Identity Theft â 5 Ways to Protect Your Identity

The information age has brought numerous innovations and advancements to our daily routine. Cell phones, computers, and the Internet have made many of life’s challenges easier and more accessible. However, just like every other moment in our collective history, new advancements offer opportunity for those who seek to harm you or steal from you to get at your money or your most private possessions, in this case, your identity.

So what is identity theft? Identity theft is the process of someone using an identity that is not their own for any type of service, transaction, or notification. Sounds fancy huh? Let’s break it down. If someone pretends to be you in order to buy, sell, claim, announce, advertise, promote, or steal then they are committing identity theft. Identity theft is more than just someone who stole your password to your Yahoo e-mail; it is a frustrating experience that often leaves the victims feeling hopeless and clueless on how to regain their identity, not to mention how to protect their assets. They can use your identity to open up a phone account in your name, defame another individual, or the dreaded credit card account in your name.

Let’s be clear here, identity theft is NOT a product of the information age, rather it has been accelerated because of the information age. Also, identity theft has proven successful for the scam artists out there. If stealing people’s identity wasn’t working for scam artists, then it would have faded away like other social fads. You must be proactive in protecting your identity, and if you find out that you have become a victim of identity theft, you must be prepared to fight long and hard to clean up and restore your good name. Don’t think identity theft is real enough for you to be worried about it? Consider this, 1 out of every 20 people is a victim of identity theft. Here are 5 proven tips that can help you fight off identity theft.

1) Dumpster diving – Identity thieves will often get your personal information by going through trash and other disposed items. It is probably one of the most common and easiest ways for identity thieves to steal your information. However, this threat can be eliminated with a little bit of due diligence. Buy yourself a paper shredder, and shred any documents you get in the mail that have any personal information on it. This includes your name and address. If you are internet savvy, you can stop financial statements from being delivered via the mail, like bank statements and utility bills. Check your mail regularly each day and send financial mail via the post office directly or drop off boxes, not from your mailbox. In other words, don’t put checks in the mail using your mailbox, scammers have been known to drive around and collect these personal identification items. Also, if you all of a sudden begin receiving no mail for several days in a row, you may have had an identity thief fill out a change of address form against your address.

2) Monitor your identity – Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to identity theft. In order to prevent identity theft or minimize its potential impact, you must be prepared to monitor your identity. That means, you must check every financial account you own at least once a month. This includes bank accounts, credit cards, and utility bills. Look for any activity that you didn’t authorize, no matter what the charge was. Identity theft can often start off as a $2.00 charge to your account, as scammers see if they can successfully use your identity. If you get notifications in the mail or your e-mail about accounts you didn’t setup, don’t just trash them, investigate and make sure that they are not yours. If you are denied credit or are getting calls from creditors, then you may have already been a victim of identity theft. Above all, contact each of the three credit agencies and get a yearly copy of your credit report. You can visit www.annualcreditreport.com, or call toll-free 877-322-8228 to receive your report.

3) Inventory your wallet or purse – Statistics say that 94.7 percent of Americans carry either a wallet or purse with them at all times. However, can you list out the exact contents of your wallet or purse? Because these items are of high value to identity thieves, you must be prepared to take action in the unfortunate circumstance that your wallet or purse is stolen. Go ahead and make that list today and keep it at home or at work. If your wallet or purse is stolen, make sure you call every agency responsible for the items on your list within the first 24 hours and begin steps to void out those stolen materials. This proactive approach will save you both the heartache of trying to remember what you have in your wallet and the headache of having your identity stolen. One more note, NEVER store your social security number on you. Memorize it and store it away in a safe location.

4) Phishing attacks – A phishing attack is when a scammer tries to acquire information from you by pretending to be someone they are not. Often times it can be associated with online scams, but that is not true in every case. For example, I was personally contacted 4 years ago by a “law office” claiming that there was a warrant issued for me in their state, and they wanted to confirm my social security number, address, and full name by phone to make sure I wasn’t the person being prosecuted. They sounded official enough, and gave a great speech. Unfortunately, “they” was actually a “he” and “he” was trying to use a phishing tactic to have me give up my personal information to him. I was wise enough to call their bluff and move on. Be on the lookout for these types of scams, especially in your e-mail. If you get an e-mail from one of your financial accounts or utilities, DON’T click on the e-mail, rather go directly to their site and then take any action you may need to take. Don’t forget, you have the right to call any of these companies directly and handle any business that may need attention verbally. Identity thieves that use phishing attacks are very skilled at making any e-mail look very legitimate, so don’t just assume because it has a logo on it, it is safe. Be cautious, this is your personal information we are talking about.

