I Don't Need ID Theft Protection

I had a space at a bazaar on Saturday and was shocked at how many people who stopped by my table told me they do not need ID Theft Protection!  (One of the products I sell is LifeLock™ Identity Theft Protection.)  Some people had poor credit, and they said, “They can have my ID.”  Others had no credit cards, so they believed they were safe from ID Theft. 

Do they not read or listen to the news?  A report released by Javelin Strategy & Research revealed that identity fraud increased by 13% in 2011.  Over 11 MILLION adults became victims in the United States alone.

This same report found revealed that those who use social media and mobile devices are at higher risk than those who do not and had higher incidents of ID fraud. (The report provides no proof of direct causation.) And, 7% of smart phone users were victims of identity fraud. Although we’ve been warned repeatedly, we are placing too much personal information online. 

You need not own a credit card to have your ID stolen.  A thief can use your personal information and get a credit card in your name.  You may think you are safe, thinking without your social security number, it is not possible. You would be wrong!  Your social security number and all the personal data a thief needs is already in various databases that may be breached at any time. Unfortunately, this is not uncommon.

Lost or stolen wallets, checkbooks or credit card accounts, corrupt businesses or employees and breaches of consumer data are other ways thieves “become you.”

I recently spoke with a woman who was an ID Theft victim in the mid-1990’s.  She is still – today - receiving bills and phone calls from creditors demanding payment for accounts she never opened.

Possibly the worst identity theft, is stolen health records. Without too much difficulty, a thief can acquire your health insurance card number, go to a hospital and have surgery – say having their appendix removed.  Years later, you get appendicitis.  Since your medical records say you have no appendix, they don’t consider appendicitis, possibly endangering your life.  Health-related ID theft is one of the newest and a common form of fraud.

Please, no matter whom you are, where you live, whether or not you have credit cards, sign up for Identity Theft Protection now, today, before you forget!

LifeLock™ has a million dollar guarantee if you become a victim due to their error, and it is rated among the best ID theft protection programs available.  When you purchase LifeLock™ directly from them, you’ll pay $10 per month per person.  With Xpress Healthcare’s Lifestyle Select program for only $19.95 per month per FAMILY, you’ll get LifeLock™ for your entire immediate family, PLUS you’ll receive discounted roadside assistance, reduced pet care costs and legal services and more. 

Feel free to go to http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings to join Lifestyle Select.  Even if you select another ID theft protection program, register today!

I Cannot find the Time

How many times have you said that?  I have said it, and I’m sure nearly everyone has.  We certainly must not be looking in the right place, because “time” has not gone anywhere.

For entrepreneurs, scheduling our days can make the difference between success and failure.  For those who work their business part time, they simply cannot work their business whenever they have a few minutes “to spare.”  For those working a full-time home business, if our time isn’t well organized, we may never get to high-priority tasks.

It is very helpful to have a schedule of what days we plan to work, how many hours we plan to work on those days, and at what time we will start and finish working each day.  In addition, we’ll likely be more productive if we schedule the various tasks we plan for each week.

For example:

Monday, Wednesday Friday – place online ads for one hour, beginning at 4 PM.

Monday through Friday – spend one hour participating on IBOToolbox, beginning at 3 PM.

Daily – Call all prospects received within the past 24 hours, beginning at 5 PM.

If we plan our days, treat our business like a job where we are expected to start and finish at a particular time, we will accomplish more and be more successful.  Many business owners treat their businesses more like a hobby to do whenever they can squeeze in an hour or two.  It is unlikely they will ever succeed with their business.

Time is ours to spend however we wish to do so.  We must “make” the time to do the many tasks required to maintain and grow a business.  If we are really serious about what we are building, we should never be unable to “find the time.”