Protecting yourself and your identity

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Identity Theft

What is identity theft?Identity theft occurs when someone acquires key pieces of another person’s identity with the intent to commit fraud. Information such as name, date of birth, social security number, account numbers, passwords, or a personal identification number (PIN), can help a criminal impersonate someone and buy things they don’t intend to pay for as that person.

What you need to know about identity theft

Identity theft can happen to anyone in hundreds of different ways and criminals are finding new methods everyday. The best way to protect yourself is by protecting the information that criminals want.

IDENTITY THEFT U.S. BANK

Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Interest rates and programs terms are subject to change without notice. See the Consumer Pricing Information brochure for terms and conditions that apply to U.S. Bank checking accounts. The creditor and issuer of these cards is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to separate licenses from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and American Express. American Express is a federally registered service mark of American Express. Credit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association and subject to normal credit approval. Deposit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC.

Password/PIN • Change all passwords regularly, including ATM and Online Banking passwords.

• Use passwords that are a combination of numbers, letters, and characters.

• Avoid using birthdays, social security numbers, and other combinations that are easy to remember. They’re also the first possibilities that criminals will try if they try to figure out your password.

• Memorize your passwords. Don’t write them down where someone else could see and use them.

• If you can’t, consider using a password manager program. Just be careful to pick a reputable one; they cost money but it can be money well spent if it protects you from fraud.

Writing checks• Don’t print your driver’s license, social security number, or phone

number on your checks.

• Use check security pens or gel tip pens to write checks. The ink in gel pens prevents tampering.

• Carry only as many blank checks as you may need. Secure and lock up all the extra checks you don’t need to use immediately.

You can minimize your identity theft risk by following these practices.

02 - 03How to avoid being victimized

U.S. BANK IDENTITY THEFT

Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Interest rates and programs terms are subject to change without notice. See the Consumer Pricing Information brochure for terms and conditions that apply to U.S. Bank checking accounts. The creditor and issuer of these cards is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to separate licenses from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and American Express. American Express is a federally registered service mark of American Express. Credit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association and subject to normal credit approval. Deposit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC.

Online • Do not record or save your user names or passwords on any

computer, even your own. These are the kinds of records hackers hope to find.

• Do not use your credit card or check card number on the Internet unless you have initiated the transaction and the site has a secured, encrypted system. Look for the “https” in the web address, or the lock icon in front of the address.

• When going to any bank website, go directly to the address line and type in the address – do not use any attachment or link that may be provided to you by e-mail or other methods. Also make sure you type in the correct website address. Web addresses can be very similar, and sometimes fraudulent websites will be set up to look similar to legitimate websites, using commonly mistyped addresses.

• Install a personal firewall to prevent unauthorized access to your home computer, especially if you connect to the Internet via cable or a DSL modem.

• Protect your home computer by running anti-virus software to guard against virus attacks.

• Delete any suspicious emails, without opening them, if you do not recognize the sender. Do not click on any links from friends or strangers if something seems off. Many times if someone’s information is hacked, false emails will go out to that person’s contacts in an attempt to steal others’ information as well.

You can minimize your identity theft risk by following these practices.

How to avoid being victimized

IDENTITY THEFT U.S. BANK

Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Interest rates and programs terms are subject to change without notice. See the Consumer Pricing Information brochure for terms and conditions that apply to U.S. Bank checking accounts. The creditor and issuer of these cards is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to separate licenses from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and American Express. American Express is a federally registered service mark of American Express. Credit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association and subject to normal credit approval. Deposit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC.

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Bank accounts• Sign up for Online Banking and monitor your account activity regularly.

• Sign up for account alerts with your bank to alert you to specific account activity, such as transactions without a card present (online purchases) or low or negative balances (which, if you don’t expect them, may indicate that someone is accessing your account.) These are usually free and can be sent via email or text message.

• Review your statements monthly. If you spot transactions or withdrawals you don’t recognize, call your bank immediately.

• To keep your statements secure, sign up to get them electronically instead of in the mail.

Health issuesThe following events can be signs that your identity has been stolen:

• You get bills from medical providers for services you didn’t use.

