Protect Yourself from Fraud

Illustration of a phishing attempt showing a warning sign, a fake login form for email and password, and a credit card with a globe, indicating online security risks.

Fraudsters continually look for new ways to steal a person’s identity and/or compromise online accounts. NYCERS is vigilant about protecting all Personally Identifiable Information (PII) by leveraging state-of-the-art technology and innovative processes. Unfortunately, this alone is not enough. All NYCERS clients play an important role in protecting themselves from fraud.

	1. Carefully read all communication you receive from NYCERS. If you are notified of changes to your account that you did not make, contact NYCERS immediately.
	2. Unless explicitly requested, NYCERS will not call, email or text you to request confidential information. Do not respond if you did not request a contact from NYCERS.
	3.Create strong passwords by using a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. Never reuse passwords or include PII (e.g., email address, family names, birth dates) in your password.
	4.Do not share your MyNYCERS login and password with others.
	5.Never provide PII online, over the phone, by text, or by email without first verifying the source.
	6.Never reply to unsolicited emails asking for PII.
	7.When logging in to a website, make sure it’s secured (look for the padlock icon on the left side of your browser’s address bar). Click the padlock to confirm that the name of the website is identical to the website itself.
	8.When shopping online, visit only legitimate websites and use secure online payment options.
	9.Do not leave your computer or mobile devices unattended in public areas.
	10.Shred sensitive paper records containing PII.
	11.Monitor activity on your credit report. Visit the Credit Bureau websites (Trans Union, Equifax, Experian) to obtain a free copy of your annual credit report.

Identity Theft – Fraudsters use their victim’s PII to impersonate them. They will use their victim’s identity to apply for loans, create online accounts, open/drain bank accounts, file tax returns, or obtain medical coverage.
Phishing – Fraudsters pretend to be a legitimate business or person and use emails, texts, or websites to gain access to their victim’s PII. DO NOT open email attachments, click links, or provide any PII until you’ve properly verified the sender.
Social Engineering – Fraudsters use different forms of human interaction, in-person, over the phone, and online, to trick you into giving up your personal information (e.g., phone calls, conversations, fake threats, etc.).
Dumpster Diving – Fraudsters dig through mail and trash to gather private information (e.g., bank statements).
Mail Fraud – Fraudsters complete a Change-of-Address form at a local post office to forward your mail (which can contain personal and financial information) to their address.
Data Breaches – Fraudsters steal/buy electronic records that were stolen in a data breach.