The TRUTH About Credit Repair...   -by Terry Price   (C) Copyright Terry Price All Rights Reserved   http://hfusa.niesong.hop.clickbank.net =======================================   Have you ever wondered what companies send you when they claim you can erase bad credit overnight?  How about those ads that say you can get any major credit card without a deposit or a credit check?   Ads abound almost everywhere these days (online and off) selling books, systems and secrets to help you fix your credit.  Many of these programs have claims which read like the covers of supermarket tabloids:   "In 3hrs my credit score jumped from 580 to 676!"...   "Erase bad credit and smash your debts with just 2 Magic Letters!".   Are these types of claims ALWAYS too good to be true?  The answer is "Yes and... no".   While many people would love for you to believe the only thing that can fix bad credit is time; in reality... nothing could be further from the truth.  The fact is, time is only one factor which can fix a credit report, but it's a far cry from being the only factor.  How can I back this up?  Easy.   Under a consumer protection law known as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (a.k.a. the FCRA) the only negative information which can remain on your credit report is not what is accurate... but what can be proved as accurate under the FCRA.  What's this mean to you?   It means any negative item on your credit report can only remain there if it is accurate and CAN BE PROVED AS SUCH under the guidelines of the FCRA.  This undisputable fact presents consumers with both good news and bad news.   The good news is that through the FCRA your credit score can most likely be improved dramatically in a very short period of time with only a modest amount of effort on your part.   The bad news is that while the actual "work" will take very little of your time, it is vital that you have good information on "how" to go about it.  This is the bad news; 9 out of 10 courses on restoring your credit will do nothing more than lead you into snake pits because they will provide you with what the industry refers to as "Boiler Plate" dispute letters. These are nothing more than form letters and... quite frankly (more bad news) the Credit Bureaus and Creditors will laugh at you if you try to use them.   While I agree with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that "Anything a Credit Repair Clinic can do for you legally, you can do for yourself at little or not cost"...  the key element you need for success is the latest inside techniques and procedures to get the results you want.  This involves strategies such as "Proof of Contract", "Constructive Notice", "Challenge of Procedure" or "Restrictive Endorsement" and many others.   All these terms may "sound" impressive but they are really quite simple.  In the end, it is nothing more than a method of communication which exercises your consumer protection rights, gets the results you want and raises your credit score.  Even more impressive, once you learn how simple it can be by doing it for yourself, you will find there is a fortune to be made doing it for others!  Either way, it all starts by requesting a free copy of your credit report here:   http://www.AnnualCreditReport.com   ======================================= The "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" has been in print since 1994 and is published by Consumer Publishing Group. For more information on the "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" you may visit:   http://hfusa.niesong.hop.clickbank.net =======================================
		Facts You Should Know BEFORE Considering Credit Counseling or Debt Consolidation   -by Terry Price   (C) Copyright Terry Price All Rights Reserved   http://hfusa.niesong.hop.clickbank.net =======================================     There is one topic which every time I write about it seems to generate some hate mail while at the same time spawning a flurry of wonderful praise from consumers.  Of course, the hate mail is always from a few people that happen to own these "certain types" of businesses I discussed and those businesses of course are Credit Counseling or Debt Consolidation companies; of which many "claim" to be non-profit organizations.   You'd almost have to be an ostrich with your head stuck in the sand to not see or hear at least one advertisement a day from a Credit Counseling or Debt Consolidation Company.  However, you can expect this to change and change soon.  Since this is a topic which tends to "stir up" the owners of these businesses, I am going to take a different approach by NOT sharing my opinion, but rather, the opinion of others.  I will start with the news media and the Internal Revenue Service:   "(NPR News, May 15, 2006).  The Internal Revenue Service is revoking the tax exempt status of some of the largest credit counseling agencies in the country. An IRS investigation disclosed that the firms solicited business from people seriously in debt and that they didn't provide counseling or consumer education, as required.   Prodded in part by a congressional oversight committee and consumer advocates, the IRS began investigating dozens of credit counseling agencies -- most holding non-profit status -- two years ago. IRS Commissioner Mark Everson says the companies "poisoned an entire sector of the charitable community."   