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We Will Begin Boarding In …
2007-09-26 17:07:00
2003 was the year of the ram. 2006 was the year of the dog. Looks like 2007 will be the year of the delay. Anyone who has stepped foot in an airport this year shouldn’t be too surprised. The Department of Transportation inspector general has issued a report saying that 2007 is on track to be the worse year for air travel delays, breaking previous records set in 2000. The IG, who testifies on the Hill today about the problem, says airlines don’t have the right plans in place and calls for a national task force to work with the FAA on the problem. A couple of weeks ago, the outgoing head of the FAA told airlines to shape up or the feds will intervene. Threats, schmeats. We want to see some action.

How Does Europ Assistance Help An ID Theft Victim?
2007-09-25 15:18:00
Identity theft coordinators talk about how Europ Assist ance USA helps victims of identity theft.
More About: Theft , Victim

Identity Theft on Campus
2007-09-24 17:24:00
Ahhhh, September. Football, crisp fall weather, and the start of a new school year. For many students heading back to campus the start of the semester can also mean repairing your credit report after becoming a victim of identity theft. ID theft on college campuses is a growing trend and in between mid-terms and frat parties, coeds need to be aware of the threat of identity theft. We can’t help but cheer for schools, such as several California State University campuses, who have replaced Social Security numbers on student ID cards with alternate numbers, a big step forward in curbing ID theft. Students can also help themselves by being careful about what they post on social networking sites , keeping a watchful eye on the credit card statements and ignoring offers on campus, and being aware of phone scams, such as people pretending to be from the Department of Education and offering fake grants or scholarships in return for your personal and credit card information. We come...
More About: Campus , Identity Theft , Theft , Identity

Freaky Friday: Jungle Jack and His Flustered Flamingo
2007-09-21 18:24:00
First, it was tiny dogs in pricey carriers a la Paris Hilton. Next, Samuel L. Jack son introduced us to snakes on a plane. And now, a hot pink bird is holding up security lines. When did airports become petting zoos? Animal guru Jack Hanna and his 11-month flamingo, Marty, found themselves in quite a predicament at the Ohio State University airport when Hanna tried to push the bird’s square crate through a circular airport security turnstile, trapping both bird and Jungle Jack in the metal gates. Hanna was able to squeeze through and walked down to a Columbus fire station for help. Rescuers freed Willy, ahem, Marty, and the rest of Hanna’s party (including a small leopard and a mongoose) made it through the turnstile with flying colors. This isn’t the first time Hanna has ruffled some feathers over at the Columbus fire station or the airport. He previously convinced rescuers to drive a sick baby gorilla to a hospital and had some run-ins when flying that included a boa ...
More About: Friday , Freaky , Flamingo

Technically Speaking
2007-09-19 17:22:00
I wouldn’t call us lazy here at Me&Me, but we don’t mind taking a few short-cuts in life. Especially ones that make traveling easier. If you have a hard time keeping your paperwork in order while traveling, check out TripIt, a new web-based tool that compiles your airline confirmations, notes on restaurants you want to check out, and even the weather conditions for where you are headed to. And what can be worse than your iPod or Blackberry running out of juice while waiting in long security lines or sitting on the tarmac? Fighting other passengers for use of the one electrical outlet at the gate. Some airports are trying to help customers who depend on electronic devices while traveling by installing more electrical outlets and kiosks for customers to power up at. We applaud the effort. After all, you’ll need your cell phone to let the office know yet another flight of your’s has been delayed.
More About: Speaking , Ally , Technic

Hot Hotels for Business Travelers
2007-09-14 16:34:00
Gone are the days when hotels are rated on their continental breakfasts and whether they have an internet hook up in the room. Travel + Leisure magazine recently released a list of the top 10 business hotels in the U.S. and Canada, and according to its readers, what makes a hotel hot for business includes everything from interpreters for meetings to 24-hour concierge service. Makes stays on the corporate dollar a bit more tolerable, if not downright enjoyable.
More About: Business , Hotels , Sine

Calling out scammers
2007-09-14 16:30:00
With everyone looking at fraud online these days, we sometimes need to be reminded that not all thieves have graduated from the old-school way of doing things. Check out this post on BloggingAwayDebt for tips on what to look out for when someone calls claiming to be your credit card company. Protecting yourself is as easy as asking questions of the caller to make sure they are legitimate. And remember, you should never have to reveal your Social Security number. Never. We promise.
More About: Calling

