Tag Archives: Identity Theft

Medical Identity Theft Is A Growing Threat Not to Be Taken Lightly

It’s Real … The Growing Threat of Medical Fraud

Having your identity hacked for medical procedures could cost you your privacy and a pretty penny.
This is a great reason to try Identity Theft Shield. Think you’re not at risk?

It’s no secret … Identity Theft is a Major Problem and it affects more than just your credit. Watch the Fox News Video Below.

Get the Experts on your side – Identity Theft Shield!

Tagged , , , , , , ,

Justice Department Failed to Treat Identity Theft as one of the Nation’s Fastest Growing Crimes

By: Charles Bell
March 31, 2010

The Justice Department made the same mistake you might!

It appears that the Justice Department failed to treat identity theft  as priority and one of the nation’s fastest growing crimes in America.

It’s no wonder why millions of American’s take identity theft so lightly. People get protected!
Protect you and your family. I personally believe that Pre-Paid Legal’s Identity Theft Shield
is the best Protection and Restoration product… but even if you don’t like our product
do something to protect yourself!

The Justice department failed to make a coordinated effort to fight identity theft and in fact reduced efforts as it’s priority faded.

In a report from Inspector General Glenn Fine, Identity theft affects an estimated 10 million Americans annually. Victims suffer financial losses and tremendous inconvenience in trying to repair damage to their names or credit histories. This is where our product is different from others on the market. Research Kroll and you’ll know you’re working with the best company for ID Theft Protection and RESTORATION.

The report comes on the heals of a sentencing in Boston of one of the world’s most notorious computer hackers, who got 20 years in prison for helping run a global ring that stole tens of millions of payment card numbers.

Albert Gonzalez, a 28-year-old college dropout from Miami, had pleaded guilty to helping lead a ring that stole more than 40 million payment card numbers by breaking into retailers, including TJX Cos Inc, BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc and Barnes & Noble. Do you shop? Are you protected? Your data is out there! Protect yourself!!!

According to the inspector general’s audit the Justice Department did not have internal strategies to fight identity theft and has not appointed anyone to to coordinate the efforts needed to fight ID Theft.

Overall the report stated that the department needs more leadership to fix it’s deficiencies on identity theft.

The same is true for you if you haven’t protected yourself and your family. Please don’t wait to become another statistic.

We are here to help!

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tax Filers are Warned to Beware of Identity Theft

Tax Filers Warned Of Identity Theft
KOAT Albuquerque
6 in identity theft,” said Rebecca Branch, with the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office. Branch said that is why people should be extra careful this year

Click here for the complete article and video

Tagged , , , , ,

Identity Theft for those 18 to 24 year olds are mostly at risk for ID theft

18- to 24-year-olds most at risk for ID theft, survey finds
Washington Post
Similar identity-theft cases are rising sharply across the country, as young people — sometimes cavalier with their personal information — are hit the

Tagged , , ,

Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc Announces Management Change

For Immediate Release  – Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Company  Steve Williamson
Contact: (580) 436-1234

Pre-Paid Legal Announces Management Change

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="172" caption="CEO Harland C Stonecipher"]CEO Harland C Stonecipher[/caption]

ADA, OK, March 3, 2010 – Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc. (NYSE:PPD), announced today that effective April 2, 2010, its founder and current Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of the Board, Mr. Harland C. Stonecipher, 71, will relinquish the title and responsibilities of Chief Executive Officer and President. At the suggestion of Mr. Stonecipher, the Board of Directors unanimously approved that the title and responsibilities of Chief Executive Officer will be shared equally by two co-CEOs – Randy Harp, 54, Pre-Paid’s current Chief Operating Officer, and Mark Brown, 56, Pre-Paid’s current Chief Marketing Officer. The Board also named Mr. Harp as Pre-Paid’s President. Mr. Harp was named Chief Financial Officer in March 1990 and served in that capacity until May 2000 and has served as Chief Operating Officer since March 1996. Mr. Harp served on the Board of Directors from March 1990 until May 2004 when he resigned from the Board of Directors as part of a corporate governance initiative required by the rules of the NYSE to have independent, outside directors comprise the majority of the Board. Mr. Harp will continue to serve as Chief Operating Officer.

