Protect Your Identity

A good way to prevent identity theft is to check your credit report. The official website, annualcreditreport.com, is the ONLY authorized online source for you to get a free credit report under federal law. You can get a free report from each of the three national credit reporting companies every 12 months. Some other sites claim to offer 'free' credit reports, but may charge you for another product if you accept a 'free' report.

* * * Guard Your Financial Data * * *

SJN Bank of Kansas will never ask for your personal information by e-mail. If you have questions about any SJN Bank e-mail messages you receive, please do not hesitate to contact us at 620-549-3225 or 888-549-2265. With new threats to computer security and the increasing amount of identity theft, online consumers must learn to detect possible intrusions and protect their personal information. SJN Bank online banking customers should be aware of internet related scams, such as the use of fraudulent e-mails and bogus websites used in phishing and pharming attacks. The Federal Trade Commission is a great resource to stay up to date on the latest scams.

Learn more on how to PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY.

Report Identity Theft

If you think someone has gotten into your accounts or has your personal information, visit Identitytheft.gov. This is a Federal Trade Commission site where you can get steps to take to find out if your identity has been misused, and how to report and recover from identity theft.

Want to know who stole your identity? Getting your records can help

Let’s say you learn that an identity thief took out credit in your name, pretending to be you. To straighten it out, you might want to get records about the identity theft from the company where it happened. The law gives you that right — in fact, it’s Section 609(e) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Having details about the theft and the thief may help you show, for example, that the thief borrowed money, not you. It also may help you or law enforcement identify the thief. You or law enforcement might need, for example, the identity thief’s bank account number or their contact information to document the crime or clear your name.

To get information related to your identity theft, send your request in writing to the company where the fraud took place. They have 30 days to give you those records, free of charge. Along with your request, send these three things: 

  1. Proof of your identity, like a copy of your driver’s license or other valid form of identification
  2. A completed FTC Identity Theft Report from IdentityTheft.gov.
  3. A police report about the identity theft from your local police department. When you file the police report, bring your ID, the FTC Identity Theft Report, and any information you have about the incident with you.

IdentityTheft.gov has more resources to help you recover from identity theft, including a sample letter to use as you take steps to fix problems the theft may have caused. If you have problems getting the records from banks and lenders, let the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) know. 

If you own a business, read Businesses Must Provide Victims and Law Enforcement with Transaction Records Relating to Identity Theft for more information about complying with the law.