Identity Theft: How It Happens And Avoiding It

You or someone you know may have experienced some form of identity theft.  The US government estimates that up to 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year (source ftc.com).  The crime takes many forms. Identity thieves may rent an apartment, obtain a credit card, or establish a telephone account in your name. You may not find out about the theft until you see your credit report or credit card or bank statement and notice unauthorized charges—or you get a call from a collection agency.

Frank Abignale the famous reformed thief whose story was told in the Leonardo DiCaprio movie Catch Me If You Can  has offered the following tips on how to avoid identity theft:

1. Don’t give out your Social Security number. It is the key to your credit history, bank accounts, and is the main target of criminals.
2. Monitor your credit report. Containing your SSN, employment history, current and closed bank account numbers, , and your credit score. After supplying your SSN after applying for a  credit card, loan, car rental or anything else, request that your SSN on the application be truncated or completely removed and your credit report be destroyed in front of you or returned once a decision has been made. The business only needs to keep your name and credit score for the record.
   
   
3. Cross-cut shred all bank and credit statements and unsolicited credit card offers before throwing them out. The crosscut shredders cost more than regular shredders but make it more difficult for dumpster diving thieves to reconstruct.
   
   
4. Ask for your name to be put on the Direct Marketing Associations do not call and do not mail lists. Reduce the number of pre-approved credit card offers you receive by contacting the credit reporting bureaus to have your name removed from their marketing lists.
5. Only carry the cards and other identity documents you need for your outing. If you lose your wallet or purse you’ll have less to cancel and less for thieves to use.

How do thieves steal an identity? - Source ftc.com

Identity theft starts with the misuse of your personally identifying information such as your name and Social Security number, credit card numbers, or other financial account information. For identity thieves, this information is as good as gold.

Skilled identity thieves may use a variety of methods to get hold of your information, including:

1. Dumpster Diving. They rummage through trash looking for bills or other paper with your personal information on it.
2. Skimming. They steal credit/debit card numbers by using a special storage device when processing your card.
3. Phishing. They pretend to be financial institutions or companies and send spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your personal information.
4. Changing Your Address. They divert your billing statements to another location by completing a change of address form.
   
   
5. Old-Fashioned Stealing. They steal wallets and purses; mail, including bank and credit card statements; pre-approved credit offers; and new checks or tax information. They steal personnel records, or bribe employees who have access.
6. Pretexting. They use false pretenses to obtain your personal information from financial institutions, telephone companies, and other sources.

How can you find out if your identity was stolen?

The best way to find out is to monitor your accounts and bank statements each month, and check your credit report on a regular basis. If you check your credit report regularly, you may be able to limit the damage caused by identity theft. For more information, visit the Detect Identity Theft section of the US Federal Trade Commission web site.

Unfortunately, many consumers learn that their identity has been stolen after some damage has been done.

• You may find out when bill collection agencies contact you for overdue debts you never incurred.
• You may find out when you apply for a mortgage or car loan and learn that problems with your credit history are holding up the loan.
• You may find out when you get something in the mail about an apartment you never rented, a house you never bought, or a job you never held.

For more information on what to do if it’s happened to you see the following link from the US Federal Trade Commission:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/consumers/defend.html

Financial Resolutions for 2008

By Jennifer and Andrea Kirby,
Kirby Financial Group  www.kirbyfinancialgroup.com

January is a great time to set financial resolutions. Here are some simple strategies to help you get started and to feel good about your financial outlook for the year. 

Where am I today?
The best place to start is to figure out where you are today. Creating a Net Worth statement will help give a good overview of your financial picture. First add up all your assets (your home, your RRSP accounts, non-registered accounts, RESPs, bank accounts), and then subtract your liabilities (mortgage, loans, credit line, credit cards etc).

Updating your net worth every few months will give you an idea about the progress you are making.

Track it
If you don't know what you are spending, it is difficult to figure out how much you can set aside for your financial goals. Keep your receipts for a month to figure out where your money is going. After every purchase, put each receipt in a jar and add it up at the end of the month.

This exercise often gives people ideas of where to trim spending to make room for some savings in their budget. Maybe taking your lunch a few times a week, and bringing coffee from home can help find another $200 for an RRSP contribution every month.

