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Identity Theft Watch out - Posted May 29, 2009 by Monty Loree

Identity Theft! Watch out!

Do take a few minutes to read this article as you may be one of the victims of identity theft. Identity theft is a condition where someone erroneously uses your personal information to get loan, steal money, transfer credit, open new accounts etc., in your name. You may not know about it until maybe you plan to get a loan or buy a new house. Or worse, when you are asked to pay back a loan that someone else has taken in your name. Though you cannot completely make sure that no one uses your personal information falsely, you could be a little more cautious by regularly going through your credit reports.

In case you have already been affected by identity theft then there are a few steps that you should follow as soon as possible. With evidence, report the matter firstly to the three major credit reporting agencies - Equifax, TransUnion and Experian, then, to the police and the Federal trade commission. Finally in case of fraud report it to the concerning credit card company. It is extremely mandatory for you to report the problem immediately after you notice it. Any delay might work against you.

In case of Social Security number (SSN) misuse, though the Social Security Administration (SSA) does not usually assist in identification of theft victims, do contact the SSA on time, to report Social Security benefit fraud, employment fraud, or welfare fraud.

Once you are done with reporting, keep track of your credit reports. Try to make it regular. Make use of the law which helps to obtain free credit reports at the end of every 12 months. In case of any suspicious dealings, immediately call or mail the concerned creditor or bank and let them know about it. If you are lucky enough you may be able to trace the thief or in the least, resolve your problem. Once your identity theft dispute with a company has been resolved, get the company’s closure, on the disputed accounts, in black and white. This will come in handy in case the problems relating to this account resurfaces.

As the good old saying goes, “prevention is better than cure”. It is very important to make your Social Security number, credit card numbers, or other financial account information, more personal. Once the identity thief catches hold of any of these details then you are sure to confront a tough battle against all the mess that he would make. So the next time you dispose your bills which has personal or financial information or fill up your personal information in unknown websites, think twice. It might as well be someone who is trying to steal information about you and use it to drain your financial savings and destroy your reputation.

Be exceptionally watchful over the internet. This is the medium where you can easily spill over personal information. If you feel that a particular website is not authorized, then make sure you do not enter any personal information in it. And do not open spam messages. You can help others from falling victim to this kind of fraud by spreading awareness among your family and friends.

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Getting a Loan from Banks - Posted May 29, 2009 by Monty Loree

Getting a Loan from Banks

Before you think of getting a loan from banks, make sure that you are well prepared. Do small researches on all the things that you need to know before you apply for a bank loan. Consider the kind of loan you will be requiring – long term or for a particular period, the total amount you will need, how you are planning to use the money and mainly how you will be paying it back in time. And most importantly, think of all the short comings that you may face during the loan period. For example, if you are planning to start a business, you need to have a clear plan of how you would execute it. Your plan will decide if you are worthy enough for the loan. The bank is flooded with thousands of proposals to get loans each day. Only if your plan is crisp and well sketched will the bank consider it. Once that is accepted and you are able to convince the bank with your business strategy then you have crossed half the well.

Though banks are more comfortable and opt for financing the up and running business which shows promise, it also risks in lending a loan to start a new venture. Basically, all they want to know is if they can rely on you. If they are sure of your trustworthiness, then you can be sure of getting the loan from them. Your credit history speaks a lot about you. If you have been paying your due in time, it will help the bank to know more about your sincerity.

Apart from your character, the bank also bets on things that you own. This is known as security or assets. Before the bank sanctions the loan, you are asked to submit details regarding the security you own. The security includes –

• Government bonds
  
• Shares, land, building that you own,
  
• Fixed deposits
  
• Machineries – both movable and immovable
  
• Vehicles

Showing proof of any of these above assets will ensure that you are granted a loan. Even if in some unfortunate circumstance you are unable to pay the loan, then the bank can cease your security. “Sureties” (any well known reliable account holder) can be your referral. A fine bond with the bank will make things smoother for you. Maintaining this connection during the loan period will help in easing out any misunderstandings that might occur later.

There are different types of loan offered by the bank. Few of them are – industry loan, vehicle loan, personal loan, commercial loan, housing loan, educational loan, etc. Though each bank differs in their own set of rules or terms in offering loans, a good credit report increases your chances. Opt for banks that offer flexible repayment terms. Look into all the terms and conditions of the bank before you apply for the loan.

The main advantage of acquiring loan from the bank when compared to other means is that it is easier to get. Though initially your credibility is under scrutiny, once they are sure of you, you won’t be having any problems.

