What Is Identity Theft And How To Prevent It

As we continue to share information about National Cyber Security Awareness Month, Dakota West wants to make sure our members are recognizing ways to help prevent identity theft, such as implementing a three-layer security to our online and mobile account access.

Our partners at Kasasa want to share tips on how to help prevent identity theft. While it may make sense to think avoiding the use of the Internet would reduce identity theft, there are still a variety of ways information can be compromised. More importantly, accessing your accounts online on a regular basis is more likely to help you notice when a transaction occurs that you did not authorize. The first line of defense for many users is having a frequent and regular review of your accounts, which is much easier to do using an online or mobile platform.

Reviewing your credit on a regular basis also helps you be aware of lines of credit that may be drawn in your name. This scam can also happen to other family members, such as young children or seniors. Helping our family members be aware of their personal finances by requesting a free annual credit report is another way to maintain control of you and your family’s personal finances.

Ethan Kobos, who is currently studying Cyber Security at the University of North Dakota recently shared with us one of the easiest/most common ways individuals can protect themselves from identity theft.

“By changing your password just once or twice a year, it can greatly reduce the chance that someone could acquire it. This does not mean to add a number on the end and start counting, create a full password from scratch. There are softwares that manage all your passwords and will create something that is hard to break, but you will not be able to remember easily.” If you don’t know where to begin looking for password software, Kobos suggests applications such as LastPass.com.

Learn more about National Cyber Security Awareness Month and how to protect your family’s finances at the National Cyber Security Awareness website, or reach out to Dakota West to find out how we are providing additional security for your debit and credit cards or how we are securing your online identity. Be sure to access your online accounts on a regular basis to maintain an active involvement in your personal finances and spending. We want to make sure you have the tools you need to be safe and secure online.

Scholarship Profiles - Hannah Johnson & Morgan Reiser

Dakota West applauds two more of our scholarship recipients: Hannah Johnson of Grenora and Morgan Reiser of Turtle Lake, both of whom are heading into their second year of college. These women rely heavily on Communication and shared their experiences on their applications.

Morgan studies Nursing at Dakota College at Bottineau but found herself in an unusual situation midway through her second semester. “I had left campus for spring break without my books, only carrying my laptop to check up on my classes. Soon, it was communicated across the state that students could not return to campus. I started to panic, as I had no books and now, I had to continue my education through online learning. If not for communication with the school, I would have had to navigate classes without my book. Thankfully, I was able to rush back to campus and grab my books and more clothes.”

Hannah, a two-time Dakota West Scholarship recipient, is making a career out of Communication at the University of North Dakota. “Currently, communication in the world has adapted from face-to-face interactions to other forms, due to the coronavirus pandemic. Regardless of being in a time of adapting to different circumstances or not, we should try to communicate effectively so the illusion that communication took place, is not a problem.” Hannah is also seeking a double major in Marketing.

We proudly recognize these young women as they continue their education here in North Dakota and thank them for being outstanding members of Dakota West Credit Union.

Watch for more individual profiles of these outstanding young members throughout the summer.

Scholarship Profiles - Ethan Kobos & Charles Eriksmoen

Throughout the summer we are featuring our 2020 Dakota West Scholarship recipients and sharing their thoughts on the value of Communication from their applications. Today we introduce Ethan Kobos of Watford City and Charles Eriksmoen of Mohall.

Ethan plans to study Cyber Security at UND and wrote this about his view of the importance of Communication, “I recognize that communication is a skill that I will carry with me throughout my entire career as I develop relationships with clients who entrust me with their security numerous vulnerabilities and will expect me to the able to effectively communicate their shortcomings as well as how to address them.”

Charles will be starting his second year at Bismarck State College in the fall. He knows the impact Communication has on his future plans as a cattle rancher, “Communication affects me pretty hard right now because I am just getting started in my business of ranching and I am just starting to meet all of the people I need to know most such as marketing advisors that can help me contract my calves so I can get the best possible price for them. I also need to be able to talk to my parents about all of my plans because they need to know what I am doing in case they have any good advice for me to stay on the right track to become successful in the ranching industry.”

We celebrate our scholarship recipients, their parents and families, and all the members of Dakota West who support the education goals of these young members. Congratulations Ethan and Charles!

Watch for more individual profiles of these outstanding young members throughout the summer.

Meet Todd Hickel

For Todd Hickel, Loan Officer at our New England branch, a typical work day depends on the season. Autumn is particularly busy with harvesting and selling of crops. Todd’s focus on the agriculture community in Hettinger County keeps him busy throughout the year, and keeps him close to his roots and his family.

Born and raised in Williston, Todd witnesses the growth and development of his hometown, but also recognizes that for farmers and ranchers, the commitment to the land remains constant. When speaking to members about their ag operations, he often provides practical advice: pay attention to details. Balance sheets and income statements work together to provide a clear picture of the business of running a family farm.

“In one of my previous jobs, we were advised that all the Business/Agricultural Loan Officers would become personal financial planners. This really opened up a lot for me. I learned about insurance, investment, taxation, retirement, and estate planning.” Todd learned the basics in college at UND, and developed his skills supporting land owners and operators, exposing him to first-hand practice of his knowledge here in his home state.

Todd recognizes that talking about a member’s bottom line may not always be a conversation individuals want to discuss. He builds one-on-one relationships with farmers and ranchers to make those personal details more comfortable to navigate and manage. Despite the changes and advancements to the financial industry, Todd knows these relationships remain at the center of a successful operation.

When the day ends or the weekend rolls around, Todd makes the most of all North Dakota offers. “I try to get my shopping and errands done during the week so I can spend my weekends on the lake.” Summer offers plenty of opportunities for Todd to enjoy the water and the weather, but he’s also planning for his next favorite season, autumn, and the start of pheasant and deer seasons. In the meantime, he’s also planning for the next ag season, partnering with our ag borrowers to maintain the importance of agriculture to our state, and to Dakota West Credit Union.

For more information about agriculture loans with Dakota West, reach out to Todd, or any Ag Loan Officer at 800.411.7590.