How We Protect Your Information

At Century Bank, we know how important it is to protect your personal and financial information. That’s why we have physical, electronic and procedural safeguards in place that meet or exceed federal standards.

Within Century Bank, we educate our employees about the importance of confidentiality and privacy, and we train them in related policies and procedures. We also take appropriate disciplinary measures when necessary to enforce these rules.

Due to the unique nature of Internet transactions, Century Bank has additional safeguards and procedures to protect your personal and financial information on the Internet. For more details, please click here.

Steps You Should Take to Protect Yourself

There are also a few simple steps that you can take to protect yourself :

• Never disclose personal information, such as your Social Security number, credit card number, bank account number or personal identification number to anyone who should not have access to your accounts.
• Report lost or stolen checks or bank cards immediately.
• Memorize your personal identification number – don’t carry it in your wallet.
• Review monthly financial statements promptly and report any discrepancies.
• Retain all ATM, debit and credit card receipts. When you’re ready to dispose of them, make sure your account number is not readable.
• Be sure to sign new bank cards immediately.
• Report unusual telephone inquiries or other suspicious activity to your telephone company or local law enforcement authorities.

If you believe you have been a victim of fraud related to your Century Bank accounts, notify us immediately, so that we can take action to help you. You should also report the crime to your local law enforcement agency and to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can reach the FTC at 1-877-438-4338 or http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/.

To find out more about protecting yourself online, please go to the National Cyber Security Alliance site, http://www.staysafeonline.org/

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Electronic Payment Basics

Direct Deposit, Direct Payment, Check Conversion - These are all automatic check handling (ACH) applications that provide consumbers with a safe and secure way to make paperless payments. To find out more about more about the advantages of ACH, please visit www.electronicpayments.org .

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E-Mail Fraud Alert

Century Bank will never request confidential information in any way from you through e-mail. If you receive such an e-mail no matter how legitimate the e-mail request appears to be, immediately contact the bank. A fraudulent e-mail may include the bank's name, logo, or list a trusted bank employee's name and may mimic a genuine e-mail in every way.

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U.S. Postal Money Order Fraud Alert

Be on the lookout for counterfeit Money Orders. A fraud scheme involving counterfeit checks and money orders is speeding across the Internet, costing financial institutions and their customers thousands of dollars.

The scam begins when scam artists hide behind the internet, posing as students abroad, someone working overseas, or stranded travelers needing help to cash a check or money order. The scam artist contacts the victim by e-mail, through an Internet chat room, or on an online auction site.

The unsuspecting victim provides a home address, to which the scam artist sends the check or money order, with a request to cash or deposit it into the victim's bank account. Victims are told to keep some of the money as a gift or payment for their help, and wire the remainder back to the scam artist. The catch? The money orders or checks are counterfeit.

The U.S. Postal Service has incorporated security features that distinguish U.S. Postal Service Money Orders from other instruments; understanding these features will protect you from being made the victim of this type of scheme. Similar to U.S. currency, Postal Money Orders are specially designed with different-colored inks, watermarks, and security threads. U.S. Postal Inspectors advise you to protect your business and your customers, by verifying the authenticity of U.S. Postal Money Orders using the security features listed below:

* A watermark of Benjamin Franklin is visible on both the front and reverse side of the money order when held to the light.

* A 'USPS' security thread is embedded in the Postal Money Order paper.
* Red ink on the Postal Money Order serial number bleeds through to the back side of the paper.
* Paper stock should be crisp and textured.
* Warning instructions are listed on the reverse side of a genuine Postal Money Order.
* Denominations are indicated in two locations on the Postal Money Order.
* Denominations should be no larger than $1,000.

There should be no discoloration around the denomination amount. If there is, this indicates that the original amount has been erased and a new one inserted.If you cannot verify all of theses security features, do not accept the Postal Money Order. Although the cash value of counterfeit money orders varies, most of the phony notes identified by the Postal Service range between $750 to $950 - just below the $1,000 maximum.

For more information on Postal Money Order scams go to http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/not299.pdf

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