the north texas journal v23n31
TRANSCRIPT
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WEEKLY Volume 23, Number 31 - August 6, 20
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In This Issue
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Identity Theft Prevention Tips For CollegKids Heading Back To Campus
Getting their dorm room organized, reconnecting with
riends they met last year, making new friends, setting
up a class schedule ... college students have a lot to
ook forward to as they head back to campus. Iden-
ty thieves eagerly anticipate back-to-school time too,
because it often meansmore opportunity for
hem to purloin some-
ones private, personal
nformation for their -nancial gain.
College students may
not perceive themselves
as being at risk from
dentity thieves or need-
ng identity theft protec-on. After all, most of
hem dont have much
money (so not much to
steal) and theyre pretty
ech savvy about online
security.
Those very qualities,
however, leave them
at higher risk of be-
ng targeted by identity
hieves, who know how
o take advantage of col-
ege kids lack of credit
history and use of online
media. Whats more,
college students who
eel secure because
heyre tech savvy may
not be aware that a lot
of identity theft still oc-curs in traditional ways, like going through someones
rash, mail or dorm room to steal identifying informa-
on.
Several factors make college students ideal targets
or identity thieves, including:
Lack of a credit history - Its easier to steal some-
ones identity and establish a credit account if that
person has little or no credit history of their own.
* Use of online social media - Tech-savvy college
may not realize just how much of their persona
formation identity thieves can cull from online so
networking sites.
* Dorm/communal liv
settings - College d
rooms and apartme
may be accessed by
huge number of people
ery month, many of wh
the student wont know
all. Its difcult to maina secure environmen
such a living arrangem
* Easy access to credit
plications - Anyone wh
ever been on campus
seen the tables, boo
and kiosks set up to
cilitate credit card app
tions by students. C
pleted applications
rarely secure through
the day, making it easy
identity thieves to get t
hands on important ide
fying information.
* Laissez-faire attitud
Nearly half of stude
polled in a survey by
pulse Research said t
receive frequent cr
card applications, andpercent of those students throw away those ap
cations intact, with all their personal information
on it and easily accessible, according to the web
Scambusters.org. The survey also showed that ne
30 percent of students ignore their checking and cr
it card balances, the site reports.
To prevent identity theft, college students should
low some simple steps:
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Never keep identifying nancial information likePIN or account numbers, or important documents
ke Social Security cards and birth certicates un-secured in dorm rooms or apartments. Dont carry
anything more in your wallet or purse than you ab-
solutely need, such as your drivers license, student
D and one credit or debit card. And never loan any
of these items to anyone else, no matter how good
a friend they seem to be.
Be wary when ordering clothes, books, movies
and merchandise online and only do business with
sites that have the security lock symbol that shows
heyre taking measures to protect your information.
Shred credit card offers before throwing them
away and never complete a credit card application
at an on-campus table or booth - even if theyre of-
ering a cool free T-shirt just for applying. Instead,
go through the credit card companys secure web-
site, or contact your bank for a credit card before
you get to school.
* Be aware of whos around you when youre us
your cell phone or netbook on campus, and ne
discuss or send personal information in public t
could be used to steal your identity.
* Establish an identity theft protection account
fore you head back to school. Sites like Protect
ID.com monitor your credit reports daily and s
you an e-mail, text message or mail alert wh
ever something changes on your account, likeaddress or an application for a new line of cre
If your identity is compromised, ProtectMyIDs
perienced fraud resolution agents can help reso
issues. Whats more, the program protects aga
the sale of your Social Security or account numb
online by using Internet scanning to detect the
of your personal numbers online.
You can learn more about identity theft and ho
affects college students, as well as how to prev
it, at www.ed.gov, the U.S. Department of Edu
tions website.
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How Safe Is Your Debit Card?ARA) - Many people choose to use a debit card over
a credit card or cash because its more convenient,
but did you know it can also protect you from theft and
help you better manage your money? Knowing more
about your debit cards features will help you get the
most out of your banking relationship.
