Identity theft happens when a criminal obtains your personal information to steal money from your accounts, open new credit cards, apply for loans, rent apartments and commit other crimes — all using your identity. These acts can damage your credit, leave you with unwanted bills and cause you countless hours and frustration to clear your good name.

If You’re a Victim of Identity Theft or Account Fraud

If you’re a victim of identity theft or account fraud, you should notify your bank(s) immediately. If your account(s) is with Beacon Business Bank you should call your account officer immediately. Beacon Business Bank will work with you in an effort to make appropriate corrections of unauthorized transactions in your accounts and to correct any incorrect reports submitted by Beacon Business Bank to credit bureaus, and will attempt to help protect you from any future identity theft or account fraud.

We also suggest that you immediately:

• Call the fraud departments of all three credit bureaus. Ask them to put a “fraud alert” on your file. This tells creditors to call you before they open any more accounts in your name.
  
• Equifax 1-800-525-6285
  
• Experian 1-888-397-3742
  
• TransUnion 1-800-680-7289
  
• Contact your local police and ask to file a report. Even if the police can’t catch the identity thief, having a police report can help you in clearing up your credit records later on.
  
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Call the FTC’s identity theft hotline toll-free at 1 (877) IDTHEFT (438-4338). The hotline is staffed by counselors trained to help victims and take their complaints. You may also file a complaint online at https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/
  
• Complete the identity theft affidavit, which will assist you in reporting to many companies that a new account has been open in your name. Obtain a copy of the identity theft affidavit by clicking the link below: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/topics/identity-theft/report-identity-theft
  

Together, you and Beacon Business Bank may be able to head off identity theft and account fraud before they ever happen. If you would like more information about identity theft, you can do any or all of the following:

Visit the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) consumer website at https://www.identitytheft.gov/#/

Call the FTC toll-free at 1 (877) IDTHEFT (438-4338)