So what does that mean? Someone has stolen your credit card – your credit card company can help you with that, right? Well, according to FTC, almost 60% of identity theft issues don’t pertain to your existing credit card accounts. Identity theft can occur as a result of new lines of credit being opened in your name either through credit cards or bank loans as well as phone/utility fraud and even employment related fraud. Because we are susceptible through so many avenues in our daily life, we are all at risk.

What can you do? Where would you turn if you found yourself in this situation? Would you know where to start to clear your name? Well, now you don’t have to worry about what to do as we have answer.

As you already know, Pre-Paid Legal Services®, Inc. is a pioneer of legal services industry. With more than 30 years of experience in providing legal rights protection to our members, we have now teamed with Kroll Inc., world’s leading independent risk consulting company. Kroll is a 30 year old, publicly traded company that provides a broad range of investigative, intelligence, financial, security, and technology services to help clients reduce risks, solve problems, and capitalize on opportunities. Headquartered in New York with more than 60 offices on six continents, Kroll has a multidisciplinary corps of more than 2,200 employees and serves a global clientele of law firms, financial institutions, corporations, nonprofit institutions, government agencies, and individuals. Over last three years, Kroll has developed a unique solution for victims of identity theft. This new service is now available to Pre-Paid Legal members through IDENTITY THEFT SHIELD benefit.

What does this benefit provide our members?

The Identity Theft Shield gives you easy access to resources you need to understand your credit ratings and to fight back if an identity thief threatens your financial standing. This benefit is designed to alert you to suspicious account activity, to restore any resulting damage to your credit history and to reimburse you for covered out-of-pocket expenses you may incur in process.

1. Credit Report Through Experian Make sure your financial records are accurate. Your credit standing is one of your most important financial assets. It not only affects your ability to get credit, it often dictates interest rate at which you can borrow. It can also affect your ability to purchase insurance or to find employment. Some insurance companies and prospective employers use your credit rating to gauge your sense of responsibility. Experts recommend you review your credit report regularly. The Identity Theft Shield makes it easy. Members are entitled to an up-to-date credit report from Experian at no additional charge.

Personal Credit Score and Analysis from Experian Know your credit score . . . and how it affects your ability to borrow. Your credit score is derived from information in your credit report. This score is used by lenders to determine your creditworthiness. The higher number, better your chance of being approved for credit you want. A detailed analysis of your Personal Credit Score will be included with your Credit Report. You can use this analysis to evaluate your current credit standing.

2. Continuous Credit Monitoring Through Experian Learn of suspicious activity before your credit is ruined. A professional thief can assume your identity in just a few hours. But it can take years for you to repair your credit standing. Early detection is key to minimizing damage caused by thieves who steal you name. With your Identity Theft Shield membership, your credit files will be monitored through Experian daily. Suspicious activity will be brought to your attention, providing you with early detection. You’ll receive prompt notice if any new accounts are opened in your name . . . or if negative notations are added to your credit report.

“Making decision to have a child--it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” Elizabeth Stone

My daughter amazes me. She’s just been through a roller coaster growth cycle. I’m going to share this vulnerable, recent event from her life that has beautifully illustrates a powerful life lesson. I have her permission to share this story with you.

It all started about six months ago when she began her senior year of high school. To give you some background, our daughter, who tends to be on reserved side, is not a risk taker, and attends a very small, private, alternative school in rural Vermont. There are 10 kids in her class and for most part they all socialize with each other.

It’s a close-knit group of students. There’s not a lot of a potential romantic option in such a small pond yet my daughter began to develop a crush on one of her classmates. As year progressed and social events increased and friendships deepened, her feelings for this boy deepened as well.

I was delighted she was talking to me about her experiences and feelings all along way. We spent many a conversation exploring how one deals with having feelings for someone when you’re uncertain if your feelings are to be returned. We discussed at length possible strategies for approaching conversation. We considered pros and cons of letting things naturally unfold vs. trying to second-guess where we thought this young man might be based on his interactions with her.

Over months we talked and talked. She expressed her hopes, her fear of rejection; ultimately, she feared that if she told truth of how she felt, it would ruin friendship, which was clearly valuable to her.

About a month ago tension was approaching fever pitch for her. The friendship had grown crush turned to love, and they were beginning to spend serious time together. She was filled with fantasy of how wonderful it would be if relationship moved to next level. Still she was unable to ask this young man seemingly simple question, “do you like me and want to be more than friends?”