Identity theft is a major issue today. Recently, I’ve talked about my experience as a victim of the horrible crime and provided some basic tips to protect yourself online. These articles are a great start, but there’s a lot more to know if you want to be truly protected.

It’s a simple psychological fact that people want to believe that everyone thinks the same way they do. It’s very much an untruth, however, and it results in people often ignoring the ways in which they are at risk. Even if you don’t bank or shop online, don’t rule out the possibility of someone else doing so in your name.

US law allows residents to receive one free copy of their credit report each year, from each of the three major credit bureaus. You can (and should) request these free copies at the AnnualCreditReport website. Checking your credit report allows you to identify any inaccuracies, as well as any potential fraud being carried out in your name. That’s why it’s so important!

You now know how to identify potential identity theft and fraud after it has occurred, it is important that you are equipped with more of the information you need in order to ensure that you never will.

If you ever get an email from PayPal, you bank, or any financial institution asking that you click a link and log in to your account or provide any information, do not click the link. Do NOT provide the information. If you get an email from anywhere asking for your password, disregard it. Literally nobody legitimately requests sensitive information via email.

If you’re ever unsure, though, it’s worth looking in to some of these requests. When researching, do not use the links or addresses provided in emails; always type the address by hand, as links can say they lead one place and really lead to another, like so: http://www.mystagedlife.com

Another important thing to note is that the addresses given in emails are often fake, as well. Only use addresses provided by your financial institution, never trust addresses provided via email, even when you can verify that the email is legitimate!

If you’ve read the rest of my identity theft articles, you know I have to cut this short. Don’t worry, I won’t keep you waiting long for the rest!

Earlier this week, I wrote a brief account of my experience with identity theft and gave several tips to prevent yourself from becoming a victim. As promised, I’m back to provide more tips to help you protect yourself from identity theft on the internet.

I’ve already explained the importance of keeping physical documents behind lock and key in a secured cabinet. I’ve covered the importance if not giving out or writing down your passwords, ever. These are the most important steps you can take to protect yourself from identity theft, in general; however, they’re really only the tip of the iceberg.

Also important is choosing strong passwords. A strong password will contain a random mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters and numbers, as well as punctuation marks when allowed and will be, at the very least, eight characters long. A longer password is better, in cases where it is allowed.

To be truly secure online, just as in the physical world, you must be willing to forgo some convenience. Security questions are a great idea, in theory, as they allow a method of verifying who you are in order to allow you to reset your password should you every forget it. The problem is that they are often answered by easily researched information, which anyone who knows you probably already knows and anyone who doesn’t can find out with minimal effort. Even if the password reset option relies on email to complete the task, try to bear in mind that your email password can likely be reset with the use of security questions, as well.

Don’t worry, there’s a simple solution. Pick someone you know and answer those security questions as though you were that person; never tell anyone who you picked and try not to pick someone obvious such as a family member, best friend or current or former lover. This way, no matter how well someone knows you, they won’t be able to have your passwords reset to gain access to your online accounts.

So far, everything I’ve covered has been about keeping your data locked up and secured. There’s much more to it than this, which I would love to cover right now. Alas, I hear about it in meetings if I make these articles too long. I’ll fill you in on the rest of the details shortly; in the meantime, start putting what you’ve learned so far to good use!

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As promised, the next article is ready!

I am a two-time identity theft victim. My ex fiancé was, I guess you could say, co-victim the second time around.

Why, then, should you listen to what I have to say about preventing it? It’s happened to me, twice, right? Right.

It’s happened to me, twice. I’ve recovered from it. Both times.

I, personally, tracked down the scumbag the second time; I traced their steps, I learned more about them than they knew about me. Then I turned that information over to the police.

How did I do this? Simple. I used the same techniques they used. That, right there, is what qualifies me to tell you how to protect yourself.

Before I take you online, let me cover the basics on how to avoid identity theft in the physical world, where I was first victimized.

The single, most important thing you can do to prevent identity theft is to keep your social security card (or equivalent, for non-US readers) and any credit cards you don’t use regularly locked in a safe location. Preferably, this would be a safe deposit box which requires photo ID and a key to access. Failing this, a fireproof safe bolted securely to a concrete floor will do just fine. If you lose a key, be sure to change it.

