Identity Theft

This week we will have tips on identity theft. How it happens and how you can protect yourself.

The Federal Trade Commission states approximately 9 million Americans have their identity stolen each year. 

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes for the purpose of:

Assuming another person’s identity.

Obtaining credit or credit card.

Stealing money from credit, checking and savings accounts.

Gaining employment.

Leasing or purchasing real estate or automobiles.

How Does Identity Theft Occur?

Identity theft can occur in a number of ways, either through digging through your trash, recording your credit card numbers, obtaining your personal information through false pretenses, changing your address to receive items at a separate location, and stealing wallets, purses or driver licenses. 

Legal authorities call such crimes Dumpster Diving, Skimming and Pfishing.

This week's blog will present several different ways that people become victims of identity theft. The first method is a technique referred to as dumpster diving.

Dumpster Diving:

By leaving your un-shredded bank statements, credit card statements, medical bills, pre-approved credit card solicitations, and other personal 

documents in your kitchen garbage you may attract thieves and lead to a financial disaster. Any one of those documents can be sitting in your outside 

garbage bins waiting for someone to come steal your garbage and piece together your mail.

Skimming:

Be careful of who you provide your credit card information. Criminally-minded retailers exist and can easily run your card in a special copying machine during the course of legitimately running your transactions.

Pfishing:

Pfishing—This word looks funny but sounds familiar. Every day thousands of people receive emails from senders claiming to be financial institutions requesting you to click on a link to verify information. These links are actually fake sites created by thieves who send spam or pop-up messages to gain your personal information.

NEVER log onto your financial sites from an email link. You should always type your bank’s address separately and log on apart from email.

What Thieves Do With Your Information.

Thieves may open credit card accounts in your name, fail to pay bills and hurt your credit.

By changing your billing address, you may never know that your account is being charged.

Utilities, wireless, cable and heating accounts can be opened using your information. 

Thieves can also create fake checks using your name, write illegitimate checks or duplicate your ATM card.

Some thieves may even take out loans in your name.

Fake IDs can also be made using his or her picture with your information.

Vehicles and houses are not to be discounted, they too can be rented in your name, and jobs can be obtained using your social security number.

Prevention Tips:

There are some ways you can protect yourself from identity theft. 

When it comes to personal finance matters: 

Order and review copies of our financial report from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion every year. 

Empty your wallet of extra credit cards and identity.

Shred all financial documents you plan to discard.

Only release personal data to agencies who require it to initiate certain actions.

Your department of motor vehicles can issue drivers licenses without your social security number.

Ensure your pin numbers cannot be viewed by others when entering it into an ATM.

Shred all financial receipts and never leave then at the retail location.

Do not keep passwords or your Social Security number in your wallet.

Remove mail promptly from your mailbox.

Deposit outgoing mail in locked post collection boxes, not in your mailbox.


Use caution when supplying your financial information over the Internet.

If You Become a Victim of Identity Theft:

Contact credit reporting agencies.

Close accounts and contact fraud departments for each company where your account has had unauthorized activity.

File a police report.

How to Avoid Being a Victim of Auto Repair and Service Station Scams

While most car mechanics are honest, there are some unscrupulous service station mechanics and attendants who use gimmicks and tricks to con their customers into paying for unnecessary auto parts or labor.

Some unscrupulous mechanics use fear tactics in selling such parts as tires, radiator hoses, and shocks.

Beware of attendants who tell you that you need such parts replaced immediately or else you will have a serious accident.

Attendants want to arouse enough fear so that you will make a quick decision to purchase based on an emotional reaction rather than on sound reasoning.

Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to be aware of all of the scams that can be used, but if you're careful you can protect yourself.

Here are a few basic guidelines to remember:

Deal with local service stations or mechanics whom you know from experience that you can trust. Scams are more likely to be used on customers who are out of towners rather than locals who live in the area.

Take your vehicle in when the shop is open instead of dropping it off, that way you can speak with the mechanic.

If you do leave your vehicle, leave specific instructions and a contact telephone number.

Remember to have your car serviced regularly and checked by your mechanic before any major trips. This way you can help avoid being the 'out of towner 'with a car  problem.

Motor vehicle repair shops must register with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Verify that the shop you are dealing with is registered.

Some counties also require registration, check with your county consumer agency.

Be aware of the Florida Motor Vehicle Repair Act.

This act requires that a written estimate of the cost of a repair be given to you if your repair will exceed $100.00.

Always get a written estimate for any work done on your car and demand additional written estimates if the repairs are to exceed the original amount.

You may also demand to be contacted by the attendant or mechanic for your authorization if there is going to be an expense over and above that which is stated in the estimate.

You can ask that old parts replaced during the repair be returned to you.

The repair facility must tell you whether or not new or used parts are to be used in the repair.

