Security Center

Fraud Prevention

Fraud can be disguised in many forms, and its impact can range from a nuisance to financially debilitating. Stay vigilant and protect yourself to prevent identity theft and financial ruin.

Report Suspicious Activity

Know the signs

Monitor the balances of your financial accounts. Look for unexplained charges or withdrawals. Know that Texas First Bank will NEVER ask for your personal information via email or text message unless YOU initiated the contact. If you get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it's from us, you should call us immediately and NOT respond.

Failing to receive bills or other mail signaling an address change by the identity thief.
Receiving credit cards for which you did not apply.
Denial of credit for no apparent reason.
Receiving calls from debt collectors or companies about merchandise or services you didn't buy.

Report Suspicious Activity

Stay on top of fraudsters with these tips

Only share personal information with sources you trust.
Only carry the identification, credit, and debit cards you need.
Carefully examine all bank statements to verify charges.
Shred receipts, checks, insurance forms, and bank statements.
Set up online delivery of your documents.
If you’re on vacation, have someone pick up your mail, or request a hold.
Order and review a copy of your credit report on an annual basis.
Use social media wisely, and turn on two-step verification.

Are you a victim of identity fraud?

Even if you've been very careful about keeping your personal information to yourself, an identity thief can strike. If you suspect that your personal information has been used to commit fraud or theft, take the following four steps right away.

Remember to follow up on all calls in writing, send your letter by certified mail with the return receipt requested, so you can document what the company received and when, and keep copies for your files.

Place a fraud alert on your credit reports and review your credit reports.

Safeguard your credit and identity with a simple phone call. Call one of the three major credit bureaus’ toll-free fraud numbers to place a fraud alert on your report, which could help deter an identity thief from opening further accounts in your name. When you activate this alert, it will inform all three credit bureaus—who will then send you all their reports free of charge! Once received, carefully examine them: keep watch for suspicious inquiries or debts that don’t feel familiar; ensure SSNs, addresses & other personal information are accurate too. Taking these steps today can prevent nasty surprises tomorrow—so secure yourself now!

Equifax: (800) 525-6285, P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Experian: 1 (888) EXPERIAN (397-3742), P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion: 1 (800) 680-7289, Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790

Close any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Credit Accounts

Credit accounts include all accounts with banks, credit card companies and other lenders, phone companies, utilities, ISPs, and other service providers. If you’re closing existing accounts and opening new ones, use new Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) and passwords.
If your ATM card has been lost, stolen, or otherwise compromised, cancel the card as soon as you can. Get a new card with a new PIN. Call (800) 500-1044.

If there are fraudulent charges or debits, ask the company about the following forms for disputing those transactions:

For new unauthorized accounts, ask if the company accepts the ID Theft Affidavit.
If they don’t, ask the representative to send you the company’s fraud dispute forms.
For your existing accounts, ask the representative to send you the company’s fraud dispute forms.

Checks
If your checks have been stolen or misused, close the account and ask your bank to notify the appropriate check verification service. While no federal law limits your losses if someone steals your checks and forges your signature, state laws may protect you.

Most states hold the bank responsible for losses from a forged check, but they also require you to take reasonable care of your account. For example, you may be held responsible for the forgery if you fail to notify the bank in a timely way that a check was lost or stolen. Contact your state banking or consumer protection agency for more information.

You also should contact these major check verification companies. Ask that retailers who use their databases not accept your checks.

TeleCheck: (800) 710-9898 or 927-0188
Certegy, Inc.: (800) 437-5120
International Check Services: (800) 631-9656

Call SCAN at (800) 262-7771 to find out if the identity thief has been passing bad checks in your name.

File a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place.

File a complaint with the FTC.

By sharing your identity theft complaint with the FTC, you will provide important information that can help law enforcement officials track down identity thieves and stop them. The FTC also can refer victim complaints to other appropriate government agencies and companies for further action. The FTC enters the information you provide into our secure database.

To file a complaint or to learn more about the FTC’s Privacy Policy, visit www.consumer.gov/idtheft. If you don’t have access to the internet, you can call the FTC’s Identity Theft Hotline at 1 (877) IDTHEFT (438-4338); TDD: (202) 326-2502; or write: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580.

Additional information is available at FDIC Consumer Assistance.