Shred any credit offers that you don’t intend to accept, as well as any piece of mail or other documents containing any personally identifiable information, unless you intend to keep it and file it in a locked cabinet (secured similarly to the safe mentioned above). Once shredded, divide each item into four piles. You’ll want to have four boxes, labeled 1, 8, 15 and 22, for this purpose. Place one pile in each box and empty each box on the day of the month for which it is numbered. This prevents all but the most dedicated identity thieves from reassembling and using your discarded documents. Yes, credit card companies will accept and process applications that have been shredded, reassembled, filled out, photocopied, wadded up and shipped to them in a jar of kool-aid. It’s a bit extreme, yes; just don’t ask me how I know this. You should follow this procedure, really, for any document you discard that contains anything more than your first name. You might not think there’s anything useful on that overdue notice from the library, but trust me, there is.

Again, if it has your personal information on it, secure it. Locked drawer in a cabinet that can’t simply be slid onto a dolly and wheeled away. Never carry anything on you that you don’t intend to use; my first incident was the result of armed robbery and the sale of my identification, including my social security card, which I had on me because I had just started a new job and my employer required a copy.

These are basic guidelines for protecting your identity in the real world. Beyond that, use common sense and don’t go around giving out your personal information to everyone you meet, even if you think they need it. You’ll eventually end up giving it to someone who does need it to steal your identity!

Protecting yourself from online identity theft, however, is a bit more complicated than protecting yourself in the real world. The most important step you can follow is very simple: NEVER TELL ANYONE YOUR PASSWORD, TO ANYTHING, EVER; NEVER WRITE YOUR PASSWORDS DOWN AND NEVER USE THE SAME PASSWORD FOR MORE THAN ONE ACCOUNT.

Nobody but you ever has a legitimate need to know your passwords. Ever. Period. I don’t care who they say they are, if they’re asking for your password, they’re lying. Service providers can access your account without a password, it’s their system and they have that access. I’ll repeat this one more time because it is the most important step you can take to protect yourself online: NEVER TELL ANYONE YOUR PASSWORD, TO ANYTHING, EVER; NEVER WRITE YOUR PASSWORDS DOWN AND NEVER USE THE SAME PASSWORD FOR MORE THAN ONE ACCOUNT.

There’s a ton more information that I’d love to dole out right now, but Sharon insists that I keep my articles short and sweet (shorter than this, even), so I’ve written more here.

While we’ve all become accustomed to going broke at the pump; you may have noticed that you came away from the pump with enough money to buy a cheeseburger this week.

That’s a good thing, of course, something we all want to see keep happening; that’s why it’s important to understand just why it is happening.

Speculation, the assumption of the risk of loss, in return for the uncertain possibility of a reward, is a common practice among investment bankers, typically hedge funds. In recent years, many investment bankers saw fit to buy barrels of oil which haven’t even been drilled for yet; thus, driving up the cost of those barrels as demand began rising much higher than the available supply.

The end result of all of this is higher prices for gas, along with many other petroleum based products, such as plastics, some paints and many solvents. This, in turn, has led to higher prices for any products which are made of plastic, make use of oil based paints or are manufactured using any of those solvents.
Now, the majority of this speculation began after 2005’s severe hurricane season caused oil shortages in some parts of the world. Many investors were banking on that keeping up in following years. When those hopes (sick as they may seem) were dashed, speculators began selling their oil, causing a sharp drop in price, which we have all seen at the pump.

For more information, refer to this CNN article.

From the Akron Beacon Journal’s Article “Area home sales freeze, down 29% in January”

According to figures provided by the Akron Area Board of Realtors, number of home sales in the area dropped a whopping 29% compared to January of last year. In total for 2007, the annual decline was 12% and things don’t look much better for 2008. The total value of home sales from 2007 dropped 28%. Not that it is good, but one number did go up, the average number of days on the market went from 91 days to 94 days. Well I guess there is some good news…the average sales price in January 2008 was $128,799 compared to $127,360 in January 2007. Don’t get too excited, that’s only 1% and there is more bad news. The National Association of Realtors announced Monday that national sales dropped last month to the lowest level in nearly a decade and is the fifth consecutive decline. Home values in Akron are reported to have dropped 3.8% over the past year according to the Zillow Home Value report. Can we say, “housing slump?”

