Indiana Farm Bureau, the largest writer of farm insurance in the State of Indiana, announced today a partnership that gives their members free access to the fraud experts at CyberScout^®, a leading provider of identity theft management, resolution, and education services.    

According to the Federal Trade Commission, Indiana was one of the top 25 states in the country prone to identity theft in 2006. The significance of this problem has led Indiana’s legislature to pass a “Security Freeze Bill” effective this past September that would allow consumers to freeze their credit bureau files in order to prevent identity thieves from using their personal information to falsely obtain credit. 

“With identity theft rising in our state, our core focus at Indiana Farm Bureau is to protect our clients by providing top-quality products and services that match their specific needs, while protecting them from this insidious crime,” said Anna Todd, Member Services Coordinator of Indiana Farm Bureau. “Identity theft can hit anyone, and it can hit very hard. We've partnered with CyberScout to give our clients the best available protection against this serious threat.”

Members have access to CyberScout for proactive tips and advice; however, if a member becomes a victim of identity theft, a personal advocate will guide them through the entire process of restoring their identity.  CyberScout’s resolution service includes:

• Unlimited one-on-one access to an expert personal advocate 
• Fraud alerts placed with all three credit bureaus and a review of credit reports 
• Assistance preparing the Fraud Victim Affidavit and documents 
• Assistance notifying all relevant businesses, agencies and institutions 
• Assistance replacing checks, credit cards and debit cards 
• A full year of credit monitoring, fraud monitoring and follow-up after resolution 
• All services apply to immediate family members 

CyberScout’s Proactive Approach

While one-on-one resolution with a fraud expert is the most critical tool in dealing with an identity theft crisis, members can utilize CyberScout’s proactive platform to help protect themselves before America’s fastest-growing crime strikes.  Members of the Indiana Farm Bureau now have access to proactive identity management services including:

• Full-year credit file fraud alerts to prevent the creation of fraudulent accounts 
• Relocation assistance to ensure the member’s identity moves safely with them 
• Creation and suppression of a minor’s credit file to prevent fraud and misuse 
• Safeguarding the financial records and identity of a surviving spouse 
• Active Duty Fraud Alerts for deployed service members and their families  

Additionally, members of Indiana Farm Bureau are equipped with an abundance of proactive education on the crime. Articles, newsletters, interviews and other helpful preventative resources can be found at:  www.infarmbureau.org/idtheft.

“Identity theft has been the number one consumer complaint for several years and there are thousands of new victims daily,” said CyberScout President Steve Christenson. “We share the commitment with Indiana Farm Bureau to educate and protect their members against this rapidly growing crime.”