AP9 Consumer Gateway Weblog

Privacy Matters 1-2-3SM Offers a Free Credit Report and Score

ENROLL NOW and get your FREE CREDIT REPORT and SCORE and take advantage of all the money-saving benefits offered by Privacy Matters 1-2-3^SM:

AP9 Privacy Matters -- 5 people who check your credit

AP9 Privacy Matters suggests reading 5 People Who Check Your Credit by Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine. Happy reading.

And remember, AP9 Privacy Matters members may log on to www.privacymatters.com to access their credit report today.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Banking/YourCreditRating/5PeopleWhoCheckYourCredit.aspx

AP9 Privacy Matters and AP9 Privacy Matters 1-2-3 Provides Information that Links Credit Scores to Car Insurance Premiums

AP9 Privacy Matters and AP9 Privacy Matters 1-2-3, leading security and privacy membership programs offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC®, want you to understand the relationship between your credit score and what you are paying for car insurance. The following was an article posted on MSN, “The Secret Score Behind Your Auto Insurance.”

Members can receive unlimited, online access to their credit report and score from all three credit bureaus plus so much more via AP9 Privacy Matters and AP9 Privacy Matters 1-2-3.

AP9 PrivacyMatters123 Provides More Information on Jury Duty Fraud

As if anyone needed another reason to dread jury duty, a new twist on an old identity theft scam has surfaced within the last year, this one involving jury duty “no-shows,” reports AP9 PrivacyMatters123, a leading security and privacy membership program offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC®.

AP9 PrivacyMatters123 notes that identity thieves pretending to be local county clerks are calling various citizens to admonish them for failing to report for jury duty -- even though they were never officially asked to appear for jury duty. The caller then tells these unsuspecting folks that a warrant has been drawn up for their arrest as a result of this “violation.”

Next, the victims are asked for private, identifying information, including their Social Security Number or, occasionally, credit card account numbers, for “verification purposes.” Once the scammers receive this information, they use it to steal the identities of the victims. So far, AP9 PrivacyMatters123 reports, this scam has occurred in at least nine states, including Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas and the state of Washington.

As a reminder, AP9 PrivacyMatters123 provides the following tips that can help you avoid becoming a victim of identity theft:

-- Never give out personal information on a phone call you didn’t initiate. If you receive an incoming call and the caller is asking you for such information, ask for a callback number before you share any information. If you get a callback number, hang up, and do a little research, like Google the phone number to see if anyone has registered an online complaint about it. Alternatively, you can check the phone book or information for a published number for the organization that the caller claims to represent. Don’t call the number back until you verify that the call is legitimate. This approach also applies to e-mail and regular mail solicitations.

-- Store your personal documents in a secure place (a home safe or a safe deposit box in your bank), and shred any unneeded documents that contain your personal information, e.g., credit card applications, old bank or credit card statements, tax returns over ten years old, and other potentially identifying documents.

-- Report a lost or stolen driver’s license, and contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service if your mail has been stolen. Your driver’s license contains unique identifying information about you that can be used by thieves to create a new identity. Similarly, thieves can use credit card offers and other direct-mail solicitations to establish new accounts in your name.

-- Don't use family names or birthdays as passwords or PINs. If a thief steals your debit card or your account numbers, family names and birthdays are the first passwords and PINs he or she will try. Also, be sure to guard the keypad when you enter your PIN in a public ATM to keep “shoulder surfers” from stealing the number right out from under you.

-- Monitor your credit card and bank account statements closely. If you find any questionable or unauthorized activity in these accounts, investigate it immediately; it may be a sign of identity theft.

AP9 PrivacyMatters123, a privacy and protection program offered by Adaptive Marketing, can assist you with managing and maintaining your private information. Members can log on to their members-only website at PrivacyMatters.com for unlimited access to their credit reports, a credit monitoring service that alerts them when something changes on their credit profile as well as when any new accounts have been opened under their name, and a slew of other personal safeguards, reports AP9 PrivacyMatters123.

AP9 PrivacyMatters Lends a Hand During National Consumer Protection Week

With so much publicity centered on ID theft, consumers from all corners of the globe have become more watchful when it comes to their personal and private information -- when and where they disclose it and how they can check it. Thanks to National Consumer Protection Week (February 5th through the 11th) -- and membership discount programs such as AP9 PrivacyMatters offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC® -- consumers can become even more educated on how to protect and monitor their personal and private information.

