Newsletters

October 2007

October 2007 Newlsetter

Greetings

Welcome to Securita's e-newsletter! You’ve received this newsletter because you’re a customer, friend, or someone I thought would be interested in the information included in the e-newsletter.

October is our One Year Anniversary of shipping Vital Records PortaVaults! To help celebrate our anniversary we are offering you a 15% discount on all your purchases between now and the end of October. Order online today and enter coupon code "CELEBRATION" to receive your 15% discount. Be sure to tell your friends!

This month's newsletter provides information on protecting your identity. We have provided some simple precautionary steps outlined below that will help protect your identity.

We welcome your comments regarding Securita's products or our new e-newsletter. Please email us at feedback@securitaonline.com.

Regards,

Sherie Dodsworth
Securita Founder and CEO

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Protecting your Identity

Identity theft or identity fraud, the fastest growing crime, is the taking of a victim's identity for financial gain or to conceal the real identity of the perpetrator.

If an identity thief can get access to your Social Security number, your date of birth, or sometimes even just your address and telephone number, they can use that information to pretend to be you. They can open new credit card accounts, access your present bank accounts, rent a house or apartment, establish utility company accounts, and even obtain a job - all in your name.

There are steps that you can take to make it more difficult for these thieves to obtain your personal information. The following tips can help you from becoming a victim of identity theft:

Protect Your Social Security Number

Don't carry your Social Security number (SSN) in your wallet or write you Social Security number on a check. Give your social security number only when absolutely necessary.
Health Insurance or Medicare Card: If you feel that you must carry a health insurance card that includes your SSN or a Medicare card with you at all times, photocopy the original card and cut it down to wallet size. Then blacken out or cut out the last four digits of the SSN on the copy. Carry the copy with you rather than the actual card.
State Drivers Licenses: In December 17, 2005 a new law went into effect that applies to all State licenses, registrations, and identification cards issued after that date. If your license still uses your SSN as the ID number, you can request this be changed. You don’t need to wait until it expires to get one with a different number, though you may be charged a fee for the new issuance.

Treat Your Trash and Mail Carefully

Shred: To thwart an identity thief who may pick through your trash or recycling bin to capture your personal information, always shred your charge receipts, copies of credit applications, insurance forms, checks and bank statements, expired charge cards, credit offers you get in the mail and other and any other documents which contain personal information.
Mail: Deposit your outgoing mail containing personally identifying information in post office collection boxes or at your local post office, rather than an unsecured mailbox. Promptly remove mail from you mailbox. If you are planning to be away from home and can’t pick up your mail, contact the U.S. Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777 to request a vacation hold.

Credit Cards

Unsolicited Offers: To opt out of receiving prescreened offers of credit in the mail, call 1-888-567-8688. Please note that you will be asked to provide your SSN which the consumer reporting companies need to match you with your file.
Credit Card vs. Debit Card: Think about which card to use, with a debit card you can be liable for up to $500 in charges made by a thief but with a credit card your liability is limited to $50.
Credit Freeze: Many states have laws that let consumers "freeze" their credit which restricts access to his or her credit report. If you place a credit freeze, potential creditors and other third parties will not be able to get access to your credit report unless you temporarily lift the freeze. Credit freeze laws vary from state to state, as also the cost of placing, temporarily lifting and removing a credit freeze.

Shopping Online

Protect your private information while shopping online. Look for a URL that begins with 'https://', or the words 'Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)' or a padlock in the status bar. These signs indicate that only you and the merchant can view your payment information.

Identity theft is an incredibly difficult crime to undo, so you should take every precaution you can to avoid becoming its next victim.

The Vital Records PortaVault is a safe place to store items that contain your sensitive information such as: copies of the credit cards you carry in your wallet, your social security card, copy of your drivers license and your original medical insurance card (if it contains your social security number).

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Vital Records PortaVault

A system which identifies, organizes, stores and transports the important records and documents commonly found in a home. The Vital Records PortaVault system includes:

Storage for hundreds of pages of paper documents
Guidelines for storing vital records
30 acid free records protectors
60 preprinted color-coded labels listing important records & documents
Slip out binder for easy use
Storage for 4 CDs/DVDs
Pouch for storing cash, keys, small keepsakes
Handle and shoulder strap for easy carrying
Lockable zipper to prevent unauthorized access
Water-resistant cover
Glow-in-the-dark identification tag
Custom forms which assist in summarizing important information

Find out more about PortaVault at: www.securitalonline.com, www.securevitalrecords.com and www.recordprotectors.com

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Product Update

We can now accept your order by telephone, 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Call our toll free number 1-800-816-9533.