Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation today announced the publication of "Tips for Safe Banking Over the Internet," a new brochure intended to help consumers better understand their rights and responsibilities when banking over the Internet. The brochure was produced in collaboration with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Office of Thrift Supervision.

The brochure provides information and tips in areas such as:

• How to confirm that an online bank is legitimate and that your deposits are federally insured;

• How to keep your personal information private and secure;

• How to file a complaint about a suspicious or fraudulent Web site;

• Where to find information about your rights as a consumer; and

• Where to go for more information from banking regulators.

Consumers can read or print out "Tips for Safe Banking Over the Internet" by going to www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/online/safe.html on the FDIC's Web site. Single copies of the brochure can be obtained from the FDIC's Public Information Center, 801 17th Street, NW, Room 100, Washington, DC 20434. Phone: 800-276-6003. E-mail: publicinfo@fdic.gov. Fax: (703) 562-2296.

Congress created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in 1933 to restore public confidence in the nation's banking system. The FDIC insures deposits at the nation's 10,101 banks and savings associations and it promotes the safety and soundness of these institutions by identifying, monitoring and addressing risks to which they are exposed.

FDIC press releases and other information are available on the Internet via the World Wide Web at www.fdic.gov, and may be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center, 801 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20434, telephone 800-276-6003 or (703) 562-2200, or e-mail publicinfo@fdic.gov.