Identity Theft | Phishing | Website Spoofing

It's time to Take Action Against Identity Theft!

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Identity Theft and Online Fraud have become increasingly prevalent threats, especially on the Internet. Keeping your sensitive information confidential is always our priority. Our video, Your Security, Our Priority shows the steps Patriot National Bank takes to actively protect our customers.

Identity Theft occurs when someone steals personal information, such as your Social Security number, bank and/or credit card numbers, or other identifying information in an attempt to commit fraud or theft. You may not know you have been a victim of this crime until the fraudulent activity appears in your credit report, bills or bank statement.

How to Safeguard Against Identity Theft:

• Review your credit report annually at www.annualcreditreport.com
• Use secure personal identification numbers or passwords. It's best not to use obvious passwords such as family birthdates or family names. Memorize passwords rather than writing them down.
• Review all bank and credit card statements as soon as they arrive; contact companies if statements are late.
• Shred any unwanted documents.
• Retrieve your incoming mail promptly; don't leave outgoing mail in your mailbox.
• Take receipts from ATMs, gas pumps, restaurants.
• Beware of solicitors seeking information unless you have initiated the contact.
• Report lost or stolen credit cards and debit cards immediately!

If You Are a Victim of Identity Theft:

• Contact Patriot National Bank at 800.762.7620 if you believe your Patriot accounts have been affected.
• Contact each of your creditors to determine if there has been unauthorized activity on your account or new, unauthorized accounts have been opened in your name. Record these communications.
• File a report with your local police department.
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft or
  call 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338).
• Contact the Social Security Administration's Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0027.
• Contact each of the three credit reporting agencies below to have a fraud alert placed on your account. Creditors will then be instructed to obtain your authorization before opening any new accounts.

Equifax www.equifax.com or 1-800-525-6285; to request credit report, call 1-800-685-1111
Experian www.experian.com or 1-888-397-3742 (to report fraud or request credit report)
TransUnion www.transunion.com or 1-800-680-7289; to request credit report, call 1-800-916-8800

Phishing involves receiving an e-mail that appears to be from a legitimate company requesting your immediate action on an account-related matter. You will directed to a website where you are asked to supply personal information. This e-mail may even have the company's logo or be set up to resemble the company's site. You may also get an unsolicited e-mail with an attachment or a pop-up window that falsely claims to be a company's website. When you click these links or attachments you could be inadvertently installing software that will infect your computer with a virus, or secretly record and transmit your information.

Website Spoofing happens when you attempt to visit a legitimate Internet address and accidentally key-in or get linked to a different address. You may get led to a website that mimics the legitimate site. As in Phishing, the site may look like the legitimate site, using graphics, names and codes that appear the same. Any information you provide this site may be routed to Internet criminals.

• Do not reply to e-mail or pop-up messages asking for personal or financial information. Patriot National Bank never requests personal information from customers via e-mail and never directs customers by e-mail to click on an icon or URL. Don't e-mail personal or financial information. If you initiate a transaction, look for indicators that the message is secured, which can be validated by a lock icon.
• Use bookmarks to access known sites.
• Use updated anti-virus software.

• If you receive any Patriot National Bank-related e-mails you deem suspicious, please forward them to us at banking@pnbk.com.
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338) or visit www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft.pdf.