Social Security Numbers

Very likely, your employer and financial institution will need your SSN for wage and tax reporting purposes. Other private businesses may ask you for your SSN to do a credit check, such as when you apply for a car loan. Sometimes, however, they simply want your SSN for general record keeping. If someone asks for your SSN, ask the following questions:

Why do you need it?
How will it be used?
How do you protect it from being stolen?
What will happen if I don’t give it to you?

If you don’t provide your SSN, some businesses may not provide you with the service or benefit you want. Getting satisfactory answers to your questions will help you to decide whether you want to share your SSN with the business.

Phishing/Smishing

Identity theft is an ever-growing problem, with criminals getting more and more inventive by the day. One method used to target innocent victims is called “phishing”, or “carding”/“smishing”; maliciously crafted warnings are emailed/texted in order to extract personal information such as credit card numbers, bank account details, passwords, etc., from unsuspecting users. Texas First Bank urges customers to never provide any confidential data unless requested directly from one of its authorized representatives via a legitimate communication channel—otherwise, it could be too late!

Always think twice before sharing personal or financial details, and take a look at credit card/bank statements as soon as you can—don’t be the victim of an unauthorized charge. For more tips on keeping yourself safe from phishing scams, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website for more information.

Protect your social media accounts

Social media has revolutionized the way we stay connected with our loved ones and associates, creating powerful online communities. But just like in any other community, you must exercise caution by being mindful of what information you share and how it may affect your safety when navigating these digital spaces.

Use Privacy Controls to restrict who can see your profile and posts.
Watch what you post. When posting, keep in mind that even a deleted post may have already been copied and the content may still be in the provider’s system, even if it is no longer visible. You also shouldn’t post information about significant dates that involve your family members i.e., birthdays, ages, or even family members’ names.
Don’t reveal too much. Personal information such as where you live, work, or go to school could be used against you. Travel plans can give an indication that your home may be unoccupied. Identity thieves will read through your profile history which can paint a detailed picture of who you are.
Photos taken with newer cameras and smartphones can include your location embedded in the image, called EXIF data. This can indicate where you are even if you don’t mention it in the post. The background of the photo may also give away information.

Use ATMs safely

ATMs can be a great way of getting access to quick cash when needed, but you need to stay safe while using them. It’s important to know your surroundings, be aware of card-skimming devices, and always be vigilant with your PIN number. Following these few precautions can help you use ATMs safely and securely.

Be aware of people and your surroundings. Shield the ATM keypad with your hand or body while entering your PIN.
Protect the secrecy of your Personal Identification Number (PIN). Protect your ATM card as though it were cash. Don’t tell anyone your PIN or write it where it can be discovered.
At a drive-up facility, make sure all the car doors are locked and all of the windows are rolled up, except the driver’s window. Keep the engine running and remain alert to your surroundings.
Check to see if the ATM appears to have been tampered with. If so, look for a different one.
Prepare for your transactions at home (for instance, by filling out a deposit slip) to minimize your time at the ATM or night deposit facility. Put away your card and cash immediately after withdrawals.
Don’t accept help from anyone you don’t know when using an ATM or night deposit facility.
Save your ATM receipts. Don’t leave them at the ATM or night deposit facility because they may contain important account information. Compare your records with the account statements you receive.

Receive fraud text alerts

At Texas First Bank, we take quick action and send you a text message if anything suspicious shows up on your account. If you receive a fraud alert message, simply respond whether the transaction was yours or not.

Enhanced fraud prevention, available 24/7.
Automatic enrollment for Texas First Bank customers.
Alerts are also available via email.
The majority of suspected fraud accounts are blocked.
Transactions can be unblocked by replying to a text message.

Questions?

Learn more about our text fraud alert service in our FAQ.

Suspect something? We’ve got your back.

If you believe you’ve identified fraud, please report it. Examples of suspicious activity you should report include:

False calls pretending to be from Texas First Bank.
Phishing attempts from people who pretend to be Texas First Bank.
SMS message phishing (“smishing”) from someone pretending to be Texas First Bank.
Fraudulent Texas First Bank letters received in the mail.
Fraudulent Texas First Bank checks in circulation.

NOTE: If you believe you’re a victim of credit or debit card fraud or would like to dispute a charge, do not complete the following online form. Contact our Visa® department at (800) 500-1044 for debit/check cards or (800) 325-3678 for credit cards.

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