Just about every day we hear of another new identity theft or fraud scam. Following are steps you can take to decrease your risk of fraud and theft.

Monitor your credit report
Order one free credit report per year from all three credit reporting agencies. Being aware of your current credit lines and any new credit accounts opened can help you identify if your credit has been compromised.

You can access free credit reports at BALANCE.

Once you are logged in to each credit report, you can freeze/unfreeze your credit report as needed. Visit BALANCE to freeze your account.

Monitor your bank accounts
Sign up for Heritage Grove digital banking (mobile or online) and check your account balances, purchases, transfers and bills paid, either daily or weekly. Check all transactions (small and large). Some fraudsters like to run “tests” with smaller charges before they go for larger ones.

You can download the mobile app or to set up online banking, click on the “Online Banking Login” button in the top right corner and then “Register Now” at the bottom of the pop-up screen.

Once you have logged in to mobile or online banking, you can set up alerts, multi-factor authentication and monitor your bank account. If you need help setting up mobile or online banking, call/text us at 503-588-0211.

Security Tips

• Build strong passwords for your accounts and make them all different.
• Create passwords that are hard to guess and include a combination of numbers, special characters, uppercase and lowercase letters.
• Avoid using names, dates or common words.
• Public Wi-Fi hotspots (coffee shops, libraries, airports, hotels, etc.) are convenient, but often not secure. If you connect to a Wi-Fi network and send information through websites or mobile apps, it might be accessed by someone else. For more tips and information on using public Wi-Fi access, visit the FTC’s safety tips website.

For additional fraud and scam prevention articles, check out our financial fitness resources. Questions? Call 503-588-0211.