Steps You Should Take to Protect
Yourself From Identity Theft

1. Safeguard your financial information such as checking and credit card numbers, and your Social Security number.  It is wise practice to never give out personal information, especially your social security number, over the phone.  Unless you know the person or organization you’re dealing with, don’t give it out, even to someone claiming to be from your bank.  Keep your social security card and birth certificate in a home safe or in a safe deposit box at a local bank so you can retrieve it when necessary.  Do not carry these on your person everyday.
   
   
2. Report lost or stolen checks immediately.  Review new deliveries of checks to make sure none have been stolen in transit.
   
   
3. Notify your bank of suspicious phone inquiries such as those asking for account information to “verify a statement” or “award a prize.”  Remember – your bank will never contact you “out of the blue” to ask for personal financial information.  If you receive a phone call asking for a donation, simply decline to do business over the phone.  Should you choose to donate, call or write the organization using contact information you have verified.

4. Shred financial solicitations or financial statements before disposing of them.  Buy a small paper shredder for home use.
   
   
5. Deposit your mail into a secure, official Postal Service collection box.  If you pick up your mail at the Post Office, wait until you get home to dispose of any of it.  Do not throw any of your mail in the trash as you leave.
   
   
6. If regular bills fail to reach you, call the company to find out why.  Someone may have filed a false change-of-address notice to divert your mail and steal your identity.
   
   
7. If your bills include questionable items, investigate immediately.  This is often the first sign of identity theft fraud.
   
   
8. When completing an online registration, provide only the required information.  Choose to do business online ONLY with trusted organizations and if making online purchases, look for verification that the site uses extra security measures.  First & Farmers National Bank uses VeriSign SSL for additional Internet Banking security.  This extra measure can be recognized by the VeriSign Secured icon and the gold lock at the bottom right corner of the web page.  
   
   
9. Avoid phishing scams.  Before you open each email message, ask yourself if you recognize the sender’s name.  If it is an organization, ask yourself if you have an established relationship with that organization.  Never reply directly or click on a link in response to an email that asks for personal or financial information.  If you are concerned about your account contact the company or institution via a web site you know to be genuine.  Again – your bank will never contact you “out of the blue” to ask for personal financial information.  
   
   
10. Teach your children and/or grandchildren to never give out either your or their personal information.  There are many organizations that partner with schools and law enforcement to provide parents and teachers with successful Internet Safety strategies for instructing children.  Visit www.i-safe.org or www.ikeepsafe.org.  

Our help desk is available to talk to you personally Monday through Friday 
from 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM CST,
or you may send us an email at customer.service@firstandfarmers.com.