Please contact the Bank’s ATM/Debit Card Department at 419-678-2385 as soon as you notice any suspicious and/or fraudulent activity on your account.

The customer can call the bank and ask for our Credit Card Department to report the fraudulent charges. If the activity is truly fraudulent, the customer will have to call the Dispute Line (1-800-423-7503) to start a dispute on the fraudulent charges.

Government officials call identity fraud and theft the fastest growing crime in the nation. In addition to forging checks and documents, thieves will also attempt to obtain personal information such as social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, credit card numbers and even birth certificates. With this information, a thief will open accounts in the victim’s name for credit cards and loans with the mail diverted to a different address. It could take you months or years to learn that you are a victim with this method.

This page informs you of some of the precautions that may be taken to protect our customers from these crimes, suggests ways you can guard against this crime, and what to do if you think you may be a victim. We realize that some of these procedures and suggestions may be inconvenient but they can protect you from these crimes.

In an effort to avoid these crimes, you may be asked to do the following when conducting transactions. We would appreciate your patience and understanding regarding these safety precautions. You may be asked to

• Show identification prior to receiving cash – This ensures you that someone else will not be able to cash your checks or take money out of your accounts.
• Show proof of identification when opening a new account – This makes it much more difficult for a thief to open an account in your name
• Sign all important documents in the presence of a bank employee or have your signature notarized – This prevents a thief from forging your signature on important documents such as loan applications, contracts, signature cards, etc.

This page informs you of some of the precautions that may be taken to protect our customers from these crimes, suggests ways you can guard against this crime, and what to do if you think you may be a victim. We realize that some of these procedures and suggestions may be inconvenient but they can protect you from these crimes.

Here are some ways you can protect yourself from this crime.

• Remove all mail promptly from your mailbox – thieves raid mailboxes!
• Guard your personal information – Do not give out personal information over the phone or the internet unless you initiated the transaction. If someone you do not know attempts to obtain personal information from you either by phone, email, mail, or in person, do not give out the information until you have the opportunity to verify the request. Immediately contact the business or individual supposedly making the request and ask for verification. The bank will never request confidential information through e-mail.
• Be careful with receipts – Make sure you have them when you leave the store or ATM and do not throw them into a public trash can.
• Review your credit report from time to time – For a small fee, you can obtain a copy to review.
• Destroy credit card offers before you throw them out – A home shredder is the best thing to use on any financial information being discarded.
• Keep all account information and documents in a safe place – Especially new or cancelled checks, credit card statements, etc. Report any missing documents immediately!
• Block your ATM transactions with your body – Keep the keypad from view to prevent someone from learning your personal identification number (PIN).
• Remember all passwords and PIN numbers – The less you have on paper the less likely it is that someone will learn those numbers
• Be creative when selecting a password – Don’t use obvious ones like the last four digits of your social security number, phone number, address, birth date, etc.

• Show identification prior to receiving cash – This ensures you that someone else will not be able to cash your checks or take money out of your accounts.
• Show proof of identification when opening a new account – This makes it much more difficult for a thief to open an account in your name
• Sign all important documents in the presence of a bank employee or have your signature notarized – This prevents a thief from forging your signature on important documents such as loan applications, contracts, signature cards, etc.

This page informs you of some of the precautions that may be taken to protect our customers from these crimes, suggests ways you can guard against this crime, and what to do if you think you may be a victim. We realize that some of these procedures and suggestions may be inconvenient but they can protect you from these crimes.

• Close your accounts at your credit card companies and financial institutions – The FBI even suggests that you put passwords on any new accounts you open.
• Call the three major credit bureaus to inform them your identity has been stolen – Request that a fraud alert be placed on your file and that no new credit be granted without your approval.
  The three major credit bureaus are:
  Equifax – 800-525-6285
  Experian – 888-397-3742
  Trans Union – 800-680-7389
• Call the Social Security Fraud Hotline – 800-269-0271
• Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) theft hotline– 877-438-4338
• File report with the local law enforcement – You may want to obtain a copy of the report in case you need proof of the crime at a later date.