Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. Working together, our first line of defense is our staff and our members. iQ Credit Union will NEVER contact you to obtain your personal financial data via any means, including email, phone, instant message and mail. If you’re a member, we already have it. So if you receive any type of solicitation asking for personal financial information, do NOT provide it — it’s a scam.

Protecting your sensitive financial information and making you feel confident using our service is the most important thing we do at iQ Credit Union. We have many systems in place that enhance protection of member information.

iQ Credit Union has a basic complimentary ID theft protection package through ID Experts on the primary member on all our checking accounts. This includes a Personal Recovery Advocate assigned to you in the event you account has been compromised. For complete coverage information, please click here. Enhanced coverage is available for you and your family members, contact 360-695-3441 for more information.

Should you be alerted that your ID has been stolen, here are the steps you should take to protect yourself from further damage. While the news can be overwhelming at first, there are a few steps you should immediately take to preserve your credit and your hard-earned money.

Call one of the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion)* to place a fraud alert on your credit report. It is unnecessary to call all three since the one that you contact will inform the other two agencies in addition to sending you a copy of your credit report for review. A fraud alert is extremely important since it requires companies to verify your identity before issuing a line a credit, thus preventing thieves from opening new accounts under your name.

* Equifax, P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241, 888-766-0008
* Experian, P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013, 888-397-3742
* Trans Union, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA, 92834, 800-680-7289

If fraud happens to your account, contact your local police and alert them to the fraud under your name. When you are finished providing the detective with all of your information, be sure to write down the detective’s name and the case number since many fraud affidavits will ask for these.

If you don't have an ID theft protection package on your account, here are the steps to follow.

If the perpetrators were able to open new accounts, contact each creditor and notify them of the fraudulent activity. They will close the accounts and most likely have you fill out a fraud affidavit.

If existing accounts are compromised, contact the creditor and inform them that your identity has been stolen. Not only will they close the accounts, but many will read through the most recent charges to help you determine how long the abuse has been going on and how much has been charged to your name.

File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (the FTC) by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT.
If you believe that someone is using your driver’s license, visit the DMV, Secretary of State, etc. as soon as possible to get a new driver’s license number and card. Even if you just renewed your license, you will be required to take a new picture and pay all of the regular fees.

KEEP RECORDS!! Throughout your dealings with creditors, companies, and detectives, always write down the name of the individual you spoke with, their employer, the date and time, and a short summary of your discussion. Keep all of this information in a centralized location and make sure that it is in a safe place since it can be used as evidence in your case. While you may be more diligent at the beginning, important information may come to light later so be sure to track everything until all of your disputes are resolved.

Identity theft doesn’t have to ruin your life or your credit. By staying calm, getting organized, and taking these crucial steps, you can bounce back from this stressful situation and stop thieves dead in their tracks.