All work and parts are required to be itemized on an invoice so you can know the reason for all charges.

Following these few simple tips can help protect you from auto repair scams.

Do I Need Uninsured/Under Insured Driver Coverage?

The consequences of being hit by an under insured/uninsured driver depend on your state's insurance laws. States are either "no-fault" or "tort" as far as insurance  goes.

In no-fault states, drivers go to their own insurance company for payment after an accident. The question of who is at fault isn't usually even discussed.

In tort states, car insurance companies pay for damages based on who is at fault. So if you're in an accident where the other driver is deemed completely at fault, their company would have to cover all damages — yours and their own.

As you can see, colliding with an uninsured or under insured driver is a simpler matter in a no-fault state: You simply file a claim with your car insurance company and they handle your needs.

However, you might still want to consider uninsured/under insured motorist coverage if you live in a no-fault state due to the extra financial protection it provides.

 For instance, if you're hit and injured in a collision with an uninsured driver, your health insurance will pay your medical bills — but they won't help you with lost wages or pain and suffering compensation, things the other driver's liability policies would normally provide. Thankfully, uninsured/under insured coverage can help.

If the crash happens in a tort state,  you may have to sue for damages — hence the "tort." This can be a costly and stressful process.

Taking into account that an uninsured or under insured driver probably lacks insurance due to limited funds, chances of payment is pretty slim.

Your own policy will of course cover you, but only up to your selected limits. If your limits are too low to cover all costs, you'll have to choose between paying out of pocket or litigating.

Note that some states have "contributory negligence" laws, which mean that insurance companies pay claims based on degree of fault. So if you're deemed to be 21 percent at fault in a collision, your insurance company will pay 21 percent of damages.

In closing, getting that extra coverage may seem like an unnecessary expense at the time, but in the event that you are involved in an accident with an under insured/uninsured motorist, you will be glad you have the coverage should your expenses exceed their coverage.

Check with your Insurance Agent to see if you are fully protected in the event of an accident with an under insured/uninsured motorist.

Personal Injury Case Information

Part 1

Our next couple of blogs will be related to what you can expect during the course of personal injury litigation. We hope this gives you some idea of what you might expect in the course your personal injury case.

I was hurt, someone owes me. Right?

Not necessarily. In order for an individual, company, or their insurance carrier, to be held responsible for an injury, there must be a reason. Usually, that reason is "negligence," which means not being careful for the safety of those around you, more or less. If someone runs a stop sign, and causes an accident, they are negligent, and will be responsible for the damages. If you are a customer in a restaurant, and there is something slippery on the floor, and you slip, fall and hurt yourself, the store owner can be held liable for your injury provided you can prove that the store operator knew there was a hazardous condition and failed to remedy it. However, if you are walking down the street and trip on a crack in the sidewalk you may not be able to sue the city unless you can prove they were grossly negligent. (Gross negligence is a legal concept which means serious carelessness.) These are the conditions that must be met in order to collect a monetary reward for personal injury.

Next?

You were injured, and someone was at fault.  What’s next?  Once responsibility for an injury is proven, the responsible party can be held liable in court for all damages related to your injury. Including payment of medical bills, prescriptions, mileage to and from doctor appointments, wages for lost time at work, as well as future lost wages if you have continuing medical treatment related to the injury. It also includes a monetary award for pain, suffering (physical and or mental,) inconvenience, and any other issues that could be considered for compensation related to the injury.

When to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney

You should strongly consider hiring a personal injury lawyer if:

You sustained serious injuries with possible long-term repercussions.

The other involved driver was uninsured or under-insured.

When there is a dispute as to who is at fault.

You are feeling pressured by the claims adjuster to agree to a quick settlement. Quick usually takes precedent over fair, often leading to hasty decisions and complicated insurance-speak in the settlement agreement.

You don't feel you're being fully compensated for your current and future medical costs resulting from your car accident injury.

These are some of the reason you should consider legal representation in the event of a disputed automobile accident.

Most consultations are free, so it benefits you to check if you have any of the above scenarios to see if an attorney might be able to help your financial position.

If the attorney doesn't think you have a case, they will tell you. The attorney makes no money if you don't win your case so you can feel comfortable discussing your possible options.

Looking for a New Car with Extreme Safety?

NHTSA Says Tesla Outscored Their Own 5 Star Crash Rating - Is this the safest car ever produced?

If you are in the market for a new car and are looking for the utmost in vehicle safety, you might want to check out the Tesla Model S.

Independent testing by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has awarded the Tesla Model S a 5-star safety rating, not just overall, but in every subcategory without exception.

Approximately one percent of all cars tested by the federal government achieve 5 stars across the board. NHTSA does not publish a star rating above 5, however safety levels better than 5 stars are captured in the overall Vehicle Safety Score (VSS) provided to manufacturers, where the Model S achieved a new combined record of 5.4 stars.

