CSIdentity Protector Tri-Bureau

Only 25%  of identity theft can be detected by traditional credit report monitoring, which means that you need a more sophisticated service than the average offering (LifeLock). If you are time starved, convenience based or just simply want a comprehensive way to detect the inappropriate use of your data, you need to enlist an identity monitoring service. It’s similar to having someone monitor your home alarm system.

Here’s a bit of background. Traditional credit monitoring only detects a portion of identity theft. The remaining theft happens on non-credit loan activities (pay-day loans, etc), as part of public records (court cases, real estate transactions, government filings, etc.), over the internet (bought and sold on identity-for-sale sites), or in relation to medical or criminal records. It is important to monitor these forms of potential identity theft as well as your credit file. CSIdentity’s Protector Tri-Bureau product wins the award for Best-in-Class identity monitoring based on 7 criteria:

1. Convenience: It emails me any time a red flag appears, meaning that I don’t have to do any extra work to keep track of my identity;
2. Technical Excellence: The engine under their surveillance hood is superior, providing a deeper scan of risks and therefore a higher chance of detecting fraud;
3. Depth of Monitoring: The service monitors your credit report at all three credit reporting bureaus as well as scanning non-credit loans (pay-day check schemes);
4. Public Document Surveillance: It monitors your public records on the internet (court documents, govt filings, etc.) in case your information is published for any reason by the government;
5. Cyber-threat Detection: It combs the internet for the buying and selling of your individual identity to minimize your data being circulated through carder sites;
6. Restoration Services: It provides IN HOUSE restoration services if your identity is stolen, meaning that you aren’t dealing with a third party in the case of theft;
7. Industry Leadership: The executives at CSIdentity are some of the smartest people I have met, and have a proven track record of being honest, trustworthy thought leaders. I wouldn’t allow them access into my personal data if I didn’t completely trust them.

Here’s how it works. Rather than waste hours monitoring all of the different potential sources of identity theft myself, CSIdentity does it for me, automatically. In addition to 24/7 credit monitoring, pay-day loan fraud, public record monitoring and theft insurance and restoration services, their CyberAgent technology monitors the internet for instances of my identity being bought and sold online. Every month, a report shows up in my email inbox letting me know if there are any areas that I should be concerned about.

If you decide to try out CSIdentity’s Protector Tri-Bureau Monitoring, enter the promotion code CSIDFRIEND at the top of the screen (this gives you a $39 discount). I receive no money if you use this code – it only benefits you.

To reiterate, no matter what Identity Monitoring Service you end up using, they should provide the following tools:
•    3-in-1 Credit Monitoring
•    Court Record Monitoring
•    Public Record Monitoring
•    Non-credit loan monitoring
•    Internet Surveillance
•    Sex Offender Reports
•    Identity Theft Insurance
•    Identity Theft Restoration Services performed in-house

Related posts:

1. LifeLock Identity Monitoring a Fraud?
2. Identity Monitoring: Credit Alerts Not Enough
3. LifeLock’s New Identity (Theft Monitoring)

Since you can’t protect yourself 100% from identity theft, make sure that you Monitor the Signs! Heading into a new year people make many resolutions that they may or make not stick with, but protecting your identity should always be a top priority. Here are 3 effective tips to help discover and recover quickly if you become the victim of identity theft:

1. Create a Dossier – A dossier is a collection of documents that are stored in a fire-safe and that you regularly review and update. It is a paper summary of your identity as the outside world sees it (businesses, organizations and governments). It is made up of several key documents: your credit report, bank and credit card statements, Social Security statement, wallet photocopies and your password list. Virtually any of your vital documents could be included in your dossier as well (birth certificates, marriage licenses, etc.). A dossier is a place where you can quickly access a complete record of your vital information in case your identity is stolen and you will have the necessary account and phone numbers at hand to cancel credit cards, bank accounts and to file credit disputes. And you can do it quickly.
2. Order and Monitor Your Credit Report and Set up regular calendar reminders every 4 months for your next Credit Report. A credit report is a historical record of how you pay off money you borrow from others. There are currently three main credit bureaus in the United States—Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Credit bureaus track your credit history, generate credit scores and produce credit reports—all for sale to other businesses. If you own a home, have a credit card, lease a car, or apply for or use credit of any sort, this information is reported to one, two or all three of these credit bureaus. In addition, they collect information on how timely you pay your bills, how often you are tardy, how frequently your credit is checked by companies and any changes of address, employment, or personal information. By monitoring these reports closely, you will know when someone else is using your credit file to their benefit. If an identity thief opens a new credit card or loan on your Social Security number, you will see it on your report. The quicker you spot the problem, the less trouble it will cause. You can also sign up for an Identity Monitoring Service (CSIdentity has many great options) and Identity Theft Insurance.
3. Set up Account Alerts bank, credit card and investment accounts and make sure you check your monthly statements for any suspicious activity. Account alerts automatically notify you by email or text message (to your cell phone) when a transaction is made on your account. For example, if you make a purchase on your credit card, it will automatically send you an alert detailing how much was spent, where you spent it, and on what date. They will also alert you when a payment is due or is not received on time or when private information is changed on the account (often a sign of fraud). Alerts are a simple way to keep track of credit card usage, bank transfers, low account balances, investment moves and a handful of other helpful tasks without doing any extra work.

