Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, August 16,2006 - FIVE
Protect yourself from identity theft
Bv Linda K.
LaRue,
EVP,
Chief Operations
Officer, Bank of
Eastern Oregon
In the course of a
busy day, you may write a
check at the grocery store,
charge tickets to a ball game
or concert, rent a car, change
service providers for your
cell phone, or apply for a
credit card. Chances are you
don't give these transactions
a second thought. But an
identity thief does.
Identity theft is a
serious crime. People whose
identities have been stolen
can spend months or years
and thousands o f dollars
cleaning up the mess the
thieves have made of a good
name and credit record. In
the meantime, victims of
id en tity theft lose jo b
opportunities, are refused
loans for education, housing,
or cars, and even get arrested
for crim es they did not
commit. Humiliation, anger,
and frustration are among
the
fe e lin g s
victim s
experience as they navigate
the process of rescuing their
identity.
Working with other
government agencies and
organizations, the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC)
w w w .ftc.g o v /id th eft has
produced inform ation to
help you remedy the effects
o f an id en tity th eft. It
describes what steps to take,
your legal rights, how to
handle special situations you
may encounter on the way to
clearing your name, and
what to watch for in the
future.
If y o u 'v e
lost
p ersonal info rm atio n or
identification, or if it has
been stolen from you, taking
the following steps quickly
can lessen p o ten tial o f
identity theft.
Financial accounts:
Close accounts, like credit
cards and bank accounts,
immediately. When you open
new accounts inquire about
a ssig n in g p assw o rd s to
them . Avoid using your
mother’s maiden name, your
birth date, the last four digits
o f your S ocial S ecurity
n um ber (S S N ) or your
phone number, or a series of
consecutive numbers.
D riv e r’s lic e n se /
other governm ent-issues
identification: Contact the
agency that issued the license
or o th e r id e n tific a tio n
d ocum ent. F ollow its
procedures to cancel the
docum ent and to get a
replacement. Ask the agency
to Hag your file to prevent
someone else from getting a
licen se or any o th er
id e n tific a tio n docum ent
from them in your name.
S ocial
S ecurity
number: Place a fraud alert
on your credit reports and
review your credit reports.
An “Initial A lert”
will be active on your credit
report for 90 days. Use this
if someone has gained access
to personal information such
as your S ocial S ecu rity
number or your date of birth
that could be used to open
accounts in your nam e.
Once an initial alert is in
place, potential creditors will
need to verify your
id e n tific a tio n p rio r to
extending credit.
You should provide
them with a phone number
where you can be easily
reached. The “Extended
A lert” is recommended if
your identity has been stolen.
With this alert, your credit
file will remain guarded for
seven years. In addition,
your name will be removed
from marketing prescreened
credit offers for five years.
In order to qualify for an
extended alert, you will need
to provide proof of identity
theft, such as a police report.
The alert will help to
ensure that you are the only
one opening accounts in
your name. Once you place
the fraud alert in your file,
you are entitled to order free
copies of your credit reports,
and if you ask, only the last
four digits of your SSN will
ap p ear on y o u r cred it
reports. Once you get your
credit reports, review them
carefully.
Look
for
com panies you h a v e n 't
contacted, accounts you
didn't open, and debts on
your accounts you c a n ’t
ex p lain ,
and
assure
information, like your SSN,
address (es), name or initials,
and employers are correct. If
you find frau d u len t or
inaccurate information, get it
removed. Continue to check
your
c red it
rep o rts
periodically, especially for
the first year a fte r you
discover the identity theft, to
make sure new fraudulent
activity hasn't occurred.
Fraud alerts can help
prevent an identity thief from
opening accounts in your
nam e. Use the to ll-fre e
numbers of any of the three
---- n --------
re p o rtin g
co
su m er
companies listed below to
place a fraud alert on your
credit report. The company
you call is req u ired to
contact the other two, which
will place their versions of
your alert, too.
Equifax: (800) 525-
6285, w w w .equifax.com ;
P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta,
GA 30374-0241
Experian: (888) 397-
3742, www.experian.com;
P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX
75013
TransUnion: (800)
6 8 0 - 7 2 8 9 ;
www.transunion.com; Fraud
Victim Assistance Division,
P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton,
CA 92834-6790
Once you've taken
these precautions, watch for
signs that your information
is being misused.
P ro tect
your
information by following
these suggestions:
-Do
not
give
information to anyone over
the telephone or internet,
even though they claim to be
a tru sted g o v ern m en tal
agency, your bank, or other
business. Unless you make
the call to a number for those
entities, that inform ation
may fall in the hands of an
identity thief.
-Your bank does not
give out your information in
any form unless you make a
request for the bank to do so.
Even if the caller claims to
see your information on their
com puter screen, do not
believe it. Hang up and call
your bank immediately. The
bank may recommend you
call your local law
enforcement.
-P ro tect
your
incoming and outgoing mail.
Keep a close watch on your
bank account statements and
credit card bills. Report
an y th in g
unusual
or
suspicious to your bank and/
or Credit Card Company
immediately.
To view our Identity
Theft Fact Sheet, go to the
Bank of Eastern Oregon
w eb site
at
www.beobank.com and click
on the link. Identity Theft
Fact Sheet.
BEO Bancorp is the
holding company for Bank
of Eastern Oregon, which
operates 11 branches in six
eastern Oregon counties.
