Privacy and Security

• Equifax 1-800-685-1111
• Experian 1-888-397-3742
• Trans Union 1-800-888-4213

Your credit report contains information on where you work and live, accounts opened in your name, how you pay bills, and whether you have been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy. You can contact any one of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit report, as well as a victim’s statement asking that creditors call you before opening new accounts or charging existing ones. As required by law, that credit bureau will report the information to the other two bureaus for you. Contact creditors for any accounts that have been corrupted. Always follow up with a letter and keep copies of everything. Close affected accounts and assign passwords to new ones.

• Encryption technology (Secure Socket Layer or SSL) scrambles information as it passes across Internet.
• Firewall on your personal computer keeps out unauthorized users.
• Only messages from specified sources (accessed only by authorized City State Bank representatives) allowed into system.
• Enrollment with City State Bank Online allowed only when proper documentation is provided.
• User ID and Password required for access to City State Bank Online.
• City State Bank Online session automatically terminated if there is no activity on PC for fifteen minutes.
• Repetition of login process required for reconnection.

After a wrong User ID and Password are entered at Sign On for the third time, the User ID is automatically locked out and contact with a City State Bank Representative is required to reset the password for that User ID.

• Make sure your computer has an anti-virus program, anti-spyware, and a firewall, and keep them up to date. Some phishing attacks contain software that can harm your computer or track your activities on the Internet without your knowledge.
• Be very protective of your personal and account information. There are criminals who create websites that look similar to real sites. The best way to know who you are dealing with is to type the address in your browser address bar.
• If you initiate an online transaction and are required to provide personal data, look for indicators that the website is secure, like the “https” in the URL (the “s” indicates a secure connection) or padlock icon. If you double-click the padlock, you should find valid Verisign Certificate information issued to the business website that you are on. While these indicators do not ensure the security of the site or your personal data, sites without them should be avoided. You should also verify that the URL of the site you are visiting is displayed accurately in the address bar.
• Report all “Phishing” attacks at once. Notify the FBI by filing a complaint on their website at the Internet Crime Complaint Center and forward the email to: spam@uce.gov (Federal Trade Commission).

• Equifax 1-800-685-1111
• Experian 1-888-397-3742
• Trans Union 1-800-888-4213
• Contact your local police and ask to file a report. Even if the police can’t catch the identity
  thief, having a police report can help you in clearing up your credit records later on.
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Call the FTC’s identity theft hotline toll-free at 1 (877) IDTHEFT (438-4338). The hotline is staffed by counselors trained to help victims and take their complaints. You may also file a complaint online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. Together, you and City State Bank may be able to prevent identity theft and account fraud before it ever happen. If you would like more information about identity theft, you can do any or all of the following:

1. Get more information on fighting identity theft from the FDIC at www.idtheft.gov  and the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of the Controller of the Currency.
2. Visit the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) consumer website at www.consumer.gov/idtheft .
3. Call the FTC toll-free at 1 (877) IDTHEFT (438-4338).
    

Email and fraudulent websites
Sometimes criminals may send you email that looks like it has come from City State Bank. These phony emails ask you to go to a website that also looks like City State Bank and provide your personal account information.

Some of these phony emails even caution that if you don't do this, your account may be suspended. But the website is also a fake, and this is a fraud attempt.
This is the most common type of online fraud, and is called "phishing and spoofing". Criminals send these phony email messages or direct someone to a fraudulent website for one goal, to steal personal and financial information. Remember, we will never send you an email asking for your User ID, password, or other personal information.

If you should ever receive an email that appears to be suspicious, do not reply to it or click on the link it provides. Simply delete it. To report a suspicious email that uses City State Bank’s name, you can forward it to citystatebank@csbpalacios.com . (If you have general questions about the bank or your accounts, please go to Contact Us.)
Remember, It's not our practice to:

• Send email that requires you to enter personal information directly into the email
• Send email threatening to close your account if you do not take the immediate action of providing personal information
• Send email asking you to reply by sending personal information
• Share your name with any contacts outside our firm in a manner inconsistent with our Privacy Policy

Spyware and Viruses

• Spyware and viruses are both malicious programs that are loaded onto your computer without your knowledge. Whether the goal of these programs is to capture or destroy information, to ruin the performance of your computer, or to bombard you with advertising, you don't want them.
• Viruses spread by infecting computers and then replicating. Spyware disguises itself as a legitimate application and embeds itself into your computer, to monitor your activity and collect information.
• Spyware and viruses are both serious threats to the security of your computer.

Pop-up Advertisements

Pop-ups are the advertisements that appear in a separate browser window. When you click on some of these pop-ups, it's possible that you're also downloading "spyware" or "adware."

Sometimes, criminals create pop-up ads that look like they come from a respected financial institution and ask you to enter personal financial information, but City State Bank and most other financial institutions will never ask you to verify personal financial information.

Yes! We do everything we can do to minimize the risk to you. We aggressively evaluate the messages, work with law enforcement to shut down sites and provide resources to help you become more aware of the issue.

The keys to your safety are awareness, prevention, and rapid-response. Help yourself when using your DebitCard, ATM Card, and Credit Card by following the safety tips below.
If your card is lost or stolen, or if you suspect fraudulent activity on your card, please call us immediately at 361-972-2585.

• Please Sign your card upon receipt
• Destroy your old card when it expires or when your new card becomes effective.
• Always observe your surroundings before conducting an ATM transaction.
• If you see anyone or anything that appears to be suspicious at the ATM, leave the area at once.
• Monitor your online statements.
• Verify that your credit card is returned following any purchase(s) you make.
• Never leave your credit card receipts at the checkout counter.
• Check your statements and watch for fraudulent activity.
• Keep your card out of sight.
• Never lend your card.
• Take a companion along when using an ATM—especially at night.
• Minimize time spent at the ATM by having your card out and ready to use.
• When using a drive-up ATM, keep your engine running, the doors locked, and the windows up at all times while waiting in line.
• If an ATM is obstructed from view or poorly lit, go to another ATM.
• Remember to pick up your ATM receipts before leaving the ATM.
• Put away your card and cash after completing your transaction.
• Check your receipts against your monthly statement to guard against ATM fraud.
• Treat your ATM card like cash.
• Report suspicious behavior.
• Be cautious when giving out your card number over the phone.