100 Cities Nationwide Commit to Step Up the Fight Against Identity Theft

"100 Cities in 100 Days" Sponsored by Credit Sesame and the Identity Theft Council Provides U.S. Cities With Powerful Tools to Fight Identity Theft and Cybercrime

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Credit Sesame

May 27, 2015, 12:06 ET

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Credit Sesame and the nonprofit Identity Theft Council today announce that more than 100 cities nationwide have committed to take part in the "100 Cities in 100 Days" initiative by taking concrete actions in their communities to provide education and improve consumer awareness about identity theft and cyber risks.

As part of the Identity Theft Council's Think Security First! campaign, the "100 Cities in 100 Days" initiative sponsored by Credit Sesame and others received commitment from some of the nation's largest cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Reno, Orlando and more. City officials, law enforcement officers and other community leaders, are now hosting educational events, organizing cybercrime prevention conferences and distributing informational materials to local residents.

"The enthusiasm of city leaders to embrace Think Security First! was great to experience and we surpassed our 100 city goal in far less time than we anticipated," said Adrian Nazari, CEO of Credit Sesame. "City officials repeatedly told us that identity theft was a top priority and providing their consumers with the education and tools necessary to fight back was paramount."

Credit Sesame and the Identity Theft Council continue to solidify relationships with additional cities nationwide as organizations across the country get ready to make Think Security First! a national movement.

"It should come as little surprise that identity theft remains the number one consumer worry and complaint. Last year alone an estimated 1 billion personal records were exposed, just in data breaches, and the primary motivation appeared to be identity theft," said Neal O'Farrell, founder of Identity Theft Council and Credit Sesame Identity Theft Expert. "Credit Sesame makes a great partner in this initiative because we both aim to educate consumers about protecting financial and personal information."

The Think Security First! campaign focuses on prevention through education, by encouraging consumers and small businesses to learn about the dangers of online security and how to stay safe from cybercrime and identity theft. The program urges communities to take action at a local level by offering an assortment of support materials that range from downloadable cybercrime prevention information resources to presentation packets for conferences and awareness events held by local officials.

To get involved with Think Security First! or learn more about the initiative, click here or visit: www.CreditSesame.com/100-cities

About 100 Cities in 100 Days
100 Cities in 100 Days is a unique approach to helping consumers, small business owners, and communities cope with the seemingly endless growth in identity theft, cybercrimes, data breaches, and Internet dangers. The goal of the campaign is to persuade local communities to come together and work with each other, led by local experts, to spread the "prevention through education" message about identity theft. The Identity Theft Council will work with cities throughout the country to provide support in educating communities about the threat of identity theft.

About Identity Theft Council
The non-profit Identity Theft Council was founded in 2010 on a simple premise – that every community, no matter how small, has resources that can be harnessed to combat identity theft: to help victims recover from the crime, to ease the burden on law enforcement, and to educate users about the many options they have to avoid the crime. The council aims to partner with law enforcement, security experts, and consumer groups to find more effective ways to support victims, train law enforcement, and educate the community. In 2011 the council was honored as the first non-profit to win the coveted SC Magazine Editor's Choice Award.

For more information, visit www.IdentityTheftCouncil.org.

About Credit Sesame
Credit Sesame is the best way for consumers to monitor their credit and score, borrow smartly and protect their identity—all in one place for free. As a personal credit advocate and loan expert, Credit Sesame helps people make smart financial decisions to save money and live richly. In 2010, Credit Sesame assembled an all-star team of engineers, data scientists and serial entrepreneurs with deep expertise in credit, bank-level loan analytics and security to empower consumers with the best financial tools and information to make smart, educated decisions about their finances.

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Media Contact:
Daloma Phillips
FortyThree, Inc.
831.345.2399
[email protected]

SOURCE Credit Sesame