Chemistry.com Free Communication Weekend

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April 30th, 2010 - Posted by Tasha

It's back! Chemistry.com is offering free communication weekend this Friday April 30th through Sunday May 2nd. Free communication weekend gives you the full Chemistry.com experience without have to pay for it (thus the "free"!). You don't even need to provide a credit card.

Once you complete your profile Chemistry.com will show you your matches and you can immediately begin communicating with them. So go on, take Chemistry.com for a test drive and kick the wheels a bit. Wink, flirt and maybe meet your next potential mate online. If this sparks your interest, or you'd like to know more about online dating, check out our online dating reviews.

Project Working Mom Scholarship

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April 29th, 2010 - Posted by Tasha

If you're a working mom in need of a full scholarship to get your degree and achieve your dreams, help is here.  eLearners is continuing their Project Working Mom full-tuition scholarship program.  They've already given away over $5 million to moms and dads and are still looking for parents who need a helping hand.  Project Working Mom is a completely legitimate scholarship opportunity and has even been featured on the Tyra Show.

Project Working Mom will be awarding 285 scholarships throughout 2010.  It's quick and easy to apply for consideration:

1. Go to the Project Working Mom website website.
2. Complete the application.  You'll need to provide some basic information about yourself and specify what degree you'd like to pursue.
3. Write a short essay explaining why you'd like to go back to school describing “how earning an online degree/program would make my mother proud” or “how earning an online degree/program would make me a better mom/dad.”

We are using Quicken Loans to purchase a home. They say my credit score is 580, but another loan company said my credit score was 612. Why do I have 2 different credit scores?

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April 28th, 2010 - Posted by Tasha

The following is an actual user submitted question:

Q: We are using Quicken Loans to purchase a home. They say my credit score is 580, but another loan company said my credit score was 612. Why do I have 2 different credit scores?

A: It's an urban legend that you only have a single credit report and score. Everyone actually has 3 different credit reports, one with each of the 3 credit bureaus – Experian, Equifax and Transunion. The credit bureaus each maintain their own credit records so something that is on one of the records may not be on the others. That's because when your credit history is reported to the credit bureaus, sometimes the person or company doing the reporting only gives the information to 1 or 2 of them.

Your credit score is derived from your credit history, and because you have 3 different credit reports you can have 3 different credit scores.  Since loan companies (and other entities) pull your credit score from the credit bureau of their choice it is fairly common that different companies will see different credit scores.

A simple way to resolve the disparity between your credit scores is to keep a close eye on all 3 of your credit reports.  If you see something on one of them that shouldn't be there, you need to report it to the credit bureau that has the error on file.

You can get all 3 of your credit reports for free once a year at AnnualCreditReport.com, but you need to be aware that this is just a reflection of your credit history at a single point in time.  It's won't let you know if something new is put on your credit report or even worse if something that's incorrect ends up there.  To prevent this, it's a good idea to sign up for a credit report monitoring service like Identity Guard.  With this type of service, your credit report will be constantly monitored and you'll be alerted to any changes.

Symantec teams up with Iron Man: $30 Norton rebate

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April 27th, 2010 - Posted by Kent

Those familiar with comic books will know that one of the grandest traditions in the medium is the team-up. Batman and Superman, Green Arrow and Green Lantern, Havoc and Wolverine, Nick Fury and Wolverine, Spider-Man and Wolverine (EVERYONE and Wolverine), The X-Men and X-Force, are just a few of the crime-fighting team-ups that have graced the four-color pages. Now, Internet security software provider Symantec and media powerhouse Marvel Studios are teaming up to fight cybercrime. To coincide with the release of Iron Man 2 with a $30 mail-in rebate for Norton Internet Security and Norton 360. This substantially lowers the price on these highly rated Internet security products.

The rebate actually comes in the form of a $30 Visa card, which is not redeemable for cash. But you can, for instance, use it at your local cineplex to buy tickets for Iron Man 2. Additional fine print is below, and here.

