At Curran, we take the protection of your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) very seriously. Attempts to commit fraud and scam investors out of their assets are growing in both frequency and sophistication. It is imperative to remain vigilant. We hope this message will aid in that effort by providing; 1) a list of fraud prevention tips; 2) a list of resources if you feel you may have been the victim of fraud, and; 3) access to Fidelity’s Trusted Contact Authorization Form.
Financial service firms and regulatory organizations strongly recommend investors add a “trusted contact” to all their accounts. This is typically a family member or an engaged professional (e.g. attorney, CPA, etc.). In the event an investment advisor identifies activity in an account that seems out of the ordinary, they will reach out to the client in an effort to confirm. If the client is unreachable (or if the advisor feels someone may be trying to impersonate the client), the advisor will then reach out to the trusted contact to confirm. The Trusted Contact Authorization Form maybe accessed and completed via the Fidelity website. A link to the document has also been provided below if you prefer to download a copy and return it to your Relationship Manager.
1. Protect Your Personal Information
a. Don’t carry your social security card.
b. Don’t provide your social security number to anyone unless there is a legitimate need for it.
c. Be aware that most Medicare cards use the social security number as the Medicare number. Take steps to protect your card.
2. Protect Your Documents
a. Shred your sensitive trash with a cross-cut or micro-cut shredder.
b. Don’t leave outgoing mail with personal information in your mailbox for pickup.
3. Be Vigilant Against Tricks
a. Never provide personal information to anyone in response to an unsolicited request.
b. Never reply to unsolicited emails from unknown senders or open their attachments.
c. Don’t click on links in emails from unknown senders.
4. Protect Your Communications
a. Keep your computer and security software updated.
b. Don’t conduct sensitive transactions on a computer that is not under your control.
c. Protect your Wi-Fi with a strong password and WPA2 encryption.
5. Protect Your Digital World
a. Use strong passwords with at least eight characters including upper and lower case, numbers and symbols.
b. Use different passwords for your various accounts.
c. If you store passwords in a file on your computer, encrypt the file when you save it and assign a strong password to protect that file. This sounds obvious, but don’t name the file “passwords”.
6. Consider Using Password Management Programs
7. Social Network Security Reminders
a. Login directly, not through links.
b. Only connect to people you know and trust.
c. Don't put your email address, physical address, or phone number or other personal information in your profile.
d. Sign out of your account after you use a public computer.
8. Remove Your Name from Lists
a. Mailing lists - http://www.dmachoice.org/
b. Phone lists - www.donotcall.gov
c. Stop preapproved credit card offers - www.optoutprescreen.com or 1-888-5-OPTOUT(567-8688).
If you are the victim of identity theft, or at risk because your information has been breached, go to the site below for a full guide:
https://www.irs.gov/uac/Taxpayer-Guide-to-Identity-Theft
1. Report Internet Fraud
2. Key Phone Numbers
a. FBI: (202) 324-3000 or your local field office
b. FTC: 1-877-IDTHEFT
c. Postal Inspection Service: 1-877-876-2455
d. IRS: 1-800-829-0433
e. Social Security Administration: 1-800-269-0271
3. Credit Reporting Bureaus
a. Equifax: (800) 525-6285, P.O. Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374
b. Experian: (888) 397-3742, P.O. Box 9530 Allen, TX 75013
c. Trans Union: (800) 680-7289, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016
d. To place a fraud alert on your account with all three credit reporting agencies: https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-fraud-alerts/
e. You are allowed 3 free reports each year; to order: On web: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action or by phone: 1-877-322-8228
Thank you for allowing us to be your trusted advisor. Please reach out to your Relationship Manager with any questions or concerns.
Curran Wealth Management
At Curran we value service over sales and believe quality service yields happy clients. Below is our 4-step process (the first three steps at no cost to you).
A short introductory call for us to get to know one other. During this call we will discuss your financial goals, concerns and hopes for the future.
In this meeting we will go over your current financial situation, take a deeper look at your goals, discuss your risk tolerances, and collect the data necessary to build a formal proposal.
Based on our data gathering session, our Private Wealth Managers will present you with a custom proposal tailored to your needs. We encourage individuals to take the time to evaluate this proposal.
If you are comfortable with the proposal and choose to invest with Curran, our team will be there every step of the way assisting in opening the recommended accounts and facilitating all necessary parts of your onboarding process.
