In the past, I’ve been pretty dismissive when it comes to identity theft protection services, but is it possible I’ve been too harsh?

Perhaps. I still believe that a lot of companies offering identity theft protection are charging you a lot of money for things you could do yourself, but are there at least some out there that are honest?

Apparently. Take Lifelock, Inc. from Tempe, AZ for example.

You know the commercials with the guy’s SSN plastered on the side of a truck? That bunch.

As it turns out, Lifelock is fully accredited by the Better Business Bureau, and has an A+ rating. To me, that says they deliver what they claim to deliver, and that they resolve customer issues in a timely and thorough fashion.

Now, whether or not they provide a service you could perform on your own for free, I can’t say; I’m not using any protection service. However, it sounds like Lifelock is on the up-and-up.

Again, though, you have to do your research and make sure you’ve got the right company; there’s another company called “Life Lock” out of Washington, DC that is not accredited and has a big, fat F. Similar name, not similar service.

So I guess I’m backpedaling just a little here. I’m no longer saying “never, ever use an identity theft protection or credit monitoring service,” but I will repeat one of the rules of picking a credit counseling company: make sure the company you’re working with is accredited and has at least an A rating (and I would hold out for A+). At least you’ll know they deliver on their promises, and will tell you in advance exactly how they do what they do.

Now, whether or not I’d plaster my SSN on the side of a truck is another story. Not all identity theft is financial, you know?

The big bogeyman about social networking is the threat of identity theft. If you’re not careful, folks warn, you’ll suddenly find that your personal information is being used for someone else’s profit.

It’s a real concern, but that doesn’t mean I can’t mock it.

If someone wants to steal my identity, I’m almost okay with letting them have it. Let them pay my credit card bills. Pay the rent! They can handle the utilities, cable, and trash collection while they’re at it too.

The trick is, the thief needs to know which identity to steal. I’ve assumed dozens of identities over the past decade. So, I’m going to share all the little things that people might need to know if they want to take over the identity of Wes Platt:

* My mother’s maiden name is Zyfkawicz.

* I was hatched in a chicken coop in Boggy Creek, Florida.

* I’m a Scientologist.

* I like defenestrating journalists.

* I’ve got a deep-seated fear of pork rinds.

* Beets? Can’t get enough of them.

* My favorite color is burnt umber.

* Usually, I include the phrase “Jesus H. Christ” at the beginning of every sentence when I’m getting mad.

* I’m 4 and a half feet tall without my platform jeans.

* I served four years at Stargate Command.

* My birth name was Alexander Graham Zyfkawicz-Fooshnagle. I changed it to Wes Platt in 1978 because I thought it sounded more exotic.

* The only password I ever use is THX1138.

* I’ve got one leg and I tool around on a hoverbike.

* Don’t tell my dentist, but my teeth are also tentacles.

* I often refer to myself in third-person when I talk.

* Gnomes freak me out.

* I’ve only got one hand, but the other’s been replaced by an awesome electrified trident.

* One of my nipples is shaped like the head of Ernest Borgnine. You’ve got a 1-in-5 chance of guessing which it is.

I wish you all the best of luck in being me.

Privacy still matters. And you do well to take steps to protect your privacy every day.

You may hear so called pros announce that privacy is dead.

Don’t believe it. Maybe what they mean is they wish privacy were dead and that they are bothered that some people still trouble to worry about their own personal privacy.

You should care. Your privacy is something you should hold sacred and care much about.

Why? Why should you care about your privacy? And why is that? Why should I care about my personal privacy?

Because you my friend are not perfect.

No one looks good under a microscope. Your defects when exposed to public scrutiny and ridicule are no laughing matter.

Just think about all of the high profile scandals the media has a field day with nearly every day. Even if you’re not famous, your friends (people who you presumed were your friends) and neighbors would likely turn out to be pure gossip hounds the first smell of a scandal of your own.

It’s unfortunate that we reside in a world where people are way more interested in minding other people’s’s business than their own. That will work against you in spades if your failings (and well all have plenty) become known.

None of us look good under the glare of close inspection. Take steps to protect your personal privacy now before it’s too late. Think carefully before you reveal personal details about yourself on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter or any other social networking websites.

Only you can respect and care for your own personal privacy as you cannot count on anyone else to do it for you.

Take steps to be informed and protect your privacy today!

Follow Protect Privacy on Twitter

The following is my article that appeared in The Sun News on Wednesday, November 18, 2009. The online version can be found here.

When you are watching TV and identity theft commercials come on, do you press mute, change the channel or just roll your eyes and suffer through it thinking, “That will never happen to me?”

Or, are you one of the growing numbers of people who have had their identity stolen or knows someone who has had their identity stolen?

Last week I attended a meeting where Sgt. Ronnie Harlowe of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office spoke about identity theft. Sgt. Harlowe has been with the department for 19 years. Both the FBI and CIA have trained him in this matter.

We were told how the thieves obtain your information, what they do with it, how to minimize your risk and what to do if you suspect your identity has been stolen.

I never really gave identity theft a second thought. I never had a mailbox for my house only, so I never considered that checks could be stolen, washed and rewritten.

I never put much faith in others — it comes with hearing about the ins and outs of the criminal justice system your whole life — but even I never thought my waiter would, much less could, swipe my credit card on a portable card reader and steal my information. Apparently this happens more often than we would like to think.

All in all, I found Sgt. Harlowe’s presentation to be very informative. The demonstrations also really helped me understand just how easy it is to steal someone’s personal information. For instance, he showed us credit cards that appeared to be real, but the magnetic strip on the back held different account information.

I am not only grateful for the information but also for the fact that police officers do care about the community they serve, and they can be extremely helpful.

@@First, be aware that no matter in what state crimes are committed against you, or where you reside, you can seek recourse under Federal AND State law. Report to the police and identify the perpetrator.

There are Federal laws that deal with a host of technology crimes against individual. Here is an excerpt on stalking:

* The Interstate Stalking Punishment and Prevention Act of 1996 punishes persons with a fine and/or imprisonment for crossing state lines “with the intent to injure or harass another person…or place that person in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury…” (18 USC § 2261A, 2261, 2262). *

The definition of bodily injury is broad and includes not only physical harm but could include emotional and mental harm. Also, the laws have since been amended to include stalking through the use of technology.

