Consumer awareness

We have taken substantial measures at Northwestern Bank to protect your identity and your accounts.  Below are a number of tips to protect yourself, along with more information on Internet Phishing, and what to do if your identity is stolen.

Identity theft

You have probably heard about identity theft in the news.  Unfortunately, it is becoming more and more prevalent throughout the United States and even throughout the world. For information on protecting yourself from identity theft, visit the Identity Theft section of the The Federal Trade Commission's website.

Brochures

• Deter, Detect, and Defend to Avoid Identity Theft
• Protect Yourself From Phishing
• Business eBanking Fraud Prevention Best Practices
• Consumer eBanking Fraud Prevention Best Practices

Report a lost or stolen atm/debit card:

Immediately call 1-800-236-2442 (available 24 hours daily).
Then notify Northwestern Bank during business hours, at (712) 737-4911 or (712) 324-5141.

Fraud Alerts

As a reminder to our customers:  Never give personal information to anyone over the phone, the internet, or through the mail that you are not familiar with or did not initiate.  Do not click on attachments included in unsolicited emails, especially those that encourage you to act quickly or else suffer some scary fate.  These are almost universally scams or attempts to plant malicious software on your computer.  Also, note that the IRS has stated emphatically that it does not communicate with citizens via email.

Phone Scam

Local residents, and other people in various parts of the U.S., have been receiving phone, cell, and internet solicitations from individuals stating that their card has been compromised and needs to be deactivated.  Then the victim is asked to provide their credit card number and/or other personal information that can be used to commit identity theft.

As a reminder, Northwestern Bank will never ask for personal information over the phone or through an email.

Text Message Scam

Text messaging is another way thieves are trying to access your personal information.  Consumers have reported receiving a text message on their cell phone that their credit card/debit card/cell phone service has or will be deactivated and they need to text or call back the number with account and PIN information.  Of course if they do, they soon find their account has been hit by criminals.  Please be assured that Northwestern Bank will never ask for personal information in a text message or an email.  If you do receive this type of text message you should file a police report and contact your cell phone provider.

Credit Reports

Fight identity theft by monitoring and reviewing your credit report.  You may request your free credit report online, by phone, or through the mail.  Order your free credit report once per year here or call 1-800-322-8228.

Or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form (website above) and mail to:  Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

Do not contact the three nationwide consumer reporting companies individually.  They are providing free annual credit reports only through the contacts listed above.

Only one website is authorized to fill orders for the free annual credit report you are entitled to under law - annualcreditreport.com.  Beware of other sites that look and sound similar.  The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) advises consumers who order their free credit report online to be sure to correctly spell the web address or link to it from the FTC website to avoid being misdirected to other sites that offer supposedly free reports, but only with the purchase of other products.

To report identity theft to the nationwide consumer reporting companies:

• Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
• Experian: 1-888-397-3742
• TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
• Federal Trade Commission: 1-877-382-4357

Do Not Call Registry

The National Do Not Call Registry is putting consumers in charge of the telemarketing calls they get at home.  The Federal government created the national registry to make it easier and more efficient for you to stop getting telemarketing calls you don't want.  You can register online or call toll-free, 1-888-382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236) from the number you wish to register.  Registration is free.

onGuard Online

OnGuardOnline.gov provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information.

As a reminder to our customers: Never give personal information to anyone over the phone, the internet, or through the mail that you are not familiar with, or did not initiate.

Is gambling an issue?

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