| Scam Jam 2007 held
By Karen WilliamsonKARENW@CULLMANTIMES.COMExperts agree shredding mail, paying bills and viewing bank statements online, picking up new check orders at the bank and mailing bills at the post office are ways to stop identity theft.If people take those steps, they will have reduced their risk for identity theft considerably, according to Federal Trade Commission attorney Paul Davis from Atlanta who was one of the experts at the 2007 Scam Jam Wednesday at City Hall."That right there will eliminate a certain percentage of identity theft," he said.Paying bills online requires the use of anti-virus software and firewalls on personal computers, and both have to be updated regularly, he said.Davis recommends contacting one of the three consumer reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — every four months to request a free credit report."Federal law allows you to get free copies of each one every year," he said.That way people will know quickly if there is a problem.
'Security Risk' Blocks U.S. Troops Overseas from Free Credit Report Site
No Free Online Access for Millions of Americans YONKERS, N.Y., Oct. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Millions of U.S. citizens outside the country -- including several hundred thousand members of the armed forces -- are not permitted to see their personal credit information on the Web site set up by law to provide free access, over security concerns that an offshore user might create. Four years ago, the U.S. Congress mandated creating the http://www.annualcreditreport.com site that gives consumers free access to one report per year from each of the three major credit agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. The law that created that site, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 -- known as FACTA, or the FACT Act -- was designed to protect U.S.
Cat Damage to Ratty Carpet Shouldn't Cost Tenant
Q: We've been living in our apartment for 4 1/2 years. We'll be moving out after five. How do places typically handle carpet damage and old carpets? When we moved in, the carpet was not in great shape. I asked the rental office when it was put in, and they said 1999. That means that when we move out, the carpets will be nine years old. .
Former Rhodesian leader dies
Ian Smith, who defied the world in 1965 when he led 270,000 white Rhodesians in a unilateral declaration of independence from Britain rather than accept moves to black-majority rule, has died in South Africa aged 88. State-owned radio ZBC, reporting his death, said that: "Smith will be remembered for his racism and for the deaths of many Zimbabweans." Smith became prime minister of white-ruled Rhodesia in 1964 and remained in office until a guerrilla war forced him to accept a ceasefire and political settlement in 1979. Elections were held the following year, when Rhodesia became the black-ruled republic of Zimbabwe, with Robert Mugabe as prime minister. Smith remained vocal in opposition to Mugabe, even after the parliamentary seats reserved for whites were abolished in 1987.
Credit Counselor Mark Foster Teaches Financial Responsibility
FAYETTEVILLE -- Young couples struggling to balance income with expenses. Families mired in credit card debt. Retirees concerned about identity theft. Teenagers without a clue how to handle their finances.Mark Foster cares about them all.As director of education at Credit Counseling of Arkansas, Foster works with a wide variety of people. He leads seminars on a host of financial topics, coordinates outreach services and acts as media liaison. He's a featured financial expert on "KNWA Today" and hosts a quarterly show on Jones Television Network. He oversees 17 employees, including several who offer services in Spanish and Marshallese."We all have money," said Foster, 39. "How do you manage it? How do you budget it? What goals do you set? How do you manage credit wisely?"With all the pressures on American families today, it is essential for people to master their personal finances to survive and excel."CCOA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people improve their financial literacy.
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