Of all vehicles tested, including every major make and model approved for sale in the United States, the Model S set a new record for the lowest likelihood of injury to occupants. While the Model S is a sedan, it also exceeded the safety score of all SUVs and minivans. This score takes into account the probability of injury from front, side, rear and rollover accidents.

The Model S has the advantage in the front of not having a large gasoline engine block, thus creating a much longer crumple zone to absorb a high speed impact. This is fundamentally a force over distance problem – the longer the crumple zone, the more time there is to slow down occupants at g loads that do not cause injuries. Just like jumping into a pool of water from a tall height, it is better to have the pool be deep and not contain rocks. The Model S motor is only about a foot in diameter and is mounted close to the rear axle, and the front section that would normally contain a gasoline engine is used for a second trunk.

For the side pole intrusion test, considered one of the most difficult to pass, the Model S was the only car in the "good" category among the other top one percent of vehicles tested. Compared to the Volvo S60, which is also 5-star rated in all categories, the Model S preserved 63.5 percent of driver residual space vs. 7.8 percent for the Volvo. Tesla achieved this outcome by nesting multiple deep aluminum extrusions in the side rail of the car that absorb the impact energy (a similar approach was used by the Apollo Lunar Lander) and transfer load to the rest of the vehicle. This causes the pole to be either sheared off or to stop the car before the pole hits an occupant.

The rear crash testing was particularly important, given the optional third row children's seat. For this, Tesla factory installs a double bumper if the third row seat is ordered. This was needed in order to protect against a highway speed impact in the rear with no permanently disabling injury to the third row occupants. The third row is already the safest location in the car for frontal or side injuries.

The Model S was also substantially better in rollover risk, with the other top vehicles being approximately 50 percent worse. During testing at an independent facility, the Model S refused to turn over via the normal methods and special means were needed to induce the car to roll. The reason for such a good outcome is that the battery pack is mounted below the floor pan, providing a very low center of gravity, which simultaneously ensures exceptional handling and safety.

Of note, during validation of Model S roof crush protection at an independent commercial facility, the testing machine failed at just above 4 g's.

While the exact number is uncertain due to Model S breaking the testing machine, what this means is that at least four additional fully loaded Model S vehicles could be placed on top of an owner's car without the roof caving in. This is achieved primarily through a center (B) pillar reinforcement attached via aerospace grade bolts.

The above results do not tell the full story. It is possible to game the regulatory testing score to some degree by strengthening a car at the exact locations used by the regulatory testing machines. After verifying through internal testing that the Model S would achieve a NHTSA 5-star rating, Tesla then analyzed the Model S to determine the weakest points in the car and retested at those locations until the car achieved 5 stars no matter how the test equipment was configured.

The Model S lithium-ion battery did not catch fire at any time before, during or after the NHTSA testing. It is worth mentioning that no production Tesla lithium-ion battery has ever caught fire in the Model S or Roadster, despite several high speed impacts. While this is statistically unlikely to remain the case long term, Tesla is unaware of any Model S or Roadster occupant fatalities in any car ever.

The graphic below shows the statistical Relative Risk Score (RSS) of Model S compared with all other vehicles tested against the exceptionally difficult NHTSA 2011 standards. In 2011, the standards were revised upward to make it more difficult to achieve a high safety rating.

www.autospies.com

Food Trucks

As I was tooling around looking for something relevant to our area, for the blog today, I happened upon this article on the foodsafety.gov site about food trucks.
These have been all the rage lately so I thought, why not?

Ever wonder about all of these mobile food trucks in your area?

They bring their tasty treats right to you and everything sounds so tasty you can hardly wait to order.

 Before you eat make sure you know your local rules for safe handling of food on food trucks.

Food truck vendors in your community must follow local food safety rules set by your city, county, district, or state. Each community may have the same or slightly different food safety rules and requirements for food truck vendors. Call your local health department to find out your community’s rules for rules for food trucks you may see every day as well as those you might see at fairs, festival, and other special events.

Here are some things you can look for the next time you visit a food truck.

Food Temperatures

It’s important for food to be served at the proper temperature. Is cold food served cold? Is hot foot served hot? Temperature problems can cause germs to grow faster in some foods.

Food Workers

It’s important for food workers to avoid directly touching food with their bare hands. Touching food with bare hands can spread germs from hands to food and from food to other people. Some things food workers can use to touch food are tongs, wax paper, other utensils, or gloves.

Food trucks can be a fun way to try new foods in a unique way. Keeping these things in mind when choosing which food truck to visit can help keep yourself and your family safe from foodborne illness.

Remember: Always wash your hands before eating and drinking!