5) Recovery from identity theft – Ok, the reality is that even when you do everything, there is always a chance you could still have your identity stolen. What should you do then? First and foremost, you need to take charge of your personal identity and financial identity. Do not settle for excuses and don’t take no for an answer. You need to fight hard to reclaim and then clean your identity. A good place to start is with the government’s website on identity theft. Here you can find step by step instructions for what you need to do to recover from identity theft. You should ALWAYS file a police report, and submit that report to the three credit agencies. You should immediately place a fraud alert with the three major credit agencies and with any of your other financial accounts. You should immediately monitor family members’ identity closely for any chance of additional identity theft, especially your spouse’s and children’s. You should be less concerned with finding out who did this to you and more concerned with how they did this to you. Once you identify the reasons for your identity being stolen, takes steps to correct it and secure it going forward.

Identity theft is a scary event in one’s life. You can feel helpless and violated at the same time. Additionally, it is often a faceless crime, so you are left with more questions than answers. However, the good news is that you can reduce your identity theft risks by just taking some simple steps. Protecting yourself from identity theft is no different than protecting yourself from other crimes in life. If you use a little common sense, most problems can be avoided. You wouldn’t walk down a dark alley at 2 AM by yourself, so use that same common sense and take care of your identity.

posted in Identity Theft

Arson in Florida

Arson is the crime of deliberately setting woodlands or man-made structures aflame. The motivations for acts of arson are many, but two of the most common reasons are acts of malice or revenge and attempts at collecting on insurance. Those two reasons are sometimes treated differently under the law, but regardless of the circumstances, a conviction for arson is a felony conviction.

Sometimes people commit arson as an attempt at revenge on another person. The intent of this type of arson is sometimes to harm the targeted person, although often the desired result is simply the destruction of the person’s business or home. Catching someone’s car on fire also counts as arson under Florida law, because the legal definition of “structure” includes boats, vehicles, and temporary structures in addition to more typical buildings.

Other times arsonists start a fire out of pyromania. Some people have a dangerous compulsion to start fires, which in some cases can lead to deaths. Forest fires that are started intentionally are often acts of this sort, although in some cases there can be an agenda at work. The Florida statutes on criminal arson do not discuss wildfires, perhaps because of the rarity of fires in much of Florida, but any intentional fire is potentially punishable as arson.

Being convicted of arson has many negative consequences. Arson is a felony, ordinarily one in the first degree. A felony conviction can lead to lengthy jail time and can adversely affect someone’s future employability and quality of life. Should anyone be harmed by the fire, manslaughter or similar charges can be brought against the accused arsonist as well.

If you have been charged with arson, you deserve the help of the experienced Boca Raton criminal defense attorneys of Eric N. Klein & Associates. Everyone charged with a crime is entitled to legal defense, and for serious charges like arson, the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney is invaluable. To discuss your case with a lawyer, call Eric N. Klein & Associates today.

Work-Related Accidents and Injuries

Any and all jobs have a risk of being the place for a work-related accident. Any sort of activity that ends in an accident or injury while at work can be considered a work-related accident. However, most accidents occur in commercial and road construction zones. If an accident that ended in you being injured was not brought on by yourself, then you are probably entitled to some compensation from either your employer or the person/people involved.

Since there are too many kinds of ways someone can injure themselves at work and in so many fashions, we will cover the areas where accidents happen most often as well as the risks involved.

Accidents and Injuries occur most often in:

High-Traffic/Vehicular Areas: High-traffic areas such as highways are often the place for repairs or road additions. These places pose a giant risk to workers by the volume of cars alone. Of course, there are always also inattentive drivers, reckless drivers, and people who have slow reaction times. Any other place of work where a vehicle is used, such as working an 18-wheeler, delivery truck, parcel delivery vehicle, forklift, tractor, or other industrial vehicle poses a risk for accident by either occupant error, work order error, or mechanical failure or error.

