Security & Fraud Protection

Community Financial will never contact you to ask for private information like pins, one-time passcodes, account or card numbers, etc.

If you receive communication that you believe to be fraudulent or sounds suspicious, please call our Care Center at (877) 937-2328 or visit us at any branch location.

Protecting You

The safety and security of your private information is our highest priority! From the tech we use to the training sessions our team members undertake, it’s no exaggeration to say that protecting information is always at the top of our minds. We keep an extra-keen eye on your money, so you can always feel comfortable about your financial safety with Community Financial.

Safety Services

We pride ourselves on the first-class security and fraud protection services that we offer. All are non-invasive, and free of charge to our Community Financial members.

Fraud Alerts

Any and all of your Community Financial Mastercard^® debit and credit card(s) can be easily enrolled into fraud alerts. Alerts are sent via email, phone call, or text message. Text message alerts will only come from the number 21556.

Mastercard^® ID Theft Protection

All Community Financial cardholders are eligible to enroll in Mastercard^® ID Theft Protection^™ at no cost.* Visit their ID Theft Protection^™ homepage to register.

Mastercard^® Identity Check

To prevent fraudulent online spending, some transactions will need to be verified. If you receive a Mastercard^® Identity Check notification while shopping online, please call (866) 570-1235 to verify that the purchase is legitimate.

Mastercard^® Zero Liability Protection

If your Community Financial debit or credit card has been used fraudulently despite reasonable care in protection from loss or theft, then you won’t be held responsible for the unauthorized transaction(s) when you promptly report the loss or theft to us. Visit the Mastercard^® Zero Liability Protection page to learn more. To report the loss or theft of a card, call us at (877) 937-2328 or visit any branch location.

Digital Wallet Contactless Payments

Contactless Payments through your phone’s digital wallet are safer than hand-to-hand transactions, as your payment information is encrypted and never stored with the merchant. Just follow the setup instructions on your smartwatch or phone’s digital wallet to add your Community Financial debit or credit card.

Credit Score Monitoring

A sudden and unexpected change in your credit report is a potential sign of identity theft, so we help you keep an eye on it. One helpful tool that we offer for monitoring your score is called SavvyMoney^®, and it’s integrated into our digital banking platform! It gives you access to your real-time credit score and report, with monitoring and alerts built right in. Please note that your SavvyMoney^® credit score may differ slightly from the score given by the top three reporting agencies. For a free copy of your credit report from Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion, follow the steps outlined on our Identity Theft Prevention page.

Protecting Yourself

Keeping track of your personal information and those who have access to it is the best way to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of fraud. Thankfully, there are a few small precautions that you can take to greatly reduce the risk of someone using your private information without your knowledge.

What to Watch Out For

Fraudsters are inventive, often coming up with new tricks to access money and info. The list below is not an exhaustive one, but it does contain some of the more common fraud techniques that are used. Above all else, be skeptical of any person or organization who reaches out to you for private information, especially when they make it seem urgent.

Unsolicited phone calls

We will never call you asking to provide or verify private information. Please do not give out personal information to anyone who contacts you, even if the phone number looks legitimate.

Fake retail websites

Fake versions of online retailers are becoming increasingly common. Always verify that the web address is correct before entering any information. You should also be very cautious of any deals that seem too good to be true.

Phishing emails & texts

Like phone calls, we will never ask for private information over text or email.

Do not click on links in suspicious texts or emails. Sometimes they contain viruses that steal your information, and other times they lead to fake websites that look real, but steal your information when you try to log in.

Fake tech support

Calls, emails, or web pop-ups claiming to be tech support (often from a big-name computer company) are often scams to take over your computer and steal information.

Tips for Safe Info

Verify the legitimacy of any business, group, or organization before sharing information with them.
Use strong, hard to guess passwords or codes that are unique to each service.
Carry as few cards and forms of ID as realistically possible.
Shred documents that contain your personal information before throwing them away.
Examine your credit report often – at least once per year.
Check statements regularly and verify that all transactions are your own.
Trust your instincts. If something gives off a fishy feeling, there might be a good reason why.

How to Report & What to Do

Credit Card Fraud

Identity Theft

To close any fraudulent accounts at Community Financial, or if you have questions about identity theft related to your accounts, call (877) 937-2328 or visit one of our branch locations.

If you suspect that you are the victim of identity theft, follow the steps detailed on the Federal Trade Commission’s dedicated website for Identity Theft. We encourage you to follow their detailed instructions – but as a short summary, they are:

Contact the fraud department of each business where fraud has taken place. Ask them to freeze your account(s). Change all logins, pins, and passwords.
Contact one of the three major credit-reporting agencies to place a fraud alert on your file.
- You may also place a credit freeze on your file to stop new accounts from being opened in your name. You must contact all three agencies for a credit freeze.
Request a free credit report from each of the agencies. After placing a fraud alert, you are entitled to a free report from each agency, that will not count towards your normal free annual report.
Report your stolen identity to the FTC at www.identitytheft.gov. You may also call 1-877-438-4338 to report the theft.
File a report at your local police department. While this step is not explicitly required, you may need a police report for later steps in the process.
Call each business where fraud has occurred to close fraudulent accounts and remove fraudulent charges.
- Be sure to also ask each business for a letter confirming that the account or charges are not yours, you are not liable for them, and they have been removed from your credit report.
- This may require a copy of your FTC Identity Theft Report.
Send a copy of your Identity Theft Report to each of three credit-reporting agencies, with proof of your identity and a written explanation of the information that needs to be corrected as a result of the theft.
Review your credit report often.
- You can check your report for free at www.annualcreditreport.com once per week to look for new signs of fraud.
  Equifax: 1-800-685-1111
  Experian: 1-888-397-3742
  Trans Union: 1-800-888-4213

Other Instances

DISCLOSURES: *Certain terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Cardholders need to register for this service. This service is provided by Generali Global Assistance Inc. Please see your Guide to Benefits for details or call 1-800-MASTERCARD.

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