IDENTITY THEFT
Identity theft affected 8.4 million US Adult victims during 2006. The total fraud during the one year period of 2006 cost consumers $49.3 billion.
Identity theft occurs when a criminal obtains information about the victim such as social security number, account numbers, or other sensitive information. The criminal then can open accounts or credit cards in the victim's name, or access existing accounts owned by the victim.
Foundation Bank maintains strict policies and procedures to ensure that all information you share with us remains confidential. See our Privacy Policy for detailed information.
PHISHING & PHARMING
Phishing is an e-mail scam being used to fraudulently obtain confidential information from the recipient.
Phishing is the act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft.
Pharming is the hijacking of an official website's address, so that users who enter the correct Web address are directed instead to a "knock off" of the correct page, where the users names, passwords and perhaps additional personal information is collected for later illegal use.
Phishing and Pharming are two slightly different strategies to the same illicit end.
The golden rule to avoid being Phished or Pharmed is to never click the links or file attachments within the text of the e-mail.
Foundation Bank will NEVER ask for personal information in the form of an e-mail. If you receive an e-mail and are questioning the validity of the e-mail please do not hesitate to contact us at 425-691-5000. Additionally, Foundation Bank may need to ask for certain information to ID you over the phone. However, never disclose information over the phone to anyone you are not familiar with. If you are uncertain of the identity of the person on the phone, please hang up and dial Foundation Bank directly.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Federal Trade Commission's Fighting Back Against Identity Theft Website
Social Security Administration's Electronic Fact Sheet |
