Identity Theft

Identity theft is a serious crime. It occurs when your personal information is stolen and used without your knowledge to commit fraud or other crimes. Identity theft can cost you time and money. It can destroy your credit and
ruin your good name.
Deter identity thieves by safeguarding your information.
■ Shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information before you discard them.
■ Protect your Social Security number. Don't carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check. Give it out only if absolutely necessary or ask to use another identifier.
■ Don't give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you
know who you are dealing with.
■ Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails;
instead, type in a web address you know. Use firewalls,
anti-spyware, and anti-virus software to protect
your home computer; keep them up-to-date.

■ Don't use an obvious password like your birth date,
your mother's maiden name, or the last four digits
of your Social Security number.
■ Keep your personal information in a secure place
at home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your house.
Defend against ID theft as soon as you suspect it.



■ Place a "Fraud Alert" on your credit reports, and review the reports carefully. The alert tells creditors
to follow certain procedures before they open new accounts in your name or make changes to your existing accounts. The three nationwide consumer reporting companies have toll-free numbers for placing an initial 90-day fraud alert; a call to one company is sufficient:
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289

-FTC.gov

Phishing: Don't get hooked!

Learn how to avoid scam emails and phishing schemes targetting banks, PayPal, eBay, etc.


Use this Free Software to Fight identity theft: Plug-in for Internet Explorer and Firefox which helps protect users from web-based security threats like spyware, adware, spam, viruses, phishing, and identity theft.
http://www.siteadvisor.com

SWEEPSTAKES/LOTTERY SCAMS

Beware of Lottery Scams. Delete all foreign lottery emails/letters/faxes. They all scams!!!

SWEEPSTAKES: Remember: You do not have to pay to enter a sweepstakes or collect a prize. If you're asked to pay, the sweepstakes is a scam. -

Always be on guard.

Hello People. There are many scammers online using the internet
steal your hard earned money. Always be on guard and don't fall for their
sob stories or accept or cash their counterfeit
checks/money orders. Anyone who tells you to use
wire transfer services like Western Union or Money Gram
is a scammer. God gave us common sense for a reason.
Let's use it and put these crooks out of business.

Help spread the word. Thank you.

Better Business Bureau (BBB) site >> http://bbb.org/alerts/Scam.asp

Identity Theft and Fraud >> http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft

New Scams

LOAN SCAM - Do Not Pay UpFront Fees. ALL so called lenders from Overseas are Scammers.

Work at home scams - If you have to pay a fee, it's likely a scam.
Work-at-Home ads/surveys/stuffing envelopes/data entry/typing/get paid to read emails/view ads/assembling stuff usually don't pay off. Be especially wary of ads that promise huge annual salaries; they often require expensive upfront fees with no guarantee. You risk losing your money and wasting a lot of time and energy.

Love Fraud: Never date anyone outside of the US you met online.

Credit Repair: Do it yourself! No need to pay a fee. No credit repair company can do anything you can't do for yourself.

Grants.gov Search over 1,000 grant programs for FREE!!

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Beware of Advance fee Loan scams.
ALL "Private Lenders" who ask for fees upfront are scammers...
my Advice 2 avoid being scammed: Don't deal with anyone from a foreign country and never use wire/bank transfer services.. you risk losing your $$ and your mind.
LOAN SCAM - Do Not Pay UpFront Fees.
Do not send money UpFront via Western Union or MoneyGram to any person or business in the UK, Nigeria or Canada in hopes of getting a loan. If you do you will learn a hard lesson & never see any Loan money.

Remember, if it sounds too good
to be true, it probably is! NEVER give out your personal information to those crooks!Always be on guard.
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Any checks/Money Order/Correspondences From Africa/Nigeria/Ghana is Always a scam!!!

Your grandma was right when she said: A fool & his/her money are easily parted.
In the end you will pay dearly for your greed.
If it seems too good to be true, it probably a scam.

Internet Fraud: How to Avoid Internet Investment Scams

Be Alert for Telltale Signs of Online Investment Fraud

• Be wary of promises of quick profits, offers to share "inside" information, and pressure to invest before you have an opportunity to investigate.
• Be careful of promoters who use "aliases." Pseudonyms are common on-line, and some salespeople will to try to hide their true identity. Look for other promotions by the same person.
• Words like "guarantee," "high return," "limited offer," or "as safe as a C.D." may be a red flag. No financial investment is "risk free" and a high rate of return means greater risk.
• Watch out for offshore scams and investment opportunities in other countries. When you send your money abroad, and something goes wrong, it's more difficult to find out what happened and to locate your money.
• If a company is not registered or has not filed a "Form D" with the SEC, visit the website of the North American Securities Administrators Association to find your state securities regulator.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

Taken from http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/cyberfraud/signs.htm

Beware of Scams!!!

All unsolicited spam E-mails, spim[unsolicited instant messages asking for ca$h] , Potential Lenders [requiring advance fees] Job offers[involving wire transfers/checks/paypal & RE-shipping goods overseas], Checks/money orders, Sob Stories[look out for people who may God's Name to scam you] from OVERSEAS & from the states are SCAMS!!

-Fred

Never Click on a Link that you saw in a unsolicited email.

Online Buyers: Never pay with Western Union or Money Gram - That's right -- never! These methods have proven to be unsafe when paying someone you don't know. -Ebay

If it seems too good to be true, it probably a scam. If it's unsolicited, it's a scam!!