CREDIT & BUSINESS MANAGEMENT FOR ALL CONSUMERS
CREDIT APPEALS AND REFERRAL SERIVES,LLC
IDENTITY THEFT AND CREDIT MANAGEMENT
Identity theft is the most frightening crime of the information age. We are pleased that you want to learn more about protecting your identity.
Identity Theft: How to Protect Yourself
Identity theft encompasses a wide range of deception, from a stolen credit card used to charge purchases to an existing account, to stolen information used to impersonate the victim, open new accounts (even ones for utilities), and rack up thousands of dollars in debt.
With over 500,000 new cases each year (and some say upwards of 900,000), identity theft is one of the fasting growing crimes in America. In many states it isn't even illegal, or hardly punishable if it is. Often the perpetrator goes uncaught and unpunished. Worse still is that it takes on average 12 months for the victim to realize he is a victim and by then it may nearly impossible to climb back out of the black hole of damaged credit, costing hundreds of hours and hundreds of dollars to try to fix it.
Sadly, since much of this goes unpunished, companies often write off the bad debt and then charge you and me higher interest rates and fees to cover their losses. So we all are indirect victims of identity theft. The more vigilant we become, the better off we will all be.
What can you do to protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft? There is no absolute guarantee, but the more precautions you put in place, the harder it will be for someone to steal your information and use it illegally. What follow below are some ideas that you can use to start protecting yourself now.
1. Check your credit reports annually.
This is your first and foremost line of defense. Contact the three major credit reporting agencies (www.equifax.com, www.experian.com, www.transunion.com) every year to obtain a copy of your credit report. Some websites also offer a 3-in-1 report. Go through them carefully, looking for any inaccuracies. Report any problems immediately. Consider asking them to require your permission to issue new credit lines.
2. Protect your Social Security number.
Many companies ask for your Social Security number (SSN) to use for recordkeeping. Ask if you can substitute a different number. This is especially true of driver's licenses and health insurance cards. Never give out your SSN to anyone over the phone or internet if you did not initiate the contact. Don't carry your Social Security card with you and don't have your SSN preprinted on your checks (or your phone number either).
3. Protect passwords and PINs.
Always protect your passwords and PINs from being seen by others, especially at ATMs. Don't write them down and carry them with you. Do not store passwords on your computer's hard drive. If you need to write them down, store them somewhere else. Passwords should be hard to discover (bad choices: mother's maiden name, birthdates, last 4 digits of SSN or phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers). When possible use a mix of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols.
4. Know your billing cycles.
Know when to expect your bills. If any of them is late, call the company or agency and check on its status. A late/missing bill could mean that someone has stolen your information and changed the billing address, leaving you unaware of the charges that may be racking up.
5. Shred everything with your information on it.
All those credit card applications you receive in the mail and throw away are an open invitation for someone to open an account in your name. Invest in a good cross-cut shredder and shred all documents with any financial information on them, including credit card receipts. Then put the remnants in the yuckiest, ickiest trash you've got to discourage dumpster-divers from stealing them and putting them back together.
6. Make the post office your ally.
Deposit outgoing mail at your local post office or in a locked post office drop box. Thieves actually patrol neighborhoods, stealing mail out of mailboxes. A little acid wash, and voila!, they change the amount and the person being paid. Don't give them the chance! If you're going out of town, have the post office put a hold on your mail. Consider getting a post office box or ask your post office about getting a key-operated community mailbox for your neighborhood.
7. Technology doesn't beat everything.
Don't give out personal information over cellular/mobile/wireless phones, or cordless phones. (This includes telephone banking.) Their radio frequencies can be easily intercepted, overheard, and hacked.
Surfing the internet puts you at risk from hackers breaking into your system; consider purchasing a "firewall" program to protect your computer from outside access. When divulging personal information on the internet (for example, when making a purchase) always look for privacy policies and the little "lock" symbol that indicates your information is secure.
Don't use your email address for user IDs on websites; there are "robots" that specifically search for this on sites like eBay to try and trick you into divulging your personal information. You may receive an official-looking email asking you to "verify" or "update" your information. Remember that anyone who already has your information will not ask you to verify it. Always be suspicious of such tactics. The same goes for people who call you and claim to be somebody like a bill collector, government agent, utility worker, etc. If in doubt, call the company they appear to be representing.
If you use a laptop computer use a strong password (combination of upper/lower-case letters, numbers, symbols); don't use automatic login; always log off when finished; and don't store financial information on it unless absolutely necessary.
When disposing of your personal computer, deleting your personal information usually isn't enough. Use a "wipe" utility program to render files unrecoverable.
