There’s an old Jack Handy deep thought that goes something like this… “Children need encouragement. So the next time your child gets an answer right, tell him it was a lucky guess – that way he’ll develop a good lucky feeling.” Well, Jack kind of has a point, no? I thought I’d apply this same logic, or perhaps its cousin, to my 2009 New Year resolution. Why not turn the table on my old foe, Father Time? Why no set VERY achievable, and even enjoyably achievable, goals?

So here, for your eyes only, is my DRAFT 2009 resolution list:

Resolution #5: Gain up to 300 lbs by Christmas. Yep, you read correctly. Without revealing too many personal details, that would represent a whopping weight gain, and I’m certain it would be truly a delight to pursue it (as in ‘almond delight’ or ‘wow, that third helping of ice-cream was delightful’). But all of that food is going to cost me… better save some money (budget $100 per month more in fast food receipts).

Resolution #4: Average 20 hours of television a week. OK this one isn’t much of a stretch, maybe it would really just represent year-over-year consistency. Thing is, I need to have a television goal, because mostly I like to eat in front of the television – well - there and also in front of the refrigerator.
But television can be so boring these days… ? Come to think of it, Beyonce suggests that I ‘UPGRADE’ to Direct TV, and really, who can resist the combination of Beyonce and Direct TV beckoning you – SIMULTANEOUSLY! I need to find some money to pay for the upgrade though (budget $30 a month more for TV bill).

Resolution #3: Keep more stuff … Why keep pretending I’m going to donate those clothes to charity? Besides, in 2010 I may decide to lose 200 lbs, at which point I am going to need those size 34 parachute pants. But wait, not enough room in the closet for my high-school wardrobe AND the Atari game device – going to need to rent some storage space (budget $30 a month for self-storage).

Resolution #2: Acquire more ‘things’! I’ve spent the better part of my post-pubescent life longing for ‘As Seen on TV’ products. I even bought the hand-held sewing machine one year (I convinced myself I could use it for sutures in the event of a home emergency – but now I know that I really wanted it to sow cuffs – I’m not proud). With the exception of the “Super Sewing Machine”, I’ve resisted further purchases. But in 2009 I’m going to buy more gadgets than a Saudi Prince (budget $20 per month + $12 shipping and handling, total $32 per month)

Resolution #1: Pay for what I WANT by eliminating what I NEED. Yep, unlike Wall Street, I have to balance my books somehow. Since the above resolutions will cost me $192 a month ($2,304 in the year), I’m going to have to get rid of a few things. I can save $30 a month by eliminating homeowners insurance; I can cancel the annual veterinarian visit/shots for the dogs and spread the savings over 12 months, that’s an additional $10 per month; I should probably stop chlorinating the pool (let’s put the green back in green people) that’s another $20 a month.. Hmm, what next? Well, there’s my LifeLock membership. Do I really need to protect myself from identity theft, countless hours of credit repair and the knowledge that I will likely have my credit violated again in the near future - what when there are things and food to be bought, television to be watched, and ‘antiques’ to be stored? Cha-ching, just saved another .33 a day…

Happy New Year Everybody (but fraudsters).

On Wednesday, LifeLock and TransUnion announced an agreement to work together -  finally a credit institution with the integrity to not only support people protecting themselves from identity theft, but also help them in whatever means they can to stay safe.  This marks several significant landmarks in identity theft protection for me personally and the nation as a whole.

First the ridiculous lawsuit filed by one of the other credit reporting institution against LifeLock, no more than ever can be seen by the public as more about the respective companies competing services and less about actually what it means to protect people.  Second, with all the different identity theft services popping up all over the country, it is great to see a stand out leader being backed by the cornerstone of protection in this crime, the credit reporting agencies.

Finally, on a more personal note, when I was a victim of identity theft all the credit reporting agencies gave me the run around and seemed more interested in where to send the bills rather than hearing my pleas for help with the exception of one.  Unfortunately it was the last credit-reporting agency I called; however, TransUnion not only helped me understand the specifics of the crime but also was the first of the three to treat me like a person.

With LifeLock and TransUnion teaming up to protect people all over America, my hope for the eventual elimination of the crime is renewed, refreshed, and restored.

I love the holiday! I have ever since I was a little girl. My family and I would begin to decorate the day after Thanksgiving. In fact, that’s the day my dad would go into the garage and pull out all the Christmas lights we owned… quite begrudgingly I might add, as my mother, who LOVES Christmas lights, seemed to add more to the collection each year.