The Violence against women Act (VAWA) 2006, made some amendments and improvement to existing laws. Many states also have laws which cover crimes committed through the use of technology.

Changes in VAWA 2005 include:

• Cyberstalking prevention provisions expand the definition of telecommunications devices to include any software that uses the Internet or Internet-based technologies, allowing prosecutors a stronger tool in charging stalkers in the courtroom; and Amendments to the federal stalking law increase the penalty of stalking and expand the accountable harm to include substantial emotional harm to the victim.

There is rife misinformation about the laws regarding Technology enabled crimes, their targets and how to prosecute the felons who commit these crimes. However, the truth is that like ANY other crime, such crimes are actionable and usually are felonies which can be prosecuted under a variety of laws.

It is critical to get information about the crimes being committed against you or which have been committed against you. It is instinctive to turn away from vileness and evil even when it involves something like terrorizing and bullying an adult and child HOWEVER, such a response is counterproductive and not beneficial.

Did you know that different laws authorize grants for law enforcement agencies to develop programs addressing stalking and for states to improve the process for entering stalking-related data into local, state and national crime information databases such as the National Crime Information Center. (42 USC §§ 3796gg, 14031) * Many states have not used these grants effectively or consistently. We can change this state of affairs.

Many Federal laws requires a training program for judges to ensure that when they issue orders in stalking cases, they have all the available criminal history and other information from state and federal sources. (42 USC § 14036) *

Also, please note that since September 1996, the Attorney General was mandated to compile and report data regarding stalking as part of the National Incident-Based Reporting System. (42 USC § 14038) *

However, there is a dearth of statistics regarding technology enabled stalking and the resulting violation and death of those who are stalked. There is also no database that has sufficient information about the real and measurable consequences to people who are targeted by technology criminals.

Outside of stalking, there is also bullying harassment, theft of intellectual property, identity theft, criminal misrepresentation etc. There are many crimes which so many people do not know how to address at this time. However, many laws regarding online crimes have been modified to enable prosecution of these felonies. Below is an example of such modification:

The new version of the law creates criminal penalties for anonymous emails and VoiP (voice over the Internet) calls sent with the intent to “annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any person.” *

The National Center for Victims of Crime has additional information on modified Federal and State laws on its web site.

By their very nature, the ability of the web and technology criminals to hide online while robbing and committing heinous crimes makes most of them Sociopaths/psychopaths. These criminals, for the most part, are as delusional as fans of TV personalities, who believe they know them and thus have some sort of say in the way these TV personalities conduct their lives.

Technology criminals generally belong to the same category. They are serial offenders whose access to information about innocents usually leads them to possess a false sense of invisibility therefore, they will not stop unless they are stopped by the law.

Those who commit child abduction and murder are very often sexual psychopaths, sadists who delight in inflicting emotional and physical pain on their victims. These men — and occasional woman — are driven by their wild and dangerously out-of-control fantasies that include acting out visions of domination, pain, humiliation and sexual perversion.

Violent sexual psychopaths have an urgent and intense desire to inflict pain and suffering and do actually identify with how their victims feel. Indeed, the more pain and suffering their victims suffer, the more pleasure they obtain — they identify with the pain, they simply do not care about the physical and psychological anguish that they cause.

Technology adroit criminals also target adults (especially women) and in many cases, violate, rape and murder them.

The Amy Boyer Law was fueled by the events summarized below:

On July 29, 1999, Liam Youens contacted Docusearch, an internet-based investigation and information service, and requested the date of birth of Amy Lynn Boyer, a woman Youens had been obsessed with since the two attended high school together. Youens later contacted Docusearch to request Boyer’s social security number (SSN) and employment information. Docusearch was unable to provide Boyer’s date of birth, but obtained her SSN from a credit reporting agency as part of a credit header and provided it to Youens for $45.

He then murdered Amy Boyer.

Here is the law used to prosecute the Civil portion of The Amy Boyer case below:

Law

Tort Claims

Wrongful Death. A successful wrongful death claim requires breach of a duty owed to the victim by the defendant, resulting in the wrongful death. Amy Boyer’s estate alleges that Docusearch reasonably should have known of the potential danger to Amy Boyer of its unauthorized disclosure of her personal information to Youens.

Invasion of Privacy Claims

Invasion of Privacy torts require that the plaintiff have a “reasonable expectation of privacy” in the information in question, and that the invasion by the defendant have caused harm.

Intrusion Upon Seclusion. Intrusion upon seclusion occurs where there is an invasion, through conduct offensive to an ordinary person, of an individual’s information in which she has a “reasonable expectation of privacy.”

Amy Boyer’s estate argues that she had a reasonable expectation of privacy in her address and social security number, and that Docusearch’s action in indiscriminately releasing this information was reasonably offensive.

Commercial Appropriation of Private Information

The tort of commercial appropriation protects the “inherent right of every human being to control the commercial use of his or her identity.” J. Thomas McCarthy, The Rights of Publicity and Privacy, § 1.2, 1-8 (1992).

Currently, sixteen states recognize a common law cause of action for commercial appropriation of name, likeness, performance, or identity, and twelve other states have enacted comparable statutory protections instead of or in addition to recognizing the tort.

____________________

The days when home invasions were the things people had to worry about are long gone. The new breed of criminals do not have to invade your home to rob, stalk, violate and molest you. They simply perform all acts preceeding the final physical contact, through criminal use of technology. The last part of the CRIME is then effected in person.

We must all form a United Front to STOP Cyber and TECHNOLOGY enabled crimes against INNOCENT INDIVIDUALS. This growing scourge and the Sociopaths who fuel it, are the same as other common crooks.

IT IS NOT THE EXISTENCE OF EVIL THAT IS THE ISSUE. THE PROBLEM EXISTS ONLY WHEN GOOD PEOPLE DO NOTHING.

If you have been targeted by some technology criminal, remember, a criminal is still a criminal even if his weapon of choice is technology. The onslaught and abuse you have been subjected to, can and should be addressed. We can help. We all can join together to get informed and go after these criminals.

