First FarmBank wants to help you prevent identity theft and fraud.
At First FarmBank, we work hard to safeguard our customer's information and provide you with the tools needed to protect yourself from identity theft and fraud.
The terms identity theft and identity fraud are used to refer to a wide variety of crimes committed by someone who has wrongfully obtained someone's personal information and used it in a way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain. The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) has released a list of ten safety tips to help consumers protect information and avoid identity theft.
- Check your credit report. The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the three national credit reporting companies to provide consumers with a free copy of their credit report once every 12 months (visit www.annualcreditreport.com).
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If you bank or pay credit cards online, avoid passwords that include personal information, such as mother's maiden name or date of birth. Instead use something unique that only you know.
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Don't give out personal information over the phone, through the mail, or on the internet unless you've initiated the contact and are sure you know who you're dealing with. If you must share personal information, confirm that you are dealing with a legitimate organization.
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Don't use your Social Security Number or your driver's license or other forms of identification.
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First FarmBank will never ask you to verify personal information over the phone or via email. If you receive a phone call or email asking you to verify information, end the call and do not respond, and call the bank directly.
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If you receive an email asking for personal information, do not hit the reply button or click on any website link in the email. Instead, go directly to the sender's website by typing in the sender's website address. Protect your personal information. Don't leave sensitive documents containing personal information where anyone can see it.
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Use a shredder—preferably a cross-cut shredder— before disposing of personal records, especially financial records.
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When going on vacation, temporarily stop mail delivery. The US Postal Service will hold mail for you.
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Don't set an automatic login feature on your computer.
Remember the word SCAM
Here's a great way to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft—remember the word SCAM:
S – Stop and think before you give your personal information to anyone C – Check your financial information regularly A – Ask periodically for a copy of your credit report M – Maintain careful records of your banking and financial accounts
What to do if you become the victim of identity theft
If you believe that you have become a victim of identity theft, act immediately to minimize damages.
Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online, toll-free at 1-877-ID-THEFT (877-438-4338), or TDD at 866-653-4261, or by mail to the Consumer Response Center, FTC, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.
You may need to contact other agencies depending on the type of identity theft.
- If you believe your identity theft was a result of your mail being redirected, contact your local office of the Postal Inspection Service.
- If your identity was stolen through your social security number, contact the Social Security Administration. Call 1-800-269-0271 to report fraud.
- If you believe your identification information in connection with tax violations was used, contact the Internal Revenue Service. Call 1-800-829-0433 to report violations.
- Contact First FarmBank at 970-346-7900 or email us at info@firstfarmbank.com.
Protect your personal information online
- It's important to protect your personal information. To minimize your risk of identity theft, don't share your personal information unless you know how it will be used and protected.
- Don't reply to or click on links in any email asking for your personal information.
- Know who you're dealing with. When shopping online, look for a seller's physical address and a working telephone number.
- Before downloading free software, read the fine print. Some downloads come with spyware.
- Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, as well as a firewall. While many are updated automatically, you may need to update some of them yourself.
- Make sure your firewall is on and set up properly.
- Be sure to set up your operating system and web browser software properly and update them regularly. Select security settings high enough to reduce your risk of being hacked. Make sure to regularly update your system with the latest patches.
- Protect your passwords. Keep your passwords in a secure place, and don't share them on the internet, over email, or on the phone.
- Back up important files. If you have important files stored on your computer, copy them onto a removable disc, and store it in a safe place.
- Know who to contact if something goes wrong online. Visit OnGuardOnline.gov and click on "File a Complaint" to learn how to respond if problems occur when you're online.
Information and Privacy
First FarmBank: Gathering Information
In order to fund everyday business, all financial companies in the U.S. need to gather and then share customers' personal information. This information can include:
- Social Security number
- Account balances
- Transaction history
- Credit scores
- Account Transactions
- Checking account information
The amount of information we collect and share is determined by the product or service you have with us. We only gather information that is specifically required.
Federal law also requires that we tell our customers how we collect, share and protect personal information. This chart below is designed to help you understand what we do with your information, and how we protect it.
Reasons we can share your personal information
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Does First FarmBank share?
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Can you limit this sharing?
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For our everyday business purposes - such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus
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Yes
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No
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For our marketing purposes - to offer our products and services to you
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Yes
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No
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For joint marketing with other financial companies
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Yes
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No
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For our affiliates' everyday business purposes - information about your transactions and experiences
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No
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We don't share
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For our affiliates' everyday business purposes - information about your creditworthiness
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No
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We don't share
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For non-affiliates to market to you
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No
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We don't share
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Protecting Your Privacy
At First FarmBank, we are committed to protecting your privacy. That's why we only collect personal information from you in certain instances, like when you open an account or apply for a loan. You'll be asked to provide your contact information, show your government-issued ID or show your driver's license. In addition, we also collect your personal information from credit bureaus, affiliates or other companies, as needed.
Federal law gives you the right to limit:
- Affiliate companies from sharing information about your credit worthiness for everyday business purposes
- Affiliates using your information to market to you.
- Sharing your information to non-affiliates so they can market to you.
An Affiliate is a company related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and non-financial companies.
A Non-Affiliate is a company that is not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and non-financial companies.
First FarmBank does not participate in Joint Marketing, which involves a formal agreement between non-affiliated financial companies that market financial products together.
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