** Receive $30 via mail-in rebate with the purchase of Norton 360 Version 4.0 or Norton Internet Security 2010 or $20 with the purchase of Norton AntiVirus 2010. Offer good for purchases made between 4/12/10 and 6/30/10. Rebate submissions must be postmarked within 30 days of purchase. Limit one rebate per product per customer. See rebate forms for complete Terms and Conditions after complete purchase and check Symantec Rebate Center for more details.

Scammers bait 40,000 Facebook victims with Ikea gift card

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April 27th, 2010 - Posted by Robert Siciliano

Robert Siciliano is a NextAdvisor.com Expert Guest Blogger

It’s just a matter of setting up a fake Facebook page and marketing it to a few people who then send it to their friends and it goes somewhat viral. The Ikea scam hooked 40,000 unsuspecting victims with the promise of a $1,000 gift card.

PC World reports:

In the past months, fan pages have popped up all over the social networking site, offering too-good-to-be-true gift cards. There's the $500 Whole Foods card, the $10 Walmart offer, and the $1,000 Ikea gift card. The Ikea page put these gift card scams on the map last month, when it quickly racked up more than 70,000 fans before being snuffed. Facebook has also taken down Target and iTunes gift card scam pages in the past few months.

To get the gift card the users must enter names, address and email address. They are then pointed to other pages where real products and services are offered. From there they enter credit card details if the offer appeals to them.

The root of this scam is believed to be perpetrated by affiliate marketers who make money on click throughs and create a ruse to gather data on potential customers also known as a “sucker list.”

In general, there shouldn’t be any traditional identity theft as it relates to new account fraud as long as requests aren’t being made for Social Security numbers, and the “victim” isn’t giving one out. Otherwise I don’t see this scam as harmful, but is certainly deceptive.

Protect your identity:

1. If you think you're a victim of identity theft, find out how to get a credit freeze. This is an absolutely necessary tool to secure your credit. In most cases, it prevents new accounts from being opened in your name. This makes your Social Security number useless to a potential identity thief.
2. Invest in anti-virus and keep it auto-updated.
3. With your iPhone get my book as an App or go to my website and get my FREE ebook on how to protect yourself from the bad guy.
4. Invest in identity theft protection and prevention. Not all forms of identity theft can be prevented, but identity theft protection services can dramatically reduce your risk. (Disclosures)

Robert Siciliano is CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, an identity theft expert, professional speaker, security analyst, published author and television news correspondent. Siciliano works with Fortune 1000 companies and startups as an advisor on product launches, branding, messaging, representation, SEO and media. Siciliano's thoughts and advice on all these matters appear often in both the televised and print news media including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX, Forbes and USA Today. He has 25 years of security training as a member of the American Society of Industrial Security. He is the author of two books, including The Safety Minute: Living on High Alert; How to take control of your personal security and prevent fraud. He's also partnered with Intelius to help raise awareness about the growing threat of identity theft and to provide tips on how you can protect yourself.

Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Speaker discussing Facebook Hackers on CNN.

Q: I'm looking for a computer back up service but am concerned about HIPAA compliance. Are you certified for HIPAA protection and could you provide documentation?

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April 26th, 2010 - Posted by Kent

The following is an actual user-submitted question:

Q: I'm looking for a computer back up service but am concerned about HIPAA compliance. Are you certified for HIPAA protection and could you provide documentation?

A: Thanks for the question. First, we should point out that NextAdvisor does not provide online backup services, we just review them. Having said that, we can give you our best advice. During our reviews, the only service that we found that advertised HIPAA compliance is IDrive's business backup. Our testing focused only on IDrive's consumer plans, but according to their site:

As proposed, a HIPAA-compliant information system will need to include a combination of administrative procedures, physical safeguards and technical measures to protect patient information while it is stored and transmitted across communications networks. IDrive provides critical data security protection without compromising patient privacy and can help customers achieve HIPAA compliance.

