TopLine Privacy Policy

Privacy Statement and Disclosures

TopLine Financial Credit Union is committed to providing our members with competitive products and services to meet their financial needs. This necessitates that we share information to complete transactions and to provide members with certain financial opportunities. In order to do so, we have entered into agreements with other companies that provide services to us or provide additional financial products for members to consider. To protect our customers’ privacy, we only work with companies that agree to maintain strong confidentiality protections and strictly limit the use of information we provide. We do not permit these companies to rent, sell, or in any way provide to other third parties the information we provide to them.

We restrict access to nonpublic personal information about members to those employees who have a specific business purpose in utilizing the data. Our employees are trained in the importance of maintaining confidentiality and member privacy. We maintain physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with federal regulations and leading industry practices to safeguard members’ nonpublic personal information.

TopLine Financial Credit Union collects nonpublic information about members from the following sources:

Information we receive on forms such as membership and loan applications;
Information about member transactions with us or others, such as credit card providers;
Information we receive from a consumer reporting agency, such as credit accounts with other financial institutions;
Information obtained when verifying the information provided on an application or other forms, such as from current or past employers or from other institutions where members conduct financial transactions.

TopLine Financial Credit Union may disclose to service providers the following kinds of nonpublic information about members to complete financial transactions or requests, and to provide a full range of financial services to members:

Information we receive on membership and loan applications and other forms, such as name, address, social security number;
Information about transactions with us or others, such as account balance, payment history, parties to transactions, and credit card usage;
Information we receive from a consumer reporting agency, such as credit history; and
Information obtained when verifying the data provided on an application or other forms, such as from current or past employers or from other institutions where customers conduct financial transactions.

TopLine Financial Credit Union does not disclose any nonpublic personal information about our members or former members to anyone, except as described in the previous paragraph or as required by law.

TopLine's Privacy Notice is available for download.

Ways to Limit Direct Marketing

TopLine will honor our commitment to protecting your privacy. There are, however, outside agencies which are in the business of compiling mailing lists for purchase by marketers. To reduce the advertising you receive from these companies, write to:

Mail Preference Service (mail solicitations)
Attn: Dept. 13743497
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512

Telephone Preference Service (phone solicitations)
Attn: Dept. 11813482
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 1559, Carmel, NY 10512

Minnesota residents may reduce telephone solicitations by registering their phone number on the statewide Do Not Call List. Call 800-921-4110 or submit your number online at www.commerce.state.mn.us.

To register your number with the National Do Not Call Registry call 888-382-1222 or submit your number online at www.donotcall.gov.

Be sure to include your complete name and address. You will remain in the consumer exclusion files for five years.

To have your name removed from pre-approved credit solicitations, call or write:

Equifax, Inc. Options
P.O. Box 740123
Atlanta, GA 30374-0123
1-888-5OPT OUT (888-567-8688)

Experian Consumer Opt-Out
901 West Bond
Lincoln, NE 68521
1-888-5OPT OUT (888-567-8688)

Trans Union LLC Name Removal Option
P.O. Box 505
Woodlyn, PA 19094
1-888-5OPT OUT (888-567-8688)

If you have any questions about your credit union's Privacy Statement and Disclosure or the handling of your personal information, send an email to Member Services.

Please do not send personal or specific account information in your message as the e-mail is not secured.

#prevention

Identity Protection

Prevention Tips

You can stop identity theft at the source by preventing your private information from falling into the wrong hands. Here are some tips you can do to prevent identity theft.

