Fictitious FDIC E -mail Alert:
The FDIC has sent an alert regarding e -mails sent to individuals titled "Important News About Your Bank." In this e-mail it reads similar to, "As a result of Department of Homeland Security, Director Tom Ridge, (or possibly another Federal, State or Local Government) has advised the FDIC to suspend all deposits insurance on your account until such time as we can verify your identity and your account information, due to suspected violations of the PATRIOT Act by the bank. Please verify your information below..."

Consumers should not access the link contained in the e-mail and should not provide any personal information to the e-mail's sender. This alert can be found on the OCC website www.occ.treas.gov by clicking on Issuances and then on 2004 Alerts.

Anti - Terrorist Mail Fraud Alert:
The Treasury Department has issued a warning that a copy of an Anti-terrorist letter may be sent to customers stating that to wire money overseas from their account, the customer has to pay a fee of $25,000 (or other amount) to be issued an ANTI-TERRORIST CERTIFICATE. The funds being charged are said to be used to fight terrorist money laundering all over the world. They may request account numbers and other personal information which they will in turn use for identity fraud situations.

Credit Card theft Alert:
Various e-mail schemes are circulating informing the individual that "their credit card is being used by another person." It goes on to say that in order to avoid and prevent further use and to receive refunds for the fraudulent transactions, a "secure form" should be completed and e-mailed to someone like "Visa services." Please beware, the websites look very authentic with credit card logos, etc. Note: It is not the practice of a legitimate Credit Card company to e-mail alerts or correspond in this way.

Identity Theft....How Can I Protect Myself?
The following are a few ways you can reduce the risk of identity theft:

• Keep your credit cards, debit cards, PIN numbers and other items where they will be safe. When disposing of them, do so by shredding.
• Limit the amount of information on your checks and do not carry around excess credit cards.
• Do not give any of your personal information to any websites that do not use encryption or othersecure methods to protect it.
• Request a credit report annually from each of the three major credit-reporting agencies to be sure they are accurate.
• Make a prompt inquiry if bills or statements are not received in a timely fashion - this could mean that they are being diverted by an identity thief.

What should I do if my identity has been stolen?
In the event that you suspect your identity has been stolen or you are, in fact, certain that it has been stolen, follow these simple steps:

1. Immediately contact the Federal Trade Commission:
• http://www.ftc.gov
• 1-877-IDTHEFT (877-438-4338)
• Consumer Response Center, F.T.C. 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 2050
2. Contact the three major credit reporting agencies to put yourself on Fraud Alert and request a copy of your credit report
• Equifax® - P.O. Box 740250, Atlanta, GA 30374-0250, or call 800-525-6285
• Experian® - P.O. Box 1017, Allen, TX 75013, or call 888-EXPERIAN (888-397-3742)
• TransUnion - P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634, or call 800-680-7289
3. Cancel all accounts that have fraudulent activity or are at risk.
4. Contact your local law enforcement agency.
5. If you know or suspect that your mail has been stolen, contact the United States Postal Service.
6. Keep detailed records of any theft of your identity and of your efforts to resolve the same.
   • Log the date, time, and amount of any unauthorized activity on your accounts.
   • Log the date, time, duration, and cost of any phone calls.
   • Log the date and cost of any mailings and keep copies.