Places with Heavy Equipment: Anywhere there is heavy equipment there also exists risk of injury or death. Improperly cared for heavy machinery or faulty machinery can result in malfunction or worse. Crane accidents alone kill almost a hundred people a year in the US. Some of the most severe forms of injury occur from heavy equipment use.

Factories: Any place where harsh chemicals are handled, stored, and produced every day and other mechanical errors can occur is a place to be cautious of. Many lifting injuries and sprains occur from factory settings as well. Exposure to certain chemicals can cause an array of side-effects that can leave someone blind, debilitated, or dead. It is in one’s best interest to seek medical care in situations where you feel your life may be in danger due to exposure.

Office/Retailers: Open wiring and spills are common hazards in environments such as these. Improper use of equipment can also result in bodily and company damage.

Things to Know Before Buying Properties Abroad

Buying properties abroad is not a very simple thing to accomplish, mainly if you have never lived in the country where you are considering buying a home. The best thing to do is to spend at least one year in that country before deciding it is time to buy a home there.

After deciding you want to move to another country, you should go to the appropriate consulate or embassy of your own country and get some advice about the things that you have to do when buying properties abroad, including the necessary taxation or work permits.

You need to check out all the planning permissions from that specific country you want to move to. You might need some additional permission in order to renovate the property you are buying or there can be some restrictions about some things you can do whilst living there.

The best thing you could do when considering buying properties abroad is to get an attorney in the country you wish to be a new home, but continue to do your own research because knowledge is the power, as you already know.

Another tip would be to actually live for a period in the area you are considering purchasing a house in order to see if you like the neighborhood and all the life there so it becomes clear to you. You need to make sure that the price will be the same for the residents of that country as well as for foreigners because some real estate agents sometimes make this discriminatory difference.

Before starting to look for buying properties abroad you should set up a bank account in that country in order to later avoid all the rush and hassle. At the time you make the budget for buying properties abroad, make sure you put something aside for the unpredictable things such as leaking roofs or burst boiler. These things tend to happen when you buy a property, and thus you should be aware of the future costs.

You need to know that buying properties abroad is not a guarantee for getting domicile or residency in that country. Domicile and residency depend on some other things, such as the length of time you spend in that country and the location from which you are earning your living. You need to also take these things in to account at the time of acquiring a house in another country.

Rules For Collecting Unemployment Benefits

If a person gets unemployed without any fault of his own, then he is eligible for taking the advantage of unemployment insurance for a particular duration of time or till he is not able to find a new job. You must know that these benefits are not entitlements but a form of insurance and therefore be very clear about the rules for collecting unemployment benefits.

Federal laws have established some guidelines for the state to run these insurance programs for the unemployed people and these benefits are given only under this provision. The rules for collecting unemployment benefits depend on the state law which decides the eligibility, amount to be granted, the duration of employment benefit etc.

Eligibility rules for collecting unemployment benefits

It is necessary that you meet the unemployment eligibility criterion before you receive any of the employment benefits. They should have some proof supporting their earned wages and time of works etc. In addition to this the rules for collecting unemployment benefits also makes it mandatory that you should be unemployed with no fault of yours.

According to the rules for collecting unemployment benefits you may be disqualified from the unemployment insurance according to varying state laws but most common set of disqualification criterion are:

• You are fired from the job because of any kind of misconduct.



• You have yourself have quit the job or resigned



• Not able to attend the office due to illness (check your entitlement for benefits associated with disability)



• You are self-employed



• Involvement in some labor dispute



• On a Sabbatical or taken an admission in a school

Rules for collecting unemployment benefit will disqualify you from any benefits if you fall into any of the above mentioned category.

Here is a list of the unemployment benefits:

- In most of the states, benefits are paid up to a total of 26 weeks at max

- – Exception to this is during times when unemployment rate is high there are an additional 13 weeks to which a person is eligible.

