Criminals are getting smarter and smarter. They want your personal information and they want it from you. Are you a target? Yes. We all are. Any time you receive an e-mail or phone call requesting your personal information, and you release that information, you are at risk of identity theft or fraud.

E-bay, Citibank and Earthlink have all been directly affected by criminals impersonating their companies. Just recently, CUNA (Credit Union National Association) has also been a victim of illegal phishing e-mails. If you receive an e-mail from CUNA asking you to click on a link to their official website to update your account information, delete it! CUNA does not have access to credit union member accounts, nor would they contact you personally.

Please remember, any company or organization you do business with, already has your information on file. If you receive an e-mail request for an account update, do not reply to the e-mail. Call the number you have on file (not the one from the e-mail) and speak to a representative. They will let you know if the e-mail is valid. Also, if you receive a phone call requesting information, and you do not know the person calling, ask for their name and tell them you will call them back. Again, use the number you have on file, not the number they give you.

If you or someone you know is a victim of a phishing scam or e-mail, please report it. For more information on Phishing, visit www.antiphishing.org.

Report the incident to the Internet Fraud Complaint Center at http://www.ifccfbi.gov/cf1.aspa.

File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov or call toll free 877-382-4357. Remember, never open a suspicious e-mail forward it to uce@ftc.gov and then — DELETE IT!
 

Other Tips:

~ Never provide your password or account access information to ANYONE over the phone or in an e-mail.  

~ Shred all mail that contains your personal or account information. This includes all pre-approved credit card mailers and junk mail that request you to complete forms. 

~ Never leave outgoing mail in your mailbox that contains a check or other verifications of your account or ID. Always take this type of mail to the post office or drop in a locked post office mail box. 

~ Take a look at your credit report. Question any activity or information that is not familiar to you.

~ If an e-mail or phone call seems suspicious, simply contact the company back by phone, with the number you have on file.    

~ For other tips on identity theft protection, visit www.ftc.gov/idtheft.