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Welcome to this week's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, June 1, 2008
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Steps to Take if You are a Victim of Identity Theft
Tips & Tricks: Google Movie Information
This Week's Topic: Email Signatures in Yahoo
Question: Annoying Forwarded Emails
Websites of Interest: Quit Smoking; Coffee; Senior Citizens Resources
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Special Feature: Steps to Take if You are a Victim of Identity Theft
According to the Federal Trade Commission, every year more than 10 million people are victims of identity theft.
We have just finished up our series on protecting yourself from identity theft on the Internet (links to our newsletter archives are below this article). We hope that this information and the following article from scambusters.org will help you stay safe and secure out there!
Identity theft -- it's a moment we all dread happening. You get a credit card statement packed with things you didn't buy. Or a bill collection agency contacts you for overdue debts you didn't run up. Or you apply for a loan only to find what you thought was your great credit record has been wrecked.
These are just some of the ways you might discover you're the victim of identity theft -- when someone steals your personal financial details, like credit card and Social Security numbers and then passes themselves off as you while they go on a spending spree or even assume your identity for employment.
Once you get over the initial shock of discovery though, there are several key things you can do to limit the impact of the crime, to minimize your own personal financial loss and to get your credit record -- and your life -- back on the rails as soon as possible.
We've compiled a list of 7 of the most important things you should do as soon as you know you're the victim of identity theft. This isn't legal advice -- we recommend you talk to your attorney if you are an ID theft victim.
Nonetheless, here are 7 things to do as quickly as you can:
1. Tell the major credit bureaus -- Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Call them or visit their websites. Don't rely, as some suggest, on one agency promising to tell the others.
Request free copies of your current reports, telling the bureaus you think you're the victim of identity fraud. Ask them to issue a credit freeze or fraud alert and add a statement to your credit record. New credit can't be issued without your personal approval.
2. Tell the Social Security Administration if the thief has or may have access to your Social Security number. Call the SSA Fraud Hotline at 800-269-0271.
If it's possible someone has used your identity to get employment, request and check your Social Security and Earnings Benefit Statement for jobs you've never had. Work with the SSA to unravel what has happened and correct your records. A new Social Security number is almost impossible to get.
3. Tell the Police. File an Identity Theft Report and make sure you get a copy that you can, in turn, copy and send to the credit bureaus and anyone who claims you owe them money. Sometimes these can be filed online.
This is actually very important. Although you probably won't get much police action (sadly, ID theft is just too common a crime -- it happens to too many people every year and the police don't have the resources to follow through), there are two reasons filing a report is still important.
First, if the police are able to find an identity thief, your report can be instrumental in prosecuting them. Second, you'll need the police report as documentation as you try to rebuild your credit.
4. Tell your bank, credit card or store card companies. Close accounts that have been tampered with. If in doubt, close it.
Important: Insist they tag closed accounts with the word 'closed at customer's request'; other wording like 'card stolen' can affect your credit rating. Cancel any stolen checks.
5. File an ID Theft Complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). They maintain a database of identity thefts.
Download and complete the FTC's Identity Theft Affidavit here.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/affidavit.pdf
Get it notarized.
This is especially useful if someone has opened a new account in your name, rather than hijacked an existing account.
The FTC website is a great resource for guidance on ID theft.
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/
6. Tell everyone else: make sure to notify every single organization whose membership/ID cards, customer numbers or other property may have been stolen. These might include:
- Your cell phone company
- The DMV (for driver's license)
- The US Postal Service (if your address is being used fraudulently)
- The US State Department (for passports)
- Your health insurer
- Even your local library
- Utility companies, city or county authorities (if your identity has been used to obtain their services)
7. Change all passwords and pin numbers on any accounts or cards you are 100% certain are not compromised.
There are a number of other things you might want to do, depending on the circumstances -- like checking your house deed records or other documents where thieves may have forged signatures.
Important: keep a written record of everything you do, everyone you deal with, the names of the people you speak with (always get their names), the dates and times you spoke to them, their phone numbers and any other reference numbers they give you.
Ensure you have documentation for every disputed purchase or debt -- from the card companies and any creditors who say you owe them money. Keep all of these documents forever.
And when the whole thing is over, go back to the credit bureaus and work with them to rebuild your credit record accurately if it has been damaged.
Above all, follow these rules throughout the process:
- Don't panic or lose your temper; you'll waste time.
- Be prepared to spend a lot of time sorting things out; never give up; be absolutely meticulous.
- If you know how the theft happened, take whatever steps are necessary to make sure it doesn't occur again. You can find more information on identity theft here.
http://www.scambusters.org/identitytheft.html
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If you missed our series, Identity Theft on the Internet – Protect Yourself, please visit our newsletter archives using the links below:
Tip #1 Never Put Personal or Financial Information In An Email
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/033008.html
Tip #2 Beware of Phishing Attempts
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/040608.html
Tip #3 Never Post Personal Information Online
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/041308.html
Tip # 4 Never Click on Pop Up Advertising Windows
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/042008.html
Tip # 5 Never Put Personal Information on an Insecure Website
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/042708.html
Tip # 6 Never Leave Information on a Public Computer
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/050408.html
Tip # 7: Never Use East to Guess Password
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/051108.html
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Tips & Tricks: Google Movie Information
Use Google to look up movie reviews, locations and show times.
Enter the word Movies followed by the name of the movie you want to see, your town and your state. Google will return the names of the theatres nearby and the show times.
