Identity Theft

Identity theft happens when someone else uses your identifying information, such as your name, date of birth, Social Security Number, driver’s license number or account numbers, for their own personal gain.  Identity theft can happen to anyone, regardless of age, where you live or your income status.  And unfortunately there is no way to prevent it from happening.  According to the Federal Trade Commission, more than 8 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2010.  As a result, recent regulation enacted by the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) requires that we put into place additional measures to safeguard our accountholders and our financial institution.

 Benefits: Free Identity Restoration Benefits for Share Draft Accountholders

1. What are the Free Identity Theft Benefits?

For Share Draft accountholders:

Fully-managed identity recovery services for the accountholder and three generations of their family.  This includes the accountholder’s

·         Spouse or domestic partner

·         Dependents under age 25 with the same permanent address – even if they are in college or the military

·         Parents with the same permanent address - living at home or in elder care (nursing home, assisted living, hospice, etc) - with benefits extended up to 12 months after death.

 We want to add value to our relationship with our accountholders, so we have arranged for professional identity theft research and recovery benefits to extend beyond accounts with us to cover all types of identity theft – including both financial and non-financial fraud.  These include, but are not limited to: 

·         Medical fraud

·         Bank and credit card fraud

·         Government documents and benefits fraud

·         Employment fraud

·         Phone and utilities fraud

 2. What does fully-managed identity recovery include?

If a Share Draft accountholder suspects identity theft for any reason, or their personal information has been compromised, contact the Credit Union and you will be submitted for recovery benefits using the online reporting process.  You will be assigned a professional, trained and certified Recovery Advocate who will assess the situation and create a plan for recovery. The Advocate will do all the work on your behalf, through a Limited Power of Attorney, to resolve all issues of fraud, no matter how long the process takes or how far and wide the fraud has reached. The Advocate will:

1.     Provide access to credit reports from all three bureaus and review the reports with the victim to identify fraudulent activity

2.     Work with the victim to place fraud alerts with the three major credit bureaus

3.     Assist in completing an Identity Theft Affidavit and Declaration of Fraud to establish the victim’s rights

4.     Activate credit monitoring during recovery to check for additional signs of abuse

5.     Contact the Social Security Administration, U.S. Postal Service, Department of Motor Vehicles, etc. as applicable, to address any misuse of official documentation of the victim’s identity

6.     Research and document all fraudulent transactions and false accounts or contracts signed with creditors, banks, utility companies, leasing agents, medical facilities, etc.

7.     Follow up to make sure all wrongful activity is reversed and/or removed from records

8.     Work with local and federal law enforcement to try to stop the criminal(s) who are using the identity

9.     Activate other members of the recovery team to assist when necessary, including professional investigators and legal advisors

10.   Provide 12 months of follow-up after recovery is complete

 For more information, please click here or call Tri-Rivers Federal Credit Union at 334-834-7483.