By Debbie Pettitt

You’ve heard the “buzz” about identity theft, but what exactly is identity theft? According to Wikipedia, identity theft (or identity fraud) is the deliberate assumption of another person’s identity, usually to gain access to their finances or frame them for a crime.

“Dumpster diving” (someone going through your trash), “shoulder surfing” (someone watching from a nearby location as you punch in your credit card number or ATM PIN # or eavesdropping as you give your personal information over the phone) and “phishing” (someone sending an email that appears to be from a legitimate business) are only a few ways of obtaining your personal information.

Once they have obtained your personal information, identity thieves often change the address on your bills, keeping you unaware that your identity has been stolen unless you are aware of when your bills normally arrive in the mail, keep track of what you charge and check your credit reports annually.

Here are several red flags that indicate you may be a victim of identity theft:

1. You check your credit reports annually and find there are new charge cards showing with companies you don’t know.

2. You receive a bill for a credit card account you didn’t open.

3. You notice charges on your credit card statement you did not authorize.

4. You haven’t received your bills or credit card statements when they normally arrive.

5. Your bank statements show unauthorized transfers or withdrawals.

6. You receive a call from a collection agency about an account you never opened.

7. You receive calls from businesses about merchandise you didn’t buy.

8. You’re denied credit because debts show up on your credit reports that don’t belong to you.

If you notice any of these red flags, don’t panic – there may be a logical explanation.

About the Author: Debbie Pettitt is the webmaster of two web sites designed to provide you the latest news and information on identity theft and credit scores. For further information on identity theft, visit

understandingidentitytheft.com

. For information on how to check and/or correct your credit score, go to

yourcreditscoreranking.com

Source:

isnare.com

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Submitted by: Trevor Richards

When it comes to the task of planning your wedding, there are innumerable important tasks which need to be taken care of. Each of these jobs is as important as the next and must be given particular attention if your big day is to be anywhere near as special as you deserve. One of the first things that a bride thinks about is her dress, however it is vital that careful considerations is also give to the shoes too.

The first thing to remember when choosing your shoes is to not go for anything too elaborate. There’s no sense it buying shoes which will make you look tall – what’s the point when you’ve already landed the man of your dreams? It is also worth bearing in mind that in most cases your shoes will actually cover your shoes so making a fashion statement with them may not be the most important thing in the world.

On the subject of heels, it is entirely your decision as to whether you go for high or low heels. Wedding shoes don’t necessarily need to be flat, however you may find that there are a much wider selection of different styles of shoes which have a heel of one inch or smaller. You can almost be forgiven if comfort takes a back seat to style, however bear in mind that you will most likely be wearing these shoes all day. You may start the day feeling on top of the world in your beautiful shoes; however the last thing you will want is to finish the day in agony. If your budget will allow it, why not choose some shoes for the wedding ceremony itself and then select another style of wedding shoes for the reception.

Buying wedding shoes can be a frustrating experience as you will be able to get a pair in any size and style, however more often than not the problem that you will face is that they will be white. If you are after white shoes then that’s great, however if you’re after any other colour this could complicate things somewhat as they will require dying. There are specialist suppliers who will be able to take care of this for you, however it would be recommended that you wear the shoes in a little first to make sure that you have chosen a comfortable pair.

One of the best things about wedding shoes is that not only will you will be able to wear them on your special day, but you will be able to keep them for other special occasions and dye them again if necessary. For the bride who is on a budget, a good idea would be to search online to see which of the specialist retailers you find will sell you the shoes you like at the best price. Online shops have lower overheads and this may be reflected in their prices – spend a bit of time searching and see if you can grab yourself a bargain!

About the Author: Trevor Richards writes for Queens & Bowl (www.queensandbowl.com), UK retailers of beautiful

wedding shoes

.

Source:

isnare.com

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By Harry Fassett

Large and mid-size companies usually have a large budget for advertising, and often a Public Relations department that handles it, either hiring people in-house or out-sourcing to a designer, copywriter, and web-designer. Small business owners may have a budget for advertising, but it’s generally small, and they don’t have the expertise to do it themselves. Not only does it require specialized knowledge, but building an on-line platform can be time-consuming and expensive. It’s downright daunting to the business owner who may be business savvy but doesn’t have the technical skill needed to build an on-line presence.

Enter by Zurvita. is an on-line directory for businesses which was designed precisely for these small business owners. It’s an effective internet marketing solution used by thousands of national and local businesses to increase their brand recognition as well as sales. Thanks to Zurvita’s Geo-Targeted On-line Advertising, marketing is effectively targeted to drive traffic to the directory listing. They target placement of individual ads to ensure that the listing gets qualified traffic, not just a high numbers of hits. Depending on which of three packages is chosen, a business can target from 10-60 zip codes for their ads.

Finding appropriate search terms is a problem for many people. professionals will review chosen search terms, and submit them to the major search engines. They will optimize the business listing for the best placement, as well as help with blog strategies to help drive traffic to the site.

A business’s comprehensive listing includes customized details about the business, the slogan or tagline, the logo, the ability to upload up to fifteen photos and five videos as desired, customized electronic coupons, reviews from peer businesses, and Google Maps with driving directions in order for potential customers to easily and quickly find the business. The directory listing will link directly to the business website. Business owners have the ability to track results by checking performance statistics.

Local business owners can choose from three plans–Silver, Gold, or Platinum- depending on their budget and their goals. For a flat monthly fee, an owner is entitled to a certain level of service. Using the zip codes mentioned above as an example, Silver uses 10 zip codes, Gold uses 30, and Platinum uses 60. The number of search terms used goes up with the plan level also. Each plan is clearly set out with the benefits, and the business owner chooses the plan right for her. Discounts are available on quartertly, semi-annual, and annual contracts. Local Ad Link is a great solution to the advertising dilemma.

Harry Fassett, an independent Zurvita agent, has dealt with many local advertisers signing up for. ‘The ad packages are an easy sale,’ he explains. ‘Local businesses are looking for a local online advertising solution by zip code. It’s real plus for those who have to watch their advertising budget closely. They get real results for a single flat fee, and that’s important to a small business owner.’ Zurvita’s proprietary platform combined with their network of high-traffic sites is an efficient method of reaching consumers with customized details for any business.

About the Author: Harry Fassett is a full time SEO Specialist in Los Angeles, CA who has been in the industry since 1995. Also currently an Independent Zurvita Agent on the side offering clients supplemental health care services, Energy Consulting, pre-paid legal services and much more. Visit: Independent Zurvita Agent Network Marketing site for more info.

Source: isnare.com

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