Today, debit cards come with many built-in security
eatures. Having your
photo on your card
makes it harder for oth-
ers to use it if its lost
or stolen because mer-
chants can easily iden-
fy that the card belongs
o you. Fraud monitoring
eviews how and where
your card is being used
and helps to block po-
ential fraud if unusual
patterns are detected.
Check to see if your
bank offers these fea-
ures and reimburses
you for purchases you didnt make. Make sure, espe-
cially if youre shopping online or traveling, that your
bank will protect you when you need it most. Bank of
America reimburses its customers for fraudulent cardransactions. Its debit card protection comes automat-
cally as a feature for all customers.
We want our customers to be 100 percent condthat were doing everything we can to protect their
counts from fraud and theft, says David Owen, B
of America Payments and Products executive. Us
a debit card securely should be hassle-free, and e
simple things like adding a photo ID to your card
make a big difference.
You should also kn
what fees your bank m
charge and how you
avoid them. Some peo
run into trouble by us
their debit card when t
do not have enough fu
in their account to mak
purchase. This simple m
take can lead to unexp
ed bank fees that qui
add up. See if your b
offers online banking,
ance alerts, text or mo
banking to help you s
in control of your nanon the go. These tools let you transfer funds betw
accounts, pay bills, and check your balance wh
ever and wherever you choose. Knowing how m
money is in your account or transferring funds wyour balance is low will help you avoid unexpec
overdraft fees on your debit card.
New regulations are requiring some banks to cha
their overdraft fee policies, which could affect h
you manage your nances. Make sure you know hyour bank handles debit card transactions when
dont have enough money in your checking acco
No one likes to nd out that a $4 cup of coffee c$40 because you didnt realize the purchase wo
overdraw your account.
Some banks are taking steps to help. Bank of Am
ica has made changes beyond what the regulati
require in order to reduce the possibility that c
tomers will overextend themselves with a debit c
When customers dont have enough money in t
checking accounts, everyday debit card transacti
like grocery store purchases will be declined so th
will be no unexpected overdraft fees for those tra
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2010 TXU Energy Retail Company LLC. All rights reserved. REP #10004
Thats why we have a program called TXU Energy Aid.SM
Nobody should have to sufer
without power or ear o an electricity bill they cant aford. Were proud to provide
temporary bill payment assistance to thousands o customers in critical situations
each year, right in your community. Since 1983, TXU Energy AidSM
has provided more
than $61 million in bill payment assistance, helping 365,000 amilies in need.
Learn more at txu.com.
Just when you have the budget worked out so you canbarely squeak by every month, something unexpectedhits you. We know about those times.
When life throws you a curvewe can go to bat for you.
TXU Energy is proud to partner with
actions. Beginning this fall, customers may be given
he choice at their ATMs to proceed with the transac-
on and be charged a fee if they dont have the funds
available, or not to proceed with the transaction and
avoid the fee.
Consumer advocate Martin Eakes, CEO of the Cen-
er for Responsible Lending, recently said of Bank of
Americas new overdraft policy, This is really a big
deal. As the largest debit card issuer in the country,Bank of America has demonstrated true leadership
n listening to its customers and now has the largest
base of safe and consumer-friendly debit cards.
Some customers may choose to sign up for overdraft
protection services that link a checking account to
other account, such as a savings account or cr
card, to ensure their transactions are not declin
The bank will automatically transfer available fu
from the linked account to help cover the overdraf
a small fee.
Theres a lot to consider when it comes to fully
derstanding your checking account and its bene
Ask your bank about free security features and unstand how overdrafts work. Knowing what to expec
avoid surprises will help you protect your bottom l
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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New Hope Church
300 Wichita Steet, Wichita Falls, Texas 76307
Please Join Us For Sunday Services
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Txu Energy Voluntarily Offers SummeMoratorium On Disconnects
Customer Protections Address Deposit Waivers & Flexible Payment
Today, TXU Energy announced it has again declared
a summer moratorium on disconnects for custom-
ers in need. A exible payment plan is available forresidential customers designated as low-income, ill or
disabled, or who are at least 62 years of age. This is
he fourth consecutive year the company has offered
protections to eligible customers.
