9. Be Wary of Unsolicited Offers Be suspicious of mail, telephone, or email requests for you to verify personal information, particularly if you did not initiate the contact. These unsolicited inquiries are called “phishing” scams. Identity thieves represent themselves as legitimate entities, such as employees of the FDIC or Visa ® , and rely on you to assume they’re legitimate. Avoid being caught in a phishing scheme: • Do not reply to emails that request personal information and claim your account may be closed or suspended for failure to comply. • When you receive an email from an unknown sender, think carefully before opening it. If the sender seems suspicious, simply delete the message unread. • Respond to telephone requests for information by asking the caller to make their request in writing. If they don’t already have your address, don’t provide it. • Avoid calling phone numbers that appear in emails, since fraudsters may set up phony toll-free numbers. Only call numbers that seem legitimate, such as those printed on bills. 10. Be Vigilant Check your bank account activity frequently and check your credit report at least annually. This will allow you to discover unauthorized activity early on – before substantial damage to your financial reputation can be done.
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