Identity Theft
Applying proactive steps to protect your assets.
- Fraud Defender
- Important Tips
- Prevention
- Overview
- Fraud Alerts
- Lost or Stolen Cards
Education Credit Union Is Now Your First Line of Defense against Identity Theft
Think it is someone else’s problem? Think Again.
Identity theft affects millions of Americans every year and is consistently the number one complaint to the FTC. The ever-increasing desire for mobile technology puts personally identifiable information (PII) at risk every day. And, with more than 30 different types of identity fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission every year, being prepared is becoming a necessity. What would your next step be if any of the following happened to you:
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- A skimmer at a gas station steals your credit card information and duplicates are sent all over the state.
- A thief impersonates you to apply for a new loan or credit card.
- A felon commits a crime and uses your name and information when apprehended.
- Your child’s Social Security number becomes compromised and the thief creates an entirely new identity; severely affecting your child’s financial future.
How is Education Credit Union helping with this growing problem?
There are a lot of options for identity fraud protection and we know it can be confusing. Education Credit Union has researched extensively on your behalf and found the highest quality services in the industry. The essential Fraud-Defender packages are available for direct purchase and offer a variety of benefits so you can find the best fit for you and your family!
The various package options include:
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- Fully Managed Identity Fraud Research, Remediation and Recovery – by a certified, licensed Recovery Advocate who will do the work on your behalf to restore your identity to pre-event status, for any type of identity fraud
- Lost Document Replacement – your Recovery Advocate will assist you to replace documents that have been lost, stolen or destroyed in connection with the identity fraud event
- Credit Monitoring – continuous monitoring of all three major credit bureau reports, with alerts as often as daily when a change is detected in the reports
- Annual Credit Report and Score – from all three major credit bureaus
- $1,000,000 Expense Reimbursement Insurance – to reimburse you for expenses incurred in fighting identity fraud
- Credential Vault – a highly secure online portal in which you can store up to 50 credentials such as credit or debit card numbers, account numbers, serial numbers, etc.
- Internet Monitoring – continuous monitoring of black market sites within the Internet where identity data is known to be traded, to detect misuse of your data
- Public Records Monitoring – continuous monitoring of thousands of public records databases to detect misuse of personally identifying information such as name, date of birth, and Social Security number
Click Here for more information and to purchase one of the available packages today!
How do Fully Managed Identity Fraud Research, Remediation and Recovery Services help me?
If you suspect identity fraud of any kind, whether related to your financial accounts or not, contact the toll-free Recovery Care Center. Your case will be managed by a dedicated, professional Recovery Advocate who will complete the legwork on your behalf to research and remediate all identity fraud incidents and restore your identity to pre-event status — to your satisfaction, no matter how long it takes!
Depending on your identity fraud incident, these efforts may include:
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- Work with you to identify fraudulent activity, including credit report review (if appropriate) and conduct additional research to determine the extent of the fraud.
- Place fraud alerts with the three major credit bureaus.
- Assist you in completing an Identity Theft Affidavit and Declaration of Fraud to establish your rights as a victim.
- Activate complimentary credit monitoring, if applicable, during your recovery to help you watch for additional signs of abuse.
- Contact the Social Security Administration, U.S. Postal Service, Department of Motor Vehicles, and more, as applicable, to address any misuse of official documentation of your identity.
- Research and document all fraudulent transactions and false accounts or contracts signed with creditors, banks, utility companies, leasing agents, medical facilities, etc.
- Follow up to make sure wrongful activity is expunged from your records.
- Work with local and federal law enforcement to try to stop the criminal or criminals who are using your identity.
- Enlist other members of the recovery team to assist when necessary, including professional investigators and legal advisors.
- Provide 12 months of personal follow-up and complimentary credit monitoring, if applicable, after your recovery is complete — to be sure you stay recovered!
Are you already working with a Fraud Specialist?
Click Here to log into your personal Identity Care Account and view details and status of your recovery. Don’t forget that your personal Recovery Advocate is available to answer any questions or concerns you might have during your Recovery.
Stolen Wallet? Lost Purse? Misplaced Birth Certificate?