Customers must contact TXU Energy at 1-800-242-9113 on or after July 1st to notify the company of their
needs and to sign up for special, more exible pay-ment plans. These measures will be in effect July
1 through September 30, 2010. TXU Energy also
waives deposit requirements for residential custom-ers who are at least 62 years of age and for all cus-
omers with a good record of timely payment.
"At TXU Energy we understand that some custom-
ers need assistance with their electricity bills, which is
why we offer our voluntary summer moratorium and
continue to offer several other programs to assist our
customers in need," said Jim Burke, chief executive
ofcer, TXU Energy. "It's important for customers tocall us and sign up for the summer moratorium and
o communicate their special needs so we can assisthem."
TXU Energy's customer protection measures include:
Summer Moratorium on Disconnects
Certain customers who are designated as low
come, ill or disabled, or who are at least 62 year
age can avoid disconnection of service due to n
payment by contacting TXU Energy at 1-800-29113 and enrolling in one of the Summer Morator
plans described below.
The 2010 Summer Moratorium Plans
* Enhancements for customers qualifying un
existing PUC rules
TXU Energy will allow customers designated
low-income, ill or disabled, or who are at least
years of age and who qualify for a deferred paymplan under the Public Utility Commission (PUC) c
tomer protection rules to continue to receive elec
service by paying 25 percent of their total outstand
balance of electric charges, with the remaining
ance to be paid in equal installments over the n
ve billing cycles (typically, balances must be paithree billing cycles).
* Special payment program for certain custo
groups
A exible payment plan is also available to cust
ers who are designated as low-income, ill or disabor who are at least 62 years of age, even if they do
qualify for a payment plan under the PUC custo
protection rules. Customers who enroll will conti
to receive electric service by paying 50 percent of
total outstanding balance of electric charges, with
remaining balance to be paid in equal installme
over the next ve billing cycles.* An additional payment program for other custo
groups
Customers designated as either (1) both lincome and who are at least 62 years of age, or
ill or disabled can avoid disconnection of service
to non-payment through a special TXU Energy
gram, even if they do not qualify for a payment p
under the PUC customer protection rules. Qua
ing customers who contact TXU Energy before
due date of their current bill and agree to this prog
can continue to receive electric service by paying
percent of their electric bill that becomes due in e
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of the months of July, August and September. Begin-
ning with the rst electric bill due after September 30,2010, customers subscribing to this plan will be re-
quired to pay the deferred balance in equal install-
ments over the next ve bills in addition to their actualcharges for that month
* Average Monthly Billing is also an option for these
customer groups
Customers who call will have the option to sign
up for TXU Energy's Average Monthly Billing (AMB)program instead of establishing a payment plan. For
many customers, summer consists of several months
of high usage bills which can be difcult to pay. AMBspreads electricity costs over 12 months, making a
customer's monthly electric bill more predictable. Dur-ng the higher usage bills of summer, the amount in
excess of a customer's annual average monthly billamount is placed on their account, but it is generally
not due until their usage drops below the average and
he deferred amount is gradually repaid.
Waiver of Deposits
TXU Energy waives deposits for residential custom-
ers who are at least 62 years of age and for any resi-
dential customer with an electric bill payment history
of no more than one late payment during the prior
2-month period. TXU Energy provides additional
deposit waivers as well, including all PUC required
waivers..