Mr. Brown was named Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing
Officer in October 2006. Prior to his appointment to the new position,
Mr. Brown was our National Sales Director for Group Marketing and Senior
Regional Vice President for most of the State of Texas and has been one of
our independent associates for 15 years. Prior to his association with us,
Mr. Brown owned his own printing business for 18 years.

“Both Mark and Randy are ready and have earned the opportunity to assume the
responsibilities as Pre-Paid’s co-CEOs,” stated Mr. Stonecipher. “Randy has been
with us for 20 years and knows every aspect of our business. Randy’s primary
focus will continue to be on operations and I am completely confident in his
ability to continue to develop and maintain the efficiencies and excellence of
our operational capabilities. We are equally blessed to have someone with Mark’s
significant sales and extensive experience lead our marketing efforts. Mark’s
involvement has been an integral part of our success since he joined us in 1995
with a focus on both individual and group business. We look to Mark to implement
marketing strategies throughout our entire sales organization and play a key
role in the continued development of our company.”

Mr. Stonecipher will continue as Chairman of the Board and will remain actively
involved with the Company, focused entirely on Pre-Paid’s sales force and other
strategic areas. Mr. Stonecipher and his wife Shirley will also be working
towards the establishment of a memorial cathedral for parents that have lost a
child. The Stoneciphers want to build a memorial place where parents can come
from anywhere to establish a memorial to the children they have lost that will
live on even after the parents are gone, assuring those parents that even when
they are gone, the memory of their child or children will live on. The
Stoneciphers lost their youngest son, Brent, his wife, Tina, and only
granddaughter, Nikki, in an airplane crash in Ada in July, 2005.

    About Us

We believe our products are one of a kind, life events legal service plans. Our
plans provide for legal service benefits provided through a network of
independent law firms across the U.S. and Canada, and include unlimited attorney
consultation, will preparation, traffic violation defense, automobile-related
criminal charges defense, letter writing, document preparation and review and a
general trial defense benefit. We have an identity theft restoration product we
think is also one of a kind due to the combination of our identity theft
restoration partner and our provider law firms. More information about us and
our products can be found at our homepage at http://www.prepaidlegal.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release, other than purely historical information,
regarding our future plans and objectives and expected operating results,
dividends and share repurchases and statements of the assumptions underlying
such statements, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of
Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking
statements contained herein are based on certain assumptions that may not be
correct. They are subject to risks and uncertainties incident to our business
that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the
forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are described in the
reports and statements filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission,
including (among others) those listed in our Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K,
and include the risks that our membership persistency or renewal rates may
decline, that we may not be able to continue to grow our memberships and
earnings, that we are dependent on the continued active participation of our
principal executive officer, that pending or future litigation may have a
material adverse effect on us if resolved unfavorably to us, that we may have
compromises of our information security, that consumer purchases of
discretionary items may be impacted by a downturn in the economy, that we could
be adversely affected by regulatory developments, that competition could
adversely affect us, that we are substantially dependent on our marketing force,
that our stock price may be affected by short sellers, that we have been unable
to increase our employee group membership sales, that our active premium in
force is not indicative of future revenue as a result of changes in active
memberships from cancellations and additional membership sales and that we have
repurchased more than half of our outstanding shares. Please refer to pages 16
through 19 of our 2009 Form 10-K for a more complete description of these risks.
We undertake no duty to update any of the forward-looking statements in this
release.

Read more: http://www.faqs.org/sec-filings/100303/PRE-PAID-LEGAL-SERVICES-INC_8-K/#ixzz0hdlJ1cP0

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Largest White Collar Crime in America – Identity Theft Are You Protected?


Are you protected
by the Largest White Collar Crime in American history? 1 in every 6 American’s will be affected. What can you do to protect yourself and your family from the identity thieves who right now are looking for their next victim.

