Monterey Credit Union will provide the nation's premier identity theft services for its entire membership through CyberScout (www.identitytheft911.com), Monterey Credit Union and CyberScout announced today. MontereyCU members will be provided identity theft victim assistance and consumer education at no cost to them under the innovative new program.
"We place the highest value on the privacy and security of our members," said Monterey Credit Union Vice President of Marketing Ross Ramsey, "and we've always taken great care to ensure that their accounts and their personal information are well protected. We've never experienced a data compromise, and we're constantly seeking new ways to keep our members and their assets safe. The CyberScout program will add significantly to the peace of mind our members already enjoy."
Under the program, CyberScout's industry-leading victim resolution services will be available to every Monterey Credit Union member. Monterey Credit Union members will also have access to the nation's premier consumer education program on identity theft risks and defenses.
"Monterey Credit Union is known for its flexible, personal approach to its members and their needs," said CyberScout CEO Sheryl Christenson. "By extending this safety net to every one of their account holders, they've demonstrated their leadership as well as their dedication to their members."
"We wanted to make world-class identity theft protection available to all our members without exception," said Ramsey, "at no cost to them and without compromising their privacy."
The CyberScout victim resolution service provides:
- A personal advocate who works with the victim one-on-one, from first call to crisis resolution
- Systematic notification of agencies, businesses, and institutions
- Comprehensive case file creation for insurance and police
- Credit reports from all three credit bureaus
- Emailed fraud 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 all Monterey Credit Union members with ongoing emailed fraud alerts, a monthly newsletter, and a dedicated web site with articles, interviews, and white papers covering every aspect of identity theft.
Ramsey emphasized the importance to Monterey Credit Union members of the consumer education provided by CyberScout. "Education is the consumer's single most powerful proactive weapon against identity theft," said Ramsey, "and CyberScout is the nationwide leader in identity theft education. The best defense against this crime is prevention. That means giving our members the consumer education they need to protect their identities from would-be identity thieves."
"CyberScout was built from the ground up for one reason — to help individuals recover quickly and completely from identity theft," said Christenson. "Our company's exclusive focus is creating effective, affordable solutions to this crisis. We're extremely pleased to have this opportunity to help provide peace of mind to Monterey Credit Union members."
Free Public Seminar
Monterey Credit Union and the Pacific Grove Rotary Club will be co-sponsoring a free seminar on identity theft on Thursday, February 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Grove Performing Arts Center (formerly the PG Middle School Auditorium), 835 Forest Avenue. The public is invited to hear experts share vital information to help them avoid becoming victims of this crime.
