New Weapon in the Identity Theft Battle
By: NBC News
Updated: August 15, 2011
One credit card company is using text messages as the newest tool in fighting identity theft.
Text alerts are sent when unusual activity is detected on a customer's accounts.
Jackie Almendares is always on guard now after someone ran up $60,000 on her credit card. It was a nightmare to repair her credit, so she's happy to see that credit cards issued by USAA are coming with a new feature to stop fraud.
USAA will send you a text message when there's an attempt to make a credit card purchase it thinks is suspicious.
"I like the idea. I do not have to be so worried about identity theft, which actually I am," says Almendares.
USAA says it's the first to offer this kind of texting to protect you. They ask you about the attempted purchase and you can respond to tell them if it's you using the card or not.
"This service will actually send a message to the member and ask them if this is a valid transaction or potentially fraudulent and they can actually reply," says Tom Shaw, USAA Vice President.
USAA says another great feature of this new texting system is if you are out at lunch or dinner with co-workers or friends and there is a problem, you can privately find out. The waiter or waitress doesn't tell you the card is not good.
Michelle Saracco says "a text message is just a couple of seconds. It takes a few seconds to read and it's an extra form of security."
Elizabeth Karwowski, Credit Expert, says "I actually get excited because any opportunity to protect your identity is a good opportunity for consumers," adding that you need to take advantage of technology that protects you. "They have the opportunity to respond to whether there is fraudulent activity going on with their card."
Merchants like Philly Steak Sub Shop owner Kareli Mila says the new protection means she can focus more on her sandwiches than worrying about her business losing out from a fraudulent transaction.
Kareli Mila says "oh, definitely, I'm going to get paid every time. You are not going to run with the risk of somebody who's not going to have money to pay."
"I use my credit card during the course of the day at least once," Almendares says.
USAA invites its credit card users to sign up for the service which it says is the latest step in stopping what happened to Jackie from happening to you.
Text alerts are sent when unusual activity is detected on a customer's accounts.
Jackie Almendares is always on guard now after someone ran up $60,000 on her credit card. It was a nightmare to repair her credit, so she's happy to see that credit cards issued by USAA are coming with a new feature to stop fraud.
USAA will send you a text message when there's an attempt to make a credit card purchase it thinks is suspicious.
"I like the idea. I do not have to be so worried about identity theft, which actually I am," says Almendares.
USAA says it's the first to offer this kind of texting to protect you. They ask you about the attempted purchase and you can respond to tell them if it's you using the card or not.
"This service will actually send a message to the member and ask them if this is a valid transaction or potentially fraudulent and they can actually reply," says Tom Shaw, USAA Vice President.
USAA says another great feature of this new texting system is if you are out at lunch or dinner with co-workers or friends and there is a problem, you can privately find out. The waiter or waitress doesn't tell you the card is not good.
Michelle Saracco says "a text message is just a couple of seconds. It takes a few seconds to read and it's an extra form of security."
Elizabeth Karwowski, Credit Expert, says "I actually get excited because any opportunity to protect your identity is a good opportunity for consumers," adding that you need to take advantage of technology that protects you. "They have the opportunity to respond to whether there is fraudulent activity going on with their card."
Merchants like Philly Steak Sub Shop owner Kareli Mila says the new protection means she can focus more on her sandwiches than worrying about her business losing out from a fraudulent transaction.
Kareli Mila says "oh, definitely, I'm going to get paid every time. You are not going to run with the risk of somebody who's not going to have money to pay."
"I use my credit card during the course of the day at least once," Almendares says.
USAA invites its credit card users to sign up for the service which it says is the latest step in stopping what happened to Jackie from happening to you.
