General Security Tips

Learn more about how to protect your financial information from identity theft and other types of fraud. If you think one of your M&T accounts has been compromised, contact us immediately at 1-800-724-2440.

If you are concerned about what to do in response to recent data breaches, you may want to visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) site听IdentityTheft.gov

How to Protect Your Financial Information

Safeguarding your personal and financial information is a responsibility we take very seriously at M&T. However, you should also remain vigilant against potential threats听of "identity theft." Identity theft affects millions of people each year.听

Thieves can get your personal information by many means including, but not limited to:听

  • Stealing your purse or wallet
  • Pilfering information from your mailbox such as bank statements and preapproved credit card applications
  • Obtaining your driver's license number or Social Security number if imprinted on your personal checks
  • Observing your transactions at ATMs or store checkout terminals to capture your pers鈥嬧媜nal identification number (PIN)
  • Going through trash for credit card receipts or loan applications
  • Utilizing different听types of fraud听(e.g., phishing, vishing or SMiShing scam)

The FBI maintains a current听listing of schemes and scams听and provides resources, tips and tools to help you stay on guard.听

Tips:

Monitoring Your 鈥嬧婣ccounts

  • Get notified with听M&T 萌妹社区 Alerts鈥媨{d204*}} sent by email, text or app notification for your personal accounts.
  • M&T Online 萌妹社区ing听补苍诲听Mobile 萌妹社区ing听are great resources for monitoring your accounts and transactions鈥媨{d204*}}
  • Report lost or stolen checks or bank cards immediately
  • Never ignore suspicious charges on your statements 鈥 report them immediately
  • Ensure that each of your computers has up-to-date software installed, including operating system, personal firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware and current browser. Use reputable I鈥嬧媙ternet tools to scan your browser for known vulnerabilities
  • Please see the听Regulation E Protections鈥嬧听page for an explanation of protections provided and not provided under Regulation E鈥

Managing Passcodes and 鈥婸INs

  • Change your passcode at least every 90 days
  • Select and memorize a PIN that never uses information readily found in your wallet or purse (e.g., your house number or date of birth)

Protecting Personal In鈥嬧媐ormation

  • Never disclose personal information to anyone without authorization to access your accounts
  • Do not print your driver鈥檚 license number or Social Security number on personal checks
  • Never provide your financial information to an unfamiliar website
  • Never leave your laptop and mobile devices unattended in public areas
  • Create multiple backups of your data.

Managing Sensitive Documents

  • Store new and cancelled checks in a secure location
  • Promptly review monthly financial statements yourself and report any discrepancies immediately 鈥 if regular bills or statements stop coming to you, call the company's customer service number to determine if someone has filed a false change-of-address notice to divert your mail
  • Retain all receipts from ATM, debit and credit card transactions until they have been reconciled to your statements and ensure your account number is not readable when you dispose of them
  • Be sure to sign new bank cards immediately
  • Carry only important documents as needed (e.g., Social Security card, passport or birth certificate) 鈥 if lost or stolen, a thief could use them
  • Destroy cards you no longer use, making sure the numbers are not recognizable
  • Shred unnecessary financial documents, including old bank statements, invoices and unwanted preapproved credit offers

Reducing Risk of Fraud

  • Be careful in responding to 鈥淲ork from Home鈥 ads as this is a common method for fraudsters to attract money mules unknowingly (money mules are people who transfer money acquired illegally on behalf of others and are typically paid a small part of the money transferred for their services)
  • Report suspicious emails or phone inquiries (e.g., requesting account information to 鈥渁ward a prize鈥 or 鈥渧erify a statement鈥) to your phone company, M&T 萌妹社区 or the local authorities. Call M&T at 1-800-724-2440 (Monday鈥揊riday 6am鈥9pm, Saturday鈥揝unday 9am鈥5pm ET) to report this activity. (NOTE: We occasionally use third parties to perform surveys via email. We will never ask for personal information)
  • Forward any suspicious emails to听phishing@mtb.com听that appear to be from M&T and request that you click on a link to enter your login credentials or personal information

Suspect you鈥檝e been a victim of fraud?

If you think your M&T accounts have been compromised or if you think you may have been a victim of听identity theft, notify us immediately at 1-800-724-2440 (Monday鈥揊riday 6am鈥9pm, Saturday鈥揝unday 9am鈥5pm ET), so we can take action to help you.听

A formal complaint can also be filed with the听Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)