A Princeton resident went to review a monthly bank statement and was shocked to see that someone withdrew $33,202.04 from the bank account between Aug. 25 and Oct. 5. The victim said the person made nine unauthorized bank account transfers online, police said. The account was a Chase Bank account. An investigation is ongoing.
Tips to prevent theft and fraud
-Report lost or stolen checks, debit cards and credit cards to your bank immediately.Cut up and discard old cards when you receive new ones.
-Monitor your transactions online regularly and report suspicious charges promptly.
-Set up bank account alerts so you will be notified via text message or email about withdrawals and deposits to your account.
-Choose a PIN number for your accounts that is not a number that appears in your wallet (for example birth date, phone number, address.)
-Cover the keypad when you enter your PIN at an ATM or retail store register. Don’t write you PIN anywhere.
-Use a unique username and password for your bank accounts and update them regularly. Don’t write them down or share them with anyone, and don’t use basic information about yourself or email addresses as your username or password. Always log off from a website after you make an online purchase.
-Don’t provide basic information about yourself on social media that is used by banks to verify your identity.
-Store your Social Security card, financial documents, and unused credit cards in a secure location.
-Never provide payment information or other sensitive information when on a call that you didn’t make.
-Never provide financial information via email. Don’t open attachments from unfamiliar email addresses. If an email looks like it is from your bank, call your bank’s customer service number. Never update sensitive information via the link in the email.
-Shred documents that contain financial information before you throw them away.
-Review your credit report on a regular basis to look for unauthorized accounts that are opened in your name.