Goal-setting
Setting financial goals is the most important part of developing a financial plan. Annual goals can be divided up into quarters to make saving and investing a bit more manageable.

By writing down all your priorities, you will be able to divide these into smaller, more manageable projects for the year. Revisit these objectives every three months to make sure that you are on track for 2008.

Involve others
If everyone in the family can be on the same page, it will help make things much easier and help keep you accountable. Having a common financial vision can help bring peace when it comes to finances and will bring you closer together.

Reward yourself
If you accomplish your quarterly financial goals, treat yourself to a splurge that will help celebrate your success. Maybe it's a pedicure from your favorite spa or some new shoes. There is always room for fun in the budget!

Send us your financial resolutions for 2008!
Email Jennifer@kirbyfinancialgroup.com or Andrea@kirbyfinancialgroup.com

Jennifer Kirby is a Certified Financial Planner, Chartered Life Underwriter and Registered Health Underwriter with a passion for making sense out of complex financial products. Jennifer has been working in the financial planning industry since 1995 and has a proven track record for helping clients clarify their personal and financial objectives.

Andrea Kirby has and MBA from Simon Fraser University and joined Kirby Financial Group in 2007. Andrea is dedicated to providing clients with candid, up-front advice and excellent customer service.

Please contact us anytime if we can help you with creating a financial plan.

For Moms in Seattle Travelling With Wee Ones Just Got Easier

After having three children of their own, Kevin and Amie Brenner found that traveling was getting increasingly difficult.  It wasn't the kids that were making it challenging, it was all the gear that had to go with them!

Have you ever tried carrying a one year old, a car seat, four suitcases, a stroller, and a booster seat through the airport?  The Brenner's have and it is not easy.

The thought of traveling with children is stressful enough.  The thought of spending a week without your child's bouncy seat, baby swing, or crib is too much to handle. Kevin and Amie Brenner, founders of Tiny Tots Travel, LLC have made it their mission to make it easy for parents to travel lighter and safer.  By creating a premium full service baby equipment rental company that supplies full size cribs, high chairs, strollers, car seats, exersaucers, bouncy seats, toys, and more, parents can relax and enjoy traveling with their children.  Tiny Tots Travel, LLC opened for business this past December 2007 and services the greater Seattle area.

Renting baby equipment provides some definite advantages.  First and foremost, it means you can travel lighter.  Secondly, it is better than borrowing from friends, as you can never be sure if old or borrowed equipment has been recalled or meets today's safety standards.  Finally, how can you beat the prices and the fact that
the company will deliver the items right to your door.

"We have found that grandparents or people that have children coming to stay at their houses find renting baby equipment useful," states Amie, co-owner of Tiny Tots Travel, LLC.  "It just makes sense to them and certainly makes their visitors feel very welcomed".

"Parents are often concerned that our equipment will be old or dirty,"
says Amie. "but our equipment is in excellent condition, purchased brand new, JPMA certified, top ranked in consumer reviews, sterilized and safety inspected prior to each use. We are on an instant email alert system in regards to recalls, in which case we
would pull the item from use immediately.  We pride ourselves on having very high standards."

Tiny Tots Travel, LLC is also the only company in the Seattle area to rent gogo Kidz Travelmate strollers.  The FAA strongly recommends children under 40 lbs. be seated in a child car seat on an airplane.  The gogo Kidz Travelmate is a convenient attachment for a variety of convertible/toddler car seats.  Instead of carrying your
car seat and child through an airport, they can now be wheeled through a crowd!  "I was frustrated when I could not find a place to rent these Travelmate strollers.  We were going on a trip with the kids and I knew it would make our lives easier.  That
was the point I was determined to make renting items like these possible", states Amie.

"The thing we like most about our company is the customer interaction" Amie Brenner said.  "That makes it a very rewarding and fun job".

You can check out Tiny Tots Travel, LLC at http://www.tinytotstravel.com or call 425-943-0099.

