Identity Theft Prevention

Community Financial will never call, text or email our members and ask for their account number, social security number or other personal information.  If you are ever in doubt regarding a communication you've received, please call us at (877) 937-2328.

ID Theft - What You Should Know

According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft is defined as "The act of stealing your good name to commit fraud."

No one is immune, but you can take action to avoid becoming a victim. Following are a few suggestions on how to protect your name and good credit.

  • Carefully guard your personal information and be selective about with whom you share it. 
  • Carry as few credit cards and forms of ID as possible.
  • Keep a list or photocopies of all information you carry in your wallet or purse. Store this information in a secure location.
  • Shred documents that contain your personal information and account numbers before you throw them away. 
  • Don't print your driver's license or social security number on your checks.
  • Examine your credit report at least once a year. 
  • Do not reply to the unsolicited e-mail or respond by clicking on a link within the unsolicited e-mail message.
  • Check statements regularly, verify all transactions and notify financial institutions immediately of suspicious transactions.
If you find yourself a victim of identity theft, immediately take the following actions:
  • File a police report.
  • Contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit-reporting agencies listed below. Request that they place a "fraud alert" on your file and that no new credit be granted without your approval.
  • Contact Community Financial’s Member Contact Center at (877) 937-2328 to close your defrauded accounts and open new accounts.
For more information about identity theft visit:
  • Call the FTC Identity Theft Hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT.
  • Visit Identity Theft Resource Center : www.idtheftcenter.org

Free Credit Report Access

Consumers can request a free copy of their credit report from the three top reporting agencies. For your report, you can:

  • Visit www.annualcreditreport.com
  • Call (877) 322-8228; or
  • Mail a standardized form to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, Ga. 30348-5281.

Community Financial wants to help you stay on top of your credit and avoid unhappy surprises. We recommend you request and check your credit report once a year. Visit these links to the sites of the three major credit reporting agencies.

Equifax : 1-800-685-1111
http://www.equifax.com

Experian: 1-888-397-3742
http://www.experian.com

Trans Union: 1-800-888-4213
http://www.transunion.com

Go to main navigation