Look I don’t want you to believe me... I actually want you to take it upon yourself to learn more about identity theft and how you’re at risk and what you can do about it. Here is a link to the Federal Trade Commission, this site is dedicated solely to fight back against identity theft and educating the public on the problem that is only going to get worse.. here’s the link: www.ftc.gov/idtheft

After you’ve checked-out the link above then view our video below and see what you can do to protect you and your family. Oh and when I mention family I’m also talking about your children. Right now ID Thieves are stealing minors identities because they are not detected as quickly.

By the way… Are you saying to yourself “I have Bad Credit Already they can’t make it Worse”…. What about your Criminal Record? Your Medical Record? Your Employment Record… these identities can also be stolen. Do your research!


Pre-Paid Legal & Identity Theft Protection PlansThese bloopers are hilarious

CLICK HERE To Get Started and to Protect You and Your Family Today!

For more details complete the form below:

[quick_contact]

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Medical Identity Theft on the Rise

Medical Identity Theft

Medical identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information without your knowledge or consent to obtain, or receive payment for, medical treatment, services, or goods. Victims of medical identity theft may find that their medical records are inaccurate, which can have a serious impact on their ability to obtain proper medical care and insurance benefits.

Medical identity theft is becoming one of the biggest dangers that most people are
totally unaware of.

There are several different forms of Medical identity theft. Identity thieves may obtain names, and social security numbers of victims that have used their information to receive emergency medical care. Stolen medical insurance information, includes member ID’s and policy numbers that are used by these id thieves. Another way that id’s can be stolen and maybe even the most alarming, is medical office employees stealing personal data from patients by way of the office computers and then sell the information to people on the black market. There’s one notorious case were a clerk at a Florida clinic made over 2 million dollars stealing the records of 1,000′s of different Medical patients.

Some critics point to a lack of sufficient electronic safeguards which is one of the main causes and an ever increasing type of medical-related identity theft.

President Obama has a plan to electronically store everyone’s health care records over the next few years. Most of these records will be shipped overseas to have this work done. The systems is going to need a complete overhaul in order to prevent future problems.

The question is; “Do you really trust outside sources to protect your identity”? I don’t know about you but I don’t. That’s why I have and promote Pre-Paid Legal’s Identity Theft Shield. Unlike LifeLock™, PPL – Identity Theft Shield will actually restore your identity if you give them the POA to do so.

The following safeguards are recommended for any medical beneficiaries to protect their medial ID’s.

To detect medical identity theft, consider the following steps:

• Closely monitor any “Explanation of Benefits” sent by public or private health insurers. If anything appears wrong, raise questions with the insurer or the provider. Do not assume that there are no problems simply because you may not owe any money.
• Once a year (or more often, if you believe there is cause for concern), request a listing of benefits paid in your name by any health insurers that might have made such payments on your behalf.
• Monitor your credit reports with the nationwide credit reporting companies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – to identify reports of medical debts.
You also have rights under federal law that can assist you in correcting inaccurate medical records.

These rights are described in greater detail at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa.
They include:

• The right to request copies of your current medical files from each health care provider.

• The right to have your medical records amended to remove inaccurate or incomplete information.

• The right to an accounting of disclosures – a record of who has been given access to your medical records – from your health care providers and health insurers. This is very important in tracking down where inaccurate information may have been sent.

• The right to file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights at the federal Department of Health and Human Services if a health care provider does not comply with these rights. In addition, many hospitals have ombudsmen or patient advocates who may be able to help you obtain medical records or provide access to information.

Please be aware that there may be fees for copying and postage if you request copies of your medical records.
Please see http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa for more information.

Click Here To Protect You Identity Today!

Tagged , , , , , ,

A True Story of Identity Theft: Michelle Brown’s Terrifying Experience

[caption id="attachment_259" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Identity Theft: The Michelle Brown Story"]Id theft is Real and It could happen to you![/caption]

In the time it takes you to read this post, someone could steal your life.

