Pull the Plug on Internet Pirates

There’s a new type of Internet piracy called “phishing.” It’s pronounced
"fishing" and that’s exactly what these thieves are doing: “fishing” for your
personal financial information.  What they want are account numbers,
passwords, Social Security numbers, and other confidential information that
they can use to loot your checking account or run up bills on your credit
cards. In the worst case, you could find yourself a victim of identity theft. 

Here’s how phishing works. In a typical case, you will receive an e-mail
that appears to come from a reputable company that you recognize and do
business with, such as your credit union. In some cases, the email may 
appear to come from a government agency, including one of the federal
financial institution regulatory agencies, for example NCUA, FDIC or the 
OCC.

The email will warn you of a serious problem that requires your immediate
attention and will encourage you to click on a button to go to the institution’s
Web site. In a phishing scam, you could be redirected to a phony Web site
that may look exactly like the real thing. In some cases it may be the 
company’s actual Web site and a pop up window appears for the purpose of
harvesting your financial information.  In either case, you may be asked to 
update your account information, or provide for verification purposes your: 
Social Security Number, account number, password, place of birth or 
mother’s maiden name.  If you provide the requested information you may 
find yourself the victim of identity theft.

Here’s the Good News!  You have the Power to Stop Them!  
Protect yourself with the following steps:

1. Never provide your personal information in response to an 
   unsolicited request. Whether it’s over the phone or Internet, don’t 
   do it. If you don’t initiate the communication, you should not provide
   any information.  Marine Credit Union will never call or email to
   request your personal information.
2. If you believe the contact may be legitimate, contact the
   financial institution yourself. Phone numbers and Web sites 
   should be available on your monthly statement, in the phone book or
   on the Internet. The key is that you should initiate contact, using 
   contact information that you have verified yourself.
3. Never provide your password over the phone or in response
   to an Internet request. A financial institution, including Marine 
   Credit Union, will never ask you to verify your account information 
   online.  Thieves armed with this information and your account number 
   can help themselves to your accounts.
4. Review your account statements regularly to ensure accuracy. 
   If your account statement is late in arriving, call to find out why. 
   You may also utilize our Home Banking service to periodically
   review your account activity online.

What to do if you fall victim. Contact your financial institutions 
immediately to alert them of the situation.  If you have disclosed sensitive 
information in a phishing attack, you should also contact one of the three
major credit bureaus and discuss if a fraud alert should be placed on your file.
The fraud alert will help prevent thieves from opening a new account in your
name.  The contact information for each bureau’s fraud division is as follows:

Equifax 800-525-6285 PO Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374 www.equifax.com

Experian 888-397-3742 PO Box 2002 Allen, TX 75013 www.experian.com

TransUnion 800-680-7289 PO Box 6790 Fullerton, CA 92834 www.transunion.com

Report all suspicious contacts to the Federal Trade Commission 
through the Internet at www.consumer.gov/idtheft, or by calling
 1-877-IDTHEFT.