Please know, The First National Bank of Suffield will never call or e-mail you and ask you for any of your passwords, your entire Social Security Number or your PIN.

All our Internet Banking updates are internal and don’t require anything from our customers. Always verify you are on a secure website by checking for padlocks or key icons at the bottom of Internet Browsers. Most secure Web addresses also use “https”.

In fact, we take identity theft very seriously and we have many processes in place to protect your data. For example, we adhere to regulatory guidelines pertaining to customer privacy, we follow our own privacy policies and we utilize password protection and dual authentication for online transactions as well as data encryption, which converts your information into secure code and protects against hackers.

The following are steps you can take to protect your personal information:All computer users should exercise safe practices, such as running up-to-date and legitimate computer software, firewall protection, and antivirus or antimalware protection. For computer owners worried their computers might be infected, Microsoft offers free information and malware cleaning tools at http://support.microsoft.com/botnets that can help people remove Zeus and other malware from their computers.

Do not give out financial information such as checking account numbers, debit & credit card numbers, Internet Banking sign on information or your Social Security number, by phone, internet or email unless you are 100% sure who you are dealing with. You can always call the Bank to confirm any inquires you receive.

Report lost or stolen cards or checks immediately. Your bank will block payment on them.

Closely guard your ATM and Debit card personal identification number (PIN). Do not write your PIN on your card or keep it in your wallet. In addition, always take your receipt with you if you are presented with one.

Shred any documents with your financial or personal information before disposing of them.

Don’t use passwords or PIN numbers such as the last four digits of your Social Security number, your house number, your birth date or family names.

Be cautious of suspicious emails such as: someone contacting you to help them start a business and convert funds into US dollars, an inheritance notice from an unknown person or the proceeds to a lottery you didn’t enter, or anyone reporting a data security breach claiming you need to verify your information. If you do receive these types of email, delete them without responding or clicking on imbedded links. If you believe you have responded to or clicked on a suspicious link contact the Bank immediately to report it. You can also report any suspicious activity to the Internet Crime Complaint Center a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center.

Review your monthly bills and statements for irregular activity or unexpected charges. Report anything questionable to the merchant or financial institution.

You are entitled to one free credit report each year from one of the three major credit-reporting agencies. You can obtain a free credit report by calling 1-877-322-8228 or online to www.annualcreditreport.com. Additionally, you may contact the credit bureaus directly as follows:

Equifax (www.equifax.com) 1-800-685-1111
Experian (www.experian.com) 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion (www.transunion.com) 1-800-888-4213

Here are a few resources for more information regarding online security and protection against identity theft:

Online Identity Risk Calculator: It is a Free interactive assessment tool for PC and mobile device users designed to help consumers learn about their personal exposure to online threats. The Online Identity Risk Calculator measures a participant’s exposure to potential internet-borne threats against behavioral and usage criteria tied to activities such as online banking, gaming, shopping, social networks, email and mobile applications.

www.ic3.gov The Internet Crime Complaint Center is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center

www.stopfraud.gov The Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force includes more than 20 federal agencies, 94 US Attorney’s Offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud.

www.onguardonline.gov is the federal government’s website to help you and your family be safe, secure and responsible online