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Identity theft is moving a lighting speed.  Credit scores get destroyed, bank accounts and investments get heisted, and people's lives are ruined.  And it's so swift, it's practically unnoticeable until you get to the bank. Unfortunately, you may be giving the thieves everything they need to take everything you have.  Here are a few tips that you can start doing today to protect yourself from identity theft. Log off all public computers.  Using the public library's computer is a good tool if you don't have your own computer.  But be cautious while you are using it.  Make sure you log off from all of your programs and applications.  Staying logged in may give the person who uses the computer after you, all the information they need. Change your passwords.  Don't write your passwords out for everyone to see.  Keep your passwords in a safe location that only you know of.  Every so often, change out your passwords.  Hackers can get your information if you have a weak or the same password for everything. You fall for phishing scams.  Phishing scams are commonly seen in your email.  You receive a notification from your bank telling you that you have a problem with your account, and they need you to sign in.  Don't fall for it!  Those are scams trying to get your information.  You may also find emails that say you're entitled to a large sum of money when some unknown relative in a distant country died and left you all of their fortune.  If you don't know this unknown relative, chances are they never existed, along with this large inheritance. Get that paper shredder out.  Don't just throw out papers with your personal information on it.  Shred them. Shop on secured sites.  Make sure when you do your online shopping the address starts with https://.  Make sure your anti-virus program is up to date. Don't give out information over the phone.  If you get an unsolicited call from your bank or credit card company chances are, they are scammers. Hold on to your belongings.  Keep your bag and your phone with you at all times.  It may seem like a quick  trip to the store and, "Why not?  I'll be out in a jiffy."  Problem is, it takes just a jiffy for thieves to break into your car and grab your belongings.  It's not worth it. Don't text confidential information.  Your phone can easily be hacked by hackers.  Keep your confidential information off the phone. Don't store your personal information on your computer.  If your computer gets stolen, so does all of that information. Public WiFi.  Don't use public WiFi to do transactions.  It's never a good idea, your information is out there and ready for others to grab a hold of. Keep your personal information safe and out of the hackers grasp. Content provided by Transformer Marketing.

Financial Institutions policies are among the most complex in the insurance industry. The specialists at Program Brokerage Corporation (PBC) have over 30 years of experience working for, underwriting to, and representing financial institutions. Litigation involving financial institutions is at an all time high. Do you have the proper coverage in place for the continuing and expanding regulatory exposures?

Financial Institutions policies are among the most complex in the insurance industry. The specialists at Program Brokerage Corporation (PBC) have over 30 years of experience working for, underwriting to, and representing financial institutions. Litigation involving financial institutions is at an all time high. Do you have the proper coverage in place for the continuing and expanding regulatory exposures?

Contrary to popular belief, identity fraud does not always begin online. According to Travelers claim data, 44 percent of ID fraud cases happen when a person's purse or wallet has been lost or stolen. Thieves can use the information they find inside for ID fraud, so here are some critical steps to help protect yourself and your identity. Watch Your Wallet and Purse Many people store personal information in their purses and wallets, making it easier for thieves to commit identity fraud. Help secure your identity by keeping your purse and wallet in a safe place and carrying only essentials when you go out. Leave credit cards you will not be using in a secure place at home. Unless it is absolutely necessary, avoid carrying Social Security cards, birth certificates or passports as they contain key pieces of personal information thieves could use to steal your identity. Monitor Your Mail Whether you are sending or receiving mail, take steps to help keep it safe from prying eyes. Never put outgoing checks, bill payments or financial information in your unlocked home mailbox. When you need to send out sensitive documents, consider using a secure postal mailbox or send them from the post office. If you have not signed up for electronic statements, be aware of when your credit card statements are scheduled to arrive. If they are late, call the credit card company to confirm if the statement was sent. Be sure to shred old bills and unnecessary financial records containing personal information. Keep a Careful Eye on Your Credit According to our data, nearly half of ID fraud cases are committed using the victim's current accounts. On a regular basis, review your credit report and bank statements to monitor your accounts, and take these extra precautions: Make a list of all your credit card and bank account information, and store the list in a secure place, such as on a password-protected flash drive or in a fire-proof safe. Include account numbers, expiration dates, credit limits and phone numbers or emails of the customer service and fraud departments. If your card is missing or stolen, you will then be able to quickly notify your credit card provider to prevent fraudulent charges. Review your credit report and notify the credit bureaus of any mistakes. The U.S. Government Fair Credit Reporting Act gives consumers the right to receive one free copy of their credit report every 12 months from each of the three main credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). Order one report from a different bureau every four months to see credit activity throughout the year. To order your credit report, visitwww.annualcreditreport.com. Keep Your Social Security Number Safe Social Security numbers are often used to open fraudulent accounts or to access financial information or assets. Do not have your Social Security number printed on your checks or allow merchants to write it on them. If a business requests your Social Security number, ask them why. If it is not a valid reason, do not provide the information they request. Also, never give confidential information to an unsolicited phone caller who claims they represent a financial institution or creditor. Instead, get the caller's name, location, phone number and reason for the call. Then call the phone number on your billing statements to verify the caller's identification. Get additional tips for helping protect your identity while you are online. Consider buying identity fraud insurance, a relatively inexpensive add-on to your renters or homeowners insurance policy. This coverage typically reimburses the cost of reclaiming your identity and rebuilding your credit, such as attorney's and notary fees and replacement of IDs. It is a low-cost investment against a high-expense crime.

