Congratulations are in order for a recent graduate of the HOPE Program. We are pleased to report that Ms. Jordan of North Carolina has experienced tremendous improvement in her credit scores since joining the HOPE Program in January.  Here are just a few of the wonderful changes that have taken place for her so far:

Her middle credit score has increased a total of 146 points!
Her credit scores have jumped from the 400s into the 600s!
Her credit scores are high enough to qualify for a mortgage!
13 negative accounts totaling nearly $5,500 have been erased from her credit report!

We are very happy to see these great results for Ms. Jordan and cannot wait to see her become a home owner as well!  Remember, at HOPE our goal is not just to help our members achieve healthier credit, but to teach our members how to maintain healthy credit for a lifetime.  If you or a loved one is facing credit problems of your own we encourage you to give us a call today at 704-499-9696.  Our caring staff is standing by to answer your questions and to show you how the HOPE Program can assist on your journey towards a healthier credit report.

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Combat Identity Fraud Effectively!
By Michelle Black

We have spent a lot of time over the last month discussing ways that you can protect yourself from one of the nation’s fastest growing crimes – identity theft.  If you have not yet had the opportunity to read our 10 part blog series, Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft, we would love to invite you to do so. Simply check out our June blog archives to get started.  Remember, if you educate yourself on the tactics used by ID thieves then it will be much, much harder for any identity thief to take advantage of you.  Here’s a quick summary of the 10 best ways to protect yourself from identity theft:

1. Check your credit report for fraud!
It’s important to check your credit at least twice per year.  Nearly 90% of current credit files contain mistakes, fraud, or errors!  (Click on the link above for additional details.)

2.  Make copies of your credit cards!
This will enable you to act quickly in the event that your credit card is lost or stolen. (Click on the link above for additional details.)

3.  Shred, burn, or otherwise destroy “thief prone” documents.
Keep “dumpster divers” from stealing sensitive information right out of your trash can! Check out the full article (by clicking the link above) for full details on which kinds of documents you should always destroy in order to protect yourself.

4. Don’t give personal information on the phone unless YOU initiated the call. Beware, beware, beware of telephone scam artists who will try any tactic necessary to steal your personal information right over the phone. (Click on the link above for additional details.)

5.  Never leave personal information in your car.
It’s all too easy for an identity thief to break into your car and steal sensitive personal information.  Once your ID is stolen it can become a nightmare to regain your good name so always follow this important step to protect yourself.  (Click on the link above for additional details.)

6.  Don’t fall for phishing scams!
Never reply to an email or instant message with your personal information. Remember, identity thieves are getting more and more creative, so even if the email looks like it originated from your bank or another personal creditor you should never reply to it or click on a link to provide any personal information, user name, or password.   (Click on the link above for additional details.)

7. Don’t put checks in your mailbox.
Mail theft is a common form of identity fraud.  It is easy for a crook to steal your check and use acid wash to change the name of the recipient. It is always safer to drop your checks off at the post office for mailing or to pay bills online via a secure website.  (Click on the link above for additional details.)

8.  Don’t carry unnecessary personal documents in your wallet or purse!
Extra credit cards, birth certificates, marriage licenses, and even social security cards should not be kept in your wallet or purse. In the event that your wallet/purse is lost or stolen you make it much easier for an identity thief to cause severe damage to your credit if this information is easily accessible.  (Click on the link above for additional details.)

9.  Monitor your statements every month.
A great way to prevent serious identity fraud is to monitor your statements closely. Early detection of fraudulent activity can often protect your credit report and help you to avoid paying for any charges you did not authorize.  (Click on the link above for additional details.)

10. Take your name off promotional lists.
The fewer promotional offers you receive in the mail the harder it is for an identity thief to steal an offer and apply for it in your name.  Plus, removing yourself from these lists will help to reduce the amount of pesky junk mail you receive – bonus! Check out the link above for detailed instructions on having your name removed from these lists.

Please feel free to share today’s article with your online friends and family by clicking our easy to use “share” buttons below.  We would love for you to join HOPE in the fight against identity fraud! And remember, if you or a loved one has already been a victim of identity fraud there is still hope for you.  Just give our caring credit experts a call at 704-499-9696 for more information on how the HOPE Program has been helping victims of identity fraud (and countless other credit issues) for 11+ years.  We would love to give you our professional advice and see if the HOPE Program can be of any assistance to you.

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Recently we have spent a lot of time discussing identity theft and ways that you can protect yourself from this growing crime.  If you have not done so already, we would love to invite you to check out our June blog archives for HOPE’s 10 part series entitled Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft.  Remember, ID theft education is the single most effective way to prevent yourself from being victimized.

Since we have been spending so much time on the subject of ID theft lately, we wanted to share a recent, real life success story with you about a HOPE member overcoming the detrimental effects of ID fraud.  In the interest of privacy we will call this HOPE member Jane Doe.  Jane Doe had one of the worst cases of ID fraud you can imagine. While out of the country for a few years a trusted friend stole the identity of Jane Doe and her husband. (Remember, over 43% of ID theft victims know the person who stole their identity!  http://hope4usa.com/idtheft9/) This so-called “friend” used Jane Doe’s personal information to rack up over 40 fraudulent accounts in Jane’s name. The total debt was just under $120,000 which, of course, he never paid. Ouch! Talk about a nightmare.