True New Years Changes

New years resolutions usually involve less chocolate and more step counting, but is that really addressing the crux of our needs? While good health is part of the whole picture, there can be things more toxic to our health and well being than a few extra pounds. Take the unhealthy relationships like workplace bullying or back stabbing, for example. How about clutter and procrastination that are becoming self sabotaging? Among the most common and most damaging - how often are you living for other people's expectations?

The reason weight is so often tackled is that it is seen to have an easy course of action and it is a social lubricant like discussing the weather. Most people can relate and no one gets too far out of their comfort zone. So life goes on unchanged once the statistical percentage to fail at New Year's resolutions drops off in February. Old patterns are easily slipped into like a favorite flannel shirt and it won't be some time later in the year that you realize you are plodding in the same missteps as last year.
     

Breaking your cycle, whatever it may be, is not about repetitive action. Neither is it about a lone light bulb moment, but it is a continual conscious walking in a new direction that will become familiar at the next turn down the road. You won't notice yourself slipping into the new mold until you are in it for a while. Keep reminding yourself why you're doing what you're doing. Having a nagging notebook to read over holds you more accountable than telling others will.
     

A mission statement, while rescuing you from the cycle of failed resolution, is an organic way to chart out the path you truly want to take in life. Even if you have no idea of what your mission statement would be, write out a description of how you see your ideal life five years from now. It could be with more children, a house of your own, a shorter workweek, being debt free, enjoying a new hobby, travel, a deeper spiritual life, or healthier living. Write out everything — both the profound and the seemingly superficial. This list is your own private vision. It doesn't have to win awards.
     

Each segment of your life vision has a component of effort or reorganization of current priorities that will be necessary to reach it. Like the books on the secret to success say, simply writing your goals and dreams down make them more likely to happen. The simple reason is that when you say them out loud and record them, even if you forget about them, your subconscious won't, and will help you stumble upon opportunities to make them happen.
     

When you are making a decision or are struggling with negative feelings, pull out your list holding journal and examine what you called important to your life in a more clear moment. Often the urgent matters that stress us in the day to day are not the truly important ones.
     

Start the New Year keeping a journal of how you spend your day, including time actually spent. You will more readily be able to identify draining or time wasting activities, space for new endeavors, and will be able to be objective about things you may be currently underestimating such as hours of sleep per night.
     

Formulating a mission statement and starting to work on it does not necessitate drastic action such as signing up for an expensive gym membership, throwing out all your possessions, or making any sort of dramatic regimen. All it means is that you will be living your life on something closer to what you value and that is a very good thing.

Technical Support Representative (Help Desk)

25 hrs/wk (hours of work are flexible between 9am to 5pm,

If you like helping others, solving problems, are willing to learn and have some experience with PC hardware, software or networking, this could be the opportunity you are looking for.

Nexent Innovations is a small dynamic software provider with a global reach. Our Miracle Service^TM and Service Accent^TM business management software help service companies and their technicians become more efficient and profitable. We are currently seeking a motivated individual to join our team. This energetic individual would be responsible for providing front line telephone and e-mail customer support of Miracle Service^TM and Service Accent^TM software to a wide range of international customers in a timely and professional manner.

About the Job:

• Answer and log customer calls and e-mails, identify problems and provide long-term solutions.
• Escalate questions to the appropriate level of support
• Document solutions and update corporate Knowledge Database
• Support/Consult/Coach customers on the appropriate solution to their unique needs regarding software
• Present a positive and professional image to customers
• Provide data conversion services
• Installation and deployment assistance for new applications and upgrades
• Participate in hardware/software testing and implementation
• Other related duties (such as shipping software to new customers)

About You. You bring:

• Exceptional customer service skills (essential)
• Strong communication skills-both verbal and written, interpersonal skills, telephone etiquette and an ability to communicate effectively with non-technical users (essential)
• Ability to multitask (talk, type, listen)
• Basic knowledge of computer operations, networking and databases.
• Good understanding of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel)
• Proven analytical and problem solving skills with problem resolution experience
• Prior call center and/or software experience would be an asset.

Bring your strong aptitude for learning software quickly and we'll provide you with complete training on our software solutions.

Please e-mail your resume to: techjobs@nexent.com.

We regret that we are unable to respond to all applications. Only those individuals who meet skill level requirements will be contacted.