Identity Theft Plans

ARE YOU AT RISK OF IDENTITY THEFT?
WOULD YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO IF YOU BECAME A VICTIM OF IDENTITY THEFT?

<> According to a US Federal Trade Commission survey in 2003, about 10 million Americans -1 in 30 had their identities stolen in the previous year, with losses to the economy of $48 billion. Subsequent surveys, by Javelin Strategy and Research, a private research company, found that the number of victims had declined to nine million, or 1 million less than the previous year but the losses had risen to $56.6 billion. According to that same Javelin survey, in Arizona, one in six adults had their identities stolen in the last five years, about twice the national rate.

<> What Can I Do In Order To Provide Myself And My family With The Very Best Protection From Becoming Victims of Identity Theft? <> What Are The Most Effectives Things That I can Do In The Event That I Become A Victim of Identity Theft? <> What Are The Safest And Most Efficient Way(s) Of Providing Protection For Myself and My Family?

Note: I will answer all of the above questions and many others; however, before doing that I want you to be forewarned: This is a very comprehensive and detailed report and you should be sure to read every word. You should even consider reading it twice!

<> Headline News!
<> <> Nigerian facing charges of ID theft - "Police have arrested a man they say illegally accessed the personal information of as many as 100,000 consumers, including 35,000 Californians. This was one of the headlines on pace 11 of the Orange County Register Newspaper on 17 Feb 2005.

<> <> "Hackers Tap 40 Million Credit Cards" - The network is breached at a firm that handles merchant transactions. Nearly 70,000 bogus charges are seen. Credit scores may be at risk.   This was the main headline on page A1 of the Los Angeles Times on Saturday June 18 2005.

<> <> "Technology and Easy Credit Give Identity Thieves an Edge"! The New York Times, Front Page, Tuesday, May 30 2006.

<> <> "Files and documents containing Millions of U. S. Government and Retired Military personnel records were stolen from the home of a US Government employee"! The China News Daily, May 2006.

<> It is becoming more and more difficult to be able to pick up a newspaper without seeing something about identity theft. MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT - Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing types of financial fraud. Without stealing your wallet, a thief can steal your financial identity with as little information as your social security number. This type of crime is also called "account-takeover fraud" or "true-name fraud". This fraud involves a thief assuming your identity by applying for credit, running up huge bills, and leaving the creditors unpaid - all in your name. The government estimates that over 400,000 people are victimized by this sort of crime each year.

<> "People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years - and thousands of dollars - cleaning up the mess the thieves have made of their good name and credit record." - Federal Trade Commission: When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name, September 2002

<> What is Identity Theft?
<> <> Identity theft involves the act of acquiring key pieces of someone's identifying information, such as name, date of birth, social security number and mother's maiden name, in order to impersonate them. This information enables the identity thief to commit numerous forms of fraud which include, but are not limited to, taking over the victim's financial accounts, opening new bank accounts, purchasing automobiles, applying for loans, credit cards, and social security benefits, renting apartments, and establishing services with utility and phone companies.

<> It's no secret: Identity Theft is a major problem in North America. Think you're not at risk? Sadly you are.
<> <> Do you hand your credit card to servers at restaurants?
<> <> Do you sign your credit cards?
<> <> Do you supply personal information over the internet?
<> <> Do you keep your Social Security number in your wallet or purse?
<> <> Do you leave mail at your home or business for the postal carrier to collect?
<> <> Do you shred unwanted mail with personal information?

<> "People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years - and thousands of dollars - cleaning up the mess the thieves have made of their good name and credit record." - Federal Trade Commission: When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name, September 2002

<> Who are the victims of Identity Theft? Following is some interesting data which was obtained from the Javelin Strategy and Research and supported by the Federal Trade Commission during 2005 (Identity Theft victims fall into a wide range of our society. We are all at risk, no matter our income level, age or where we live) :

<> <> INCOME
<> <> <> Less than $15,000 - 3.2 %
<> <> <> $15,000 - $34,000 - 4.8%
<> <> <> $25,000 - $24,000 - 3.9%
<> <> <> $35,000 - $49,999 - 4.9%
<> <> <> $50,000 - $99,999 - 3.8%
<> <> <> $75,000 - $24,000 - 4.8%
<> <> <> $100,000 - $149,999 - 3.3%
<> <> <> $150,000 - plus - 6.4%

<> <> AGE
<> <> <> 18-24 years old - 4.5%
<> <> <> 25-34 years old - 5.4%
<> <> <> 35-44 years old - 4.8%
<> <> <> 45-54 years old - 3.4%
<> <> <> 55-64 years old - 3.4%
<> <> <> 65 + years old - 2.3%

<> <> RACE/ETHNICITY
<> <> <> Hispanic - 5.1%
<> <> <> Black - 4.8%
<> <> <> White - 3.6%
<> <> <> Asian - 2.3%

