Fraud and Identity theft . . . How to protect yourself

Nevada RNformation, May 2006

Fraud and identity theft are a concern for many consumers. It seems like nearly everyday there is a new story on the news about someone who found fraud on his or her credit card or whose identity was stolen. As awareness of fraud becomes more widespread, many financial companies are increasing their prevention efforts and spending millions of dollars and utilizing multiple resources to combat fraud. Here at MBNA we actively work to protect your personal information and to prevent fraud from occurring. Because these issues are important to our customers, we would like to provide you with some tips and information to keep you well informed on what we are doing to protect you and simple tips you can use to protect yourself.

Working hard for you . . .

At MBNA, we protect our customers 24 hours a day/ 365 days a year. Here are a few steps we are taking to ensure your security:

Fraud Prevention-We monitor the activity on your account and if we notice suspicious activity we will contact you to verify recent charges.

0% Fraud Liability-Absolute fraud protection against fraud and unauthorized use. We will assume 100% of the liability.

Identity Theft Assistance Center-We participate in the Identity Theft Assistance Center, known as ITAC. Through our participation in ITAC you will receive step-by-step guidance in reducing the delays and frustration that are associated with restoring your good name if you are a victim of identity theft. For more information, visit the ITAC website at www.identitytheftassistance .org.

Shop Safe-online account protection-protects your real account number by generating a substitute account number.

Privacy Assist-This service monitors your entire credit profile and notifies you of any changes or requests for credit, contains a fraud resource center, and many other identity theft benefits. Please visit our website at www.mbnaprivacyassist.com

What you can do...

There are several simple steps you can take to protect yourself.

Review your monthly statements on all bank accounts. This will alert you to any unusual activity as soon as it happens.

Don't give out personal information. Most companies do not ask for personal information (date of birth, social security number, etc.) via email, a process called 'phishing'. If you receive an email or even a phone call you are unsure of call the customer service number on the back of your credit card.

Don't leave your mail sitting in your mailbox for long periods of time. Also avoid putting pieces to be mailed in your mailbox. Thieves may look for the red flag that signal outgoing mail. It is better to drop of mail directly at the post office or designated drop box.

Trust your instincts. If you have an uneasy feeling or an offer seems fishy-it probably is. Legitimate business will not pressure you into disclosing personal information. Remember if something sounds to good to be true it probably is.

Annually review your credit report. Experts advise that you review your credit bureau reports at least once a year. Doing so lets you check the accuracy of the reports to make sure only valid information is reporting. You can now receive one free credit report each year, based on the FACT Act, consumer protection law. You can get your free report by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 877-322-8228.

Remember that we are actively working to protect you, so you can confidently use your MBNA card without worry.