The Federal Trade Commission has reported identity theft as the top consumer complaint, affecting millions of Americans each year. Seniors are particularly vulnerable, and identity theft affecting seniors rose 200% between 2000 and 2001. Seniors are appealing targets because they generally have higher credit lines, home equity, and more savings than young people. Seniors are also easy targets for e-mail fraud, and charity fraud. Internet scams will often instruct a senior to access their bank account online in order to “correct an error”. Most of the time, seniors will be asked to click on a link inside the e-mail, and they will be taken to a site that looks like their bank’s or credit card’s own site. They will be asked for pin numbers, account numbers and personal information. After that, the identity thief gains access to their accounts, open new credit cards, and steal funds.

Never release this type of information over the internet, unless you are absolutely sure that you are on the correct website. The best way to be sure is to log into a website directly, or call your bank’s customer service department. Most banks and credit cards have a 24-hour toll-free number for customer service and identity theft victims. If you suspect identity theft, immediately contact your bank and credit cards companies. Cancel everything–if you are wrong, then you may experience a little inconvenience while you wait for your new credit cards to arrive. If you are right, and identity theft has occurred, you can save yourself thousands of dollars and lots of headaches if you act quickly.

Seniors are instructed to carry Medicare cards at all times. Their Medicare cards, in turn, have social security numbers printed plainly on the front. If possible, always leave social security cards and Medicare cards at home. If you are going to a new doctor, take it with you, and then return it to a safe place when you come home.

If a business requests your social security number without a legitimate reason, refuse to give it. Health care providers, the social security administration, and the IRS are a few of the organizations that have a legitimate reason for requesting your social security number. Small businesses, such as your veterinarian, handyman, or grocery store clerk should not ask for your social security number.

5 Easy Tips to Help Protect Your Identity.

1. Print checks with as little information as possible. Use only your first initial, last name, and address. If you have a business address, use it in lieu of your home address. That way, if your checks are ever stolen, your home address is protected. This is especially important for female seniors, who may live alone. Do not print your phone number or social security number on your checks.

2. Get a copy of your credit report every year. It’s free, and if you find errors on your report, you can continue to get free reports until the errors are corrected. All three credit reporting agencies are required to give you a free report if you have been denied credit, or you suspect fraud on your account. To get a free copy of your report, go to www.annualcreditreport.com. You can also request your credit report by phone. Call 1-877-322-8228 to request your credit reports by phone. Your reports will be mailed to you.

You can contact all three credit reporting agencies directly. The contact numbers for the three credit reporting agencies are: Equifax (800) 525-6285 Experian (888) 397-3742 Trans Union (800) 680-7289)

3. Protect your mail. Do not leave mail in your box overnight. Get a locking mailbox from your local hardware store. They are relatively expensive, and well worth the investment. Deposit mail in US post offices, or US mailboxes. Do not leave mail out for your postman to pick up, especially if your mail contains personal checks!

4. Shred all important documents. Use a paper shredder to destroy all important financial documents. Identity thieves often use trash bins to “troll” for personal information. This technique is called “dumpster diving”, and is one of the most common methods that thieves use to steal financial information.

5. Never give personal information over the phone unless you initiated the phone call. A common scam is for a thief to call you, and claim to be calling from your doctor’s office. They ask to “confirm” your insurance information, and social security number, which most people supply without thinking. Don’t become a victim of this scam! Call your doctor’s office directly, and ask them if they require the information. If the call was fraudulent, contact your insurer, and the police.

If you are still a victim of identity theft, don’t panic. Go to your local police station, and file a police report. Your bank and credit cards cannot make you legally responsible for crimes committed in your name by an identity thief. Contact the credit reporting agencies, and place a fraud alert on your account. If creditors begin calling, tell them that you are the victim of identity theft, and that you request to be contacted in writing. That way, you can respond with a copy of the police report and a letter. DO NOT PAY CREDITORS FOR FRAUDULENT CHARGES! Many collection agencies purposely intimidate and bully identity theft victims. This is sad, but true. After consulting multiple identity theft victims, I am constantly shocked by how many are also victims of creditor abuse. If you become a victim of creditor harassment, report the credit card company or creditor to the Federal Trade Commission.

America, for many fulfills these ideas for many who come here. America has been from the start a multi-cultural project. Groups of people from many nations such as Britain, France, Spain, Italy, and others made up this New World. The main idea was to find a quick route to Asia. Asia was the place for riches obtained in the trading and transporting goods. These goods were taken from the point of origin to the home country of the ship. As America, grew, the business people here wanted freedom from the tyrannical rule of the foreign powers who wanted to keep grip on this New World. Thus, the idea of Multi-culturalism was born. This idea being that several different cultures (rather than one national culture) can coexist peacefully and equally in one nation.

America has not only shown that this can exist. She has shown it to flourish, though business ethics have changed from the infant it was in the beginning. Once a Plantation owner could have slaves. Using them in business was considered fair and equal. However, even then some people hated slavery, people aside from the slaves themselves. . As the people of this nation grew in ethics, they realized such avenues such as slavery was wrong. Although, Abraham Lincoln did abolish slavery, it took many years for the full realization to take hold. Today, in the high rise of power and prestige you will find many whose roots date them to slaves.

