Detecting Fraud

The best way to detect fraud is by constantly monitoring your account activity. Financial impact is lowest when fraud is detected as soon as possible. A good way to monitor your accounts easily is to use online banking. Customers who access their accounts online, use email alerts, and receive electronic statements maximize the timely notification of activity on their accounts and also reduce the risk of fraud. Here are some ways that you can recognize if you may have been a victim of identity theft:

• You did not receive your statement by mail as expected.
• There are charges on your account that are not familiar.
• You receive credit cards and you did not apply for credit.
• You find new accounts on your credit report that are not yours.
• Posted checks on your account appear significantly out of sequence.
• You receive calls from creditors regarding services you did not buy.
• You are denied credit for no apparent reason.

A recent amendment to the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies to provide you with a free copy of your credit report at your request every 12 months.

For more information, visit www.annualcreditreport.com.