In the beginning, my dad would lay out all the ‘old’ C-7’s on the grass and plug them in checking each light if a cord was out. Soon he transformed these cords into cords that allowed the other lights to still illuminate even if there was a light out in the row.

If only we took this much time and care to protect our identities all year long and check our credit reports every now and then for ‘burnt out bulbs’ or perhaps upgrade our security practices to help protect our identities better.

My family has kept every ornament that my brother or I have ever made, yep, all the way from the paper and glitter Christmas trees to the bric-a-brac covered pinecones, they’re all there. Baby’s first Christmas ornaments and miniature soccer player angels as well as ornaments from my grandparent’s trees that have been lovingly and carefully wrapped and nestled into boxes from the 1940’s are all present on our tree. Imagine if we kept all of our financial and personal information as diligently.

Financial records are important to keep track of. Purchases, receipts, tax returns, pay stubs, bills, credit cards, all personal information that should be kept in case of discrepancies and for our own personal records in case we become a victim of identity theft. If we kept this information, we could file police reports easier in case of a theft. Yet, we don’t seem to care for these documents like our treasured Christmas ornaments.

In my family on Christmas Eve, a Yule Log would be burning in our fireplace as my brother and I opened presents from our parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and friends. Then we would get into our ‘footie’ pajamas, make S’mores in the fireplace, set out a special Christmas Mug and Plate especially for Santa of milk and cookies, as well as a carrot for Rudolph, then climb into bed and try to stay awake as long as our eyes would allow in hope to hear or see Santa Claus.

Think of this, Santa Claus, a man we’ve never met, who knows our inner most hearts and our year-long personal behavior characteristics. Naughty? Nice? Present? Coal? A man who knows where we live. A man we tell our most desired wishes to. A man who uses alias’s to get by, Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, Kris Kringle, Father Christmas, Pere Noel, Baba Chaghaloo. A man whom we welcome with open arms into our homes one night a year to leave presents, and he doesn’t even use the front door, he shimmies down the chimney. Any ‘regular’ person who did this would be considered an intruder. Now heed this thought, how many people know about our personal information or our own personal behavior characteristics? How many other ‘Santa’s’ are out there searching to invade our personal identities? The point is, we never know who might be looking into our lives getting ready to leave lumps of coal in our proverbial stocking.

With this in mind, be on alert for Santa Fraud this holiday season. In fact, ask the real Santa Claus for a shredder for Christmas, or maybe a subscription to LifeLock. Spread the holiday cheer and give a practical gift everyone will love, LifeLock for the whole family! Don’t get caught in a battle between Santa Claus and Santa Fraud, let LifeLock sort it out!

Merry Christmas!
~Christina Hall

Whether you believe it or not, the holiday season is in full swing. We are all busy and juggling many responsibilities, family life, work, travel, shopping and so much more! It is really easy to become overwhelmed and let your guard down. Sadly, there are people waiting for this to happen they want to steal from you while you’re distracted; they may want your wallet or worse… your identity.

The concern exists every day, however, it important to remember to stay vigilant during this very hectic time of year. The guidelines remain the same regardless of the time of year, but here are a few key points to remember while you are out and about, during the holiday season:

• Be aware of your surroundings – Protect your personal space at the ATM. Be aware of other people’s proximity whenever you enter a PIN.
• Never carry your Social Security Card in your wallet with your Driver’s License – Shield your SSN, it is the primary means of identification.
• Limit the number of credit or debit cards in your wallet – The fewer items you have available the easier they easier it is for you to keep track of them. If something bad happens, you will be more certain of what’s missing.
• Never let your credit card leave your sight – This isn’t always possible, but it will limit the opportunity for credit card skimming.
• Never leave receipts behind – These create a paper trail for someone else to follow, don’t help them!

In the case of protecting what’s in your wallet, remember that LifeLock offers WalletLock as part of our service. If ever you lose your wallet, just give us a call. We’ll transfer you to a certified Recovery Specialist that will help you:

• Identify your missing documents
• Contact each credit, bank or document issuing company while you’re on the phone
• Cancel the lost cards, licenses and documents (including your credit/debit cards, driver’s licenses, social security cards, insurance cards, passports, checkbooks and travelers checks*)
• Fill out the paperwork and request new replacements
• Initiate the fraud affidavit and police reports if the wallet was stolen
• Depending on the severity of the situation, additional follow-up and resolution calls will be arranged.

