Shannon Harvey

In reading The State paper recently, I noticed an article entitled "ID Theft, Fraud Rising, Report Says." The article highlighted that Identity Theft is on the rise in South Carolina and across the country, and it remains the top reason for consumer complaints for the 9th year in a row. A consumer advocate indicated that these types of crimes tend to INCREASE during a recession. Also, during 2008 in SC, ID Theft/Fraud cost consumers $14.2 million.

How can you protect yourself from identity theft?

Identity theft is nothing new, but the "digital age" has made it easier than ever to gather, organize, and transmit large amounts of information--including the credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, and account information that identity thieves need to do their dirty work.

But the news isn't all bad. The 3 main steps to protecting yourself from identity theft are simple and I will summarize them in a 3-part series. Make them a habit to lower your risk for Identity Theft.

Step 1 of 3: Keep your information safe.

Don't give identity thieves a chance. There's a lot you can do to protect your personal information:

· Shred documents with personal information (including account numbers, or your Social Security number or birth date).

· Shred credit card offers and other offers that a thief could make use of.

· Protect your Social Security number. Don't carry your Social Security card with you, in case your wallet gets stolen, and don't write it on your checks.

· Only give out personal information if you know the person or group you're dealing with and you initiated the contact-whether by phone, mail, or Internet.

· Instead of clicking the link in an unsolicited email, type in the web address yourself. (Email links can redirect you to a scammer's site, tricking you into entering personal information in an unsafe place.)

· Make your password hard to guess. Choices like your birth date, mother's maiden name, or Social Security number are too obvious. Instead, try a random or made-up word, and include at least one number.

A couple more interesting facts for South Carolina: Identity Theft victims are usually younger than 18 or older than 65 & Identity Thieves are most often relatives or friends.

According to www.IDTheftCenter.org: Victims now spend an average of 600 hours recovering from this crime, often over a period of years. Three years ago the average was 175 hours of time, representing an increase of about 347%. Based on 600 hours times the indicated victim wages, this equals nearly $16,000 in lost potential or realized income.

For full information on how to respond to identity theft, visit the FTC's "Deter, Detect, Defend" website.

So you're thinking about buying a hybrid vehicle. And you're wondering what some of the advantages might be. Here are a few for you to mull over.

1. Fuel efficiency.

If you're sick of paying $40, $50, $60, or more to fill up, a hybrid could be what you're after. In fact, you can get 20 or 30 more miles to each and every gallon you put into a hybrid car.

Of course, the initial investment means it'll take a while to start truly saving money. Over the long run, though, driving a hybrid could free up some money in your budget.

2. Lower emissions.

A hybrid car uses a combination of electricity and gasoline. You can feel good knowing that a hybrid car has less impact on the earth than other cars you've owned.

3. Tax incentives.

Buying a hybrid could knock off up to $3,400 off your federal tax bill this year--and your state might offer even more incentives.

Perhaps Kermit the Frog was a touch off base when he said it's not easy being green.

While a majority of Americans think they know how to protect themselves, they still commit acts that make them easy targets for thieves. In order to help protect yourself from theft and fraud related to your car, It's a good idea to understand how thieves work and think. The following steps, which are based on guidance from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, will help decrease the chance that your vehicle will fall prey to thieves.

Step 1: Being Smart is Simple...and easy

Take Your Keys With You: Make sure to take your keys out of the ignition every time you leave your vehicle. Do not keep a spare set of keys in your car - thieves know all the hiding places. Lock Your Doors and Close Your Windows: Door and window locks serve as your first defense against thieves. Make sure all car doors are locked and windows are secure before walking away. Park Under the Lights: Thieves are less likely to approach a vehicle in well-lit areas with pedestrian traffic.

Step 2: Don't Be Afraid to Get Help...Install a protective device

Sound the Alarm: Audible sensor alarms will sound after they detect motion or impact, which can cause thieves to step away from a vehicle to avoid being caught. Stop Hot Wiring Cold: By installing a steering column collar, you can easily prevent "hot-wiring" a vehicle. Lock Your Wheel: Use a steering wheel lock to prevent movement of your steering wheel.

Step 3: Get Serious About Prevention...Install an immobilizing device

Get a Smart Key: Keys containing radio frequencies or coded computer chips will help ensure that your car will only start with one specific key. Establish a Fuse cut-off: If the car is started via short circuit, the vehicle will not operate.

Install a Kill Switch: Unless a special switch is activated, electricity will not flow to the engine. Use Wireless Ignition Authentication, where possible: Key fobs or wallet tabs with transmitters are used to activate electricity to the ignition.

Step 4: Don't let them get away...Install a tracking device

Budget permitting, consumers can install tracking devices that combine wireless and GPS capabilities to signal to police and/or a monitoring system that a car has been stolen. These devices tend to be very expensive, but effective in locating a stolen vehicle.

You're definitely not the only one! Ask your mortgage lender about using an escrow account for your homeowners insurance. That way your monthly mortgage payment will be adjusted to include your home insurance premium. When your next premium is due, your lender will pay it using the money in your escrow account.

Say your home insurance is $600 a year. That works out to $50 a month, so the amount you send to the mortgage company each month would be increased by $50. Each month, that $50 would be deposited into your escrow account. When the bill comes due, your lender will send a payment from your escrow money.

It's so common to include escrow that the industry has come up with an acronym to describe how the mortgage payment breaks down: PITI (Principal on the mortgage / Interest on the mortgage / Taxes held in escrow / Insurance held in escrow).

Read more about homeowners insurance.

I recommend talking to your lender about the escrow before you close on the house...and remember, this is different from the escrow for closing costs. For one thing, you need to make sure you'll have an escrow account. While they're common, not everybody has one. You might also want to ask whether there's a minimum balance for escrow accounts, how your monthly payment will be adjusted if your insurance rate changes in the future, and whether your property taxes can also be included in your escrow payment.

What might happen if you're involved in an auto accident that is your fault, which injures the other driver, and the cost of those injuries exceeds your policy liability limits? What if the accident totals that person's vehicle, which costs more to replace than your liability limit would cover? Is it likely that you could end up on the wrong end of a lawsuit with your savings, retirement account and home equity up for grabs? Does just thinking about the possibility stress you out some? Perhaps a Personal Umbrella Policy (PUP) would provide the stress relief you can't afford to live without.

A PUP works with a customer's existing liability coverage by providing additional protection. Additional benefits include:

• Customers will not have to face court alone. If they are sued over an incident covered under their personal umbrella policy, we will retain and pay for an attorney to represent them in court.
• Their coverage goes everywhere. So, they are covered no matter where they are, including outside the U.S. like Cancun, Cozumel or other spring break hot spots.
• Helps with gaps in their coverage. Homeowners and auto policies do not cover certain types of incidents, like those alleging slander. But a personal umbrella policy helps provide protection for this kind of incident as well as others.
• Reimbursement for lost wages. Customers will be reimbursed for the wages lost for absence from work for a court appearance, up to the limits specified for this benefit in the policy.

We offer a range of personal umbrella coverage amounts in $1 million increments, and they are surprisingly inexpensive. Customers may qualify for up to a maximum coverage amount of $5 million. While you hope to never need a Personal Umbrella Policy, it's better to plan for the worst just in case.