Most people discover that they have become a victim of identity theft when they open a bill or statement and see transactions that they didn't make. If you rely on a review of your monthly statements to catch fraud that has occurred in your name, it may be thirty to sixty days before you realize that fraud has occurred. Follow these steps to identify fraud early:

Check Your Account Transactions Frequently - With WebBanking you can view the history on your Allegacy accounts at any time from most any place. It is always current and there is no need to wait for your monthly statement. Studies show that online banking and bill payment users access their accounts much more frequently and are more likely to catch fraud early.

Use a Credit Monitoring or Credit Reporting Service - When you sign up for a service such as Allegacy’s Credit Monitoring Service TrueCredit, you will receive: weekly email updates about changes and inquiries on your credit report, $2,500 Identity Theft Insurance, and quarterly triple bureau (Equifax, Experian, & TransUnion) credit reports which you can also purchase separately. According to a recent report by the Federal Trade Commission, the average real loss when a thief uses your existing account is $160. If they take out a new account in your name, the average real loss is $1,180. Credit Monitoring is perhaps the only way to discover early that someone has established a new account with your social security number, or that someone is trying to establish new credit in your name.

Report Lost or Stolen Credit or Check Cards immediately by calling 336-774-3400 or 1-800-782-4670. During non-business hours, you'll be instructed to select option 4. Doing so will link you directly to the Lost and Stolen Center.  With Eagle Plus Checking, you can also take advantage of the free benefit program Payment Card Protection, and register all of your credit, ATM and check cards at one time and in one place. If your cards are lost or stolen, simply call one convenient toll-free number anytime; 24 hours a day, and we'll report the necessary information to card issuers and request replacement cards. You'll also receive protection against any liability on every registered card. This comprehensive service also includes Emergency Cash and Emergency Airline Tickets.

Visa Card Security Features – Visa Card Activation is required with a new or re-issued Allegacy Visa Credit or Check card as a security benefit to cardholders for protection against fraudulent activity. Falcon Fraud Detection is a personalized service that alerts Visa USA to unusual, possibly fraudulent activity on your credit or check card account. When activity does not fit your profile of typical usage, the primary cardholder is contacted at their home telephone number by the Visa Service Center to confirm the validity of the transaction. IMPORTANT: YOU WILL NOT BE ASKED TO GIVE YOUR VISA CARD NUMBER OVER THE PHONE, BUT MAY BE ASKED TO CONFIRM THE EXPIRATION DATE.