You can read more about IDrive's HIPAA compliance here. IDrive also advertises that their business plans (starting at $99.50 per year for 50GB of storage) are Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), SEC/NASD, and Gramm-Leach-Bliley compliant. Note that the link from our review goes to the sign-up page for the consumer plan; you can sign up for IDrive's business plan by clicking here.

What is the best way to report an unpaid debt? We are a very small company and a customer owes a small debt (less than $5000).

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April 23rd, 2010 - Posted by Tasha

The following is an actual user submitted question:

Q: What is the best way to report an unpaid debt? We are a very small company and a customer owes a small debt (less than $5000).

A: Unfortunately, it's not easy for a small company or individual to report unpaid debt to the 3 credit bureaus.  Because there are 3 separate credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion), you would need to report an unpaid debt to each of the 3 separately.  There is no cost-free way to do this, and there is no way to report a single unpaid debt directly to any of the credit bureaus.

Each of the 3 credit bureaus offer paid plans for businesses to report debt to the credit bureaus, but this is a somewhat complicated and expensive solution. To qualify for a data reporting plan there are a minimum number of companies/accounts that you need to be reporting on each month.  This minimum typically starts at 50-100 different accounts, a very large number indeed.

Monthly reporting on such a large number of accounts is usually outside the realm of possibility for most small businesses. Because of this, an alternative solution has sprung up – debt collection agencies.  A debt collection agency will pursue your unpaid debt for you, and usually offer the option of reporting it to the credit bureaus.  Of course, there is a price associated with this but it can be fairly reasonable.  Sometimes there is a flat fee, and sometimes they take a percentage of the unpaid debt once they collect it.  Regardless, this is most likely your best chance to both report and pursue the debt.

If you elect to hire a debt collection agency, make sure you select one that is a member of or affiliated with the American Collectors Association.  This is a professional association for businesses and individuals in the credit and collection industry, and it's official stamp lends a sense of credibility to the companies who belong.

I have canceled all of my credit cards, preferring to deal in cash only. Can I sign up for TrustedID and pay by mail rather than by credit card?

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April 22nd, 2010 - Posted by Tasha

The following is an actual user submitted question:

Q:  I have canceled all of my credit cards, preferring to deal in cash only.   Can I sign up for TrustedID and pay by mail rather than by credit card?

A: You do need a credit or debit card to sign up for TrustedID, but there's a fairly easy way to get around this.  You can buy a pre-paid Visa or Mastercard debit card at most local supermarkets or convenience stores with a small amount on it.  You can even pay cash for these.  I would recommend getting a pre-paid debit card with about a year's worth of payments to TrustedID, that way you won't have to worry about getting a new card every month and updating your payment information.  Trusted ID also offers discounts on their annual subscription, which might be easier and is a great way to save money.

You can also use a pre-paid credit card.  These are pre-funded reloadable cards. Pre-paid credit cards require advance payment to the card company, after which the cards can be used until the deposited amount is gone .  The nice thing about these cards is that they can be recharged and used again.  A pre-paid credit card might be of value for those who are paying off their debt and don't want a standard credit card.  The downside to pre-paid credit cards is that they may have additional fees associated with them.  Always read the small print before you buy one so you know what you're getting.

1.5 million Americans have been victims of medical identity theft

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April 21st, 2010 - Posted by Robert Siciliano

Robert Siciliano is a NextAdvisor.com Expert Guest Blogger

The Smartcard Alliance has released an in-depth report called "Medical Identity Theft in Healthcare."

While identity theft is a global issue that garners much media attention, most do not realize that medical identity theft is a serious and growing threat. Many authorities consider medical identity theft one of the fastest growing crimes in America. With the digital age of healthcare upon us, the risks are expected to increase as electronic medical records become more prevalent and the exchange of this data over expanding networks becomes more pervasive. Heightened concern over personal data security and privacy highlight the importance of having secure electronic medical identities.

