Financial Institutions: Build on Your Customer’s Education on Identity Theft
The best offense is a good defense, is the adage. For financial institutions part of the defense to protect your customers from becoming victims of identity theft is educating them. Here, BankInfoSecurity.com has compiled a list of some of the better known and newest Identity Theft web pages that contain easy to distribute information and links you can add to your institution’s website to further the education of your customers.
The Identity Theft Taskforce The President’s Task Force on Identity Theft was established on May 10, 2006, launching a new era in the fight against identity theft. Recognizing the heavy financial and emotional toll that identity theft exacts from its victims, and the severe burden it places on the economy, President Bush called for a coordinated approach among government agencies to combat this crime. Here is the Taskforce’s website with links to every government agency charged with protecting consumers from identity theft: www.idtheft.gov
FTC’s Identity Theft Prevention Section
This is the landing page that has a great number of informative brochures, instructions and even an identity theft prevention kit. Financial institutions can use these to help educate their customers. The brochures can be ordered in bulk, and they are also downloadable, put the link on your website. www.ftc.gov
FDIC Multimedia Education CD
“Don’t Be an On-Line Victim†FDIC’s multimedia education tool that consumers can view to learn how to better protect their computers and themselves from identity thieves. Financial institutions can order these CDs to give out to customers, and the order form is found within the link. They make a great giveaway for new and current customers, especially those who do their banking online. www.fdic.gov
FDIC Identity Theft Consumer Alert
This is the website from FDIC that educates consumers about identity theft. It has links to news articles, identity theft brochures and consumer alerts on phishing, account hijacking and guidance to help prevent identity theft as well as remedies, list of actions, and contact information in case a person’s identity is stolen. www.fdic.gov
Identity Theft Resource Center
The Identity Theft Resource Center is a non-profit organization solely formed to help victims or possible victims of Identity Theft. It provides consumer and victim support and advises governmental agencies, legislators and companies about this evolving and growing crime. www.idtheftcenter.org