To raise awareness about this growing scourge of online and technology vagabonds, involve and inform your friends and neighbors. Write to the press, your representatives and contact EVERYONE and ANYONE who can bring awareness about these crimes and who can help to stop them.

These criminals who target law abiding citizens have to be stopped. Technology felons destroy molest, violate and kill innocent people daily, and WE can STOP THESE FELONIES!

Best wishes to all.

Signed

Chief Advocate1

Crush and Eradicate Cyber Abuse

“The voice for people who are violated by criminals who use technology as their weapon for the commission of heinous crimes”

The cybercriminals behind all cloned WiniGuard applications have now released a new one called AntiKeep.

A Milwaukee hospital is warning more than six-thousand patients whose personal identifying information may have been stolen.  A laptop was stolen from Aurora St. Luke’s Hospital Center in Milwaukee’s south side.

The laptop contained personal information of thousands of patients that received in-patient care at  St. Luke’s Hospital.  The patients affected by the breach should soon receive a breach notification letter in the mail.

FULL STORY

FICO, for the first time, has publicly disclosed the extent of  “damage points” data on consumers’ credit scores (aka beacon scores).  The FICO disclosures gives consumers insight into how many points will be deducted from their credit score when they may out their credit card, or declare bankruptcy.

According to FICO, a maxed out credit card could decrease your credit score by 10 to 45 points.  A bankruptcy could decrease your credit score by 130 to 150 points unless you have a beacon score of 780.  In that case your credit score reduced by as much as 240 points!

FICO continues to guard their formula to calculate credit scores, but this report will help consumers understand what consumers can do to protect, and maybe even increase their credit scores.

FULL STORY

Cyber Security Tip ST04-017
Protecting Portable Devices: Physical Security   

Many computer users, especially those who travel for business, rely on
laptops and PDAs because they are small and easily transported. But while
these characteristics make them popular and convenient, they also make them
an ideal target for thieves. Make sure to secure your portable devices to
protect both the machine and the information it contains.

What is at risk?

Only you can determine what is actually at risk. If a thief steals your
laptop or PDA, the most obvious loss is the machine itself. However, if the
thief is able to access the information on the computer or PDA, all of the
information stored on the device is at risk, as well as any additional
information that could be accessed as a result of the data stored on the
device itself.

Sensitive corporate information or customer account information should not
be accessed by unauthorized people. You’ve probably heard news stories about
organizations panicking because laptops with confidential information on
them  have  been lost or stolen. But even if there isn’t any sensitive
corporate information on your laptop or PDA, think of the other information
at risk: information about appointments, passwords, email addresses and
other contact information, personal information for online accounts, etc.

How can you protect your laptop or PDA?

* Password-protect your computer – Make sure that you have to enter a
password to log in to your computer or PDA (see Choosing and Protecting
Passwords for more information).
* Keep your laptop or PDA with you at all times – When traveling, keep
your laptop with you. Meal times are optimum times for thieves to check
hotel rooms for unattended laptops. If you are attending a conference or
trade  show, be especially wary—these venues offer thieves a wider
selection of devices that are likely to contain sensitive information,
and the conference sessions offer more opportunities for thieves to
access guest rooms.
* Downplay your laptop or PDA – There is no need to advertise to thieves
that you have a laptop or PDA. Avoid using your portable device in
public  areas, and consider non-traditional bags for carrying your
laptop.
* Be aware of your surroundings – If you do use your laptop or PDA in a
public area, pay attention to people around you. Take precautions to
shield yourself from “shoulder surfers”—make sure that no one can see
you type your passwords or see any sensitive information on your screen.
* Consider an alarm or lock – Many companies sell alarms or locks that you
can use to protect or secure your laptop. If you travel often or will be
in a heavily populated area, you may want to consider investing in an
alarm for your laptop bag or a lock to secure your laptop to a piece of
furniture.
* Back up your files – If your portable device is stolen, it’s bad enough
that someone else may be able to access your information. To avoid
losing all of the information, make backups of important information and
store the backups in a separate location (see Good Security Habits for
more  information).  Not only will you still be able to access the
information, but you’ll be able to identify and report exactly what
information is at risk.

What can you do if your laptop or PDA is lost or stolen?

Report the loss or theft to the appropriate authorities. These parties may
include representatives from law enforcement agencies, as well as hotel or
conference staff. If your device contained sensitive corporate or customer
account  information,  immediately  report  the  loss or theft to your
organization so that they can act quickly.
_________________________________________________________________

Author: Mindi McDowell
_________________________________________________________________

Produced 2004 by US-CERT, a government organization.

Note: This tip was previously published and is being
re-distributed to increase awareness.

Terms of use

http://www.us-cert.gov/legal.html

This document can also be found at

http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/tips/ST04-017.html

To Protect yourself from having your Identity Stolen go to http://www.timrobbinstv.com/next

Fact is you are 10 time more likely to have you identity stolen

then you are to have a car accident or end up in the hospital

It is estimated by the FTC that 30 Million people will have their Identity Stolen in 2010

or to make is more exact 7 or 10 people

Indentity Theft is Real and On the

 Rise 

Five Major Things That Can Destroy Your Life Today

• Drivers License

• Social Security

• Medical Information

• Character/Criminal Actions

• Financial Transactions

There actually 101 real issues you should not about that you can try and do to protect yourself and your family. To see what you can do go to this free website that you can get a Free Copy of  a 72 page report from the Federal Trade Commission go to http://timrobbinstv.com/next

With the holidays just around the corner, just about everyone is in a giving mood. Now more than ever we find ourselves dropping our extra change in the Salvation Army bucket outside the grocery store or giving that extra dollar to St. Jude’s whenever we buy something at CVS. Unfortunately, identity thieves are out there taking advantage of all this goodwill.

Every year, natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes and wildfires cause many people to lose their property, homes, loved ones or even lives. Thankfully, there are many compassionate people who donate a great deal of time and money to charities that help these victims. Several identity thieves are taking full advantage of this eagerness to help and are using it as an opportunity to capture personal information of unsuspecting individuals.

These scam artists pose as legitimate charitable organizations and send emails out with links to very legitimate looking websites. When individuals click on the sites, they’re asked to submit personal data such as credit card and social security numbers. On top of this, many of these emails contain attachments that when downloaded, install spyware and viruses that are designed to collect sensitive data from individuals’ computers.

