First Bank is committed to safeguarding the information our clients and customers share with us.  Unfortunately, criminals have many methods they can use to obtain this information from you without your knowledge including the Internet, over the phone or through the trash you throw away.  We have compiled helpful information concerning identity theft and financial crime and how you can protect yourself.
 
Fraud & Identity Theft

Identity theft continues to be one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States, and has ranked as one of the top consumer concerns for the past several years. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has produced a multimedia presentation to help consumers protect themselves from identity theft. The presentation provides information on steps consumers should take to secure their computer and protect themselves from identity theft, as well as actions consumers should take if they become a victim of identity theft.


    

Your Credit Report

One of the best ways to protect yourself is by reviewing your credit report at least annually. You can request a report from each of the three credit bureaus.

For more information about how to obtain your credit report, please visit the Federal Trade Commitssion's website.
Online Banking Security

First Bank's online banking services contain security measures to limit the possibility of unintended distribution of confidential information and the potential for fraud-related losses. The service runs on a robust operating system. State of the art firewall technology is the first line of defense in preventing unauthorized access to any information housed.  Included in this operating system is the capacity to allow only secure connections by end users.

However, there are steps you should take to further protect yourself while online.

  • Do not write down your password and store it  near your computer system.
  • Change your password periodically 
  • Change your password immediately if  you suspect it has been compromised.
  • Never give your password to anyone over the phone, regardless of the circumstances.

Selecting Strong Passwords
The objective when creating a strong password is to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to make an educated guess about what you have selected. However, it should be developed in a manner that makes it simple to remember without writing it on paper.

Words to avoid when creating passwords:

  • Do not use your or any family member's name, nickname, or initials in any form
  • Do not use your user ID in any form.
  • Do not use other information that can be easily obtained about you. This includes birth dates, telephone numbers, license plate numbers, or Social Security numbers
  • Do not use all the same character (i.e., 55555) or consecutive keys on a keyboard (i.e., QWERTY).
  • Do not use words that would appear in a dictionary as they can be easily compromised by password cracking programs that employ electronic dictionaries.

Tips for choosing good passwords:

  • Develop a method of creating a password that makes it easier for you to remember, thus eliminating the temptation to write it down
  • You can use a a favorite phrase, selecting the first letter of each word to create your password. For added security, be sure to include at least one number. For example, "Win One For The Gipper" becomes the password WOFTG7.
  • Use two short words and connect them with a number. For example, THE8DUKE.
  • Use a word that you can easily remember, but remove the vowels and replace them with numbers. For example, the word "Internet" becomes the password 1NT3RN6T.

System Timeout/Lockout
In order to prevent someone from gaining unauthorized access to your financial information, you should always log off the system before walking away. As an added level of protection, the Internet Banking system has a timeout feature that automatically terminates your session after a period of inactivity.

For additional protection, access to the system accounts will be locked after three unsuccessful login attempts.