Why Identity Theft makes us all dummies, and what you can do to stop being stupid... Someone recently told me, "You would have to be a stupid to lose your personal information." While I respectfully responded to this person in the moment, the comment has stuck with me. I present on Identity Theft all over the Western United States, and thought I would respond to this particular individual in writing.
There are multitudes of ways to lose your personal information. You have undoubtedly heard of many of them. Fake web sites, data theft Wholesale NFL Jerseys From China , stealing people?s trash, stealing people?s outgoing mail, check fraud, etc., are just a few of the possibilities for loss of information. Job ads are also being used for Identity Theft. Monster ranks fake companies posing as real companies on their web site among their biggest problems.
So, to you who think that it could never happen to you Wholesale NFL Jerseys China , you might want to read this next sentence twice. No matter how good you are, no matter how vigilant, no matter how much you shred or tear, no matter how many times you go to the post office so that you don't put outgoing mail in your home mailbox, regardless of how well you can hide in your home, there is no 100% effective defense against Identity Theft. Let me say that again Wholesale NFL Jerseys , in case you don't read it twice. There is NO 100% effective method to defend yourself against identity theft.
Here's an example of why. Let's say you want to get health insurance, or auto insurance, or finance a car, etc. etc. etc. Let's say for purposes of this example that you are trying to get health insurance through your company. This is a relatively simple process, right? Fill out the form, and wait to get the insurance cards in the mail.
What you may not realize is that the insurance agent has taken the form you filled out and submitted it for group health. It is submitted to three different companies for underwriting. So now Wholesale Jerseys Cheap , the insurance agent and the insurance company has the information from you, the three companies supplying the insurance coverage have the information on you, AND all of the employees at all four points have access to the information. Think about how many employees that might be.
That information is often then passed on to a data warehouse like ChoicePoint, and anyone who has access to ChoicePoint now has access to that information. Who has access to ChoicePoint? I think with the recent news articles, the more appropriate question is, who doesn't have access to ChoicePoint?
The information is also submitted to your MIB (Medical Information Bureau) file. Anyone who has access to the MIB files Wholesale Jerseys Online , now has access to all of that information. Who has access to the Medical Information Bureau records? Anyone, at any hospital around the United States, who has even a small amount of clearance, has access to the Medical Information Bureau records.
According to John Gardner, co-author or Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneurial Soul, "This makes the Identity Theft Shield Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping , along with a Pre-Paid Legal Services Membership, an absolute must for anyone that?s breathing.?
So to you, sir, who more or less said to me, ?You?d have to be stupid to become a victim of Identity Theft!? I wish you my best. If you want to continue thinking that shredding your information is going to protect you, then for you I respectfully choose a phrase used by my friend Larry Smith. ?Sometimes Wholesale Jerseys From China , you just can?t fix stupid.?
Former employees and business associates become competitors every day.
When hiring others to work on your team, be mindful that employees and contractors might: - Leave and start a competing practice; - Go to work for a competitor; - Solicit your clients; or - Use andor disclose company confidential information.
So, how do you reduce the risk of training your future competitors?
The best business relationships are grounded in trust and mutual benefit. Many people work on a handshake understanding, which is fine until something goes wrong. A little paperwork on the front end can prevent problems down the road. But, all the paperwork in the world won't prevent someone from leaving. So, to retain key people Wholesale Jerseys China , they need to feel that this situation is a ?good fit? for them.
Tip: Be fair and reasonable about your terms and compensation. Recognize and reward the contributions of high-performing employees and contractors.
The following documents can be used to protect your interests. Your agreements should be reasonable and use plain English (avoid legalistic boilerplate!). Being heavy handed in your agreements may actually be counterproductive.
(1) Non-Compete Agreements
Requiring employees and contractors to sign 'non-compete' agreements is a common practice. Unfortunately, the enforceability of non-compete agreements is often unclear.
The basic rule is that non-compete agreements will be enforced if they are: - Fair and reasonable (in scope, duration & geography); - Protect legitimate business interests; and - Do not impose substantial hardship (preclude a person from earning a living).
What is fair and reasonable? It's a legal concept that gets interpreted differently in different industries and locations. For example, a reasonable term for a non-compete in a traditional company may be one year. For Internet companies, the reasonable term may be 6 months or less because the technologies and markets are changing so quickly.
Tip: Non-Compete Agreements -- Less restrictive is more effective.