Everson says in many instances, companies were organized merely to funnel business to loosely affiliated for-profit companies. Many of the firms spend millions of dollars on commercials that urge anyone with debt to call them to solve their financial woes. And because tax-exempt organizations are not bound by the federal do-not call list, the firms were able to randomly call consumers, pitching their services under the guise of a non-profit counseling service.   The IRS investigations are also likely to affect consumers, thanks to a new bankruptcy law that requires consumers considering bankruptcy to get counseling before they are allowed to file. The IRS wants to ensure that only legitimate non-profit agencies are doing the counseling.  In addition to the actions announced Monday, the IRS is sending more than 700 compliance letters to the rest of the credit counseling industry (END)."   Since almost all Credit Counseling and Debt Consolidation companies claim a non-profit status, I feel most consumers are easily sucked in with their skepticism and defenses at bay. After all, when most of us hear the word "non-profit" the first thing we usually think of is a church or homeless shelter.     From the NPR article and the actions of the IRS, I think it's fair to assume that many of these "non- profit" organizations have been operating under a scenario similar to that of a wolf guarding a hen house. However, this doesn't mean all credit counseling and debt consolidation companies are bad but... you do need to know the truth about how they operate and their limitations.   The first thing you want to understand is these companies are ALL more interested in making money off you than they are in preserving your credit rating.  The bottom line with either credit counseling or debt consolidation is that it absolutely ruins your credit.  I can just hear the companies arguing this with a consumer right now, telling them nonsense like "It helps your credit since it tells creditors that you're working on your situation and not just running away from it." Listen... if one these places tells you that than watch out.  Why?  Because they will lie to you about other things as well!   One of the first actions these programs usually requires you to do is for you to CLOSE all your revolving credit accounts.  You then make payments to the organization and they take care of everything for you.  What this says to all your creditors (as well as anyone considering giving you credit) is that you are so out of control with your finances that you can't even manage paying everyone back on your own.  Therefore, you're hiring someone else to do it for you!   99% of the time these companies will claim they can negotiate with your creditors and get interest rates reduced thereby saving you money. While this is true, what's also true is you can easily negotiate these same rates as well as they can by just calling your creditors yourself.  You'd be amazed at how many of your creditors would love to hear from you (especially when the chips are down!).  Not too mention, any money the counseling company was to save you would more than likely be sucked back up by their monthly fees (usually around $500 to $1,000 per year).   This brings us into a whole other dynamic of their business model. Because these companies always make their money off of monthly fees paid by the consumer, the longer they can keep those monthly fees coming in the more profitable their business will be. It's for this reason that most consumers who sign up with these companies usually find themselves on payment plans with the lowest monthly payment possible (which turns out to also be the LONGEST payment plan as well).  Not surprising is it?   Am I against Credit Counseling and Debt Consolidation companies? Absolutely not.  After all, there are millions of people in America who will never be able to manage their finances. Credit to them is a destructive addiction much like alcohol or drugs and they will never be able to control it.  Instead, it will always control them.  We've all seen these people. Every time they are extended credit shortly thereafter they are in financial trouble (usually blaming it on some external factor).  For these people I think these credit and debt counseling programs can be a good thing (as a ruined credit report is not a hindrance to them but actually an asset).  It keeps them out of future financial trouble by forcing them to live their lives on a "cash and carry" basis; which is ultimately conducive to a better standard of living down the road.   On the other hand.  If you're good with your finances and have control with credit but went through some type of hardship beyond your control in the past (i.e. divorce, job loss etc); then the services of these companies will never be for you.  You will do far better and preserve your credit rating by taking matters into your own hands. Reason being is that you understand your credit rating is a powerful tool that can help you move ahead faster, help others and help yourself as well as create the life you want.  It all comes down to self management.  We all know that those who cannot manage themselves will ultimately be managed by others.  Credit is no different. When you learn to manage it well, you are the master and it is the servant.   If you care about your credit and want to benefit from it in the future, then you will never rely on a credit or debt counseling service to help you get out of any trouble you find yourself in.  Instead, you'll look inward and get yourself out while preserving your credit rating the best you can.  