The University of Illinois Employees Credit Union (UIECU) is now offering its members a new free service provided by CyberScout, a recognized leader in identity theft resolution, defense, and education. UIECU members will now have access, at no additional charge, to CyberScout's industry-leading victim resolution services, as well as the nation's leading proactive education program to help them avoid being victimized.
"Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. Awareness and prevention are essential to stopping this crime, and fast, effective action in the event of an identity theft incident is crucial," said UIECU Executive VP and COO Greg Anderson. "Without expert assistance, clearing your name after an identity theft can be a very disruptive and complicated process for the victim."
Under the CyberScout program, UIECU members will have a personal advocate available to walk them through every step of the identity theft resolution process. CyberScout fraud experts will handle calls from UIECU members who discover that they have been victimized. Members will also have access to educational materials detailing proactive steps they can take to avoid becoming victims of this fast-growing crime.
"What people need is guidance, which is why we wanted to make comprehensive identity theft protection available free of charge to all of our members without exception," Anderson said. "Our members have busy lives, and this service will help provide peace of mind if anyone gets victimized."
"Financial institutions are recognizing the severe impact of identity theft on individual consumers, and the best of them are stepping up to help their people deal with this threat. CyberScout was built from the ground up for one reason — to help individuals recover as quickly and painlessly as possible from identity theft," said CyberScout President Steve Christenson. "Our company's focus on creating effective, affordable solutions to this crisis is completely in line with UIECU's mission to serve the changing needs of its membership."
"Our goal at the U of I Employees Credit Union is to serve our members' interests while providing value and peace of mind," said Chuck Rutan, UIECU President and CEO. "Partnering with CyberScout is the right thing to do for our members."
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.
