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Blog / July 2007
Guard Your Credit During Divorce
Jul 1, 2007 by
This blog reminds me of the many clients I see in the midst of a divorce. It gives good advice about what to do during and after a divorce to ensure that your credit remains intact. The biggest mistake I see...
The Price You Pay For Less-Than-Stellar Credit
Jul 2, 2007 by
Here’s a great blog posting by the Silicon Valley Blogger on the Digerati Life website. The blog goes through examples of what you’ll pay for a car when you take out a 3 year loan. $24,000 for someone who pays...
Credit Freeze Now Available in D.C.
Jul 2, 2007 by Tom Fragala
As reported in Brian Krebs’ Security Fix blog Residents of the District of Columbia now have the right to "freeze" their credit reports as a way to ward off identity thieves. As of July 1, people living in the nation's...
Confused About Ordering a Credit Score?
Jul 3, 2007 by
You’re not alone! Do you know there are 4 different kinds of credit scores? This article on CNN Money.com explains the difference in credit scores and how to get the one you really want. To make matters more confusing, while...
Scamming the Scammers
Jul 3, 2007 by Tom Fragala
The New York Times has an article about a group of folks whose hobby is fooling and embarrassing “419” scammers. You know, those emails you get (often called Nigerian or 419 schemes) usually about some overseas money that you are...
Debt Elimination Can Cause Major Headaches
Jul 5, 2007 by
Here’s another scheme that I often see. Many of my clients have complained that debt elimination (also called debt settlement) companies take their money and run. The victims I’ve worked with were lucky that they only lost money, because according to...
Credit Freeze Law for Mississippi
Jul 5, 2007 by Tom Fragala
Mississippi residents, as of July 1 2007, can avail themselves of a credit freeze. According to Insurance Journal: The law says a consumer whose personal information has been illegally used by others must file a police report, and then may...
To Freeze or Not To Freeze Your Credit File
Jul 5, 2007 by
There is debate about freezing a credit file. This blog by Paul Richard explains the controversy and tells what happens when he freezes his credit report. To read more, read the entire blog. This writer has initiated a credit file...
Clever Criminals Use Charities to Verify Credit Cards
Jul 6, 2007 by Tom Fragala
This from the Symantec Security Response Blog Carders attempting to verify that a stolen credit card is legitimate and active have begun donating money to charity. By attempting to pay small amounts of money to various charities, including well known...
CRAs Sell Your Information
Jul 7, 2007 by
Do you know that credit reporting agencies (CRAs) can sell your information when you apply for a mortgage? The practice is legal and the product the CRAs sell is called “24 Hour Trigger Data”. According to an article in the District...
Social Security Scam
Jul 9, 2007 by
Beware of a new scam where a caller claims to be from the Social Security Administration and offers to increase your benefits. They are using scare tactics to pressure individuals to give out their bank account numbers. A Social Security spokesperson...
FBI Fraud Alert: Internet-based Scams and Fraud
Jul 9, 2007 by Tom Fragala
The FBI issued a fraud alert today. They did a good job of boiling down the most common fraud schemes into eight key questions. If you do anything on the Internet related to purchases, auctions, lotteries, or jobs/employment please read this: IF YOU ANSWER “YES”...
Look Before You Leap
Jul 10, 2007 by
Before you get married, be sure to have your future partner share their credit report with you. Too often I work with couples that didn’t know what they were getting into until it was too late. Finances are one of...
Mystery Shopping Scam
Jul 12, 2007 by
I’ve blogged before about the scams that surround mystery shopping, so I’ll pass on yet another related scam. According to this news story, here’s how this scam works: It starts with a letter telling people they've been selected as a...
Now Phishing Sites Can Be Created in 2 Seconds?
Jul 14, 2007 by Tom Fragala
The TrendMicro Anti-Malware Blog points to a rather creepy new technology for hackers: Approximately two seconds is now all it takes to create phishing sites with the use of a new “plug and play” phishing kit that malicious users have fashioned...
The Most Important Opt-Out to Prevent Identity Theft
Jul 14, 2007 by Tom Fragala
I just found out I was victimized by ID theft again. The same MO: stolen “convenience” checks from my mailbox. This time it was convenience checks for my Citibank credit card, similar to the Wells Fargo convenience checks on my home...
Killer-For-Hire Scam
Jul 15, 2007 by
According to a news story from Pennsylvania, scammers are convincing professionals that they have been hired to kill them. Apparently the scammers will search the internet for information and contact information on their subjects. They use the information they find to scare them by...
How the Pros Protect Themselves
Jul 16, 2007 by
Here’s a great article about how the tech experts protect themselves from identity theft and other fraud. The article features tips from Frank Abagnale, a former identity thief turned FBI consultant on white collar crime. These days, Mr. Abagnale never uses a debit...
It's Not Easy to Catch a Thief
Jul 20, 2007 by
Identity thieves are not often caught and prosecuted. This article from Concord Monitor Online explains the frustrating issues involved by recounting one woman’s attempt to get justice after she became an identity thief victim. "If somebody had a credit card...
Beware of Novelty ID Cards
Jul 23, 2007 by Tom Fragala
The other day I came across a web site that sells “novelty” identity cards of many types. Social Security cards, driver’s licenses, diplomas, birth certificates, work permits, contractor certifications, you name it. I saw it mentioned in a forum where...
Another Database You Don't Know About
Jul 25, 2007 by
Here’s some good advice from Clark Howard on yet another database that keeps records on you related to your auto and homeowners’ insurance. According to Clark’s tip, it is called the C.L.U.E. report and you should check what yours says...
What Does Internet Dating Have To Do With Identity Theft?
Jul 29, 2007 by
MSNBC had an interesting Dateline show recently about catching ID thieves. The show created a fake online electronics store and advertised it as one that accepts stolen credit cards to pay for merchandise. Apparently such stores exist, so no one became suspicious. When the news crew tracked the...