Protect Yourself From Fraud
Learn how to protect your money and your identity, or how to recover if you’ve already been a victim.
Today it’s more important than ever to be vigilant and careful about your personal information.
Your personal information is a valuable commodity, and protecting it is key to your financial security. Educate yourself about how to stay secure, current scams to keep an eye out for, and what to do if you are a victim of identity theft.
Be aware of online threats
See alerts and updates on the latest scams, attacks, and helpful tips on how to protect yourself.
Get tips on how to stay secure online
Find updated info about how to protect your personal information on all of your devices.
Recovering from identity theft
IdentityTheft.gov is a resource for victims of identity theft, providing checklists and sample letters to guide you through the recovery process.
Protect yourself from identity theft.
Identity theft—when someone uses your personal information without your permission—is a growing problem that impacts as many as 9 million Americans every year. It can cause a lot of inconvenience, and we suggest taking steps to minimize your risk.
Here are some ways to protect yourself:
- Keep your Social Security number safe. Don’t carry it in your wallet or write it on a check, and give it out only when absolutely necessary.
- Shred financial statements and other documents. Thieves pick through trash and recycling bins to find personal information they can use. Always shred receipts, copies of credit applications, insurance and medical papers,
financial statements, expired credit cards or any other documents with sensitive information. - Be on guard on the internet. Don’t click on suspicious links or open attachments from unknown senders.
- Use strong passwords. Avoid short, easy-to-guess passwords, and change your them regularly. Use a combination of letters, numbers and special characters for the strongest password.
- Store your personal information in a secure location. At home and at work, protect your wallet, purse, and all documents that have personal information.
- Monitor your bank statements and credit reports. Keep an eye out for suspicious activity and credit inquiries. Check to make sure all information is accurate.
Watch out for these warning signs of identity theft:
- Accounts you didn’t open and debts you can’t explain
- Fraudulent or inaccurate info on your credit reports, including accounts and personal information
- Failing to receive bills or other mail. A missing bill could mean an identity theft has taken over your account and changed the mailing address.
- Receiving credit cards you didn’t apply for.
- Being denied credit or less favorable terms for no apparent reason.
- Getting contacted about merchandise or services you didn’t buy, a house you never bought, or a job you never held.
Reclaim your future. Reclaim your security.
Keep your eyes open for online scams.
Learn more about two common types of attacks to protect yourself:
- In a smishing attack, you receive a text message directing you to call a number regarding your credit union card. Once you call, you are told there is a possible fraud on your account and to provide your card number and other personal information. Never provide any sensitive account number over the phone.
- Phishing scams often include a bogus email that uses a bank’s logo and graphics to feel real, in an attempt to entice you to provide personal financial details such as account information and social security numbers. Never respond to an unsolicited email that asks for personal information. Do not click on links in these emails. Alert DC Credit Union if you receive a suspicious email.
- DC Credit Union will never text or email you asking for information about your accounts. We already have your account information.
Ways to keep your personal information safe online:
- Update your computer’s software to protect against the latest threats.
- Consider turning on Two-Factor Authentication. For accounts that support it, it requires both your password and an additional piece of information to login to your account.
- Backup your files, so if your computer is attacked by malware you’ll still have access to your files.
- Protect your passwords. Don’t hand them out, and if written down keep them locked up out of sight.