As a consumer, you have little ability to stop or prevent identity theft. However, there are some positive steps to take which will decrease your risk:

• Don’t carry your Social Security number, memorize it and keep the card at home
• Watch for the timely arrival of monthly bills and statements in the mail
• Mail your bills inside the post office, rather than using a mailbox near the street
• Don’t share your account numbers over the phone or anywhere others can hear you
• Keep your eye on your credit card at all times while making purchases – a dishonest clerk may distract you and swipe it through a second scanner that records your information
• Keep track of all credit card receipts and shred any you don’t need
• Shred any unneeded documents that contain bar codes, account numbers or other sensitive data
  
  

• Identity Theft Prevention - Simple Steps For Protecting Your Identity video
• FTC (Federal Trade Commission): Fighting Back Against Identity Theft
• Identity Theft, Security & Fraud Prevention Tips

You can obtain a free credit report annually from each of the three nationwide reporting companies at www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 1-877-322-8228.

A credit reporting company may charge you a fee for an additional copy of your report within a 12-month period. To buy a copy of your report, contact:

• Equifax - www.equifax.com or 1-800-685-1111
• Experian - www.experian.com or 1-888-397-3742
• TransUnion - www.transunion.com or 1-800-916-8800

If you believe your identity has been compromised, please refer to the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Recovery Plan. 

FTC's Identify Recovery Plan

Business identity thieves and fraudsters are clever and determined, and can quickly take advantage of business owners that do not take basic precautions to protect their business. To better protect your business we support the following guidelines:

• Use a computer that has industry standard operating systems
• Install industry standard anti-virus software and make sure that it is updated regularly
• Install and maintain an industry standard anti-virus email spam filter and malware filter
• Maintain a separate computer for banking and business applications
• Use complex formats or passwords between your internet modem and your home PC
• Keep all application software updated with the latest releases
• Avoid opening any email that you do not recognized. When in doubt, delete
• Keep security settings at recommended levels
• Monitor and reconcile bank accounts daily to recognize fraudulent activity and report unusual transaction activity
• Never share your password with anyone
• Turn off your modem when not using your computer for internet activity. Reducing the time that your modem is actively broadcasting limits a hackers’ opportunity to successfully gain control of it

• Identity Theft Prevention - ID Theft Tips For Your Business
  
• Business and local government agencies can find cyber security resources at US-Cert.
  

If you believe your identity has been compromised, please refer to the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Recovery Plan.

FTC's Identity Recovery Plan (PDF 1.1MB)

Note: This list is not meant to be exhaustive, or reflect any particular industry standard at this time. Customers using the Internet to conduct online financial transactions do so at their own risk and must recognize that the Internet is inherently vulnerable to unauthorized access and attacks. The Bank disclaims any liability associated with such unauthorized access or attacks and does not make any representations, implied or direct, that the listed precautions will prevent or otherwise protect against the same

When you are online be wary about who you give your personal information to, follow the tips provided below:

• Keep your passwords private and use strong passwords with letter, numbers, special characters, etc.
• When making a transaction online, make sure it is over a secure, encrypted site. A “lock” icon on the status bar of your browser means your information is safe when transmitted
• Do not e-mail personal or financial information, because email is not a secure method to transmit personal information
• If a company that claims to have an account with you sends an emails asking for personal information, don’t click on the links in the email. Instead, type the company name into your web browser, go to their site, and contact them through the customer service or call the Customer Service number listed on your account statement
• Don’t over share your personal and private information on Social Networking site
• Before you dispose of a computer or a mobile device, get rid of all the personal information that it stores
  
• Think before you click! If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
• Stay up-to-date with security patches on your device and your browser.
• Install a reputable ad blocker for your browser. Ad blockers help protect you from malvertising by preventing ads from being displayed.

• National Cybersecurity Alliance

Small businesses have valuable information that cyber criminals seek, below are some tips to help keep your small business cyber secure: 

• Protect computers and networks
• Require strong authentication
• Control access to data and computers and create user accounts for each employee
• Teach employees the basics - establish security practices and policies for employees and appropriate internet usage guidelines
• Train employees to be careful where and how they connect to the Internet
• Train employees about the dangers of suspicious emails
• Patch software in a timely manner
• Make backup copies of important systems and data
• Pay close attention to your bank accounts and watch for unauthorized withdrawals
• Don't forget about tablets and smart phones
• Watch out for fraudulent transactions and bills
• Educate yourself. To learn more about protecting your business, visit the "Stop. Think. Connect." resource from Homeland Security.
• Think before you click! If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
• Stay up-to-date with security patches on your device and your browser.
• Install a reputable ad blocker for your browser. Ad blockers help protect you from malvertising by preventing ads from being displayed.

• National Cybersecurity Alliance

Below is a list of suggestions provided by the American Bankers Association's recent article "12 Ways to Protect Your Mobile Device From Hackers."

• Passcode locks: Use the passcode lock on your smartphone and other devices. This will make it more difficult for thieves to access your information if your device is lost or stolen.
  
  
• Logging out: Log out completely when you finish a mobile banking session.
  
  
• Install mobile security software: Protect your phone from viruses and malicious software, or malware, just like you do for your computer by installing mobile security software.
  
  
• Stay up-to-date: Download the updates for your phone and mobile apps.
  
  
• Downloading Apps: Use caution when downloading apps. Apps can contain malicious software, worms, and viruses. Beware of apps that ask for unnecessary "permissions."
  
  
• Sensitive Information: Avoid storing sensitive information like passwords or asocial security number on your mobile device.
  
  
• Take Action: Tell your financial institution immediately if you change your phone number or lose your mobile device.
  
  
• Shoulder Surfers: The most basic form of information theft is observation. Be aware of your surroundings especially when you’re punching in sensitive information.
  
  
• Don't leave a trace: Wipe your mobile device before you donate, sell or trade it using specialized software or using the manufacturer’s recommended technique. Some software allows you to wipe your device remotely if it is lost or stolen.
  
  
• Mobile phishing: Avoid opening links and attachments in emails and texts, especially from senders you don’t know.And be wary of ads (not from your security provider) claiming that your device is infected.
  
  
• Caution to Public Wi-Fi: Public connections aren't very secure, so don’t perform banking transactions on a public network. If you need to access your account, try disabling the Wi-Fi and switching to your mobile network.
  
  
• Report any suspected fraud to your bank immediately.

For additional information on identity theft and learning how to take measures to protect yourself, visit these additional resources:

• Visit any one of our Central Valley Community Bank Office locations to pick up the Federal Trade Commission's "Identity Theft - A Recovery Plan" packet (PDF 1.1MB)
• FTC (Federal Trade Commission): Fighting Back Against Identity Theft
• Business and local government agencies can find cyber security resources at US-Cert.

Consumers

• Identity Theft Prevention - Simple Steps For Protecting Your Identity video
• FTC (Federal Trade Commission): Fighting Back Against Identity Theft

Businesses

• Identity Theft Prevention - ID Theft Tips For Your Business
  

Equifax has launched a new service that provides consumers the ability to lock and unlock their Equifax Credit Report, for free, for life! For more information on this service, please visit Equifax Lock & Alert Service.