- In most of the states the benefits are generally half of what you were earning during your employment

- If you are subject to the Federal Income tax due to the benefits you are taking they must be filed in your Federal tax return

Here, we have tried to compile briefly all the rules for collecting unemployment benefits so that all eligible candidates are able to take the advantage during these tough times.

10 Ways an Employment Solicitor Can Help You

If you’re an employer or an employee, then you’ll be aware of employment law, and some of the implications of this area of law. Perhaps you need help with staff discipline, or want to know more about whether your company can make you redundant.

Here’s how an Employment Solicitor can help you.

1. As either an employee or and employer you’ll need to make sure that your company is adhering to the equal opportunities policy. Perhaps you have been looked over for promotion, or despite having the relevant qualifications and experience, you still don’t think that somebody is ready for promotion. You’ll want to make sure that you’re not falling foul of employment law.

2. It’s essential that employees doing the same job are awarded equal pay. If colleagues are not getting paid the same, then they will want to know why. An employment solicitor can help ensure that you get what you are entitled to, or can make sure that your company policy is legal.

3. Discrimination must not be tolerated, and the workplace is no exception. Just because somebody is different, or has different religious beliefs, sexual orientation, political persuasion, is older or younger, or from a different country, or has a different skin colour, they can’t be treated differently. It’s important that all employees are aware of this, that any case or discrimination are taken seriously, and dealt with accordingly. If the outcome is not satisfactory, an employment solicitor can be invaluable.

4. Policies and documentation need to be legal, so whether you’re writing a new handbook, or amending a contract, you’ll need the advice of an employment law solicitor.

5. Data protection needs to be taken seriously, and you may need to take legal advice to make sure that you not in breach of the Data Protection Act.

6. Trade union negotiations can be carried out by an employment law solicitor, so that both sides are able to converse, and hopefully reach a satisfactory agreement.

7. Mediation may be needed in company disputes, where an amicable agreement can’t be reached quickly.

8. Your company recruitment policy can’t discriminate on any grounds, so you might need assistance in ensuring that your HR department and relevant managers are asking the right sort of questions to potential new employees.

9. You might need help with terminating contracts and redundancies. You don’t want to break any laws that could leave you open to a counter claim. As an employee, you might want to know for sure that you can be made redundant.

10. You might want any internal investigations might be carried out, or overseen by an employment law solicitor. Perhaps you have been accused of corruption, theft or fraud, or maybe you’re trying to prove that there isn’t a campaign of bullying or deliberate discrimination in amongst your employees.

Now you know more about employment law, how else can an Employment Solicitor help you?

Beat a Traffic Ticket Myths â Donât Follow These If You Want to Get Out of Tickets

No one likes the inconvenience of being pulled over and dealing with some sort of traffic ticket or violation. Lots of “tricks” over the years have come out about how to beat these traffic tickets but many of these are simply myths that don’t really work.

Myth: Getting an international driver’s license can protect you from tickets and violations.

The myth here is that getting this license will make it difficult for the system to actually add points to your license so that you don’t ever lose it. There are actually what seem to be scams out there for those who have lost their license to purchase an international driver’s license. The problem with anything like this is that the jurisdiction is going to find out who you are eventually when you start getting traffic tickets.

Myth: Driving with your lights on or brighter than normal lights will scramble laser guns making it difficult for cop’s to get a reading and pull you over.

There was a study done once that showed that bright lights could realistically scramble laser guns. But these lights have to be significantly brighter than headlights even with their brights on. This isn’t a very good solution.

Myth: You need a professional to beat a traffic ticket in court.

There are traffic ticket lawyers in some areas that can represent you in court, but most of the time they will cost more per hour than your traffic violation is going to cost you. You can represent yourself in court and in most cases people in traffic court do represent themselves. With the proper defense you can fight traffic tickets and violations getting out of tickets.

Being Pulled Over Etiquette â What to Do When Getting Pulled Over For Speeding to Avoid Tickets

No one enjoys the process of being pulled over. The thoughts of having to deal with fines or courts isn’t too pleasant. In those moments of frustration or anger, don’t blow your chances of getting out of the ticket.

There are many things you don’t want to do when you are being pulled over. If you do these things, you won’t be able to fight your ticket as successfully.

