A warm Tiki Hut Welcome to today's special guest, author Kimber Chin.
Kimber's new release INVISIBLE deals with the topic of identity theft and she's been kind enough to share some things she's learned about preventing identity theft through her research...things we all need to learn.
Kimber Chin writes sexy contemporary romances set in the business world. A business gal herself, she is tired of seeing business folks described as emotionless bores, especially as many of the people she works with are one step away from the looney bin. It takes a special type of crazy to spend days in a 100 square feet cubicle.
This cynical gal had her world tilted when she fell in love at first sight. 15 gloriously happy years later, she cautions single women that slick talking salesmen will do anything to keep their favorite customers satisfied.
Every week, Kimber Chin posts a short story and a photo of a man in a great looking suit on her website and every month, she gives away her favorite eBook read the previous month.
Welcome Kimber!!!
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Thanks for having me here, DeNita!
Preventing Identity Theft
Excerpt From Invisible:
He watched her. She ignored him.
There was silence except for the ticking of the Ingraham 30-hour kitchen mantle clock Birger had found in Pittsburgh years ago.
“Why do you subscribe to forensic accounting magazines?” Hagen volleyed a question her way.
“Why do you think?” she deflected, not giving him anything.
Hagen grunted his disapproval and took another swallow of coffee before continuing. “Why does my Uncle have them?”
“He was interested.” Understatement. He was more than interested. After an unfortunate run in with an identity thief, Birger got her number through a mutual friend. Maeve taught him the basics but he wanted to know more, much more. Over shared dinners, Maeve acting as Birger’s sous-chef, she talked about different cases and he would listen, asking question after question, after question.
No more. Birger, her friend. He wouldn’t be asking any more questions.
$
I always thought that identity theft happened to wealthy people (like Birger). That is, until it happened to my dear, sweet Mom. My Mom, a single mother of six kids, aspires to being middle class. She doesn't have any money. Why would someone want her identity?
Because having her identity gives thieves access to her credit line. Everyone has a credit line. I can get credit in my plant's name (Fern the Third – don't ask what happened to Fern I and Fern II). Once the thieves have access, they apply for credit cards, lines of credits, even putting liens on the victim's house.
Identity theft is the worst theft there is. A normal theft is a one time thing (actually usually a two time thing, thieves normally break back in once you've replaced all the stolen goods). With identity theft, the thieves keep stealing and stealing and stealing. Stopping that and then proving you weren't the person actually using the credit card or line of credit can take a decade or more. Yeah, not fun. So the best thing to do is to prevent identity theft.
I asked Frank M. Ahearn (http://www.frankahearn.com/ ), one of the leading skip tracers in the world, what he suggests we do to prevent identity theft.
"Most identity thieves obtain information several ways, stealing from mail the box, dumpster diving and double swiping credit cards in retail stores. Below are some prevention methods I suggest.As far, as bills and any type of documents that have identifiers always shred the information before discarding. Do not be frugal when it comes to purchasing a shredder; get a good cross cutting shredder. I always suggest using a Post Office Box or a mail drop for bills to be mailed to; crooks cannot reach their hands into the boxes like the one in front of private homes.When in retail stores watch the cashier and how they swipe your credit card. However, when in restaurants this can be difficult since the servers takes your card away.On personal information the less information you give out the better, no need for the credit card, utility company, the dentist, the cable company to have your cell number. In addition, there is no reason that the cell company should have your home phone or work information. Just do not give it away!"
(If you EVER get a chance to take a course from Frank, I strongly suggest you invest the dollars. I make it a point to take one of his courses a year.)
$
Kimber Chin gives away a favorite romance eBook a month on her site http://businessromance.com/ . She never asks any information other than a name (it doesn't have to be a real name) and an email address. She also shares a short story and a photo of a hot man in a great fitting suit every week.
Excerpt From Invisible:
He watched her. She ignored him.
There was silence except for the ticking of the Ingraham 30-hour kitchen mantle clock Birger had found in Pittsburgh years ago.
“Why do you subscribe to forensic accounting magazines?” Hagen volleyed a question her way.
“Why do you think?” she deflected, not giving him anything.
Hagen grunted his disapproval and took another swallow of coffee before continuing. “Why does my Uncle have them?”
“He was interested.” Understatement. He was more than interested. After an unfortunate run in with an identity thief, Birger got her number through a mutual friend. Maeve taught him the basics but he wanted to know more, much more. Over shared dinners, Maeve acting as Birger’s sous-chef, she talked about different cases and he would listen, asking question after question, after question.
No more. Birger, her friend. He wouldn’t be asking any more questions.
$
I always thought that identity theft happened to wealthy people (like Birger). That is, until it happened to my dear, sweet Mom. My Mom, a single mother of six kids, aspires to being middle class. She doesn't have any money. Why would someone want her identity?
Because having her identity gives thieves access to her credit line. Everyone has a credit line. I can get credit in my plant's name (Fern the Third – don't ask what happened to Fern I and Fern II). Once the thieves have access, they apply for credit cards, lines of credits, even putting liens on the victim's house.
Identity theft is the worst theft there is. A normal theft is a one time thing (actually usually a two time thing, thieves normally break back in once you've replaced all the stolen goods). With identity theft, the thieves keep stealing and stealing and stealing. Stopping that and then proving you weren't the person actually using the credit card or line of credit can take a decade or more. Yeah, not fun. So the best thing to do is to prevent identity theft.
I asked Frank M. Ahearn (http://www.frankahearn.com/ ), one of the leading skip tracers in the world, what he suggests we do to prevent identity theft.
"Most identity thieves obtain information several ways, stealing from mail the box, dumpster diving and double swiping credit cards in retail stores. Below are some prevention methods I suggest.As far, as bills and any type of documents that have identifiers always shred the information before discarding. Do not be frugal when it comes to purchasing a shredder; get a good cross cutting shredder. I always suggest using a Post Office Box or a mail drop for bills to be mailed to; crooks cannot reach their hands into the boxes like the one in front of private homes.When in retail stores watch the cashier and how they swipe your credit card. However, when in restaurants this can be difficult since the servers takes your card away.On personal information the less information you give out the better, no need for the credit card, utility company, the dentist, the cable company to have your cell number. In addition, there is no reason that the cell company should have your home phone or work information. Just do not give it away!"
(If you EVER get a chance to take a course from Frank, I strongly suggest you invest the dollars. I make it a point to take one of his courses a year.)
$
Kimber Chin gives away a favorite romance eBook a month on her site http://businessromance.com/ . She never asks any information other than a name (it doesn't have to be a real name) and an email address. She also shares a short story and a photo of a hot man in a great fitting suit every week.