$250 Million Commitment to Customer Assistaand Energy Efciency InitiativesThese customer protections are in addition to a c
prehensive set of commitments totaling $250 milthrough 2012, including:
* $125 Million Commitment to Low-Income Ctomer Discount Program
TXU Energy is investing $125 million through 2
in a special year-round low-income discount progrTXU Energy is the only retail electric company in T
as that voluntarily provides an approximate 10 perc
discount for participating low-income customers. T
discount is in addition to the one provided by the S
of Texas' System Benet Fund -- the state direcprogram for low-income assistance on energy b
As of April 2010, almost 135,000 TXU Energy c
tomers have been enrolled to receive the disco
The program is available to TXU Energy low-inco
customers in all the competitive areas across Tex
* $25 Million Commitment to TXU Energy AidProgram
Working with social service agencies statew
TXU Energy administers and helps fund the TXU
ergy AidSM program, which benets any custowho has an emergency need for bill payment as
tance. TXU Energy is providing $25 million thro2012 for TXU Energy AidSM, in addition to any fu
received from customers and employees for this
portant program. TXU Energy's program is the l
est bill payment assistance program among electrcompanies in the nation.
* $100 Million Commitment to ergy Efciency and Conservationvestments
Additionally, TXU Energy pl
to spend $100 million through 2to help customers reduce the amo
of electricity they use through ene
efciency and conservation intives. A portion of this commitm
has been dedicated to the compaLow-Income Energy Assistance P
gram, which targets single- and m
family homes by providing acces
technologies that help customers
less electricity so they reduce t
overall bills and save money.
For more information on the sum
moratorium visit txu.com/billhelp
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The Scent Of Success: How Aromatherapy Can Help Your Professional Ed
ARA) - In an increasingly competitive job market,
many Americans are seeking every edge they can get
o nd a job, or keep the one they have. Stimulatinghe mind and memory function can help profession-
als feel more alert and on their game. Aromatherapy
can be one more weapon in a professionals business
arsenal.
Aromatherapy works to stimulate memory and
mind because our sense of smell is the only se
directly connected to the central nervous system.
nasal bulb, an area of densely packed neural rec
tors, sits near the center of our heads and in
faces directly with the brain. By contrast, mile
nerve pathways sit between the ears, eyes
the brain. Tying visual and auditory experiento a distinct aroma can help us process, re
and recall visual and auditory data more ef
tively.
The inspiring and memorable aromas of the
tanical world can be recreated using essen
oils. Essential oils are extracted from plants
ing steam distillation. They are completely n
ral, widely available, and can be great tools
stimulating mental clarity and the enhancem
of memory.
To learn more about Aura Cacia, a purveyor of
percent pure and natural essential oils and aro
therapy products in the United States, go to www
racacia.com.
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*Finance oer subject to credit approval, applies to purchases o new Yamaha Motorcycles, ATVs & Scooters made on a Yamaha Installment Financing loan account rom 7/1/10-9/30/10. Minimumcontract length is 24 months and maximum length is 36 months. Minimum amount fnanced is $5,000. Fixed APR o 3.99%, 5.99%, 8.99%, or 14.99% will be assigned based on credit approvalcriteria. Monthly payments per $1,000 fnanced based on 36 month term are $29.52 at 3.99%, $30.42 at 5.99%, $31.80 at 8.99%, and $34.66 at 14.99%. **Customer Cash oer good on select2010 (and prior year) models between 6/1/10-9/30/10. Offer good only in the U.S., excluding the state of Hawaii. Proessional riders with advanced skills on closed course. Some modelsshown with optional accessories. Dress properly or your ride with a helmet, eye protection, gloves and boots. Do not drink and ride. It is illegal and dangerous. Yamaha and the MotorcycleSaety Foundation encourage you to ride saely and respect the environment. For urther inormation regarding the MSF course, please call 1-800-446-9227. ATVs with engine sizes over 90ccare recommended or use only by riders age 16 years and older. Yamaha recommends that all ATV riders take an approved training course. For saety and training inormation, see your dealeror call the ATV Saety Institute at 1-800-887-2887 ATVs can be hazardous to operate For your saety: Always avoid paved suraces Never ride on public roads Always wear a helmet eye
HURRY - OFFER ENDS SOON!
401 N. Scott Avenue
Wichita Falls TX 76306
Phone: 940.322.4121
Fax: 940.716.9333