Identity theft occurs when someone uses your name, Social Security Number, credit card, or other identifying information to commit financial fraud.

There are a host of other destructive Internet frauds and scams being perpetrated, the most common of which is called phishing. Phishing (pronounced "fishing") attacks use fake e-mails and fraudulent web sites to trick recipients into divulging personal financial data, such as credit card numbers, account user names and passwords, and Social Security data.

Although Internet banking and e-commerce is very safe, you should always be cautious with your personal financial information. Here are some simple steps you can follow to protect yourself:

Protecting yourself online

• Do not divulge your PIN (personal identification number) to anyone. 
• Review your statements frequently and report any unusual activity immediately.
• Do not offer personal or confidential information via unsecured e-mail or over the telephone.
• Be suspicious of any e-mail with urgent requests for personal financial information. 
• Don't click on the links in an e-mail if you suspect the message might not be authentic.
• Avoid filling out forms in e-mail messages that ask for personal financial information.
• Use complex passwords. Avoid using your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your Social Security Number, or your phone number. Compose alpha and numeric passwords whenever possible.

Always report phishing e-mails to the following groups:

• reportphishing@antiphishing.com
• spam@uce.gov
• www.ifccfbi.gov

Protecting yourself everywhere else

• Always report lost or stolen cards immediately.
• Never write your PIN on your ATM, check, or credit card. Keep your PIN and cards separate.
• Learn the importance of ATM Safety.
• Use Direct Deposit and have your paycheck automatically and safely deposited to your America First account.
• Order a copy of your credit report. Make sure it's accurate and includes only those activities you've authorized.
• Before using an ATM, check the area for safety.
• Be wary of promotional scams.
• Pay attention to your billing cycles. Follow up with creditors if your bills don't arrive on time.
• Safeguard or destroy receipts and other documents containing account information.
• Guard your mail and trash from theft. Deposit outgoing mail at your local US Post Office and promptly remove all materials from your mailbox. If you're planning to be away from home, call 1-800-275-8777 to request a vacation hold.
• When ordering checks, do not have your Social Security or driver's license numbers printed on them. Present your ID each time you pass a check.
• Destroy pre-screened credit card offers you receive in the mail. To opt out of receiving these, call 1-888-567-8688.
• Secure personal information in your home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having service work done. Use shredders routinely.
   

How can I make sure I'm not visiting a fraudulent site?

When you conduct business via Internet Banking, we recommend you take the following steps to ensure you’re not entering a fraudulent site:

Check for the SSL secure connection symbol: a locked padlock. When you log in, a secure session will be established between your browser and First Community Bank. You can confirm your session is encrypted by the appearance of a locked padlock symbol on the bottom status bar of your browser. This should appear on any secure pages as or .

View and confirm the SSL certificate details by double-clicking on the padlock symbol. Our certificate has been digitally signed by Verisign, the most recognized issuer of digital certificates in the world. Most browser software is written to automatically recognize any certificate signed by Verisign.

You can make sure the certificate is legitimate if the certificate is issued to "www.netteller.com" and the date listed is within a valid range.

• The date listed is within a valid range
• The server identifies itself as "www.netteller.com" and not anything else. For example, "www.netteller.phisher.com"

If the certificate details differ from this, do not attempt to log in. Contact us for further assistance.

There are a number of steps you should take to protect your own computer and Internet environment. We recommend that you consider the following measures to protect your computer:

Install anti-virus software - You can help protect yourself from viruses that could damage your computer and your programs by installing anti-virus software. To maximize your security, be sure your anti-virus software also includes functionality to detect and prevent worms and dialer programs from being downloaded and enabled. Your software should also be regularly updated to detect and prevent infection from new viruses. You may wish to consider one of the following online suppliers:

• Symantec or Norton AntiVirus at www.symantec.com
• McAfee VirusScan at www.mcafee.com

Install a personal firewall - Firewall software and hardware helps create a protective shield between your computer and the Internet. This barrier can prevent unauthorized people from gaining access to your computer, reading its information, or placing viruses on it while you are connected to the Internet. You can find firewall hardware or software at most computer stores, or visit any of the sites listed below:

• Symantec or Norton Personal Firewall at www.symantec.com
• McAfee Personal Firewall at www.mcafee.com
• ZoneAlarm OC Firewall at www.zonelabs.com

Install Anti Spyware software - Spyware is a general term for hidden programs on your computer that track what you are doing on the Internet. Spyware is often bundled together with file sharing, e-mail virus checking, or browser accelerator programs, and it is installed on your machine to intercept information about you, usually without your knowledge. This information can include personal Internet usage and, in some instances, confidential data such as passwords. You can download and run a specialist program designed to help identify and remove threats from Spyware. Like an anti-virus program, it needs to be regularly updated to recognize the latest frauds. Several free anti-Spyware programs are available at: http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/collection/0,collid,1347,00.asp

Keep your browser and operating system up-to-date - From time to time, security weaknesses or bugs are found in browsers and operating systems, and service packs are issued by the software company to make sure these issues are fixed as quickly as possible. You should make regular checks by visiting your software vendor’s web site (or request an alert, if they are available), and apply any new security patches as soon as possible.

• For Internet Explorer go to:
  http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/critical/default.asp
• For Netscape Navigator go to:
  http://channels.netscape.com/ns/browsers/security.jsp

Avoid running programs or opening e-mail attachments from sources you don't know or trust - You should not install software or download any files from web sites (including those that offer screensavers, games, etc.) with which you aren't familiar. You should also scan all e-mail attachments for viruses and avoid opening messages from people or organizations you don't know or trust. However, it pays to be aware that you can also get an infected attachment from someone you do know. If you are unsure what an attachment is - no matter the source - do not open it.

If your computer has been infected with a virus or spyware, it may exhibit some of the following characteristics: