Personal Security – It’s not Social
Sunday, September 21st, 2008Identity 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!

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.
. I’ve recovered from it. Both times.
; you may have noticed that you came away from the pump with enough money to buy a cheeseburger this week.
From the Akron Beacon Journal’s Article “Area home sales freeze, down 29% in January”
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.
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.
