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Monday, March 19, 2007Other Dates

Web sites/phone numbers mentioned:

stolenidsearch.com - find out if you're SSN has been compromised
volition.com - work from home help
liveops.com - work from home help
workingsol.com - work from home help
alpineaccess.com - work from home help
ripoffreport.com - read about scams before getting duped

2010 census asks what it should

Clark has always been averse to the intense snooping that the Census Bureau does each year. It’s something Americans have a duty to reply to, but the government’s questions have become increasingly more intrusive. The census is supposed to count the number of people in the country, not help government agencies snoop on citizens. And apparently the government is listening to its citizens because the tentative 2010 census looks pretty fair. Most people are going to be asked only four questions, which is great. There will be bonus questions for people who are Hispanic and people of other races. But, in general, the census appears to do what it is supposed to this time. Now, if you find a question intrusive or offensive, simply don’t answer it. It’s your prerogative.

Get credit report errors removed the right way

When you get a copy of your credit report online and there is an error, you probably dispute it just like it says on the report, right? They tell you right what to do on the report, and you assume it’s being taken care of by the credit bureau. But then six months later you get a notice saying the error stands. The reason is because the credit bureau that sends you the information is not actually doing the investigation. They don’t want to spend the money that the law requires to investigate, so they have another company do it that doesn’t really look into the matter too deeply. So, what you have to do is initiate the dispute process first and then contact the company that listed the false information. You must tell the company that you have talked to the credit bureau and you want it removed. If you do those two things, you greatly improve your chances of having the error removed. Often, the error will appear because of an ID theft. In that case, you’ll usually be required to provide some type of affidavit that it was not you. If you have to submit a “redispute,” you need suppression technology that keeps the item from reappearing on the report. But you need to make sure you get it off there. An error on your credit report can eat you up financially.

Cameras in cars spy on Midwest teens

Cameras are everywhere now, as you may know. Digital cameras are so inexpensive that there is a huge risk of being watched and it can get pretty creepy. But cameras can also be a lifesaver. As you may or may not know, the No. 1 cause of death for teenagers these days is automobile accidents. What if you could save the life of a teenager with a snooping digital camera? One insurance company has partnered with the University of Iowa to design a camera that spies on teens as they drive, according to the Arizona Republic. The digital cameras have artificial intelligence that can sense when something is awry in the car or on the road. It records it all and alerts parents. So, it’s a lot like having a nanny in the car because kids tend to drive better. Now, that company – American Family Mutual Insurance – is going to offer the device to parents in Wisconsin, Indiana and Minnesota for free. The information won’t go back to the company on individuals, so it won’t affect individual rates. But it will allow the company to see what behaviors are putting teens in the most danger. Not to mention the fact that parents will know what their kids are up to. Teenagers are going to drive; that is a given. But during the Iowa study, teens admitted they drove safer when there is a camera on them.

SSNs compromised by gov't and cities

For the 7th consecutive year, identity theft is the No. 1 complaint filed with the federal government. In fact, it accounts for almost 40 percent of all complaints made today. It happens for all kinds of reasons, including local governments putting your social security number on Web sites. There is a lot of focus on industry being sloppy with our numbers, but government is just as guilty. In Texas, the state’s Attorney General has made it a crime for any government agency or individual to post this information. Even if it’s done inadvertently, that government worker can be charged with a crime. There is a site that allows you to see if your social security number has been compromised. It is called stolenidsearch.com. The site tries to push other ID theft prevention software that costs money, but don’t buy into those. Just enter your number and read what it says. So, where are you at the greatest risk to have your identity stolen? Based on per capita, the Top 10 in reverse order are Springfield, Ill.; 9 - Dallas; 8 – Portland, OR; 7 -Phoenix ; 6 – Atlanta; 5 – Greenville, MS; 4 – Little Rock, Ark.; 3 – Los Angeles; and 2 – Detroit. The city where it is most likely to happen is New York City. Just because someone asks for your social security number, doesn’t mean you have to give it.
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