Protect Yourself, Protect Your Money - Money Tip Tuesday

We are in a value-added age for consumer products and services, and the financial industry is no exception.  Checking accounts, for example, provide many bells and whistles, including identity protection for you and your family. Stay tuned to learn how to protect yourself and your money.

Links:

• Learn more about Triangle's Better Checking account
• Check out TCU University for more financial education tips and resources!
• Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
• Learn more about Triangle Credit Union

Transcript:

Welcome to Money Tip Tuesday from the Making Money Personal podcast. 

With so many online banking services available today, consumers are no longer relegated to banks or credit unions at the end of the street. How does one decide which financial institution or product is right for them? Often that decision is decided by the value-added benefits of the financial product. As an example, let’s explore the value-added features and benefits of a checking account. 

According to one financial blogger, value-added checking can take a standard checking account to new levels and adds a bit of a mission-focus.  

At Triangle, our mission is to protect you and your money. For over 85 years, Triangle has maintained the strictest financial safety and soundness standards, so how does our Better Checking account, with IDProtect™, safeguard you and your money?  

First, enrollment for identity theft protection is automatic. As soon as you open a Better Checking account, you have protection that covers you and your eligible family members, including elderly parents and dependent children, up to age 25, living in your household. 

Second, IDProtect™ provides state-of-the-art detection and monitoring services around the clock. Time is of the essence in discovering identity theft, since the quicker it is discovered, the easier it is to recover from it. Identity monitoring is a critical component in discovering identity theft quickly in order to limit the amount of damage done.  

For example, credit reports contain information about you, including what accounts you have and how you pay your bills. If an identity thief is opening credit accounts in your name, these accounts are likely to show up on your credit report. IDProtect’s ™ Credit File Monitoring service alerts you to these key changes. 

Monitoring your credit report and score can be a tedious task, but it is imperative to keep a watchful eye out for fraudulent activity. With Better Checking, members rest easy with credit file monitoring and have access to a 3-in-1 credit report every 90 days. 

Because lenders use credit scores to determine who qualifies for a loan, the interest rate they’ll get, and the credit limit, it’s important to monitor your credit score and keep track of changes and setbacks. 

Third, Better Checking’s IDProtect™ offers recovery and resolution with a dedicated case manager. 

Becoming a victim of identity fraud is a frightening, frustrating experience and it can happen to anyone at any time. 

IDProtect™ is here to help during such a difficult time. Should you become a victim, a dedicated fraud specialist will be assigned to manage your case. Experienced recovery professionals will handle the recovery process until your identity is completely restored. Plus, IDProtect™ provides identity fraud expense reimbursement to cover expenses associated with restoring your identity. 

Triangle Credit Union’s Better Checking, with IDProtect™, is available for those who are 18 and working or residing in the Hillsborough, Merrimack, Belknap, Rockingham, and Cheshire Counties of New Hampshire, as well as the Franklin, Worcester, Middlesex, and Essex Counties of Massachusetts.  There is a nominal monthly fee of $4.99. 

For a full list of features and value-added benefits, including identity protection for you and your qualifying members of your household, visit trianglecu.org/checking.  

If you have any questions about today’s topic or suggestions for future topics, please email us at tcupodcast@trianglecu.org. For more great content, be sure to follow the Making Money Personal podcast wherever you listen to podcasts and the Making Money Personal podcast Facebook page. 

Many thanks to our sponsor, Triangle Credit Union, voted Best Credit Union in NH, and to you for tuning in. 

Have a great day everyone!