SYI: Save your IdentityWritten by Roger Sorensen
The warning signs can start innocently enough that you don't even recognize them as being warning signs of impending doom. Perhaps it's a letter from your credit card company about a credit application. It might be a call from your bank inquiring about your application for a line of credit. Do not be fooled into thinking these are innocent mistakes. Large financial companies do not make innocent mistakes anymore when it comes to your credit. As soon as these things start occurring, recognize them for what they might very well be telling you. You have been victim of identity theft and thief is attempting to purchase goods and services, running up large bills and debts only to leave you to pay cost of party. Identity theft is unfortunately all too common, being listed as # 1 consumer complaint with Federal Trade Commission. Nearly seven million people were victimized in 2003, representing an 80% increase over previous year. Even worse, only a small portion of thieves are ever prosecuted, even when police are certain they know who thief is. The reason for that is because most cases require that a witness see suspect filling out a credit application or signing to receive goods in victims' name. What can you do when first signs of identity theft start trickling into your mail box or answering machine? Here are 5 actions you can do in an attempt to minimize impact theft will leave on your own good name. Step 1: Damage Control. You have to start doing Damage Control at very first sign that you might have been victim of identity theft. As soon as you receive notice about credit applications you know you have not inquired about, notify local police and file a report that you believe your identity has been stolen. If your purse was lost or stolen, you should have done this immediately. Get that report on file because it is important to have documentation if there is to be even a small chance your impersonator will be prosecuted. After police report, you need to contact three major credit reporting agencies (CRAs) and Federal Trade Commission. The box below gives you necessary information. Federal Trade Commission (877) ID-THEFT TransUnion - Fraud Victim Assistance POB 6970 Fullerton, CA 92834 (800)-680-7289 www.transunion.com Equifax - Consumer Fraud Division POB 740256 Atlanta, GA 30374 (800) 525-6285 www.equifax.com Experian - Consumer Assistance POB 2002 Allen, TX 75013 (888) 397-3742 www.experian.com By contacting them about false credit applications being made in your name, you will activate fraud alerts on your credit file. This is supposed to prompt lenders to inform you of any new requests for credit, giving you a chance to explain it was an identity thief, not you. Sometimes this works. Sometimes it does not and credit company goes ahead and gives thief credit in your name. You should check your credit reports from each of three bureaus to look for items that are not of your doing. Even if there is no fraud evident, you will want to be watching your report at least every other month for next six months. If you see signs of unusual activity, or fraud alerts work and you begin to receive calls from lenders, contact lenders and credit extenders and explain it wasn't you. If impersonator visited them in person, ask them for a description. Then move onto: Step 2: Understand that Reality Bites. After you receive second notice of someone seeking credit in your name, or see any unusual activity on your report you need to: A.Re-contact police about this theft B.Call CRAs again to renew your fraud alerts which can expire in 90 days. C.Request copies of your report from each of CRAs. A fraud alert is supposed to notify all three to send you a report without cost, but make three separate requests to make sure you quickly receive each CRA report. If need be, hound them until they hand over what by law they are required to provide you because of your fraud alert. Step 3: Get Busy. Statistically, recovering from identity theft can take more than 600 hours of effort on your part to clear your name. Much of that time will likely be spent in that never-never land of a company's telephone-hold pattern listening to their music selection. Another big chunk of time will be spent explaining and correcting, re-explaining and re-correcting and maybe needing to go over for a third time matters you had though corrected or already explained. For every action you take, you must keep a precise log of action, details are highly important. Just as it was important for you to notify police immediately upon recognizing you were facing identity theft, you must deal with all companies that think you owe them money as soon as you are aware of them. Using a spreadsheet chart with headings like "Company", "Date", "Representative", "Time Spent", and "Response" will help you keep track of whom you talk to, about what and when you spoke. Good record keeping is vital. Whenever you write, send letter certified mail, and staple confirmation receipt with your other records. Another advantage of certified letter is time stamp. Credit reporting agencies are required to respond within 30 days - it's law. That time stamp on envelope, and fact CRA signed for letter improves your chance of a quick response. You need to take as much control of situation as possible. One important part of this step is to take care of yourself, do a weekend getaway once in a while if you want. The thing is to recognize that a sense of helplessness and loss of control is common when going through an identity theft situation. Deal with feelings when they occur, take a break from ordinary routine as needed, try to relax on occasion and not let situation run away with you. Creditors are likely to start hounding you, demanding payment for goods you never bought. Your assertive actions, such as placing fraud alerts with CRAs, reporting to police, and keeping track of all contacts with creditors will help you clear your name. It will also help you prove to creditors that you do not owe them money your impersonator stole from them.
