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Dad Stole His Son's Identity

LilSugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:00:22 PDT

Dads are supposed to protect their offspring, so it's unsettling to think that Harold Bray stole from his children. The Arizona man has been charged with one count of identity theft for using his 8-year-old son's social security number to rent his apartment. The father of two children under 12 used his stepson's social security card to open a cable services account in 2006. At the time of his arrest, Harold's wallet contained a blank check from an ex-girlfriend and both of his kids' social security cards.

Kristen Stewart Talks Badass Fairy Tales, Bella Swan, and Her New Leading Man on Snow White Set Visit

Molly Goodson — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:01:00 PST

Last October, we were so excited to pay a visit to the set of Snow White and the Huntsman outside London. We got a sneak peek into the amazing world Kristen Stewart and her costars, including Chris Hemsworth, Sam Claflin, Charlize Theron, and more, inhabited while shooting the action-packed fairy-tale movie. We have tons to come from our day poking around the remarkable set and learning about everything from the costumes to the fight scenes. While we were there, we even got to see the aftermath of Kristen accidentally actually punching Chris Hemsworth in the face filming a scene. Check out our chat with Kristen and stay tuned for lots from the set:

Is there something you admire about Snow White?

Yes. It’s strange playing a character that you actually could never truly embody. Her spirit affects people. . . I can’t have Snow White’s effect on people. I can’t actually be completely selfless because nobody is. You can only really play a character like that in a fairy tale and play it with an awful load of integrity. She’s very fully formed, but very farfetched-from-the-reality-that-we-live-in type of person. She also is strong in a very different way than you’d expect. Strength, yeah, but also gusto. I mean, she’s strong. She can kick ass. It hurts very much to do so and so it’s not like you’re watching her go take down a kingdom. You’re not watching going, "Yeah! Kill him!" Really it’s more like you’re watching someone having to do something that doesn’t just go against your sensibilities or that you agree with. It’s gutting. It’s physically gutting, literally. A million reasons, but she’s special.

Do you like that she’s not like your prissy fairy tale?

Yeah, because that’s just a very surface, though she is prissy sometimes. That’s the other thing. It takes her the whole movie basically to become who I’m talking about now. I’m really sort of talking in retrospect. It’s strange. It’s a total identity movie. It’s all about not finding yourself, but actually just being OK with who you always have been and not being ashamed of being the only one who sees the light. It’s an enormous burden and she’s so stunted. She was put away when she was 7 years old and your mother and your father were killed basically right in front of you. We’re not doing the version of a fairy tale that wouldn’t deal with all of those things, where you just sort of skim over all those things, and it's like all of these things are actually really important to the characters. She literally bleeds for her land and her people, and that’s just such a cool concept for me because it’s other people caring about people. It’s very simple, but it’s so common. Every day all the time you see people not caring about each other, and this is just about that.

She learns to be a leader or she’s born a leader inside, do you think?

She’s definitely a born leader. I mean, it’s literally pumping through those veins, but it’s been taken from her. She’s been so stolen from.

To read the rest of the interview, including her thoughts on Bella vs. Snow White and what it was like to punch Chris just

