Growing up and becoming more independent comes with plenty of firsts: a first job, checking account, credit card, and maybe even a first apartment or student loan. Unfortunately, these milestones can also make teens and young adults attractive targets for identity thieves. Identity theft happens when someone uses another person’s personal information, such as a Social Security number, date of … Continue reading
We have received notice from our partner, TruStage, regarding a potential cyberattack on their systems that occurred on July 11, 2026. TruStage is a consumer financial brand and insurance agency that provides life, auto, and home insurance products specifically for credit union members, as well as various protections for loans. TruStage has taken many of its systems offline while it … Continue reading
March 1 – 7, 2026 is National Consumer Protection Week, and our Risk Management team is sharing information this week to educate our staff and members so they can be smarter consumers. Their first topic of the week is Common Communication Scams: robocalls, phishing, smishing, and vishing. Phishing is a cyber attack that uses email or other communications to trick … Continue reading
With the holidays on the horizon, so comes the onslaught of marketing messages and emails encouraging us to open up our wallets and spend, spend, spend! While the holiday season is more than the gifts that accompany it, as consumers, we tend to swipe and tap our cards more this time of year, whether that be for holiday meals, travel, … Continue reading
At Montana Credit Union, fraud prevention and protecting our members are always top priorities. As technology advances and scams become more sophisticated, we’re taking proactive steps to ensure our members’ money and information stay safe. To help us do just that, we’ve expanded our Fraud Department with the addition of a BRAND NEW Fraud Specialist role, further strengthening our commitment to … Continue reading
For Montana residents, you can obtain information from the Montana Office of the Attorney General about steps you can take to avoid identity theft. You may contact them at: Office of the Attorney General Justice Building, Third Floor 215 North Sanders P.O. Box 201401 Helena, MT 59620-1401 Phone: (406) 444-2026 E-mail:Â contactdoj@mt.gov
You may wish to place a security freeze (also known as a credit freeze) on your credit file. A security freeze is designed to prevent potential creditors from accessing your credit file at the consumer reporting agencies without your consent. There may be fees for placing, lifting, and/or removing a security freeze, which generally range from $5-$20 per action. Unlike … Continue reading
A fraud alert helps protect you against the possibility of an identity thief opening new credit accounts in your name. When a merchant checks the credit history of someone applying for credit, the merchant gets a notice that the applicant may be the victim of identity theft. The alert notifies the merchant to take steps to verify the identity of … Continue reading
If you detect any unauthorized transactions in a financial account, promptly notify your payment card company or financial institution. If you detect any incident of identity theft or fraud, promptly report the incident to law enforcement, the FTC and your state’s Attorney General. If you believe your identity has been stolen, the FTC recommends that you take these steps: Place … Continue reading
To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com, call toll-free 1-877-322-8228, or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form on the US Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) website at www.consumer.ftc.gov and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service PO Box 105281 Atlanta, GA 30348-5281 The three consumer reporting agencies provide free annual credit reports only through the website, toll-free number … Continue reading
