.   Identity Theft Lurks... Guard your credit and most importantly, your family!


Picture this.

One minute you're living well, maybe you're even looking at a bigger house in the suburbs with the cedar deck and outdoor spa. You're shopping for an SUV and a shiny new boat for great family vacations. You're even being considered for a swank job at that Fortune 500 company that everyone's saying has fantastic growth potential. Sounds picture perfect, doesn't it?

But in the blink of an eye, everything in your life spirals down. Suddenly your phone is ringing off the hook and your credit card company - or other companies that you've never even heard of - are threatening you to pay up. You try for an additional car and boat loan - and you're denied flat. Your so-called new boss lets you know in no uncertain terms that the company doesn't want you anymore. But that's only half the nightmare, because soon two police officers show up at your door to inform you that you're under suspicion for some far-fetched fraud you had absolutely no part in...

Sounds like a Hollywood movie, doesn't it? In fact, one television network recently ran a primetime special about identity theft...but it wasn't based on a suspense novel.  It was totally real. The Federal Trade Commission reports that identity theft is the highest ranked consumer complaint in the country, and that millions of people each year get their personal information like social security numbers or credit card numbers stolen by thieves to obtain credit, get loans and even commit serious crimes. Statistics show that with every minute that ticks past, 19 people in the country will have their lives damaged in this way.

But after it unfortunately strikes, the identity theft nightmare only truly begins. It takes every single victim and their family months - sometimes years - and a lot of money to restore their good names and clean up their credit mess. So you're wondering about how to prevent the devastation of identity theft from harming your family?


1.  It's Your Privacy - protect it. Call companies, creditors, schools
and hospitals that hold your personal files and state for the record that
your private information cannot be sold - period. Don't flaunt your pin
number at the ATM - you won't look stupid if you shield the screen while
typing in your PIN!


2. Make Sure Your Paper Trail does a disappearing act.   Keep your
personal records filed in a locked drawer. Buy a shredder - and use it every
time - to shred old bills and records before you toss them. Do the same with
your ATM receipts. Fellowes has quality paper shredders that you can find
online. You can get one with free shipping here.


3. Keep Your Eye Out for what could be missing. It's not a lucky streak
if your bills aren't showing up regularly in the mail. Call the companies
involved and make sure they haven't received a change-of-address
notification by someone other than you - potentially a thief across the
country that could be racking up your credit. Same thing if your credit
cards or checks go missing.


Those are pretty obvious ways to protect your identity but everyone knows the virtual Internet world holds even greater hazards to our security. Remember the following, the next time that you - or your kids - are online.


1. Absolutely no 'phishing' trips allowed . We're not talking about a
day on the lake. Phishing is a sophisticated Internet scam by hackers
looking for your most personal info like your credit card or social
insurance number. Never respond to emails - as real as they look - from any
supposedly reputable source looking for your personal info. This is
phishing, and real companies don't do business that way.


2. Protect your PC - Protect Yourself. Change your passwords
frequently. Definitely install a firewall program / PC intrusion detection software
such as Black Ice PC to keep unauthorized users from breaking into your computer.
Never use your personal email address as a website user ID, hackers can also
scam you that way. Very important - when you're getting rid of an old computer,
purchase utility software that totally 'wipes' off everything on your old system
making it unrecoverable.


If that all seems fairly complicated and time consuming - it's because protecting your identity and your family's security from identity theft is serious business. But actually having your identity stolen is so much worse, taking up months, even years and probably thousands of dollars before you can officially say your name is cleared. Wouldn't it be great if you had additional peace of mind, especially when you're already busy with so many important things in your work and personal life?

Identity Theft Insurance protects your family

  • Sure, changes to the Fair Credit Reporting Act allow you to obtain
    one free credit check per year. But a lot can happen to your personal
    identity and security in twelve months!
  • If identity theft occurs, you'll be better off knowing that you've
    already purchased Identity Theft Insurance coverage for the considerable
    expenses that will be incurred. Everything ranging from lost income and out
    of pocketexpenses when you need time off work to fight for your credit back,
    or the lawyer fees to defend you in court and even remove criminal judgements
    brought against you. Identity Theft coverage is inexpensive - but the peace
    of mind it provides is absolutely priceless. Identity Guard's CreditProtect X3
    coverage is the best 24 hour credit monitoring service and insurance plan
    we've found among several sources. We also recommend an Identity Protection
    service called Privacy Matters .


Surf the Internet securely and safely

  • The convenience of the Internet is one of the major reasons that
    most of us have computers in our homes - and we want to be able to use the
    Internet every day for banking, booking travel, purchasing a book on Amazon
    or signing up for new credit. Secure surfing technology ensures that every
    personal transaction you conduct over the Internet is sent through locked or
    'secured' servers that are airtight. These solutions are inexpensive (ranging
    anywhere from $99 - $299 for solutions such as Stealth Surfer), totally convenient
    and best of all - you will have the peace of mind to surf at will online. And you
    won't lose any sleep wondering what could be happening when your kids are on
    the Internet, either!

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