Credit and debt counseling is for people who are "ok" with throwing their credit rating in the trash so they can have "someone else" manage their payments for them (since they are unable to manage them themselves).  And again, as far as negotiating interest rates, you can do just as good as them or better. If you don't believe me just call any of your creditors and straight out tell them your situation.  You will quickly find you don't need to be afraid of them.  They just want to get paid like the rest of us.   ======================================= The "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" has been in print since 1994 and is published by Consumer Publishing Group. For more information on the "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" you may visit:   http://hfusa.niesong.hop.clickbank.net =======================================
		Five Things Every Woman Should Know BEFORE Signing Any Credit Application!   -by Terry Price   (C) Copyright Terry Price All Rights Reserved   http://hfusa.niesong.hop.clickbank.net =======================================     Have you ever wondered if banks have a tendency to approve credit cards and loans for one sex more than the other?  If you are married (or plan to be) I will share with you five vital keys every married person should know before signing any credit application.   VITAL KEY #1: According to the Federal Equal Credit Opportunity Act (FECOA) creditors cannot deny consumers access to credit because of their sex. However, on average (in surveys) it's reported that women earn less money than men.  Regardless of what the FECOA states, the relationship of credit to income is very strong.     In our society if you make less money you will get less credit, period. The sad fact is that women on there own have less access to credit.  It's for this reason (I believe) it is imperative that women learn and acquire more knowledge about credit than men. Knowledge is power; and in the world of credit that knowledge will often times prove to be priceless, especially for women.   VITAL KEY #2: If you are a married woman with JOINT credit (meaning all your credit accounts are jointly held with your husband) you have NO CREDIT yourself.  Many women in America find this out the hard way every year when they get divorced and lose all their credit privileges since all their accounts were jointly held with their spouse.  If you are a woman in this position you can greatly benefit by beginning to build your own credit in your own name starting today!  The benefits are two fold. 1.) If your spouse has financial difficulties (for any reason) and is forced to file bankruptcy or their credit becomes derogatory, you and your spouse will have your credit in reserve to survive on.   2.)  If you ever get divorced down the road (over 50% do and 76% in the state of California) you will NOT end up in financial hardship due to no credit and/or derogatory credit.  Instead, you will have your credit to transition to and (believe me) this can be the difference between sailing off in the sunset or drowning  in a storm.   VITAL KEY #3: If you are currently married (with some credit or no credit) to a spouse who has excellent credit, you can leverage their credit to build credit in your own name much faster than if you had to build it by yourself.  Later, once you have established enough accounts on your own, you may choose to cancel accounts that were held jointly with your spouse.   VITAL KEY #4: If you are a single woman with excellent credit and are getting married you may want to think twice about adding your new lover to all your credit accounts.  If he messes up or you end up in divorce down the road your credit will end up taking the beating (regardless of how many years you diligently spent building it up). For this reason, I strongly suggest married couples keep their credit separate.  Why?     In most cases spouses have far more to lose than to gain.  Naturally, some credit will have to be joint no matter what you do.  If you purchase a home (which may require both incomes to qualify) this will appear as a joint account on the credit report.  However, the potential abuse with a home mortgage is almost non existent as opposed to Credit Cards.   VITAL KEY #5: Spouses have more to gain by each building strong individual credit reports rather than joining all accounts and building one joint report. For obvious reasons, banks and credit card companies love the "credit ignorance" of spouses who join all their credit accounts upon marriage.     Here's why:  If you take 500,000 couples with credit before they got married, those 500,000 couples actually represent one million credit accounts and liabilities for the banks and lenders.  When those couples got married, those one million credit liabilities were instantly were cut in half from one million to only 500,000. For banks this is a very advantageous situation.  For the couples getting married (if they have financial trouble) the deal is a little raw.  If they have trouble, although they are two people, they are represented by only one credit report.  The bank now has the right to go after two different people for one account (regardless of who was financially negligent).     For moment, let's play out the same scenario with a couple which is financially savvy (note: they're both on the same "team" but financially savvy).  In this scenario, the couple gets married, but instead of joining account each builds their individual credit reports.  