Posts Tagged ‘Could’

Some surveys indicate that as many as six million Britons have been victims, although the government estimates that the crime affects closer to 120,000 people each year. Either way it’s one of the fastest-growing crimes of the 21st century.

These tips could help to protect you:

1.Shred sensitive information. Shred financial statements, offers of loans and credit cards, catalogue account details or anything else that could be used to impersonate you before binning them. Thieves go through rubbish to see if there is anything useful – a practice known as bin raiding.

2.Check your statements carefully. Go through your credit card and bank statements every month. Unexpected entries can be the first indication that somebody is stealing your money.

3.Learn to love your credit report. Your credit report is such an effective tool in the fight against ID fraud that the government recommends regular checks to protect yourself. It gives you a snapshot of your borrowings and repayment record, so you can easily spot unfamiliar accounts and suspicious balances. You can see your Experian credit report online with a free trial of CreditExpert, the UK’s leading online credit monitoring and ID fraud protection service.

4.Limit your social networking. It’s tempting to include basic information such as your full name and date of birth in your profile, then add interesting details such as your pets’ or children’s names and nicknames. Don’t – these are the kind of detail that you probably use for passwords and PINs, so leave them out. Your cyber-friends might be fraudsters looking for enough data to steal your ID.

5.Don’t risk important documents. Don’t carry your passport, driving licence or even credit cards unless you know you’ll need them and never write down your PINs and passwords. If your bag or wallet is stolen, you could be handing the thieves your identity as well as your cash.

6.Report thefts. Always tell the police, your bank, credit card issuers and anybody else who might be affected if you suffer a theft. That way, your loss is on the record and organisations who might be approached by the thieves will be forewarned.

7.Keep an eye on your post. If mail goes missing, tell the Post Office immediately – someone may be intercepting it, especially if you live in a building with a communal hall where mail is delivered. Be especially careful when you move house and use the Royal Mail’s Redirection Service to forward your post to your new address for at least a year.

8.Register to vote at your current address. Lenders use the electoral roll to check that you live where you say you do. If you’re not registered, a criminal could register you at another address. When you move home, always deregister at your old address and re-register at the new one. That way, the people who move into your previous home can’t offer apparent proof that they are you.

9.Don’t respond to cold calls and e-mails. Never reply to e-mails and cold-callers asking for details such as PINs, passwords and account numbers – and don’t fill in your details on any unfamiliar e-mail or website. Telephone the organisation that is allegedly behind the approach, using the number in the phone book or in previous correspondence – and warn them what is happening.

10.Keep on checking your credit report. You need to check your credit report regularly, because ID thieves could target you at any time. CreditExpert sends out weekly alerts by e-mail or text to warn you if there has been any significant change to your credit report, so you can log on immediately and see whether you are being impersonated. Always respond to these alerts – they give invaluable peace of mind.

There is life after bankruptcy; Credit could thaw in 18-24 months
If you were driven to bankruptcy or are considering it, you know you’re not alone. But you’re probably also wondering how to dig yourself out. How do you wipe the slate clean and start rebuilding your credit?.

Read more on New York Daily News

I am a descendant of Will and Minnie Pearl Dickson and would love to find some of my cousins whom I do not know. But several of the questions I’ve posted here got me violations and I don’t know what to do. I did get one response from a girl who is probably my cousin, but she didn’t have any contact information in her profile and I can’t get in touch with her or I would just have done it that way. I don’t have any credit cards to use for any of the other services offered that do these things for money, so I need to find a way to do this myself and at no cost. Can somebody offer some viable suggestions so I can find my family? I would greatly appreciate your help with this one. Thanks in advance to all who answer and help in some way.
I had one reply from a girl who was the grandaughter of my uncle, but she is the one with no contact information. I would love for her to contact me, but when I have tried to post questions they have been deleted for solicitation in violation of the rules here. I need ideas for ways to get ahold of her again in Answers because I know she uses this forum. Please help if you can. She has not contacted me again and I just want to know about my other family’s welfare.

I’m one of those people who does the impulse buying and I don’t realize just how much money I’ve spent until it’s done and over with. I really need tips on how to budget and save my money before I completely lose control of the situation.

I’ve had my cat Jewels for three years now. He is my baby. I just found out that my cat has a problem with his liver that requires time spent in the emergency room. Unfortunately, I don’t have the money to pay for his treatment. Please, someone tell me if they know of a free animal emergency clinic or a foundation that will help pay for animals in need. My cat will die without the proper treatment.

New credit card law could mean higher rates and fees
New credit card rules take effect Monday with stronger protections for consumers, but borrowers beware: the new law could result in higher interest rates and increased fees on many cards.

Read more on Sun-Sentinel

I been saving up some money to buy a house later on but I want that extra cash. Im planning to save some great amount of money by this yr. but I dont know how. At least I want to get 20,000 in 4 yrs. DOES ANYONE HAVE A GREAT MONEY MAKER IDEA?

I am a college student and my composition teacher wants us to write a research paper on something that bugs us, so I chose to write about identity theft. In this paper I am required to use resources beyond reading articles and reporting on them, so that is why I have chosen to use this forum in order to get more variety. You can remain annonymous. Thanks for your help!

Christie cuts could hit kids
Christie budget cuts after-school programs for poor kids

Read more on The Record and Herald News

Nicole Kardell, legal analyst, discusses the lawsuit that will force the Federal Reserve to disclose information about who received emergency bailout money.