Off-Line Identity Theft: For the past five years I have taught over 1150 people how to protect yourself on and off line. There is a new scam where the thief already has information about you. They are trying to get some additional information to complete a sales transaction.

In some of the e-mails and web sites this scam is being referred to as Visa and MasterCard Credit Card Scam. This scam is being done using the phone.

The script below is of a typical call for this scam:

Caller: Im calling from the Security and Fraud Department at Visa (MasterCard, American Express, and Discover are also being used). My badge # is 12550. Your credit card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern and I am calling to verify that you made the purchase. This would be your isa card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Marketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing company based in Arizona?

Recipient: No.

Caller: Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address). Is that the correct address?

Recipient: Yes.

Caller: I will be starting a fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1-800 number listed on the back of your credit card and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this control number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. Do you want me to read the number again?

Recipient: Yes, or No.

Caller: I need to verify that you are in possession of your card. Turn your credit card over. There are seven numbers there. The first 4 are part of the credit card, the remaining 3 are the security numbers that verify that you are in possession of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. Please read the 3 numbers on the card.

Recipient: (Reads the three numbers).

Caller: That is correct. I just needed to verify that the card was not lost or stolen and that you still had the card. Do you have any questions?

Recipient: No.

Caller: Thanks and dont hesitate to call the 800 number on the back of the card if you do. (Caller hangs up). You actually say very little. The reason why they are asking for the information sounds very real. They never ask you for the credit card number. That is because they already had the card number, bank, and your name. It is very easy to look up your phone number on line.

Since the scammers do not have possession of your card, they want to make a purchase online. Having the three digit code, sometimes called Credit Verification Number, they can make any purchase on line.

Whenever someone calls you about your credit card information do not give it to them. You want to be the one initiating the call for a purchase or account verification. In this case, I would have hung up the phone and called the bank that issued the card directly. They will only verify that it was a scam. In the example above you thought you were getting a credit, so many times people will give out that information. The bank will also ask you to file a police report.

The scammer could have gotten the credit card number from anywhere you visited. It could be a worker at a restaurant, store, garage, over hearing you on a public or cell phone, your unattended wallet or purse, trash, recycle, a new card or statement in your mailbox, etc.

Please e-mail me with your computer questions. This is your newsletter. I want to help you to use your computer efficiently.

John Gontowicz

Author of Computers 101: The Questions You Were Afraid to Ask, and How to Keep Your Computer Running Stronger, Longer and Faster. www.yourpcguide.com

Your Computer Connection
By John Gontowicz
http://www.yourpcguide.com - http://www.specialofferslive.com
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Striving to improve our self esteem is on everybodys mind. It doesnt matter if you actively pursue this goal or you subconsciously working on improving your self esteem. The problem with this is that you really dont know exactly what you want to improve. Youre acting intuitively on external signals.

Do you know how to improve your self esteem? Probably not. To make it a little bit easier for you and to achieve your goals quicker I put together 10 tips that you can utilize right away.

1. Build up your self-esteem. You must take an inventory. What do you want to improve or change about the way you interact with others? Try to make only one change at a time. Always check you progress before making another change.

2. Celebrate your journey, not your destination. Learn to always feel good about where you are now, and to exude self-confidence about anywhere you might find yourself tomorrow.

3. Set clear goals for yourself before every interaction. Know what you want. Think about how the people you will be meeting can help you reach those goals. Then decide how to approach each person accordingly. Apply this regularly and you will notice a difference.

4. Be proactive. Take the initiative. Be decisive. Let the other person know exactly how he or she can help you. Proactive people tent to be more successful in their career.

5. Treat each person you meet as if she or he is truly important. (You'll be amazed how this works.)

6. Give a firm handshake; look the other person straight in the eye. Practice both of these. Your handshake should be just right. Not too firm and not too loose. Train yourself to notice something you like or find attractive in the person.

7. Listen! Listen! Listen! Teach yourself to develop good listening skills. Learn a way to remember the other person's name. If in doubt simply ask for the name again 2 or 3 sentences into the conversation.

8. Visibly respond to the other person. Smile, nod agreement, and address him or her by name. Apply all you listening skills to visibly respond. The body language is the most important part of a conversation. Practice, practice, practice

9. Pay more attention to the other person than to yourself. Are you responding to what may be going on in his or her life? Don't filter out bad news. Put yourself in the other person's shoes. Be caring.

10. Stay "in the moment." Don't mentally cut off the other person. Don't reload while he or she is speaking. What this means is that you need to focus on the other person 100% during a conversation. Anything less is considered rude.

Next time you meet somebody new look out for these behaviors. Put a mental checkmark on the each of the 10 tips and see how well this person scored. Chances are that the person scored very high if you tent to like her/him. On the contraire the person probably scored low if you dont seem to connect.

The more you practice the more likely you will create a positive aura which is commonly known as charisma. To step up to become a charismatic personality it takes more than just these 10 tips.

Creating a positive aura will benefit you in every thing you do. You will create a warmer ambience with your family. You will be more successful in your career. Even while trying to meet a partner of the opposite sex you will notice a difference on how people perceive you.

Unfortunately a small article cant do justice on the wide spectrum of creating a positive aura and developing a charismatic personality. You will get the complete picture and step by step explanations in Race Kales new book The Power of Charisma.

Peter Dobler is an active real estate investor and a successful home business entrepreneur. Learn how to become a charismatic personality in this new book. http://www.powerofcharismabook.com

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