Now this couple (team) has not one credit report representing them but two.  Metaphorically, if the perfect storm (financially) is to rise, this is the difference between the couple being in the ocean with two ships instead of one.  If the one ship starts to sink, the couple can always "jump ship" to the second.     While some may criticize this thinking it is no different than buying any kind of insurance.  You buy insurance not because you plan on a problem.  You buy insurance because you are thinking ahead.  This type of thinking is no different.  However, if you want to be ahead of the pack that you need to think ahead of the pack.     I cannot tell you how many times I have talked to loving married couples in  financial trouble who only WISHED they would have known about these five vital keys before they got into financial trouble.  Take them, study them, apply them to your life.  As I heard one woman put it "In business and in life I've learned to expect the best but plan for the worst".  I thought her words were brilliant.  However, I have found that when I expect the best... many times I tend to get it!  Take these five vital keys.  Study them. Apply them.  Then pass them on to someone else who can benefit from them.   ======================================= The "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" has been in print since 1994 and is published by Consumer Publishing Group. For more information on the "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" you may visit:   http://hfusa.niesong.hop.clickbank.net =======================================
	How to Make Yourself Virtually Identity Theft PROOF in 60 Minutes or Less   -by Terry Price   (C) Copyright Terry Price All Rights Reserved   http://hfusa.niesong.hop.clickbank.net =======================================   The FBI has called it "The fastest growing crime in America." Close to 10 million Americans every year are victimized by it and the costs are estimated at 50 billion dollars annually. Many criminals get off easy while the victims spend years working to restore their damaged credit reports and reputations. Worse yet, there seems to be no end in sight.   "The popularity of the crime is simply growing faster than the solutions to stop it" many experts conclude. The task of recovery is so time consuming and tedious, multiple states have resorted to creating "Identity Theft Passports" for victims in an attempt to ease the pain for them as they endure the lengthy and frustrating clean up process.   By the end of this article I will share with you the secrets of making yourself virtually identity theft proof in 60 minutes or less (for free). I use the term "secrets" because less than 1% of the country are aware of these techniques (let alone practicing them).   If Americans took these preventative steps up to 99% of all identity theft would be eliminated. However, "why" this beneficial approach is not being made common knowledge in the mainstream media is something I will not disclose in this article (more on that another time). For the moment I believe the biggest crime one can commit is to not share this information with their friends and family (by the end of this article you will understand why).   Unlike other authors covering this subject I will not insult your intelligence by sharing common sense tips like "Dont carry your SSN Card or ATM PIN# in your wallet or purse" or "Keep all data sensitive documents like credit card and bank statements locked up in your home or office". This is elementary advice at best. The key to protecting yourself from identity theft is to look at what the masses are doing and then do the opposite (to say the least).   Almost 70% of Americans are now shredding all their mail and documents and many are even subscribing to credit monitoring services or buying identity theft insurance in an attempt to protect themselves from becoming victims. While this is better than doing nothing its a far cry from TRUE security.   Study The Past To     Predict The Future   Contrary to popular belief statistics show the majority of identity theft does NOT result from the internet as most consumers have been led to believe. In fact, less than 10% of identity theft cases (where data compromise can be determined) originated online. In almost 50% of cases consumers are the ones who detect the breach. In nearly 40% of cases the criminal was someone who was in close contact with the victim (friend, relative, neighbor, coworker, in-home employee, waiter/waitress or financial institution employee). In then end, nearly one third of identity theft cases come from a stolen wallet/purse, checkbook or credit card.   More interesting, the age of the primary victim has lowered. If you are between the age of 25 to 34 you are now the largest target for the crime (65+ has become the smallest). The bad news is that while identity theft nationwide is on the decline (8.9 million victims last year down from 9.3 million in 2005) the dollar amount per victim is going up ($6,383 last year, up from $5,885 in 2005) and so are the number of hours victims spend cleaning up the mess (40+ hours last year, up from 28 hours in 2005).   Weve all heard the saying "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". Yet, no one is practicing it in the pandemic of identity theft. Credit monitoring is nice but only 11% of consumers ever catch identity theft through this means. Identity Theft Insurance (according to many experts) is even more of a hoax. A product marketed by playing on the fears of American consumers which does nothing more than assist them in cleaning up the mess only AFTER their identity has been stolen.   