you for your PIN or PASSWORD. If someone calls and asks you to verify this information over the phone – BE SUSPICIOUS! Also be on guard if a caller says they are from the bank's audit or security department. Always call our published phone number directly.
Some organizations need your Social Security number to identify you. Those organizations include the IRS, your bank, and your employer. Organizations like these that do need your Social Security number won’t call, email, or text you to ask for it.
Other organizations that might ask you for your Social Security number might not really need it. Those organizations include a medical provider, a company, or your child’s school. Ask these questions before you give them your Social Security number:
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