Security Center

Lost or Stolen Card

If your Visa® debit card has been lost or stolen, call 1-844-380-1799 immediately. This number is toll-free and operates 24/7.

Debit Card Protection

Tips to Protect Your Debit Card

Have you ever been asked “debit or credit” when making a purchase with your debit card? Although your First Hope Visa® Debit Card is not a credit card, you can still process your transaction as “credit”. The only difference when choosing “credit” rather than “debit” is that you will be asked for a signature rather than inputting your PIN.

Don’t worry—the transaction will still post to your account as it normally would. By choosing to process your transaction as “credit”, you are eliminating the chance of exposing others to your PIN. In some cases, retailers may even store your PIN in their customer database. We strongly recommend our debit card users to process transactions as “credit”—it could make all the difference in your financial safety!

Avoid becoming a victim of debit card fraud with these helpful tips:

  • Check your bank account often by using online banking and eStatements. Always look at your recent transactions and make sure they are yours. If you do not have online banking, check your paper statements promptly when they arrive.
  • If you believe your debit card is lost or stolen, or if you believe it may have been subject to fraudulent use, contact your bank immediately.
  • Keep a record (but not in your wallet or purse) of card numbers, PINs, expiration dates and telephone numbers for banks so you can contact the issuing bank easily in cases of theft.
  • Memorize your PIN. Avoid using significant dates, such as your birth date, or any part of your address, phone number or Social Security number.
  • Never store your PIN with your card, and do not share your PIN with others.
  • Keep your receipts. You’ll need them to check your statement. Never throw away receipts that list your account number without shredding them first.
  • Mark through any blank spaces on debit slips, including the tip line at restaurants, so the total amount cannot be changed.
  • Know your limits. Many issuers limit daily purchases and withdrawals for your protection.
  • Do not use an ATM if it looks suspicious—it could be a skimming device.
  • Be wary of those trying to help you, especially if an ATM “eats” your card—such people may be trying to steal your card number and PIN.
  • Do not give your PIN number to anyone over the phone. Thieves often steal the cards and then call the victim for their PIN, sometimes claiming to be law enforcement or the issuing bank.

Chip Cards Explained
Despite the convenience and popularity of debit cards, there is always a risk of fraud or theft. Our First Hope Visa® Debit Cards are equipped with chip technology (also called EMV technology) to provide an extra layer of security to your debit card.

What makes chip cards more secure? That small security chip that is embedded in your debit card makes it virtually impossible for fraudsters to duplicate your card number. “Skimming” is a common threat to debit card users and occurs when fraudsters set up a device that captures your card information directly from the magnetic stripe on your card. These devices are often set up on ATMs and gas pumps. Your chip card will help to prevent fraudsters from stealing your information.

*For other helpful tips and information on using your debit card wisely, you can visit the Federal Trade Commission’s Website.

 

*iPhone and iPad are trademarks of Apple, registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Android and Google Play are trademarks of Google Inc. First Hope Bank is not affiliated with Apple Inc. or Google Inc.

Protecting Yourself

How to Protect Yourself

  1. Never provide your personal information in response to an unsolicited request, whether it is over the phone or over the Internet. E-mails and websites created by phishers may look exactly like the real thing. They may even have a fake padlock icon that ordinarily is used to denote a secure site. If you did not initiate the communication, you should not provide any information.

  2. If you believe the contact may be legitimate, contact the financial institution yourself. Phone numbers and websites can be found directly on the monthly statements you receive from your financial institution, phone books or on the Internet. The key is that you should always be the one to initiate the contact, using contact information that you have verified yourself.

  3. Never provide your password over the phone or in response to an unsolicited Internet request. A financial institution would never ask you to verify your account information online. Thieves armed with this information and your account number can help themselves to your savings.

  4. Review account statements regularly to ensure all charges are correct. If your account statement is late in arriving, call your financial institution to find out why. If your financial institution offers online banking, you should periodically review your account activity online to catch any suspicious activity.

What To Do If You Fall Victim

Contact your financial institution immediately and alert them of the situation.
If you have disclosed sensitive information in a phishing attack, you should also contact one of the three major credit bureaus and discuss whether or not you need to place a fraud alert on your file, which will help prevent thieves from opening a new account in your name.

Contact information for the fraud division at each of the major credit bureau’s can be found below:

  • Equifax – 1-888-766-0008 | P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374
  • Experian – 1-888-397-3742 | P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
  • TransUnion – 1-800-680-7289 | P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834
 

All suspicious contacts should be reported to the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft Website, or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT.

More Tips

Never provide personal financial information, including your Social Security number, account numbers or passwords, over the phone or the Internet if you did not initiate the contact.

Never click on a link provided in an e-mail you believe is fraudulent. It may contain a virus that can contaminate your computer.

Do not be intimidated by an e-mail or caller who suggests dire consequences if you do not immediately provide or verify financial information. If you believe the contact is legitimate, visit the company’s website by typing in the site address directly or using a page you have previously bookmarked, instead of a link provided in the e-mail.

Always be vigilant. For more information on phishing, visit the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., or Anti-Phishing Working Group.

If you fall victim to an attack, act immediately to protect yourself. Alert your financial institution. Place fraud alerts on your credit files. Monitor your credit files and account statements closely.

Report suspicious e-mails or calls to the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft Website, or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT.

*If you think you have received a phishing e-mail from a sender purporting to be First Hope Bank, please contact us at (908) 459-4121, (908) 813-3119 or (973) 729-8333, or email us as soon as possible. Confidential information should not be sent via email.