Countrywide Financial Corporation would like to take this opportunity to remind our customers to be careful in responding to unsolicited emails that claim to be from Countrywide. These emails may be fraudulent. Review our tips on protecting yourself against email fraud. And be prepared, by reviewing the course of action you would need to take - and quickly - if it happens to you.

Countrywide is committed to protecting your privacy and security. Our log in process helps you determine whether you are on a valid Countrywide website before you provide any personal information, such as a password. It also deters fraudsters from accessing your personal information.

Please remember our login process in order to decrease the risk of you providing personal information to fraudsters:

• First step is to enter your Username and click LOG IN
• Next step is to see your personalized Site ID Image and Phrase displayed. If the correct Site ID and Phrase are displayed, you can safely enter your Password and Click LOG IN.
• IMPORTANT: If you see a different Site ID Image or Phrase, DO NOT enter your password as you may have landed on a Phishing website.

If you are unsure about an email that appears to be from Countrywide, take the following precautions:

• Do not reply to the email with any personal information such as username, password, account number, social security number or driver’s license. Countrywide never asks for this information via email.
• Do not click on any links. Instead, open a new browser window and go directly to www.countrywide.com.
• Do not open attachments.

Fraudulent emails will often:

• Ask for personal information. Fraudulent emails often begin with a generic, sometimes urgent, message and may claim that your information has been compromised, that your account has been locked, or ask you to log in for verification purposes.
• Appear to come from a legitimate source. While some emails can be easily identified as fraudulent, others may appear to come from a legitimate address or a trusted online source. Do not rely on the name or address in the "From" field, as this field can be easily altered.
• Contain links to fraudulent websites. Fraudulent emails may direct you to counterfeit websites carefully designed to look legitimate. One way to know if the website you are directed to is legitimate is to check the URL or "address" window of your browser (typically found near the top of your internet browser, on the left hand side of the page). Often, fraudulent websites have URLs or addresses that do not contain the name "Countrywide" or include words and terms that will enable you to quickly realize that the website is not associated with Countrywide. Remember, don’t follow links embedded in emails. Go directly to Countrywide’s website at www.countrywide.com.
• Contain real phone numbers. Some of the telephone numbers listed in fraudulent emails may be legitimate, connecting to actual companies. Fraudsters include these phone numbers, as well as some legitimate links, in an effort to make the email appear legitimate.
• Contain poor grammar. Fraudulent emails often contain poor grammar and broken graphics.

Example of fraudulent email

Many fraudulent emails are sent and circulated daily. They claim to come from a wide variety of sources, including Countrywide.

Below is an example of an actual fraudulent email. Countrywide did NOT send this email, but this will give you an idea of what fraudulent emails may look like. And you may have personally received other fraudulent emails that differ from this example.

Remember: don’t follow the links found in emails like this, and do not reply to these types of emails with personal information of any sort.

If you believe your personal information has been compromised, please take the following steps:

1. In a new browser window type www.countrywide.com
2. Attempt to log in
   1. If you are able to log in and confirm your personalized Site ID and Phrase then
      1. change your password immediately
      2. verify your personal information, including email address, phone number and mailing address
   2. If you are unable to log in please contact our Customer Care Department immediately by dialing one of the following Toll Free numbers:
      
      Home Loan Accounts: 1-800-669-6607
      Bank and Deposits Accounts: 1-800-283-8875
      Insurance Accounts: 1-800-669-6657
      
      
3. Forward the suspect email to fraud_hotline@countrywide.com

If you have responded to an email that may be fraudulent, think your identity has been stolen, affecting any of your loans or accounts with any of the companies in the Countrywide family, or resulting in the establishment of a fraudulent relationship with us, please contact us immediately at:

       E-mail: fraud_hotline@countrywide.com
       Phone: 1-877-CUFRAUD (283-7283)
       Fax: 1-805-306-7158

To learn additional ways to protect yourself from fraud and identity theft, click here.