The Bank of Augusta

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Carry only necessary information with you. Leave items such as your Social Security card at home. Keep photocopies of vital information and store them in a secure place, such as a home safe or a safety deposit box. Never provide your Social Security Number (SSN) unless you determine it is necessary. If you asked to provide your SSN for any service, confirm that it is really needed or ask if you can provide another piece of identifying information. Discontinue paper statements. Receiving online statements will help prevent identity theft. The less personal information you receive through the mail, the less chance there is for identity theft or fraudulent activity against you. Shred documents containing personal or financial information before discarding. Most fraud and identity theft incidences happen as a result of mail and garbage theft also known as "dumpster diving." Review your credit report. At least yearly request a copy of your credit report and review it for erroneous and/or fraudulent information or inaccuracies. You can request free credit report once a year from each of the three major credit bureaus at www.annualcreditreport.com. You may also obtain a copy from the credit bureaus directly. Note that there may be a small fee associated: Limit the credit offers you receive. Contact the National Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies at 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688) to limit the credit offers you receive; this will also limit the information companies share about you. Contact the National Consumer Reporting Agency at www.ncrainc.org. Protect and memorize your passwords. Never write your password down or share them with anyone. Change passwords regularly and use combinations of letters, numbers, and "special characters" such as the #, @, ), ? signs. Do not use your Social Security Number or birthday as a username or password. Never use your username as a password. Keep your computer operating system up to date. If your computer is older than five years, its operating system may not offer the same level of protection as newer systems. System manufacturers provide frequent updates to help make your system more secure - check their websites. The two main manufacturers are Microsoft and Apple; you may contact them at: Microsoft ® - www.microsoft.com/security/ or Apple Computer ® - http://info.apple.com/. Use a current web browser. The Bank of Augusta continually upgrades our online services to provide you with the most secure online services. Install a personal firewall. Firewalls provide additional protection for you home computer. Many operating systems come with firewall protection. Before purchasing a firewall, check your operating system. Antivirus Software. Virus protection software helps reduce the risk of contracting computer viruses that can compromise your computer and personal security while online. Use secure websites for transactions and shopping. Make sure the web page you are viewing offers encryption of your data.

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