FAA confirms data breach; 45,000 affected

FAA confirms data breach; 45,000 affected
http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=2803
A computer breach at the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has led to the theft of personal information on more than 45,000 employees and retirees, the agency confirmed this week.

Read about my ID Theft experience at http://www.myid.ws

Tips to Avoid Scams - If it Sounds too Good to be True, It Probably Is

A... Sign Up for Direct Deposit at Your Bank. There's no end to the creativity of scam artists. Seniors and people with low incomes are often the targets of scams. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect yourself from senior scams.

To avoid mail theft, avoid having checks mailed to your home.

If you receive any checks on a regular basis—like social security, disability, or stock dividends—have those checks deposited directly into your bank account.

B... Seniors: Look Out for Medicare Drug Discount Card Scams. Medicare drug discount cards are offered by a number of companies, and they can save you money. Unfortunately they are also popular with scam artists.

The best way to enroll for a Medicare-approved discount card--and avoid a senior scam--is by contacting Medicare directly for a list of approved companies. You can do this online or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Medicare drug discount cards cannot be sold by phone or through door-to-door sales. In addition, you should not need to provide proof of income, because Medicare can access your records from the IRS. If you are asked to provide proof of income, including bank accounts, you may be dealing with a fraudulent company.

C... Assign a Power of Attorney. A power of attorney gives a trusted person of your choice the power to make key financial or life decisions for you if you become incapacitated. Unfortunately, many people are taken advantage of by perpetrators of senior scams when they become ill or injured and cannot make good decisions for themselves.

Having someone who is legally empowered to make choices for you can save you from improper management of your finances, and it’s important to make execute your power of attorney before you become too ill to make this important decision.

D... Avoid Disclosing Personal or Financial Information to Avoid Senior Scams. Many senior scam perpetrators make calls or send email on behalf of a financial institution.

For example, they may say there's a problem with your bank or credit card account and ask you to verify the account numbers.

If you get one of these calls, ask for a name and phone number you can call back, and make that call to be sure you are dealing with your legitimate financial institution. If you cannot verify that the request is legitimate, do not provide the information.

E... Ignore Direct Mail Advertising to Avoid Senior Scams. Seniors are often the target of direct mail, which usually offers something for free or almost free but signs you up for further financial obligations.

If you receive a notice saying you won a contest or a cruise, read the fine print carefully for hidden costs to make sure it's not a senior scam.

And if you decide to consider the offer, ask someone you trust for a second opinion before you sign up.

F... Reduce Telemarketer Calls to Avoid Senior Scams. It can be hard to say no to a telemarketer, and that can mean financial disaster if you become a victim of a senior scam.

To avoid this situation, you can reduce the number of telemarketer calls you receive by registering with the federal government's "Do Not Call Registry."

You can register your land line phone or cell phone with the "Do Not Call Registry" online or by calling 1-888-382-1222.

Visit http://pandapicks.successblognet.com/category/senior-safety/ for more information on Senior Safety.

Visit: http://www.myid.ws for helpful tips to avoid identity theft.

What Are The Early Indications You May Be a Victim of Identity Theft?

If you have lost important identity or financial documents, such as your credit card, you are immediately at risk of identity theft. Your passport or driver’s license, or your social security number details, may enable an identity thief to pass himself off with your identity. Your credit card may enable a thief to undertake financial transactions in your name.

If your mail appears to be getting tampered with that may be an indication an identity thief is active. If your bank or credit card statements are not arriving as normal your alarm bells should certainly start to ring. A common identity theft tactic is to intercept these statements to delay your ability to see what is happening to your financial affairs.

A strong sign of identity theft is when bills begin to arrive for purchases you have not made. Keeping these from your attention is another reason why identity thieves may take a close interest in your mailbox.

Your mail, or part of it may have been redirected to another address, either through a redirection order being lodged in your name with the postal service, or by notifying a change of address to the people sending mail to you, especially your bank. If you suspect something is wrong with your mail deliveries, check whether this has happened.

If bank and credit card statements and bills are being intercepted in this way, there are other subtle signs of a developing problem that may still get through, such as thank you letters, receipts and follow up promotions from companies you have had no contact with.

The first really serious indication you may hear of a growing debt problem is when credit managers, financial institutions, debt collectors or solicitors try to contact you. This may be by telephone if your mail is still being tampered with.

You may encounter unexpected problems with financial services, such a large
purchase, loan, credit card or mortgage application that indicates your credit status has deteriorated. You can order a copy of your credit file from credit reference agencies to see whether it shows dealings with companies and transactions that you have no knowledge of.

You may be turned down for a state benefit of some kind or social security payment on the grounds you are already receiving it – because an identity thief has already claimed it in your name.

You may find that someone has taken out a mobile phone in your name, possibly
signing up for an expensive contract.

As soon as you feel there is sufficient evidence of an emerging problem you should initiate a review of your financial affairs, and begin talking to unfamiliar companies that seem to think they are doing business with you. The earlier you can detect identity theft and take action the less damage will be done to your reputation.

Please visit http://www.myid.ws for a personal story and what to do to protect yourself.

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The Book 422 Tax Deductions for Businesses and Self-Employed Individuals provides new understand why you should have a home-based business and file a Schedule "C" with your tax return.

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IRS Audit Launches
Emerita de Jesus Into Fight
To Get Her Name Back

Audits from the Internal Revenue Service are never welcome. But when Emerita de Jesus received a letter for failing to report earnings at a North Carolina poultry plant, it had a particularly unpleasant twist: The California housewife had never worked at the facility.

Instead, a Mexican worker there had used Ms. de Jesus' name and Social Security number to get hired. The situation caused years of grief for Ms. de Jesus, who fought a protracted battle beginning in 2003 to clear her name with creditors, the IRS and the ..............

Read the rest at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121807447764219305.html

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Spending only 4-hours each week at work

Imagine making enough money to pursue your hobbies like traveling around the world while spending only 4-hours each week at work. Timothy Ferriss claims to have a plan to help you accomplish this. We'll talk with the best-selling author of "The 4-hour Workweek"

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