Show Ask A Specialist by Utah State University Extension IIOWCANI PREVENT IDENTITY THEFT? byChristine E Jensen USU Extension Family Consumer Science Agent Emery County Identity theft is becoming more common Victims of identity theft can spend months or even years along with money cleaning up their good name and credit record Identity thieves can use personal information to take over credit accounts and open new ones They can use your good credit to get a job take out a car loan or rent an apartment Identity theft victims can lose job opbe refused loans for portunities education housing or cars or even for arrested crimes they didn’t get commit While it’s not possible to completely prevent identity theft and or credit fraud you can reduce its likelihood by managing personal information carefully Consider these tips Find out who has access to your information at work Be sure to verify that records are kept in a secure location and are accessible only to employees who have a gitimate reason to access them Shred or burn all papers that contain personal information To prevent thieves from going through your trash or recycling bin to obtain personal information tear or shred charge receipts credit applications insurance forms bank statements expired credit cards and credit offers You should never throw them in the garbage intact Make sure business offices do the same with documents containing your information Pay attention to your billing cycles Contact creditors immediately if your bills arrive late A missing bill can mean an identity thief has taken over your credit card account and changed your billing address Deposit outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local post office Be careful about giving out personal financial information Whether by phone mail or the never give anyone your credit card number Social Security number or other personal formation unless you initiated the activity and understand the transaction Ask to use other types of identifiers when possible When ordering checks have initials (instead of full first names) and last name printed on them If your checkbook is stolen thieves will not know whether you sign your checks with initials first name or a shortened name Your bank will know how you sign your checks and will pull suspicious checks and call to verify the purchase When using your checking account to pay credit card accounts do not put the full account number on the “Memo” line Instead only include the last four digits of the account The credit card company knows the rest of the number and those handling your check as it passes through the processing channels wont have access to the full number Put your woik phone number on your checks instead of your home number If you have a post office box use that instead of your physical address Never have your drivers cense or Social Security numbers printed on the checks Advertising in the newspaper is like adding fertilzer to your soil! Call the Salina Sun and Avoid carrying your Social Security card in your wallet unless you know you will need it for a specific purpose This is the most the important and consequently r most piece of perAlso be causonal information tious with your health insurance card since your account number is often the same as your Social Security number College students should be especially careful with student identification cards since the student identification number is often a Social Security number Students should ask for a randomly generated number if possible Refrain from giving your number unless it is for a legitimate a such as completing purpose loan application Any agency or business can ask for your Social Security number but only a few entities such as motor vehicle departments tax departments banks browelfare departments kerages and employers can actudemand it ally Make photocopies of the contents of your wallet Copy both sides of each license credit card etc Keep copies in a place separate from your wallet Usually the phone number for reporting stolen cards is on the back of the card If all the information is copied porting a theft won’t be difficult If you have a passport make a and keep in a safe photocopy place This will aid you in replacing the document if it is stolen Guard your credit cards Minimize the information and the number of cards you carry in your wallet If you lose a card contact the fraud division of the credit card company If you apply for a new credit card and it doesn't arrive in a reasonable period contact the issuer Watch cashiers when you give them your card for a purchase Also when you receive a new card sign it in permanent ink and activate it immediately Make sure all cards are signed Do not leave cards blank since anyone can sign and use a blank card Never fax your credit card number Your credit card number can remain in the fax basket at the other ’end for hours Anyone passing by ‘can record your number and gin to use your card number fraudulently It is even possible for criminals to intercept your credit card number while the fax is in transmission Be smart about passwords and Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) Memorize your passwords and PINs instead of carrying them with you Avoid using easily available information like your mother’s maiden name your birth date the last four digits of your Social Security number your phone number or a series of consecutive numbers When making Internet purchases look for an address that begins The “s” indicates that it https: is a secure connection and a small padlock symbol should appear in the bottom right hand corner of Jim Olsen Weighty Thoughts Saturday June 12 Lori and participated in “Learn to Row Day" at the Great Salt Lake Marina We went to try our hand at "sculling" The Great Salt Lake Rowing Club and clubs all over the country sponsored a learn to row day for anyone interested trying the sport for the first time We learned about the event by watching a news report last year and determined to try the sport this year The rowing club had set up a couple of rowing machines to show people the proper way to use their legs and then sent them to the docks where four boats with experienced instructors were ready Lori and took our turns It was fun and think On while doing laps at the Gunnison pool only a couple of men swim compared to the ladies doing laps and the classes filled with women At night Lori and often walk the Gunnison High School track Again women are using the facility it much higher numbers than the men The craze for fitness is very much a women’s market More and more women are working out at the gym taking Yoga or aerobics classes biking or walking around town or the track Beside all that some are working out at home Have you seen the huge variety of workout videos geared to women? know when my mother was young there was no big push to be fit and hit the gym Lori first worked with weights 20 in Axtell News Audrey Boore to the GunniCongratulations son Valley Middle School students from Axtell who earned status on the fourth quarter Honor Roll 6'' Grade — Breeaunna Davis