Security Tips

The more you know about keeping your personal information safe, the more comfortable you'll be. Below you'll find some helpful information on keeping your account information safe.

Telephone and Text Messaging Phishing Scam

It has come to our attention that some members have received calls indicating that their VISA® Check Card or VISA® Credit Card has been compromised. The caller states that the member must give identifying personal information to verify their identity so their card will be reinstated.*

* Calls like this are fraudulent.

DO NOT provide any information to these callers - the information you provide may be used for identity theft. DO NOT return these calls if a message is left for you.

Cyber-criminals are also increasingly using cell phone numbers which they have harvested via both legal and illegal methods to send text messages to a customer cell phone. Please be advised that we DO NOT send out any sort of text messages regarding customer accounts to our customers´ cell phones.

If you receive one of these messages informing you that something related to your account needs to be responded to, disregard it - DO NOT respond to the message and please feel free to call our contact center and let us know the details of the text message or any concerns you may have.

TruStone Financial will never ask for personal information such as Social Security Numbers, VISA® Card numbers, or PIN numbers to verify your identity. If you have provided information to these callers, please let us know immediately by calling 763-544-1517 or 1-800-862-1998 and pressing "2".

We are working hard to make sure your account information is not compromised, but there are some things you can do to keep your accounts safe as well. As a rule, if you are contacted by a party and you are not sure if they are legitimate, end the call and call our contact center representatives at 763-544-1517 or 1-800-862-1998 with any questions about your account.

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Online Services Security Alert

As part of TruStone Financial´s ongoing efforts to protect your account we have implemented a number of features in Personal Access to keep access to your account safe and secure.

One critical element of that security is the security image. This image is designed to verify that you have reached TruStone Financial and not a fraudulent site. Each time you login to Personal Access your security image is presented. It is usually a word or phrase that you selected at the time you enrolled.

If this image has changed, without your request, please contact us immediately at 763-544-1517 or 1-800-862-1998 and DO NOT log into your account.

Web Site Security

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Email Phishing Scam

It has come to our attention that fraudulent emails have been sent recently from parties claiming to be representatives of TruStone Financial.

This email states that account access has been restricted, and you must log in to your account to restore access. The link in the email directs you to a false web site, which steals your member number and PIN. Even though this web site looks similar to our Online Banking site, it is not.

Always keep in mind that TruStone Financial will never send emails, call or have web site pop-up windows asking for personal account information.

If you have, by accident, provided this information in one of the situations described, please call our Contact Center immediately to report this fraud at 763-544-1517 or 1-800-862-1998.

If you think your Personal Access Online Banking account security has been compromised:

  • Change your Personal Access PIN - This will prevent any parties that might have gotten your PIN from accessing your account online. Note: This will change your Telexpress PIN as well.
  • Contact TruStone Financial Immediately - Email estaff@trustonefinancial.org, or call our Contact Center at 763-544-1517 or 1-800-862-1998. If the fraud involves a TruStone Financial VISA® or Check Card, call 1-800-449-7728.
  • Carefully watch your account for any suspicous activity - It's a good practice to check your accounts at least once a week.

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Visa® Credit Card - General Information

Protecting yourself can be as easy as keeping your eyes and ears open. Here are some tips on keeping your accounts secure.

Zero liability - If your Visa® credit card is used for fraudulent activity, you will pay nothing. See Visa®'s site for details.

Regularly Check Your Statements - You can catch unauthorized transactions early by checking your account details regularly — at least once a week. Whenever possible, cancel paper bills and statements and switch to checking statements and paying bills online.

Get your credit report - It's your credit, so make sure no one else is using it. Check to ensure there aren't activities listed that you didn't initiate.

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Visa® Credit Card - Card and PIN Safety

Report lost or stolen cards immediately 1-800-449-7728 (24-hour)

  • Sign your card on the signature panel as soon as you receive it.
  • Protect your cards as if they were cash.
  • Don´t leave your credit cards in the glove compartment of your car. An alarmingly high proportion of all credit card thefts occur in glove compartments.
  • Never write down your PIN — memorize it. Also, never use your PIN as a password.
  • Ensure that you get your card back after every purchase.
  • Always check sales vouchers for the correct purchase amount before you sign them, and keep copies of your vouchers and ATM receipts.
  • Always check your billing statement and verify the amounts of your purchases.
  • Make a comprehensive list of all your cards and their numbers and store it in a safe place.
  • Don´t volunteer any personal information when you use your credit card, other than by displaying personal ID as requested by a merchant.
  • Don´t lend your card to anyone. You are responsible for its use. Some credit card misuse can be traced directly to family and friends.
  • Never disclose your PIN to anyone. No one from a financial institution, the police, or a merchant should ask for your PIN.

