Identity theft is one of the fastest growing forms of crime. Millions of Americans fall victim to ID Theft each year and, unfortunately, most victims can expect to spend a great deal of time recovering from the effects of this crime. Even after all that, the lingering effects of ID Theft can haunt victims for years to come. Because ID Theft can be so damaging, our personal concerted efforts to avoid this insidious fraud become very important.

What can I do?
ID Theft’s worst enemy is constant vigilance. You will greatly mitigate your exposure if you vigilantly do these simple things...

Protect – Protect your social security number. Protect your personal identification numbers and account number. Do not give your personal information out to anyone unless you know whom you are giving it to. The more you protect your info, the less chance a thief has of taking it.

Reconcile – Regularly reconcile your accounts. Don’t let time pass by without making sure your accounts are on track. When you closely watch your accounts, it makes defrauding you much, much more difficult.

Shred – Simple advice, but effective. Shred everything with your name, account number, address, medical information or anything else that has personal information. ID thieves are looking to impersonate you so they need personal information to do this effectively. When you shred this information there is a much better chance thieves will move on to easier targets.

Check – Check your credit reports. There are three bureaus to check with: Experian, Trans Union and Equifax. Since your credit profile can vary from bureau to bureau, check all your credit reports. This can be done free of charge by the recently law-mandated web site www.annualcreditreport.com.

In order to continue to protect you, Utah First Credit Union is proud to provide our members with the nation’s premier identity theft services, including proactive resources and one-on-one expert victim assistance- all for FREE. Learn how to protect yourself and your family. And if you do get victimized, you’ll receive:

• Unlimited access to your dedicated, personal advocate via toll-free number
• Family members are included
• Proactive assistance for victims of wallet and purse theft
• Systematic notification to credit bureaus, creditors and collectors, government agencies, and relevant parties
• All phone calls and documentation needed to resolve your identity theft
• Comprehensive case file creation to assist law enforcement and insurers
• A 3-in-1 credit report and credit monitoring for all victims
• Fraud monitoring for victims of true identity theft
• Optional credit file freezes and interface with state identity theft passport programs (when available)
Threat alerts, proactive tips, education, and follow-up call to avoid recurrence

For more information about this exciting new service, click here, If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, call (801) 320-2600 and speak with one of our representatives to be connected to the Identity Theft Resolution Center.