A Word from the CEO
2007-09-14 16:00:00
Europ Assistance USA CEO Guillaume Deybach talks about the vision of Europ Assistance and the services the company offers.
More About: Word

Bolivia to Require Visas for U.S. Tourists
2007-09-14 15:45:00
We try to steer clear of politics here at Me&Me, but all too often, we find ourselves affected by it. The latest political move by the Bolivia n government concerns Americans traveling to the country, as a new rule requiring U.S. tourists to purchase a travel visa upon entering the country before December 1st. So whether you’re jetting off to La Paz for business or have been dreaming about exploring the Andes on your honeymoon, make sure you are up to date on the latest regulations. And try to leave the politics behind you.
More About: Tourists , Visas

Retirement … and the living is easy
2007-09-14 15:36:00
Or maybe not. All depends on whether you fall victim to one of the many scams out there that pray on retirees. Check out these tips from Motley Fool, who reminds us that when it comes down to it all, no one gets a free lunch. Or a free retirement for that matter.
More About: Living , Retirement , Easy , Tire

Good Me: The Lone Star State Gives ID Theft Freezer Burn
2007-09-12 18:24:00
A big ME&ME thumbs up to the state of Texas for enacting laws that give residents more options when it comes to protecting themselves from identity theft. Texas joins 34 states in allowing residents to issue freezes on their credit reports and is the first state to allow for a ?fast thaw? feature, which gives consumers the opportunity to unfreeze their credit report in a matter of minutes. Also, popular job search site CareerBuilder.com launched a new search function that allows users to control who sees their resume and how many times it was viewed. With the recent data breach from Monster.com, it?s good to see a site take steps to help protect the sensitive information of online job seekers.
More About: Daily News , Lone Star , Star , State , Theft

Don’t Blame the Plane
2007-09-12 17:55:00
You drink plenty of water, squeeze some Visine in both eyes, and short of donning a surgical mask, you’re making all possible efforts to not get the standard headache and dry eyes on your flight. After all that, it turns out that it’s not the plane that is making you sick. According to a new study by the American Chemical Society, what causes these symptoms is the interaction between your oily body and ozone in the upper atmosphere. Check out the findings and what the Society thinks airlines can do in the future to make flying a lot more pleasant for us all. Now if only they could find a solution for quieting 17B’s snoring.
More About: Plane , Blame , Lame

Good Me: Medical ID Theft Tips
2007-09-10 17:05:00
Imagine walking into a hospital with a broken arm only to be denied service because you owe over $25,000 in medical bills. What?s worse, you?ve never been to that hospital before let alone racked up all those charges. Medical identity theft is a growing problem, causing victims to be denied insurance coverage, making it difficult to obtain medical services, and wreaking havoc on your credit report. Check out these tips for protecting yourself from medical identity theft. That?s what we call preventative healthcare. And finally, before donating that old computer, make sure to shelter yourself from ID theft by discarding all files and documents containing sensitive information by following these useful tips.
More About: Daily News , Tips , Theft , Good

Good Me: Americans Raise Eyebrows When it Comes to Divulging Social Securit
2007-09-07 17:47:00
It?s no secret that the misuse of Social Security numbers are can lead to identity theft. A survey by Consumer Reports reveals that the majority of Americans are concerned about sharing this sensitive information with businesses with no clear need for the information, such as cell phone providers and retailers, and nearly 90% of respondents believe that by giving away the number to such businesses makes them more likely to become victims of ID theft. The survey also found the majority of Americans would support federal and state action to restrict the use of Social Security numbers by businesses. Let?s hope lawmakers hear this call to action loud and clear... (Read More)
More About: Daily News , Good , Eyebrows

Bad Me: The Third Time is Not Always a Charm
2007-09-05 20:40:00
Bad things always seem to happen in threes. Just ask Pfizer. The company recently disclosed a new data breach, the third incident in the last three months, that exposed as many as 34,000 employees to potential ID fraud. The breach included the names, Social Security numbers, home addresses, credit card numbers, as well as other sensitive information of Pfizer employees. The incident occurred late last year, but Pfizer didn?t discover it until July. Employees were finally notified of the breach in late August, a whole 6 weeks after the problem was first uncovered. Stri-i-i-ike three!
More About: Daily News , Time , Charm , Char , Always

