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Paying For Identity Theft Protection

As stories of identity theft rise so does our concern over how to protect ourselves. Many people purchase identity theft protection services, but are they worth it? Not really when you think of what they don’t cover. For up to $189 per year you will not be protected against: *someone fraudulently filing tax returns in your name *account takeovers *misuse of credit or debit cards *prior instances of identity theft *the establishment of personal identity in your name That leaves a lot of things unprotected but even worse than that, most of the “services” they provide consumers can get for … Continue reading →

Identity Theft Threat to iTunes Users

Users of the popular Apple iTunes online music store may find themselves the victim of stolen identity theft. That is because a new crop of thieves are out to target iTunes users, and so far have had some limited success. The identity theft threat to iTunes users comes in the form of “Phishing,” a technique that has long been seen connected to online banking, PayPal, Ebay and mainstream retail stores. Until now, no one seems to have dared to touch Apple, but recently, however, that has changed. Phishing is a term used to describe the strategy that crooks use to … Continue reading →

Talking to Your Parents About Their Finances

There are many things that people tend to become concerned about as their parents get older. Things like the physical and mental health and well being of their elderly parents are often top of mind for many adult children. The finances of elderly parents are also often a cause for great concern, especially if the adult children do not live close to them. How can you help to ensure that your parents stay current with their bills and stay away from scam artists who target the elderly without offending them? It is a delicate path to walk, to be sure, … Continue reading →

Pre-approval Offers

Are you getting pre-approval credit offers in the mail? Try not to let them tempt you! The best thing to do with these is shred them quickly and toss them in the recycling bin. Many people falsely believe if they receive many pre-approved offers of credit that their credit scores must be high. Many of these junk mail offers are simply fishing scams, as most companies don’t check your credit history until after you actually say “yes” to their offer. Generally, credit card companies get your name from marketing lists. While they do look for certain criteria, an outstanding credit … Continue reading →

Check that Bill

Are you checking that bill and checking it twice? Whether it is your phone bill or credit card statement, it is critical you spend a little time verifying each debit and credit. Understanding how you are billed and what exactly is on your statements cannot only help you find errors; it can help you prevent scams and identity theft as well. It surprises some to think that scams can even occur on everyday expenses such as your home phone bill. Unfortunately they do happen and many consumers pay these expenses completely unknowingly. Really, before you ever pay any bill or … Continue reading →

A Warning For People Who Pay Bills Online

Did you know that Americans pay one in four bills online? Paying your bills online is convenient. But consumer advocates say that convenience comes with a risk, especially if you have ditched all of your paper bills for cyber statements. According to the Anti-phishing Working Group, there is a new scam out there preying on people who are familiar with the online bill paying process. The scam works like this: an email similar to statements you receive from a company you owe money to is sent in a format that looks exactly like the bill you’re used to getting. Con … Continue reading →