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what are credit tips - Posted May 19, 2009 by Monty Loree

What are credit tips?
Purchasing an Toronto-area home may be a far different experience than it was just a couple years ago. If you purchased a home in Toronto - or virtually any other part of the country, for that matter - during the height of the housing and {{{credit}}} boom, you will likely have breezed right through the loan application process. As a result of government-encouraged incentives, {{{lenders}}} developed a myriad of loan programs to put homeowners into homes - some of which they simply could not have afforded otherwise. We are all more than aware of the result of these loan programs and the havoc it wreaked on our nation. As a result, banks have switched gears entirely; in fact, the good majority of individuals in the United States can no longer breeze through a loan application for a mortgage. Changes in the Lending Industry that may Affect you when Purchasing a Home:

Traditional loan programs rule. If you are looking for one of the trendy loan programs of years past, you may be out of luck. No-doc loans, subprime {{{loans}}} and interest-only loans are now, for the most part, a thing of the past, and have been replaced with more traditional loan programs. What does this mean for you? Traditional loans generally consist of 15 to 30-year loans with a hefty down payment (about 20 percent). These loans also require documentation regarding your debts, your income and your credit. ~ Competitive Loan Rates are now the Name of the Game. Those looking to purchase or refinance will likely experience excellent, competitive interest rates, provided they have the credit to back it up. Interest rates are now at near-historic lows, so this is certainly a prime opportunity for those with excellent credit.

Down payments are required - so start saving now! Many of the alternative loan programs required very little - if any - down payment monies, but that went away as quickly as the easy credit. Expect to have at least 20 percent down of the purchase price of a home, maybe more, depending on the lender's requirements. You can raise your FICO score by paying off credit card debt, by always making the payments on your monthly bills (in time and in full), and by keeping your debt-to-income ratio at a reasonable level. Don't forget that many things come into play regarding your FICO score. Even your utility bills can come back to haunt you if you've failed to pay them on time. Realtors represents buyers and sellers of real estate in Toronto, Ontario including homes for sale in Bowmanville. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_W_Fountain

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what is credit repair - Posted May 10, 2009 by Monty Loree

Credit repair in Canada is a recently new term term that has been around for the since the late 1990's.

Credit repair has to do with your Equifax credit report, and your TransUnion credit report. By law, everything on your credit report needs to be accurate, complete and verifiable. Many times what happens is that there are data entry errors, or reporting errors on an individuals credit report that are not reporting the true status of a person's credit history. Items that are reported on a credit report can be your personal contact information, credit information, public information inquiries and more.

You need to ensure that your credit information is perfectly correct, accurate and verifiable. The ensures that you have complete control over what is being reported about you to current and future creditors.

Items that could be wrong on your credit report � Identity Theft items could occur on the credit report. � Name Misspelled � Employers misspelled � Address information recorded incorrectly � Credit card or bank loan Information reported incorrectly & Duplicate items listed & Payment history errors & Collection agency Items reported illegally or incorrectly & Delinquent accounts reported incorrectly. & Unverified credit inquiries & Unverified credit or collection items

There are approximately 45 different types of information on a credit report. And because of the methods they are entered in to you credit report, there could be errors. If you suspect that there are errors, inaccuracies or unverifiable items on your credit report, then you need to start the credit repair process.

The credit repair process is as follows: Identify the credit report line item that needs to be fixed. Write a letter to the company that originated the information. This could be the collection agency, creditor, court, etc. As them to fix the error and re report the item to the credit bureau. Write a letter to the credit reporting agency asking them to investigate the item and then fix it as necessary. Wait for the responses and then repeat the process if necessary.

If required you can complain to your provincial Consumer Protection Agency to have them enforce your credit dispute if you're not getting the appropriate action from the credit bureau and the originator of the credit listing.

The main point of the credit repair process is to ensure that your current, and future creditors are getting 100% accurate information about you and your credit history. It is very important to make sure that they make accurate credit decisions for you.

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for sale 1998 plymouth voyager mini van white pics - Posted May 03, 2009 by Monty Loree

UPDATE: VAN IS SOLD

FOR SALE: 1998 Plymouth Voyager Mini Van:
White - PICS

What a shameless way to sell our mini van... I thought I would post it on the blog. :)

AS OF: May 3, 2009

1998 Plymouth Voyager Mini Van FOR SALE

ASKING PRICE: $2,500


Front Passenger Side View


Rear Driver Side View


Rear Passenger Side View

This van is really good condition. We've owned the van since 2001.

Details:
New tires - 1 year old
Air conditioning
Power locks
power windows
power rear (fin) windows
3.3L - 6 cylinder engine
150,000 KMs ( low kilometers)

Located in REGINA, SK

REASON FOR SELLING: We purchased a new car and no longer need this vehicle.


MORE INFORMATION:
The thing I like about the Plymouth Voyager, is that it's a common vehicle. There aren't a shortage of parts available. This is a well built vehicle by Chrysler. It's made for the family. It has extra outlets from which we plugged in a TV , cooler etc on our trips out west to Calgary, AB.

This has served us well as a family vehicle for the last several years.

For Sale
1998 Plymouth Voyager Mini Van for Sale
Low Kilometers, - 150,000KM
Family Vehicle

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