Consumer Information
(Our Thoughts on) Mail Theft in Hermitage, PA
Channel 11 News reports mail theft on the rise, police warn homeowners to take precautions In Hermitage, a suburb of Pittsburgh, police have received multiple complaints from five different neighborhoods of mail stolen from unlocked mailboxes, and have apprehended no suspects. According to this report by Channel 11 news, its happening so frequently that local…
Read MoreMail ID Thief Sentenced, Lessons to Be Learned
Seattle PI reports identity thief stole victims’ mail; provide identity theft prevention tips On Saturday, January 24, 2009, the Seattle Post Intelligencer ran the story, “Identity thief gets 10-year sentence for stealing $200K,” originally reported here and reprinted below. This is another serious case of mail identity theft close to home, and while we are…
Read More“ID Theft Soaring as Woes Worsen” in Utah
Deseret News advocates caution and prevention Sunday, March 15, 2009 — The Deseret News of Salt Lake City, Utah published this story. The main points of the article (included in full below) are: Paperwork (specifically mail) makes you vulnerable to identity theft 16% increase in identity theft cases in Utah since September 2008 (FTC) Identity…
Read MoreTips to Survive Tax Season Identity Intact
Tax season is like Christmas for identity thieves. They know sensitive information abounds and they are on the prowl looking to take full advantage of this special time of year. No matter how you prepare and file your taxes, it is important to be cautious and aware when handling your most personal information. Here are…
Read MoreUSPS Approval 101
What You Won’t Believe About “USPS Approval” In order to stamp “US Mail approved by the Postmaster General” on a mailbox, the manufacturer must demonstrate that their manufacturing process is sound, and that the mailbox product meets a certain level of quality and integrity when subjected to harsh environmental conditions. However, the USPS does not…
Read MoreIdentity Theft Up 22% in 2008
According to the 2009 Identity Theft Survey Report (preview here) by Javelin Research, identity theft is on the rise. The number of identity theft victims rose 22% to a record 9.9 million in 2008, up from 8.1 million in 2007. While losses and subsequent consumer costs have decreased due to increased protections, the overall number and percentage of…
Read MoreVictim of Identity Theft?
You can change your Social Security Number as a last resort The Consumerist, an online resource for smart consumers and self-proclaimed “blog biased towards the consumer”, recently responded to one concerned American’s question, “Can I change my Social Security Number?” here. The post (reprinted below) elicited an interesting comment thread from interested readers on the…
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