Protect Your Identity

Safe banking tips from Mariner Pete.

Topics: Protect Your Card & Identity Deter Identity Thieves Lost or Stolen Debit Card Fake Check Scams Alert the Credit Bureaus

Protect Your Debit / ATM Card And Your Identity

Review your accounts frequently online or within 10 days of receiving your paper statement.
Report a lost or stolen card immediately.
If you have proof of theft or criminal misuse, file a police report.
Provide your card information only to trusted sources.
Contact the bank if you are planning to travel abroad.

Treat your Debit card like cash.  Keep it in a safe place.
Never reveal your PIN to anyone.  Not even the bank needs to know it. 
Do not allow a cashier to enter your PIN for you, even if they are just trying to assist with the transaction.
Never lend your card.  Your debit card is your responsibility. 

Only use your debit card for everyday purchases.  For purchases made on the Internet or by phone, credit cards offer broader protection.  When you contest a credit card charge, you do not have to pay until the dispute is settled.  With a debit card transaction, the vendor already has deducted the money directly from your checking account and then has the potential to empty your bank account very quickly. 

Before using a gas pump or ATM machine, observe the machine and its surroundings.  If it appears to have any attachments or to have been tampered with in any way, do not use it.  It may have been tampered with by criminals.  Contact the bank if you believe your card may have been compromised in such a manner. 

Deter Identity Thieves

Safeguard your good name.  Identity theft can destroy your credit and end up costing you time and money. 

Shred financial and other sensitive documents.
Keep financial and other sensitive documents in a secure place when storing them at home. 
Keep track of your receipts, record your purchases, and regularly balance your checkbook.
Don't give out personal information on the phone, in the mail, or over the Internet unless your are certain of who you are dealing with.
Use complex passwords.  Don't use anything related to your name, birthday, SSN, etc...  Try to use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.

Report A Lost or Stolen Marine Bank & Trust Debit Card

During normal business hours:  Call one of our personal bankers at (772) 231-6611 for the Beachland Office or (772) 778-6713 for the US Hwy 1 Office.

After normal business hours:  Call our Hot Card Service Center at 800-554-8969.  This number is for lost or stolen debit cards only.  For assistance with other matters (card not working, PIN reset, damaged card, etc...), please contact one of our personal bankers during normal business hours.

Protect Yourself Against Fake Check Scams

These scams could leave you owing money and include:  foreign lottery, check overpayment, Internet auction, and secret shopper scams. 

Throw away any offer that asks you to pay for a prize or a gift.  Never provide your bank account to such offers. 

If you think you've been targeted by a counterfeit check scam, report it to the following agencies:
Federal Trade Commission, 877-382-4357 or www.ftc.gov
US Postal Inspection Service, call your local post office or www.usps.com
State or other local consumer protection agencies, call your State Attorney General or www.naag.org

Alert the Credit Bureaus

You may place a security alert on your credit bureau file.  This alert will flag your file for additional scrutiny at all credit reporting agencies.  This service, which is free of charge, provides a significant layer of protection but you must contact the credit bureaus directly to request this alert.  By law, we cannot make this request on your behalf.  If you choose to put a security alert on your file with one agency, that agency will notify the other agencies; however, the notification is timelier if you contact all three agencies.  You may place or remove the security alert at any time by calling one of the following agencies: