Security Center

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• Claim Your Online Accounts |
• Are you at Risk? |
• Fraud Prevention Tips

VRS and MissionSquare Retirement are committed to protecting the security and privacy of your information. No one but you has access to your myVRS account or your defined contribution account; never give anyone your usernames and passwords.

VRS and MissionSquare Retirement do not sell your information to anyone. VRS only shares information with third-party administrators authorized to help coordinate benefits and services for VRS members, retirees and beneficiaries.

Claim Your Online Accounts

VRS and MissionSquare Retirement, the record keeper for VRS defined contribution plans, take many measures every day to keep your information secure. You can help by registering for your myVRS account and your defined contribution account, if applicable, through Account Access, completing the identity-verification steps and then establishing a password-protected account.

Verifying your online accounts helps prevent someone else from attempting to lay claim to the accounts fraudulently.

How to Know When You Are at Risk

Once identity thieves have your personal information, they can quickly drain financial accounts, make unauthorized credit card purchases, open new accounts and initiate other transactions in your name. It's important to recognize some key warning signs of the potential for identity theft and other online fraud:

• You receive mail from companies with which you have not conducted business.
• You receive mail at your current address with someone else's name.
• Emails arrive that look like correspondence from a company or organization you know, but make unusual requests. VRS will never ask you to provide personal information via email, including your date of birth, Social Security number or account number.
• You don't receive your credit card bills or other financial statements.
• Debt collectors call about debts that aren't yours.
• You receive notice that your information was compromised by a data loss at a company where you do business or have an account.

As always, be aware of the security risks of using public computers and public Wi-Fi to log into password-protected accounts.

Source: IdentityTheft.gov

IdentityTheft.gov features an online tool that helps victims report and recover from identity theft. Designed as a one-stop resource, the site provides checklists and sample letters to guide victims through the recovery process.

Fraud and Identity Theft Prevention Tips

Here are three important steps you can take to better secure your VRS accounts and personal information:

1. Update your contact and bank account information promptly with VRS. Whenever there is a change to your address, phone number, email or bank account information, update your VRS account(s) immediately to reflect the change. This will ensure all communication, like your statement email, arrives only to you. Emails from VRS come from a "varetire.org" address and include the VRS logo and contact information. Correspondence from VRS will arrive by U.S. mail on official letterhead.
2. Create strong, unique passwords for your VRS account(s). Using separate passwords for every account makes it harder for bad actors to gain unauthorized access. Update your passwords regularly to further enhance your protection.
3. Check your VRS account(s) frequently. Regularly log in and make sure your account(s) reflect recent transactions that you initiated. Promptly review all mail, email and other communication and report any discrepancies immediately to VRS.