What to Do if You Are a Victim of Fraud
Cybercriminals are always looking for new ways to steal your information, and even with the best safety practices in place, it’s still possible to become a victim of fraud. Knowing what to look for, as well as how and when to respond to identity theft or fraudulent activity, can help minimize potential damage.
Know the signs
Knowing the signs of fraud and identity theft can help you protect your sensitive information, and if you become the victim of fraud, can help you stop criminals before more damage is inflicted. The sooner you’re aware that your information may have been compromised, the sooner you can secure it again.
Common signs that indicate your information is at risk or may have been stolen include:
- Unauthorized transactions or withdrawals on your account
- Communications stating that a bank account, loan or credit card was opened in your name
- Bills for items or services that you did not purchase
- Bank statements that do not appear correct
- Denial of loan applications
Fraudsters rarely attack only once, so if you have been scammed, be on alert for more attempts. Also beware of refund or recovery scams, in which scammers claim to be a legitimate organization that can recover what was stolen in exchange for an upfront fee or offers to deposit recovered funds into your account. To avoid being on the receiving end of another fraud attempt, the Federal Trade Commission advises that no matter how someone unexpectedly contacts you, never pay upfront and never provide personal information without confirming the validity of said company.
Assess the damage
If you are the victim of a scam, determine the extent of the fraudulent activity so that you can quickly take action to protect yourself and minimize your losses. Review your account statements frequently to help detect unauthorized activity as soon as possible. If you have access to a credit monitoring service, you can obtain regular credit reports which can include alerts for new accounts opened in your name, credit card balance increases, reported overdue payments and other changes reported to the credit reporting agencies.
Remember that money is not the only thing that can be stolen. If sensitive personal information was taken, such as your Social Security Number or passwords, criminals may still attempt to commit identity theft in your name.
Report the theft
As soon as you suspect fraud or theft, immediately report it to the appropriate authorities:
- Your bank can freeze or close debit and credit cards, decline unauthorized transactions and close accounts to prevent further fraudulent activity. Banks will also investigate these activities and can help you establish new accounts.
- Credit card companies can also freeze or close credit cards, decline unauthorized transactions and close accounts. Some card companies offer services where consumers are not held responsible for losses due to unauthorized transactions.
- Through the credit reporting agencies, you can place a hold or freeze on your credit:
- Consider filing a report with local law enforcement so that they are aware of scams taking place in your area.
- You may also want to report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online at ftc.gov/idtheft or by phone at 1.877.438.4338. The FTC uses reports of suspicious or suspected fraud to spot trends and bring cases against fraudsters.
Stay protected for the future
One of the best moves you can make to protect your accounts and personal information is to increase your awareness of different types of scams. By taking a minute to read through our Fraud Prevention page, you can learn more about fraud prevention, the types of scams to look out for, as well as ways to better protect your information.
Another way to protect your financial information is to enable account alerts and notifications through myTrustmark® online and mobile banking. You can conveniently monitor your accounts and control the frequency and type of alerts you want to receive, like fraudulent and suspicious activity, low balance notifications, and posting of transfers, payments or debits to your account.
At Trustmark, we believe the privacy and security of our customers’ information is of utmost importance. We will never request confidential information via email, text, phone or social media. However, we may ask you for your information to verify your identity if you call us.
If you receive any unsolicited messages or phone calls allegedly from Trustmark requesting confidential information, contact us immediately at 1.800.243.2524, Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. CT.
