For the Month of December 2006 --- Vol. 1, Issue 13
The holiday shopping season is in full swing...but if you can't stand the crowds and prefer to shoponline - you'll want to know about this website, full of "secret savings" offered by many popular retailers on their most sought after gift items. And if a new cell phone or PDA is on your gift list or wish list this year, there's a danger lurking about that you need to be aware of. Your private informationcould be at risk if you fail to take one simple action with your old cell phone or PDA. And just in time for the holidays, another new identity theft scam is on the loose...and this one is fooling even those most savvy, so don't miss learning about this alarming new way that criminals are seeking to steal from you.
As always, please feel free to forward this issue to friends, family members or coworkers...or let me know if they'd like to enjoy their own free subscription. If you need any personal assistance at this time, simply call or email - always glad to hear from you!
If that phrase doesn't excite you - you are like millions of Americans who enjoy the convenience of shopping online. Doing your buying online is a great way to shop for anything from gadgets or the latest fashions to a quick gift for a friend...or maybe you plan to do all your holiday shopping online this year to avoid the crowds! Yet many "shop-a-holics" claim that by spending all the time scouring the stores, they are sure to get the best deals. But what if you could buy online, knowing that you got a good deal on the item...without having to invest hours of your valuable time pounding the streets, or surfing all over the internet to ensure the lowest price?
Well, wish no more.
Check out http://www.secretprices.com/, loaded with special coupons and discounts for many
popular online stores, such as Amazon, Brookstone and Sharper Image. Ever buy at Office Depot, Gap or Circuit City? The website is loaded with savings for all these companies - most of which are discounts on any purchase you make, not just for one particular item they are trying to get rid of. It's like having a personal "cyber shopper" that goes out and does the bargain shopping for you - it saves you time and money too.
Log onto the site, and click the link for "Coupon Center". If you see a particular vendor you are looking for, IN THIS ISSUE... SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP!
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just click the business name, and you'll be led to a special page of their discounts. If you want to view them all -hit the link for "Latest Coupon Codes" to see a list of all the savings. You may also want to hit "Expiring Coupon Codes" to see if there are any discounts expiring soon that you'd like to take advantage of.
And don't miss hitting the link for "Latest Deals". Here you will find a wide range of special deals being offered on a wide range of products -printers for 50% off, cordless phones for 75% off...it's worth a few minutes to prowl around and see what you might be interested in! "Expiring Deals" have some hot specials too - again, worth a few minutes of browsing.
You can shop by category, with everything from books to jewelry to event tickets to clothing. Just pick the category and you can select the product from a variety of stores, compare the prices, read customer reviews, and then save even more with secret coupons and deals. And, best of all....it is safe, secure, and advertisement free. While on the site you will not be bothered by annoying pop-ups, flashing advertisement banners, or spyware.
So you don't have to shop 'til you drop - saving online is now easier than ever. And let's face it, itfeels good to save money on your purchases, and saving a few bucks here and there adds up. Getting a good deal will not only save you money in the long run - but will make you feel better about purchasing the product in the first place. Know anyone else who shops? Of course you do - so feel free to pass on this article, and help them save money too!
THE AGONY OF DELETE Just when you thought your personal data like passwords and bank information was safe because you deleted it from your cell or PDA...turns out that hackers can still steal the information. Believe it or not, your private data can easily be hijacked from your trashed or turned in device, even when you've deleted everything. That could cause some major headaches for a lot of innocent people. But the good news is that you can protect yourself.
With the advancement of PDA's and cell phones, these devices have become mini computers and contain loads of valuable and private information. Individuals store information in their cell phones like passwords, bank account numbers, appointments, contact information, even social security numbers.
And for most individuals, cell phones and PDA's are used for about 1.5 years and then replaced, usually by upgrading to a newer model. Old cell phones and PDA's are sold on EBay, tossed in the trash, or sent off to a cell phone recycling center. Of course, before turning it in or trashing it, most wisely delete the information.
But in reality, the information is not completely deleted...it remains on the device.
The part that is deleted is the pathway for the information to be displayed. Much like with a computer - when a file is deleted the operating system never erases the data, it only deletes the pointers to where the data is located. Hackers have the advanced software available that can resurrect erased data from a cell phone or PDA, even if you have already "deleted" the information.
In fact, the data can be recovered in 85% of cell phones and PDA's! So hackers are buying old cell phones, extracting this valuable information, and passing it along to identity thieves.
But, there is a solution and it only requires a few additional steps to ensure that the data ispermanently deleted and hacker-free.
Simply start by hitting this link http://www.wirelessrecycling.com/, click on the "Cell Phone Data Eraser", select the cell phone manufacturer, model, and click on the download instructions icon. Follow the instructions and all of the data will be completely and permanently removed. Can't find the make and model? No worries - just contact the manufacturer of the cell phone or PDA, and ask for instructions on how to permanently delete all information from the device.
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With just a few clicks of the mouse you can rest assured that when you sell or trash that old model, hackers and identity thieves will not be able to track where you have been, what your account numbers are, read confidential emails, or view photos or videos of your loved ones. And be sure to forward this important information on to everyone you know. Most likely they have cell phones or PDA's and may be looking to upgrade. Knowing this valuable bit of information will keep them safe,so pass it on!
SCAMMERS ARE 'VISHING' YOU WOULDN’T READ THIS ARTICLE... It appears the only ones who love the holiday season more than children are criminals. You may be familiar with the term Phishing - where scammers send you emails in an attempt to acquire sensitive information like credit card details and passwords by masquerading as a trustworthy person or business. And much like Phishing, Vishing is the latest identity-theft ploy. Beware - this one is extra tricky. Instead of using email, scammers use voice over internet protocol (VoIP), which allows people to make calls using an Internet connection instead of a regular phone line. The con calls their target with an automated phone message, which informs them that their account has had fraudulent charges placed on it. The account owner is then lured into dialing a fake 800 number in order to resolve the charges, where a recorded voice prompts them to confirm an account or credit card number using the phone's touch pad. This is where the problem starts, and criminals are handed free access to your account and credit cards...talk about "The Nightmare before Christmas". So how can you be sure that you will not fall victim to this scam?
"Who do I trust? Me, that's who!" - Advice from Hollywood's most notorious criminal, Tony Montana.
Remember...creditors, government agencies, and companies you do business with already have your personal information and will not contact you to verify it.
Never respond to a cold call requesting personal information. In the same sense that you wouldn't send your credit card information via email, don't be so willing to punch it into a touch tone phone.
Don't trust your caller ID. Creating a fake display name is easy with Internet-based technology, and scammers now have the ability to make it seem like they are calling from a legitimate organization.
This just goes to show that as technology improves, so do the criminal's means of taking advantageof you. Be careful this holiday season, keep track of your purchases, and help protect your friendsand family by educating them about Vishing!
The material contained in this newsletter has been prepared by an independent third-party provider. The material provided is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, financial, real estate and/or mortgage advice. Although the material is deemed to be accurate and reliable, there is no guarantee it is not without errors.
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