Deluxe ID TheftBlock®

Identity theft is growing at an alarming rate. In today's fast paced world, knowledge is power, and we do our best to arm you with the knowledge you need to protect yourself and your family from identity theft.  Learn more about how to protect your Identity.

What Is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States¹.  According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft is defined as a serious crime that occurs when an unauthorized person uses a consumer's identifying information - such as their Social Security or driver's license number - to take over their account, open new accounts or engage in any other fraudulent activity.

Identity theft strikes between seven and ten million new victims each year².  Losses related to identity theft have continually increased, and now average a whopping $6,383 per case³.

What Is Its Impact?

Chances are you or someone in your immediate family has been or will be victims of an identity theft crime.  If it occurs, it can result in additional costs and lost time to the victim and their financial institution.  it can mean lost opportunities, a lost sense of well-being, and an increased chance of frustration, harassment, and humiliation.

Besides having to spend many hours and possibly hundreds or thousands of dollars restoring their reputation and credit, victims may have to pay higher interest rates and/or be denied housing, employment, credit, education, services, and benefits during and after the painful ordeal.

What Is Deluxe ID TheftBlock?

Deluxe ID TheftBlock is a fraud detection and recovery service that minimizes the risk of identity theft and offers every subscriber these services:

Proactive Credit Report Monitoring - ongoing monitoring of credit bureau activity, each business day, for as long as the account holder is enrolled in the service.

Membership Kit - personalized list of creditors and other helpful information.

Initial Credit Report - choice of:

• On-line fulfillment:  Credit report available on-line for 90 days.
• Hard copy fulfillment:  Printed copy sent with Membership Kit.

Security Alerts - notification of certain credit report changes, additions or inquiries for as long as the account holder is enrolled.

Deluxe® Check Order Screening - monitoring check orders for account takeover for as long as the account holder is enrolled.

Fraud Prevention e-Newsletter - helpful fraud information sent monthly via e-mail.

Recovery Support and Resources - qualified, personal assistance from an Identity Theft Recovery Unit for up to six months should an identity theft be detected.

Expense Reimbursement* - up to $2,500 for qualified expenses as a result of identity theft, at no additional cost to the consumer, after a $250 deductible.

All of that is available for a low monthly fee of $4.49!  It's a small price to pay for the peace of mind it brings.

*Expense reimbursement does not cover lost or stolen funds and cannot be combined with other coverage on the account.  Expense reimbursement is not available to New York residents.

Sources:

¹General Accounting Office, March 2003.

²Combined sources: FTC, Gartner, Harris Interactive, Bureau of Justice Statistics, The Council of Better Business Bureaus and javelin Strategy and Research, 2006.

³The Council of Better Business Bureaus and Javelin Strategy and Research, Identity Fraud Survey Report, 2006.