read more. Is it helping you get into the character's mindset to wear those cool costumes? Absolutely. If you look down and something doesn’t feel like you would definitely be wearing it, or if you go to grab your knife and it flops around or - basically [Colleen Atwood] thinks about every detail. It’s so wearable. I also have puffy sleeves. Somehow she manages to make puffy sleeves look butch. I was always expecting to personally wind up in a - basically what I’m wearing underneath it, like that little blue dress, which is just thin and wispy. I was really happy that she’s got something heavy on - a bit of armor before she actually finds her own armor. How did you feel the first time you put on the armor? Did you feel more badass? Yeah. That’s the first thing you want to [pound your chest]. Also, my armor doesn’t have a huge top on it. All the guys, unfortunately, they [raise their arms] and they hit themselves in the head. I can run around in mine. Somehow the armor on the men - unless they’re on horseback and they look amazing, but there’s also something kind of dainty about it, too, like pointy toes. It fits a woman’s body better, I feel. I don’t know, the guys running around suddenly look like little toys - slightly feminine little toys. Both Snow White and Bella had traumatizing experiences in the woods - being led out to die or have her heart broken - compare those two experiences? Well, it’s funny. I think [Snow White] genuinely lacks that innate fear of death that we all have. She’s got a serious, fierce survival - not skills, but insights. But she isn’t afraid of anything. What’s harder is to have dreams and hopes that you lived your whole life sort of be just shattered in front of you. So I think probably it’s totally impossible to compare the two. And I know that doesn’t make sense, but I kind of can’t compare. Can you compare the movies in general? Are there similarities at all? Bella and Snow White both come to find that they’re leaders. I mean, that’s definitely a similarity. They’re different. They’re very, very, very, different people. Also, I guess in a very sort of righteous way as well it’s all very like - everyone’s telling them “no” and both of them I guess see the light. Both of them are sort of a little more intuitive and spiritually, for whatever reason, connected and their gut is always sort of dead right. What about working with Chris surprised you? Did you have any preconceptions of him? Before I met him, I was like, "gosh, so charming." You know what I mean? Like he’s so ridiculously, seemingly nice. Movie-star caliber nice. But he really actually just is. But then again, it’s strange working - cause I mean it’s not a secret. It was completely different part before. It was totally like a rethought. So when he came in it was like "Wow! This is f*cking interesting!" I mean, it was like they really elevated it. Chris is an amazing, nice guy and also [has] great instincts and he can roll with everything on set. He’s really relaxed, whereas I’m always like, "oh my god!" I use my anxiety to do this and he’s always sort of like - he’s a good energy for me. I really like working with him. You actually punched Chris filming a scene and gave him a black eye? It’s actually a very confidence building experience. I don’t like punching anyone. So, you know, when you dream and your hand just slides right down their face, it doesn’t do that in real life. It really works. God, that really made me feel horrible, though. I mean, like instantly hot tears and I was like "oops!" We were watching it. It looks - it’ll be in the movie. Favorite fairy tale as a kid? I honestly don’t - somebody asked this the other day. I wasn’t here til the end of fairy tales. I really liked The Jungle Book. I was obsessed with The Jungle Book. Chris said Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. He is obsessed with Lord of the Rings and he was always like humming Enya as we were trudging up the mountain. I was saying basically, "You should make a remake of Lord of the Rings. Why are you doing this? . . . We’re doing Snow White and the Huntsman, Chris!" Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures

9 Steps to Get Your Finances Back on Track

Business Insider — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:15:01 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Business Insider story here on Savvy!

As the youngest daughter of two borderline baby boomers, like many other Generation Yers, I grew up watching my parents spend cash faster than they made it and had no concept of financial planning whatsoever.

When I scored my first full-time job after college, I'll never forget the rush I felt seeing all those numbers fill up my bank account. I bought new furniture for my apartment, stocked my closet with fancy new work clothes, and spent paydays filling my shopping cart on Amazon.com.

Ten weeks later, my entire department was laid off.

At that point, I had no savings, my credit score was bad, and I had absolutely no backup plan. I scraped by for two months with a few freelance jobs until I took a $10,000 pay cut just to get by.

Things finally turned around, and a couple years later, I found myself in the same place as many of my friends in their mid-twenties. We're paying rent comfortably for the first time and are able to start building our nest eggs. The problem is many of us have no idea how to start doing it.

Rather than turn into some sort of cautionary tale for future generations, I decided after my last birthday that I was going to take a good hard look at my finances.

I asked for tips from a trio of financial whizzes who broke down a few actions us 20-somethings can take today to start to getting our money on the right track. Here's how I did it and you can too.

Know your numbers

I have something akin to post-traumatic stress disorder from my days when I was in constant fear of overdrafting my account or bouncing my rent check.

But Chris Hobart, president and CEO of Hobart Financial Group, said knowing how much debt you have is the first step to chipping away at it.

I laid out how much I owe in student loans and on my two credit cards, set up auto-payments for each, and worked out a plan to start paying off more than my minimum payments each month to get rid of the debt faster and cut back on interest.

Read on for more ways to get your finances back on track.

