Fraud Defender
Identity theft can happen to anyone, and it can come in all shapes and sizes. TwinStar has partnered with Fraud Defender for fully-managed identity recovery services.
What is identity theft?
Identity theft is defined as the process of using someone else’s personal information for personal gain. Identity theft can happen to anyone, and it can come in all shapes and sizes. According to the Federal Trade Commission, there are more than 30 types of identity theft affecting millions of Americans each year. Your credit card digits could be stolen and used to make online purchases; a thief could impersonate you to open a loan in your name; a felon could commit a crime and pretend to be you when caught; or someone could use your personal information to apply for a job.
How can TwinStar Credit Union help?
TwinStar members with a checking account in good standing can now obtain Fraud Defender identity theft recovery services for just $2.95 per month. The fee will be automatically deducted from your checking account each month.
Sign up for Fraud Defender next time you are in a branch or call us at 1.800.258.3115.
TwinStar has partnered with Fraud Defender for fully managed identity recovery services if you suspect identity theft for any reason, or your personal information has been compromised.
All checking account holders may choose to have Fraud Defender added to their accounts for a nominal fee of $2.95 per month.
With Fully Managed Recovery, a professional Recovery Advocate does the work on your behalf to restore your identity. If your identity theft event affects a family member, these benefits extend to cover three generations of your family. Eligible family members include:
- Spouse or domestic partner
- Dependents under age 25 with the same permanent address — even if they are in college or the military
- Parents with the same permanent address — living at home or in elder care (nursing home, assisted living, hospice, etc) — with benefits extended up to 12 months after death
We want to add additional value to our relationship with you, so we have arranged for professional identity theft research and recovery benefits to extend beyond accounts with us to cover all types of identity theft — including both financial and non-financial fraud. These include, but are not limited to:
- Medical fraud
- Bank and credit card fraud
- Government documents and benefits fraud
- Employment fraud
- Phone and utilities fraud
- And many more
Fully Managed Identity Recovery — How It Works
If you suspect identity theft, or your personal information becomes compromised as a result of a lost purse or wallet, a break-in, lost laptop or data breach, or other event, we can help. Simply contact TwinStar Credit Union and a representative will verify your information and securely submit your case to a Personal Recovery Advocate, who will contact you directly by phone.
This trained and certified Recovery Advocate will work with you to place fraud alerts at the three major credit bureaus; help you access services to watch for signs of identity theft; and access your credit reports and conduct a threat assessment to determine if any identity theft has occurred.
If you are victimized by identity theft, your Advocate will work on your behalf to restore your identity. Your Advocate will:
- Work with you to identify fraudulent activity, including credit report review (if appropriate) and conduct additional research to determine the extent of the fraud.
- Work with you to place fraud alerts with the three major credit bureaus.
- Assist you in completing an Identity Theft Affidavit and Declaration of Fraud to establish your rights as a victim.
- Activate credit monitoring during your recovery to help you watch for additional signs of abuse.
- Contact the Social Security Administration, U.S. Postal Service, Department of Motor Vehicles, etc., as applicable, to address any misuse of official documentation of your identity.
- Research and document all fraudulent transactions and false accounts or contracts signed with creditors, banks, utility companies, leasing agents, medical facilities, etc.
- Follow up to make sure wrongful activity is reversed and removed from your records.
- Work with local and federal law enforcement to try to stop the criminal or criminals who are using your identity.
- Enlist other members of the recovery team to assist when necessary, including professional investigators and legal advisors.
- Provide 12 months of follow-up after your recovery is complete — to be sure you stay recovered!
Have You Been Submitted for Recovery Services?
If you have been submitted for identity recovery services, you may check on the status of your case by clicking here: twinstarcu.merchantsinfo.comFor more information about Fraud Defender, please contact us at 1.800.258.3115 or stop by your local branch
If you would like to purchase additional identity fraud benefits, please click here.
Terms for Identity Recovery Services
- Services will be extended to accountholders at the discretion of TwinStar Credit Union and may be cancelled upon 30 days’ notice to the accountholder.
- Services extend to all named accountholders in the defined group, their spouse or domestic partner, dependents up to age 25 with the same permanent residence address as the accountholder, including students and military, and parents of the accountholder living at the same address as the accountholder, or living in hospice, assisted living, nursing home or deceased for 12 months or less.
- Benefits have no cash equivalent, are non-transferable, and non-cancelable (except in the event of termination of the Group Plan.)
- Provider Services do not cover financial losses of any kind arising from the identity theft.
- Eligibility for recovery services is based on ID theft events that are discovered and reported to TwinStar Credit Union on or after the effective date of the group program.
- Identity Theft is defined as fraud that involves the use of a consumer’s name, address, Social Security Number, bank or credit/debit card account number, or other identifying information without the knowledge of the consumer, and such information is used to commit fraud or other crimes.
- Recovery Services may be refused or terminated if it is deemed that the accountholder or eligible family member is committing fraud or other illegal acts, making untrue statements, or failing to perform his/her portion of the recovery plan. Services will not be refused or terminated due to the complexity of a case.
- TwinStar Credit Union and/or its service provider of the identity theft services cannot be held responsible for failure to provide or for delay in providing services when such failure or delay is caused by conditions beyond its control.
- This service does not provide credit counseling or repair to credit which legitimately belongs to the accountholder or eligible family member.
- Services are only available to residents of the United States. Identity recovery is only performed with agencies and institutions in the United States, or territories where U.S. law applies.
- Services are provided by Merchants Information Solutions, Inc., www.merchantsinfo.com or an alternate Services Provider selected at the sole discretion of TwinStar Credit Union.