To find out what National Consumer Protection Week is all about, AP9 PrivacyMatters recommends that all of its members visit http://www.consumer.gov/ncpw/. This site is dedicated to educating consumers and businesses about ID theft, credit reports, how to avoid being scammed, and so much more. It’s an excellent site that can benefit the entire family.

For additional information, you can also visit the AP9 PrivacyMatters resource center at http://www.privacymatters-program.com/PrivacyMatters_ResourceCenter.html.

Thank you for taking part in National Consumer Protection Week, concludes AP9 PrivacyMatters.

AP9 PrivacyMatters cautions you to beware of phone ID theft scams

AP9 PrivacyMatters reminds you to exercise caution when answering the phone. A new twist on the identity theft angle is making its way to the phone lines.

Identity thieves, posing as local county clerks, are placing calls to unsuspecting residents and falsely reprimanding them for failing to appear for jury duty – even though they were never officially contacted to serve on a jury. Victims are then told that a warrant has been issued for their arrest as a result of this “violation.”

Scammers then ask these victims for personal and private information, such as their security number and sometimes credit card numbers for “verification purposes.” Once the information is obtained, these thieves can use your personal information to rob you of your identity, personal assets and ultimately your good name.

To date, this scam has been reported in Michigan, Ohio, Texas, Arizona, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Oregon and the state of Washington.

As a reminder, when you receive an incoming call and the person on the other line is asking you for your personal information, before giving out any information, ask for a phone number where they can be reached, hang up the phone, and call the number back or call a published number for the organization they say they’re calling from, which you can find in the phone book. Then you can verify if the call is legitimate.

AP9 PrivacyMatters,* a privacy and protection program offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC®, can assist you with managing and maintaining your private information. The program offers unlimited access to your credit reports, while providing you with a credit monitoring service that alerts you when something changes on your credit profile as well as when any new accounts have been opened under your name.

The following are additional resources that may help you from becoming a victim of theft.

http://www.idtheftcenter.org/index.shtml

http://www.idtheftcenter.org/alerts.shtml

*AP9 PrivacyMatters provides you with the tools you need to access and monitor your financial/credit information through the program’s credit reporting and monitoring benefits. AP9 PrivacyMatters and its benefit providers are not credit repair service providers and do not receive fees for such services, nor are they credit clinics, credit repair or credit services organizations or businesses, as defined by federal and state law.

AP9 PrivacyMatters - ATM Fraud Hitting the Nation

You probably think your ATM cards are fairly secure, right? After all, only you have access to your PIN (Personal Identification Number). Sadly, ATM fraud is one of the latest crimes sweeping the nations. Criminals have now discovered a way to tap into your bank account using “phishing” and “shoulder surfing” tactics to obtain your PIN. Once your PIN is stolen, the data is encoded onto the back of a blank, white plastic card that looks like a credit card. Thieves can then use the forged card at an ATM to make withdrawals from your account.

AP9 PrivacyMatters encourages you to read more about this latest crime so you can protect yourself from falling victim to what is now being called the “white card” fraud. (And if you haven’t checked your credit report for signs of fraud lately, now might be a good time!)

Click Here to read more…. 

AP9 PrivacyMatters Shares Info About New Threats to Your Credit Score

AP9 PrivacyMatters would like you to take a look at the following article that appeared on MSN Money - http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Banking/Yourcreditrating/P121551.asp.  This article contains important information that you need to know about your credit score. 

Thank you for taking the time to visit, and we hope this article has been helpful.   

AP9 PrivacyMatters Reminder: Buy a Document Shredder!

It seems like every week there’s a new story in the news about innocent consumers being victimized by identity thieves. It’s a subject near and dear to us (and apparently to others since our AP9 PrivacyMatters membership base continues to grow).

Because of our heightened awareness on this subject, many of us here have taken steps to ensure we do not end up an identity theft statistic. One precaution that we can’t stress enough through AP9 PrivacyMatters is the importance of shredding documents. We recommend you shred credit card offers as well as bank statements and other sensitive information. You just can’t be too careful. Identity theft continues to sky-rocket — it’s the fastest-growing white-color crime in the U.S.