If you want to see what is hot in interior design and you are in the Toronto area, check out the Toronto Interior Design Show (IDS 08) open to the general public Saturday February 23, 2008, 10 AM to 7 PM and Sunday the 24th from 10 AM to 6 PM. Admission is $16 in advance or $18 at the door.

Saturday’s schedule features:

• International Design stars on the KRUPS Stage
• Seminars on all things design
• The IDS Workshops are new this year:
  • Saturday’s workshop will be DESIGN & DECORATING TRENDWATCHING by Cobi Ladner, Editor at Canadian House & Home magazine and Mark Challen, Vice-President Communications also from the magazine. Unfortunately, the 100 places are sold out.
  • There are some places left for the LIVING WITH A COMMITMENT TO GREEN workshop on Sunday.
• What’s Your Design Dilemma?  This is your chance for a free 15 min. consultation with one of ARIDO’s registered interior designers.  Appointments are on a first-come first-served basis and arranged upon visiting the ARIDO booth (1617).

Visit the AfriCharisma booth to see and touch the remarkable rock and scatter cushions and pebble carpets by South African Designer, Ronel Jordaan. The felt cushions made to look alike rocks are divine. The unique cushions and carpets are handmade with no sewing (therefore no seams). 

Interior Design Show 2008 in Toronto

Benjamin Moore introduced a new interior paint line in 2007 called Aura. The promise is truer colors with a washable finish. Touch-ups blend invisibly into the existing paint because of ColorLock technology, which embeds the pigments. The surface resists water, stains, and fading. The paint is low VOC and quick drying. The price is about $54.95 a gallon. An exterior version may become available within the next year.

Yesterday we told you about the great chalk product, the WallMarker. Well here is another great use for chalk. Putting a few pieces of chalk in cheesecloth and storing it with your silver will slow the tarnishing. Bet you wish you would have known that before you stored your fine china and silver last year! Try this trick this year and then next year when pull out the good stuff you will spend less time polishing silver and more time enjoying the season.

A place for everything and everything in it’s place, right? Definitely a good idea when it comes to the linen closet. Yes, the door is closed and guests can’t see the mess, but what about someone who is viewing your home? A prospective home buyer will open your closet doors, and if they see space and organization, subconsciously they think that they will be organized too if they buy your house. The opposite is true if the closet is overflowing. They will think that there is not enough space to store their own linens and towels, regardless of it’s true size.

Here are some tips from Good Housekeeping on organizing a linen closet:

• Relocate random items that do not belong in the linen closet
• Remove and recycle past-their-prime bedding, towels, and tablecloths.
• Arrange what is left by use – seasonal pieces (quilts, beach towels) go on high or low shelves in clear plastic bins (for dust protection and easy recall).
• Keep everyday textiles at eye level with dividers to prevent topples.
• Organize bath towels by set, except for washcloths which tend to get lost in stacks.
• Store washcloths rolled in sock-drawer dividers.
• Stash extra toiletries in bins, baskets, or boxes.
• Hang special occasion tablecloths on over the door towel bars. They won’t be creased from folds.
• Line your closet with contact paper to prevent snagging.
• Label areas of the shelves so you can easily locate items (queen sheets, twin, etc.).

Hectic lifestyles, busy schedules, and the love of the television can make spending time with the family a rare event. National Game and Puzzle week was created to get families to spend time together playing a game or piecing together a puzzle. Patch Products, a company that produces games such as Blurt!, Malarky, Tribond, Talkin’ Tango, and others not only created the week long event, but also goes a step further by sponsoring the Million Minute Family Challenge. “We wanted to create a nationwide Challenge to remind families to take the time to make communication a priority — to clear the table, pull out a game and get a conversation going. Since 1994, we have sponsored an event called National Game and Puzzle Week annually during Thanksgiving week.” So instead of just saying what you are thankful for, stuffing your face, and crashing in front of the t.v., pull out an old favorite like Monopoly or Life and spend quality time with the ones you love.

Maybe you are thinking, “How does this relate to staging?” Well, I suppose we’ll give you a free tip. To stage a game room, set up a game in progress on a card table. The potential buyer will get the impression that they can have a fun and entertaining lifestyle in your house, which might lead to a signed contract and a sold home!