9. Securely store or cross cut shred paper banking statements.
Mailed paper, today, is the cause of more actual instances of identity theft than  electronic thefts are.

  TOP 

FRAUD ALERTS

April 12 , 2006
On 4/12/06 Chemical Bank was alerted to a possible phone scam. Customers have had messages left on their answering machine asking that they call the Bank and leaving a toll free number that does not belong to the Bank. When our customers call the 800 number left with the message, they are asked to provide either their account number or social security number.  If either is given, there are a number of additional prompts until the customer either hangs up or waits long enough for the call to transfer to an operator.  If transferred to an operator, the operator becomes very evasive in responding to questions and answers, and eventually ends the call.  These calls are not being made by Chemical Bank nor does Chemical Bank endorse solicitations of this nature.  Customers are strongly encouraged to not give out account information or Personal Identification Numbers over the phone. Chemical Bank does not initiate phone calls requesting customers to disclose or “verify” personal information about their accounts.

February 16, 2006
On 2/16/06 Chemical Bank was alerted that callers claiming to be bank representatives from Shoreline Bank are contacting people by phone and asking for mortgage account information. These calls are not being made by Chemical Bank nor does Chemical Bank endorse solicitations of this nature.  Customers are strongly encouraged to not give out account information or Personal Identification Numbers over the phone. Chemical Bank does not initiate phone calls requesting customers to disclose or “verify” personal information about their accounts.

January 30, 2006
On 1/30/06 Chemical Bank was alerted that a group called "Check Advantage" was contacting people by phone, offering 'freebies' to customers with good checking account histories. They have Chemical Bank's routing number and ask for the individuals account number. Customers are strongly encouraged to not give out account information or Personal Identification Numbers over the phone.  If you are interested in what they offer, request a phone number to call them back.  Ask for details like caller name, company website etc. so you have information for doing verification of their validity and association with your bank (if any).  If they are reluctant to give you information and allow you time for verification they are not legitimate.

January 11, 2006
The Michigan Bankers Association (MBA) has alerted us that there is an aggressive identity theft ring currently operating throughout Michigan. They are calling people, especially elderly, pretending to be bank representatives and asking for financial information and account information, supposedly for verification purposes. You could fall victim to financial fraud if you give personal financial account information to unsolicited phone callers. Chemical Bank does not initiate calls to verify personal information.

August 10, 2005
On 8/10/05 Chemical Bank was alerted that a company called "National Verification Center" was contacting people by phone, attempting to "verify" their Chemical Bank account information. The company claimed that they had been hired by Chemical Bank. This is not a legitimate company and Chemical Bank did not hire them (or any other company) to conduct solicitations of this nature. Customers are strongly encouraged to not give out account information or Personal Identification Numbers over the phone. Chemical Bank does not initiate phone calls to requesting customers to disclose or “verify” personal information about their accounts.
 

 TOP 

Email Fraud Alert

Several fraudulent emails claiming to be from Chemical Bank have been circulating on the internet. The email requests that personal account information be entered on a secondary website.

Should you receive an email requesting account information, do not provide any information or respond to the email. Chemical Bank does not initiate emails or phone calls requesting customers to disclose or “verify” personal information about their accounts, Do not give out your social security number or driver’s license numbers over the phone or internet. Fraudsters use your personal information to steal your identity, money and commit crimes in your name.

Contact our Customer Service Center  immediately if you have questions or concerns regarding fraudulent email or telephone inquiries at:

                                                 1.800.867.9757
                                     Monday through Friday 8:00 - 5:30
                                              Saturday 8:30 - 12:00
 

 TOP 

ATM and Debit Card Fraud

ATM and Debit Card Alert

August 12, 2005
Due to increasing amounts of ATM and Debit Card fraud, Chemical Bank has chosen to block and deny ATM and Debit Card transactions originating from Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria.

Report Fraud

If you receive suspicious e-mail that appears to come from Chemical Bank, please notify us immediately by forwarding the e-mail to fraudalert@chemicalbankmi.com (do not open any attachments or click on any links found in the suspicious e-mail).

You may also want to forward it to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov, or contact them at www.consumer.gov/idtheft* or 877.IDTHEFT (877.438.4338).

If you believe you have provided personal or account information in response to a fraudulent e-mail, Web site or telephone fraud please contact your Chemical Bank branch immediately or our Customer Service Center at:

                                               1.800.867.9757
                                    Monday through Friday 8:00 - 5:30
                                          Saturday 8:30 - 12:00
 

 TOP 

 If You Are A Victim

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your name, Social Security number, credit card number or other identifying information, without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes. If you have given out this kind of information to a phisher, you should do the following:

• Report the theft to the three major credit reporting agencies, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion Corporation, and do the following:

  • Request that they place a fraud alert and a victim’s statement in your file.

  • Request a FREE copy of your credit report to check whether any accounts were opened without your consent.

  • Request that the agencies remove inquiries and/or fraudulent accounts stemming from the theft.

• Major Credit Bureaus

  • Equifax - www.equifax.com

    • To order your report, call: 800-685-1111 or write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

    • To report fraud, call: 800-525-6285 and write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

    • Hearing impaired call 1-800-255-0056 and ask the operator to call the Auto Disclosure Line at 1-800-685-1111 to request a copy of your report.

  • Experian - www.experian.com

    • To order your report, call: 888-EXPERIAN (397-3742) or write: P.O. Box 2002, Allen TX 75013

    • To report fraud, call: 888-EXPERIAN (397-3742) and write: P.O. Box 9530, Allen TX 75013 TDD: 1-800-972-0322

  • Trans Union - www.transunion.com

    • To order your report, call: 800-888-4213 or write: P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022

    • To report fraud, call: 800-680-7289 and write: Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634 TDD: 1-877-553-7803

• Notify your bank(s) and ask them to flag your account and contact you regarding any unusual activity:

  • If bank accounts were set up without your consent, close them.

  • If your ATM card was stolen, get a new card, account number and PIN.

• Contact your local police department to file a criminal report.

• Contact the Social Security Administration’s Fraud Hotline to report the unauthorized use of your personal identification information.

• Notify the Department of Motor Vehicles of your identity theft.

  • Check to see whether an unauthorized license number has been issued in your name.

• Notify the passport office to be watch out for anyone ordering a passport in your nameFile a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

  • Ask for a free copy of "ID Theft: When Bad Things Happen in Your Good Name", a guide that will help you guard against and recover from your theft.

• File a complaint with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC)

  • http://www.ifccfbi.gov/index.asp

  • The Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C), with a mission to address fraud committed over the Internet.

  • For victims of Internet fraud, IFCC provides a convenient and easy-to-use reporting mechanism that alerts authorities of a suspected criminal or civil violation.

• Document the names and phone numbers of everyone you speak to regarding the incident. Follow-up your phone calls with letters. Keep copies of all correspondence.

For more information, check some of the following sources:

Identity Theft Help Sites:

• http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/

• http://www.identity-theft-help.us/

• http://www.identitytheft.org/

• http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.html

FDIC-Identity Theft Online Multimedia Presentation

FDIC unveiled an online multimedia presentation about identity theft — "Don't Be an Online Victim: How to Guard Against Internet Thieves and Electronic Scams" — that is available on the agency's Web site. It provides information on steps consumers should take to secure their computer and protect themselves from identity theft, as well as what they should do if they are victimized by the crime.  We are making the link available to our customers in our efforts to help you protect your identity.  *View the presentation.
*Macromedia Flash Player is required to view this presentation. A link to download the latest version is also available from the above link.