Citizens Financial Bank is committed to maintaining the privacy and security of our customer’s personal and account related information. You will never receive a phone call or an e-mail from a Citizens employee requesting account related information or password information. We want to help you protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft and fraud. Listed below are some examples of current scams and useful tips: Debit Card Fraud Do not write your Personal Identification Number (PIN) on your card or keep the PIN in your wallet, purse, car, etc. If your purse or wallet is stolen, the thief can easily locate the PIN and withdraw funds from your account. Never share your PIN with anyone. You can change your PIN at an ATM. Select an easy to remember PIN that means something to you and not others. PINs such as 1111, 1234, last 4-digits of your social security number, date of birth, etc. are not secure PINs. If your card is lost or stolen, please contact us immediately at 1-888-226-5237. Phishing Scams "Phishing" refers to a scam in which a phone call or e-mail appears to be from a bank or merchant warning you to take immediate action, asking for personal or account information, requesting PIN (personal identification number) or password information, etc.   More Information on Phishing Scams† Spyware & Pharming Scams "Spyware" is a form of software that collects personal and confidential information with consent and reports it to a third party. Spyware is usually installed without a user’s knowledge or permission. “Pharming” is the practice of redirecting an individual to a false Web site in order to capture personal information, which may later be used to commit fraud and identity theft. More Information on Spyware and Pharming Scams† Check Scams Scam artists approach young people and longtime accountholders and offer them cash incentives to deposit or cash checks for them. Be aware, these checks are fraudulent! If they were good checks, the individuals would not need anyone to negotiate the check for them. Please review this information with members of your household. Young adults are most susceptible to this type of fraud. Useful Tips Be aware of unsolicited phone calls or e-mails. If you receive any suspicious phone calls, faxes or e-mails from an individual posing as a Citizens employee or bearing the name or logo of Citizens; please contact our Customer Service Center at 1-888-226-5237. Never give out your personal information (name, address, social security number, account number, credit card number, etc.) in response to an unsolicited phone call, fax or e-mail, no matter how official it may seem. Never reply to a link on a Pop-Up message that requests confidential information. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information via e-mail. Never respond to an e-mail that warns of dire consequences unless you provide information immediately. E-mail is not a secure method of transmitting personal information. Always contact financial institutions or merchants in your usual way by visiting known website addresses or by calling the published customer contact phone number. Create bookmarks for frequently accessed websites, especially sites that contain sensitive or personal information. Do not follow (click on) a link that may be contained in an e-mail message. When entering personal or financial information on a website, look for a padlock or key icon at the bottom of your browser. Make sure the internet address begins with "https" (“s” stands for “secure”). This indicates that your information is secure during transmission. End your secure session completely by "logging off." Close your browser’s window as an extra precaution. Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from e-mails you receive, regardless of who sent them. Protecting Your Identity One of the fastest growing crimes in the United States is when someone uses your name or personal information to commit financial fraud, otherwise known as identify theft. Keep personal information in a safe place. Review financial statements regularly. Dispose of confidential information in a secure manner such as shredding. Never reveal any User ID’s, Passwords or Personal Identification Numbers to anyone. Change passwords periodically. Your password should be a random mixture of 7 – 12 alpha and numeric characters. For added protection, we suggest that your password also contain characters, for example ( ! @ # $ % & * ). More Information on Identity Theft† More Information on Fighting Identity Theft† Generation Gold® † members have access to the Identity Theft Protection & Security Center †.  Not a member of Generations Gold®? Ask us how you can add this great feature to your Citizens checking account. Fraud Alerts, Junk Mail Reduction, Credit Report Alerts Identity Theft Restoration Services