At AP9 PrivacyMatters, we have a 2-step approach to help members check and protect their credit information. First and foremost, we encourage anyone who hasn’t checked their credit report recently to do so right away. And then we suggest you protect your information year-round by signing up for credit monitoring and destroying any sensitive documents before throwing them out.

Document shredders are a reasonably inexpensive investment. We favor the models that cross-cut paper. AP9 PrivacyMatters members have access to special rates on several models.

The media and other privacy and protection organizations are also doing their part to help consumers become more educated about identity theft. But what happens when a trusted business does not take the same precautions when dealing with your personal and private information? The following link tells what happened to about 35 people in Omaha whose credit applications ended up in the garbage, ripe for dumpster divers to pick.

http://www.wowt.com/news/features/1/1639191.html

For more information on how to protect your credit (and your good name), you can check out our News Releases and look up AP9 PrivacyMatters.

AP9 PrivacyMatters Provides Tips on How to Read Your Credit Report

According to a 2003 survey conducted by the Consumer Federation of America, American consumers do not have a basic understanding about credit reporting and credit scores. Below are some important findings from the survey:

• 50% of American consumers said their knowledge of credit reports was fair or poor and, 61% said the same about credit scores.
• Only 25% of American consumers said they knew their credit score.
• 43% of Americans said they had obtained a copy of their credit report from the three credit bureaus in the past two years.
• A high percentage of American consumers are not aware that following service providers, among others, frequently use consumers’ credit scores.

  - electric utilities

  - home insurers

  - landlords

  - cell phone companies

  - car insurance companies

  - credit card companies

Let’s face it – some of us may feel we don’t have the time to review credit reports, and others may feel it’s too overwhelming to deal with. This article will provide you with simple and easy instructions on what to look for on your credit report. Taking the time now may prevent you from becoming a victim of identity theft, getting denied credit in the future, or being turned down for a mortgage or car loan, among other things.

What is a Credit Report?

A credit report is a summary of an individual's credit history. It shows loan payment history, late payments, existence of liens or other encumbrances, debt forgiveness, bankruptcy filings, and the number of inquiries by prospective lenders.

There Are Four Major Areas of Content in Your Credit Report:

1. Personal information.

This includes your:

• Name
• Phone number
• Home address
• Social Security number
• Date of birth
• It may also include a list of your current and previous employers and previous addresses. Make sure all the personal information contained on your credit report is correct.

Watch out for incorrect addresses – this may be a sign that an identity thief has redirected your mail to a false address.

2. Credit history.

Your credit history is a summary of your credit transactions. This is the core component of a credit report. It includes your payment history, including any late payments, to banks, credit card companies, retailers and other lenders like mortgage and auto-finance companies. Watch out for inaccuracies on your credit history that could negatively impact your credit standing.

3. Public records.

Public records include any filings of personal bankruptcy or court judgments against you.

4. Inquiries.

Find out who has been looking at your credit report.

• Make sure you've authorized all of the inquiries.
• Watch out for names of companies that are not familiar – if you haven't authorized the inquiry, it may be a sign of fraud.

Adaptive Marketing LLC® has developed programs like AP9 PrivacyMatters* and AP9 PrivacyPlus that provide you with additional help in understanding the “ins” and “outs” of your credit report through unlimited toll-free access to a Credit Report Helpline.

* AP9 PrivacyPlus and AP9 PrivacyMatters provide you with the tools you need to access and monitor your financial/credit information through the programs' credit reporting and monitoring benefits. AP9 PrivacyPlus and AP9 PrivacyMatters and their benefit providers are not credit repair service providers and do not receive fees for such services, nor are they credit clinics, credit repair or credit services organizations or businesses, as defined by federal and state law.

