Identity Theft

Remember that WaterStone Bank will not call you directly and ask for your personal information.

If you have any questions or believe you may have fell victim to a scam, please call our Customer Support Center at (414) 761-1000 or your local branch immediately.

In the fight against identity theft, awareness is our main defense.

As responsible banking customers, it's vital to know the tactics criminals use to steal personal information and commit fraud.

Common methods include:

DUMPSTER DIVING
Thieves will rummage through dumpsters or trash cans hoping to find sensitive information such as financial statements, medical records, and even addresses or phone numbers.

STEALING
Thieves steal purses, wallets, and mail in an attempt to obtain your personal information. They most commonly are looking for bank statements, pre-approved credit offers, and debit/credit cards.

SKIMMING
Thieves can steal your debit or credit card information by using a skimming machine to capture the information stored on the magnetic strip. This is very common on point-of-sale devices, such as gas pumps and ATM machines.

HACKING
Thieves hack into your online accounts or company database to access personal information and records. The most common way hackers obtain your personal login information is through data breaches with companies whom you have interacted with previously.

PHISHING
Thieves use pop-up ads, e-mails, or text messages to get you to reveal your personal information by clicking on a link to lead you to a fake website. The most common way they do this is by forging the information of a company you recognize or do business with, and claim that there is a problem with your account or payment information.

Prevention is key

To reduce chances of identity theft, practice preventative measures, such as:

Shred important documents that include any sensitive information, such as bank account number on a monthly statement.
When disposing of debit and credit cards, make sure to cut through the numbers and magnetic strips. Thieves will go to great lengths to piece them back together.
Routinely monitor your debit and credit card transactions to identify and report suspicious activity in a timely manner.
Make sure your password is strong and secure, including a mix of lower and upper-case letters, numbers, and symbols. Do not include easily identifiable information, such as your mother's maiden name or the last four digits of your SSN.
Enable two-factor authentication on as many accounts as possible.
Regularly monitor your credit report and report any inquiries you do not recognize immediately.
Always pay close attention to grammar and spelling mistakes in e-mails.
If you must mail sensitive documents such as a check or tax information, deposit outgoing mail into a secure blue box.
Never provide your personal information in response to an unsolicited e-mail, fax, letter, or internet advertisement.
When using e-mail for account inquiries to WaterStone Bank, always send your message through secure Digital Banking.
When WaterStone Bank requests information, you have the option to submit the required information by mail or in person. You are never required to give personal information over the phone or through e-mail.