Sontiq® Addresses Family Identity & Cyber Risks by Launching Education Hub Focused on Digital Safety & Protection Education

FamilySecurityToday.com Launches in Partnership with Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) and Parent Tested Parent Approved (PTPA)

The personal information of every family member, from newborns to great-grandparents, has become exponentially more vulnerable to cyber risks. In response, Sontiq, a TransUnion company, in partnership with the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) and Parent Tested Parent Approved (PTPA), today launched a new website called FamilySecurityToday.com to help families protect themselves against today’s threats to digital safety and security.

FamilySecurityToday.com informs parents and other caregivers of trending cyber threats, such as identity fraud schemes, cyberbullying and reputation threats, online scams and other personal privacy and security-based crimes. Through a series of videos, blog posts, reports, infographics, etc., identity security experts from Sontiq, an Intelligent Identity Security firm, and its partners explain what is occurring, what is at risk, and most importantly, what families can do to mitigate the danger.

“Scammers and cybercriminals are more active than ever, which makes navigating today’s threat landscape a real challenge for families,” said Sharon Vinderine, Founder and CEO of Parent Tested Parent Approved (PTPA). “Parents realize they need to protect their families, but many don’t know where to start or get quickly overwhelmed. They need a resource that explains the threats and steps they need to take in simple, easily understood language. FamilySecurityToday.com is designed to share that knowledge so families can protect themselves from the latest threats.”

Ensuring privacy and protecting personally identifiable information (PII) is at the core of avoiding these threats. When it comes to identity fraud, research shows that potential victims play a meaningful role in mitigating the risks.

Sontiq Chief Privacy Officer Eduard Goodman notes that FamilySecurityToday.com empowers families through education via a frequently updated, easily accessible online source: “The task of keeping their family digitally safe often falls to the ‘sandwich generation’, parents who are trying to protect themselves, their children and aging relatives. Restoring a stolen identity or recovering from a cyberattack is time-consuming and stressful. FamilySecurityToday.com makes it easy to stay informed about the latest threats and recommended actions.”

Goodman is particularly concerned about the data privacy of children and minors. This population is less likely to be aware of online risks and actively monitor their identities. “A child’s stolen identity can haunt them for a very long time, causing problems well into adulthood,” Goodman said.

Research reveals that more than 1.25 million children in the U.S. were victims of identity theft and fraud last year, with more than half of all cases involving children who were nine years old or younger. Increased cyberattacks on the healthcare and educational sectors during the pandemic made even more children’s sensitive personal data available to fraudsters who digitally abuse their Social Security numbers and clean credit histories.

Though minors present a uniquely attractive victim for cybercrime, every age demographic is targeted with different schemes and attacks for different reasons. In 2020, senior citizens lost nearly $1 billion to fraud, often being victimized by social engineering attacks in the form of romance, government imposter and prize/lottery scams.

“Older Americans are prime targets for fraud since they often have significant assets, are less familiar with technology, and are generally more trusting,” explained Eva Velasquez, President and CEO of Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC). “That’s why more than 3.5 million seniors are victims of financial exploitation each year, losing an average of $34,200. The complimentary educational articles and videos on FamilySecurityToday.com are ideal for giving seniors the insights they seek, or family members the information needed to educate older relatives on the risks they face.”

In Q4 2021, Sontiq enhanced its IdentityForce family protection plans with new digital safety and security features to address the myriad of threats facing individuals of all ages. These digital safety and security features safeguard families against cyberbullying, ransomware and social engineering attacks with individual case resolution and financial reimbursement protection.

About Sontiq

Sontiq (pronounced Son-tick), a TransUnion company, is an intelligent identity security company arming businesses and consumers with a full range of award-winning identity and cyber monitoring solutions, as well as best-in-class restoration and response offerings. Sontiq products empower millions of customers and organizations to be less vulnerable to the financial and emotional consequences of identity theft and cybercrimes. Sontiq has an outstanding track record for delivering high-touch support and fraud remediation services, demonstrated through its 99% customer satisfaction ratings. www.sontiq.com

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