Within the confines of many larger cities are conclaves of multi-culturalism. You have “little Italy”, “Chinatown”, and many others. All people from differing nations that bring them one desire. That is to make a better life for them and their families. When doing this, they all agree to one thing. That is the Ethics of America. To do and follow our laws. To live peaceable with each other and live freely. This Multi-culturalism is what makes America what it has become.

The problem we have in the midst of business ethics and ethnicity is when the total framework of America’s business’s is changed for one group or individual. This is seen by the legislation that is being hammered out for illegal aliens. Most of which we have seen on the news is Mexican, South American, and speak Spanish. This is not the case. For history proves that Chinese have been smuggled into America since the early goldrush and the building of the railroad. Also let us not forget the Cubans, and those boatloads of Vietnamese. All these wanted to migrate to our country. Live a free life and do business. The legislation and recent debates, however, focus on one group alone. This is wrong.

Ethics for many business’s are regulated first by what is legal and what is illegal. A quick search on Wikipedia with the word Ethics, will provide a glimpse into this world. Revealing the hidden dangers that have been in the news. From Martha Stewart to WorldCom, we have seen ethics in motion. The ethics of some in business have been seen as illegal by those in the legal area’s. Thus, the people in power who ran the business schemes under cloak and danger were held accountable. Thus ethics are related to legality in America. The enforcement of which cover all Ethnics and races who do business in this country.

Moreover, we find Ethics and Ethnicity relating to World issues as well. This is on the forefront of many discussions today. One example is found in Denmark where just this issue was pursued “Ethics and Ethnicity”. A forum by a major Denmark university conducted a seminar in 2005 on this. Their basis for doing this and reasoning stated:

Since moral decision making fundamentally has to do with how we should treat each other, a unifying goal of the seminar group will be to understand and critically evaluate how cultural and racial affiliations influence the reasonable and unreasonable expectations we have of each other.

This points to the need to discuss the distinctive obligations of students, faculty, administrators and other staff within academic institutions, in terms of their similarities and differences, regarding potential areas of conflict as well as social enrichment stemming from our encounters with people ethnically different from ourselves. The implications for our participation in the larger international community of which we are all inescapably members also will be explored, along with the recurring moral theme of the contribution to be made by institutions of higher learning to the improvement of relations among all peoples of the world. www.think.aau.dk/default.htm

Furthermore, the drive line that connects many nations today is commerce. Commerce is business, and business is propelled by people with ethics from all ethnic tribes in the world. As a result, nations, ethnic tribes, and peoples traverse the world doing business. The one avenue that all people have in common is business. That is the ability to do something to make money or barter. This translates in being able to provide for your family no matter whether you live in India, China, or America. Today, however, America still is the Grand Lady of this enterprise called Commerce. Within the Commerce you will find Multi-culturalism. The foundation of this commerce is also Ethics and Ethnicity. Without rules, regulations, and laws, the whole system would not work. It must work for all cultures, races, and Ethnic tribes.

As we look at this Ethnicity, we also find the threats. The first and paramount threat to the Ethics and Ethnicity is terrorism. Muslim’s who are totally against this kind of thing. For them, trade and commerce are the enemy. It’s paramount provider is always seen as the USA. Who is their enemy, of course. The ethnic tribes who are terrorist come from many different countries. The one link for all of them is their aberrant desire to follow Jihad against all enemies of Islam. As a result you can see this attack against the warlords of commerce and trade. No matter what Ethics you have, when you face a harsh enemy like death, life is seen as paramount. This is the reason terrorism targets the business sector. To shut down this pipeline of commerce will shut down America and the industrial nations for sure. The main target, however, seems always to be America. The USA is the leader in purveying commerce. Ethics or not, the ethnic terrorism will find a way to bend your will to his or destroy you. This is also seen in many of the oil producing countries, especially in Africa where Terrorists have shut down pipelines of oil. As well, it can be seen in Venezuela’s dictator and his hatred for the USA and its government. Within all these scenarios are ethics. Ethics that face society and declare I will destroy you if you do not bend to my wishes.

What happens if this Ethnicity and ethics come to America? What happens if groups pop up and cannot get along with each other? Will business end? It is true, that if we cannot live peaceable, then business is the first to go. America has enjoyed a long history of peace in its borders with the exception of the Civil War, the Indian Wars, and other clashes. When the Civil war was going, business was virtually stopped down south. After the war, the whole south was destroyed.

Today, America has her Ethics, but within this is the desire to keep the global business going. Facing this, are those who want to destroy this business climate and trade we know as commerce. It is kept alive by the ethics of ethnic tribes all over the world. Many of whom live in America.

Ethnicity and Ethics. We see when good people say a bad thing is okay, such as Slavery, it is not morally ethical. Society accepted it, then decided it was wrong. We also see bad people who foment hatred and death through terrorism. Their ethnic backgrounds are from all over the world. These have ethics that declare destruction, war, and hatred against society in general. Business’s who come in contact with this later group will face a hardened foe willing to destroy to get their way. But for many in America, no matter the Ethnic background, ethics are the foundation of what they do. No matter the race, the tribe, religion, for the most part, they walk the path of ethics that American business has presented. To do things in a fair way, to do it well, to be honest, and follow all the laws of the land. The only people ‘who violate this’, are those who are greedy and dishonest. The ones who cling to power and prestige. These hold that money and fame are a higher goal than any moral ethic. For them ethics cannot get in the way of what they want. Just like terrorism, they destroy to obtain.