Here at Anchor Bank, we work to protect your banking privacy. However, you also play an important role in protecting your information. The first step is to know what Identity theft is. Identity theft is defined as all crimes against individuals where personal or financial data is illegally obtained by fraught or deception, usually for financial gain. Below we’re go through what you can do now, quarterly, annually, and every five years to protect your identity.

What You Can do Now

• Add your phone numbers to the national Do Not Call Registry at www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222. Since February 2008, these registered telephone numbers will no longer expire off the list.
• Examine your credit card and financial institution statements immediately upon receipt to determine whether there were any unauthorized transactions. Report any that you find immediately to the financial institution.

Quarterly

• Place a fraud alert every 90 days on your credit file at www.fraudalerts.equifax.com or by calling 1-800-525-6285. By placing a fraud alert with Equifax, you will automatically have alerts placed at Experian and TransUnion.

Annually

• Each year, you are entitled to one free credit report through www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228.
• Request a copy of your Social Security statements at www.ssa.gov/mystatement to be sure that no one else is using your social security number for employment.

Every Five Years

• Opt out of pre-screened credit offers by calling 1-888-567-8688 or at www.optoutprescreen.com.

If you notice any suspicious or unusual activity related to any of your Anchor Bank accounts, contact us immediately at 1-561-383-3150.