Security Center
Helpful tips to protect your sensitive financial information.
Personal Computer Usage
Your PC is your first line of defense on the Internet, and with just a couple of tools and some diligence, you can greatly improve your security.
- Make sure your computer has both an anti-spyware protection program that detects and removes spyware and an anti-virus program. Keep both programs updated.
- Be very protective of your personal and account information. Criminals may try to trick you by creating sites that look similar to real sites that are familiar to you. The best way to know who you are dealing with is to type the address in your browser address bar.
Email
- If you receive a suspicious email using Alliance Bank's name, asking for personal or bank account information, you can forward the email to alliance@alliancebank.biz.
- Question suspicious emails. We will never send you an email asking for your online ID or passcode.
- Email transfer of personal banking information is not secure. Never send the following information via email:
- Account Numbers
- Social Security Numbers
- Credit Card Numbers
- Personal Identification Numbers (PIN)
- Passwords
Eliminate Paper
- Sign up to receive your bank statements electronically.
- Use Direct Deposit to have paychecks, dividends, and other recurring credits deposited directly to your account
- Use Online Banking with Bill Pay to ensure secure access to your accounts.
- Monitor your account activity frequently by logging into Online Banking and using email alerts to detect fraud as early as possible.
Passcode and PIN
- Select passcodes and personal identification numbers (PINs) that are more difficult for others to guess. If possible, use both letters and numbers, and if the passcodes or PINs are case-sensitive, use a combination of lowercase and capital letters.
- Use a different passcode for each of your online accounts.
Credit Card
- Never carry your credit card PIN on your person. Memorize it, or keep the PIN in a safe place at home.
- Make copies of all information pertaining to the cards you carry daily and keep it in a safe, secure place.
Checking and Savings Accounts
- Have paychecks, dividends and other recurring credits deposited directly to your account with to eliminate worrying about lost or stolen checks.
- When using checks, protect yourself against fraud by using checks printed on paper with special security features.
ATM
- Assure that your PIN is not detected by others, by shielding the keypad with your hand or body.
- Be aware of your surroundings, if you notice anything suspicious or that appears unsafe, use another ATM or return later.
- Only use ATM's that are well lit and in an open surrounding.
Traveling
- If you are traveling, make sure to notify Alliance Bank before you travel so that making purchases with your Debit/Credit card on your trip is hassle-free.
- By notifying the bank in advance, we will insure that your card transactions are not blocked by fraud monitoring systems.
Additional Tips and Information:
- Carry only necessary identification. Do not carry your Social Security card.
- Keep copies of information that you carry daily, in a secure place such as your home.
- Be extremely cautious when providing your Social Security number. Verify every time you provide it whether it is need for the application or transaction.
- Be very cautious of telephone or door-to-door solicitations.
- Never provide personal information unless you have initiated the contact and have confirmed the business or person's identity.
- Confirm the validity of all requests for sensitive personal, financial or account information, particularly if they are made with an urgent or threating tone.
- Don't leave personal information in your vehicle.
- Destroy or shred all unnecessary financial documents immediately. Discard unused instant credit offers, ensuring that they are properly destroyed or shredded.
- Eliminate as much paper as possible, and be cautious with the paper you receive.
- Try to reduce the amount of mail you receive that displays personal information.
- Collect your mail promptly and notify the US Postal Service when you will be unable to collect it.
- Use US Postal Service mailboxes for outgoing mail when possible.
- Monitor all of your banking and credit card accounts regularly.
- Check your credit report annually.
Fraud and ID Theft
Report Identity Theft
Notify your banks and credit card issuers immediately
Call Alliance Bank at (785) 271-1800 during regular business hours, 8:00-5:00 Monday-Friday and 9:00-Noon Saturday to report any suspicion of fraud.
Contact the fraud departments of the three major credit bureaus. You should call first and then follow up in writing. As a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to a free credit report form each of the following agencies:
Request that a fraud alert be placed in your credit bureau file. You can remove an alert at any time.
Ask for copies of your credit reports and review them carefully. Check the inquiry section of the reports. When inquiries appear from companies that opened fraudulent accounts, request that the inquiries be removed from your reports.
Contact your local police
File a report with your local police department or with the department where the identity theft took place. Having a copy of the police report can help provide evidence of fraud to creditors, including your bank.
Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Call the FTC's Identity Theft Hotline at 1-877-438-4388. The FTC will put your information into a secure consumer fraud database and may share it with law enforcement agencies.