Security Tips

Your Safety is our Top Priority!

Here are a few tips to keep you and your information safe.

Never write down your passwords or social security number. Also, don’t carry your social security card on you unless absolutely necessary.
Don’t access your financial accounts online at public kiosk locations like those found in hotels and airports.
Never give personal or financial data over the phone unless you initiated the phone call.
Don't email personal or financial data. Email is not a secure method of transmitting sensitive information.
Shred receipts after receiving cash from the ATM. Never throw them away at the ATM location.
Using GTE Online Banking and Bill Pay eliminates having your paper checks and statements in the mail.
Carry minimal cards and report any lost or stolen ones immediately. Keep a list of all your credit card issuer’s contact numbers in a safe location.
Shred financial information including pre-approved credit applications, bills, and credit/debit card receipts before throwing them away to keep safe from dumpster diving.
Open a Go Premium with GTE Secure Checking Account to receive Credit File Monitoring, 3 in 1 Credit Reporting, and Identity Theft Protection.
Try to keep an eye on your credit/debit card and driver's license whenever you hand them to restaurant servers or store clerks.
Review your account statements as soon as you receive them or log in to your accounts regularly to watch for unauthorized charges.
Beware of mail or telephone offers specifically looking for your credit/debit card number.

Create strong usernames and passwords and keep them secret. Make them at least 8 characters and include lower and uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Don’t use the same password for all sites. If your username or password can be found in a dictionary, it is too simple and should be changed to something more complex and unique.
Keep all software current with recommended automatic updates.
Use and regularly update your firewall, antivirus, anti-spam, and antispyware software.
Password-protect your wireless connection at home.
Look for signs that a web page is safe before you enter sensitive, personal information:
- A web address with HTTPS – the ‘S’ means secure
- A padlock icon beside the web address
When shopping online, do not check the "remember my password" box. It is safer not to keep this information on your computer.
Never give sensitive info in response to an email or instant message request.
Think twice before you open attachments or links in emails, even if you know the sender, and be especially careful clicking links or buttons in pop-up windows.
Beware of alarmist messages, misspellings, and grammatical errors, deals that sound too good to be true, and request for your personal info.
Make use of the account and privacy settings on social networks like Facebook to control who can see your profile and learn how to block unwanted access.