Get Savvi About Identity Theft

7 Steps to Protect You and Your Family

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. becomes a victim of Identity Theft

In fact, you may already be a victim and not know it. According to a 2022 report from Javelin Strategy & Research and the Identity Theft Resource Center, last year alone, Identity Thieves stole a record $24 billion from 15 million victims across the U.S. That's a 68% increase over 2021.

That's why Savvi includes Identity Thef Protection, along with over 12 other essential enhancements, in every policy.

Identity Thieves Can

• Steal money from your bank and investment accounts

• Take out loans in your name

• Cause you to spend hundreds of hours to restore your identity

• Obtain tax refunds using your identity

• Destroy your good name and credit

• Commit criminal acts using your identity

7 steps you can take to protect yourself from current threats:

1. Use digital wallets to manage in-store and online payments. The technology encrypts and tokenizes data, so if it is stolen, it is useless to criminals.

2. Adopt a Zero Trust contact policy. The only acceptable action when receiving unexpected contact with a potential imposter is to exhibit zero trust. The new mantra? “Hang up and call your financial institution.”

3. Turn on two-factor authentication wherever possible – but guard the one-time passcodes closely by not divulging them via text or phone call. For sites without two-factor authentication, use strong passwords or a password manager to secure highly complex and varying passwords on accounts.

4. Secure your devices. You should secure online and mobile devices by instituting a screen lock, encrypting data stored on the devices, avoiding public Wi-Fi and/or using a VPN, and installing anti-malware. Anti-malware protection is essential for all devices.

5. Place a security freeze on credit reports. Placing a freeze on your credit reports can prevent anyone else from opening one in your name and there is no cost to initiate. Should you need to open an account requiring a credit inquiry, the freeze can easily be lifted for up to 90 days or more through the credit bureaus websites and/or smartphone apps.

6. Sign up for account alerts everywhere. A variety of financial service providers, including banks, credit card issuers and brokerages, provide their customers with the option to receive notifications of suspicious activity. Other businesses, such as email and social media providers, often provide this as well.

7. Keep your contact information updated with your financial services provider. Remember - You cannot receive a fraud alert if your contact information, including any new cellphone numbers, haven't been updated.

Source: Javelin Strategy

Comprehensive Identity Theft Protection is included in every Savvi policy

By taking proactive steps to safeguard yourself and your family - and having Savvi's comprehensive Identity Theft Protection behind you - you can enjoy peace of mind that comes from being better protected against this growing crime wave.

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About Savvi Insurance

Savvi Insurance Group, Inc., based in Charlotte, North Carolina, is committed to helping families and individuals prevent losses, stay safe and protect the people and things they love. We do that by providing our customers with our cutting-edge smart home security system along with a suite of services and benefits designed to proactively predict and prevent losses from happening in the first place. We then back that up with comprehensive, modernized insurance protection and concierge-style claims handling, at prices that recognize and reward the benefits of a smarter, better protected home.

Savvi is backed by some of the largest and most financially secure insurance companies, including Lloyd's of London, the world’s specialist insurance market for over 300 years. Our partners have earned A ratings from Standard & Poor's which means your policy is secure no matter what happens. For more information, visit sosavvi.com