At LibertyPointe 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.

LibertyPointe 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

• Urgent appeals claim that your account may be closed or access suspended if you fail to confirm, verify, or authenticate your personal information immediately. LibertyPointe Bank and most other financial institutions will not ask you to verify personal information in this way.
• Requests for security information claim that the bank has lost important security information and needs to update it online. LibertyPointe Bank and most other financial institutions will not ask you to verify personal information in this way.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Regularly log on to your online accounts and verify each transaction is legitimate.
• 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.

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.

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:

• "Dumpster diving" in trash bins for unshredded credit card and loan applications, medical statements, and other documents containing SSNs.
• 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.
• Accessing your credit report fraudulently, for example, by posing as an employer, loan officer, or landlord.
• "Shoulder surfing" at ATM machines and phone booths in order to capture PIN numbers.
• 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
• 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
• 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.
• 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.
• Order your credit-bureau report annually from each of the three major credit bureaus and check for errors and bogus accounts.
• 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.
• 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.
• Do not carry your Social Security card with you, memorize your SSN
• Do not attach any passwords or PINs to any ATM, debit, or credit cards you may carry with you
• Individuals should use hard-drive cleaning software or remove and destroy hard drives before discarding a personal computer.
• 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.
• Always review your monthly bank, brokerage, and credit-card statements for accuracy. Report any problems immediately.
• 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:

1. 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.

2. 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

3. 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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