ID theft is the misuse of an individual's personally-identifiable information (PII). In true identity theft, an identity thief fraudulently uses another person's PII (name, Social Security number, date of birth, address, etc.) to obtain goods, services and/or employment, open new accounts for financial gain, or hide a real identity. Victims may not know about the fraud for a long time, which can allow the criminal to continue the ruse for months or even years. In recent years, the PII definition has expanded to include other personal information such a mother's maiden name, pet names and other information which can often be a key to uncovering other PII or enabling a bad actor to gain access to otherwise protected information.

Some of the most common methods include:

• Dumpster diving for credit card statements, loan applications, and other documents containing names, addresses, account information, and SSNs
• Stealing mail from unlocked boxes
• Impersonating a loan officer, employer or landlord to obtain access to credit files
• Taking advantage of "insider" access to names, addresses, birth dates, and SSN
• Shoulder surfing when people are using laptops in public places or watching ATM transactions and public phones to capture PINs
• Hacking into an organization's database to steal sensitive information

Some examples of the many ways criminals use stolen identity information are to:

• Obtain credit fraudulently from banks and retailers
• Steal money from victim's existing accounts
• Apply for loans
• Establish accounts with utility companies
• Rent an apartment
• Obtain a job
• Receive medical care

ID Sanctuary detects potential fraud by monitoring a full-range of credit and non-credit information including:

• Public records
• Change of Address
• Court records
• Single bureau credit report and score
• Cyber internet surveillance – chat rooms and websites are monitored for your PII (name, SSN, email, phone number, credit/debit cards)
• Social media channels

As a member, you can call the toll-free number on the back of your membership card for 24/7 assistance. A fraud investigator from CyberScout will lead the resolution process and help you every step of the way. You will receive a personalized review and a customized, appropriate course of action. Once fraud has been resolved, your fraud specialist will conduct a six-month follow-up to ensure no other issues have occurred and to answer any additional questions.

Your credit score is a numerical representation of the history of credit use found in your credit report. Your credit report lists the details of your credit history, which can include creditor names, addresses, loan amounts, credit limits, payments made on time or past due, and amount of monthly payments. The ID Sanctuary free credit report is provided by TransUnion.

Credit report monitoring does not prevent identity theft. However, it can alert you to activity that may indicate identity theft is being attempted or has taken place. If you learn someone used your data to apply for credit, ID Sanctuary can help you take steps to prevent future misuse of your data.

This program also provides Global Travel Assistance—your ally when traveling 100 miles from home domestically or abroad. If your spouse or dependent child gets injured or becomes ill and medical treatment is not available in your current location, Global Travel Assistance will arrange and pay for a medically supervised evacuation to the nearest appropriate facility. They also assist with other travel challenges like replacement of lost or stolen documents; airlines, hotels, and other travel arrangements in the event of illness or injury; transfer of funds, and more. ID Sanctuary Premium also provides Roadside Assistance—dependable 24/7 road and tow services.

You can use Global Travel Assistance when you are outside of your home country or at least 100 miles away from your primary residence. Here are some examples of scenarios when this benefit can be used: your passport is stolen when traveling abroad, your spouse breaks a leg on a ski trip, your child is hospitalized while studying abroad, just to name a few!

ID Sanctuary Premium has a no-risk 30-day money-back guarantee. You will receive a full refund of membership fees if membership is cancelled within the first 30 days after the effective date. Membership is monthly and can be cancelled at any time.

No. Resolution experts will lead the resolution process and help you every step of the way. You will receive a personalized review and a customized, appropriate course of action. However, you may submit a LPOA if you prefer CyberScout to work completely on your behalf.