AP9 PrivacyMatters - Credit Reports and Credit Scores: the Importance of Knowing What the Top 3 Credit Bureaus are Saying about You

According to a survey released by U.S. PIRG, the national lobbying office for state Public Interest Research Groups, one in four (25%) of credit reports contain errors serious enough to cause consumers to be denied credit, an apartment lease, a home loan, or even be unfairly charged high interest rates. The most common credit report errors include:

• Accounts that are not yours
• Incorrect account histories--such as late payments
• Closed accounts listed as open (this may look as if you have too much open credit)
• Accounts listed more than once
• Any account you closed that doesn't say "closed by consumer"
• Lawsuits in which you were not involved
• Bankruptcies not identified by their specific chapter number

Knowledge is key when looking into what is being documented in your credit history. In fact, this is why leading direct-to-consumer marketing companies such as Adaptive Marketing LLC® have created privacy and security programs like AP9 PrivacyPlus* and AP9 PrivacyMatters* that:

• Help you understand the “ins” and “outs” of your credit report through unlimited toll-free access to a Credit Report Helpline
• Provide you instant, unlimited online access to your credit report and credit score
• Include handy forms you can fill out and submit to the credit bureaus to dispute inconsistencies or outdated information that you discover
• Give you a comprehensive look at your personal information with a 3-in-one credit report that compiles all your credit information from the 3 major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union
• Help you stay on top of your credit report activity through automatic, weekly credit monitoring updates and fraud alerts

Equifax

P.O. Box 740241

Atlanta, GA 30374-0241

800-685-1111

Experian

National Consumer Assistance Center

PO Box 2002

Allen, TX 75013

888 EXPERIAN (888-397-3742)

Trans Union Corporation

760 W. Sproul Road

Springfield, PA 19064-0390

800-888-4213

PIRG and other groups urge all consumers to examine their credit reports from all three credit bureaus at least once a year before applying for new credit.

* AP9 PrivacyPlus and AP9 PrivacyMatters provide you with the tools you need to access and monitor your financial/credit information through the programs' credit reporting and monitoring benefits. AP9 PrivacyPlus and AP9 PrivacyMatters and their benefit providers are not credit repair service providers and do not receive fees for such services, nor are they credit clinics, credit repair or credit services organizations or businesses, as defined by federal and state law.

AP9 Consumer Gateway Asks Who’s watching you? What you need to know about spyware

Don't look now, but some very savvy companies may know more about you than you realize -- or want them to know.   How so?   As an online computer user, you are in danger of being an unwitting victim of spyware.

During an April 2004 Spyware Workshop, the FTC loosely defined spyware as "software that aids in gathering information about a person or organization without their knowledge and which may send such information to another entity without the consumer's consent, or asserts control over a computer without the consumer's knowledge."

Suggested reading: The FTC's March 7, 2005 report findings from the Spyware Workshop

One panelist projected that of 800 million computers worldwide, "50% do not have even basic protections against virus attacks, despite years of consumer education about viruses."   Particularly vulnerable are teenage users, who engage in the riskiest online activities, including downloading software from questionable sources, clicking on pop-ups and participating in chat rooms.

Suggested reading: Spyware Firms Targeting Children

Signs that your computer may be infected with spyware:

• A high volume of pop-ups
• Your Internet browser re-directs you to unfamiliar sites
• New icons appear on your screen or your toolbar changes unexpectedly
• Frequent, inexplicable error messages
• Your computer speed decreases significantly, especially when opening or savings files

What you can do to keep spyware off your computer:

• Make sure you use the latest Web browser version -- most of them now have anti-spyware filters
• Set your Web browser security options to at least the "medium" level so downloads cannot happen without your authorization
• Install anti-spyware and pop-up blocking software from a reputable software company and upgrade regularly
• Install a firewall
• Never, ever click links within a pop-up that randomly appears or does not appear to be part of your current online activity -- click the "X" in the top corner to close the pop-up window
• And most importantly, only download software from reputable sites.

AP9 Advises to question unusual charges on your credit and checking account statements

"I didn't authorize this charge!"

Our Members Savings Representatives hear this when members see a line item on their credit card or other billing statement for an AP9 membership program and don't recall what the charge is for. Fortunately, all AP9 membership program charges include a toll-free number on your billing statement so you can call with any questions.

With phishing , identity theft, spam and any number of other unethical business practices plaguing consumers these days, we understand your concern when you see an item on your statement that doesn't seem familiar -- and we encourage you to question anything that looks unusual.

The good news is that any AP9 program charge is legitimate.   The really great news is that we can even tell you exactly how you joined any of our programs!

