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Security
At Valley Bank, we are committed to protecting the privacy of our customers'
information and keeping you safe. Internet safety requires a joint effort
from both you and us. The links below will provide valuable information
in protecting yourself.
Email and Website Fraud Information
Online Banking Security
Identity Theft Information
Password Recommendations
Email and Website Fraud
There is
currently widespread use of an email scam known as "phishing," in
which identity thieves send emails to bank customers asking them to "verify" information
or otherwise divulge personal data.
Valley Bank will never send emails requesting personal
information. We will never ask you to "verify" information.
We will never ask you to click on a special site link to do so. While
emails of this nature may look like they are from us, and even use
our logo, they are most likely a "phishing" scam. Do
not answer them. If you receive an email purporting to
be from us, please do not hesitate to call us to confirm it.
When you bank online with us, your transaction is safeguarded by the
full extent of available technology. See Online
Banking Security
for more information.
Tips for spotting fraudulent emails
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Urgent appeals claim that your account may be closed
or access suspended if you fail to confirm, verify, or authenticate
your personal information immediately. Valley Bank and most other
financial institutions will not ask you to verify personal information
in this way.
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Requests for security information claim that the
bank has lost important security information and needs to update
it online. Valley Bank and most other financial institutions will
not ask you to verify personal information in this way.
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Typos and other errors are often the mark of fraudulent
emails or websites. Be on the lookout for: typographical or grammatical
errors; awkward, stilted, or inappropriate writing; and poor visual
or design quality.
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Too-good-to-be-true offers are often just that.
Don't get mixed up in fraudulent activity by believing emails or
web advertisements that offer to help you earn money by transferring
cash.
How
to avoid "Phishing" scams
-
Be suspicious
of any email with urgent requests for personal financial information.
Always confirm such request with your financial institution. "Phishers" often
use upsetting or exciting (but false) statements in their emails
to get people to react immediately. They typically ask for usernames,
passwords, credit/debit card and social security numbers.
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Don't use links in an email to get to any web page if you suspect
the message might be not authentic. Call the company or financial
institution or log into the website directly by typing in the web
address directly into your browser.
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Avoid
filling out forms in email messages that ask you for any personal
financial
information if the website is not secure. To ensure you
are on a secure web server, check the beginning of the web address
in your browser's address bar. It should read "https://" rather
than "http://". Also, look for the mini-padlock icon in
the bottom right-hand corner of the web page.
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Regularly log on to your online accounts and verify each transaction
is legitimate.
Online Banking Security
When you use the Internet to visit us, whether it's to learn about rates,
to review your accounts, or to transact other business, you are entering
a secure area. Here are just a few of the safeguards we have in place
to help ensure your personal security when visiting us online:
- Your Password - We'll ask you to develop a secret password that
only you will know. Only then will you be able to review personal
information about your account
- We have implemented new security enhancements to help
deter fraud and ensure that we are providing you with the highest level of security while you are banking online. Most of the security enhancements are occurring behind the scenes. With the exception of a few initial steps on your part, these new security features will seamlessly protect your ongoing online banking experience while maintaining the features and simplicity that you currently
enjoy.
- Our Privacy Policies - Our entire staff is dedicated to protecting
the personal privacy of you, our customer. We have stringent privacy
policies
in place, and have instituted bank-wide measures to assure that
they are strictly observed.
- Encryption
Software - "encryption software" makes it possible
to scramble a message between two parties (you and the bank), and
this "scrambling" protects your account information so
it can't be intercepted and read by a third party.
When you
bank with Valley Bank, you can bank with confidence….online,
on the phone, or in person!
Identity Theft
Identity theft is the fraudulent use of your name and identifying information
by someone else to obtain credit, merchandise, or services. ID thieves
will use your stolen personal information to illegally open bank accounts,
apply for credit cards, or obtain loans in your name in order to commit
fraud. It is one of the fastest-growing financial crimes and affects
millions of Americans each year. Identity theft does not discriminate.
It affects victims of all ages, races, and incomes.
How does identity theft happen?
Stealing wallets used to be the method most often used by identity thieves
to obtain social security numbers (SSNs), driver's licenses, credit card
numbers and other pieces of identification. While still in use, identity
thieves now utilize many other means:
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"Dumpster diving" in
trash bins for unshredded credit card and loan applications, medical
statements, and other documents
containing SSNs.
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Stealing mail from unlocked mailboxes to obtain newly issued credit
cards, bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers,
investment reports, insurance statements, benefits documents, or
tax information.
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Accessing your credit report fraudulently, for example, by posing
as an employer, loan officer, or landlord.
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"Shoulder surfing" at
ATM machines and phone booths in order to capture PIN numbers.
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E-mail spammers and fraudulent telemarketers use a false pretense
to lure you into revealing personal information by getting consumers
to respond to bogus emails
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Thieves use stolen or fake IDs to take over existing bank or credit
accounts. They escape detection by forwarding mail to private mailboxes
or new addresses
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Disposed computers. It is simple for a computer savvy individual
to recover sensitive files from computer hard drives that have been
improperly disposed of.
What can consumers do to help prevent it?
Although there is no one guaranteed method of stopping identity theft,
here are some steps you can take to help prevent it:
-
Shred papers containing personal information and pre-approved credit
offers before discarding them.
