Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
Simple Steps. Serious Protection.
Identity theft can happen in surprising ways—but a few smart habits can greatly reduce your risk. Here’s how to stay ahead:
- Review your financial statements regularly for any errors or unfamiliar activity
- Expect your bills on time. Late arrivals may signal that someone’s intercepted your mail
- Retrieve incoming mail promptly and use secure USPS collection boxes for outgoing mail
- Share personal info only with businesses you’ve contacted and trust
- Shred documents containing sensitive information before discarding them
- Choose strong, hard-to-guess PINs—avoid birthdays or common patterns
- Request your free credit report annually and check for discrepancies
What to Do If You're a Victim of Identity Theft
Take swift action to limit the damage and begin recovery:
- Contact the FTC Identity Theft Hotline at 1-877-438-4338
- Place a fraud alert with the three major credit bureaus and request a free credit report:
- Equifax
- Experian
- TransUnion
- Notify creditors of any compromised or suspicious accounts
- File a police report and keep a copy for your records
- Document everything—note dates, contact names, and all communications
Additional Steps to Protect Yourself:
Credit BureausPlace a fraud alert and request your free credit report from:
Law Enforcement
- File a report with your local police department
- Keep a copy of the report for your records
Federal Agencies
- Report to the FTC Identity Theft Hotline: 1-877-438-4338
- File complaints with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and Dept. of Justice
Documentation
- Keep detailed records of all conversations and correspondence
- Follow up verbal reports with written confirmation
Being prepared and proactive can make all the difference. For additional resources or personalized support, contact Diamond Valley Federal Credit Union at 812-425-5152.
How to Report Identity Theft
We hope you’ll never need this—but if you do, we’re here to help.
Identity theft and phishing scams can strike when you least expect it. Phishing uses fake emails or web pages to trick you into revealing sensitive personal or financial information. At Diamond Valley Federal Credit Union, we’ll never ask you to verify credentials via email—and we urge you not to respond to any message requesting that kind of information.
Still, mistakes happen. If you believe you’ve been targeted, here are the steps to take:
If You’ve Shared Personal or Financial Information:
- Notify DVFCU immediately to lock your account and request a new card, account number, and PIN.
Bank account information given out?
- Contact DVFCU to flag your accounts and monitor for unusual activity.
Personal identifiers exposed (SSN, DOB, etc.)?
- Alert the Social Security Administration Fraud Hotline
- Contact the DMV and passport office to check for fraudulent activity
Downloaded malware or a ‘Trojan Horse’?
- Run antivirus software immediately and update your system/browser
Being prepared and proactive can make all the difference. For additional resources or personalized support, contact Diamond Valley Federal Credit Union at 812-425-5152.
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
Your Link to Reporting Cybercrime
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) is a collaborative partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). Its mission is to serve as a central hub for receiving, developing, and referring criminal complaints related to the fast-evolving world of cybercrime.
IC3 offers:
- A secure and user-friendly platform for victims to report suspected internet-based fraud
- A referral system for law enforcement agencies at the federal, state, local, and international levels
- Data collection that helps track trends and combat growing threats online
If you’ve been affected by online fraud or suspicious activity, reporting it to IC3 helps protect others and empowers authorities to respond effectively.