| | The Future is NowWritten by Christina Nikolov
You are free to republish this article as long a author's resource box and a live link to ChartWatchCentral is included. The Future Is Now by Christina Nikolov Founder ChartWatchCentral, Inc. One of missions of ChartWatchCentral is to inform our readers of opportunity before it mainstreams. There is tremendous opportunity in futuristic field of Nanotechnology. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines nanotechnology thusly: “the art of manipulating materials on an atomic or molecular scale especially to build microscopic devices.” A more proper working definition is: creation of an entirely new species and world. Nanotechnology is also very fertile ground for investor who does his homework. As always, ground floor is preferred position for a new era. Quite simply, Nanotechnology will make every technological advance that has preceded it insignificant by comparison. The time frame for this sweeping worldwide change is short, investors who want to be at forefront of profit in this change should begin serious investigation of this subject now because this is one future that will not wait – it is, in fact happening now. A Brief Overview of Changes Forthcoming Computer processing power continues to increase at an astounding pace, and that will continue. These extremely powerful processors have fueled technological explosion we have all experienced and continue to experience. We are now at tipping point. Processor speed will soon take a quantum leap in speed and flexibility because newer, faster processors are being designed with help of current generation of fast processors. This sets up a chain reaction as each generation of faster processors is used to design its replacement. Human DNA is being looked at as basis of near-term ultra fast ultra small processors. In fact, initial experiments have shown that DNA can indeed perform simple, although extremely brief, input/output operations. As faster upon faster generations of silicon-based processors, allowing for more sophisticated software, come into use, not only will DNA-based processor hurdle be overcome, prototype DNA-based processors will thus accelerate processor speed curve. The human genome has been mapped – blazing processor speed will ‘crack’ code, which will, in turn, allow for processors with calculation speeds unheard of today to be constructed at molecular and atomic level. This is currently in works; research is going full speed on a highly accelerated track. Molecular level computing utilizing DNA based processors will result in what now may be viewed as Science Fiction, but will become fact within next ten years. I state again that current research is moving rapidly and breakthroughs are occurring at an astounding pace. I cannot over emphasize importance of this issue because this molecular computing revolution will create a world that, just a few short years ago, would have been considered impossible. All of humanity will be affected and all of world’s economies will experience a corresponding explosion in activity and worth. Just Imagine What are some of things in store? Just imagine! In fact, let your imagination run rampant, researchers and creators of emerging Nanotechnology, and its sibling Genomics, are doing just that. Products and services will become available that today, would be viewed as miraculous. These advanced products and services will, however, become commonplace in early 21st Century and will be replaced by a dizzying and constant stream of even more amazing products and services. This technology, of course, will first be utilized in military, medical and scientific applications. In fact DOD research arm DARPA, is currently researching ‘super-human’ soldier applications utilizing Nanotechnology. Molecule and atomic sized computerized applications will enhance strength, speed, agility, vision and survivability of soldier on battlefield. Once perfected and implemented, ‘cyborg’ soldier applications will be able to communicate via satellite directly to commanders at Pentagon, or in field. What he sees with his nanite eyes, can be delivered in real-time to command centers, same will hold true for what he hears, what he thinks and his biological signs. Instructions from command and control centers will be delivered directly to his brain almost instantaneously.
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