<> <> Metropolitan areas with the highest rate of identity theft complaints reported to the Federal Trade Commission (Rate per 100,000 people):

<> <> <> Phoenix, Masa & Scottsdale Arizona - 178 per 100,000
<> <> <> Las Vegas & Paradise Arizona - 159 per 100,000
<> <> <> Riverside-San Bernardino, California - 146 per 100,000
<> <> <> Dallas-Forth Worth-Arlington Texas - 141 per 100,000
<> <> <> Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Ana California 135 - per 100,000
<> <> <> Miami-Forth Lauderdale-Miami Beach Florida - 132 per 100,000
<> <> <> San Francisco, Oakland & Fremont California - 131 per 100,000
<> <> <> Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land Texas - 128 per 100,000
<> <> <> San Diego, Carlsbad & San Marcos California - 121 per 100,000
<> <> <> San Antonio Texas - 119 per 100,000

<> O. K. keeping the above in mind, I must tell you this is one of those good news, bad news, and BEST NEWS situations. To answer the first question, <> What Can I Do In Order To Provide Myself And My family With The Very Best Protection From Becoming Victims of Identity Theft?

<> The Good News:
<> <> Though no one's identity is completely safe from theft, following are a number of proactive ways of avoiding identity thief, none are a guarantee that you will not become a victim; however, they are the best known actions that YOU can personally take to reduce your risk of becoming a VICTIM:

<> <> Get a free credit report once a year (annualcreditreport.com) and report any suspicious activity. Consider a credit monitoring service such as those contained at: how2protectyourid.com

<> <> Cancel any unnecessary credit cards, (there are other negative factors associated with this action, so be advised).

<> <> Do not carry your Social Security Number around in your pockets

<> <> Used Credit cards, not debit cards for online shopping

<> <> Remove all mail from your mail box as soon as possible.

<> <> Place your outgoing mail in the post office collection mailboxes or at your local post office. Be sure to never leave your mail in unsecured mail containers.

<> <> Keep tax records in a locket container

<> <> Reduce pre-approved credit offers by contacting 888-5OPTOUT or by visiting optoutprescreen.com

<> <> You should never give personal information over the telephone, such as your, date of birth, social security number and mother's maiden name, credit card number, or bank pin number, unless you initiated the phone call. You should always protect this information and release it only when absolutely necessary.

<> <> You should shred pre-approved credit applications, credit card receipts, bills and all other financial information that you don't need before discarding them in the trash.

<> <> Empty your wallet of extra credit cards and IDs, cancel the credit cards you don't need and maintain a list of all current credit cards in a secure location.

<> <> Order your credit report from the three credit bureaus at least once per year to check for any fraudulent activity or other discrepancies.

<> <> Never leave receipts at bank machines, bank counters, trash receptacles, or unattended gasoline pumps. Try and keep track of all your needed paperwork. Destroy any unneeded papers.

<> <> Make every effort to memorize your social security number and all passwords. Do not record them on any cards or anything in your wallet or purse.

<> <> Sign all new credit cards immediately upon receipt.

<> <> Save all credit card receipts and match them against your monthly credit card statements.

<> <> Be conscious of normal receipts or routine financial statements. Contact the sender if they are not received in the mail when expected.

<> <> Be sure to notify credit card companies and financial institutions in advance of any change of address.

<> <> You should never loan your credit card to anyone.

<>   <> Never, ever put your credit card or any other financial information or account numbers on a post card or the outside of an envelope.

<> <> If you applied for a new credit card and it does not arrive in a timely manner, call the bank or credit card company involved.

<> <> Report all lost or stolen credit cards immediately.

<> <> Closely monitor expiration dates on your credit cards. Contact the credit card issuer if the replacement cards are not received prior to the expiration dates.

<> <> Be especially aware of mail or telephone solicitations disguised as promotions offering instant prizes or awards designed solely to obtain your personal information or credit card numbers.

<> Some Tips For Using the Internet and On-Line Services

<> <> Use caution when disclosing checking account numbers, credit card numbers or other financial data on any web site or on-line service location unless you received a secured authentication key from your provider.

<> <> When you subscribe to an on-line service, you may be asked to give credit card information. When you enter any interactive service site, be ESPECIALLY aware of con artist who may ask you to "confirm your enrollment service by disclosing passwords or the credit card account number used to subscribe. DON'T GIVE THEM OUT!

<> What to Do if You Become a Victim?

<> <> Immediately set up a folder to keep a detailed history of this crime

<> <> Keep a detailed log of all contacts and make copies of all documents.

<> <> Contact all creditors by telephone and in writing to inform them of the situation.

<> <> Call your bank and/or credit card company?

<> <> Contact the three major credit repositories?