Don’t worry! Lost Document Replacement services are included in your identity fraud protection services. Should you lose, misplace or have stolen an important document or credential, a Recovery Advocate will help you replace them. This service covers credit cards, licenses, and other government issued documents, just to name a few. Remember: a lost or stolen document is a compromised credential which could lead to your identity being stolen. Click Here to learn more about identity theft.
- Keep a list of all account numbers in a secure, confidential place in case you experience problems with lost cards or theft of checks
- Notify your financial institution immediately if you suspect your accounts have been compromised, or if you have lost any cards or checks.
- Store extra boxes of checks in a secure place.
- Do not provide any personal information to a third party unless you are confident of the purpose and feel secure that the information will not be misused.
- Keep credit cards, ATM cards, debit cards, and check books secure at all times. Do not leave purses or pocketbooks unattended at any time.
- Place only minimal, personal information on the top of your checks.
- Be sure to carefully review all account statements regularly. Notify your financial institution immediately if there are discrepancies when you balance your accounts.
- Report any suspicious activity to law enforcement and to your financial institution.
- Do not store or write PIN information on plastic cards or in pocket books or purses.
- Shred or destroy any documents that contain personal information before putting them in the garbage.
- Remove mail from your mailbox promptly.
- Consider mailing payments and checks at the post office instead of leaving them in your mailbox for pickup.
- Please cooperate fully with merchants or financial institutions that request proper identification. They are doing it to protect your interest.
Other Useful Information on Identity Theft:
Order Identity-Theft Survival Kit and other Materials
Identity Theft – How it Happens, Its Impact on Victims, and Legislative Solutions
Protect Yourself From Identity Theft!
Coping with Identity Theft: What to Do When an Imposter Strikes
Identity Theft Center (In English and Spanish)
Opt Out from Receiving Pre-approved Credit Card Offers
Opt out from receiving pre-approved credit card offers by calling (888)567-8688. Choose from having your name removed from these lists for 2 years or permanently. When you order from a catalog your name will be returned to the list so you will need to call this number again, to remove your name from the list.
Giving Account Numbers Over the Internet
Seems we can do just about anything online these days and purchasing has never been easier. Many companies allow you to authorize payments over the Internet if you provide your checking or savings account information. Using the Automated Clearing House (ACH) payment system, they can then debit your account electronically, eliminating the need for a paper check.
IS IT SAFE?
Companies are required to follow certain security measures including the use of a minimum 128-bit encryption to ensure that your data is secure. Make sure you are asked to provide a password and/or personal ID number (PIN) before completing these types of transactions. If you are instructed to print a copy of the transaction to your own records, do. Then review your account statement monthly! If you notice anything suspicious, or don’t recognize a transaction, notify your financial institution as soon as possible to receive credit for unauthorized activity.
www.electronic-check.org – Learn more about electronic payments.
Amarillo Better Business Bureau – includes News and Alerts, Unsatisfactory Companies in the Amarillo Area and the latest information about Identity Theft.
IRS E-Audit
Some taxpayers have received e-mails from a non-IRS source indicating that the taxpayer is under audit and needs to complete a questionnaire within 48 hours to avoid the assessment of penalties and interest. The e-mail refers to an “e-audit” and references the IRS Form 1040. The taxpayer is asked for social security numbers, bank account numbers and other confidential information.
THE IRS DOES NOT CONDUCT E-AUDITS, NOR DOES IT NOTIFY TAXPAYERS OF A PENDING AUDIT VIA E-MAIL. THIS E-MAIL IS NOT FROM THE IRS.
Should you receive such a request, do not provide the requested information. This may be an identity theft attempt. If you receive an e-mail of this nature, please contact the nearest IRS office.
Keep ECU Up To Date
Due to the amount of Identity Theft and Fraud in our society, as added security to your account, please inform Education Credit Union (ECU) immediately if you change your address or phone number(s). All we need is a signature to compare with your signature on file. You can do this by mail, fax, or in person. That way if we encounter any unusual activity or have a problem with your account, ECU personnel can contact you immediately.
If you are not sure if we have the correct information, please feel free to stop by one of our branches and visit our Member Services Department, any of our representatives will be glad to assist you in this matter.