4 Cyber Monday Safety Tips You Should Know

Kristy Korcz — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 03:11:40 PST

Cyber Monday is almost here, and if you're sitting at your desk cruising the sales right now, beware: dangerous viruses abound. Now that you're in shopping mode, a few reminders can go a long way to keeping your identity and computers safe from virtual disaster.

Beware of unknown links - Just because something shows up in your inbox or on your Facebook wall doesn't mean it's not spam. If you don't know where the link came from (or it looks suspicious), don't click!
Don't give out user names or passwords - If you've been asked to enter your user name and password anywhere else than a legit online store, back away slowly.

Check out the rest of our tips after the jump.

Where to Report Spam Emails, Phishing, and Internet Fraud

GeekSugar — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:22:47 PST

Internet safety starts at home, and while you may have a hacker-proof password, keep your firewall locked and loaded, and otherwise stay diligent to online scams, the truth is - sometimes spam, phishing, and fraudulent activity can slip through the cracks. If you suspect you've received illegal spam or phishing emails, or think you may be a victim of Internet fraud (by shopping online, or giving your info to a fake source), there are ways to report it so you can keep hackers and malicious thieves offline. Check out the resources below, as suggested by the US Government:

Hacking or a computer virus

If you suspect you've become a victim of hacking or have had a computer virus installed on your machine, you can report the incident to your Internet service provider (like Comcast or AT&T) or directly to the FBI.

Internet fraud

If you've been shopping online and think that you've been scammed, have had your identity stolen, or notice fraudulent activity, you can report the offender to the FTC for investigation, then check out the FTC's resource for what to do next and how to protect yourself.

Spam or phishing emails

If you suspect you've received spam or phishing emails (that are trying to scam you for private information like log-ins and passwords), forward them directly to the FTC's database for spam with the full header information, or send to the Anti-Phishing Working Group.

Money Scare: What to Do When You've Been Robbed

Emily Co — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:45:24 PDT

Since Halloween is coming up in just a few days, it seems fitting to talk about the various scary money situations that people find themselves in. I recently addressed tips for bankruptcy and what to do when you're laid off, but today I'm going to talk about what to do when something (or things) is stolen from you. Even if this hasn't happened to you, it's a good idea to know what to do when the time comes so you don't freeze up and act out of panic.

When your home is robbed: Once you find your house has been broken into, immediately leave your home and call 911. Stay in a safe place while you're waiting for the police to come, because you don't want to run the risk of bumping into the criminal. Wait until the police come before you take further action, which means you shouldn't search your home or touch anything before the cops come or you'll be tampering with evidence. Then, walk through your house and create a list of things that you notice missing from your home. If you have not taken photos of the items before the theft, make sure you write a detailed description of them. You will need to submit this list to the police and your homeowner's insurance. When you're reporting the crime and claiming insurance, start working on ways to make your home safer. For example, you can do things like get a good alarm system, lock up your valuables, and secure your windows and sliding doors.

When your identity is stolen: If you've been monitoring your credit report and all of a sudden you see strange activity like new credit cards being opened or if you're seeing weird charges on your credit card bills, someone may have stolen your identity. First decide whether you want to place a fraud alert or a credit freeze. With a fraud alert, the creditor will be more cautious when giving credit in your name and all you need to do is place the alert with one credit bureau, which will then notify the others. A credit freeze is the more secure option - you can't be considered for new credit until you've disabled the freeze. The latter option provides more protection, but it's also more of a hassle and you have to pay a fee. You'll have to individually freeze your credit with all three agencies.

Read on for more tips.

Protect Yourself: How to Freeze Your Credit Report

SavvySugar — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 03:05:04 PDT

Freezing your credit report is an option for you if you want to play offense with identity thieves, and won't be in the market for any new credit in the near future (including shopping for a new cell phone or utility service). If you've been a victim of identity theft freezing your credit report won't cost you any money, but if you've come this far without having your identity stolen than freezing your credit report comes with a fee. Why do you have to pay for the freeze? Because the bureaus make money by collecting and selling credit information about you and a freeze halts all of this money-making activity.You'll have to send freeze requests to each of the three separate credit bureaus along with a few specific details. Here are the necessary steps.

