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Scam targets retirement home residents
By Hillary Gavan
Daily News staff writer
ROSCOE - Someone posing as an Alpine Bank employee has been calling residents of retirement homes in an attempt to gain confidential information.
The person typically calls in the afternoon and early evening and uses the information to perform identity theft.
“Educating our customers about identity theft is the most important step in stopping identity thieves. For this reason, we continue to provide information about avoiding identity theft to our customers and to answer any questions they may have,” said Alpine Bank Security Officer Jessica Moritz.
Alpine Bank will not call customers requesting their personal and confidential information. Only in situations when customers initiate calling the bank will Alpine Bank employees need to verify customers' identities with their personal information.
Consumers should not give anyone their confidential information, including Social Security numbers, birth date, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, or even their mothers' maiden names, over the phone.
Other steps to avoid identity theft include keeping personal information safe, especially if one has roommates or work being done on their home. Personal identification numbers shouldn't be kept near a checkbook, ATM card or debit card.
Alpine Bank recommends shredding any papers with confidential information, including junk jail, prescreened credit card offers, receipts, canceled checks, bank statements, expired charge cards, doctors' bills and insurance documents.
Many identity thefts are traced to having a purse or wallet stolen, so carrying as few cards, with identification and personal information, as possible is recommended. Social Security numbers should be left at home.
Alpine Bank recommends using caution with any mail, telephone, or Internet request for information. Customers should also check banking and credit statements for unexplained activity.
Giving out a social security number isn't usually necessary. Few institutions - businesses granting credit, employers filling out tax forms for you, or government agencies - have any reasonable cause to know someone's social security number.
Requesting a credit report can also be helpful. Many people don't realize they are victims of identity theft until long after the initial crime occurred. Identity thieves often try to hide the crimes for as long as possible so that they can access more money.
In the last few months, Alpine Bank employees have worked closely with area retirement home centers in order to educate the centers' employees and residents about identity theft. Its customers initially alerted Alpine to the scam earlier this year.
For more information about identity theft and other steps to avoid it, visit http://www.bankalpine.com/personal/identitytheft.cfm.
Daily News staff writer
ROSCOE - Someone posing as an Alpine Bank employee has been calling residents of retirement homes in an attempt to gain confidential information.
The person typically calls in the afternoon and early evening and uses the information to perform identity theft.
“Educating our customers about identity theft is the most important step in stopping identity thieves. For this reason, we continue to provide information about avoiding identity theft to our customers and to answer any questions they may have,” said Alpine Bank Security Officer Jessica Moritz.
Alpine Bank will not call customers requesting their personal and confidential information. Only in situations when customers initiate calling the bank will Alpine Bank employees need to verify customers' identities with their personal information.
Consumers should not give anyone their confidential information, including Social Security numbers, birth date, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, or even their mothers' maiden names, over the phone.
Other steps to avoid identity theft include keeping personal information safe, especially if one has roommates or work being done on their home. Personal identification numbers shouldn't be kept near a checkbook, ATM card or debit card.
Alpine Bank recommends shredding any papers with confidential information, including junk jail, prescreened credit card offers, receipts, canceled checks, bank statements, expired charge cards, doctors' bills and insurance documents.
Many identity thefts are traced to having a purse or wallet stolen, so carrying as few cards, with identification and personal information, as possible is recommended. Social Security numbers should be left at home.
Alpine Bank recommends using caution with any mail, telephone, or Internet request for information. Customers should also check banking and credit statements for unexplained activity.
Giving out a social security number isn't usually necessary. Few institutions - businesses granting credit, employers filling out tax forms for you, or government agencies - have any reasonable cause to know someone's social security number.
Requesting a credit report can also be helpful. Many people don't realize they are victims of identity theft until long after the initial crime occurred. Identity thieves often try to hide the crimes for as long as possible so that they can access more money.
In the last few months, Alpine Bank employees have worked closely with area retirement home centers in order to educate the centers' employees and residents about identity theft. Its customers initially alerted Alpine to the scam earlier this year.
For more information about identity theft and other steps to avoid it, visit http://www.bankalpine.com/personal/identitytheft.cfm.
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