As always ECU personnel will NEVER ask you for your account number or PIN (personal identification numbers) over the phone if we initiate the call. The address and fax number are listed below for your convenience
The Education Credit Union
4400 Interstate 40 West
Amarillo TX 79106
806-358-7777
Member Services Fax Number
806-242-9515
Protect Yourself
Below are a list of videos you can watch to help prevent you from becoming a victim of identity theft:
Phishing: Don’t take the Bait!
Identity Theft: Protect Yourself!
Internet Fraud: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
Social Media: Be Careful Who You Trust!
Play it Safe with Portable Devices!
Click Here to learn more about fraud prevention and detection.
How to know if your identity has been stolen:
- Your credit card bills show unauthorized charges.
- Your credit rating takes a major dip because of delinquencies on loans or credit cards of which you had no knowledge.
- You are denied employment, credit, loans, mortgages, government benefits, utilities and leases because your credit report and background checks show fraudulently incurred debts or wrongful criminal records.
How your information gets stolen:
- By stealing your wallet or purse containing your identification, credit cards, and bank cards.
- By stealing your mail.
- By completing a “change of address” form to divert mail to another address.
- By rummaging through your trash at home or work for personal information.
- By posing as a landlord or employer in order to get personal information.
- By getting your business or personnel records at work.
- By finding personal information in your home.
- By purchasing personal information from “inside” sources, such as paying a store employee for information you provided on a credit application.
- By using a pocket-sized scanner to get your credit card number when you present it for payment for goods or services.
- By fitting a false ATM front on a machine that “swallows” your ATM card.
General precautions
- Carry only necessary information with you. Leave your Social Security card at home. Only take it with you if you will need it. Confirm that it is actually needed rather than some other identifier.
- Limit paper statements. A paperless environment helps reduce the chance of identity theft. The fewer personal documents sent through the mail, the less chance there is for possible fraud. You can reduce paper statements by signing up for e-Statements.
- Shred documents containing personal or financial information before discarding. Most fraud and identity theft incidences happen as a result of mail and garbage theft.
- Once a year, order your credit report from all three credit reporting agencies. We suggest your order comes from one agency every four months.
Accountability Office official plans to tell a House hearing Thursday. There were 248,357 incidents in 2010, compared to 51,702 in 2008.
The GAO findings, obtained by The Associated Press, don’t begin to describe the pain for a first-time victim, who must wait for a refund while the IRS sorts out which return is real and which is a fraud.
Many identity thieves don’t get prosecuted, according James White, director of strategic issues for the GAO.
“IRS officials told us that IRS pursues criminal investigations of suspected identity thieves in only a small number of cases,” White says in testimony prepared for a House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee.
He said that in the 2010 fiscal year, the IRS criminal investigations division initiated just over 4,700 investigations of all types — far less than the identity theft cases alone.
Identity theft is more extensive than fraud. With identity theft, fraudsters may attempt to steal your identity by fraudulently obtaining your personal information, such as your Social Security number, bank account number, driver’s license number or other identification. They use this information to open new accounts or initiate transactions in your name. An identity thief might open new credit cards or bank accounts, forge checks, or even apply for loans. This may cause the victim financial loss or damage to credit, and possibly lead to a long resolution process.
Fraudsters may obtain personal information via online methods, but the majority of identity theft occurs offline. Stealing wallets and purses, intercepting or rerouting your mail, and rummaging through your garbage are some of the common tactics that thieves use to obtain personal information.
By understanding exactly what identity theft is, how it happens, and how it affects you, you can more effectively prevent and resolve identity theft. Below are some government websites offering information about identity theft.
Social Security Administration:
***Equifax Data Breach: Are you affected?***
To see if you are affected by the recent Equifax data breach, call Equifax directly at 1-888-477-7559 or Click Here for data breach details from their website.
TRS-Information-Breach 4-14-11
Text Message Phishing Alert 3-31-12
Email & Cell Phone Fraud Scam 12-17-09
Fraudulent Investment Opportunity 11-05-09
ECU Fraud Protection Products Contact Information
To Report a Lost or stolen Check/Debit Cards: 1-800-472-3272
In addition, call ECU’s Department of Special Services (DSS) during regular business hours at 806-358-7777 or 800-687-8144.
