Article: Start-up launches identity theft search service

News.com reports: Start-up launches identity theft search service

A start-up has launched a service meant to let people check if their personal data is being traded online by criminals, but critics say it could be a boon for those same crooks.

Reduce your clutter

Just before Christmas, my wife cleared out many old toys and games to make room for the new presents ‘Santa’ would bring. Now that we’ve survived the holidays, a more thorough purging is due.

Start with video tapes of stuff the kids don’t watch anymore. Get rid of all the broken toys and games. If you haven’t fixed it by now, your not likely to do it anytime soon. Same with books. Salvage what you can repair and throw out what’s ruined.

A great way to get rid of the big stuff is to post it for free on CraigsList.org or GiGoIt.org. I’ve posted free stuff like an old garage door opener, broken TV, old computer, desk, etc. Within a day, usually a few people have contacted me offering to pick up the item.

Got a toddler bed, day bed, crib, stroller, car seat, etc. that you don’t know what to do with? Check with your local Church or place of worship. Maybe they have an outreach program to donate it to. You could sell it on CraigsList.org. Gently used stuff might be just perfect for occasional use at a grandparent’s house during short visits.

The new year is supposed to be about a fresh start. So why not get started? You’ll surely feel better once it’s done.

Good luck.
-Roland

Driver Bad Behavior

Here’s an interesting Web site I stumbled across — netizens can complain about bad driver behavior.

It allows consumers to vent their frustration with stupid, inconsiderate drivers. Just flipping through the gallery of submitted photos began to get me angry.

You can also download a few custom signs to leave on the window of the next jerk you encounter. Just don’t do anything stupid.

Warning: the domain name is a bit crude.

2007 resolution: Reduce your credit card debt

This year, why not reduce your credit card debt and shred excess credit cards?

Be sure to write a letter to each company first requesting that the credit card account be closed and to send you a confirmation letter.

Then cut (or mulch) those excess cards.

Afterwards, consider keeping no more than one or two cards maximum, preferably ones that earn value for you (e.g. Upromise).

Then resist the temptation to save a few dollars — don’t open any new store charge card accounts.

Good luck!

Article: ID Theft Growing Concern for MySpace Users

A scam for MySpace users to be aware of and defend themselves against…

Associated Press reports “ID Theft Growing Concern for MySpace Users”

MySpace bills itself as a “place for friends.” Increasingly, it is also a place for unfriendly attacks from digital miscreants on the prowl, luring users to sexually explicit Web sites, clogging mailboxes with spam messages and playing on the trust users have when speaking to “friends” to obtain passwords that could lead to identity theft.

One recent scam works this way: A spammer posts a number of phony profiles featuring pictures of cute women, often promising nude photos. A “friend request” with the woman’s photo is sent to hundreds of users.

Once the fake profile loads, a blue screen descends, saying the profile is protected by the “MySpace Adult Content Viewer.” Unsuspecting users who try to download the viewer instead get a worm that installs adware on their computers.

Social-networking sites make good targets because of the implicit level of trust users have when they’re interacting with “friends.”