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ID theft growing – but not from online activity.

You hear it all the time: One of your members hesitates before signing up for electronic statements, even though they offer a more convenient, safer alternative to paper statements. With the issue of identity theft making big news these days, security fears might make members a little skittish at the thought of eStatements. How should you respond? Start by being confident, knowing the facts are on your side.

Tips for members*

Never respond to requests for personal information, whether by telephone, email or USPS. If the query is legitimate, you can verify it by calling the business or agency back at a number you have on file – not one the requestor offers.
Given criminals’ penchant for paper, shred or completely destroy statements no longer needed.
Make it a practice to regularly review your statements for suspicious activity.
Ask retailers and service providers how they dispose of credit card information; if the answer doesn’t satisfy you, stop frequenting their businesses.
Make a mental note of when bills and statements should arrive in your mailbox; if they don’t show up on time, find out why not – criminals have changed consumers’ addresses and then run up bills on their accounts.
Don’t carry your social security card or infrequently used credit cards.
On all credit cards, write “ask for identification” – don’t simply sign the card.
If you haven’t begun using eStatements yet, now’s the time; unlike paper statements, sensitive information (such as social security card numbers) never shows up on an eStatement.

*DigitalMailer invites you to reproduce any of these tips you wish for your members’ benefit.