At Citizens First, we value the safety and privacy of your personal and financial information. We want to remind our customers to be constantly vigilant about protecting their personal and financial information. Below are some important Email and online security tips to keep in mind to guard your account from fraudulent activity:

• Emails from Citizens First do not ask for your personal information. This includes your Social Security number, account numbers, personal credit information, or other identifying information.
• Act quickly if you suspect fraud. If you believe someone is trying to commit fraud by pretending to be Citizens First, please report the fraud immediately.
  
  
• Delete any Email without opening it, if you do not recognize the sender.
• Do not reply to any Email that requests your personal information. Be very suspicious of any Email from a business or person that asks for your password, account numers, Social Security number, or other highly sensitive information--or one that sends you personal information and asks you to update or confirm it.
• Do not click on links in unsolicited Emails, especially those asking for personal information. Even if you do not supply it, just clicking can enable thieves to access your computer, record your keystrokes, and capture passwords you use at various sites.
• Be careful before opening an attachment contained in an Email or other message. Even a friend may accidentally send an Email with a virus.
• Be on the alert for counterfeit "look alike" Web sites designed to trick you into submitting your personal information. Make sure the Web sites on which you transact business post privacy and security statements, and review them carefully.
• Leave suspicious sites. If you suspect that a Web site is not what it purports to be, leave the site immediately. Do not follow any of the instructions it presents.
• Inspect a URL carefully for the presence of an "@" symbol, for example billing@cfsbank.com. This is a common sign of fraudulent Web sites. Even if the URL contains the phrase "cfsbank", it does not ensure that Citizens First controls the Web site.
• Be suspicious of Web sites that display an IP address, or numerical address (e.g., 195.123.3.2), in your Web browser's address bar instead of a domain name (e.g., cfsbank.com).
• Go directly there. Always enter cfsbank.com by typing in the address or using your bookmarks.
• Do not send sensitive personal or financial information unless it is encrypted on a secure Web site. Encryption scrambles the information being sent over the Internet so others cannot intercept and capture your information. Look for the padlock or key icon at the bottom of your browser, and make sure the Internet address begins with "https." This signals that your information is secure during transmission.
• Create a unique password. Choose passwords that are difficult for others to guess and use a different password for each of your online accounts. Use both letters and numbers. Do not use any part of your Social Security number, birth date, middle name, names of spouses, children or pets, consecutive numbers or anything else that a thief could easily discover. Do not share your IDs or passwords with anyone.
• Change your password frequently. Every 30-60 days is recommended. You can do this quickly and easily once you've signed onto one of our online services.
• Keep your operating system and browser up-to-date. Software updates often include security enhancements that you can usually download free from http://www.microsoft.com/ and http://www.netscape.com/.
• Make sure your home computer has the most current anti-virus software. Anti-virus software needs frequent updates to guard against new viruses. Make sure you download the anti-virus updates as soon as you are notified that a download is available.
• Do business only with companies you know and trust. Save or "bookmark" frequently visited and trusted Web sites to your list of favorites, then access those sites through your saved links.
• Monitor your transactions for unauthorized use. Review your online transaction history daily to make sure you're being charged only for transactions you made. Immediately report any irregularities in your Citizens First accounts by calling (800) 462-2786.
• Remember to log out when finished and close your browser before leaving your computer. Never leave your computer unattended during an Online Banking session.

Attempts at fraud are not limited to Email and the Internet. For more information on protecting your identity and accounts, please review our section on Identity Theft.
 

All of the suggestions, tips, and guidance are for informational purposes only. They are general guidelines provided to assist fraud victims in understanding some of the steps they may take to help protect their personal and financial interests. The suggestions are not all inclusive and should not be considered nor interpreted as legal, accounting, financial or technical advice. You may wish to consult your attorney, accountant or other advisor for specific advice, guidance or recommendations concerning this topic.