It’s hard to believe that the copy machine just recently celebrated its 50th birthday. There’s no question that these popular technological devices have proven to be worth their weight in gold for countless consumers and businesses. From copying to scanning and even e-mailing documents, copy machines are a must-have for most modern day companies. However, there’s a secret lurking inside the common copy machine that has identity thieves across the nation salivating. Nearly every copier that was built since 2002 includes a hard drive. This relatively small unit, hidden inside the copy machine, stores an image of every single document scanned or copied by the machine. An identity thief’s dream Most copiers store up to 20,000 document images, which might include Social Security numbers, birth certificates, bank records, income tax forms, medical records, and other valuable information. In other words, these hard drives contain the type of data that identity thieves are itching to get their hands on. Perhaps even more frightening is this fact: Anyone can easily buy used copiers from office supply vendors. Oftentimes, a used copier that initially cost thousands of dollars is sold for just $300 or less. Quite a few vendors sell these used copiers to overseas buyers. Most sellers do not erase the hard drive before selling a used copier. That means the buyer gains immediate access to all the invaluable information stored on the hard drive for just a few hundred bucks. With a special device, an identity thief can easily scan and download all the document images stored on this hard drive. However, an identity thief doesn’t even have to buy the copier to gain access to the profitable data inside. He could simply hack into the office copier’s hard drive to get his hands on the wealth of information stored there. Understanding the risks Unfortunately, most of the general public is completely unaware of the potential risks associated with copy machines. A recent study revealed that 60% of Americans do not even realize that copiers store images on a hard drive. Luckily, there are ways to combat the threat of identity thieves stealing data from copy machines. Some copy machine security companies have the ability to “scrub” or delete all of the info on copy machine hard drives before a business gets rid of the copier. Additionally, some new copy machine models include a feature allowing users to erase images from the copier’s hard drive automatically. This extra feature typically costs about $500. It could be worth the added expense. After all, this feature could end up saving you thousands of dollars in identity theft damages.

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"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." - Burton Hillis, columnist and author” It all starts with Black Friday, Cyber Monday and spills over daily through Christmas Day.  Shoppers toughing out the crowds, beating down the doors to get the best prices they could get their hands on.  You spend your time and money (and sanity) to get everything on your loved ones’ list. But what happens after Christmas? The credit card statements start trickling in one by one.  All those wonderful things you had purchased for your family need to be paid in full.  You silently wonder, ‘Did I go overboard?’ and that little voice in your head says, ‘Nah, did you see their faces?’  And you go on about your day content that you had done the right thing. The excitements of those gadgets wear off before you have paid off your credit card.  This holiday season we have listed a few tips so that you don’t break your bank. Cut up those credit cards.  You will be paying much more than the $18.99 you paid for that doll in the long run.  Use your debit card or plain hard cash.  You’ll save yourself the interest rate payment. Budget…and stick to it!  You don’t have to go overboard.  Your wallet will feel better in the long run if you say to yourself, “I’m sticking to this budget.  Everyone will enjoy what they get.” BOGO Combo Deals!  I just purchased a pair of much needed winter boots and then I saw the sign, “Buy 1 pair of shoes and get the 2nd pair for $1!”   Needless to say, I took them on their offer.  Finding deals like that means you can buy two gifts for one. Compare prices!  There are several shopping apps that you can easily download and do comparison shopping before making any purchases. Nothing says LOVE like a homemade gift.   Get your creativity on and have some fun.  Knit those sweaters, bake that incredible dish, host a huge party, or design a beautiful portrait.  Your hard earned time means more to your loved ones than anything your hard earned money can buy. This Christmas make sure that Santa’s bank is as satisfied as your loved ones are. Content provided by Transformer Marketing.

CHICAGO—May 12, 2014—There were 110 announced mergers and acquisitions of insurance agencies the US and Canada in the first four months of 2014, the strongest showing of any comparable period for at least seven years, OPTIS Partners’ new survey reveals.

...mary targets as mega-corporations; banks, credit card providers, online retail...