<> <> Go through the helpful but expensive steps recommended by the Federal Trade Commission in it's 30-page consumer support publication?

<> <> Fill out and submit the affidavit form supplied by the FTC to dispute new, unauthorized accounts?

<> How much money and Time Can You Expect to Spend?

<> <> According to the Federal Trade Commission you can expect to spend in excess of $6,500 in out-of-pocket expenses and an average of about 175 hours in your efforts to resolve the many problems caused by identity thieves?

<> Now for The Bad News!

There Is A Better Solution!

<> With the Identity Theft Shield™: Get regular monitoring of your credit report and let the proven leaders in the identity restoration and legal services fields assist you.

Experts recommend that you review your credit report regularly. The Identity Theft Shield™ makes this process easy. You'll receieve prompt notice if any new accounts which are opened in your name... or if derogatory notations are added to your credit report.   It's no secret: Identity theft is a major problem in America. Think you're not at risk? Unfortunately you are.

<> Do you hand your credit card to servers at restaurants?
<> Do you sign your credit cards?
<> Do you supply personal information over the internet?
<> Do you keep your Social Security number in your wallet or purse?
<> Do you leave mail at your home or business for the postal carrier to collect?
<> Do you shred unwanted mail with personal information?

See the benefits of the Identity Theft Shield™
Kroll Background America
With the Identity Theft Shield™ you're backed by experienced professionals from a division of the world's leading risk consulting company.

What Does This Service Cost?
<> Where available, the cost for the Identity Theft Shield is just $12.95 per month. However, we also offer Prepaid Legal Plans and if you decide to enroll in the Identity Theft Shield and a Prepaid Legal Service Plan your Identity Theft Shield is just $9.95 per month.

<> Unfortunately, when discussing the identity theft crisis and educating the public, the MEDIA has focused on our credit identity.

<> That's fine and dandy, but understand this: Despite what the media would have you believe, credit related identity theft is NOT the BIGGEST part of the problem. The fact is, it's not even close. In fact MORE than 70 PERCENT of all identity theft occurrences are NON-CREDIT related.

<> There are five types of identity theft:
<> <> 1) Department of Motor Vehicles (drivers license)
<> <> 2) Medical Information
<> <> 3) Character or Criminal identity
<> <> 4) Social Security Number
<> <> 5) Credit Identity

<> As John Gardner, a well known authority on Identity Theft says, "If you find yourself arrested in the middle of the night for a crime someone else has committed in your name, don't call Citigroup."

<> This is not intended to be critical of Citigroup and similar entities that offer valuable credit monitoring services. They do address part of the problem. But they and others, fall far short of providing what Pre-paid Legal Services, Inc. and Kroll background America, together are able to provide.

<> Weather you are an identity theft victim today - or at some time in the future - you will need:
<> <> Access to legal counsel
<> <> Ongoing credit monitoring
<> <> Professional restoration

<> And, when you find yourself a victim of identity theft, you'll need help. You'll need knowledgeable counsel and investigators to go to work for you.

<> What you wan't need are brochures and manuals on "HOW TO" do this for yourself.

<> The risk is to great and the problem too large to rely on stopgap gimmickry to provide the protection you need.

<> You need to be aware of the world we live in. Identity theft, after all, is truly a crisis in this country and throughout North America.

<> Find out how our new Identity Theft Shield can help you!

<> To receive your "FREE COPY" of our Special Report: Identity Theft call me at:
VM: 1-800-844-9649 x 4545 or Email me at: gopplegal@yahoo.com.

<> No matter how you decide to contact me be sure to leave your name address and telephone number and your "FREE COPY" of our SPECIAL REPORT: IDENTITY THEFT will be on the way.

"the Colonel"
Carl Dowdy, US Army, (Ret.)
3337 W. FAIRCREST DR, ANAHEIM, CA 92804-3014

PS: I received a letter from the Secretary Of Veterans Affairs, on 13 June 2006, stating that informing me along with thousands and thousands of of other Veterans that, "The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recently learned that an employee took home electronic data from the VA, which he was not authorized to do and was in violation of established policies. The employees home was burglarized and this data was stolen. The data contained identifying information including names, social security numbers, and dates of birth for up to 26.5 million veterans and some spouses , as well as some disability ratings". This letter was to serve as a warning for me and the other 25.5 million veterans to be aware of this breach of security and for us to constantly monitor all of my financial matters so we can identify any adverse activity as soon as possible. This letter also advised on some actions that we should take immediately after becoming aware that someone was using our personal information illegally.

<> When I saw this I was outraged. However, I was extremely happy that I had made the decision to own my Identity Theft Protection and Restoration Plan.

PPS: Do you have teenagers? Are they at risk to identity theft, you bet they are. Teen Identity Theft has already reach an alarming state.

PPS: Call now and find out how our new Identity Theft Protection and Restoration Plans can benefit you!