Security

At Farmington Bank, we take our responsibility to protect your information very seriously. Along with the numerous safety and security measures we have implemented, there are many things you can do to protect yourself from scams and fraud. We invite you to click on the links below to learn more.

Privacy Protection Notice

As an organization that collects Social Security numbers in the regular and ordinary course of business, Farmington Bank is committed to protecting the confidentiality of Social Security numbers and other information capable of being associated with a particular individual (“personal information”).

To meet this commitment, the Bank has implemented physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to prevent unlawful disclosure of personal information and to limit access to such information to those employees and third parties who need to know that information to serve customers, evaluate applications for loans or employment, administer employee benefits, or engage the services of vendors.

This Policy applies to personal information obtained by the Bank in connection with customers, employees, vendors, and applicants for loans or employment. It does not apply to personal information that is lawfully made available to the general public from federal, state, or local government records or widely distributed media.

Identity Theft

Each day, thousands of people become victims of identity theft, which occurs when thieves steal your personal information and illegally use it to establish credit, open a bank account, charge items or borrow money using your name and identity. Thieves may steal and use your Social Security number, driver’s license number, bank account number, credit card number, or other personal information. They may steal your mail, go through your trash, steal your wallet, or pose as a legitimate business and ask you to provide or update information “for their records.”  

Signs that you might be a victim of identity theft include:

• not receiving expected mail such as bills or bank statements;
• receiving bills from credit cards you did not open;
• receiving calls from collection agencies regarding debts you did not incur, and
• having credit denied for no apparent reason.

To protect yourself:

• Guard your Social Security number carefully and do not carry your Social Security card with you.
• Do not write your PIN on any cards you carry.
• Tear up or shred unused credit offers and other documents containing personal information.
• Avoid releasing personal or financial information to people you don’t know, particularly over the phone or Internet.
• Review your bank statements for accuracy and to make sure there are no unauthorized transactions on your account.
• Obtain and review your credit report at least once a year, especially if you are denied credit for no apparent reason.

If you become a victim of identity theft:

• Contact your bank and others with whom you have a financial relationship.
• Close any accounts that have been tampered with. If your Farmington Bank information has been compromised, call our Customer Support Center at 860.676.4600.
• File a police report if you have incurred a loss.
• Report the fraud to the three major credit bureaus:
  
  1.       Equifax – www.equifax.com - 1-800-685-1111 
  2.       Experian – www.experian.com - 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742) 
  3.       TransUnion – www.transunion.com - 1-800-916-8800 

Phishing and Other Email Scams

Phishing is a type of scam whereby thieves attempt to trick you into divulging personal or financial information by sending what appear to be legitimate e-mails, and then using the information they obtain to commit fraud or steal from your bank account or credit cards. Typically, the email will direct you to a legitimate-looking but phony (or “spoofed”) website, which will ask you to update personal or financial information. Be aware that legitimate businesses already have this information and will never ask for sensitive data via an email link.   

Being diligent about protecting your information can help you avoid becoming a victim of fraud. Farmington Bank will never ask you to provide confidential, personal, or secure information via email.  

To protect yourself from phishing and other e-mail scams:

Your Computer 

• Secure your computer with up-to-date anti-virus software.
• Keep your computer’s browser and operating system up to date.

Your Email 

• Be aware that phony e-mails and websites often contain spelling errors and embedded links, and that they often convey a sense of urgency. For example, a phishing scam might tell you that your account will be closed if you do not reply within 24 hours.
• Be suspicious of email that asks for confidential information.
• Do not click on links from unsolicited emails that ask for personal or financial information. The safest route to access a website is by typing the destination into your browser directly.