A Different Approach   The following is a completely different approach to preventing and protecting yourself from identity theft. It is based on the reality that we live in a world now where there is zero privacy of personal data. Meaning that your name, address, phone number, social security number, date of birth (even your mothers maiden name) can be obtained by ANYONE for a fee.   If youre one who feels this is paranoid thinking let me tell you about Amy Boyer. In 1999 Miss Boyer had an old high school classmate (Liam Youens) come back into her life many years later. Mr. Youens obtained Amys SSN and other personal information after paying Docusearch Inc. $150. After Youens shot Miss Boyer to death he then turned the gun on himself. Today the company tells visitors to its website that "not all searches are available to the public" and some are reserved for the investigative and legal industry. Hows that for homeland security?   With this "different" approach we break down identity theft into two distinct categories. 1.) Basic Identity Theft, and 2.) Credit Hijacking. By definition "Basic Identity Theft" is when the perpetrator steals your identity and then uses it to obtain NEW credit accounts for their personal gain. "Credit Hijacking" falls under a criminal stealing your identity in order to access and use your EXISTING credit accounts. Each type of fraud is different and therefore so is your plan of defense.   BASIC ID THEFT DEFENSE:   The best proactive defense against basic identity theft is through the placing of an "Initial Fraud Alert" on all three of your credit reports. This "Initial Fraud Alert" accomplishes three important factors: 1.) Your name and personal information can no longer be sold by the credit bureaus to ANY third parties for any marketing purpose (i.e. credit card offers, loan solicitations or credit pre screenings). 2.) No one can be approved for credit with your personal information until the creditor personally calls you at the telephone number you list on your consumer credit report. And, 3.) Requesting this initial fraud alert entitles you to a free copy of all three of your credit reports (one copy from each of the three major credit reporting agencies). Please be advised that this is an "Initial Fraud Alert" which lasts only 90 days. To extend the fraud alert and obtain the above mentioned benefits for 7 years you will need to write to each credit bureau at the address provided within your initial fraud alert confirmation letter (Note: It is likely credit bureaus will make the extended alert harder to obtain as a great deal of their revenue comes from the third party rental and sale your information).   CREDIT HIJACKING DEFENSE: Most online merchants now utilize a security feature known as "Address Verification Service" or "AVS". AVS is a security feature for online merchants allowing them to only authorize credit card transactions for merchandise to be shipped to the same address which appears on the consumers credit card billing statement. If the address does not match that of the credit card billing statement the transaction will automatically be declined. In other words, if someone gets your credit card number, expirations date and CVV code (the three digit code on the back of the card) the only way a transaction can be authorized online is if the merchandise if shipped to the SAME address that your credit card billing statement is currently sent to. This is what makes credit hijacking so dangerous. When a criminal hijacks your credit they call up the banks (posing as you) and change your address on your credit cards with your personal information (i.e. last for of SSN and mothers maiden name) as if you were moving. They then proceed to order thousands of dollars in merchandise (online or over the phone) to be shipped to the "new" address. Because they changed "your address" on your credit cards they will bypass the AVS security from online merchants and the charges will be approved.   The only real defense against credit hijacking is to establish a personal security code with all your bank accounts and credit cards. This is a form of security which goes beyond your SSN, Zip Code, Date of Birth or Mothers Maiden Name to give you a whole new tier of personal security. This is a unique number or group of letters and numbers which you create and give to every credit card provider you have. For example. The number could be as simple as "JACOB2801" which is a combination of your best friend as child and the numerical address of the home you lived in growing up. By establishing this auxiliary passcode with all your credit card providers no one will be granted access to your accounts without it providing it to them. Since you are the only one who knows it and it is non public it is truly secure. I have yet to find a credit card company which will not allow you to create a such a passcode and added layer of security.   Summary   So now with the initial fraud alert established on your credit reports (and later extended) as well as the personal security code set up with all your bank and credit card accounts, you are virtually identity theft proof in under 60 minutes for free. Sure, someone can always "steal" your identity but the real joke will be on them. If they try to open a new credit account anywhere in the country the creditor is going to have to call YOU at the phone number listed on your report in before it can be approved and its GAME OVER. If they try to hijack your credit by changing the address on your credit accounts they will be asked for not only the last four digits of your SSN and mother maiden name, but also your personal security code which they will NOT know and again its, GAME OVER.   