Identity
Theft: Part 1
Become
educated about ID theft and take steps to protect yourself.
Identity
theft is a real threat. It is happening all around us and
perhaps even to people you know. In the U.S. it was estimated
that for a one-year span of time there were 10 million people
affected by identity theft. In addition to the financial costs
it is reported that it takes an average of 175 hours for a
victim to resolve the effects of an identity theft.
Common
ways ID theft occurs:
- Dumpster
diving (criminals rummaging through your trash looking for
bills or other important papers).
- Skimming
(stealing credit/debit card numbers when cards are processed).
- Phishing
(get you to reveal your personal information by pretending
to be your financial institution).
- Other
computerized scams (pharming, keystroke-logging).
- Changing
your address (diversion of your billing statements to another
location).
- “Old-Fashioned”
Stealing (wallets, purses, mail, pre-approved credit offers,
new checks or tax information).
- Camera
phones (photographing of your credit and debit cards while
used in a store).
- Shoulder
Surfing (criminals watching and listening for your transaction
information).
- Fraudulently
obtaining your credit report (criminals posing as a landlord
or employer to get your information).
The
first signs that you might be a victim of ID theft:
- You
are denied credit for no apparent reason.
- Routine
financial statements stop arriving in a timely manner.
- You
receive phone calls from creditors on accounts you’ve
never authorized.
- A new
or renewed credit card is not received.
- You
receive unexpected credit card or account statements.
If
you are a victim:
- Immediately
file a report with your local police and get a copy.
- Place
a “Fraud Alert” on your credit reports at each
of the three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian,
Trans Union).
- Get
copies of your three credit reports and review the reports
carefully. (Placing a Fraud Alert entitles you to free copies).
- Close
accounts that have been tampered with or established fraudulently.
- Report
the theft to the Federal Trade Commission (ftc.gov/idtheft
or 1-877-ID-THEFT).
- Contact
your creditors, financial institutions and check verification
companies.
- Keep
a detailed log of all actions and keep all records even
after your case is closed.
To
avoid becoming a victim:
- Shred
financial documents and paperwork with personal information.
- Protect
your Social Security number (don’t carry your card
with you or write your number on a check).
- 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 e-mails.
- Use
firewalls, anti-spyware and anti-virus software and keep
them up-to-date. (Visit OnGuardOnline.gov
for more information).
- Don’t
use an obvious password.
- Shop
only on secure websites (padlock or “https”
in the address bar).
- Use
credit, not debit when on-line shopping and don’t
store your financial information in an “account”
on the website.
- Keep
your personal information in a secure place at home.
- Order
and review credit reports regularly and utlize a Credit
Tracking Service.
- Sign
up for Favorite’s direct deposit.
- Visit
the FBI’s site “lookstoogoodtobetrue.gov”
for tips.
Stay tuned
for a Part 2 of this article on medical identity theft.
[Top] |
Favorite
Rewards: Gift Giving Made Easy
Use
your Rewards points to get great Holiday gifts!
As
Thanksgiving arrives, so does the gift-giving season. There
never seems to be enough time to shop for all the important
people in your life. Why not order gifts with your Favorite
Rewards points? There are a variety of great gift ideas for
adults and kids of all ages.
Besides
the great selection, ordering gifts from Favorite is a great
way to keep your holiday budget under control. You’re
earning Favorite Rewards points with every shift you work…why
not spend a few points instead of spending big bucks?
Order
today to ensure that your gifts arrive in time to brighten
the wintery days! Visit the Rewards
website to find the perfect gift!
Here
are just a few great gift ideas:
|
|
Skagen
Denmark Watch Gift Set
1970 Points
|
SKYFi2-satellite
radio
2840 Points
|
|
|
500
Piece Executive Poker Set
2060 Points
|
Bulova
Wall Clock
4310 Points
|
|
Travel
to Montana!
Longing
for an old fashioned holiday? Travel with Favorite to Montana!
 Why
make your own holiday travel arrangements when we can do it
for you? Favorite can provide a great compensation package
including housing in the area of your choice. Call us today
at 1-800-755-1411 to find out about our contract assignments
in Montana and get ready to celebrate the holidays in in the
great outdoors!
Montana
welcomes visitors with a friendly atmosphere. Travel to eastern
Montana and travel back in time. Makoshika State Park near
Glendive features fossilized dinosaur remains while Miles
City keeps the Old West alive as the state’s Cow Capital.
In Billings, the state’s largest town, discover Montana’s
1900s wealthy business days at the Moss Mansion, and Pictograph
State Park provides a glimpse of Montana’s earliest
residents.
 Continuing
to south-central and southwestern Montana, Butte’s copper
mining history is evident at the Berkeley Pit, Copper King
Mansion, and the World Museum of Mining. In Three Forks, learn
about the adventures of Lewis and Clark and witness the three
forks of the Missouri River. Bozeman offers the Museum of
the Rockies, while a drive south takes you through Gallatin
Canyon to Big Sky. Farther south, West Yellowstone provides
an up-close view of wildlife at the Grizzly Discovery Center,
and Virginia City takes visitors back to its gold mining heyday
with an original main street featuring 130-year-old buildings.
In addition
to interesting cities and historical sites, Montana offers
access to two national parks. In the southwest, travel through
Livingston, Paradise Valley, Gardiner, and Mammoth Hot Springs
on your way to Yellowstone, the nation’s first national
park. Situated just outside of the park’s eastern border,
Cooke City is a popular snowmobiling area and provides access
to breathtaking views along the Beartooth Scenic Highway.
In the northwestern corner of the state, Glacier National
Park awards visitors with wildlife close-ups and exhilarating
vistas from the Going to the Sun Road.
 Montana
offers outstanding fishing on the state’s abundant trout-filled
rivers. Or instead, try your hand at whitewater rafting, horseback
riding, mountain biking, or hiking in the state’s national
forests and wilderness areas. In the winter, create a Montana
ski vacation you’ll always remember. Big Mountain Ski
Area, Big Sky Ski Resort, Moonlight Basin, Red Lodge, Bridger
Bowl, and dozens of smaller hills provide months of fine powder.
Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling are also state
favorites.
Let Favorite
take you there! Call our Travel Nurses Services at 800-755-1411
for details!
[Top] |
Thanksgiving
Recipe
Here’s
a fresh idea for that traditional Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.
Apple
Butter Pumpkin Pie
- 1
cup apple butter
- 1
cup fresh or canned pumpkin
- 1/2
cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2
teaspoon salt
- 3/4
teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4
teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8
teaspoon ground ginger
- 3
eggs, slightly beaten
- 3/4
cup evaporated milk
- 1 unbaked
9-inch pie shell
- Sweetened
whipped cream, for garnish
Preheat
oven to 425 degrees F. Combine apple butter, pumpkin, sugar,
salt and spices in a bowl. Stir in eggs. Gradually add milk
and mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake for about 40 minutes
or until set.
[Top] |