To keep the holiday season merry and not fall victim to identity thieves’ charity scams, you and your employees both should take the following precautions:

• Only make charitable donations to a known organization using a published phone number, address or website.  Also, always make donations directly to the organization, never through a third-party.
• When you donate to a charity online, always go directly to the charity’s website by typing the URL in your browser or searching for the charity’s name on your search engine.
• Use various Internet search tools such as Google and Yahoo to verify the legitimacy of the charitable organization before donating to them online.

There are only a few areas in the country where small businesses are ahead of those in many other U.S. markets yet the effects of the recession are indicated by the 7.5 percent unemployment rate in June, the highest in more than 16 years, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.

As a result, small business owners are being forced to focus on their operations as never before. Everything must be evaluated in terms of need, liability, cost and return on investment.

Currently, the national news media is saturated with stories about the proposed national health care reform and, to a lesser extent, the latest minimum wage increase and identity theft. These issues are of importance to small business owners and their employees. Another that should be on the radar screen of business owners and their employees is identity theft protection and legal service plans.

The reason is simple: in a time of economic volatility and increased fraud, small business owners are more likely to need access to legal services – both for proactive purposes, such as creditor debt collection, information security and for preventative purposes, such as lawsuit defense and insider fraud. Ironically, this is the time small businesses can least afford the high cost of “hourly fee” or “flat” fee services of most corporate law firms.

A pre-paid legal service plans benefit the small business in two distinct ways. First, from an operational perspective, there are a variety of plans that can be tailored to the needs of the business owner for a fixed monthly rate. These plans include a suite of legal services, such as: legal consultation, legal correspondence, contract and business document review, fraud compliance and trial defense services – provided by attorneys from a provider law firm with local market experience.

Secondly, identity theft protection and legal service plans can be incorporated into the company’s human resource benefits package for employees. As a group plan, this can be offered as a voluntary benefit, managed through payroll deduction. Participating employees gain access to legal services and consultation on a variety of personal issues, such as buying a home, divorce and creditor disputes. In addition to assistance with the number one crime in America, identity theft. The Society of Human Resource Managers has reported that legal service plans are a valued human resource benefit and one of the fastest growing voluntary benefits in recent years. Additionally SHRM’s legal editor wrote an outstanding article on company liability with multiple types of identity theft.

In addition to cost control, legal service plans and identity theft protection offer business owners’ access to timely and accurate information. Being able to contact a specialist in a specific area of business or tax law or fraud issues is not something many business owners would do, yet the peace of mind in knowing the right decision was made and action taken, based on expert knowledge cannot be overstated.

The use of legal service plans in small business continues to grow as the owners and their employees recognize the benefits and cost-savings these plans offer. Perhaps the current recession has served as a catalyst or tipping point toward a new direction in the delivery of legal services and identity theft protection.

article by Thomas O’Regan

Mark 13:1-8
As he [Jesus] came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” 2 Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” 3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5 Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

Has your identity ever been stolen? I haven’t had mine stolen, but I know of people who have had the distinct pleasure of having someone assume their identity. When that happens, it’s as if someone has run off with the essence of who we are. If someone steals our credit card and makes purchases in our name there is the chance that our credit score, finances, or even our very reputation will be ruined. While we create profiles for ourselves on websites like Facebook and MySpace, and share bits and pieces of ourselves with the world, if our name is pilfered, that’s another story.

In the text for today, Jesus also speaks about the importance of “what’s in a name.” He tells his disciples that many will come in his name and that they will lead people astray. Jesus is telling them that many will claim to be the Messiah, the one come to redeem the world. The first few centuries of the Common Era, when Mark’s contemporaries were hearing these words, were a confusing period filled with strife, struggle and hardship. Not only was the seemingly indestructible Temple dismantled, stone by stone by the Romans in 70 CE, but there were many other trials.

Playing off of peoples’ beliefs that Christ would be coming back very soon, there were many “pseudo-messiahs” and false teachers eager to step in to take Jesus’ place. In addition, the early church was plagued by internal conflicts over doctrine and right teaching, as well as by the external conflicts of persecution and even martyrdom. Life was confusing and not easy. Who could people believe or trust?

And what are we in the 21st century to do? In the midst of a recession, dealing with high unemployment rates, with wars and violence around the world, and plenty of people speaking false words of hope, Jesus’ words are incredibly timeless. Jesus does not want us to be taken in by all those things that might lead us astray: people telling us if we believe hard enough, we’ll make more money, or others saying if we send them money, we will be healed of our sicknesses and pains. He does not want us to put our trust in things like money or material objects, which, like the Temple, will crumble and pass away. Instead he urges us to put our hope and faith in him – the authentic and living Christ.

Picture it this way. Jesus is at the check-out in a store and as the cashier tells him the cost, he hands over his credit card. The back of the card says “See ID.” The cashier checks to make sure that he is indeed who he says he is and the transaction continues. Each of us is like the cashier seeking to check the ID of those people or things that would have us believe they are our saviors. We can use the tools of Scripture, prayer, discernment, and conversation with others in order to check the identification to see if those things are truly of God.

Although all the splendid things we have – cars, houses, money, electronics – will fade away like the Temple, in Christ, the living, indestructible temple, we have something solid to which to cling. I find it very telling that whereas a false teacher might seek to gain glory and to make a name on this earth, the one we are to follow is the one who submitted to death on a cross for our sake. In the crucified and resurrected Christ, we can look forward expectantly to the coming kingdom and reign of God, even in the midst of all our trials and pains. Perhaps if we looked at Christ’s ID, we would see the cross and the empty tomb.

Christ never said following him would be easy or free of struggle or strife. This text indicates quite the contrary, but Jesus does not leave us without hope. When we find ourselves being led astray, we can recall the comforting words of Jesus to the disciples: “do not be alarmed.” We have been given the gifts of Scripture, prayer and discernment in order to verify that we are on the right track. More importantly, we have been given the gift of Jesus Christ himself to illumine our way. Therefore, may we remember the word of hope that God gives to us each and every day in the authentic, living word, Jesus Christ. Amen.

© 2009. Annabelle Peake. All rights reserved.

