Christmas
A Holiday Gift You’ll Wish Someone Had Bought for You
By
Dec 3, 2005, 23:59

(ARA) – Every year around this time, people rack their brains trying to come up with the perfect gift for their family members. Shopping for the kids is easy. They are happy with whatever the latest hot toy may be; but the adults in the family are harder to shop for, so Dad ends up with another fishing lure; Mom gets another new sweater; Grandpa a new tie; and Grandma some new dishes.
Make 2005 the year you dare to do something different and give a gift with the potential to make a big difference in your loved ones’ lives. Get them a gift certificate for a credit monitoring service for security and peace of mind.

“Having access to real-time information about their credit is the best way for people to protect themselves from what has become the fastest-growing crime in this country,” says Steve Ely, Personal Solutions group executive for Equifax. A recent CBSnews.com report says that this year alone, more than 500,000 Americans will fall victim to identity theft -- and more than $4 billion will be stolen in their names.

Identity theft can occur in a number of ways. Sometimes, the thieves simply steal credit cards and/or numbers and use them to go on a spending spree. In more serious cases, they get their hands on driver’s licenses, birth certificates and/or social security cards either by stealing a purse or wallet or breaking into a home, and use the information to open accounts in the victim’s name. They then go on spending sprees, making large purchases with cards they don’t intend to pay off -- leaving the victim to clean up the mess.

To protect your loved ones from the uncertainty a theft of such sensitive information would cause, get them a gift certificate for a credit monitoring service such as Equifax Credit Watch Gold . The service can protect your spouse, your sister or brother or aging parent from the devastating effects of identity theft.

In addition to giving the recipients online access to their Equifax Credit Report whenever they want to see it, Equifax Credit Watch Gold also:

* Sends email alerts within 24 hours of credit file activity indicating possible identity theft.

* Provides a monthly "No News is Good News" e-mail that delivers peace of mind.

* Makes a Premium Customer Care 1-800 hotline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

* Provides victim assistance via personalized identity fraud specialists should you need them.

* Provides up to $20,000 Identity Fraud Expense Coverage with no deductible (certain limitations and exclusions apply) at no additional cost to you.

Once you purchase an Equifax gift certificate, it is easy to send it to a friend or family member. After your purchase is confirmed, simply click on the "Send" button, and enter your friend or family member's contact information. The company will then e-mail each person a certificate with a promotional code and a link to the Equifax Web site registration page. If you prefer to print a certificate, click on the "Print Certificate" button on the “Send Gift Certificate” page.

Don’t forget to reward yourself this holiday with the same protection. To learn more about Equifax Credit Watch Gold, or any of the other Equifax monitoring services available, log on to www.equifax.com. Courtesy of ARA Content

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