Please understand that this article deals only with the topic of "financial" identity theft which is by far the most prevalent today. However, you should be aware you also have the following "5 MAJOR" identities in computers across the nation which are your: 1.) Driving Records/History (DMV Databases). 2.) Medical Records/History (Medical Information Bureau Database). 3.) Social Security Records/History (SSA Database). 4.) Insurance Claims/History (C.L.U.E. Database). 5.) Criminal, Legal and Public Record databases from birth records and real estate deeds to corporations, trusts and court cases. Yes, we are in the information age but all information is stored in databases. I think we are now living in the database age.   10 Extra "Financial" Identity Protection Tips   1.) Keep a list of all credit card and bank account numbers with bank phone numbers so in case of loss or theft they can be notified immediately. 2.) Use only one credit card for personal expenses and one card for business expenses and monitor accounts online weekly. 3.) Always send or receive mail only through secure and locked mail boxes. 4.) Never give out any sensitive information (SSN, Acct #, Pin #, Password Etc) via an email solicitation. Always type in and visit the website directly. 5.) Limit the information on your checks to your first initial, last name and address (nothing more). 6.) On all credit cards instead of signing your name write "Check ID!". 7.) Never use a debit card or Visa/Master Check card as recovering fraudulently accessed funds from these accounts can be extremely difficult. 8.) Store all credit cards, bank statements and passports etc in a secure and locked place. 9.) Never give out your Social Security Number, Drivers License Number or Date Of Birth unless they have just cause and really need it. 10.) For details about establishing and initial fraud alert on your credit reports visit: www.experian.com, www.equifax.com, www.transunion.com   ======================================= The "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" has been in print since 1994 and is published by Consumer Publishing Group. For more information on the "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" you may visit:   http://hfusa.niesong.hop.clickbank.net =======================================
		Identity Theft and Fraud.   Identity theft involves acquiring key pieces of someone's identifying information, such as name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, and mother's maiden name, in order to commit fraud.   With this information, a thief can do such things as take over the victim's financial accounts, open new bank accounts, purchase automobiles, apply for loans, credit cards, and Social Security benefits, rent apartments, and establish services with utility and phone companies. Of course, once this happens, the thief will empty out any cash available, will fail to pay for purchases (perhaps ruining the victim's credit history), and charges purchases to the victim.   Identity Theft remains one of the fastest growing crimes in the U.S. affecting millions of Americans each year.   Baby boomers or those born between 1946 and1964 are now the largest segment of our population.  This compasses about 78 million people across the United States.  This means that the number of senior citizens is rising.  Techniques such as phishing and e-mail scams are becoming more popular in addition to traditional telephone calls and mass mailings. An Identity Theft victim spends an average of 26 hours resolving their case.  Identity Theft cases will amount to approximately $45 billion dollars in 2008.  Also, it's estimated that a person falls victim to Identity Theft every 3.8 seconds.  There will be approximately 8.1 million new identity theft victims in the U.S. in 2008.     Some of the more common scams to look out for are: " Identity theft accomplished through phishing, "dumpster diving [or searching through dumpsters for personal information thrown away], address changes, as well as old fashioned theft; " Home repair schemes; " Investment fraud; " Charity schemes; " Funeral and cemetery fraud; " Telemarketing and Internet fraud; And the list just keeps going on and on.        Identity theft is America's fastest growing crime.  Last year alone, almost ten million Americans were victims of identity theft, a crime that cost them roughly $5 billion dollars! How can we avoid being targets and victims?  How can we protect ourselves and our family? The FBI has a number of suggestions on their website as well as other organizations dedicated to protecting families.  But, I'll share a few techniques that may help. " Shred credit card receipts and old bank statements [as well as old canceled checks and deposit slips].  