Your Personal Data 

• When submitting personal or financial information online, make sure you use a secure website, which you can identify by looking for a padlock icon in the status bar of your web browser or by looking for an Internet address that begins with https:// rather than http://.
• Check your banking and credit card statements on a regular basis to ensure that there are no unauthorized transactions on your account.
• Review a copy of your credit report at least once a year to check for possible fraud. The reports can be ordered through any of the following three credit bureaus:
  
  1.       Equifax – www.equifax.com - 1-800-685-1111 
  2.       Experian – www.experian.com - 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742) 
  3.       TransUnion – www.transunion.com - 1-800-916-8800 

Reporting suspicious or fraudulent communication:

• If you receive a suspicious email that appears to be from Farmington Bank, please report it by calling us at 860-676-4600.
• To report suspicious email or websites not related to Farmington Bank, you can file a complaint with the Federal Bureau of Investigation or the Federal Trade Commission.

Online Banking

When you bank online with Farmington Bank, you can trust that your session is secure. To safeguard your data, we use 128-bit SSL strong encryption, which renders your information unreadable to third parties while it travels across the Internet. (Thieves with the skills and motivation to hack your data would need a trillion years to break into a session protected with this technology.) In addition to numerous internal safety measures we implement here at the bank, you can help safeguard your information in the following ways:

Your Computer

• Install anti-virus software and keep it up to date.
• Never download software that “remembers” and automatically populates any of your access details, particularly those required to log on to online banking. 
• Stay at your computer once you log on. If you are using your computer and need to walk away for any reason, log off or lock your workstation to prevent unauthorized persons from using your computer.
• When you’ve finished your online banking session, make sure you log out, especially if you are in a work environment. As additional protection, clear your browser’s cache. This will remove copies of web pages that may have been stored temporarily on your system. Refer to your browser’s Help file for instructions on clearing your cache.

Your Password

• Select passwords that would be difficult for others to guess. For example, do not use your birth date, anniversary, or pet’s name. Memorize passwords, and change them frequently.
• Do not give your passwords to anyone. Do not save passwords on your website or leave written notes with your password near your computer.
• Try to ensure that no one watches you while you enter your user name or password online. This is particularly important in a work environment. Report suspicious activity as quickly as possible. If you notice suspicious activity relating the Farmington Bank accounts that you access online, promptly report that activity to our customer support representatives at 860-676-4600.

Email and Website Safety

• Check the security server certificate of the website you’re using before you enter your logon details. The certificate is a digitally signed document that is stored on a web server and is presented to your browser when you connect to the site. When you log onto Farmington Bank’s site, for example, the certificate informs your browser that the website you are connected to is Farmington Bank and not a phony site.
• Use only secure sites. Look for a web address that starts with “https://” or a website that has a padlock icon in the status bar or at the bottom of the page.
• Exercise caution when opening email from unknown sources. Do not launch or open an attachment from an unknown source. When it doubt, delete the email.

Other Helpful Tips

Your Credit Card and Bank Accounts

• Notify us if you do not receive a statement or bill on time to make sure your address hasn’t been changed or your mail stolen.
• Sign new credit cards immediately and report lost or stolen cards promptly.
• Try not to let your credit card out of your sight.
• Shield your credit card so that others cannot capture the numbers on a cell phone camera.
• Never give out your credit card information over the telephone unless you initiated the call.
• Never enter your credit card number online unless you’re shopping on a secure site. Again, check for a padlock symbol, which ensures that anything you send is encrypted.

Your Computer

• Keep your Internet browser updated. Newer versions have the latest anti-virus and anti-spyware features that will help you thwart criminals.
• Use caution when downloading information or programs. Only download information from websites you recognize and trust.

At the ATM

• Use ATMs during the daytime if possible. Stay alert and steer clear if you notice any suspicious activity.
• Don’t count your money at the ATM.
• Keep a supply of deposit slips in your car or in your home and prepare your transactions before you get to the ATM to minimize the time you’ll spend there.
• When using a drive up ATM, keep your doors locked and your car running.

Learn More

The following websites provide additional information on identify theft and fraud protection: 

• The U.S. Department of Justice: www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/websites/idtheft.html 
• The FBI: www.fbi.gov/page2/oct04/preventidt102104.htm 
• The Federal Trade Commission: www.consumer.gov/idtheft 

As always, if you have questions or concerns, please call, email or stop by any Farmington Bank branch. We’re always happy to assist you.