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Visa® Credit Card - ATM Safety

  • Watch your surroundings - If the machine is poorly lit, or in a hidden area, use another ATM.
  • Guard your pin - Keep a lookout for suspicious activity. Always guard your PIN and transaction amount, and immediately cancel your transaction and leave if you see something suspicious.
  • Keep your card ready - Avoid counting cash, or rummaging through personal items, while standing at the ATM.
  • Be safe at the drive-thru - When using a drive-through ATM, lock car doors and other windows — when walking up, never leave your car running or unlocked.
  • Take your receipt - Always take your receipt. It contains personal information that could be helpful to thieves.
  • Avoid strangers - When using an indoor ATM that requires your card to open the door, avoid letting unknown people in with you.

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Visa® Credit Card - Online Safety

The Web can be a great place to find information, but be extra cautious about the information you give. Here are just a few tips on what to think about while online.

  • Never send account information, such as your account number or PIN, in the body of an email. You never know who could be intercepting it.
  • Beware of phishing emails. These are emails that appear to be from your bank or an online merchant asking you to provide your account information. These emails are bogus. VISA® and reputable merchants will never ask for any account or personal information in an email.
  • Never click on Internet links within emails. Instead, type the known URL.
  • Before making purchases online, be sure that the site has built-in security features to protect your account information. All reputable merchant sites use encryption technologies that will protect your private data from being read by others as you conduct an online transaction.
  • When using a public computer to shop online or access your account(s), always remember to log off and quit the browser when you are finished. All it takes for someone to view your personal information is simply hitting the back button.
  • Protect information by only using a computer that has a firewall in place.
  • Implement anti-spyware and anti-virus software updates as soon as they´re available.

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Visa® Credit Card - Mail and Phone Safety

Mail and telephone solicitations bring many tempting offers, but not all are legitimate! Be especially careful about deals that sound too good to be true, and keep the following advice in mind:

  • Never give your account information to anyone claiming to be from Visa or your bank unless you initiated the call.
  • Be wary of high-pressure sales tactics, especially if the sale must be completed immediately.
  • Record the name, address, and phone number of the soliciting organization, and obtain names of other customers who can supply references.
  • Ask questions. The fewer questions a telemarketer can answer, the less likely that he or she is calling from a legitimate business.
  • Do not give your account number over the phone unless you initiated the call. When in doubt, consult the Better Business Bureau or the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
  • Notify the Post Office immediately if you change your address.
  • Make sure your mailbox is secure, and promptly remove delivered mail.
  • Call the Post Office immediately if you are not receiving your mail.
  • If you are told of a forwarding order placed on your mail without your knowledge, go to the Post Office to check the signature and cancel the order.

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Identity Fraud

What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is when someone uses personal information about you and uses it as a kind of disguise; by using your identity, any crimes they commit appear to be committed by you!

Common scams include stealing confidential information (Social Security number, account information, credit card numbers or other identifying information) and using that information to either clean out your current accounts or open new accounts in your name. After opening these accounts, the criminals run up huge bills - which then creditors contact YOU about for payment. These crimes can ruin your credit history and attach your name to a criminal history that you were not a part of.

How do Criminals Get My Information?

Stealing wallets used to be the best way identity thieves obtained SSNs, driver´s licenses, credit card numbers and other pieces of identification. While still employed, identity thieves now use more sophisticated means:

  • "Dumpster diving" in trash bins for unshredded credit card and loan applications and documents containing SSNs.
  • Stealing mail from unlocked mailboxes to obtain newly issued credit cards, bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, investment reports, insurance statements, benefits documents, or tax information.
  • Accessing your credit report fraudulently, for example, by posing as an employer, loan officer, or landlord. Obtaining names and SSNs from personnel or customer files in the workplace.
  • "Shoulder surfing" at ATM machines and phone booths in order to capture PIN numbers.
  • Finding identifying information on Internet sources, via public records sites and fee-based information broker sites.