Use a micro-cut, cross-cut or "confetti" shredder to dispose of bank statements, credit card bills, convenience checks, old credit cards and other items with personal information. Scammers use these items to open new accounts in your name or withdraw on your existing accounts. " Don't pay in advance for services; " Don't give out personal information via the phone, mail, or internet unless you initiated the contact; " Never respond to an offer you don't understand; " Close unused credit card or bank accounts. [I had a problem here several years ago]; " Require all plans and purchases to be in writing; " Match your credit card receipts against your monthly bills and check your monthly financial statements for accuracy.  Also, if you don't get your monthly financial statements and bills when expected, contact the sender.  Make a phone list of your credit card issuers (usually found on the back of each card) and store in a safe place. In the event that your cards are lost or stolen, having these phone numbers will enable you to contact the card issuer quickly, minimizing your liability. Also, be sure to shred any "pre-approved" card offers before disposing of them. You can minimize the number of pre-approved offers you receive by calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688). Finally, never write your full credit card number on a check. Instead, write "ends in" and then the last 4 digits of your card number. This is all companies need to match you to your payment.  Also, Carefully review your credit card statements as soon as they arrive, checking to ensure that you made all of the charges that are listed. If there are any discrepancies or suspicious charges, contact your credit card company immediately; " Keep your Social Security card and birth certificate in a secure location.  Memorize your Social Security number and passwords.  Don't use your date of birth as a password and don't record passwords on papers you carry with you; " Don't disclose credit card or other financial account numbers on a Web site unless the site offers a secure transaction; " And, beware of mail or telephone solicitations that offer prizes or awards-especially if the offeror asks you for personal information or financial account numbers; NOTE: Protecting your personal information and monitoring your credit report on a regular basis is critical to minimizing your risk and potential liabilities. By regularly monitoring your credit report, you can see if  someone has opened a credit or bank account in your name recently.  Is there something on your credit report that shouldn't be there, or up setting you?  Derogatory notations?  Public Records added to your Report?  Inquiery made against Your Report?  Change of Address requested?  Is someone using your identity?  You monitor your health, why not your credit?  Continual monitoring of your credit can assist in keeping your credit healthy and is a valuable part of Identity Theft Prevention.   You are entitled to one free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies at least once a year.   " Be sure to collect your mail as soon as possible. A box bulging with letters, bills and catalogs are an identity thief's dream - and your worst nightmare. If you are not able to pick up your mail for an extended period of time, have a neighbor collect it or request that the post office hold it for you. Bring any outgoing mail to the post office or drop it into a secure drop box - placing bill payments in your personal mailbox can provide identity thieves easy access to all the information they need to start racking up fraudulent charges in your name. If you must place outgoing mail in your box, do not raise your mailbox's flag - your letter carrier will know to collect your outgoing mail even if the flag isn't used. . The Federal Trade Commission has these suggestions for minimizing reoccurrences of Identity Theft should you have already found yourself a victim.  They are: " Place passwords on your credit card, bank, and phone accounts. Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your SSN or your phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers. When opening new accounts, you may find that many businesses still have a line on their applications for your mother's maiden name. Ask if you can use a password instead. " Secure personal information in your home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your home. " Ask about information security procedures in your workplace or at businesses, doctor's offices or other institutions that collect your personally identifying information. Find out who has access to your personal information and verify that it is handled securely. Ask about the disposal procedures for those records as well. Find out if your information will be shared with anyone else. If so, ask how your information can be kept confidential. " If you are a member of the military and away from your usual duty station, you may place an active duty alert on your credit reports to help minimize the risk of identity theft while you are deployed. Active duty alerts are in effect on your report for one year. If your deployment lasts longer, you can place another alert on your credit report. " When you place an active duty alert, you'll be removed from the credit reporting companies' marketing list for pre-screened credit card offers for two years unless you ask to go back on the list before then. (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/idtheft Check out my website at http://www.idprivacymax.com for some of the best Identity Theft prevention & privacy protection resources available. There are many legitimate businesses and individuals out there ready to help you and your family in whatever way they can.  But, there are also those who want to destroy your  American dream and turn it into a nightmare!