Integrity

An Allstate specialist brings passion for helping others to Allstate Identity Protection

From helping a customer get $56,000 back to finding better solutions for teammates, this senior customer care specialist offers support when others need it most.

"Now I can breathe."

That's what Tyla Smith would often hear from customers after resolving a case of identity theft as an Allstate Identity Protection restoration specialist.

"People have told me they felt paranoid, like they didn't know who can they trust, what they can trust. They were just on edge," she said. "Being able to walk them through this process and give them that hand and educate them, it really made a difference."

Identity fraud affected 42 million American adults in 2021. Consumers need control over their personal data; Allstate Identity Protection is here to help.

Currently protecting more than 5 million people from identity fraud, Allstate Identity Protection provides monitoring tools that detect threats to your data, credit and identity. Specialists like Smith are available 24/7 to manage customers' recovery and restore their identities, with up to $1 million of expense reimbursement.

Smith got her start at Allstate Identity Protection as a customer care specialist, helping customers with questions and requests for their accounts. Her manager later encouraged her to join the restoration team. After learning all about credit reports and how to communicate with merchants, Smith was trained to help customers experiencing identity theft.

Getting a customer's $56,000 — and her life — back

One of the most memorable cases Smith encountered was when a customer suffered bank fraud while she was in the process of purchasing a home. The customer received messages that funds had been taken from her account in several different transactions totaling $56,000—none of which she authorized.

Failing to get her money back after a month of contacting her bank, the customer got in touch with Allstate Identity Protection. Smith listened to her entire story and by the end of the call, assured her that she would put a game plan together. After consulting with her teammates, Smith had multiple plans of action to help the customer.

The next time the customer got on the phone with her bank, Smith was also on the line to figure out why her claim for reimbursement had been denied. Smith said that the customer later told her, "I never even thought to ask those questions."

When it was made clear that the customer had not approved the transactions from her account, the bank agreed to reopen the investigation.

New challenge, unwavering commitment

Smith has recently taken on a new role at Allstate Identity Protection as a senior customer care specialist, which she pursued because of her passion for training her teammates.

The constant challenge of finding new answers and better solutions is what Smith enjoys most about her job. "I love how there's always something new to learn," she said.

Though her day-to-day responsibilities are different now in her new role, Smith said her overall goals haven't changed: "We all want to do the same things, which is to be there for the customer and to be able to give them the best customer care service."

3 ways you can protect your identity now

Americans have an average of 350 online accounts with access to their personal data, so it's more important than ever to monitor your digital privacy and help secure your information. Here are Smith's top three tips to protect yourself against identity theft.

1. Set up two-step verification on all your accounts. In addition to entering a password, many online accounts allow you to require a second form of authentication to sign in. Not only can this prevent an unauthorized user from accessing your account, but you'll also receive a message notifying you of the attempted log-in. "It's gonna protect you in the long run," Smith said.
2. Beware of scams. If you receive any sort of communication, such as a phone call, email or text message from someone claiming to be from a bank or a merchant asking for personal information, "do not engage," Smith said. Contact the company directly with any questions about your account.
3. Freeze your credit. If you're not planning on applying for credit, Smith said that freezing your credit can help prevent identity thieves from fraudulently opening accounts in your name. It's free and has no impact on your credit score.