Frequently Asked Questions

Identity theft is a fast-growing crime that claims a new victim every two seconds. It is defined as the misuse of another individual’s sensitive information to fraudulently open credit accounts, use existing credit and banking assets, and even seek medical treatment. Sensitive data includes personally identifiable information (PII), such as Social Security numbers and financial account numbers, as well as protected health information (PHI). PII and PHI can be exposed in many ways—intentionally and unintentionally—including through human error, data theft, and hacking attacks on computing devices.

Fraudsters use PII and PHI most commonly to:

• Obtain credit fraudulently from banks and retailers
• Steal money from a victim’s existing accounts
• Secure loans, employment and housing
• Establish accounts with utility companies
• Receive medical care
• Achieve financial gain in other ways using the victim’s name

Theft of wallets and purses was once the most common way to obtain documents and accounts with identifying information. Today, identity thieves attack virtually every area of an individual’s life, wherever personal information is stored or sent. An identity thief needs only a few strategic bits of a personal information to commit identity theft and fraud. Some of the most common methods include:

• Dumpster-diving for documents containing sensitive information.
• Stealing mail to get preapproved credit offers, credit cards, bills, and more.
• Impersonating a loan officer, employer, or landlord to obtain access to credit files.
• Taking advantage of insider access to names, addresses, birth dates, and SSNs in personnel or customer files.
• Shoulder-surfing when people are using laptops in public places.
• Skimming of credit and debit card information at point-of-sale machines.
• Tapping online sources of personal data, such as public records and personal networking sites.
• Hacking into an individual’s or organization’s network and devices to steal sensitive information.
• Purchasing fraudulent identities on the Internet or through a secondary market.

From getting married and buying a home to raising children to retiring, practically every key moment in your life opens up new exposure points and opportunities for identity thieves and fraudsters. IDT Safeguard provides the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of services and solutions that are designed to protect you from identity theft in every phase of your life. You can have peace of mind knowing you and your immediate family will have unlimited access to identity management when you’re most vulnerable.

IDT Safeguard Provides:

• Educational resources for learning how to minimize risks
• Proactive guidance to help protect against identity theft
• Full identity theft recovery assistance
• Risk reduction and resolution for all types of identity theft: medical, tax and child
• Document and identification replacement, whether they were stolen or lost in a natural disaster
• Protection for every family member who lives in your household
• Unlimited 24/7 access to dedicated fraud specialists with a 99% customer satisfaction rate

IDT Safeguard is a comprehensive identity management service that protects you as your life circumstances change. In addition to Document Replacement Support, current services include:

Proactive Services

• Travel Risk
• External Breach Support
• System Protection Support
• Email Identity Support
• Phish Assist
• And more

Fraud Services

• Financial Identity Theft
• Tax Identity Theft
• Utility Identity Theft
• Payday Loan Identity Theft
• Government Benefits Identity Theft
• And more

If you are an eligible customer, there is no cost for using IDT Safeguard. You can contact Cyber Scout fraud specialists anytime for unlimited identity theft support, including proactive measures to protect against identity theft when you’re most at risk, education, and recovery assistance for yourself or others in your household.

No, absolutely not. These services are NOT an insurance product, therefore access to a fraud specialist does not require filing a claim.

No, customers will be assisted by a fraud specialist when they call and their eligibility is verified.

If you suspect identity theft or wish to proactively protect your good name, call Cyber Scout’s Resolution Center Support Team. Some examples of activity that should raise the red flag:

• My insurer sent me an Explanation of Benefits for treatment I never received.
• I am getting ready to go overseas for military service.
• Someone broke into my house and stole personal documentation.
• My car was stolen, and my wallet was in it with my personal information.
• I haven’t received my W-2 form yet.
• I tried to file my tax return but someone already filed in my name.
• A retailer said my personal information was involved in a breach.
• Someone may have opened a credit card in my name.

Eligible customers can contact Cyber Scout fraud specialists anytime for unlimited identity theft support, including proactive measures to protect against identity theft when they’re most at risk, education, and recovery assistance for themselves or others in their household. Identity protection services are available to spouses and/or immediate family members under 26 years old who live in the household. A fraud specialist is available to help them 24/7.

Customers can have peace of mind knowing their phone calls and paperwork will be handled by experts who know how to navigate recovery processes. They will receive step-by-step, customized help based on their unique situation.