Identity theft protection is a must this time of year. With thieves just waiting for you to make that one purchase online, or slip up at the mall and leave your bag somewhere, it’s crucial that you keep your identity protected during the holidays.

There are things that you can do to keep yourself protected while doing your holiday shopping, and joining idSafeUSA is just one of your great options. And it’s the best option. Protecting your identity has never been easier, more affordable, or most secure than it is now.

Identity theft numbers always go up during the holidays, so why not stay one step ahead of the game with identity protection that you can count on? Before idSafeUSA, there were truly only two options for those hoping to protect their identity. You could either do the work entirely on your own. Be a DIY master of identity and contact all necessary bureaus and get all the necessary reports to keep on top of everything.

You could also pay an outrageous amount to those identity theft agencies you hear so much about these days. You know the ones. The guys who charge ridiculous monthly fees for their services.

idSafeUSA is changing the way that consumers protect their identity. For just a yearly enrollment fee, you can get all of the protection perks that the other guys offer, but with idSafeUSA you’re getting them for less.

idSafeUSA offers everything from fraud alerts to credit freezes to those crucial reminders to let you know that it’s time for you to run your credit reports or renew your identity protection. idSafeUSA also has a very large library of information made available to members, along with important forms and contact information all in one place.

This holiday season, don’t become a holiday identity theft statistic. Head over to idSafeUSA to find out how you can keep yourself protected.

Times of India Report

SIM card problem costs senior citizen Rs 2 lakh

Read the story here

Our Response

1. The bank where the victim was banking has a system of providing a forgotten password over the mobile as an SMS.
2. The perpetrators knew this, either through a collusion of the bank employees or some other agency (like credit card collection agency) that the victim had a bank… account with a particular bank which followed this practice.
3. With the personal information available with the perpetrators, they called and reported a lost sim card to the mobile company. And in the meanwhile forged a driving license with the victims details.
4. Once the SIM card was blocked a new one was issued through a gallery of the mobile operator. It is possible that the gallery operator was hand in glove with them.
5. Then with this mobile, the perpetrators logged onto the banks online site and sent a lost password request. They got an SMS of a new password on the stolen SIM card. Voila they had access to the bank account online.

The concerned bank should stop this practice immediately. This is not the first such case to be reported. Police should be sensitized to the issue.

The police should find the IMEI number of the phone from where the SMS was sent by the bank. From the IMEI number the police can trace the owner of the phone and reach the culprits.

Regards

Vinod Chand
General Secretary,
Credit Consumers Association of India
Bandra(East), Mumbai

Why Seniors Are Feeling the Crunch and Why They Are Turning to Reverse Mortgage in Droves!
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tim_G_Robbins]Tim G Robbins

The home that they spent many years to pay off and maintain as their haven is now the one investment that they still have to use for life. Even though many homes throughout the country to loss value over the last few years, they can still be a great source of money and security in these troubled economic times. If you had purchased your home say 30 years ago and did not over burden yourself with refinances and cash out loans you are still sitting on a great stock pile of money.

You love your home you feel safe and secure in your home and which to stay there for the rest of your life and the thought of moving to a strange place and having to start all over again meeting new people then think about what you would do if you had the money to stay at home.

What if you could use a Reverse Mortgage to not only stay in your home for the rest of your life without ever having to make a mortgage payment, and still have an investment building over time. The RM is the only mortgage in the entire world that can accomplish this for you in many different ways, at and the same time you are in complete control of your finances.

In the world of finances especially today you need to have access to cash because to in these uncertain times CASH IS KING…… In having no payments for yourself for the rest of your life and having the option at anytime to draw out money for the things you want or need is critical to surviving into the future.

Now within the Reverse Mortgage you have many options available to you and the best part they can be changed as your situation changes meaning flexibility to meet future changes you are not able to plan for in the future. If take the time to sit with a try professional who understands how the different plans work and can lay out different options that show you how planning within the Reverse Mortgage can give a great sense of security that is not false by no means.

Within the Reverse Mortgage you can choose many different programs from using interest indexes to what margins will be used to determine the money that is available to you in the future or today. Some of the options enable you to take all of the cash at one time and have a fixed interest rate for the rest of your live, while others give the option of receiving cash up front and creating a cash equity account that will grow over time and build a comfortable growth account for future needs. The good thing with the Reverse Mortgage is all about OPTIONS and FLEXIBILITY you do not receive this with any other program.

There are so many choices that you can design for you specific needs and goals and at anytime you can change them again. As long as you have the funds available there is no limit to how you can receive funds over and over again. The fears of the Reverse Mortgage are rumors at best and simply because most people listen to uninformed or uneducated people who heard a story somewhere and then it was changed over time. Remember the story of sitting 10 people in a circle and telling the first person a story and then each person tells the story to the person next to them and by the time it gets to the 10 person the story is not what is started out to be. Well this is what has happened in the   rel=nofollow Reverse Mortgage industry, the story has changed over and over again.

The Best Myth

I really like this one because it shows how ignorant people can really be when they listen to uninformed people telling stories.

I heard this story when speaking to a person who was considering if a Reverse Mortgage would wok for them it goes like this.

I was told by a friend of mine that they heard that there was a woman who took out a Reverse Mortgage and when she did it she not only lost all of here money but she also lost her home and had to live on the street. How ridicules’ does this one sound to you?

First thing to questions is how did she loose her money did she drop it or did she take all of the money in cash and go to a casino and place it down of BLACK for spin of the wheel. Simply because if she had taken all of the money and even if she did this the mortgage did not cause her to loose the money. In addition to that she would not have lost her home there are only a few ways that someone could ever not be able to stay in their home for the rest of their life.

If they stop paying the taxes on the home!

If they did not keep their homeowners insurance in force!

If the failed to maintain the home!

If they did not keep the home as their primary residence!

These are the only reason that anyone would have to pay back the loan balance of a Reverse Mortgage. With any of the above reason they would have to sell the home the bank would not and could not take the home with out due cause.

So if you want to know the truth about a Reverse Mortgage stop listening to stories and rumors and get the facts from and expert who can guide you through the entire details and give you all of the positives and the few negatives the do exists.

