What Is Identity Theft?
Identity theft is defined as the process of using someone else's personal information for personal gain. Identity theft can happen to anyone, and it can come in all shapes and sizes. According to the FTC, there are more than 30 types of identity theft affecting millions of Americans each year. Your credit card digits could be stolen and used to make online purchases; a thief could impersonate you to open a loan in your name; a felon could commit a crime and pretend to be you when caught; or someone could use your personal information to apply for a job.
To learn more about the growing problem of identity theft, and to learn how to protect yourself against its devastating effects, visit our Identity Theft Solutions site. For additional identity theft information and resources, visit idtheftedu.com.
How Can Allegius Credit Union Help?
Checking account benefits include fully managed identity recovery services for all named accountholders, with benefits extending to three generations of the accountholder's family if a family member is affected by the identity theft event. Eligible family members include:
- 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 additional value to our relationship with you, 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
- And many more…
Accordion Fully Managed Identity Recovery: How It Works
If you or your family member suspects identity theft, or your personal information becomes compromised as a result of a lost purse or wallet, a break-in, lost laptop or data breach, or other event, we can help. Simply contact ID Theft Recovery Services at 1-866-SMART68 (866-762-7868) and a representative will assist you. Your case will then be forwarded to a Personal Recovery Advocate, who will contact you directly by phone.
This trained and certified Recovery Advocate will place fraud alerts at the three major credit bureaus for you; help you access services to watch for signs of identity theft; and access your credit reports and conduct a threat assessment to determine if any identity theft has occurred.
If you are victimized by identity theft, your Advocate will work on your behalf to restore your identity. Your Advocate will:
- Provide you with access to credit reports from all three bureaus and review the reports with you to identify fraudulent activity.
- Work with you to 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 credit monitoring 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, etc., 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 all wrongful activity is reversed and removed from your records.
- Work with local and federal law enforcement to try to stop the criminal or criminals who are using your identity.
- Activate other members of the recovery team to assist when necessary, including professional investigators and legal advisors.
- Provide 12 months of follow-up after your recovery is complete — to be sure you stay recovered!
Have You Been Submitted for Recovery Services?
If you have been submitted for identity recovery services, you may check on the status of your case at the Allegius Identity Theft Solutions site.
Accordion Terms for Identity Theft Recovery Services
- Services will be extended to accountholders at the discretion of Allegius Credit Union and may be cancelled upon 30 days notice to the accountholder.
- Services extend to all named accountholders, their spouse or domestic partner, dependents up to age 25 with the same permanent residence address as the accountholder including students and military, and parents of the accountholder living at the same address as the accountholder, or living in hospice, assisted living, nursing home or deceased for 12 months or less.
- Benefits have no cash equivalent, are non-transferable, and non-cancelable (except in the event of termination of the Group Plan.)
- Provider Services do not cover financial losses of any kind arising from the identity theft.
- Eligibility for recovery services is based on ID theft events that are discovered and reported Allegius Credit Union on or after the effective date of the group program.
- Identity Theft is defined as fraud that involves the use of a consumer's name, address, Social Security Number, bank or credit/debit card account number, or other identifying information without the knowledge of the consumer, and such information is used to commit fraud or other crimes.
- Recovery Services may be refused or terminated if it is deemed that the accountholder or eligible family member is committing fraud or other illegal acts, making untrue statements, or failing to perform his/her portion of the recovery plan. Services will not be refused or terminated due to the complexity of a case.
- Allegius Credit Union and/or its service provider of the identity theft services cannot be held responsible for failure to provide or for delay in providing services when such failure or delay is caused by conditions beyond its control.
- This service does not provide credit counseling or repair to credit which legitimately belongs to the accountholder or eligible family member.
- Services are only available to residents of the United States. Identity recovery is only performed with agencies and institutions in the United States, or territories where U.S. law applies.
- Services are provided by Merchants Information Solutions, Inc. or an alternate Services Provider selected at the sole discretion of Allegius Credit Union.
Notice of Change in Account Fees for Checking Accounts
Industry changes, including regulation enacted by the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, require that we implement additional measures to safeguard your account as well as our financial institution. To ensure compliance with these changes and to offset the costs associated with them, a monthly account maintenance fee of $1.75 per month will be added to your checking account fee schedule pursuant to your account agreement. This fee will appear on your statement as "Security Fee." If you have any questions about how this fee pertains to your account, please contact your local branch representative.