Good Me: Laborious Tasks
2007-08-31 18:00:00
We never like to see people work too hard over Labor Day weekend, but when it comes to protecting consumers from ID theft, we welcome the diligence. Two U.S. senators are calling on the IRS to toughen existing procedures when it comes to ID theft and tax fraud, as well as take further steps to help victims. Also, new law in the state of Indiana that allows residents to issue a freeze on their credit report goes into effect this weekend. In other news, check out this opinion piece in the Buffalo News about how the federal government needs to take immediate action to make ID theft a priority.
More About: Daily News , Good , Tasks , Task

Daniel Hurtado Joins Europ Assistance USA!
2007-08-29 23:59:00
Two things we love most here at ME&ME are good news about ID theft and expanding our great team. So, when we heard that Dani el Hurtado joined Europ Assist ance USA as Vice President of Operations we couldn?t help but do a little (virtual) jump for joy! Click to learn more about Daniel Hurtado, our new VP of Operations ? (Read More)
More About: Daily News

Bad Me: Housing Crunch
2007-08-29 17:35:00
As mortgage woes continue to spread across the country, it?s ironic that we came across a former broker who is continuing to make life difficult for a client. After leaving the lending firm where she worked, a mortgage broker stole the identity of one of her former clients to buy herself a $400,000 house. She was sentenced to four years in prison, so it looks like she will find herself in a big house after all. In other news, a recent bust on ID theft and illegal immigration at a slaughterhouse in North Carolina has 25 employees facing possible jail time.
More About: Daily News , Housing , Crunch

Bad Me: Marital Miss
2007-08-27 17:05:00
You found the perfect dress, shelled out thousands of dollars on a cake, and somehow convinced mom and dad the sushi bar during the cocktail hour is a necessity. What could go wrong? Plenty if you are a victim of ID theft. The New York Post has an interesting story on brides and grooms who, when trying to make their way to the altar, discovered ID thieves beat them to the punch and already obtained a marriage license in their name. A little rain on your big day doesn?t seem so bad after all.
More About: Daily News , Miss , Mari

Good Me: ID Theft Bill Introduced in California
2007-08-22 16:45:00
At ME&ME we always get excited when a U.S. state takes active steps to protect residents from ID theft. A new bill introduced in the California legislature would restrict the personal information that could be held by businesses or public agencies in addition to requiring them to notify customers when and where a breach occurs and what information might have been stolen. Also, a warning to parents and students about ID theft on college campuses as well as some tips for preventing it.
More About: Daily News , Theft , Good , Bill

Bad Me: The Times They Are A-Changin?
2007-08-20 19:52:00
Today?s news from ComputerWorld is a tad bit unnerving. Actually, it?s pretty darn scary. A recent survey says 15 million Americans were victims of identity-theft related fraud from mid-2006 to mid-2007, a 50% increase from 2003. Adding insult to injury, the average loss per incident was over $3K, more than twice the amount than the previous year. In other news, new hiring laws in Arizona may lead to an increase in ID theft.
More About: Daily News , Times , The Times , Chang , Chan

Bad Me: Online Job Seekers Subject to Possible ID Theft
2007-08-17 18:29:00
You dusted off the old resume, brushed up on your interview skills, and dove into the online job search head first. Imagine your surprise when you find out that decision may end up costing you. A security researcher discovered financial and personal data from 46,000 individuals was stolen through a computer virus on various online job search sites. The stolen data includes bank and credit card account information, social security numbers, and usernames and passwords for online accounts. Makes pouring through the classifieds seem much more attractive.
More About: Daily News , Online , Theft , Seek , Ossi

Bad Me: Don?t Talk to Strangers
2007-08-15 17:57:00
We here at ME&ME are old enough to know when we should and shouldn?t talk to strangers. When it comes to protecting your identity online, this lesson from our kindergarten days seems much more grown up. When users of online social networking site Facebook seemed to forget this important mantra, we couldn?t help but be disappointed. A recent test conducted on Facebook shows users are likely to divulge personal information to complete strangers who request their ?friendship? on the site, giving away e-mails addresses, birthdates, phone numbers and home addresses, all of which could lead to ID theft. A real friendship shouldn?t cost you a dime, or your identity.
More About: Daily News , Talk , Range , Tran , Strangers