Members join our programs through a variety of sources, such as:

• A special offer at the end of an online or telephone transaction with one of our online, direct response television or catalog marketing partners
• An offer made via a telephone call you received
• An offer that came through the mail

Usually members are offered a special incentive to try one of our programs and sometimes that's what jogs members' memories the best. These offers can include:

• Cash back or free shipping on a future purchase with one of our marketing partners
• A gift card for a popular retailer, such as Kmart®, Wal-mart®, Linens 'n Things and others
• An instant bonus check

No matter how you joined one of our AP9 programs -- over the phone, throught the Internet or via a mail offer -- we take careful steps to ensure that you understand exactly what the terms of the program offer are and we require that you take an deliberate action to accept the offer. Our Member Savings Representatives can go over your membership acceptance with you. Most important of all, if you decide you don't wish to continue with the program, you can cancel immediately.

All programs marketed through Adaptive Marketing LLC® maintain stringent quality control measures. For years we have been the industry leader in not just meeting federal and state marketing requirements, but exceeding them. Over the years we have worked shoulder-to-shoulder with legislators in Washington D.C. to establish ethical marketing practices that protect the consumer.

The moral to this story is: Keep checking your credit card and checking account statements! It's something that all consumers should be vigilant about.   And always question charges that don't look right to you -- even if it's one of our programs. We're here to address any concern you may have!

AP9 Programs Provide Information on Protecting Your Privacy

What is Identity Theft?
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your name, Social Security number, credit card number or other pieces of personal information without your permission to make unauthorized purchases, apply for credit cards, make unauthorized withdrawals from your bank accounts, and even apply for loans.

Suggested link:
http://www.bbbonline.org/IDtheft/consumers.asp

Protecting Your “Good Name”
Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America, and the thought of being victimized by identify theft or credit card fraud is quite unsettling. Unauthorized use of your financial/credit information can be expensive, adversely affect your credit rating, and will take time and effort for you to win back your good name. While there are no guarantees in preventing identify theft, you can minimize your risk by carefully managing your personal information. Here are some general tips on how to help protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft.

Suggested links:
http://www.bbbonline.org/IDtheft/protect.asp
http://consumeraction.gov/caw_protect_identity.shtml
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/idtheftmini.pdf

Your Social Security Number

• Never carry your Social Security card in your purse or wallet. Keep it in a secured location at home.
• If your state uses your Social Security number as your driver’s license number, ask to substitute another number.

Credit/Debit/ATM cards

• Never write your personal identification number (PIN) directly on your credit/debit/ATM card.
• Make copies of the front and back of all your credit/debit/ATM cards and put them in a secure location – other than your purse or wallet. If your cards are lost or stolen, you will have the appropriate information needed to report the loss to your financial institution.
• Check credit card bills and bank statements closely and report suspicious charges immediately.
• Check your credit history by ordering a credit report at least once a year from the 3 major credit bureaus – Equifax, TransUnion and Experian.
• Refuse pre-approved credit card offers. The applications are easy to steal and easy to use. To get your name off pre-approved credit card lists, call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT. The information goes only to the three major credit bureaus, and the information you provide is used to stop your credit history from being sold to companies that want to screen you for a credit card.

Beware of Internet “Phishing” Scams
Although the largest percentage of identity theft has occurred off-line, consumers must also be aware of what is taking place on the Internet. One of the most talked about identity theft crimes to surface is called phishing. Criminals use spam or pop-up messages that claim to be from a business, financial institution or any other company in which you have shared your private information. The message commonly asks for personal information because the company wants verify or update your account. If you give them what they are asking for, these crooks can steal your identity and ruin your credit.
Please keep in mind that…

1. Legitimate companies do not ask for your personal, financial information by email.
2. Don't email personal or financial information unless you were the one to initiate the contact by ordering something through a company's website.

General Safety

• Shred all of your personal information.
• Report a lost or stolen driver’s license.
• Contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service if your mail has been stolen.
• Never give out credit card/debit card numbers, Social Security number, login names, passwords, or PIN numbers by phone, mail, or email unless you have initiated contact with the company. If you do receive a phone call, piece of mail or email requesting private information, verify it is genuine by calling the published Customer Service number (not the number given by the caller or sender) or send an email to the company’s legitimate email address.