CyberScout
July 22, 2005

ElecTel Cooperative Credit Union Becomes First North Carolina CU to Offer Identity Theft Education and Resolution Services at No Cost to Its Members

Raleigh, North Carolina (22 July 2005) — ElecTel Cooperative Credit Union (ElecTel) today announced a new identity theft protection service for its members through a partnership with CyberScout (www.identitytheft911.com), the recognized leader in identity theft resolution, defense, and education. Under the new program, CyberScout's industry-leading victim resolution services will be available to ElecTel's approximately 7,000 members AT NO COST to individual members. Members will also have ongoing access to the nation's leading consumer education program on identity theft risks and defenses. ElecTel is the first credit union in North Carolina to offer this service to its membership through this groundbreaking partnership with CyberScout.

"ElecTel is very excited to offer this new service to all our members, free of charge," said Nancy Long, President, of ElecTel Cooperative Credit Union. "We feel it is our responsibility to do whatever we can for our members in case of identity theft. By partnering with CyberScout, we're able to give them the expertise and knowledge needed to get them through what can be a very complex and unpleasant experience."

The CyberScout resolution program includes a personal advocate who works with the victim every step of the way to resolve the crisis and restore the victim's identity.
"Identity theft continues to be the top consumer complaint, both in North Carolina and nationwide, and the situation is getting worse, not better," said CyberScout President Steve Christenson. "By offering this innovative service at no charge to its members, ElecTel is living up to their trust and giving them another reason to make ElecTel their financial institution of choice."

"Consumers expect their financial institutions to take responsibility for providing identity theft protection," Long said. "We at ElecTel are committed to living up to that responsibility. This new service, provided in partnership with CyberScout, is a clear sign of ElecTel's commitment to giving our members what they truly need."
CyberScout Victim Resolution and Education Services The CyberScout victim resolution service provides:

  • A personal advocate who works with the victim one-on-one until the crisis has been resolved 
  • Systematic notification of agencies, businesses and institutions 
  • Comprehensive case file creation 
  • Preparation of all needed documents 
  • Credit reports from all three credit bureaus 
  • Threat alerts and consumer education 
  • One year of credit monitoring and fraud monitoring 
  • A full year of follow-up alerts, phone calls, and status checks to avoid recurrence 

In addition, the consumer education component provides members with ongoing threat alerts, a monthly newsletter, and a dedicated web site with articles, interviews, and white papers covering all aspects of this crime.
 

About ElecTel Cooperative Credit Union

The mission of the ElecTel Cooperative Credit Union (www.electelccu.org) is to promote personalized services designed to meet the financial needs and goals of its members. Membership in ElecTel CCU is open to the employees, directors, and officers of the electric and telephone cooperatives in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Tennessee, and West Virginia as well as the member-consumers of Piedmont EMC and their families. ElecTel CCU exists to serve its members' needs by offering a full range of affordable, easy-to-obtain financial services. Our profits are returned to our members in the form of higher savings rates, lower loan rates, and fewer fees than can be found at most other institutions.

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