Returning an automated call from our Debit Card Fraud Department: 1-800-262-2024 This phone number is only to be used if you are returning a call from our debit card fraud department. You CANNOT call this number to report fraud or a lost or stolen card.
Lost or stolen Credit Cards: 1-800-442-4757
In addition, call ECU’s Credit Card Department during regular business hours at 806-358-7777 or 800-687-8144.
Fraud Plus Identity Protection Program: 1-800-251-2311
To Verify Suspicious Activity: 1-800-238-8604
Credit Bureaus:
• Equifax: 1-877-576-5734; www.alerts.equifax.com
• Experian: 1-888-397-3742; www.experian.com/fraud
• TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com
Fraud Defender:
There are a lot of options for identity fraud protection and we know it can be confusing. Education Credit Union has researched extensively on your behalf and found the highest quality services in the industry. The essential Fraud-Defender packages are available for direct purchase and offer a variety of benefits so you can find the best fit for you and your family!
The various package options include:
• Fully Managed Identity Fraud Research, Remediation and Recovery – by a certified, licensed Recovery Advocate who will do the work on your behalf to restore your identity to pre-event status, for any type of identity fraud
• Lost Document Replacement – your Recovery Advocate will assist you to replace documents that have been lost, stolen or destroyed in connection with the identity fraud event
• Credit Monitoring – continuous monitoring of all three major credit bureau reports, with alerts as often as daily when a change is detected in the reports
Annual Credit Report and Score – from all three major credit bureaus
• $1,000,000 Expense Reimbursement Insurance – to reimburse you for expenses incurred in fighting identity fraud
• Credential Vault – a highly secure online portal in which you can store up to 50 credentials such as credit or debit card numbers, account numbers, serial numbers, etc.
• Internet Monitoring – continuous monitoring of black market sites within the Internet where identity data is known to be traded, to detect misuse of your data
• Public Records Monitoring – continuous monitoring of thousands of public records databases to detect misuse of personally identifying information such as name, date of birth, and Social Security number
Click Here for more information and to purchase one of the available packages today!
Identity Theft has been called the crime of the 21st Century. A new law has been passed in Texas relating to preventing identity theft. It allows the identity theft victim to place a Fraud Alert on their credit file at no cost.
A Fraud Alert is a 90 day alert on your credit file that blocks any information from being shared so that potential identity thieves can’t obtain your information. It prohibits by law the credit reporting agency from releasing the consumer’s credit report or any information from it without the express authorization of the consumer. If you think you are a victim of identity theft you can go to www.annualcreditreport.com to file an alert that will be sent to all three major credit bureaus.
Financial related frauds have become one of the major concerns facing consumers in recent years. To combat the growing threat, the U.S. Government has set-up a StopFraud.gov website, which is a joint task force comprised of many government agencies (FBI, DOJ, DOL, Federal Reserve, Secret Service, etc). The website has an electronic “Report Suspected Fraud” hyperlink which will direct users on how to report any type of fraud—everything from elder abuse to securities fraud. Since this joint task force was launched in 2009, over $10 billion dollars in various fraud scheme losses have been uncovered nationwide involving well over 142,000 victims. It’s a great resource—check it out today.
http://www.stopfraud.gov/index.html
The IRS is grappling with a nearly five-fold increase in taxpayer identity theft between 2008 and 2010, a Government Accountability Office official plans to tell a House hearing Thursday. There were 248,357 incidents in 2010, compared to 51,702 in 2008.
The GAO findings, obtained by The Associated Press, don’t begin to describe the pain for a first-time victim, who must wait for a refund while the IRS sorts out which return is real and which is a fraud.
Many identity thieves don’t get prosecuted, according James White, director of strategic issues for the GAO.
“IRS officials told us that IRS pursues criminal investigations of suspected identity thieves in only a small number of cases,” White says in testimony prepared for a House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee.
He said that in the 2010 fiscal year, the IRS criminal investigations division initiated just over 4,700 investigations of all types — far less than the identity theft cases alone.