Shred all important documents. Today's thieves may be technological masterminds when it comes to manipulating your information for their gain, but that doesn't mean they are beyond dumpster diving. Make sure you cross-shred all documents that contain any personal information, such as credit card or bank account numbers, social security number, receipts for credit or ATM card transactions and all mail that contains your name and address.
Never give personal information or credit card number over the phone unless you initiated the phone call. If you should receive a call requesting this information, hang-up and call the company requesting this information directly back using the number you have on file and report the attempt. Your financial institution or credit card provider can verify if the call was legitimate or a possible scam.
Request your free credit reports each year. Since identity thieves specialize in stealing your personal information and opening new credit accounts in your name instead of simply making fraudulent charges to your existing accounts, it is extremely important that you monitor your credit report. Visit http://annualcreditreport.com/, call 1-877-322-8228, or write to:

Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

to receive your free reports (you can receive one a year from each of the major credit agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion). Even if you don't obtain all three reports at once, make sure you review your report from each agency at least once a year as some credit accounts won't appear on reports for all three agencies.
Use strong passwords and PIN numbers on all financial accounts and change them often. Make sure your passwords and PIN codes for all financial institutions aren't obvious to someone who may know you. Birthdays, anniversaries and nicknames, aren't very strong. If you must write your passwords and PIN codes down don't leave them in your desk at work. If possible, try not to use the same passwords and PIN codes for all accounts and change them every three months for an extra measure of security.
Mail all bills from the post office and not your own mailbox. Although it may be convenient to simply walk to the curb, put your outgoing mail in your mailbox and raise the red flag for the postman, you may be unintentionally alerting thieves to easy access to your bank or credit accounts numbers. Instead mail it at the post office where it will be safely locked inside a mailbox.
Reduce your junk mail and unsolicited credit card offers. Visit the national credit bureau's opt-out website at http://www.optoutprescreen.com/or call them at 1-888-567-8688. Also register with the Do Not Call Registry (http://www.donotcall.gov/ or 1-888-382-1222).
Always know where your credit card is - even in restaurants and retail stores. Although not having to carry cash is convenient, using a credit card in venues where you cannot always see the person running your card might be putting you at risk. If keeping your card within your line of sight isn't always possible, pay with cash instead.
See if your credit card company offers any free safety features for online shopping. Although many online retail outlets promise "secure" shopping on their sites, you can never be too safe. Some financial institutions offer built in features to protect you-and your money-from becoming vulnerable.
Don't carry your social security number with you, and don't use it as a user ID or password. Since your social security number is the key that could single handedly unlock numerous doors for identity thieves, you want to protect this number more than you want to protect anything else. So, memorize it and then lock your original card away in a safe place. Don't make copies of it, and don't give the number out unless it is absolutely necessary. Before giving it out, make sure you ask the institution you are giving it to (mortgage lender, healthcare provider, etc) what their privacy policy is and how your information will be protected.
Monitor credit card bills and bank statements carefully each month. Smart thieves won't make huge purchases, and they won't make multiple purchases on one account at one time. Instead, they will monitor your spending habits and will try to make purchases that mimic yours in hopes that you won't notice that they are using your account. Once a month schedule a time to sit down and study your credit card bills and bank statements so you can ensure that you are only paying for purchases that you authorized or made. Make sure to pay special attention to bills and statements that come just after a vacation, as account information is more easily stolen when people travel.
Cancel your paper bills and statements whenever possible and instead check your statements and pay bills online.
Beware of online "friends" who may really be identity thieves in disguise. Internet chat rooms, online dating sites and teen friendly sites like Facebook or MySpace might be making you and your family more vulnerable to identity theft than you think. Educate your children about identity theft so they don't unintentionally pass along personal information to someone who may be posing as a friend. And regularly check your children's profile pages to make sure addresses and phone numbers aren't being released to the public.
Don't leave your purse or wallet in your car.
For additional information, go to the National Credit Union Administration at www.ncua.gov.

A few additional tips:

Use and regularly update firewall, anti-spyware and anti-virus software.
Be wary of Internet or email hoaxes, spoofs and scams. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Check with the Better Business Bureau before doing business with unknown companies.

#abc

The ABC's of Identity Theft

Empowering yourself against identity theft and fraud begins with knowledge. The more you know about what the risks are, the more you can take measures to prevent yourself from becoming a victim. This Identity Theft Glossary help you better understand the most common terms associated with Identity theft.