Good Me: Illinois Increases Penalty for ID Thieves Who Target Military
2007-08-13 20:00:00
The Illinois state legislature earns a thumbs up from us here at ME&ME. A new state law will increase the penalty for ID thieves who target U.S. service members deployed overseas. Also, the San Jose Mercury News reminds us that our instincts are the first line of defense when it comes to preventing ID theft.
More About: Military , Daily News , Target , Good

Bad Me: Receipts Reveal More Than the Color of Your iPod
2007-08-10 18:52:00
It used to be that the color of your iPod said something about you. Now a Florida court claims we should be more concerned about what the receipt for that iPod has to say. A class action suit was filed against Apple claiming the company is putting consumers at risk of identity theft by revealing the customer?s name, address, phone number, e-mail and credit card expiration date on its receipts. In other news, a Penn State researcher accidentally posts the names and SSNs of over 8,000 Marines. Can I get a boo-rah? And patients at a Florida dental office discover they had more to be worried about than a shot of Novacaine and a drill when an office assistant was charged with using patients? personal information to open up credit cards and shop online.
More About: Color , Ipod , Daily News

Bad Me: Nothing Gets Past the IRS
2007-08-08 20:05:00
The IRS can?t afford to lose any fans and the recent news that its employees are likely to fall for social engineering tricks definitely isn?t attracting any new ones. In a recent test by the Treasury Department?s Inspector General for Tax Administration, 60% of IRS employees surveyed gave away sensitive security information to researchers posed as computer help desk workers. The news is especially disturbing as hackers could use this information to access IRS computers and obtain taxpayers? financial and personal information. To make matters worse, this isn?t the first time IRS employees have been tested for vulnerability to these tricks. The Inspector General conducted similar phone tests on IRS workers in 2001 and 2004. Pretty big learning curve if you ask us.
More About: Daily News , Past

Good Me: Massachusetts Governor Signs ID Theft Legislation
2007-08-06 23:27:00
It takes a lot for us here at ME&ME to cheer, but when we heard that Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed legislation that allows residents to put a ?security freeze? on their credit reports as well as provides further protection for consumers, we couldn?t help but get excited. Let?s hope more states follow its lead. In other news, the state of Ohio set-up a website to help citizens affected by the theft of a data storage device taken from an intern?s car in June. Begs the question of why the storage device was in the hands of an intern, but at least the state is taking a proactive step in helping residents protect themselves from potential ID theft.
More About: Daily News , Signs , Theft

Bad Me: Book ?Em Dan-o!
2007-07-31 23:20:00
As if being arrested isn?t bad enough. In an odd turn of events, a handful of those behind bars at Baltimore?s Central Book ing found themselves to be victims of a crime. Two correction officers were arrested for stealing the identities of multiple detainees held at the booking site, using credit cards to run up charges at fast food joints and stores. Talk about a happy meal. And in an unusual case of stolen identity, a Virginia woman, unable to qualify for a loan on her own, pleads guilty to using a man?s lost wallet to purchase a $400,000 house.
More About: Daily News

Bad Me: Insert Foot Into Mouth ? CEO of LifeLock
2007-07-26 16:39:00
This story is too good to pass up. The CEO of LifeLock was so confident that his product could protect people?s Social Security numbers from being compromised that he actually posted his own SS number on the LifeLock web site. Guess what happened? He became a victim of identity theft. In other news, check out this blog posting from Wired about genetic identity theft and DNA-crime evidence. Finally, there seems to be minimal fallout from an identity thief pretending to be a nurse in Vacaville, Calif.
More About: Daily News , Mouth , Foot , Lifelock

Bad Me: New Technology & New Media Ripe for ID Theft
2007-07-23 19:34:00
Talk about your BAD ME experiences. Just imagine ? you waited in line for your iPhone, shelled out your $500, synched all your contacts . . . and now we find out all that precious, easily accessible data is ripe for ID theft. That?s the news today from the professional hackers at Independent Security Evaluators, who are now recommending that Apple offer a security patch for the problem. And some words of caution today from the BBC to be careful what personal information you publish on the Web ? especially on sites like MySpace and Facebook, where ID thieves are finding goldmines of personal details like birthdays, locations and occupations of the folks who frequent them. All that information makes the ID thieves? jobs easier, so the Beeb is recommending exercising discretion in what you decide to make public.
More About: Media , Technology , Daily News , New Media , Theft