8. Be aware of the opportunities to steal your information.
Think of all the places that store your personal information, such as the offices of doctors, dentists, accountants, loan officers, health insurance, schools, courts, etc. Ask them how they protect your information. Request that they shred anything with personal information on it when disposing of it.
Keep your wallet or purse in a safe place at work; not all of your fellow coworkers are trustworthy. Be aware of the "Good Samaritan" scheme where your missing wallet is returned (after one of your several credit cards is removed; you have so many that you probably won't notice!). Only carry a minimum number of cards and identification with you.
9. If desired, subscribe to a credit monitoring service.
If you're really worried about identity theft, consider subscribing to a credit monitoring service. They will regularly notify you of your credit status and anything suspicious that might be going on.
10. Make a list and check it twice.
Make list of all your credit card numbers, banking account numbers, and driver's license number with their customer service numbers and keep them in a safe place. That way you'll have a starting place if something should happen to you.
Remember, the more vigilant we all are, the more protected we all are.
Credit bureaus
Call and then write all bureaus. Send reports via certified mail or overnight delivery so that you have proof of the report. Regardless of what anyone says, report fraud in writing as well as over the phone.
Experian:
Accepts fraud reports at 888-EXPERIAN
Experian
PO Box 949
Allen TX 75013-0949
Equifax
Accepts fraud reports at 800-525-6285
Equifax
PO Box 740241
Atlanta GA 30374-0241
Trans Union
Accepts fraud reports at 800-680-7289
Trans Union
Fraud Victim Assistance Division
PO Box 6790
Fullerton CA 92634
Obtain a credit report
You are entitled to a free credit report if you believe you are an identity theft victim. There are many disadvantages in centralized credit reporting- just to 3 agencies, but the advantage is that the agencies are a "choke point
The Federal Trade Commission, which regulates credit reporting, has a very accurate publication that points out credit repair scams. Read the publication and believe it. Although the government is wrong many times, this time they got it 100% correct.
If you would like more information about ways to improve your credit, protect yourself from identity fraud, and manage your creditors in a proactive way, stop harassing collection calls, and information on handling judgements in a proactive way. Call us today.
Are You Tired of being in DEBT?
Are you currently in financial hardship resulting from loss of employment, divorce, injury or credit overextension?
Thinking about alternatives to bankruptcy because you can’t stand the idea of bad credit for 10 years or more?
Then Debt Settlement is for You!
Our debt settlement program achieves debt relief by reducing the total amount you owe through a documented debt negotiation process. We negotiate with your creditors to forgive a portion of your balance based on your financial hardship. You can achieve a savings of up to 90% on your current balances. So stop dragging around those credit card debts, medical bills or department store charge card bills. Act now and you can ACHIEVE DEBT FREEDOM.
COMPANIES/ORGANAZATIONAL TRAINING AND SEMINAR SERVICES
Providing superior customer service is the single most cost effective way to differentiate your organization from the competition.
Developing your staff and realizing the potential that they have to offer will help your business succeed. Likewise, developing your own skills are likely to be critical to the ongoing success of your business. Whether you are a multinational or a small business, a school or a charity, people are at the heart of what you do. Your success depends on you getting the best out of everyone.
Essential Skills
We all need basic literacy and numeracy skills every day of our lives. However, poor essential skills amongst employees are costing businesses an average of 86,000 each per year.
It can be so easy to take these skills for granted. In reality, 1 in 5 employees are likely to need some training in reading, writing, maths or speaking English.
You may be aware that some of your employees will hesitate to get involved, are slow to comprehend written instructions or may make too many basic mistakes or errors in calculations. They may be embarrassed to admit that they are having basic difficulties with reading and writing.
It can often be a difficult issue to recognise and rectify but help is at hand. Professional and flexible assessment training can be delivered on site.
Our Consumer Relations has a lot of experience in helping businesses to develop and grow. We understand that everyone's needs are unique so what we offer is flexible.
List of Our Services:
1. Identity Theft Training ( Business & Individuals)Business recieve Certification.
2. Customer Service Training Certification Program
3. Coporate Seminars and Presentations
4. Document Preparations / Needs and Assessmnet Developmental Surveys for Non-Profit Organizations.
5. Consumer Credit Negotiations/ Stop Harassing Creditor Phone Calls
6. Many other services are offered through our Referral Program.
Each service item varies by price and each consumer/business has their own unique situation. For more information;
Please contact us :
Phone: 561-502-4296 or 561-512-5107
Address: 10271 P0BX, West Palm Beach, FL 33419-0271
Email: CConsumerFirst@aol.com
If you have spoken with a Consumer Relation Specialist and need to make a payment, click on the link Payments to create an account and make your payment.
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