Identity Theft Resources and Related Links

Source	Website	Phone	Address	Will Provide
Federal Trade Commission ID Theft Resource Center	www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft	877-438-4338	Consumer Response Center 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20580	Facts about identity theft and prevention
Identity Theft Resource Center	http://www.idtheftcenter.org	858-693-7935	PO Box 26833 San Diego, CA 92196	Facts about identity theft and prevention
Identity Theft	www.identitytheft.gov	N/A	N/A	Facts about identity theft and prevention
Annual Credit Reports	http://www.annualcreditreport.com	877-322-8228	PO Box 105283 Atlanta, GA 30348-5283	Request your free annual credit reports
Opt Out Credit & Insurance Offers	http://www.optoutprescreen.com	888-567-8688	PO Box 600344 Jacksonville, FL 32260	To remove your name from pre-approved credit offers
Do Not Call List	http://www.donotcall.gov	888-382-1222	Consumer Response Center 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20580	To add you name to the National Do Not Call Register
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)	http://www.fbi.gov	202-324-3000	Federal Bureau of Investigation J Edgar Hoover Building 935 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20535-0001	FBI
Department of Treasury	http://www.treas.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac	202-622-2000	1500 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington DC 20220	Department of Treasury
Department of Justice	http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html	DOJ Main Switchboard 202-514-2000 Office of the Attorney General 202-353-1555	Criminal Division/Fraud 10th & Constitution Ave NW Bond Building 4th Floor Washington DC 20530	Department of Justice
Social Security Administration	https://www.ssa.gov/	800-772-1213	Office of Public Inquiries Windsor Park Building 6401 Security Blvd	Social Security Administration
Better Business Bureau	http://www.bbb.org	800-646-6222	State Specific	Better Business Bureau
Phishing	http://www.antiphishing.org	N/A	N/A	Facts on Phishing
National Credit Union Administration	http://www.ncua.gov	800-755-1030	17 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314-3428	National Credit Union Administration

#phishing

Phishing

Identity thieves are fishing for financial information via email or pop-up messages, which appear to come from legitimate businesses or financial institutions. This is called Phishing. Thieves lure victims into providing social security numbers, account numbers, passwords and other confidential information to commit fraud and steal from financial accounts or credit cards.

How to detect phishing scams:
Phishing emails are becoming more sophisticated. Some use the logo of a company or financial institution you trust. Others are linked to websites that closely mirror a reputable website. Luckily there are several identifying features and phrases that help you detect a scam.

Verify your account: TopLine Financial Credit Union will never ask you to verify your account number or send any confidential information via email. If you get an email or pop-up that asks you to do so, be very suspicious. Please contact TopLine immediately at (763) 391-9494 or (800) 626-1448.
Secure your account: Many phishing scams use scare tactics by suggesting that your account is compromised or violated. The scams urge you to update passwords or verify your account information to prevent unauthorized access. Don't provide your personal or financial information through your personal email. It's not a secure method of transmitting confidential information.
Threatens action if you don't respond: While the tone may be polite, the message usually has a sense of urgency. Phishing emails may threaten to close or suspend your account if action is not taken quickly.
Review credit card and bank account statements immediately. Check for any unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, call your credit card company or financial institution. E-statements are the quickest and safest way to receive your statements. Click here for more information on eStatements or call us at 763-391-9494.
Spelling errors: Scam artists are getting more sophisticated, but many ugly attempts filled with misspellings still exist.
Slightly altered website URL: Phishing websites may use similar URLs (website addresses) to that of a well-known company. By switching or adding a few letters, the address may look correct at first glance. TopLine Financial Credit Union does periodically send emails with links to special offers or financial education on our website, but you can also access the information and secure online applications by going directly to https://www.toplinecu.com
Use online security software. Update your computer with the latest security patches. Use anti-spyware software and anti-virus software.
Be cautious about opening attachments or downloading files from emails. The thieves involved in phishing are expert hackers.
Report suspicious calls or emails to the Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.gov/idtheft or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT. Forward spam to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov and to the company impersonated in the phishing email.