According to a recent Ponemon Institute study, nearly 1.5 million Americans have been victims of medical identity theft with an estimated total cost of $28.6 billion–or approximately $20,000 per victim. [1] Further evidence of the significance of the medical fraud problem is the allocation of $1.7 billion for fraud detection in the 2011 U.S. Health and Human Services Department budget. [2] In 2009, 68 reported healthcare data breaches in the U.S. put over 11.3 million patient records at risk of exposure.

Patients whose medical identities are stolen face serious lingering effects. Fraudulent healthcare events can leave erroneous data in medical records. This erroneous information–like information about tests, diagnoses and procedures–can greatly affect future healthcare and insurance coverage and costs. Patients are often unaware of medical identity theft until a curious bill or a surprising line of questioning by a doctor exposes the issue. Then, the burden of proof is often with the patient and it can be difficult to get the patient’s legitimate medical records cleaned up. The consequences can also be life threatening and can lead to serious medical errors and fatalities.

Identity theft prevention services generally will not protect you from medical identity theft. However, if your information is out there on the Net and being scanned constantly by the identity theft protection service, then your risk is lowered. Furthermore, I’m all about layers of protection. If your identity is protected from new account fraud via credit monitoring or credit freezes then the thief may use another identity that has less restrictions.

Protect your identity:

1. If you think you're a victim of identity theft, find out how to get a credit freeze. This is an absolutely necessary tool to secure your credit. In most cases, it prevents new accounts from being opened in your name. This makes your Social Security number useless to a potential identity thief.
2. Invest in anti-virus and keep it auto-updated.
3. With your iPhone get my book as an App or go to my website and get my FREE ebook on how to protect yourself from the bad guy.
4. Invest in identity theft protection and prevention. Not all forms of identity theft can be prevented, but identity theft protection services can dramatically reduce your risk. (Disclosures)

Robert Siciliano is CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, an identity theft expert, professional speaker, security analyst, published author and television news correspondent. Siciliano works with Fortune 1000 companies and startups as an advisor on product launches, branding, messaging, representation, SEO and media. Siciliano's thoughts and advice on all these matters appear often in both the televised and print news media including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX, Forbes and USA Today. He has 25 years of security training as a member of the American Society of Industrial Security. He is the author of two books, including The Safety Minute: Living on High Alert; How to take control of your personal security and prevent fraud. He's also partnered with Intelius to help raise awareness about the growing threat of identity theft and to provide tips on how you can protect yourself.

Robert Siciliano Identity Theft Speaker discussing Medical Identity Theft on the CBS Early Show

References:

1. Survey conducted by The Ponemon Institute in February 2010
2. "HHS Budget Makes Smart Investments, Protects the Health and Safety of America’s Families," February 1, 2010

Can I still use my fax machine with Vonage?

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April 19th, 2010 - Posted by Tasha

The following is an actual user-submitted question:

Q:  Can I still use my fax machine with Vonage?

A: Yes, you can use your fax machine with Vonage.  Once you've signed up for Vonage, you'll receive the Vonage V-Portal in the mail.  If you have a single Vonage line, just plug your fax machine into Phone Port 1 on the back of the V-Portal and it's connected.

Having a single line means that you'll be sharing your fax line with your phone line, just like you would on a regular land line.  For example, if you're on the phone you won't be able to receive or send faxes and if you're using the fax you won't be able to talk on the phone.  However, since most people don't fax that often this will probably work for you.

If you need a dedicated fax line, there are a couple of options.  Residential customers taking advantage of the current Vonage World deal of $14.99/month can add-on a dedicated fax line for $9.99/month. Vonage business customers have a dedicated fax line included in their subscription.   For additional fax questions or plain old Vonage questions, Vonage is just a toll-free call away at 888-692-8076.