What Can I Do To Protect Myself?

  • Keep important personal information in a safe place. To minimize the amount of information a thief can steal, do not carry extra credit cards, your Social Security card, birth certificate or passport in your wallet or purse, except when needed. At work, store your wallet in a safe place. If possible, keep infrequently used documents (Social Security cards, birth certificates, car titles) in a safe or safe-deposit box.
  • Guard your Social Security number. Do not carry other cards in your wallet that contain the Social Security number (SSN), except on days when you need them.
  • Make sure your mail is secure. If you don't have a locked mailbox, use a post office box or a commercial mailbox service. When you are away from home for an extended time, have your mail held at the Post Office, or ask a trusted neighbor to pick it up.
  • When ordering new checks, pick them up at the bank. Don´t have them mailed to your home. If you have a post office box, use that address on your checks rather than your home address so thieves will not know where you live. Use post office drop-boxes to mail bills. When you pay bills, do not leave the envelopes containing your checks at your mailbox for the postal carrier to pick up, or in open boxes at the receptionist´s desk in your workplace. If stolen, your checks can be altered and then cashed by the imposter.
  • Don't offer information to callers/websites you don't know. Never give out your SSN, credit card number or other personal information over the phone, by mail, or on the internet unless you initiated the contact. Odds are good that offers asking for your personal information in return for a "vacation" or "prize" are fraudulent.
  • Always take credit card receipts with you. Never toss them in a public trash container. Watch the mail when expecting new credit cards. Contact the issuer if the card does not arrive.
  • Order your credit report at least once per year. Credit reports will show any new account activity recorded in your name; if an identity thief has opened accounts in your name, they will show up on this report.

Interested in more information? Check these resources:

Additional resources:

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Basic Internet Security

Many companies, including TruStone Financial, are making more and more of their products and services available online. TruStone Financial uses a variety of technologies and techniques to secure its products and services. You can also enhance security and help control risks when using your personal computer or when conducting business online.

PC Security

  • Control physical access to your personal computer (PC); do what you can to prevent unauthorized people from using your PC.
  • If you are using your PC and need to walk away from it for any reason, log off or lock your workstation.
  • Select passwords that would be difficult for others to guess and change them frequently.
  • Do not give your passwords to anyone. Do not save passwords on your web site or leave written notes with your password near your PC.

Virus Management

  • Install virus management software on your PC and use it regularly.
  • Keep it up to date (i.e., latest signature files, product upgrades).
  • Be cautious when downloading and running programs or Java or ActiveX applets as they may contain unsecure data which cannot be filtered, for example, using firewall or anti-virus software.
  • Use extreme caution when opening Email received from unknown sources and pay special attention to any attachments. Do not launch or open an attachment from an unknown source. When in doubt . . . delete it without opening it.

PC Software

  • Understand and use the security features provided by your PC software, such as those included in many operating systems, browsers and word processing systems.
  • Ensure that your browser uses the strongest encryption available and be aware of the level of encryption used when you connect to various sites and applications. For example, TruStone Financial's Personal Access Online Banking currently requires the use of 128-bit encryption.
  • Use only software from reliable sources.
  • Stay aware of the latest release and patch levels of the PC software you use.

Encryption/Browser Update

Encryption is the scrambling of data into a code that is unreadable to anyone who does not have the key that deciphers it. Only you and TruStone Financial have the key to unlock your code. With TruStone Financial's Personal Access, all your account information is protected by 128-bit encryption to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of your data. To take advantage of strong encryption technology, you will need to use a secure browser that supports 128-bit encryption.

Links to Third Party Websites

TruStone Financial is not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or operation of any third-party web sites. TruStone Financial represents neither the third party nor the member if you enter into a transaction. You are encouraged to read the privacy and security policies on the site you are entering, as they may differ from those of TruStone Financial. Links are provided for the convenience of TruStone Financial members only.

E-mail Tips

Do not provide your e-mail address to third party web sites without reading the privacy and security policies and terms and conditions of these sites to ensure you understand the circumstances in which your e-mail address will be used.

TruStone Financial will NEVER ask for personal account information via email.

If you receive email asking for account information such as your username, password, address or social security number, DO NOT REPLY. Delete any emails of this nature immediately.

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