Recognizing the need for protection against the virulent crime of identity theft, Leatherstocking Cooperative Insurance Company announced today that it will now provide America’s premier identity theft services to all its policyholders, at no additional cost.  Leatherstocking has collaborated with Arizona-based CyberScout®, making available proactive education and access to a fraud specialist who will work one-on-one with victimized policyholders to fully restore their identity.                                   

“Attempting to resolve an identity theft crisis on your own can be extremely complicated and frustrating,” said Philip Lewis, President of Leatherstocking Insurance Company.  “Our partnership with CyberScout will alleviate these concerns by assigning a personal advocate who will use their expertise to help our policyholders get back on their feet.”

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) 2006 Report, identity theft has topped the FTC’s list of consumer complaints for seven consecutive years, and out-of-pocket expenses for victims increased nearly 50% in 2006.  The study reveals that victims spend an average of 175 hours cleaning up their lives after an identity theft catastrophe.

“Identity theft is sweeping the nation, leaving devastation in its wake,” said Sheryl Christenson, CEO of CyberScout.  “We’re excited to extend our network of care by partnering with such a respected company as Leatherstocking, and we want their policyholders to know that we’re here to help in a time of need.”      

Some highlights of the resolution service include:
  

• Unlimited one-on-one access to a personal advocate via a toll-free number 
• Assistance with proactive inquiries 
• Systematic notification to credit bureaus, creditors, collection agencies, etc. 
• Comprehensive case file management, including creation of a fraud victim affidavit as well as preparation of all necessary documentation and phone calls 
• One year of credit monitoring, plus a 3-in-1 credit report from all credit bureaus 
• One year of fraud monitoring of over 1000 public records data bases, when needed 
• Optional credit freezes and assistance with state identity theft passport programs 
• A full year of active follow-up after resolution 

Additionally, all Leatherstocking policyholders have access to a wealth of proactive education on the crime.  Ongoing threat alerts, articles, and tips will help policyholders reduce their future exposure to fraud.  The education is accessible at www.leatherstocking-idtheft.com.