Think about your passwords, each and every one. You do have a unique password for each account, right? Would they stand up to the automated attacks that criminals often launch, trying to crack weak passwords in order to hijack accounts?

Active duty military personnel are constantly preparing for deployment and their known absence makes them targets for identity theft. It’s imperative that in addition to preparing for the challenges involved in protecting others that they also prepare for their deployment when it comes to protecting their own identity.

The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation remind individuals to be cautious when using the Internet to advertise rental properties and real estate. The IC3 continues to receive numerous complaints from individuals who have fallen victim to scams involving rentals of apartments and houses, as well as online real estate postings.

A current scam that is making the rounds has to do with thieves trying to dupe potential renters into giving them money and personal information for a home that isn’t owned by the person posing as the landlord. Here’s how the scam works.

Real estate agents will tell you that home sales and new rentals peak in the summer. Fraudsters know this too and actively work to take people’s money while never delivering keys to a new place. That’s why, this week the ProtectMyID blog will focus on scams specific to real estate buying or renting.

ProtectMyID works to alert its members to identify theft indicators and our specially-trained Identity Theft Resolution Agents are on-hand to help our members minimize the impact of compromised accounts and to recover from identity theft. If you need to know the key steps to take if you are the victim of identity theft, the FTC offers these recommendations.

From the very beginning of your financial life, and all the way through to the end, invest in an identity protection program. Protecting your identity is not just about you. A healthy and accurate identity from a credit perspective can shape the lives of you and your family members and provide comfort and peace of mind in your retirement years.

Recently we’ve seen an influx of news on the amount of identity theft that has occurred involving the deceased. The vast number of cases fall into a couple scenarios. One way identity thieves are committing the crime is by harvesting information from those known to be deceased. Another way is by creating synthetic identities which then become associated with a deceased person.

Mothers’ Day is upon us and extra appreciation is due to the women in our lives who seem to do it all. Between raising and feeding children, keeping the home clean and stocked, and maintaining a career – all while ferrying children to and from appointments and lessons… you name it, moms do it.

Even though gas prices have topped $4 a gallon in many states, travelers should prepare for crowds as they head out on their summer trips. Gas prices remain a concern for travelers, but better economic news and pent-up demand are expected to keep popular tourism spots busy in the coming months. To compensate for higher gas prices and ensure you have a great time on your vacation, our friends at AAA recommend the following budget-trimming tips.