Security – Working Together, We Can Fight Fraud

Since 1870 Androscoggin Bank has been protecting our customers' security and we have provided some tips that we hope will help you protect your personal, non-public information.  We are committed with helping our customers maintain a safe and secure on-line experience.

By remembering some basic security practices, we can work together to fight fraud and help ensure the protection of your personal and private information. Please browse the information below to learn more on important Security and Fraud issues.

How We Protect You

Technology – At Androscoggin Bank we have embraced the use of technology to ensure your personal non-public information is kept safe and secure.  The Bank uses firewalls, intrusion detection systems and other security best-practices so you can be assured the Bank takes the confidentiality and security of your personal information seriously.

Identity Theft

Identity theft is the practice of someone else using your personal information to open bank accounts, obtain credit cards, loans or conduct other fraudulent acts.

Once identity theft occurs the victim may find they are unable to obtain credit or secure loans due to damaged credit.  The victim may even face legal problems due to the fraud committed by the criminal.  It can take months and sometimes years to correct all the fraudulent activity and regain your normal credit history.

Here are some tips on how to protect your information to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.

• Do not carry your social security card or other document that has your SSN with you.  Keep it in a safe place separate from other personally identifying information.
• Shred statements and other documents that contain account numbers or other personal information before they are thrown out.
• Review your statements for any suspicious activity or transactions.  Inquire with your bank or credit card provider if you do not receive a statement when expected.
• Report lost or stolen cards as soon as possible.
• Verify your User Authenticity – When you sign up for On-line banking the system will prompt you to change your personal password.  Do not use words; make sure you use a variety of letters, numbers and symbols.
• Protect your Password – Do not give your password to anyone.  Financial institutions will not ask for your social security number or your password. If you do not remember your password after three attempts the system will lock you out and the bank will have to reset your account and you will have to put in a new password.

If you feel that your identity has been stolen, the following Federal Government agencies maintain web sites for reporting and defending yourself against identity theft.

• Federal Trade Commission
• US Department of Justice
• President's Identity Theft Task Force

To write a letter to the Federal Trade Commission regarding Identity Theft, send it to the following address:

Identity Theft Clearinghouse
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
Washington D.C. 20580
Call 800-IDTHEFT (438-4338)

Spoofing and Phishing

Spoofing – This is a term which means to deceive.  In the case of E-mail spoofing fraudsters change the "sender" information of an E-mail to make it appear as though it came from a trusted source.  Website spoofing is when a fraudulent site is created to be an exact replica of a legitimate website.

Phishing – This kind of "phishing" refers to tricking people into divulging personal information.  The most common form of phishing is for fraudsters to send a spoof E-mail to unsuspecting victims. These spoof E-mails look very much like an E-mail from a financial institution, merchant, credit card company or other legitimate business. The spoof E-mail will try to get you to click on a link that goes a fake Web site. The fake Web site can look surprisingly like the legitimate business. The fake Web site will ask for your personal information.

Some ways to protect yourself:

• Remember that, in the case of Spoofing and Phishing, no legitimate business, including Androscoggin Bank, will ever solicit personal information from you unless you initiate the contact first. 
• Never click on a link embedded in an E-mail that claims to direct you to the Web site of a business requesting personal information. If you are suspicious, call that business, confirm their web address (URL) and type it directly into your browser window.
• Never enter personal information online unless you are sure you are on a reputable site. If you are not sure, call that business and type the web address or URL into the browser.
• Be aware and be knowledgeable. For more information on spoofing and phishing, go to the Maine Anti-Phishing Coalition (nophishing.org) and the Anti-Phishing Work Group (antiphishing.org).

If you have specific questions about how Androscoggin Bank can help protect your personal information, feel free to contact our Customer Service Department at:1-800-966-9172.

Safe Computing Practices

Your computer is your gateway to the Internet.  In order to browse or conduct business online, you have to open a window to the outside world.  By following these safe computing tips you will greatly increase the security of your computer and reduce the chance of becoming a victim of fraud.

Software Updates – Keep your operating system and other software up to date.  Particularly ensure your Microsoft Windows environment is kept current.  Microsoft issues new security patches each month.  Security patches are updates to fix vulnerabilities that have been discovered in the software since it was originally released.  These vulnerabilities can be exploited to compromise the security of your computer.  It is recommended that all Windows systems should be configured to automatically check for new updates. Typically Mac's are set up to check for new updates, but Mac users can also launch the software updater software to check for recent updates.

Antivirus Software – Any computer browsing or doing business on the Internet should have an up to date antivirus application installed.  Antivirus software will protect your computer from viruses, worms and Trojan horses designed to exploit the vulnerabilities referenced above.  The software will scan files that are downloaded, received by E-mail and read from a floppy, compact or USB disk.  The software must be kept up to date in order to be effective since new viruses are discovered every day.

Anti Spyware Software – Like viruses and Trojans, spyware is software that can infect your computer and transmit information such as user ids, passwords and account information back to criminals.  Ensure your computer has up to date spyware software installed.

Firewalls – Firewall software will block incoming traffic to your computer except for that which you authorize.  Windows XP and newer versions of Windows come with a built in Firewall.  It is recommended that it be enabled  to protect your computer.

Passwords – Whether for online banking or any other online service, passwords are the frontline defense against gaining access to your personal information.  Your online passwords should be as strong as possible so they cannot be guessed by anyone.  Use the following guidelines when creating a password for Androscoggin Bank online services:

• Must consist of 8-17 letters and numbers
• Must contain at least 1 letter and 1 number
• We also recommend using Upper and lower case letters as well as a special character such as !@#$%^&
• We recommend you change your password every 45-90 days

Most Internet Service Providers will provide antivirus, anti spyware and firewall software free of charge.  Check with your ISP for details.

If you have specific questions about how Androscoggin Bank can help protect your personal information or you would like to report a suspicious E-mail, feel free to contact our Customer Service Department at:1-800-966-9172