Is a Reverse Mortgage for every person the answer is NO this is not a vehicle for short term money it is a mortgage for life or at least 5-10 years, this way the cost that are associated with the mortgage can be recouped over time. Remember what ever the cost are if you are going to live in your home for the rest of your years then you do not have to worry about the cost, neither do your heirs they are not responsible to pay it back it will be paid from the proceeds of the sale of your home after you are gone.

Tim Robbins,Sr is a senior Reverse Mortgage Specialist with Equitable Reverse Mortgage. The main goal is to provide the best education resources available and to all place the seniors first and foremost. My website is designed to give you all available information which you can review either in print or video by visiting http://bestmortgageplans.com for all you senior resource you may also contact me Toll free at 800-610-3599 for a Free Report on Reverse Mortgages

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_G_Robbins [http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Seniors-Are-Feeling-the-Crunch-and-Why-They-Are-Turning-to-Reverse-Mortgage-in-Droves!&id=2137833 ]http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Seniors-Are-Feeling-the-Crunch-and-Why-They-Are-Turning-to-Reverse-Mortgage-in-Droves!&id=2137833

The Senior Reverse Mortgage Program Has Evolved Over the Years and is More Attractive Today
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tim_G_Robbins]Tim G Robbins

Since the beginning of the federally insured Reverse Mortgage in 1988 when the government started regulating them, the program has gone through many changes that have not only created more security for the senior homeowner, but reduced fees and increased borrowing limits. Also not to mention increased the options that are available for the senior to choose from or change too over the years.

Unlike any other program in the mortgage industry there is no program that even comes close to the Reverse, it is designed to have the most flexibility, and the safest to all seniors who own their home and are over 62 years of age. Now in 2009 where more and more seniors are seeing the true value of a Reverse Mortgage, and that it is not just for the seniors who are poor, it is just about for everyone who is concerned with having security in these troubled economic times! Yes security simply because the statistics show the 78% of all seniors who elect to take out a Reverse Mortgage utilize the Equity Credit Line which is built into the adjustable rate program.

Now in addition; there is a program for the person who has fear of adjustable rate mortgage which is understandable they can elect to have a fixed interest rate that stays the same forever, but they must receive all of the money at the time of closing. There are no other options at this time. So I guess you are wondering why that is, well it is because of the investor market for selling mortgage backed securities. When investors are looking to invest they look for the greatest return over time, and buy investing in a fixed interest on the return and a fixed amount of the total debt there is not inflationary rate of return. As with the adjustable the rate of return can be much greater over the life of the loan, which can be upwards of 20 to 30 years depending on how long the senior lives. This is important simply because the Reverse Mortgage is a long term investment, and there are no payments over the years until the senior ceases to live in the home as their primary residence or the past away.

Over the years that the Reverse Mortgage has been in existence, the Fannie Mae has been the purchaser of mortgage backed securities of the Reverse Mortgage, but now they are mandated by the treasury to reduce the balance sheets over the next two years, so the industry bankers will be looking for new ways to attracted investors. In doing so they must be able to package up these securities and make them attractive to the investors. This will only be accomplished by increasing the margins that are charged on each loan, the higher the margin I.e. fixed profits.

For instance; today the margins that are added to the index to come up with the effective interest rate are something like this Margin 225 tied to the Libor, 250 tied to the CMT or ( Constant Maturity Treasury) or 275 CMT, just to name a few. Not to mention the fixed rate, this is regulated by the bond market just like conventional mortgages!

In the near future will see the margins start to increase to maybe 3-4-5% to make them more attractive to the independent investor who is looking for security and rate of return. See unlike traditional mortgage securities the Reverse Mortgage is a protected investment, and the reason being the lose factor is almost non-existent. The money that is loaned out the senior is insured that it will be returned to the bank over a period of years, because the one thing that is certain is that the senior is going to die at some point in the future. This is determined by the actuarial tables that also determines how much monies will be available at what age of the senior.

A person at age 62 will receive for less then a senior who is 80 years old, because the life expectancy is less for the 80 year old person then that of the 62 year old person. Remember the senior stays in the home and makes no mortgage payments of any kind until the cease to live in the home as their primary residence, by death or the sale of the home.

Flexibility

Within the Reverse Mortgage the senior is in total control as the how they receive the money from the mortgage and how the spend the money. The options are only restricted by the plan that they choose to use!

· They can take all of the money

· They can take a portion of it and leave a portion of it in the credit line

· They can take a monthly amount for a term period

· They can what is called a Tenure for life

· They can take Tenure for a portion and have credit line.

· They can change the program from time to time.

· Then can withdraw lump sums at anytime.

As you can see the possibilities are endless these are just a few ways that a senior can utilize the mortgage. Also if at anytime they decide or have the means to payoff the loan they can do so without any prepayment penalties.

TODAY’S ECONOMY

In these uncertain times unlike anytime in history it is more important to have a security instrument in place for the unexpected twist and turns that our lives may take in the future simply because of he unprecedented world of the economy. If a person does not need the funds currently they will have the option of having a credit line that is sitting in the wings, growing over time by .50% more then the interest rate of the loan balance, available to them if and when they ever need it.

The one thing that we all can expect is change and that change can be dramatic and it can be devastating so if you are concerned and you are a senior homeowner over the age of 62 stop listening to uninformed people who give wrong advice and speak to a professional who understands and is knowledgeable about the   rel=nofollow Reverse Mortgage and secure your future today before the margins increase to 3-4 or 5% plus the indexes and if inflation starts to come back and it will you will not be able to maximize your portfolio act now.

Tim Robbins, Sr is a senior Reverse Mortgage Specialist with Equitable Reverse Mortgage. The main goal is to provide the best education resources available and to all place the seniors first and foremost.

My website is designed to give you all available information which you can review either in print or video by visiting http://bestmortgageplans.com for all you senior resources you may need for a good life.

