You’ve probably heard by now that data for as many as 143 million U.S. consumers stored by Equifax was compromised by hackers between May and July¹. Of our more than 80,000 members, Consumers has identified only seven members thus far with compromised cards and have worked with them to secure new ones.

One benefit of having a Consumers Mastercard^® is access to a free program that protects your identity. Your Mastercard debit card, low rate credit card, and rewards credit card are all eligible for the Mastercard ID Theft Protection that helps detect and resolve identity theft.

Mastercard ID Theft Protection keeps your personal information safe with:

• ID Theft Alerts. MasterCard scours the internet and alerts you if it detects that your personal info – credit and debit card account numbers, Social Security number, driver’s license or other sensitive data – is being bought or sold online.
• Emergency Wallet Replacement if your cards and documents are lost or stolen.
• Expert Resolution Services to help you get back your good name if fraud does happen.

Get Mastercard Theft ID at no cost by signing up online – it only takes five minutes.

Tips for protecting your identity
There are also things you can do proactively to protect personal information from data thieves:

• Review monthly debit and credit card statements line by line. If you see transactions you didn’t make report it right away.
• Be wary of emails or phone calls requesting personal information. Consumers and other legitimate financial institutions will not ask for personal information when initiating calls to card holders.
• Before disposing of your mobile phone, permanently delete all data.
• If you receive paper statements, be sure to shred them before disposing. Many Consumers offices offer a free shred bin for member use.

Learn about how you can apply for a Consumers Mastercard Credit Card and start earning rewards today! 

¹https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/