These 3 simple changes make a world of difference when it comes to protecting your Identity. Early detection will save you time and money in the long run. Make it a priority to protect your identity in 2010 for a safe, successful and headache free year!

John Sileo became America’s leading Identity Theft Speaker & Expert after he lost his business and more than $300,000 to identity theft and data breach. His clients include the Department of Defense, Pfizer and the FDIC.  To learn more about having him speak at your next meeting or conference, contact him by email or on 800.258.8076.

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Identity theft is rampant throughout the holiday season. Over the past 3 years stolen data being used in less than one week jumped from 33% to 71%, meaning that they steal today and shop today.  Identity thieves count on our lackadaisical attitude toward monitoring our wealth.

Not only does legitimate business pick up during the holiday season, but Identity theft and fraudulent Business seems to be on the rise as well. Especially during these hard economic times Identity thieves are on the prowl more than ever looking for a quick fix to their financial problems.  It is just not possible to observe and ward off every threat to our identity. There will be documents that you forget to destroy or lock up, accounts that you won’t cancel, checks that you will mail, and waiters that will disappear with your credit card. It is not practical to think that we can cover every situation that threatens the safety of our identity. But we are not helpless in these situations.

Like an experienced spy, we have a solid backup plan. It is extremely important to monitor the key components of our identity especially during the Holidays. Over 50% of all Identity theft is self detected. Here are a few tips to stay safe and keep an eye out for Identity Fraud this Holiday Season:

Monitor Your Credit Report Look for any suspicious activity or unknown accounts. If you find anything new that you haven’t applied for contact the responsible financial institution immediately.

Credit Monitoring Services Services that companies like CSIdentity offer make it easy to ensure that fraudsters aren’t accessing your personal information, accounts, or credit. Allowing them to do it for you will put you more at ease this Holiday Season.

Sign up for Account Alerts This way you will know immediately if anyone is making fraudulent charges on your account.

Switch to Online Statements This way you can more easily access your accounts throughout the month rather than waiting until the end of the month for a statement.

The 2009 Identity Fraud Survey Report, Javelin Strategy & Research.

Read More About Protecting Your Identity During the Holidays.

John Sileo became America’s Top Identity Theft Speaker & Expert after he lost his business and more than $300,000 to identity theft and data breach. His clients include the Department of Defense, Pfizer and the FDIC. To learn more about bringing John to your next meeting or event, contact him directly on 800.258.8076.

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1. Identity Theft Statistics & Holiday Shopping
2. Discover and Recover Quickly from Identity Theft in 2010
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In fact, there are tangible identity protection benefits delivered by many of these services. Having researched many of them, I settled on CSIdentity for my personal use because of the “engine underneath it’s hood”. Unlike LifeLock, it provides a portfolio of monitoring tools: credit reports, pay-day loan fraud detection, public records, illegal cyber-trafficking of your personally identifying information, etc. It also offers insurance in case you get hit. For $10-12 a month, it actually allows you to monitor many aspects of your identity simply by checking your email (the email you if they detect a problem). No, I don’t make money when you sign up for their service, I use it because it works.

There are rumors going around that LifeLock might be adding some of this type of detection functionality to its product. Time will tell… that is, if they survive the onslaught of bad news that comes from advertising a car for sale that, at this point in time, doesn’t actually have an engine under their very shiny hood.

John Sileo
Identity Theft Expert and Speaker

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3. LifeLock’s New Identity (Theft Monitoring)