Equifax: If you want to apply by mail send a certified letter with these elements: name, address, date of birth, social security number, utility bill for proof of address, payment, and a police report if you are a victim. To apply online, fill out this form hereand submit your information.
TransUnion: To apply by mail, send a letter with the following: name, address, social security number, copy of your driver's license, and payment. To process your freeze online, go to this link.
Experian: To freeze by mail, send a request by certified or overnight mail including the following: name, social security number, date of birth, current and past addresses dating back two years, a copy of your driver's license, and one utility bill. To do it online, visit this link, to sign up for an account to freeze your credit.

Visit each credit bureau's website to see your state's specific requirements and fees are for freezing your credit report. Do you think that freezing your credit report would be a good investment or a waste of time and money?

Are You at Risk For Identity Theft?

Emily Co — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 03:05:04 PDT

We've all heard of horror stories of how having your identity stolen can rack up thousands in credit card bills and destroy your credit score, but how much are we really protecting ourselves? This week is National Protect Your Identity Week, so take this quick quiz to see if you're at risk for ID theft.

How often do you change your passwords to important accounts?

Once every few months.

Once a year.

When I think my accounts have been breached.

Where do you keep your social security card?

In my wallet.

I keep it at home in a safe place.

It's in my house somewhere.

What kind of security do you have on your cell phone?

People have to enter a passcode before accessing my phone.

There is a required passcode, and I can wipe the memory out if I lose my phone.

There is no passcode on my phone, and no way to wipe the memory if I lose it.

What's the best way to protect your credit score from identity theft?

Freezing your credit.

Setting a fraud alert.

Constantly monitoring your score.

How often do you review financial statements?

Once a week.

Once a month.

Once every few months to a year.

What do you do if your doctor or dentist asks for your social security number?

I decline.

I asked them if it's really necessary and let them know that I rather not.

I give it to them.

When you're using public computers you . . .

Log into your email, Facebook, and other social media sites.

Log into all of the above and bank accounts.

Only go to basic sites and never log into accounts.

What Not to Keep in Your Wallet

SavvySugar — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:15:00 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

We love the motto “be prepared.”

But when it comes to the average American’s wallet, there’s such a thing as over-prepared. From the looks of our bulging billfolds, we must be heading out each day to open a new line of credit, fill out a W-2, shop at several department stores, use a few gift cards, return an item or two, and grab a fro-yo at our favorite punch card spot on the way home.

1,000 wallets and purses are stolen every two minutes in America (44% of LearnVest readers have had their wallets lost or stolen once, while 8% have had theirs stolen twice or more). While it’s smart to be concerned with online security (check out our article on creating the perfect password here), 76% of identity thefts result from the theft of something physical, like a wallet. Additionally, it costs an average of $8,000 to recover from identity theft.

Most police who receive reports of stolen wallets lament the same thing: people carry way too much stuff in their wallets, handing their entire lives over to identity thieves.

So before you leave the house, read our list of what NOT to keep in your wallet, so you can pare down to just the essentials - and protect your finances and identity.

Social Security Card

This is the number one thing to NOT keep in your wallet. If a thief gets ahold of your Social Security card, he can open credit cards, take out loans or even buy a car - it makes you very vulnerable to identity theft. There is no need to carry this around as an extra form of ID, and even the U.S. government's website recommends leaving your card at home in a safe place. Your Social Security number is only nine digits - just memorize it.

(Learn how to safely store your important information; read this.)

Read on for more items you shouldn't keep in your wallet.

Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy Getting Charged With ID Theft

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:48:54 PDT

Bridesmaids star Melissa McCarthy is about to get in trouble for stealing more than scenes. Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy are starring in ID Theft, a comedy about a guy (Bateman) who gets his identity stolen by McCarthy's character. The role of the ID thief was originally written for a man, but apparently Bateman, who is also producing, wanted McCarthy for the part after being impressed with her in Bridesmaids. It shouldn't be tough for McCarthy to slip into the shoes that were meant for a dude, considering that her character in Bridesmaids wasn't the most ladylike.