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Further
Reading ...
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Become a homeowner with a FHA mortgage - Tony Forster
Many people dream of owning their own homes but only very few are able to pay cash for them. This is why FHA mortgages are one of the popular methods to find a source for consumer credit. People who could not otherwise afford to own a house become...
How To Get A Sharp Looking Instant Website For Your Business - Kevin Nunley
Today, more and more business is being done on the Net, and to stay successful, you've got to keep up with the trend. The days of having a nice little shop and a listing in the yellow pages are over. These days, having a professional web site is...
Elder Care Businesses Awarded Senior Approved Certification - Joanna Miller
Cleveland OH: What is the most efficient method to promote advocacy for seniors and family caregivers? Barbara Mascio, founder of Seniors Approve (www.seniorsapprove.com) believes she has the solution. “We are the direct link to Certified Senior...
When to get an Auto Refinance Loan - Tony Forster
Auto Refinance You have probably heard of auto refinance before. Or simply refinance. The term "refinance" actually refers to a financial situation wherein a borrower finds financing to pay off a current loan. Refinance is often put into practice...
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Identity Theft. You are not Immune.
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Written By:
David Wilding
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As identity theft becomes more prevalent, the need to regularly check your credit report is very easy to see and understand. Two big headlines in the news recently point to how closely tied your credit report and identity theft are.
First, we hear of the troubles of Choice Point, a company involved in the storage and distribution of credit information. It appears some criminals set up a fake company and used it to obtain sensitive credit information. Then in turn they used it to steal the identities of about 750 people. That number will probably grow, since more than 500,000 people across the country have been put at risk.
Second, comes the story about missing computer tapes containing credit card records of more
than 1.2 million of Bank of America cardholders. Most of the accounts belonged to federal
government employees. This has placed the account holders in danger of increased risk of
identity theft.
Both of these companies are now in the process of notifying the people of their exposure. The
truly bad part of all the problems is these leaks and losses occurred months ago. These two
companies were not very quick in notifying the people affected. Way too much damage could
have been done before they had been alerted to the trouble.
While the headlines may change, the need to check your credit report does not. You may be very careful. You may shred your documents, the credit card and other financial solicitations you
receive in the mail. You may take great care how and where you give out your financial information. Unfortunately as these stories show, it may not be enough.
Identity theft affects about 10 million victims per year. It has been estimated to cost consumers
and businesses more than 50 billion dollars a year. It is easily - continued below ...
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continued ...
among the fastest growing
categories of white collar crime. You need to do all you can to fight theft of your identity.
A new law has been put on the books by the Congress to help combat the losses. It allows the
you, the consumer to request a free credit report from the credit agencies once a year. You should not hesitate to take advantage of it. However, the law has a rollout feature which does not allow full access for all Americans until September 1 of this (2005) year.
While this is a step in the right direction, in typical fashion the government continues to leave the populace exposed. You should access your credit report much more often than once a year. If an identity theft takes place just after receiving the free credit reports, an enormous amount of damage can be done before you can review your next free report.
The Federal Trade Commission has put together a list of questions and answers concerning this
new law and the effect it will have on your credit report and your risk of identity theft. They can be helpful to you in determining your rights under the law
It makes sense to check your reports regularly, as often as, on a monthly basis. This may seem a
bit much to you, but just ask a person who has had their identity stolen how much hassle it is to take your life back. They will tell you it is well worth the effort. Let’s face it, no one cares as much as you, about your credit record, and the damage that identity theft could cause in your life.
(c)2005 David Wilding
About the Author
David Wilding has for the past ten years worked with groups and individuals to rid their lives of debt. Visit his site http://www.debtattack.com for more ideas, tools, and strategies for becoming debt free.
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A Great Way To Start An Online Business - Benjamin Scott
You want to start an online business,but you realize that you don't have a product,a web site, or prior experience. You now ask yourself, where do I start? Start with affiliate programs. What is an affiliate program? An affiliate...
How A Real Entrepreneur Survived A Crisis - Abel Cheng
Recently, I read an interesting story in a local newspaper. It's about how a Thai businessman survived a recession. An idea struck me that I should share the story with you. There is definitely something we can learn from this true story. Here is...
But I Don't Want To Change! - Ken Leonard Jr
But I Don't Want To Change! By Ken Leonard Jr. ©2002 KLJ Online You have to be in the right frame-of-mind to work at home successfully. You must be able to "go with the flow" when the winds of business change. Keeping things fresh and ...
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