In light of the recent surge in identity theft and related fraud — and the added risk that comes with the holiday shopping season — Credit.Com CEO Adam Levin has announced a unique offer for U.S. consumers during the month of December: a free credit report coupled with a free identity theft defense package from CyberScout. The one-year defense package includes identity theft and Internet fraud insurance as well as crisis resolution services for identity theft victims.
"Make no mistake, there's nothing cute or clever about identity theft," said Levin, a former director of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. "Identity thieves are parasites who feed on the lives of innocent people — vicious criminals who are willing to wipe out a family's dreams just to finance a shopping spree. At a time of year that's fundamentally about giving, we want to do what we can to help protect the givers from the takers."
Nearly 10 million Americans became victims of identity theft last year, according to the Federal Trade Commission — a 41 percent increase over the year before — making identity theft the fastest growing crime in the U.S. As we begin what could be the busiest holiday shopping season in years, this crime threatens to claim victims at an even higher rate.
To help consumers enjoy the holiday season while defending against its dangers, Credit.Com will provide access to credit reports free for the asking during the entire month of December. In addition, Credit.Com will provide an CyberScout defense package free of charge to those individuals who sign up for the free credit report.
The CyberScout defense package — normally available only to enterprises and other large groups — includes:
Identity theft insurance from AIG Affinity Group Services that provides expert assistance and financial relief for identity restoration costs, legal defense expenses, and lost wages.
An educational package incorporating fraud alerts, in-depth articles, an online knowledge base, and the CyberScout Newsletter
One-on-one crisis resolution for victims of identity theft
"The first step in protecting yourself against identity theft is to review your credit report as the holiday season begins," explained Levin. "To recognize fraudulent account activity, you have to know where you stand. The more you know, the more power you have to defend yourself."
"We and our partners at AIG Affinity Group Services are pleased to help Credit.Com make holiday shoppers more secure against identity theft," said CyberScout COO Sheryl Cox Christenson. "In return, in the spirit of the holidays, we're asking that people give back by donating to a toy drive or a food program. Besides the pain and loss that identity thieves cause to each individual victim, identity theft is an attack on the spirit of sharing and trust that makes this season so special. We think those are values worth defending."
