Riverview Community Bank

Phishing/Identity Theft

When your personal information, such as your Social Security number, is used to commit fraud or other crimes, it's called Identity Theft. Identity thieves may obtain information through fraudulent emails (see phishing section below), phone solicitations, unsecured websites, stealing your wallet, purse, mail or even your garbage. Identity thieves could open credit cards, bank accounts, forge checks or take out loans in your name. Identity theft can destroy your credit rating and may take years to repair the damage. Riverview will never ask you for information via the Internet or telephone.
At Riverview we are committed to providing the highest level of security and privacy regarding the collection and use of our customers' personal information. However, it's important to take an active role in protecting your identity.

Do not open suspicious emails or respond to online requests for personal information.

Shred sensitive information before discarding.

Always deposit outgoing mail in a secure U.S. Postal Service mailbox and retrieve your mail as soon as possible.

Keep your bank statements, PIN numbers, passwords and Social Security number in a secure location. Don't carry them in your purse or wallet or leave them where others can find them.

Take a photocopy of the documents you carry daily and keep them in a secure location.

Install and consistently update firewall, anti-spyware and anti-virus software on your computer.

Avoid creating a paper trail of bill payments and account information by using Riverview's Internet Banking and Bill Pay.

If you're a victim of identity theft report it immediately. Contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit report.
Equifax, www.equifax.com or 1-800-525-6285
Experian, www.experian.com or 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion, www.transunion.com or 1-800-680-7289
Contact each company where accounts have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Close the accounts and follow up in writing. Send your letters by certified mail with return receipt requested. File a report with your local police department and contact the Federal Trade Commission to file a complaint at www.consumer.gov/idtheft or call the FTC's Identity Theft Hotline, 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653-4261.

Phishing For Your Money

Phishing is a growing form of identity theft that occurs when fraudulent emails are sent claiming to be an established enterprise. The false email will direct you to a bogus website made to look like a legitimate organization you may deal with. You could be asked to update or confirm your account information in an attempt to trick you into providing personal information used to steal your identity. You can avoid phishing scams by not opening suspicious emails or responding to online requests for private information.
The FDIC has created the following web page: http://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/alerts/phishing.html to inform and warn consumers about a type of fraud called “phishing.” The term "phishing" – as in fishing for confidential information - refers to a scam that encompasses fraudulently obtaining and using an individual's personal or financial information. This is how it works:

A consumer receives an e-mail which appears to originate from a financial institution, government agency, or other well-known/reputable entity.

The message describes an urgent reason you must "verify" or "re-submit" personal or confidential information by clicking on a link embedded in the message.

The provided link appears to be the Web site of the financial institution, government agency or other well-known/reputable entity, but in "phishing" scams, the Web site belongs to the fraudster/scammer.

Once inside the fraudulent Web site, the consumer may be asked to provide Social Security numbers, account numbers, passwords or other information used to identify the consumer, such as the maiden name of the consumer's mother or the consumer's place of birth.

When the consumer provides the information, those perpetrating the fraud can begin to access consumer accounts or assume the person's identity.