• Your health plan rejects your legitimate medical claim because the records show you’ve reached your benefits limit.

• Your medical records show a condition you don’t have.

You can minimize your identity theft risk by following these practices.

How to avoid being victimized

U.S. BANK IDENTITY THEFT

Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Interest rates and programs terms are subject to change without notice. See the Consumer Pricing Information brochure for terms and conditions that apply to U.S. Bank checking accounts. The creditor and issuer of these cards is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to separate licenses from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and American Express. American Express is a federally registered service mark of American Express. Credit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association and subject to normal credit approval. Deposit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC.

Personal information• Never provide personal information on the phone, through the

mail, or online unless you initiated the contact or know who you’re talking to.

• Ask companies you do business with how your personal information will be used and protected. Ask if providing the information is voluntary or mandatory in order to complete the transaction.

• Keep your Social Security card in a safe place. Don’t carry it in your wallet.

• Do not put outgoing mail in your home mail box to be picked up – take it to a postal box.

• If a bill or other mail doesn’t arrive on time, check with the creditor and keep an eye on your bank account. To avoid this kind of problem, you may want to pay your bills online with online bill pay through your bank.

• Make a list of your credit card, check card and bank account numbers, with customer service numbers, and keep it in a safe place. Don’t store this list in your wallet or on your computer.

• Shred all personal documents and unwanted mail. Criminals often look through garbage to find financial or other information.

You can minimize your identity theft risk by following these practices.

How to avoid being victimized

IDENTITY THEFT U.S. BANK

Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Interest rates and programs terms are subject to change without notice. See the Consumer Pricing Information brochure for terms and conditions that apply to U.S. Bank checking accounts. The creditor and issuer of these cards is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to separate licenses from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and American Express. American Express is a federally registered service mark of American Express. Credit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association and subject to normal credit approval. Deposit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC.

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Phishing

Phishing (pronounced “fishing”) is when criminals impersonate legitimate companies to deceive consumers into divulging personal, financial, or account information. It’s one of the most common and insidious forms of fraud.

Criminals may make phone calls or create fictitious emails, web sites, or text messages that seem to be from trusted companies, financial institutions – even government agencies. They may send pop-up messages when you visit a web site, saying that your computer has “security issues.”

These communications are designed to trick you into disclosing your Social Security number, PIN, passwords, account numbers and more, either by answering personal questions over the phone, by replying to the email or text message ,or by visiting a legitimate-looking website to enter your personal information.

Because some criminals go to great lengths to make the phishing emails and text messages look exactly like the legitimate emails and text messages you typically receive from your bank or other trusted companies, it is important you learn to recognize a phishing attempt.

Here are some common signs of phishing:

• Any unsolicited phone call, email or text message that asks you to “confirm,” “verify,” “update” or otherwise provide personal information is a fraud. Legitimate companies will never ask you to “confirm” or “update” your PIN or passwords in e-mails, calls, or texts.

• Many phishing attempts try to scare you with the idea that your account will be closed or suspended if you don’t provide confidential information immediately.

• Look for inconsistencies in the phishing attempt, such as misspelled words, poor grammar, outdated logos, or strange formatting. These can be signs of a fraudulent email or text message.

• Many phishing attempts will provide fake contact information to make you feel more comfortable disclosing your personal information. It is important that you NEVER respond to these requests by clicking on a link, replying to an email, or calling the phony phone number provided.

How to avoid being victimized

You can minimize your identity theft risk by following these practices.

U.S. BANK IDENTITY THEFT

Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Interest rates and programs terms are subject to change without notice. See the Consumer Pricing Information brochure for terms and conditions that apply to U.S. Bank checking accounts. The creditor and issuer of these cards is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to separate licenses from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and American Express. American Express is a federally registered service mark of American Express. Credit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association and subject to normal credit approval. Deposit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC.

