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Steps to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

• REVIEW YOUR BANK ACCOUNTS AND CREDIT CARD STATEMENTS FREQUENTLY. Use your Online Banking access with Mt. Washington Bank to monitor your banking statements. You can log on daily, even hourly and check your current activity. If you suspect any fraudulent activity, notify the bank immediately. Most credit card companies also have online access to monitor your activity. Check it out frequently – it doesn't cost a thing and well worth it!
• ORDER YOUR FREE ANNUAL CREDIT REPORTS. To order your FREE annual credit report, call toll-free 1-877-322-8228, visit www.annualcreditreport.com, or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form online and mail it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, PO. Box 105281, Atlanta GA 30348-5281. Hearing impaired consumers can access the TDD service at 1-877-730-4104. For your FREE annual credit report, do not contact the three nationwide consumer agencies separately, they provide this service only through http://www.annualcreditreport.com.
• REVIEW YOUR CREDIT REPORTS CAREFULLY. Once you receive your credit reports, review them carefully. Look for accounts you did non open or inquiries from creditors that you did not initiate. Verify that all the information is accurate. If you have questions or notice inaccurate information, please call the relevant consumer reporting agency at the telephone number listed on the report.
• PLACE A 90-DAY FRAUD ALERT ON YOUR CREDIT FILE. A fraud alert notifies creditors that you may be the victim of fraud and tells them to contact you before opening any new accounts. To place a fraud alert on your file, please call any one of the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies listed below. By calling one, the other two will automatically be notified. They will place a fraud alert on your credit file and will also assist you in getting a free credit report from each of the three agencies. The initial fraud alert will last for 90 days. You may want to renew it after the first 90 days. If you have already filed an identity theft report with your local police department, you should place an extended fraud alert on your credit file. This extended fraud alert is a free service and is valid for 7 years.

• EQUIFAX P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta GA 30348-5069 1-800-525-6285 www.equifax.com

  EXPERIAN P.O. Box 9532 Allen TX 75013 1-888-397-3742 www.experian.com

  TRANSUNION Fraud Victim Assistance Division P.O. Box 6790 Fullerton CA 92834 1-800-680-7289

• PLACE A SECURITY FREEZE ON YOUR CREDIT FILE. You may wish to place a security freeze on your credit file. A security freeze will prevent creditors from accessing your credit file at the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies without your consent. You can request a security freeze by contacting each of the three consumer agencies at:
  
  EQUIFAX SECURITY FREEZE – P.O. Box 105788, Atlanta GA 30348 – www.equifax.com
  EXPERIAN SECURITY FREEZE – P.O. Box 9554, Allen TX 75013 – www.Experian.com
  TRANSUNION FRAUD VICTIM ASSISTANCE – P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton CA 92834 – www.transunion.com

To consumer reporting agencies may charge a reasonable fee to place a freeze on your account and may require that you provide proper identification prior to honoring your request.