Information Security - Centennial Bank

Protecting your Identity

Centennial Bank is serious about your account security and has recently enhanced our fraud protection methods to help prevent account loss. If your account has suspected fraud, we will use every method to notify you.

Please be aware our fraud department may contact you by text message, telephone call or email.

For additional protection, we request customers:

Use a PIN on all debit card transactions at large retail merchants. If a PIN is not used the transaction may not be accepted.
Monitor account activity. You can view account activities through online banking or by using the Centennial Bank Mobile App¹.
Enroll in SMS (text) Banking², and establish account alerts. To enroll log into Online Banking and select menu option “Services/Mobile Banking.”

Substantial measures are in place at Centennial Bank to protect your identity and your accounts against theft and fraud. For example, stringent bank privacy policies protect your personal and financial information. Password protection for online transactions helps assure online security. When using our online services, you develop a secret password that only you know. Encryption of online transactions with your bank converts your information into secure code, protecting you against hackers.

Financial Elder Abuse: Know the Signs. Protect Your Loved Ones.

Financial Elder Abuse

Older adults are often targeted by scammers, but financial elder abuse doesn't always come from strangers. It can also involve someone they know and trust.

Understanding the warning signs can help protect the people you care about.

Common Signs Of Financial Abuse

Unexplained withdrawals or unusual spending.
Sudden changes to banking habits or account activity.
New names added to accounts or unexpected changes to legal documents.
Unpaid bills despite having enough money.
Someone pressuring an older adult to send money, make purchases, or share financial information.
Isolation from family or friends while another person takes control of finances.

How You Can Help

Check in regularly with older family members about their finances.
Encourage them to be cautious of unsolicited calls, texts, and emails.
Remind them never to share passwords, security codes, or online banking credentials.
Help them review account activity for anything unusual.
If something doesn't feel right, encourage them to contact their bank immediately.

How serious is the Problem?

Thieves obtain personal information such as, social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, credit card numbers and even birth certificates and passports. Accounts are then opened in the victims’ name for credit cards and loans with the mail diverted to a different address. With this approach, it could take months or years to learn that you are a victim.

Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

🔒 Protect Personal Information

Do not give out financial information such as checking and credit card numbers, or your social security number, unless you know the person or organization.
Notify your banker of suspicious phone inquiries such as those asking for account information to "verify your account" or "be awarded a prize."
Closely guard your ATM personal identification number and ATM receipts.
Block your ATM transactions with your body. Keep the keyboard from view and prevent someone from learning your personal identification number (PIN).
Commit all passwords and personal identification numbers to memory.
Be creative when you select a password. Don't be obvious.

📬 Protect Mail & Documents

Report lost or stolen checks immediately.
Shred any financial solicitations and bank statements before disposing of them.
Put outgoing mail into a secure, official Postal Service collection box.
Destroy pre-approved credit card offers before throwing them out.
Account for all new checkbooks when you receive them in the mail.
Keep new and cancelled checks in a safe place.

🚨 Monitor for Fraud

If regular bills fail to reach you, call the company to find out why.
If your bills include questionable items, don't ignore them. Investigate immediately to head off any possible fraud.
Stay a step ahead with the latest information and practical tips from the nation's consumer protection agency. Click here to review the FTC's Scam Alerts.
Periodically contact the major credit reporting companies to review your file and make sure the information is correct.

Credit Reporting Resources

Equifax

🌐 www.equifax.com

Place a fraud report:
1-888-766-0008

Order a credit report:
1-800-685-1111

Experian

🌐 www.experian.com

Place a fraud report: 1-888-397-3742 Order a credit report: 1-888-397-3742

TransUnion

🌐 www.transunion.com

Place a fraud report:
1-800-680-7289

Order a credit report:
1-800-888-4213

Free Credit Reports

Obtain a free credit report:

✅ AnnualCreditReport.com
📞 (877) 322-8228

Common IRS Fraud Attempts and How to Respond

If you receive a call from someone who (a) claims to be a member of the IRS or (b) demands that you pay back taxes, do not provide personal or confidential information.

The first step of IRS correspondence is to mail the taxpayer, and the IRS will never email or call you to request personal information or immediate payment.

Verify Suspicious Tax Claims
Check any suspicious tax claims by calling the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to confirm any issues with your taxes.

Report IRS Impersonation Scams
If you suspect that a caller is impersonating the IRS, report the call to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting.

Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act)

The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act) will help reduce identity theft according to Congress and the Federal Trade Commission.

One provision requires the three major credit-reporting agencies to provide consumers with a free copy of their own credit report.

The requirement took effect in December 2004.

National Fraud Alert System

Another provision to help prevent identity theft is the National Fraud Alert System.

Consumers who reasonably suspect they have been or may be victimized by identity theft, or who are military personnel on active duty away from home, can place an alert on their credit files.

The alert will put potential creditors on notice that they must proceed with caution when granting credit.

What to Do If You Are a Victim

Contact your credit card company and your financial institution and close your accounts. The FBI suggests that you put passwords (not your mother's maiden name) on any new accounts you open. Call the three major credit bureaus to tell 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.

Credit Bureau Contacts

Equifax: 800-525-6285
Experian: 888-397-3742
TransUnion: 800-680-7289

Additional Reporting Resources

Call the Social Security Fraud Hotline: 800-269-0271

Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) theft hotline: 877-438-4338, or visit them online here.

You should not only file a report with the police, but also get a copy of the report in case you need proof of the crime later for credit card companies etc.

If your checks are used fraudulently, report to:

Checkrite: 800-766-2748
Chexsystems: 800-428-9623
Equifax: 800-437-5120
National Processing Company: 800-526-5380
Scan: 800-526-5380
Telecheck: 800-710-9898

Other Measures Are in Place to Help Consumers Recover Their Credit Reputation

Credit reporting agencies must stop reporting allegedly fraudulent account information when a consumer establishes that he or she has been the victim of identity theft.
Creditors or businesses must provide copies of business records or fraudulent accounts or transactions related to them.
This information can assist victims in proving that they are, in fact, victims.
Consumers will be allowed to report accounts affected by identity theft directly to creditors in addition to credit reporting agencies to prevent the spread of erroneous information.

Centennial Bank Is Committed to the Fight Against Identity Theft.
If you have any questions or concerns about protecting your financial identity, come in and visit your banker.

Online Banking

Protecting your Identity