How to avoid being victimized

Report phishing emailsAlways report “phishing” or “spoofed” emails, text messages and unsolicited phone calls by forwarding the information to the following groups:

• U.S. Bank Online Security at fraud_help@usbank.com (if the phishing attempt refers to a U.S. Bank account)

• The Internal Revenue Service at https://www.irs.gov/uac/report-phishing or forward to phishing@irs.gov

• The Federal Trade Commission at https://www.identitytheft.gov

• The Internet Fraud Complaint Center of the FBI. You can file a complaint at www.ic3.gov/complaint

If you receive an email that appears to be fraudulent or have fraudulent activity on your U.S. Bank account, email U.S. Bank at fraud_help@usbank.com or call the U.S. Bank Fraud Liaison Center at 877.595.6256. With one call, we can change your password or PIN, monitor fraud activity and close any compromised accounts immediately.

You can minimize your identity theft risk by following these practices.

IDENTITY THEFT U.S. BANK

Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Interest rates and programs terms are subject to change without notice. See the Consumer Pricing Information brochure for terms and conditions that apply to U.S. Bank checking accounts. The creditor and issuer of these cards is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to separate licenses from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and American Express. American Express is a federally registered service mark of American Express. Credit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association and subject to normal credit approval. Deposit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC.

Free Credit ReportExperts suggest guarding against identity theft by checking your credit once a year. You can obtain a free credit report once a year from each of the credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

Go online to www.AnnualCreditReport.com or call 877.322.8228.

You are entitled to a free credit report when you are a victim of identity theft.

Contact one credit reporting agency to report the fraud, and ask to have a fraud alert put on your account. The contacted agency will then notify other credit agencies.

08 - 09Credit agencies

Equifax: www.equifax.com To order your report, call 800.685.1111 or write to: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241 To report fraud, call 800.525.6285 and write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

Experian: www.experian.com To order your report, call 888.EXPERIAN (397.3742) or write: P.O. Box 2104, Allen, TX 75013 To report fraud, call 888.EXPERIAN (397.3742) and write: P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013

TransUnion: www.transunion.com

To order your report, call 800.916.8800 or write: P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022. To report fraud, call 800.680.7289 and write: Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

U.S. BANK IDENTITY THEFT

Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Interest rates and programs terms are subject to change without notice. See the Consumer Pricing Information brochure for terms and conditions that apply to U.S. Bank checking accounts. The creditor and issuer of these cards is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to separate licenses from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and American Express. American Express is a federally registered service mark of American Express. Credit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association and subject to normal credit approval. Deposit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC.

What to do if you have been victimized

Law enforcement

Contact law enforcement to file a police report. This is the first step to an investigation (if there is one) and shows the bank that you were diligent.

Post office Report stolen mail to your local postal inspector.

Employment

If someone is using your Social Security number (SSN) to apply for work, call the Social Security Association Fraud Hotline at 800.269.0271. To verify earnings on your SSN and to request a statement, call 800.772.1213.

Resources

Identity Theft Resource Center https://www.idtheftcenter.org/ This site has information about scams, consumer alerts, and victim resources.

Consumer.gov Identity Theft Page https://www.consumer.gov/section/scams-and-identity-theft This site contains pointers on how to avoid, detect, and recover from identity theft.

Federal Trade Commission https://www.identitytheft.gov/ This site has information about protecting yourself against identity theft and forms for reporting identity theft.

IRS Report Phishing and Online Scam https://www.irs.gov/uac/Report-Phishing This site offers information about understanding and preventing identity theft and dealing with its aftermath.

United States Department of Justice https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/identity-theft/identity-theft-and-identity-fraud The DOJ’s site offers Information on identity theft and prosecution of identity thieves.

Social Security Administration https://faq.ssa.gov Here you can find information about earnings reported on your Social Security number and file reports for lost Social Security numbers.

IDENTITY THEFT U.S. BANK

Not all loan programs are available in all states for all loan amounts. Interest rates and programs terms are subject to change without notice. See the Consumer Pricing Information brochure for terms and conditions that apply to U.S. Bank checking accounts. The creditor and issuer of these cards is U.S. Bank National Association, pursuant to separate licenses from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and American Express. American Express is a federally registered service mark of American Express. Credit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association and subject to normal credit approval. Deposit products are offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC.

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IDENTITY THEFT:

PROTECTING YOURSELF AND YOUR IDENTITY