When Jane Doe and her husband returned to the country and attempted to apply for a home loan they were in for quite a shock.  In fact, Jane’s once pristine credit scores had dropped to the low 500 range. Of course they were not able to be approved for a mortgage or any other type of financing as a result of the ID theft. Not knowing what else to do, Jane Doe and her husband began trying to fix the credit problems caused by the ID theft themselves. They filed police reports, talked to creditors, but just kept running into dead end after dead end. Finally, they met a caring loan officer who referred them to the professionals at HOPE for help.

Thankfully, there is a happy ending to the story! We are thrilled to report that HOPE has been able to help Jane Doe turn this nightmare situation around. Since joining the HOPE Program around 6 months ago Jane’s credit report has been transformed:

Credit Scores have increased an average of 120 points per credit bureau!
Over 30 of the original fraudulent accounts have been completely erased!
Nearly $114,000 in negative, fraudulent accounts has been removed from her credit!
Jane’s credit scores are now more than adequate to be approved for a home loan!
Jane’s highest credit score is now a whopping 706!

We are so happy to report this fantastic success story to you, and so is our member, “Jane Doe!” With a little more work we are confident that HOPE can help Jane to deal with the final few remaining fraudulent accounts in order to achieve a 100% clean and healthy credit report again – the credit report she truly deserves.

If you or a loved one has experienced identity theft or any other credit issues, please feel free to give our credit experts at HOPE a call at 704-499-9696. Our caring staff is standing by to answer any questions you may have. We would love the opportunity to show you how the HOPE Program can help you to achieve the healthier credit you desire to have!

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Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft
Part 2
by Michelle Black

I said it yesterday, but it is worth repeating: identity theft occurs every 2 seconds in the United States of America! The reason I find it worth repeating this shocking statistic is because you need to know how BIG of a problem identity theft has become in this country and why it is so important to protect yourself.  If an identity thief steals your social security number and opens as little as one single credit card account in your name it can have a HUGE impact upon your credit scores.  That’s all it takes – one single little fraudulent credit card being opened, maxed out, and not paid – to drop your credit scores like a rock!  So, here’s another way to guard against identity theft.

#2: Make Copies of Your Credit Cards.
One of the easiest, simplest ways identity thieves can steal from you is by stealing your current credit cards (or even just your credit card number).  Using your personal credit card these thieves purchase items in your name and leave you with the bill!  I personally know a woman who had this very scenario happen to her. Little did she know at the time, Mrs. Young had a receipt with her credit card number stolen.  The thief actually had a machine she used to create a new credit card with Mrs. Young’s card number! Additionally, the thief made a false driver’s license containing her (the thief’s) picture but Mrs. Young’s name and address.  Because the fraud was so extensive, several thousand dollars were charged to the card before Mrs. Young even became aware of the problem!

Another form of credit card theft is just that – actual theft of your credit card (not just a receipt containing your credit card number).  If your credit card is ever lost or stolen the very first thing you should do is to call your credit card company immediately.  A way to make this process faster, and easier on yourself, should the situation ever arise is to make copies of your credit cards and ATM card – front and back.  Be sure to store the copies in a safe place so that they cannot be stolen either.  However, if you have the copies already made then you will be prepared to act quickly should your credit cards ever become lost or stolen.  Without these copies it could take you hours to locate your card statements or look up the contact number online for each of your individual credit card companies in order to report the loss.  Be proactive and you could potentially save yourself a ton of trouble and time! Plus, the more quickly you act in a situation where fraud is concerned, the less likely it is that you will be stuck with the bill for someone else’s dishonesty.

More tips on identity theft protection are soon to come! So, don’t forget to “tune it” again this week for more helpful information.  If you have been a victim of identity theft or have any other credit related questions, please feel free to contact us. We would love to assist you and answer any questions you may have!

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Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft
Part 1
by Michelle Black

Let’s face facts.  This world is full of dishonest people.  Shockingly, it has been said that identity theft occurs every 2 seconds in the United States!  HOPE has helped many people, of all ages, ethnicities, and professions to deal with the aftermath of identity theft over the past 10 years. In that time I have found that identity thieves are not selective – anyone can be a target!  In this blog series I will give you some ways to protect yourself before identity theft happens and tips on what to do if you have already been a victim.

#1: Check Your Credit Report for Fraud!
To begin, the #1 way you can protect yourself from severe identity theft is to be aware! It is very important to monitor your credit report for fraud and inaccuracies. HOPE recommends that our graduates check their credit report at least twice a year (after completing the HOPE Program) to protect themselves from credit bureau error and identity theft.  In truth, checking your credit report at least twice a year is sound advice for every single American to follow.

Legally, you are entitled to one free credit report per year at www.annualcreditreport.com.  (Note: if you have already gotten your free credit report within the last 12 months, there are many websites online available where you can purchase your consumer credit report for a fee.)  Once you have obtained your credit report from each of the 3 credit bureaus – Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian – comb through it to search for signs of identity fraud.  If you find evidence of current accounts or collection accounts which you never applied to open then you may be a victim of identity fraud.

Hopefully you will not find any suspicious activity on the report; however, if you do, please feel free to contact our HOPE credit experts at 704-499-9696 or via email.  We can schedule a personal credit analysis appointment with you on the spot to help you learn your options and legal rights. Then, you can decide if working with HOPE would be the best choice for you to resolve any credit issues on your report.  All analysis appointments are 100% pressure free! There is absolutely no obligation for you to join HOPE because you speak with a credit expert, but at least you will be aware of all of your options.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for more preventative steps to help you avoid becoming a victim of identity fraud.  There are ways to protect yourself and I can’t wait to share more of them with you!

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