In many cases, we will be able to replace all of your documents for you. However, some states require you to be involved with us directly. If this happens, we’ll make it as easy as possible by filling out the necessary forms ahead of time and setting appointments at your convenience - all you have to do is show up.

WalletLock - it’s just one more way we go above and beyond to guarantee your good name.

Have you called the number on the back of your credit card lately?  I have.  Recently, I called due to a discrepancy on my billing statement and was a little frustrated when there was a language barrier between myself and the representative.  Have you called a company that you do business with when you really need their help to find that they are closed?  I have.  Prior to becoming a LifeLock member I called my bank (a local credit union) when I noticed a fraudulent charge on my checking account.  It just so happened that I noticed this charge late on a Friday evening.  When I called I received a recording advising me they were closed for the weekend.  My frustration grew as I noticed the fraudulent charges adding up and the money in my checking account decreasing.  I finally got in touch with a representative the following Monday, to find that they were most unhelpful.  The agent told me that I needed to open police reports, and get documents notarized, offering very little assistance and no empathy.

Most of the nearly 100,000 people who call LifeLock each month don’t realize they are reaching a state of the art 25,000 sq. ft. contact center that is bio-metrically secured, ISO certified, and houses nearly 200 Member Service Agents who are there and available 24 X 7 X 365.  They also don’t realize that one of LifeLock’s mantras is ‘do what you should, not what you can’.  This might sound like corporate jargon, but at LifeLock it’s what we do.

Recently I sat down with one of our Resolution specialist named Kelly who told me a great story about a recent call she had taken.  Our Resolution Specialists are folks you hope you never have to speak with, but you’re grateful that they are there when you need them (this is the team that helps you when your identity has been stolen).  Kelly told me about a member named George who called in and thought he’d been a victim of identity theft.  After speaking with him, Kelly was quickly able to determine that he had not been a victim of identity theft, rather a victim of an unscrupulous DVD club that wouldn’t stop charging his account.  Because George was not a victim of identity theft, Kelly could have easily told him that he needed to work directly with the DVD club, but she knew she could help.  Kelly mediated multiple calls between the DVD club and our member. She was able to help get the account cancelled and George’s money credited back to his account.  George was so grateful for Kelly’s help he wrote into us, here’s an excerpt from his letter:

“Kelly jumped on my issue with this company and didn’t give up until she was able to talk to someone and get this mess straightened out.  Even over the holiday weekend and during our vacation, Kelly was extremely patient with me until I could get home and get her the information to get this company in line.  I truly enjoyed talking to her.  She made me feel like I was the only person she was dealing with.”

You don’t get to pick when you might become a victim of identity theft.  Knowing no matter what time a thief decides to steal my identity, there’s a professional sitting in Tempe, Arizona ready to answer my call helps me rest a little easier at night.

Identity theft is a smart crime.  Make no mistake about it, when it comes to getting a hold of your personal information, thieves will do anything and everything from pick pocketing to phishing just for a chance at your identity.  Moreover, for every thief’s scam that doesn’t work, two more pop up.  With such a vast number of thieves and even more cons, for most people these days the question becomes not whom can’t we trust but who can we.  One could labor intensively over the vast number of emails and phone calls; even personal visits in some cases, from identity thieves who seem relentless in their attempt to figure out just what will motivate you to give up the numbers that may hurt you most.  On the other hand, with such a busy world today and such a growing number of thieves many people are turning to experts for help.

In an unfortunate trend for the crime, people and families who were once empowered by programs, like LifeLock, to keep themselves safe are now finding the thieves once again making them feel helpless.  For example, last year experts struggled to keep the public informed as the emergence of skimmers grew.  While it is still unseen what new tact thieves will take this year, one thing is clear; individuals cannot hope to keep themselves safe let alone loved ones without help.

LifeLock has done a great job in attempting to empower communities to stay safe, but as the times change those do-it-yourselfers are finding it difficult to keep up.  Furthermore, the rapid springing up of fraud prevention companies can overwhelm individuals with too many choices and not enough substance.

Many have heard my grief with companies such as freecreditreport.com who disenfranchise the public with hopes of help without cost, only to leave them confused and discouraged when told they must in fact pay.  That is why I’m glad there is a company like LifeLock out there.  One with enough integrity to not only help communities for free, but also go above and beyond in providing the best protection and safety net for the same or lower cost of other ‘id protection’ companies.

I truly believe everyone should figure out their own security needs for this ever-evolving crime and then choose the company that fits them best, but I would be surprised if after researching companies someone found anyone who can keep them and their family safe better than LifeLock.