How to Protect Yourself

We offer many products and services you can take advantage of to further protect yourself from fraud and identity theft. With online banking and the Michigan First mobile app, you can bank anytime, anywhere and stay on top of your accounts. We use industry-leading security technology to protect your information, so you can feel safe paying bills, checking balances, depositing checks and making transfers.

Before you input your user name and password, make sure you’re on the authentic MichiganFirst.com by checking your browser address to see if it has a lock icon and the proper URL, which is https://michiganfirst.com. It should appear similar to below, depending on which internet browser you use. The example below is using Google Chrome.

If you use our mobile app, you have features at your fingertips to help manage your credit and debit cards and alert you of suspicious activity. Within the mobile app you can:

• Turn credit and debits cards on/off when not in use
• Change PIN numbers
• Be alerted anytime an international or online purchase is made
• Set spending limits
• Be alerted anytime a purchase is made above an amount you choose

You can also quickly and easily sign up for paperless statements, which adds added security over having paper statements mailed to your home.

Michigan First partners with NXG Strategies – one the nation’s most trusted names in identity theft recovery – to provide members with comprehensive identity theft monitoring and recovery services, starting at just $1.95/month. It is a great way to add extra protection to your entire identity, including accounts and money at other financial institutions.

Giving anyone access to your accounts can put your financial information and your money at risk. This includes financial websites and apps that offer tools to help you manage your accounts, invest or prepare your taxes. Michigan First will never call, text or email you and ask for this information if you did not initiate the call.

It’s important to use a highly secure password for all your financial accounts. The most secure passwords combine letters, numbers and special characters. Never use your pet’s name, your child’s name or anything else that a fraudster could easily find out, like your address, phone number or birth date. For added security, remember to change your password regularly, and avoid using the same password for multiple sites or financial institutions.

We also recommend using an email provider that asks you to verify your identity in multiple steps.

Be cautious about the information you share on social media. Don’t use information from your social media account for your password.

Phishing is when an imposter tries to trick you into providing your personal information. They might try to impersonate a Michigan First team member in an email, phone call or text, asking you to confirm your information or saying you won something. Often times, it might seem legitimate, but it's not. A few examples:

• You get an email that appears to be from a reputable company you know or do business with, like us. The email asks you to reply or go to a website that looks like MichiganFirst.com, where you’ll be asked to give your username, password, account number, personal identification number (PIN), Social Security number or other personal information.
• You get a voice mail or text message telling you your bank account will be closed, frozen or terminated unless you call or go to a website, where you’ll be asked to give personal information.

Scammers often try to create a feeling of urgency or alarm, by threatening to close off an account, or offering a security update—as soon as you provide your personal information. A few more common culprits are emails, phone calls or text messages that:

• Require you to give personal or account information directly on the email or on a website; some fraudsters use pop-up windows to ask for confidential information.
• Threaten to close or suspend your account if you don’t take immediate action.
• Invite you to answer a survey that asks for personal or account information.
• Say your account has been hacked, then asks for personal or account information.
• Tell you there are unauthorized charges on your account, then asks for personal or account information.
• Ask you to confirm, verify or update your account or billing information.
• Ask you to provide account information because someone wants to send you money.
• Claim you’re getting a refund.
• Say you’ve won a contest.

Don’t open an email attachment, even if it appears to be from a friend or co-worker, unless you’re expecting it or you’re absolutely sure you know what it contains.

Watch out for email subject lines or emails with a generic message like “check this out” or “thought you’d be interested in this.” Make sure you know who sent the email before you open an attachment or click any links

Often times these scams include “spoofing” financial institutions’ phone numbers to look legitimate and texting or calling from these numbers in order to gain personal and financial information.

If you were not expecting a call or text message from us, please do not respond. Michigan First will never unexpectedly call or text you and ask for login credentials, credit card numbers or any other personal information. Do not give out this information, and instead hang up the phone or ignore the text message and call us directly at 800.664.3828.

At least once a year, read through your credit reports carefully. You can request a free annual credit report from each of the three national credit reporting agencies, even if you don’t suspect any unauthorized activity on your account.

For your free annual report, go to AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-FACTACT (1-877-322-8228). Or, request the reports directly from each agency:

Equifax: 800.525.6285
 Experian: 888.397.3742
 TransUnion: 800.680.7289

Look out for credit inquiries from unfamiliar companies, accounts you never opened and unexplained debts. This can be a warning sign of fraud or identity theft.

Install the latest browsers, anti-virus and firewall software on your computer and keep it up-to-date.

Be cautious about offers for free anti-virus software; make sure you get your software from a reputable company. Look for anti-virus software that scans incoming communications and files for viruses, removes or quarantines viruses and updates automatically.

A firewall is software or hardware designed to block unauthorized access to your computer. It’s especially important to have a firewall if you have a cable modem, DSL line or other broadband connection because they are targeted often. Many current operating systems come with a built-in firewall, which you have to turn on.

We make our products and services secure, but there are things you can do to keep your accounts safe, too:

• Don’t give your account numbers or any personal or financial information on the phone unless you initiate the conversation and you know the person or organization.
• Don’t give personal information to any stranger, even someone claiming to be from Michigan First.
• Don’t print your driver’s license, phone or Social Security number on your checks.
• Report lost or stolen checks immediately, and we’ll stop payment on the check numbers you report. When you get new checks, look through them to make sure none of them were stolen in the mail.
• Store your new and canceled checks in a safe place.
• Tell us right away if you get any suspicious phone inquiries asking for your personal or account information, or if you see anything suspicious in your account activity or on your statement.
• To help keep thieves from stealing your identity, destroy or store financial information securely (including bank statements, invoices, ATM and credit card receipts).
• Guard your PINs and passwords (hint: Don’t store them on your phone or write them on your card).
• Create secure PINs and passwords. Don’t use birth dates, your Social Security or driver’s license numbers, your address or any family names. Someone trying to steal your identity may have this information.
• If you use MichiganFirst.com or one of our apps in public or on a public or shared computer, make sure you sign out when you’re done, and delete all cookies.
• Be careful when you use your device in public areas. Watch out for anyone looking to see what you’re doing.

The Federal Trade Commission is an excellent fraud prevention resource to stay up-to-date on current scams so you don’t get taken advantage of.