Nicole Mecham Drew Despain Megan Cejudo 7 Grade — Samuel Brown Cheyenne Thatcher 8 Grade — Terra Joe Despain ArvaLee Bertelson’s newest Keely Lynn was granddaughter to Kurtly and Karen bom May Bcrtelson of Ephraim Bernitta Mecham’s grandson returned Elder Aaron Harward home form his mission on Thurs- years ago when we lived Idaho She would hop on her day June 10 2004 He has been bike and ride to the YMCA She serving in the Prague Czech Rewas the only women among the public Mission Elder Harward will men lifting weights Today it speak in the Gunnison First Ward seems to have reversed Where on Sunday June 20 2004 His parare all the men? Don’t tell me ents are Lisa and Adrian Harward all you guys get your workout of Gunnison on the farm Some of you do of Stella and Jay Jensen have had course but there are some of company for several weeks now you men with big guts that need brother Floyd and wife Jay’s trimming for your heart’s sake Are you men uncomfortable at Julie were here over Memorial Day Weekend Granddaughter Tarnmie we may try it again in the the lady laden gym? ture Are women the stronger and Clint Baning and daughter But while we were there sex? Literally? Women are Allison of Glendale Oregon spent observed something that think strong competitors in the time with them as well as Aunts is a regrettable trend The maworkforce they are aggressive Catherine Sally and Charminc and jority of the people trying the in the dating world there is a their families A few days later lot of male bashing in the mesport while we were there were grandson Joshua and Brandi think was one of only dia and now women may bewomen Frandsen and son Bayler of San four or five men while better coming physically stronger than Antonio Texas joined the family than 25 women tried their hand us men Men we know resisat rowing tant training along with a regu- for more visiting and dinners have been working out at lar cardio workouts will help us Tarnmie and Joshua and families the Gunnison High Fitness live longer Hey women already Center and know that there are live longer than men The world generally four men who work may soon be dominated by out regularly compared to the strong tone women Men are 20 or more women that show going to be sick unfit or dead Let’s not give them more advanup every week Sometimes feel like the only rooster in the tage Men shape up before we The Daughters of Utah Piohen house get shipped out Go try a new neers met at the LDS Church have also noticed that sport! also spent other sometime with their grandmother Willardson and their families Don and Eunice Despain have been busy traveling this summer They recently returned from a cruise and now have gone with the Young Men and Young Women and the chaperones on the Pioneer Trek to Marlins Cove WY The departure time was the early morning hours on Monday June 14 They joined with Mayfield and Fayette youth Stephanie Boore spent all lust week in Cedar City at Girls State She said it was a great learning experience about city county and slate governments and how they work Tyler and Brooke Blackburn and family have traveled to California to attend the graduation of Tyler’s sister from Stanford University Ladies remember Super Saturday June 19'hat 8 am starting with the early morning breakfast followed by working on 72 hour kits and a quilt for the 4"’ of July auction This will take the place of the Wednesday evening meeting Come help make this a great morning Wishing all the fathers a very happy Father’s Day next Sunday Barbara Christensen your screen indicating it is safe to transmit your credit card number If your purse or wallet is stolen: Cancel all credit cards immediately Contact the financial institution where yoii “have your checking and savings accounts Generally your local bank can place a fraud alert on your accounts faster than a central number Call the three national credit porting agencies immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number This alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen and it should contact you by phone to authorize new credit To place a fraud alert on your account or to report fraud contact: or write: Equifax: PO Box 740241 AtlantaGA Experian (formerly TRW): or write: PO Box 9532 Allen TX 75013 Body-Mind'Sc- building in Redmond on Thursday June 10“ to tie a quilt for a fundraiser Sherman Christensen has been working on the grounds of the He has put in a DUP building sprinkler system and recycled from the cemetery potted plants by planting them at the DUP build- Trans Union: or write: Fraud Victim Assistance Division PO Box 6790 Fullerton CA Security Administration (fraud line): File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stoing The Cub Scouts would apprecilen This indicates to credit proate donations of Cub Scout and viders you were diligent in handling the theft It’s also the first Boy Scout shirts or any other step if a criminal investigation is parts of the uniform that you may have tucked away in the back of ever needed Check your credit report reguyour closet Please contact Marcia larly Checking your credit report Bosshardl at Renee McCall is our new 2nd will ensure an early alert on posWard History Leader Renee can sible accounts or fraudulent acwith credit This can help you get your history started tivity your help prevent costly problems You Contact her at The Young Men and Women of may need to pay a nominal fee for a copy Requesting a copy of your the First Ward traveled to the credit report docs not affect your Manti Temple to do baptisms for credit report in a negative way It the dead on June 2"’ A youth fireside was held in Salina at the Stake is also a good idea to review your credit report from each of the three Center on Sunday June !3" Bryan Jeppson and his son Eric major credit reporting agencies visited here with his parents Sherm every year It is possible that formation is being reported to one and Barbara Christensen on Sunbut not the others day June 6' Social ml Jay and Ronnie Bosshardl were able to spend the last three weeks traveling around India and France Josh Car and Josh Wasden have been sustained as Single Adult for the Salina Representatives Slake Hal Jensen was released from the Salina Stake High Council Stan Simpson was sustained in that position on Sunday June 6' Hal and Diana Jensen have moved from Redmond to Richfield We wish them the best of luck in the future Jeramiah and Shilo Carlson's baby daughter was given a name and a blessing on Sunday June 6lh in the Redmond Second Ward Her name is Kaylce Carlson Many friends and family members tended Julia Farrington and Luke Lossee were married on Saturday June 5h at the Redmond Church A reception honoring the couple followed Family Home Evening was held at the home of Terry and Concha June 7lh Alhquist on Monday were Barbara and Attending Sherma Christensen Sanoma Bosshardl and Ron Bosshardl NOW OPEN a ‘JiN ‘2£ Wellness Center Massage Therapy rvy y ' Twm Offices in Gunnison and Ml Pleasant Karen G Morrow-LM- T Licensed Massage Therapist s ? 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