At Southwest Georgia Bank we’re committed to
keeping your account safe from unauthorized access. Southwest
Georgia Bank will never send emails asking customers to provide, update,
or verify their personal or account information, or any other confidential
information. Help us protect your personal information. If you
should get such a request, do not respond and notify the bank immediately.
Southwest Georgia Bank works very hard to protect its customers from
identity theft, but maximum security is possible only with your help.
Here are some tips provided by the Federal Trade Commission to help
prevent identity theft. Together we can ward off identity theft before
it occurs.
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Identity thieves use a variety of methods to steal your personal
information, including:
1. Dumpster Diving. They rummage through trash looking for bills or other paper
with your personal information on it.
2. Skimming. They steal credit/debit card numbers by using a special storage
device when processing your card.
3. Phishing. They pretend to be financial institutions or companies and send
spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your personal information.
4. Changing Your Address. They divert your billing statements to another location
by completing a “change of address” form.
5. “Old-Fashioned” Stealing. They steal wallets and purses; mail,
including bank and credit card statements; pre-approved credit offers; and new
checks or tax information. They steal personnel records from their employers,
or bribe employees who have access.
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1. DETER identity thieves by safeguarding your
information.
- Shred financial documents and paperwork
with personal information before you discard them.
- Protect your Social Security number. Don’t
carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social
Security number on a check. Give it out only if absolutely necessary
or ask to use another identifier.
- Don’t give out personal information on the
phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you know who
you are dealing with.
- Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails;
instead, type in a web address you know. Use firewalls, anti-spyware,
and anti-virus software to protect your home computer; keep
them up-to-date. Visit OnGuardOnline.gov for
more information.
- Don’t use an obvious password like your
birth date, your mother’s maiden name, or the last four digits
of your Social Security number.
- Keep your personal information in a secure place
at home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or
are having work done in your house.
2. DETECT suspicious activity by routinely monitoring
your financial accounts and billing statements.
Be alert to signs that require immediate attention:
- Bills that do not arrive as expected
- Unexpected credit cards or account statements
- Denials of credit for no apparent reason
- Calls or letters about purchases you did not make
Inspect your credit report. Credit reports contain
information about you, including what accounts you have and your bill
paying history.
- The law requires the major nationwide consumer reporting
companies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—to
give you a free copy of your credit report each year if you
ask for it.
- Visit www.AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-322-8228, a service
created by these three companies, to order your free credit reports
each year. You also can write: Annual Credit Report Request Service,
P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.
Inspect your financial statements. Review financial
accounts and billing statements regularly, looking for charges you
did not make.
3. DEFEND against identity theft as soon as you suspect
it.
- Place a “Fraud Alert” on your
credit reports, and review the reports carefully. The alert
tells creditors to follow certain procedures before they open
new accounts in your name or make changes to your existing
accounts. The three nationwide consumer reporting companies
have toll-free numbers for placing an initial 90-day fraud
alert; a call to one company is sufficient:
- Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
- Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
- Trans-Union: 1-800-680-7289
Placing a fraud alert entitles you to free copies of your credit reports.
Look for inquiries from companies you haven’t contacted, accounts
you didn’t open, and debts on your accounts that you can’t
explain.
- Close accounts. Close any accounts that
have been tampered with or established fraudulently.
1. Call the security or fraud departments of each company where an
account was opened or changed without your okay. Follow up in writing,
with copies of supporting documents.
2. Use the ID Theft Affidavit at ftc.gov/idtheft to
support your written statement.
3. Ask for verification that the disputed account has been closed
and the fraudulent debts discharged.
4. Keep copies of documents and records of your conversations
about the theft.
- File a police report with law enforcement
officials to help you with creditors who may want proof of
the crime.
- Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission.
Your report helps law enforcement officials across the country
in their investigations.
- Online: ftc.gov/idtheft
- By phone: 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338) or 1-866-653-4261
- By mail: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission,
Washington, DC 20580
If you have questions about protecting your bank
accounts, call us or stop by one of Southwest Georgia Bank’s
offices. To learn more from the Federal Trade Commission about ID theft
and how to deter, detect, and defend against it, visit ftc.gov/idtheft.
Or request copies of ID theft resources by writing to:
Consumer Response Center
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, H-130
Washington, DC 20580 |
