🚀 go-pugleaf

"Wow, I never charged $8,000.00 for 10 lbs of Beluga Caviar.  And I 
never applied for this stinking loan!" That's right pal, someone else 
did.  Hey, did they nail you for wine to go with the caviar? 

One of the fastest growing crimes in America is Identity Theft. 
Victims come from a variety of backgrounds from everyday people to 
the stars like Rosie O'Donnell and Tiger Woods.
 
You can fall pray to identity theft as easily as anyone else. Your  
financial affairs suffer not to mention your sanity. There are some 
real pros out there.  Individuals who care less that you are about
buy that new home, put your son through college or even secure a 
loan to promote your e-business. 

This is serious stuff.  When your name is used to commit fraud, even 
the IRS can get involved.  

I recently spoke with an elderly man from California who fell victim.  
He received a bill from the IRS for over $12,000.  The IRS matched 
this poor man's social security number with income that an employer 
from Delaware had reported it had paid to this old man.  (It's the IRS's 
Underreporter Program)  The income was not reported on this man's 
tax return because  he was totally unaware of this employer.
  
The IRS figured out his tax liability for him based on the income 
submitted by the unknown employer. (Yeah, someone else was using 
the old man's social security number and name.)  The gentleman told 
me he had recently been a victim of identity theft and was virtually 
ruined.  When he thought things couldn't get worse, he received a 
greeting from the IRS.
 
Anyone can become a victim of identity theft. I'm not referring to 
online theft of information.  Most people have enough common sense 
to do business with a reputable online business.  Identity theft occurs
when you unknowingly let down your guard.  It is the simple things we 
so often overlook. 
 
How easy would it be for someone to go through your mail, dig through 
your trash or even go through your wallet?  Information from these 
sources, if in the wrong hands, is enough to do irreparable damage.

There will be over 760,000 cases of identity theft this year alone.

The financial damage caused by an identity thief can prove 
devastating to your good financial and credit standings. 

Don't become a victim of identity theft!
Don't be na�ve. Don't think it won't happen to you!
A maintained credit file is key to not becoming a victim!

Have you ever applied for credit, been denied and couldn't figure 
out why? Were you a victim of identity theft without even realizing 
it had occurred?  

SOME THINGS TO DO IMMEDIATELY IF YOU BECOME A VICTIM

1. REPORT ID THEFT TO MAJOR CREDIT BUREAUS.  

2. FILE A POLICE REPORT WITH LOCAL POLICE OR POLICE WHERE IDENTITY 
   THEFT OCCURRED. 

3. CONTACT ALL CREDITORS. 

4. OBTAIN FREE COPY OF YOUR CREDIT REPORT, MONITOR REGULARLY. 

There is now a need to STAY INFORMED.


Written by Steve Graham, Retired Riverside County Deputy Sheriff
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
STAY INFORMED, visit the PERSONAL FINANCE section of Steve's web site:
http://circuitsmart.financialcircuit.com