Protecting Yourself from Payment Fraud

Payment fraud continues to evolve, making it more important than ever to protect your personal and financial information. Fortunately, a few simple steps can go a long way toward reducing your risk.

Help protect yourself with these best practices:

• Use digital wallets. Apple Pay, Google Pay, and other mobile wallets use encrypted technology that helps keep your actual card number private during purchases.
• Tap or insert your card instead of swiping. Chip and contactless payments are generally more secure than magnetic stripe transactions.
• Protect your checks. Store your checkbook in a secure place and consider using a gel pen when writing checks to help prevent check washing.
• Shop safely online. Verify that websites use https:// before entering payment information, avoid making financial transactions over public Wi-Fi, and don't save card numbers in your browser.
• Protect your PIN. Shield the keypad when entering your PIN at ATMs and checkout terminals and keep your card within sight during transactions.

If you ever notice suspicious activity on your accounts or believe your debit or credit card has been compromised, contact SFB's Customer Service Team at 888.254.0615.