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Consider using a locked mailbox or slot to receive mail at home.
Deposit mail in postal mailboxes or in the post office to discourage
mail theft.
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Order your credit-bureau report annually from each of the three
major credit bureaus and check for errors and bogus accounts.
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Watch
out for "shoulder surfers" when
using pay phones, ATMs, or public Internet access; use your free
hand to shield the
keypad. Don't use cordless phones to conduct sensitive financial
or medical business, because eavesdroppers on other phones and those
using eavesdropping equipment may be able to overhear your conversations.
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Don't use e-mail to send your Social Security number or other personal
identifying information. We recommend against giving personal information
to any unsolicited requests, whether they be by phone or email. When
in doubt, confirm the legitimacy of the request by phoning or e-mailing
the company directly.
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Do not carry your Social Security card with you, memorize your SSN
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Do not attach any passwords or PINs to any ATM, debit, or credit
cards you may carry with you
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Individuals should use hard-drive shredding software or remove and
destroy hard drives before discarding a personal computer.
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Install firewalls and virus-detection software on your home computers
to thwart computer hackers. Quit your browser and log off after using
public Internet-access computers in libraries, Internet cafes, and
the like. Don't pay bills, bank, or conduct other financial transactions
on public computers.
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Always review your monthly bank, brokerage, and credit-card statements
for accuracy. Report any problems immediately.
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Exercise caution when using ATMs. Avoid using non-bank or strange-looking
automated teller machines, because they may have been rigged to steal
the data from the magnetic stripe on the back of your ATM card
What can I do if I believe I may be a victim of Identity Theft?
If you are a victim of identity theft, take the following four steps
as soon as possible, and keep a record with the details of your conversations
and copies of all correspondence.
1. Place a fraud alert on your credit reports, and review your
credit reports.
Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening any more
accounts in your name. Contact the toll-free fraud number of any of the
three consumer reporting companies below to place a fraud alert on your
credit report. You only need to contact one of the three companies to
place an alert. The company you call is required to contact the other
two, which will place an alert on their versions of your report, too.
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com
Once you place the fraud alert in your file, you're entitled to order
free copies of your credit reports, and, if you ask, only the last four
digits of your SSN will appear on your credit reports. Once you get your
credit reports, review them carefully. Look for inquiries from companies
you haven't contacted, accounts you didn't open, and debts on your accounts
that you can't explain. Check that information, like your SSN, address(es),
name or initials, and employers are correct. If you find fraudulent or
inaccurate information, get it removed.
2. Close the accounts that you know, or believe, have been tampered
with or opened fraudulently.
Call and speak with someone in the security or fraud department of each
company. Follow up in writing, and include copies (NOT originals) of
supporting documents.It's important to notify credit card companies
and banks in writing. Send your letters by certified mail, return
receipt requested, so you can document what the company received and
when. Keep a file of your correspondence and enclosures.
When you open new accounts, use new Personal Identification Numbers
(PINs) and passwords. Avoid using easily available information like your
mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your SSN
or your phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers.
If the identity thief has made charges or debits on your accounts, or
on fraudulently opened accounts, ask the company for the forms to dispute
those transactions:
Once you have resolved your identity theft dispute with the company,
ask for a letter stating that the company has closed the disputed accounts
and has discharged the fraudulent debts. This letter is your best proof
if errors relating to this account reappear on your credit report or
you are contacted again about the fraudulent debt.
3. File a report with your local police or the police in the community where
the identity theft took place.
Then, get
a copy of the police report or at the very least, the number of the
report.
It can help you deal with creditors who need proof of
the crime. If the police are reluctant to take your report, ask to file
a "Miscellaneous Incidents" report, or try another jurisdiction,
like your state police. You also can check with your state Attorney General's
office to find out if state law requires the police to take reports for
identity theft.
4. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
By sharing your identity theft complaint with the FTC, you will provide
important information that can help law enforcement officials across
the nation track down identity thieves and stop them. The FTC can refer
victims' complaints to other government agencies and companies for further
action, as well as investigate companies for violations of laws the agency
enforces. You can file a complaint online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft
. If you don't have Internet access, call the FTC's Identity Theft
Hotline: 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338).
Password Recommendations
Strong passwords are the key to your online security. There are 3 basic
elements to selecting and managing a secure password:
- Password Content - passwords need to be crafted so that they
cannot be easily deciphered
Password Do's:
- Passwords should be at least 8 characters in length
- They should be a combination of several elements. A secure password
contains at least three of the following four elements: upper case letters,
lower case letters, numbers, and symbols (#,$,%,!, etc.)
Password Do Not's:
- Passwords should not be a word found in the dictionary, also do not
select dictionary words that are spelled backwards
- Do not use words that are in a foreign language, slang, dialect, or
jargon
- Do not select common items such as: names of family members, pets,
friends, co-workers, sports teams, movies, shows
- Do not use items of personal information such as your social security
number, birth dates, license plate number, any part of your user ID,
addresses, phone numbers etc.
- Password Integrity
- Never reveal your password to anyone, not even members of your
household
- Do not write down or store your password where it could be
easily obtained by someone else
- Change Frequency
- Passwords should be changed on a regular basis, 4 times per
year at a minimum
- Change your entire password each time, not just one or two
characters
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Equal Housing Lender