The Coast News (Page 1)

A6 THE COAST NEWS
OCT. 3, 2008
How to protect yourself from identity theft
By the Editors of Consumer Reports
It’s no wonder that lately people
are worried that thieves might
steal their identity. Companies in
the protection business are working
hard to fan their fears, according
to the editors of Consumer
Reports Money Adviser.
Those companies pitch a variety
of pricey solutions. But it’s possible
for people to hold on to their
cash and still shield themselves
from ID theft.
The good news is that the
number of identity thefts has
declined 23 percent over the past
four years, a trend expected to
continue until at least 2013. In
addition, full-blown ID theft —
where someone opens new creditcard
accounts or commits other
crimes using someone’s name,
Social Security number or other
information — is relatively
uncommon, occurring in only 1
percent of all U.S. households in
2005, according to the U.S.
Department of Justice.
The most common form of ID
theft is old-fashioned credit-card
fraud and check kiting: Someone
uses an existing credit- or debitcard
account to steal money and
then runs. So the bulk of ID theft
COAST CITIES — Friends
of MiraCosta College have
joined together to assist students
with the ever-escalating
cost of textbooks. A grant of
$15,000, authorized by the
MiraCosta College Foundation
Board, has allowed the college
to set up a program that loans
books to students struggling to
afford textbook costs, on average
$125 per book and about
$900 per semester.
“This assistance is
absolutely critical for our stu-
5
Santa Fe Dr.
El Camino Real
Encinitas Blvd.
133 El Camino Real
Encinitas
760-634-2088
— 71 percent, in fact — is nothing
new. What’s more, in most cases,
liability is legally limited and card
issuers or banks pay the direct
losses, not the theft victim.
Here are seven ways to safeguard
personal and financial data,
along with CRMA’s assessment of
the paid protection related to
each.
1. Place security freezes on
credit reports. Security freezes
prevent anyone from looking at
credit reports except companies
that already have a financial relationship
with you, certain government
agencies and other exempt
entities. You can freeze your
records at each of the three major
credit bureaus: Equifax
(www.equifax.com), Experian
(www.experian.com) and
TransUnion (www.transunion.
com). CRMA’s take: Even if your
identity has not been compromised,
you should do it to shut out
ID thieves before they can cause
credit damage. But keep in mind
that while the freeze is on, you
can’t open any credit accounts.
2. Place fraud alerts on
credit reports. Fraud alerts signal
lenders that someone might be
dents,” Teresa Cerda, faculty
director of MiraCosta’s
Extended Opportunities
Program and Services, said.
“Many are working full-time,
supporting themselves and in
some cases, their families. The
high cost of textbooks can be
an insurmountable deterrent.”
The program is a huge benefit
to students like Natasha
Navarro, a full-time mother to
two toddlers, who has returned
to school to work toward an
associate’s degree. “Books are
78
15
Washington Ave.
very expensive,” Navarro said.
“Without this grant and the
college’s book-loan program, I
wouldn’t have been able to
afford to start school this year.”
The cost of purchasing college
textbooks now dwarfs the
$60 fee students pay to take a
three-unit class. At MiraCosta,
46 percent of students report
that they need to work fulltime
and that a lack of finances
is the determining factor that
would cause them to drop their
studies. The cost of textbooks
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the victim of ID theft and that it
should verify the identity of a
credit applicant. Go to one of the
three major credit bureaus’ Web
sites to place a free 90-day fraud
alert. CRMA’s take: It’s not necessary
if someone has security
freezes in place.
3. Opt out of preapproved
credit offers, which stop credit
bureaus from selling names to
lenders. That, in turn, keeps them
from mailing preapproved creditcard
offers, which are easy for ID
thieves to steal. It’s free at
www.optoutprescreen.com or call
(888) 567-8688. CRMA’s take: Do
it. Opting out stops most but sometimes
not all such offers.
4. Check credit reports,
which keep people up-to-date on
the positive and negative payment
information on all their credit
accounts. It’s free, once a year, by
law. Go to the joint Web site of the
three credit bureaus, at
www.annualcreditreport.com, to
order free yearly reports. CRMA’s
take: Do it at least once a year to
check for and dispute errors.
5. Get three-bureau credit
monitoring, which sends e-mail
alerts when new accounts and
other items appear on credit
Grant helps students afford necessary textbooks
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reports. Equifax charges $12.95 a
month. CRMA’s take: Don’t do it.
A security freeze should stop the
opening of fraudulent new
accounts.
6. Get a fraud-prevention
and detection plan, which goes
beyond credit monitoring and
fraud-alert placement services by
scanning public records, monitoring
black-market Web sites and so
forth. Services charge anywhere
from $96 to $240 a year. But it’s
possible to obtain much of what
they provide at no charge. CRMA’s
take: For someone who’s taken the
previous precautions, there’s little
reason to sign up for this costly
protection.
7. Buy ID-theft insurance or
guarantee,which covers any losses
incurred — up to $2 million — if
the promised fraud protection
doesn’t actually protect from ID
theft. CRMA’s take: Don’t do it.
Getting the coverage often
requires buying unnecessary services.
The “protection” promises
are overhyped since most victims’
out-of-pocket costs are zero.
Visit the Consumer Reports Web site at
www.consumerreports.org.
have been rising at double the
rate of inflation for the past
two decades, which has resulted
in a near tripling of the cost
from 1986 to 2004. As a result,
nearly 60 percent of students
nationwide choose to forego
purchasing all of the required
course materials.
“The MiraCosta College
Foundation exists to assist the
college’s students in achieving
their educational goals, Larry
Hatter, president of the
MiraCosta College Foundation,
said. “When a student demonstrates
drive, we want to
ensure that finances do not
become a major deterrent. Our
hope is that this grant will
keep more students in school
working toward achieving their
dreams.”
The grant is expected to
assist about 125 students who
will participate in the program.
The funds from this grant come
TURN TO TEXTBOOKS ON A23
Applications
available for
community
grants
By Bianca Kaplanek
SOLANA BEACH —
Applications are currently
being accepted from nonprofit
organizations for the
Solana Beach Community
Grant Program. Since 2004,
City Council has awarded
grants totaling $25,000 to
community-based, nongovernmental
groups that
serve the city and its residents.
Coast Waste
Management and EDCO
Waste and Recycling
Services, the city’s two waste
haulers, each contribute
$5,000 to the program.
Organizations may submit
a maximum of two proposals.
No more than $5,000
will be awarded to any one
program. Priority will be
given to new projects or programs
or those that provide a
“new or unique twist on an
existing program,” according
to the staff report.
Applications are due by
5 p.m. Oct. 30 at City Hall,
635 S. Coast Highway 101.
Council members will begin
the review process Nov.
19.Grant recipients will be
announced Dec. 10.
Projects for which grants
are given must be completed
between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31,
2009. Exceptions will be
allowed with proof of good
cause. Financial reports and
receipts will be required. For
a list of other criteria, including
guidelines, procedures
and objectives, visit the city
Web site at www.ci.solanabeach.ca.us.
Past recipients include
North Coast Repertory
Theatre, the Solana Beach
Civic and Historical Society,
Boys & Girls Clubs, Solana
Beach Cub Scouts, Casa de
Amistad and San Dieguito
Alliance for Drug Free
Youth.