Also contact me Toll free at 800-610-3599 for a Free Report on Reverse Mortgages

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_G_Robbins http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Senior-Reverse-Mortgage-Program-Has-Evolved-Over-the-Years-and-is-More-Attractive-Today&id=2150854

Online shopping is a convenient way to shop your favorite stores, get great deals, and miss the crowds during the Holiday season. If you like to shop from the comfort of your home computer, the American Bar Association has a site; safeshopping.org that’s loaded with helpful safety tips you should keep in mind every time you make online purchases. Here are just a few of the tips they give:

• Find and read the privacy policy. If a site doesn’t have one posted, you may not want to shop there.
• Review the return, refund, shipping and handling policies, as well as other legal terms.
• Make sure you have a secure internet connection before you shop. (The Today Show recently aired a story on the importance of this is as well.)
• Use the safest way to pay on the Internet: a credit card.
• Print and date the terms, conditions, warranties, item description, company info, and confirming emails.

Those that have a Pre-Paid Legal plan coupled with the Identity Theft Shield can enjoy even greater peace of mind knowing should any issues surface, they have their Pre-Paid Legal Provider Law Firm, continuous credit monitoring, and identity theft experts on their side.

Malware is #1 when it comes to data losses–again.  The #2 reason is laptop and other hardware theft.  I guess laptop encryption programs and other data protetcion software programs like truecrypt won’t cut it anymore.  Although, perhaps McAfee is in a better position than most, which offers their traditional anti-virus wares a well as encryption.

The 2009 CSI Computer Crime and Security survey has found that malware infections increased from 50% to 64%, the first reversal in a downward trend for malware infections that started in 2005.

It was also found that companies experienced double the password sniffing attacks of the previous year, from 9% to 17%.

Meaning

The use of personal details of another in order to use their identity dishonestly. For example, in order to obtain money, credit etc. fraudulently.

Origin

This term originated in the USA in the 1990s. The first known record of ‘identity theft’ appears in The Boston Globe, May 1991:

The Social Security Administration in Boston… agrees that identity theft can be quickly stopped. ‘If you can document someone else is using your Social Security number, we’ll give you a new number.’

There is an earlier record of an ‘identity thief’, which dates from the 1960s. The Ohio newspaper The Athens Messenger, carried a story headed ‘Death Reveals Identity Thief’, on 7th April 1966. This reports a story of a US serviceman who stole the identity of another soldier, apparently in order to enlist fraudulently in the army:

“A stranger than fiction story emerged today about a man who was killed in Vietnam while serving in the Marine Corps under the name of an acquaintance. The dead Marine has been identified as William F. Joyce, 25, of Stoughton, Mass., who was killed in action at Quan Lai while serving with the 1st Battalion of the 7th Marines.”

But Joyce apparently was known to his comrades in Company C, not as Joyce, but as “Richard J. Preskenis,” the name under which he enlisted three years ago. There is a Richard J. Preskenis, who went to high school in Stoughton, but who now lives in an adjoining town, Canton. Preskenis, 22, knew Joyce several years ago, but the men were not close.

Preskenis’ name turned up on a casualty list issued Wednesday by the Defense Department. The notice was sent to Brockton, where the dead Marine had listed as his secondary next of kin a sister, Mrs. Paul Collins. The Marine Corps in Washington says it was she who told them that the true name of the dead Marine was Joyce.

Joyce apparently used the name of Preskenis to enlist in the Marine Corps in April, 1963, because he had had some trouble with the police, which might have made him unacceptable.

-Special thanks to Gary Martin of The Phrase Finder

CDC has received reports of fraudulent emails (phishing) referencing a CDC sponsored State Vaccination Program.

The messages request that users must create a personal H1N1 (swine flu) Vaccination Profile on the cdc.gov website. The message then states that anyone that has reached the age of 18 has to have his/her personal Vaccination Profile on the cdc.gov site.

The CDC has NOT implemented a state vaccination program requiring registration on www.cdc.gov. Users that click on the email are at risk of having malicious code installed on their system. CDC reminds users to take the following steps to reduce the risk of being a victim of a phishing attack:

• Do not follow unsolicited links and do not open or respond to unsolicited email messages.
• Use caution when visiting un-trusted websites.
• Use caution when entering personal information online.

An example of the Phishing email follows:

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/hoaxes_rumors.html

Identity theft is when others use your credit card number without your knowledge or consent.

A subscriber to my newsletter went to Half.com, a division of Amazon.com and ordered a book. When she got her Discover card statement, she found a bogus charge described as Amazon.com. She wanted to know what to do.

This sounds like a case of identity theft (i.e. use of your credit card number without your knowledge or consent) by someone on Half.com and/or Amazon.com.

Do follow Amazon’s advice and alert Discover about this incident. Request that Discover reverse the charge and have them cancel that card and re-issue you another one.

You should also immediately pull your credit reports — all three of them, from TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. You can get 1 credit report fee of charge every 12 months from each credit bureau via www.annualcreditreport.com.

If you’ve already gotten a report via annualcreditreport.com, just go to the bureau’s website, and request a credit report online directly from them. Don’t buy a credit report. Find the site info for each website that gives free credit reports for the victims of identity theft. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, if you’ve been a victim of fraud or identity theft you do not have to buy a credit report.

After you get your reports, scrutinize them to make sure no other unauthorized charges have been made and that no accounts have been opened in your name. If you detect any suspicious activity, notify a local law enforcement agency, as well as the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov). Lastly, if fraud did occur, put a fraud alert or a credit freeze on your credit reports to prevent this identity thief from accessing your credit in the future.

A final word: it sounds like Amazon knows who was involved, or at least has more information about individual/Amazon user who misused your card. Since Amazon said they’re willing to turn over other info to law enforcement, or Discover, you should definitely notify the authorities and Discover of that fact.

How safe are you on Facebook? It’s the fastest growing social network around, besides Twitter, and it just recently topped the 350 million profile mark. Protecting your identity on Facebook is really no harder than being smart about your personal information. There are insanely easy ways to keep your identity protected on Facebook, and insanely easy ways to get your identity from you on Facebook.

Sohpos, an internet identity firm, recently conducted a study on Facebook to see how gullible people are when it comes to providing complete strangers with personal identity information. They sent out a fake ‘friend request’ to 100 random (20-something) Facebook users. Almost 50% of those users agreed to the ‘friendship,’ and nearly all of them provided the fake user with personal identity information such as their address, date of birth, workplace, phone number and location! This is an example of how insanely easy it is to steal your identity from you on Facebook.

