Finance Board

This year an estimated 10 million people will be victims of identity theft in the United States. Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America costing consumers and businesses tens of millions of dollars a year. Though there is no way to totally prevent yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft you can lower your risks of becoming a victim by taking the right precautions and understanding how identity theft occurs.

How Thieves Take Your Identity

-Snatch your wallet or purse.

-Steal your mail.

-Thieves may go through your trash looking for bank and credit card statements or anything containing your personal information.

-Thieves may steal your information from organizations such as merchants, banks, utility companies or even government agencies. They might do this by hacking into their systems or simply breaking into the business and stealing it.

-Thieves will send you fraudulent emails known as “phishing”. These emails look as if they are from financial institutions or businesses and try to con you into providing personal or account information. They may claim that there is a problem with your account and that you need verify your information in order to fix it. Do NOT provide any information to them as these emails are phony.

-Thieves may put viruses or other programs onto your computer that can log your keystrokes thus having the ability to obtain your passwords.

How to Protect Your Identity

-Check your credit reports at least once a year.

-Shred unwanted documents that contain personal information in a cross cut shredder.

-Close any unused credit card or bank accounts.

-Remove your name from mailing lists for pre-approved credit lines and telemarketers.

-Keep your PIN number and any other passwords confidential.

-Contact your financial institution or service provider if you notice odd charges or if expected bills don’t arrive.

-Update your computer virus software, use a spyware removal program, and install a firewall program.

-Consider getting a credit monitoring service. This service will alert you when an entry is made on your credit file.

-DON’T give out personal information via the mail, phone, or Internet unless YOU initiated contact.

-DON’T carry your Social Security Number or any PIN numbers or passwords in your purse or wallet.

These are just a few things that can help prevent you from becoming a victim of identity theft. However if you do become a victim of identity theft be sure to file a police report and contact the three credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your file. In addition contact your financial institution and creditors and let them know you have been victimized.

Richie Chapin is a freelance writer and website administrator for Rewards Credit Cards.

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Thanksgiving is a holiday for families and football, and a lot of hard work and money goes into preparing the feast! As the host of your family’s Thanksgiving dinner try planning ahead this year.
Use these tips to help you save yourself some headaches and money:

Watch for supermarket loyalty programs.
Many supermarkets offer special incentive programs around the holidays that can earn you free groceries. Read your local newspaper and check the weekend circulars, and be sure to capitalize on the chance to earn free Thanksgiving turkeys!

Check wholesalers for better bargains.
For every day items and groceries, wholesalers don’t offer the lowest prices. Many families however, hold multiple holiday parties from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve. If you’re hosting multiple parties this year, buy in bulk from Sam’s Club, BJ’s or Costco; you’ll get more items for a cheaper price.

Vary your shopping.
Supermarkets recognize that consumers plan ahead for their holiday dinners. Stay on top of the weekly specials at various supermarkets in your area. You may save money on one item at a store this week and more money on another item a few weeks later.

Outsource your courses.
As host of the party, it is your job to cook, clean, decorate, prepare and entertain. Ask your guests to pitch in this year by bringing a side dish to Thanksgiving dinner. If you’re cooking the turkey, stuffing and desserts, relatives will be more than happy to bring the potatoes, vegetables or cranberry sauce!

Tom Palange


Education Programs Specialist


American Consumer Credit Counseling

ABOUT ACCC: American Consumer Credit Counseling is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to regain control of the quality of their lives through education, counseling and debt management. ACCC provides individuals with the practical solutions for solving financial problems and recognizes that consumers’ financial difficulties are often not the result of poor spending habits, but more frequently from extenuating circumstances beyond their control. As one of the nation’s leading providers of financial education and credit counseling services, ACCC works with consumers to help them with the best plan of action to reduce their debt and regain financial stability. For more information or to access free financial education resources log on to http://www.consumercredit.com.

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Financial goals are important because they help you achieve the things you want. Goals such as vacations, paying off a debt or buying a car all require planning, patience and the willingness to work hard at saving your hard-earned dollars. There are three types of goals you should sit down and consider:

Short-term goals: These are goals you should be able to accomplish within one month to a year.
Items such as: taking a vacation, buying a new car, or paying off a debt are all items that fit within this category.

Mid-term goals: These are goals you should plan to accomplish within one to five years. Goals such as paying of credit cards, making a major purchase, or remodeling your home can all fit within this category, based on your financial picture.

Long-term goals: These are goals that will take you five years or more to achieve, such as buying a home, saving for retirement or saving for college.

Your goals must be realistic and you must specify a completion date. For example, if you lease a vehicle and find that your lease payment is causing financial strain, a possible mid-term goal might be as simple as deciding ‘to buy a less expensive car in 3 years at the end of my lease.’ Also try reviewing your goals every now and then, and make adjustments. It is ok to be flexible with your goals. Simply taking the time to think about your goals and putting them on paper is the first step to making them a reality.

ABOUT ACCC:

American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to regain control of their lives through financial education, counseling and debt management. ACCC provides individuals with practical solutions for solving financial problems and recognizes that consumers’ financial difficulties are often not the result of poor spending habits but more frequently from extenuating circumstances beyond their control. As one of the nation’s leading providers of financial education and credit counseling services, ACCC works with consumers to help them with the best plan of action to reduce their debt and regain financial stability. For more information or to access free financial education resources log on to http://www.consumercredit.com

Tom Palange

Education Programs Specialist

American Consumer Credit Counseling

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