#vishing

Vishing

Vishing, a combination of voice mail and "phishing", is another scam that is used to steal credit card numbers and other personal information by using the telephone for the use of identity theft. A voice message is used usually notifying the victim that their account has been compromised. You should be suspicious when receiving messages requesting account or credit card numbers. Before you provide any information, contact the financial institution directly for verification.

Tips and tricks to avoid vishing scams:

Credit card companies usually refer to members by using their full names in any communication. If you receive an e-mail or phone call that does not refer to your full name, it may be a scam.
Call the phone number on the back of your credit card or your statement to report security concerns. You should not call a phone number provided by an e-mail or phone call regarding possible security issues with any credit card or bank account.
If you receive a phone call from anyone requesting your credit card number, or claiming to be from your financial institution, hang up and call the phone number on the back of your credit card and report the attempt. Your financial institution or credit card provider can verify if the call was legitimate or a possible scam.

#smishing

Smishing

Smishing specifically targets cell phone users and is similar to both email (phishing) and phone (vishing) schemes. The cell phone user receives a text message asking them to reveal personal information such as account numbers, social security number, passwords, address and other confidential information. The information is then used to commit fraud and steal from financial accounts or credit cards, such as withdrawing money from a victim's account and/or opening up credit under the victim's name.

How it works?

Cell phone users receive what appears to be a legitimate text message from a bank, financial institution or e-commerce site. The message asks the cell phone user to click on a link via the phone's internet capabilities or to call a specific number - both the link and the phone number are fraudulent and lead to requests for personal information that can be used to steal the person's identity.

What to do if you receive a text like this?

Don't respond to any unsolicited text requests for personal information such as account numbers, social security numbers, passwords, address, and other confidential information - even if it does appear to come from a financial organization. This includes requests that ask you to "confirm", "update" or "verify" your information.
Don't click on links in text messages or call unknown phone numbers provided in the text message. Confirm the source and verify this information independently. If you receive a text from anyone requesting your credit card number, or claiming to be from your financial institution, hang up and call the phone number on the back of your credit card and/or your financial institution to report the attempt.
Make sure all of your financial institution accounts have passwords.
Monitor your credit report on an annual basis.
Report suspicious calls or emails to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/ or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT. Forward spam to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov and to the company impersonated in the smishing text.

#identity-theft

What to do if Identity Theft Happens to You

Despite your best efforts to protect yourself, you still might find yourself as a victim of identity theft. If identity theft happens to you...

Contact your local police department to report it right away to file a report.
Complete an Identity Theft Affidavit so you don't become responsible for debts incurred. Call the Federal Trade Commission's toll-free Identity Theft helpline at 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. Or write to :

Federal Trade Commission
Consumer Response Center
600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20580
Contact all of your financial institutions
Contact all three credit agencies (see chart below). You may also want to consider putting a security freeze/fraud alert on your credit report. It will prevent anyone from running your credit without you first being notified. A single call to just one agency is all you need to have a fraud alert placed on all three of your accounts within 24 hours. Order additional reports after you've resolved the problem on ensure that they reflect the changes. Check again every six months for at least a year.

	Equifax	Experian	TransUnion
Web Site	http://www.equifax.com	http://www.experian.com	http://www.transunion.com
Order Reports	800-685-1111 PO Box 740241 Atlanta, GA 30374-0241	888-397-3742 PO Box 2002 Allen, TX 75013	800-916-8800 PO Box 1000 Chester, PA 19022
Report Fraud	800-525-6285 PO Box 740256 Atlanta, GA 30374	888-397-3742 PO Box 2002 Allen, TX 75013	800-680-7289 Fraud Victim Assistance Division PO Box 6790 Fullerton, CA 92834

#patriot-act

The Patriot Act

To assist the government fight against the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, the USA PATRIOT Act requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person who opens an account.

When you open an account, we will ask for your name, address, date of birth, social security number, and other information that will allow us to identify you. TopLine will maintain the confidentiality of any information obtained in accordance with our privacy policy and applicable laws and regulations.

Privacy and Security