May 8, 2008 - Large databases of consumer information present an irresistible target to hackers and identity thieves. And if the information in them contains inaccuracies or omissions, it can create a lot of problems. For instance, 79% of credit reports contain inaccuracies. In many cases, inaccurate credit reporting is caused because names and credit histories get confused. How many John Smith’s are their in the United States? It’s pretty easy to see how one John Smith’s data could be confused with another. Now, just imagine what could happen if the government established a DNA database! What could the information it contained be used for? What value would it hold for hackers? And what would happen if it contained inaccurate or incomplete data? We may be closer to finding out the answers to these questions than you may think.

May 5, 2008 – Unless you are riding around in a limousine, the chances are that price of gas has been impacting your lifestyle. And if you own a home with an adjustable rate mortgage, then your pain has likely been multiplied as you watch your mortgage payments go up too. The value of the dollar continues to fall. Prices… on nearly everything… have been going up. And average citizens, most of whom have done nothing wrong, are the ones feeling the pain. Why is all this happening? Well, the answer is largely because our elected officials have not been doing their jobs. And a new housing bill which is full of good intent is poised to make things even worse for the economy in general, and for taxpayers specifically. If you still have any disposable income, you may want to hold onto your wallet tightly.

April 25, 2008 - If you are like many people, when you receive junk mail you simply throw it out without ever looking at it. Many people do this, even when they receive what appears to be junk from companies that they actually do business with. But if you are an Exxon Mobil credit card holder, throwing out your junk mail could be very costly. That's because they have started sending out checks that are blank but which draw against your credit card account. And if these checks get intercepted, or retrieved out of the trash, your next bill from them could be a real whopper!

April 24, 2008 - If you use the internet, the chances are that you leave personal information in places that you don't intend to. Every time you sign onto a website or make a purchase, you transmit at least some personal data that can be intercepted. If you transmit enough information, either by visiting websites or by using e-mail, you may actually be setting yourself up for identity theft. Beyond these threats, the government regularly monitors e-mail messages and other transmissions that go over the internet. So how do you keep your personal information private, and avoid becoming a victim of fraud?

April 23, 2008 - The Alaska Legislature approved legislation rejecting implementation of the federal Real ID Act. Lawmakers believe the federal law infringes on the fundamental right to privacy of Alaskans and would effectively bring about a national ID card system. The legislation - SB202 - opts Alaska out of REAL ID by forbidding the funding of anything that would further REAL ID compliance. SB202 is sponsored by Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage.

April 22, 2008 - The Illinois Housing Development Authority and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation are sponsoring Homeowner Outreach Days to help residents avoid losing their homes through foreclosure. The events will provide one-on-one counseling sessions between borrowers and lenders, as well as workshops on refinancing, foreclosure prevention, legal rights, loss mitigation and credit counseling.

April 21, 2008 - If you have a gas credit card from either Texaco or Chevron, you need to look closely at your bill this month. There is a chance that you were charged a late fee due to their screw-up. The charge was apparently caused by a change of ownership of their credit cards. But the company isn't volunteering to make refunds.