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Solid Earnings Growth in the Second Quarter of 2005

The Bank reported net income of $374 thousand for the quarter ended June 30, 2005, an increase of $157 thousand, or 72%, from $217 thousand in the second quarter of 2004. Net income per diluted share was $0.30 for the second quarter of 2005. This was an increase of 76% from $0.17 reported for the second quarter in 2004. The Bank reported $0.21 in net income per diluted share for the first quarter of 2005. Zissimos A. Frangopoulos, President & CEO, stated, "We are very pleased with the growth in our business, the continuing growth in profits, and the improvements in performance and efficiency. It is a positive and gratifying trend."

Identity Theft: A Growing Problem, But There Are Ways You Reduce Your Risk

Identity theft affects 7-10 million people each year. The process of getting oneÌs life back in order can be quite costly and time-consuming, with victims spending an average of 81 hours settling fraudulent disputes and accounts. However, identity theft does not have to ruin your life. There are several precautionary measures you can take to help minimize your chances of becoming a victim, as well as steps you can take to help put your life back in order if you find yourself in this situation.

How Identity Theft Can Occur

Identity theft is the result of someone acquiring your personal information to use to his or her advantage. The first step toward prevention is being aware of how this information can be obtained by unwanted individuals. One of the most obvious ways that this can happen is through a lost or stolen purse or wallet, but there are several other ways that perpetrators can acquire this information:

• "Dumpster Diving" occurs when thieves go through garbage bins in an attempt to find pre-approved credit card or loan applications, or any other documents with personally identifying information.
• Stealing mail from unlocked mailboxes.
• Obtaining credit reports in an illegal manner (i.e., posing as an employer, landlord, etc).
• Attaining sensitive information from workplace files.
• "Shoulder Surfing" (looking over someoneÌs shoulder) at ATMs and phone booths.
• Using online sources.

Precautionary Steps

There are a number of steps you can take to reduce your chances of becoming a victim:

• Avoid carrying any unnecessary identification cards on your person. Keep your social security card, birth certificate, passport, and similar cards in a safe place and only carry them when necessary.
• Keep your total number of credit cards to a minimum. With fewer accounts it will be easier to monitor and watch out for any suspicious activity. In addition, only carry credit cards with you that you plan to use; leave the others in a safe place.
• Always take credit card receipts with you and be sure to shred them into tiny pieces before disposing of them in the garbage.
• If you are expecting to receive a new credit card, check your mail promptly and notify the company if you fail to receive it within 2ñ3 weeks.
• Keep a list of all your credit cards, bank accounts, and other investments handy in case you need to contact these companies regarding fraudulent activity.
• Tear up any unwanted credit card and loan applications before disposing of them.
• Install a lock on your mailbox or use a post office box to prevent any unwelcome hands from going through your mail. When you plan to be out of town, have a trusted friend, relative, or neighbor pick up your mail for you, or make an arrangement with the post office to hold your mail, then pick it up on your return.
• Mail bills and other documents containing sensitive information at drop boxes inside the post office. Do not leave such documents lying in drop bins at the workplace.
• When ordering checks, do not have them delivered to your house; instead pick them up directly from the bank.
• Only give out your social security number, date of birth, and other sensitive information to trusted parties and only when absolutely necessary.
• When creating passwords or PIN, refrain from using any personal information. If possible, combine letters and numbers. Be sure to memorize the password, and avoid writing it down.
• When using an ATM or a phone card, shield the information that is being keyed in to prevent others from seeing your account number or PIN code. Many cell phones being sold today have the capability to take pictures or even record video, so it is imperative to make sure no one is standing close to you when conducting business at an ATM.
• Install a firewall on your computer to help prevent hackers from stealing any information from your hard drive.
• Only do business on sites that use a secure form to capture private information. A good indication that you are using a secure site is if you see "https" in the URL or a padlock icon in the right-hand corner of your screen.
• If you have any sensitive documents lying around your house, be sure to hide them in a secure location.

Measures for Dealing With Identity Theft

Although the steps above can reduce the likelihood of becoming a victim of fraud, there is no guarantee that it will not happen to you. If you do find yourself facing an identity takeover, there are certain steps that you should take to help put your life back in order.

• Close all of your accounts. Each company should then be able to replace your existing accounts with new ones. It would be smart at this point to place a password on each account (if possible), to help prevent the thief from gaining access to the newly opened accounts.
• Call consumer reporting companies (Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian) and ask to place a fraud alert on all of your credit reports. This prevents fraudulent applications from being processed. Companies are required to call all individuals with fraud alerts to verify the request for a new account. You should also ask for a copy of your credit report and review it as carefully as possible.
• File a report with your local police or the police in the area of the crime so they can work with you in trying to resolve any complications with creditors.

Getting your affairs in order is a long and tedious process and it is important to take every measure possible to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft. If you believe you have become a victim, do not hesitate to call our office. An associate will work with you to help ensure that your accounts with us are in order. At Christiana Bank and Trust, we care about your privacy and security and will contact you immediately if we become aware of any suspicious activity. For questions or concerns, please contact us at (302) 421-5800.

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