Please visit our archives for the Google Tips and Tricks we featured in previous editions of our newsletter:
Google Dictionary
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/021008.html
Google Stock Watch
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/021708.html
Google Calculator
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/022408.html
Google Weather
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/030208.html
Google Worldwide Clock
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/030908.html
Google Measurement Conversion
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/041308.html
Google Facts
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/042008.html
Google Flight Status
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/042708.html
Google Phone Directory
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/050408.html
Google Reverse Phone Number Lookups
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/051108.html
Google Area Code Lookup
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/051808.html
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Today's Topic: Email Signatures in Yahoo
Question: I liked your article last week about creating a permanent signature in Outlook Express. I use Yahoo for my email; could you send the steps for that?
Answer:
An email signature contains text that you type once, set up the signature, and it appears at the bottom of every email you send.
Here are the steps to create an email signature in Yahoo mail:
Open your browser and go to your Yahoo mail page. Click Options near the top right corner. Scroll down and click Signature.
A window will open. Type in the text you would like to have in your signature. there is a toolbar that you can use to change the font size and color, add special effects and put in a smiley.
When you are done, click the Save button at the bottom left.
The text you typed in there will now appear at the bottom of every email you send.
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Question: Annoying Forwarded Emails
I have several friends who seem to forward every single email they receive. I am so tired of the jokes, politics, cute pictures, warnings and more. How can I stop this without offending the sender?
Answer:
That is a tough one! All of us get so many of these emails almost daily and, we agree, it is very ANNOYING! Here is a great article by Judith Kallos over at netmanners.com, about net etiquette and the correct way to forward email. Copy and paste it into an email and send it on to all of your friends who “over click” that forward button!
Five Rules of Forwarding Emails
Forwarding of emails is one of the topics I get contacted about the most. And, one which also causes hurt feelings and misunderstandings more than any other topic. Daily, emails flow in from onliners asking about a "nice way" of telling someone they care about, relative, friend or associate to not forward attachments, chain emails, religious and political commentary or the jokes that are so prevalent online.
Netizens are afraid to ask others to stop and those who are asked to stop, no matter how nicely, get offended and feel as though their thoughtfulness is not appreciated. But let's think about this a moment. How really thoughtful is it to click the forward arrow, then a bunch of email addresses and hit send? Well, your brain had to "think" about those steps but does that make the effort truly "thoughtful." I don't think so...
Here are the 5 Rules of Forwarding Emails that those who are being truly thoughtful follow. If everyone followed them all the problems associated with forwarded emails could be avoided. Sticking to these guidelines will assist both those thinking they are thoughtful and those who don't want to appear otherwise:
1. Don't forward anything without editing out all the forwarding >>>>, other email addresses, headers and commentary from all the other forwarders. Don't make folks look amongst all the gobbly-gook to see what it is you thought was worth forwarding. If you must forward, only forward the actual "guts" or content of the email that you are of the opinion is valuable. Check out this neato free program to help you out: Email Stripper.
2. If you cannot take the time to write a personal comment at the top of your forwarded email to the person you are sending to - then you shouldn't forward it at all.
3. Think carefully about if what you are forwarding will be of value (accurate information -- check for hoaxes @ Snopes.com), appreciated (something the recipient needs) or humorous (do they have the same sense of humor as you do) to the person on the other side. Or do you just think it is worthy? If you cannot think of why the person you are forwarding to would like to receive the email - then don't forward it. If on company time using company e-mail -- think not twice, but three times if forwarding is worth the risk of your on the job credibility and professionalism being diminished.
4. It should go without saying (But I have to say it because folks do so anyway.) that forwarding of chain letters; regardless how noble the topic may seem, virus warnings or anything that says "forward to everyone you know" simply shouldn't be forwarded because in most cases it is plain old B.S. (again check before forwarding @ Snopes.com). Email is email--there is no chain to break or continue--no cause or effect whether you do or not. Also, the fact is not all commentary will be appreciated by the other side if they have a different viewpoint than you do--be very careful here.
5. If you must forward to more than one person, put your email address in the TO: field and all the others you are sending to in the BCC field to protect their email address from being published to those they do not know. This is a serious privacy issue! Do not perpetuate a breech of privacy started by other forwarders who included their contact's addresses in the To: or Cc: field by continuing to forward those visible addresses to your contacts! Remove any email addresses in the body of the email that have been forwarded by those who brush off the privacy of their friends and associates.
The above 5 rules will help qualify if an email is worth forwarding and the right way to do so if it is. If one cannot make these extra efforts, then they really have no excuse to get mad or have hurt feelings when asked to stop. And if asked to stop forwarding, don't get mad; just realize the person on the other side certainly has the right to make that request.
About the Author: Judith Kallos is an authoritative and good-humored Technology Muse who has played @ www.TheIStudio.com for over a decade. Check out her popular E-mail Etiquette Web Site, Books and Free Tools @: www.NetManners.com.
To learn how to copy and paste, please take a look at the Cut, Copy and Paste article in our Newsletter Archives:
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/082904.html
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Websites of Interest:
Quit Smoking
Qwitter is a Web site dedicated to helping you quit smoking.
http://qwitter.tobaccofreeflorida.com/english/
Coffee
Do you love coffee? Check out this website, for recipes, history, origins and everything else you ever wanted to learn about coffee.
http://gourmet-coffee-zone.com/
Senior Citizens Resources
This site, run by the U.S. government, provides information on federal and state agencies, education, finance and many other resources of interest to seniors.
http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors.shtml |
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