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Identity Theft, Is It Real?
April 3, 2016
Identity theft is very real--it’s the fastest growing crime in the United States. Identity theft refers to crimes in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal information in ways that involve fraud or deception, typically for economic gain according to the United States Department of Justice. A thief can steal your personal information in many different ways. An Continue Reading
Identity theft is very real--it’s the fastest growing crime in the United States. Identity theft refers to crimes in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal information in ways that involve fraud or deception, typically for economic gain according to the United States Department of Justice.
A thief can steal your personal information in many different ways. An identity thief might steal your mail or garbage to get your account numbers or your Social Security number, trick you into sending personal information in an email or over the phone, steal your account numbers from a business or medical office, or even steal your wallet or purse to get your personal information.
An identity thief can use your identity in many different ways: buying expensive things with your credit cards, obtaining more credit cards in your name, stealing your tax refund, getting medical care, pretending to be you if they are arrested and more.
According to TransUnion, it can take the average victim an estimated $500 and 30 hours to resolve each identity theft crime.
Protect yourself from identity theft by trying these tips:
An example of identity theft from the United States Department of Justice:
“A woman was indicted and pleaded guilty to federal charges involving her obtaining a fraudulent driver's license in the name of the victim, using the license to withdraw more than $13,000 from the victim's bank account, and obtaining five department store credit cards in the victim's name and charging approximately $4,000 on those cards.”
Another example from the Department of Justice:
“In one notorious case of identity theft, the criminal, a convicted felon, not only incurred more than $100,000 of credit card debt, obtained a federal home loan, and bought homes, motorcycles, and handguns in the victim's name, but called his victim to taunt him -- saying that he could continue to pose as the victim for as long as he wanted because identity theft was not a federal crime at that time -- before filing for bankruptcy, also in the victim's name.”
Protect yourself from identity theft by keeping your personal information private, monitoring your credit statements.
Your homeowners policy may also offer an optional endorsement that will provide funds to reconstruct your credit following an ID Theft. Give us a call (607-324-7500) or email us ( Service@RyanAgency.com ) for more information!
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The year 1962 was marked by historic events—from the Cuban Missile Crisis to the passing of Marilyn Monroe. But while the world focused on these headlines, Lee A. Ryan was working alongside his brothers on my grandparents' farm when an unexpected opportunity arose—an invitation to join the insurance business. With no prior experience, no clients, and limited resources, my dad took a leap of faith and partnered with Nationwide Insurance to start an agency from scratch. Operating out of his home on Karr Valley Road in Almond, NY, he built his business one relationship at a time (some of whom are still clients!), laying the foundation for what would become a lasting legacy.
“Am I covered if I drive someone else’s car?” Or, “Am I covered if someone else drives mine?”
Many don’t realize that the insurance industry is one of the country's most regulated business segments, especially in New York State. The New York State Department of Financial Services (NYS DFS) wields significant control over the insurance business and has a stated goal of protecting consumers.
Most property insurance companies offer Actual Cash Value or Replacement Cost settlement options. Typically, insurance companies will require that you insure the property to the settlement value you choose. If you select Actual Cash Value, the amount you may be required to insure the property for will be less than the corresponding Replacement Value.
In that spirit, the Ryan Agency is sponsoring a Stearns BBQ Dinner pickup at our office on 57 Broadway Mall in Hornell on September 12th from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM.
Today, an individual’s credit history can play a more significant role than any one of those traditional factors. Good Credit Scores lead to a Positive Insurance score. A good Insurance Score greatly influences what someone will pay to insure their vehicles.
Insurance companies offer various discounts for which their policyholders may qualify.
Great Eight number Six (6) suggests taking a look at removing Comprehensive and Collision on Older Vehicles.
By reducing the number of claims in your insurance history, you can significantly affect your rates in the future.
Sometimes, this concept meets with resistance from policyholders. The thought of paying more in the event of a claim is off-putting to some. Even if that means I pay more for my insurance.
