Month: July 2012

Eight Tips for Consumers Impacted By Identity Theft

American consumers lost more than $600 million last year, according to the Federal Trade Commission, as a result of identity theft and costs associated with recovering from this type of crime.

Here are eight (8) things you as a consumer can do to protect your credit:

• Check your Credit Report (Every 2 to 3 months)
• Place A Fraud Alert on all three (3) credit bureau’s
• Start Your Research (contact the fraud departments of the three major credit bureau’s)
• Close Any False Accounts
• File A Police Report
• Document Everything (keep a log)
• Talk To Government Agencies (U.S Postal Service, Social Security Administration)
• alk To The Check Verification Companies (Banks)

TransUnion Relations                                                                                                               (800) 888-4213                                                                                                                                    P.O Box 1000                                                                                                                           Chester, PA  19016                                                                                                                 http://www.transunion.com

Equifax Consumer Relations                                                                                                      (800) 685-1111                              …

Sorry Dad for putting you out like this one the internet, but this could help someone else save on their monthly utility bills.

Have you ever opened a utility bill and thought to yourself or aloud, “this has to be a joke! Am I getting punked?” Well after you finish looking for Ashton Kutcher hiding in your bedroom closet, what do you do? Do you call the service provider (this is what I usually do)? Put the bill back on the mail table? Out of site out of mind, right (this is what my mom usually does)? Or, do you just pay it (Dad…)? A similar scenario took place last week with my dad. He opened up a bill for a bundled package of home phone and internet and was immediately puzzled. To be honest, he probably spent like five minutes looking at the balance due at the top of bill…