Sophos conducted the same study with Facebook users in their 50’s, and the numbers were even more astonishing. The study found that the older Facebook users were more willing to give out their personal information to this ‘friend’ who, in fact, was a complete stranger!

Let’s put this into perspective. If you were at the mall, and a complete stranger walked up to you and asked you for your address, phone number, and workplace information, would you give it to him? What if the man was dressed like Santa Clause and had the sweetest smile you’d ever seen? What if that man showed you pictures of his beautiful family, then would you offer over your personal identity information?

This is exactly what is happening on Facebook every single day. Facebook users assume that because they are a part of this ‘Facebook family’ they are all alike. No one in this family would intentionally harm another, right? I can only assume that’s why so many people refuse to be smart about their personal information on social networks.

Here are some tips to avoid identity theft while on Facebook:

1. Limit how much personal information you provide.

2. Take advantage of those Facebook privacy settings.

3. Only accept friend requests from people you know.

4. Limit the amount of time and place information that you provide through photos and status updates.

5. Consider an identity protection service like idSafeUSA.com.

Ok, let’s just put it out there: I’m Seventh-Day Adventist. It’s an oft misunderstood denomination which is pretty ironic since the name very plainly tells you what makes us ‘different’. We go to church on Saturday (the 7th day), and we anxiously await the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ. It’s just that simple lol.

So why do we go to church on Saturday? Well, first if you are Christian and do not go to church on Saturday have you ever asked yourself why? Have you ever even thought about it?

Well in a few quick bullet points I’m going to break it down for you. I’m not out to convince you of who’s right or wrong, that’s not my job. Having said that, I will nevertheless try to keep this as objective and factual and biblically sound as possible. You will have to decide for yourself if you want to look into this thing further beyond that.

So let’s start at the beginning: Genesis chapter 2:1-3 is my first point of reference. There are 2 eternal institutions that were given to mankind in the Garden of Eden. The first was the 7th Day Sabbath, and the other was Marriage! After God created the world and all of it’s contents in 6 days he ‘rested’ on the 7th day. He didn’t rest because he was tired, (can God get tired at all?) but instead He wanted to show that what He made was perfectly complete. (The number 7 symbolically represents completion.) This 7th day of rest was not something that was ‘Jewish’ because we can see here that it came way before the ‘Jews’ were around. If the Sabbath is strictly ‘Jewish’ then so is Marriage because they were given at the same time lol! Also this 7th day of rest was not a one-time thing because we later see it observed as the Sabbath throughout all the rest of the Old Testament, and ALL of the New Testament, but we’ll deal with that shortly.

After this first Sabbath observance in Genesis there are literally dozens of scriptures mentioning it by name but our next point of reference is the most obvious of them all. It’s part of the 10 commandments found in Exodus 20.

The 4th commandment starts with the word ‘Remember’… which means it was not a new concept it had already been given before. Something else of note is that none of the other 9 commandments has ever been considered as ‘open to interpretation’, but somehow this particular commandment – which is also the most DETAILED and descriptive of ALL the 10 is the ONE that is not observed the way God originally instructed.

So how did most Christians end up in church on Sunday instead of Saturday? Here is where things get interesting. First let me say that there is absolutely no record of a ‘change’ of the day of rest/worship in the Old or New Testament, therefore it is not biblical, it’s just not found anywhere in the bible. God never said to do it, Jesus never said to do it, and the 12 Disciples/Apostles never said do it.

This change was made by common men who had no authority to do so. Imagine this with me: I just moved your birthday to the following day and I’m now telling all of your friends and family, co-workers, and classmates to do the same… and they up and DO IT!! That’s basically what happened.

Most Sunday keepers will tell you that Sunday became the day of rest to commemorate Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday. Ah, yes the resurrection let’s start there. Well, let’s back up a bit to the Last Supper first.

Before He was crucified Jesus gave just ONE and only ONE way to remember his sacrifice on the cross. Communion is the ONE and only gesture that Jesus himself told the disciples to maintain when he said ” Do this in remembrance of Me.” If He had intended to change the day of worship, He would have said so at this time. Or He would have taken the time to make a NEW commandment the same way He did in Matthew 22:36-40 when He gave the ‘greatest commandment’ to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart… and Love your neighbor as yourself.”

In fact it was Jesus, who gave the perfect example even in death when he died on Good Friday, rested in the tomb on Sabbath, and rose on Easter Sunday. He RESTED from the GREATEST ‘work’ ever done (dying to save us from Sin) after saying “It is finished”. Not once did He ever alter or change Sabbath observance from Saturday to Sunday.

All through the Gospels Jesus was attacked by the Pharisees regarding how to ‘keep’ the Sabbath. But in Mark 2:27-28 He asserts, first, that the Sabbath was made for all mankind, not merely the Jews (verse 27), and second, that He is “Lord of the Sabbath” (verse 28). Thus, any change to the Sabbath commandment must come from Him!

I think we can safely consider this case closed here but just to be sure let’s take a final look at the rest of the New Testament after Christ’s resurrection and ascension.

In the book of Acts ALONE you can still see the Sabbath in effect in the following verses: Acts 13:14-15, Acts 13:42-44, Acts 15:1-2, Acts 15:14-21, Acts 16:12-15, Acts 17:2, Acts 18:1-11.

I just provided 7 examples of the Sabbath still being observed in the book of Acts ALONE by the Apostles and the early church after Easter Sunday has passed. But in the ENTIRE New Testament there are only 8 mentions of ‘The first day of the week’ and the words “Easter” and “Sunday” never even appear in the bible AT ALL. Of those 8, none give any instruction to observe a new day of worship, treat the first day (Sunday) in any special way , nor do they give ANY type of reverence to the day at all. They are: Matt 28:1, Mark 16:2, Mark 16:9, Luke 24:1, John 20:1, John 20:19, Acts 20:7, 1st Corinthians 16:2

I know this post has been a LONG one, but I hope it has at least peaked your interest so that you can research it further on your own. This all comes down to whether you choose to observe a tradition created by man, or a commandment given by God Himself.

Oh and that reminds me… I just changed my mind and I think your birthday should be TOMORROW! So I guess that means “Happy Birthday’s” are in order?

Live Invincibly,

@W