Privacy & Security - Online Identity Tips

Online Identity Tips

How safe is personal information that is collected about you online? Here are a few tips to help keep information about you where it belongs.

How do you know if a site is secure?

  • Web browsers contain a padlock icon when you are on a secure page
  • Check the SSL security certificate by double clicking the padlock icon
  • Be sure that the URL (site address) on the certificate matches the URL of the page you are viewing — the URL should begin with HTTPS instead of HTTP
  • Pay close attention to the URL of the site you are visiting to make sure it is actually the site you believe it to be
  • When you're finished with any secure online session — such as online banking - always remember to log out or close your browser window, particularly when using public Internet access services

What can you do to protect yourself online?

  • Use anti-virus software and keep it up to date
  • Don't open emails or attachments from unknown sources — be suspicious of any unexpected email attachments even if it appears to be from someone you know
  • Protect your computer from Internet intruders by using firewalls
  • Regularly download security updates and patches for operating systems and other software
  • Create a hard-to-guess password by mixing upper case, lower case, numbers, and other characters not easily found in a dictionary — make sure it is at least eight characters long
  • Back up your computer data regularly
  • Don't share access to your computers with strangers — learn about file sharing risks
  • Disconnect from the Internet when not in use
  • Check your security regularly — for example, when you change your clocks for daylight savings time, reevaluate your computer's security
  • Make sure your family members and/or employees know what to do if your computer becomes infected

What is "phishing", and how do you protect against it?

"Phishing" involves Internet fraudsters who send spam or pop-up messages to acquire your personal information, such as credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, etc.

Here are a few tips to protect yourself against "phishing":

  • If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply — don't even click on the link in the message
  • Never email personal or financial information to anyone
  • Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them
  • Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails
  • Forward spam that is "phishing" for information to abuse@Ally.com or send us a message now
  • We work hard to keep your identity safe, and will never ask you for personal information through email

How to deal with identity theft

Here are a few tips if you believe you may be a victim of identity theft:

  1. Contact us at 1-877-247-ALLY (2559) to place holds on your accounts
  2. Contact the Social Security Administration's Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271 to report fraudulent use of your identification information
  3. Report the incident as quickly as possible to each of the credit reporting agencies:
    • Experian: 1-888-397-3742
    • Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
    • TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289
  4. File a police report in your local jurisdiction and retain the report number and the name of the officer who took the report
  5. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by contacting the FTC's Identity Theft Hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT (438-4338)