Well, that’s exactly what happens to Michelle Brown. When her personal information is stolen and falls into the wrong hands, Michelle discovers that someone else has taken over her identity and is wreaking total havoc in her world. This is an eye-opening true story they even made a movie about it; Identity Theft: The Michelle Brown Story. We watched it tonight on LMN.tv

Check out this true story on how Identity Theft ruined her life (and all the more terrifying because of it!). It really brings home how terrible this crime can be upon innocent victims.

Based on a true story of Michelle Brown whose identity is stolen by a stranger. Michelle Brown goes into an office one day to fill out a simple rental form, then handed it to the receptionist, she never dreamed that her information would fall into the wrong hands. As Michelle keeps receiving hefty bills for services and merchandise she never purchased, it doesn’t take her long to figure out that someone has stolen her identity, and is determined to take over her life, no matter the cost. But when a warrant is issued for the arrest of the impostor, the real Michelle is wrongly accused. With her life escalating out of control, Michelle must regain her own self to confront her nemesis, and appeal to the U.S. Senate for more concise identity theft laws.

Can you imagine how terrifying this must have been for her? I know if it were me I’d been freaked out. I mean getting arrested for something I had nothing to do with and then have to prove it really wasn’t me is scary.

    Verbal Testimony by Michelle Brown:

U.S. Senate Committee Hearing on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism and Goverment Information — “Identity Theft: How to Protect and Restore Your Good Name”
July 12, 2000

Senator Jon Kyl, Chairman
Senator Dianne Feinstein

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee,

I am pleased to be in your presence today and I genuinely thank you for the opportunity to elevate the invasive crime known as identity theft. This is a topic that I am unfortunately, intimately familiar with.

My name is Michelle Brown. I am 29 years old and have been working in the disciplined field of international banking for the last 7 years. I am an ambitious and hard-working individual; I’m certain that I am much like any of your cousins, your nieces, your daughters. I believe that I strongly represent any average, respectable citizen of the United States. However, there is one clear-cut issue that separates me from nearly the rest of the population: I have lived and breathed the nightmare of identity theft. I will tell you first-hand, this is a devastation beyond any outsiders’ comprehension, a nearly unbearable burden that no one should ever have to suffer.

Imagine establishing credit at age 17, and building a perfect credit profile over the next 11 years. Imagine working consistently since age 15, helping to finance your education at an accredited University to advance your future success in life. Imagine never having been in trouble with the law. Imagine the violation you would internalize as you realize some vile individual you have never met nor wronged, has taken everything you have built-up from scratch to grossly use and abuse your good name and unblemished credit profile.

That’s precisely what happened to me. I discovered this new blackened reality on January 12, 1999, when a Bank of America representative called me inquiring about the first payment on a brand new truck, which had been purchased just the previous month. I immediately placed fraud alerts on my credit reports, cancelled all credit cards, and even placed a fraud alert on my Driver’s License number. From that day forward, I unearthed the trail of this menace’s impersonation and attempted to work with the current faulty system to protect myself from any further abuse. The system clearly failed me.

To summarize, over a year and a half from January 1998 through July 1999, one individual impersonated me to procure over $50,000 in goods and services. Not only did she damage my credit, but she escalated her crimes to a level that I never truly expected: she engaged in drug trafficking. The crime resulted in my erroneous arrest record, a warrant out for my arrest, and eventually, a prison record when she was booked under my name as an inmate in the Chicago Federal Prison.

The impersonation began with the perpetrator’s theft of my rental application from my landlord’s property management office in January 1998. Immediately, the perpetrator set up cellular service, followed by residential telephone and other utility services, attempted to obtain timeshare financing and department store credit cards, purchased a $32,000 truck, had nearly $5,000 worth of liposuction performed to her body, and even rented properties in my name including signing a year lease. Not only did this person defraud the Department of Motor Vehicles in obtaining a duplicate drivers’ license (with my name and number) in October 1998, but she even presented herself as me with this identification to the DEA and before a federal judge when she was caught trafficking 3,000 pounds of marijuana in May 1999.