Don’t be rude. – Sure you are frustrated, but this is not the time to be rude to the officer. This officer hasn’t yet given you a ticket. Rude behavior can push them over the edge from a warning to an actual ticket. Also if you do get a ticket, this officer is going to remember this rude behavior when you are in court which can hurt your credibility.

Don’t be arrogant. – This would be statements about if the officer knows who you are or what you do for a living. It could also be a demeaning attitude towards the officer acting like you know what’s going on and they don’t.

Don’t make cheap threats. – Saying things like, “I’ll have your badge,” is really just silly. If you have a point about their behavior, you wouldn’t have to make a cheap threat about it.

Don’t admit to guilt – The other tactics focus on treating the officer with some level of respect so that they don’t tell the judge about how rude or arrogant you were. These things could come up in court. But never ever admit to guilt. Telling the officer that you were speeding or giving an excuse as to why you were speeding is admitting to guilt. It doesn’t take much for a judge to decide that if you admitted to doing it that you should get the fines. This will destroy your chances of beating the speeding ticket.

Knowing Your Rights When Pulled Over â How This Can Effect Your Speeding Ticket

Many times the average citizen is intimidated by police officers. When pulled over, many people have anxiety and don’t want to cause any problems. Many times the individuals has the right to say no to the officer but does not do so because they are scared, ignorant of their rights, or too nervous to speak up. Knowing your rights when pulled over can actually help you with your speeding tickets.

What your local rights during a traffic stop are going to be a bit different than someone else’s from a different jurisdiction. All have subtle differences to what the officers can and can not do. Some allow the officers to search the inside of the car without a warrant while others do not. It’s best to look up your local laws and find out what your rights are for you and your vehicle.

There are some rights that are universal for traffic stops like speeding tickets. One that’s important is that you do not have to incriminate yourself. This means that you don’t have to tell the officer what you were doing or what you were doing that was wrong. If they ask you why you were speeding, for example, you really don’t have to answer this question because in doing so you are admitting guilt. If you admit guilt, even in the form of an excuse, you can lose your court case because of this.

If the officer is asking a series of “fishing” questions, he or she may in fact be attempting to get you to admit to something. You don’t have to answer all these questions especially if it seems the officer doesn’t really have a point. You can as politely and courteously as possible ask the officer why he or she decided to pull you over.

If for some reason the cop infringes on one of your rights, this can be used in your court defense. Any information or evidence that is obtained in violation of your rights can’t be used in court at all. Knowing these rights can help you with your speeding ticket defense greatly.

Medical Malpractice Lawyer Information

Medical malpractice lawyers are those types of lawyers that sometimes have a bad reputation. These are the types of lawyers who some deem as ambulance chasers but to those people who really need these types of lawyers are actually very appreciative of their efforts. There are certain times when people need someone to protect them and fight for their rights and some of those times are during times that people have been wronged through medicine. These types of lawyers are usually very specific and only do this type of work. If you are looking for a lawyer that specializes in medical malpractice you can sometimes find one that works in a large firm. Other times depending on how big your town is you may have a firm that specializes all on medical lawsuits.

If you are unsure what kind of situations mean you need to hire this type of lawyer you can do some research online to look at past cases. Some of these situations come about when a drug that has been taken by an individual causes damage or even death. Other situations can even be when someone goes in for surgery and does not come out alive. If members of the individual who dies during surgery things that a mistake caused the death this would be another situation that calls for this type of lawyer.

There are a lot of laws that are in place to insure that drug companies who put products onto the market are putting safe products onto the market. Every once in a while something goes drastically wrong and the drug is having adverse effects on peoples and maybe even cause death. There are very few cases like this that exist but this is what these types of lawyers are used for.

If you feel you have a case like this there are a few things that you will want to do, even before you contact a lawyer. Sometimes there can be a long time between when you talk to a lawyer and when the incident happened. Because of this you will want to write down all of the details that you can possible think of and make sure you don’t leave out a single detail. Any lawyer will want to know these things and the more details you have to give, the better your chances of winning your case. Remember that your lawyer is your friend to help you find justice but you will want to do some research to make sure you are hiring a good one.