Safeguarding your personal information is an obligation
we take seriously at PFFCU. Please read the following information
so that you may better protect yourself against identity theft.
Visa Fraud Monitoring
The PFFCU Check Card can be used worldwide--anywhere Visa
is accepted. Due to high amount of fraud occurrences, if you wish
to use the Check Card in certain designated countries, you need to
call PFFCU before you travel. For a listing of specific countries
where this additional security step is necessary, click
here. You may also purchase American Express® Travelers
Cheques at any of our branches as a safe way to transact business
in these countries.
The use of the PFFCU Visa Credit Card is not permitted in specific
countries due to a high amount of fraudulent activity. For
a listing of specific countries where the PFFCU Credit Card cannot be
used, click
here.
Your PFFCU Check Card and PFFCU VISA® Credit
Card have various fraud detection, prevention, and account protection
systems in place to ensure your security. We employ sophisticated
software that tracks member VISA credit and debit activity to spot
suspicious activity so that we can limit a thief’s use of the
member’s card. If a fraudulent charge does occur at home or
abroad, you can rest easy knowing you have $0 liability on unauthorized
purchases when you report the problem promptly.
Due to high incidences of fraud, use of Visa Credit Cards for cash
advances that are obtained either through Western Union and/or at
a cashiers’ cage in a casino is not permitted.
Identity Theft Protection
To help keep your personal information secure, we
encourage you to allow us to scan your photo identification into
our system when you visit a branch. This allows
us to quickly identify you in the future when you visit any of our
branches and helps us prevent unauthorized access to your PFFCU accounts. We
feel so strongly about protecting your account that, if you decline
our request to scan your photo identification, we will require that
you put a Transaction Authorization Code (TAC) on your account. A
TAC is a security code that you select, and once selected, is required
to be given in order to perform a transaction or release information
on your account. Even if someone had your name and account
number, our staff would still deny them service without the correct
TAC. You can also choose not to receive paper statements and
view your account information online if you are concerned about someone
stealing the statements in the mail. If you do fall victim
to identity theft, give us a call. We can help take the necessary
steps to restore your good credit.
You can learn more about how to protect yourself from identity theft,
how to avoid various types of electronic fraud, and how to have a
safer online experience through the Digital
Defense training, education and awareness module.
Additionally, members can protect themselves from identity theft
through several methods offered by the three credit reporting agencies.
Fraud Alerts
Fraud Alerts help prevent accounts being opened in your name,
and act as a red flag on your credit report. You can place a Fraud
Alert on your file by contacting one of the three credit reporting
agencies; since the three agencies share information, you need
not contact all three. Three types of Fraud Alerts are available:
An Initial Alert is active for up to 90 days on
your account. You should activate an Initial Alert if your personal
information (social security number, date of birth, etc.) has
been compromised. Once activated, potential creditors will need
to verify your identification prior to extending credit, so you
should provide them with a phone number where you can be easily
reached.
An Extended Alert is recommended for victims of identity
theft, and offers 7 years of protection, as well as removing
your name from prescreened credit offers marketing lists for 5
years.
If you're in the military, you are eligible for a Military
Fraud Alert, which prevents anyone from establishing credit
in your name, while you're overseas.
If you've activated any Fraud Alert and you want to apply for a
loan with PFFCU, please let us know, to avoid delays in processing
your application. To remove a fraud alert, you will need to make
a written request with one of the three credit reporting agencies.
Types of Identity Theft
”Phishing” is tricking someone into giving confidential
information, generally resulting in monetary and/or identity theft. Some
phishing scams include sending emails with links to web sites that
may look familiar or legitimate, but are not. You may be warned
of a problem that requires your immediate attention. The e-mail
will then encourage you to go to the institution's web site. In
a phishing scam, you will be redirected to a web site that has
been set up to collect your personal information. The site may
look exactly like the real thing. You will then be asked to provide
personal information (i.e. Social Security Number, account numbers,
password(s), etc.). If you provide personal information in response
to an unsolicited request, through an unsecured web site, you risk
becoming a victim of identity theft. We plan to add new security
features to PC EXPRESS that will give you greater confidence
that you are connected to PFFCU when completing your online transactions.
Another common “phishing” scam happens over the phone. The
scammer calls pretending to be a representative from a legitimate
company with whom you regularly do business. Then the scammer
asks for personal information. You should never give private
information to someone who contacts you via email or phone claiming
to be from the government or PFFCU. If you have any doubt about
the validity of the person asking for the information, call PFFCU
directly. Ask if the person works at PFFCU and why they need
the information.
You can prevent yourself from becoming a "phishing" victim
by taking a few, simple precautions:
- Never provide your personal information in response to an unsolicited
request.
- If you believe an email contact may not be legitimate, contact
the sender to verify it.
- Never provide your password over the phone or in response to
an unsolicited request.
- Never submit personal and confidential information through a
web site that does not have a
 or https:// displayed
in your web browser's location bar.
- Review your account statements regularly to ensure all your information,
including all transactions, are correct.
Members who believe they may have been a victim of this kind of
personal identification theft should contact a PFFCU representative
by phone at 215-931-0300 or 800-228-8801 to report suspicious account
activity or provide information about what they believe to be suspicious
web sites. You may also visit the NCUA
Fraud Hotline web site for more information, or file a complaint
with the Internet Crime
Complaint Center.
For more information, download and read our personal
information security brochure.
|