She remained a fugitive for almost 6 months while still assuming my name– and was finally turned in by an acquaintance in July 1999.

Months later – in September 1999 – I was stopped at LAX’s Customs after returning from a vacation in Mexico (after she was already in prison). While I explained my innocence to several agents in a stream of tears, and as I attempted to clearly distinguish this Michelle Brown from the “other Michelle Brown” with a criminal record, I was blatantly treated with strong suspicion. I was, as is typical for an identity fraud victim, guilty until proven innocent. I was finally let go after an hour, after the police were called to vouch for me. This situation reinforced my fear that I may be wrongly identified as the criminal, which could end up with my arrest, or worse yet, being taken into custody to serve time in jail. After having seen so many inefficiencies and blatant errors in the system, I feel no assurance nor can I receive any concrete evidence from authorities that this type of insane mix-up would never happen again.

It was tormenting to know someone was in essence living the good life at my expense, and I was left in the dust with the taxing chore of proving my innocence. The restoration of my credit and my good name was a seemingly never-ending process. I was forced to make literally thousands of phone calls, fill out various forms, submit all sorts of documents, and have many documents notarized. Without a doubt, I was entirely consumed with the whole painstaking process. I gained nothing from putting over 500 hours into the chore of restoration; all in all, it was an exhausting waste of a good person’s time and a massive drain on my life and energy. At one point, I even feared my safety after I learned that the perpetrator had previously been linked with a convicted murderer. The whole identity fraud experience was, by far, the darkest, most challenging and terrifying chapter of my life.

I faced many difficulties in clearing my name, and I still face the fear that I will forever be linked with the perpetrator’s criminal record. I have encountered widespread inefficiency and general insensitivity at nearly every turn, and know that there are most definitely not enough dedicated resources and governmental authorities to assist victims and to simplify the burden on the innocent’s life.

Clearly changes need to be made. The Government not only needs to promote initiatives to shorten and simplify restoration of one’s name and credit, but also to facilitate early detection and termination of an abused name, and most importantly, to deter criminals from the lure of such an easy crime by enforcing swift and severe punishment.

I think that Senator Feinstein’s Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2000 is definitely a positive initiative and will put the legislation in the right direction to fight this crime. I support the two corresponding bills and recommend the enforcement of such initiatives.

I came here today because I feel responsible to limit the abuse of other innocent’s names and their lives. I know how terribly tormenting it is to be a victim. I am living proof that identity theft is a very real crime, with very real victims, and true life-altering consequences. It’s astounding that my life-long discipline to be a law abiding citizen, and to have the diligence to establish perfect credit, was reversed so easily, so quickly, simply because I represent the perfect victim in a criminal’s eyes. This crime is clearly on the rise, and no one at this time is completely protected from becoming the next victim.

I realize the scenario of becoming an identity fraud victim seems entirely far-fetched and implausible to many of you. I know the feeling. I was once in your shoes.

I thank you for your time and for the opportunity to present my story and views today. I hope it is clear now that many changes need to effected to the current system to combat this crime and protect victims. This fact is crystal clear in my mind.

Thank you.

Michelle Brown

Source: http://www.privacyrights.org/cases/victim9.htm

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Child Identity Theft

More than 400,000 children are victims of identity theft each year. Kids are a target because of their clean record. Susan Koeppen reports on what parents can do to keep safeguard their minor’s identity.

If you have a Social Security Number you can be a victim of identity theft.

THE FIVE MAJOR TYPES OF
IDENTITY THEFT INVOLVE:
Driver’s licenses
Social Security Numbers
Medical information
Character/Criminal actions
Financial transactions

No one expects Identity theft to happen to them, but it affects
millions of people in North America each year.

Pre-Paid Legal’s Identity Theft Shield
(SM) is an affordable solution to combat a growing crime that knows no boundaries.


Watch CBS News Videos Online

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,