hand holding a smartphone

At Credence Global Bank, we fully embrace the digital evolution. We’re proud to offer products and services that allow our customers to manage their accounts digitally (and virtually).

As digital alternatives start to become the norm, and many of us are doing virtually everything online these days, cyber security has never been a more important topic to talk about. There are preventative steps you can think about to help protect your personal and financial data online. Keep reading below for some helpful data security tips.

You can find more information about Credence Global Bank’s approach to security in our Security Center.

What can I do to help keep my information safe?

There are steps you can take to help keep your information more secure.

Improve Your Password Security

  • Create strong passwords for each website you use and change them often. Avoid sharing usernames and passwords with others. (Check out our tips on how to create secure passwords.)
  • Remember that password security is not just for your financial accounts, but for email and other sites where personal information can be gleaned about you. Even social media sites like Facebook can be used to garner information about you that could be used to bypass security in other areas.

Think About Precautions, Online and Offline

  • Keeping your operating system, browser, and other critical software optimized by installing updates and security software helps protect against vulnerabilities.
  • Avoid downloading files from unknown sources.
  • Take prevention offline by shredding any documents that contain account numbers or other sensitive information.

Be Smart About Your Online Activity

  • Limit the amount of personal information you post on social networking sites.
  • Be cautious about what you receive or read online – don’t respond to “phishing” emails (criminals send out fake emails to random email addresses to trick customers into divulging personal information) or “smishing” texts (criminals send out fake SMS messages with a link to a fraudulent website or phone number to try and collect personal information).

How can I check for suspicious activity?

Consider Credit Monitoring and Identity Monitoring

Credit monitoring services are used to notify you when changes are posted to your credit report. While credit monitoring watches your credit report, identity monitoring can alert you when your personal information (bank account, SSN, driver’s license, passport, etc.) is used in an irregular way. You can learn more about how credit and identity monitoring work and what’s in a credit report here.

Look For Warning Signs of Fraud

Make a habit of checking on your financial accounts and credit report regularly. Carefully read through your statements once they’re made available, or even better, keep tabs on your recent transactions as they’re posted online. Take advantage of the fact that you can obtain a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from all three credit bureaus by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com.

Here are some warning signs for fraudulent activity or identity theft to watch out for:

  • Unexpected charges on your account
  • Unrecognizable accounts on your credit report or inaccurate information
  • Bills or statements unexpectedly stop arriving by US mail. (This could mean an identity thief has taken over your account and changed your billing address.)
  • Checks are significantly out of order on your bank statement
  • Banks and financial institutions freeze accounts unexpectedly
  • Receiving credit cards without applying for them
  • Unreasonable denial of credit
  • Notification that you’ve been denied credit that you didn’t apply for
  • Debt collectors contact you about merchandise you didn’t buy
  • Notifications about address, password or information changes that you did not make

What should I do if I suspect fraudulent activity?

If you’re an Credence Global Bank customer and you notice any suspicious activity in your bank account, notify us as soon as possible. If you feel that your account might be compromised, we can assist by putting a hold on the account.

Keep in mind that we do monitor our customer accounts for potential fraudulent activity and if we notice suspicious activity on your account, we will notify you.

Would I be held accountable for fraudulent activity in my Credence International Credit Unionaccount?

Our Online & Mobile Security Guarantee ensures that as an Credence Global Bank Unioncustomer, you will not be liable for any unauthorized Online or Mobile Banking transaction as long as you report the unauthorized transaction by calling us at +44 AURELIANTB within 60 days of when your statement is made available.

We encourage all of our customers to visit our Security Center, where you can:

  • Read the specifics of our Online & Mobile Security Guarantee
  • Learn about Credence Global Bank’s security approach
  • Get personal security tips which you can use both online and offline
  • Educate yourself on some of the most common identity theft scams and what to do if it happens to you
  • Learn about additional resources available from third-parties, such as the FTC, related to privacy and security