How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

At Westamerica, we care about the safety of your personal information. Here are a few key guidelines to help you protect your identity and your money.

1. Never provide your personal information in response to an unsolicited request, whether it is over the phone or through the Internet.

We will not call you or e-mail you to ask for your Social Security number, your account number, or your password. Thieves use information they fraudulently gather in order to steal your identity and/or your money. If you provide the requested information, you might become the victim of identity theft, with the thief taking out loans or obtaining credit cards or a driver’s license in your name.

E-mails and Internet pages created by information thieves may look exactly like the real thing, for the purpose of “phishing” (pronounced “fishing”) for your personal information. They often warn you of a serious problem that requires your immediate attention, creating a sense of urgency for you to respond. They may even have a fake padlock icon that ordinarily is used to denote a secure site.

Never click on the link provided in an e-mail that purports to be from us or other company with which you do business; it may take you to a fraudulent page or may enable a virus to contaminate your computer. Instead, type our actual web address (www.westamerica.com) into your browser and bookmark it (save as a favorite page); use that bookmark/ favorite derived from hand-typing for subsequent visits.

If you did not initiate the phone or Internet contact, DO NOT provide any information.

2. If you believe the contact may be legitimate, contact your us yourself, using the telephone numbers in the phone book or on your monthly statement, or our Web site at (www.westamerica.com). The key is that YOU should be the one to initiate the contact, using contact information that you have verified yourself. Westamerica’s Customer Service Department is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be reached by calling 1-800-848-1088.

3. Review account statements regularly to ensure that the transactions are legitimate. Immediately report any irregularities to us. If your statement is late in arriving, call us to find out why.

4. If you become a victim, act quickly to minimize the damage.

• Alert us.
• Place fraud alerts on your credit files.
• Closely monitor your credit files and account statements.

Report suspicious phone calls or e-mails to the Federal Trade Commission by calling
1-877-IDTHEFT, or through the Internet at http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft