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 IdentityTheft.gov

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 of "identity theft." Identity theft affects millions of people each year. 

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

• 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​​onal identification number (PIN)
• Going through trash for credit card receipts or loan applications
• Utilizing different types of fraud (e.g., phishing, vishing or SMiShing scam)

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

• Get notified with M&T Bank Alerts​{{d204*}} sent by email, text or app notification for your personal accounts.
• M&T Online Banking and Mobile Banking are great resources for monitoring your accounts and transactions​{{d204*}}
• Report lost or stolen checks or bank cards immediately
• Never ignore suspicious charges on your statements – 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​​nternet tools to scan your browser for known vulnerabilities
• Please see the Regulation E Protections​​ page for an explanation of protections provided and not provided under Regulation E​

• 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)

• Never disclose personal information to anyone without authorization to access your accounts
• Do not print your driver’s 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.

• Store new and cancelled checks in a secure location
• Promptly review monthly financial statements yourself and report any discrepancies immediately – 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) – 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

• Be careful in responding to “Work from Home” 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 “award a prize” or “verify a statement”) to your phone company, M&T Bank or the local authorities. Call M&T at 1-800-724-2440 (Monday–Friday 6am–9pm, Saturday–Sunday 9am–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 phishing@mtb.com that appear to be from M&T and request that you click on a link to enter your login credentials or personal information

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

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