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16/9/2009 - NS & I have announced that the rate of return on Premium Bonds will increase from 1% to 1.5%, making each bond holder 50% more likely to make a win. Read story

21/11/2008 - The National Association of Estate Agents has reported an increase in house sales in October, against September’s figures. Read story

12/11/2008 - Attempting to save the housing market by raising the stamp duty threshold to £175,000 failed to revive the housing market, experts have claimed. Read story

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Identity Theft Protection

Identity Theft is reported to be on the increase. But how can you protect yourself from this crime and what steps can you take to identify if you are a victim?

The first step is to check if there is any suspicious activity on your credit report. This is information about credit applications you have made and is used by companies every time you apply for credit. It is totally free to check your credit report, just visit . If you see any applications for credit on the form that you were not expecting, then you might be a victim of identity theft and need to take immediate measures. This information is detailed when you sign up.

To prevent yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft, protect yourself by:

destroy bank statements, credit card statements, store card statements etc

NEVER throw out pin numbers etc without fully destroying them

don't give personal details to strangers - either face to face or on the phone

if your bank, credit card etc phone you, don't give them your full date of birth (most only ask for a part, e.g. day, month or year)

likewise, your bank should only ask you for part of your security code

watch statements for suspicious activity

don't enter personal details on websites that aren't secure (look for the padlock AND https://)

when purchasing on the net, favour well known payment processors such as PayPal, WorldPay, NoChex over sites where you give the owner your details

Even following recommendations, I was the victim of someone duplicating my credit card and using it online. I gave my details to a trusted merchant using a form that displayed the paddlock and used https. But the details were manually processed into the card machine and the assitant had enough details (name, address & card number) to use the card elsewhere. Think twice before entering your card details onto a website - does it look professional? Do you trust the site? Anyone can set up a site and start selling items and collect credit card information. Make sure the site you are using is above board!

Throwing out old statements, telling people your date of birth etc are all ways of possibly becoming a victim of identity theft. To protect yourself, always destroy anything containing your personal details. This should include any application forms that you might have started, but not completed. And remember that pre-printed application forms should also be destroyed in case they contain enough details for anyone to steal your identity.

Protect yourself now, prevent your identity from being stolen!

Worried about becoming a victim of phishing? A decent spam filter should remove most phishing emails for you. Some software, such as Panda's internet security, also offer Phishing protection. Have a look now!

Featured suppliers:
• Panda Software	• CA International