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4 Steps To Creating Good Credit
As a consumer you’ve learned the importance of establishing a good credit rating with your lenders. Whether you are shopping for a new home or auto, or searching for the best deals on insurance, your credit worthiness will be judged by your credit...
An Introduction To The Broken Windows Theory Of Business
When is a dirty bathroom a broken window?
No, that's not
a riddle. It's a question that could today be at the core of a
business's success or failure.
Answer that question
correctly and use that answer as a beacon, and your...
Corruption and Transparency - Part II
II. What to Do? What is Being Done? Two years ago, I proposed a taxonomy of corruption, venality, and graft. I suggested this cumulative definition: The withholding of a service, information, or goods that, by law, and by right, should have been...
Ethics And Competence - Pt. 3 There Is Nothing New Under The Sun – Are you a benchwarmer? With God
Ever feel like an unappreciated bench warming water boy at work? Many people have and will find themselves occupying a position or job that they do not like. They may even despise their jobs. To make things worse, a lot of these same people...
Good Landlords Ask The Right Questions!
Landlords and tenants alike just want a pleasant relationship,
so that each can live in peace. No landlord should ever allow a
tenant to move into their rental property without first
requiring the prospective tenant to completely fill out a...
How To Know if You're Buying the Best House
Buy the Best House in the Market
Buying a house marks a new beginning. How do you know that
you're getting your dream house and not straining your credit
limit?
Get yourself a "pre-approved" certificate from a lender. This
certificate...
Small Business Q & A: Don't Fall For The Latest Internet Identity Theft Scam
Q: I use PayPal to accept credit cards for my online collectibles business. I recently received an email that my PayPal account was going to expire in five days if I didn't click a link in the email and give them my PayPal account information. Being...
Top 10 Great Deals on Great Towns in America's Biggest Metro Areas for 2004
WOONSOCKET, RI (May 13, 2004) - In every hot metropolitan area there are hidden bargain neighborhoods that offer quality without the high prices. Finding these hidden gems can be a challenge, but you can get the inside track on great areas to buy...
Truly Bizarre Taxes: The Tax on Illegal Drugs
One can never underestimate the enthusiasm that politicians have for trying to hunt up tax revenues. The creativity of some politicians can lead to bizarre taxes and unfortunate results. Taxes on Illegal Drugs One argument for the legalization of...
What To Consider Before Buying a Franchise
Here are some useful tips on what to consider before buying a franchise. Before investing in any franchise system, be sure to get a copy of the franchisor's disclosure document. Sometimes this document is called a Franchise Offering Circular. You...
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Fighting Identity Theft
Chances are good that you know someone who has been victimized by the fastest growing crime - identity theft. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported that there were 10 million cases of identity theft in 2002 alone. It’s estimated that someone’s identity is stolen every 79 seconds.
The bad news is with increasing amounts of personal information available to an experienced identity thief, it shows few signs of slowing down. The good news is that identity fraud is now a federal crime with stiff penalties for those who perpetrate these crimes.
Here are a few simple steps you can take now to minimize your risk:
1) Check your credit report annually, if not more often. Most victims of identity theft don’t realize they’ve been victimized until 14 months after the crime. By then the damage is done and you will spend a significant amount of time and money trying to correct it.
2) Keep your Social Security number private. Do not have it printed on your personal checks or drivers license. Do not share it with anyone, including merchants, unless they
can provide a good reason for having it. Once someone has your Social Security number they have the key to unlocking your identity and using it fraudulently.
3) Shred offers for pre-approved credit cards that you receive by mail. Do the same with any receipts that contain account numbers or your Social Security number. Identity thieves are not afraid to go “dumpster diving” in order to obtain your personal information.
Identity theft has become the fastest growing crime because it is the most profitable crime. On average, the loss from identity theft is about $18,000.00. Taking these precautions now can you save you from becoming another statistic in the fight against identity theft.
About the Author
© 2004, http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com
Author: James H. Dimmitt
James is editor of "TO YOUR CREDIT", a weekly free newsletter. Subscribe to the newsletter by visiting
http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com.
He is also author of “Identity Theft - How to Avoid Becoming the Next Victim!” available at http://tinyurl.com/bc45
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