B ranches are located in
Arlington, lone, Heppner,
Condon, Irrigon. Boardman,
Burns, John Day, Prairie
City, Fossil and Moro. Bank
o f E astern O regon also
o p erates
a m ortgage
division, has loan production
offices in Hermiston and
O n tario ,
and
offers
brokerage services through
BEO Financial Services.
The b a n k ’s w eb site IS
www.beobank.com.
Cant Ranch
h i s t O T V D r012T«U Y l
J ^
®
to be held
John Day Fossil
Beds National Monument
will offer a ranger-conducted
program at the h isto ric
James Cant Ranch. This one-
hour program will feature
aspects of the human history
of the ranch and John Day
region.
The program will
begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday,
Aug. 19, at the James Cant
Ranch house and museum,
located on Highway 19 two
m iles
north
o f the
intersection with Highway
26. There is no fee and
participants should bring
walking shoes and clothing
suitable for the outdoors.
For fu rth er inform ation,
please call 987-2333.
W e Print
Business Cards
I
Heppner G azette
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F R O Z E N • YOGURT
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Serving the Willow Creek Valley Heppner. Lexington A lone
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Fair and Rodeo court work to promote Morrow
County
Queen Heather Yocom, Princess Josie Miller and Pennant Bearers Jarreid Miller and Jessica
Hamilton talk while waiting for coffee hour to begin at the KUMA studio.
Queen Heather Yocom and Princess Josie Miller at an interview.
On Saturday, Aug. 5,
the C ourt en jo y ed the
U m atilla County C o u rt's
aftern o o n tea and then
participated in the parade,
one of their only night ones.
It was rem arked how the
group was one of the few
courts to smile throughout
the parade.
The Q ueen and
Princess have been busy
doing interviews and cutting
commercials for the Fair and
OTPR. On Friday Aug. 4.
they traveled to The Dalles
to do the live show for Y 102
and recorded some ads.
They
reco rd ed
commercials in Hermiston
Morrow County Behavioral
Health offers insight on addiction
W hat
is
an
addiction? How can you tell
if you have a problem with
addiction? These are some of
the questions that have been
debated for years by the
experts on addiction. The
best an sw er to these
questions is if your use of a
substance or mood altering
behavior is causing you
problems then it may be a
problem.
A d d ictio n is a
psychological or physical
co m p u lsio n to use a
substance or an activity in
o rd er to ex p erien c e an
altered state. The W orld
Health Organization defines
this c o m p u lsio n as “ a
pathological relationship to
a m ood a lte rin g e v en t,
experience, or thing that has
life
.
d am aging
consequences.” People can
become addicted to alcohol,
drugs, gambling, shopping,
sex, anger, and work. It is the
excessive use of a substance
or activity that produces
harm ful e ffe c ts. T hese
harm ful e ffe cts can be
p h y sical.
so cial,
p sy ch o lo g ica l,
a n d /o r
spiritual.
A ddictions can be
responsible for a variety of
p ro b lem s.
T here
are
consequences such as the
loss o f a jo b . health
problems, or legal troubles.
T here are re la tio n sh ip
problems such as marital and
i s
B U C K N U M ’S C A T E R IN G
presen ts th e
5th A n n u al W in e-T astin g D in n er
at the M .C. Fairgrounds
Thursday, A uq . 17 at 6 p.m.
q
fe a tu r in g
K R A /Y KABOBS
O Y ST ER S G A LO R E!*
"
A Murray 'j and (inchnatter ( o-Production
family fights. There is a loss
of control such as spending
m ore tim e or m oney or
consum ing m ore o f the
substance then expected.
The addiction may cause the
addict to suffer from shame
and despair. People who are
a d d icted to su b stan ces
develop a "tolerance” which
means an ability to tolerate
m ore and m ore of the
substance. For example, an
ordinary dose for an addict
may be a lethal dose far a
non-user.
Addicts do not have
a normal relationship with
the behavior or substance
that they are addicted to.
Addicts are unable to get
their needs met in a. healthy
and re sp o n sib le way.
Addicts are generally very
self-centered people who
ignore or are oblivious to the
feelin g s o f others. As a
c o n se q u e n ce ,
th eir
relationships suffer. With
substance ad d ictio n , the
g e ttin g ,
using,
arid
reco v erin g
from
the
substance becomes the focus
of their existence. The addict
may miss work or important
social obligations because of
this behavior. Many people
addicted to substances arc
unable to have fun without
abusing substances. Addicts
tend to say that they do not
have a problem , blam e
others for their problems,
and make up excuses for a
problem that is obvious to
everyone except themselves.
How do you know if
you have a problem? The
best way is to ask your
health care provider or your
local
m ental
health
professional for help in
making the determination
and for treatm en t if
necessary. Recognizing and
taking responsibility for a
problem can be the first step
towards a more productive
and satisfying life. To make
arrangements to sec a local
m ental health specialist,
please call Heppner at 676-
9161. Boardm an at 481-
291 l,o r Fossil at 763-2746.
(KOHU/KQFM) and did the
Odds and Ends show from
the Umatilla County Fair on
Aug. 8. A fterw ards, the
H erm iston
H erald
interviewed them about what
all they have done this
summer.
On Thursday, Aug.
10, they traveled to the Tri-
Cities for the morning show
and commercials on K.ORD.
Their last stop before
Fair week was on Aug. 11
in Pendleton up to KWHT/
KUMA studios to do coffee
hour and more commercials.
They then headed to the East
Oregonian for an interview
and photos.
The c o u rt's final
parade before the Morrow
County Fair and OTPR was
in Fossil at the W heeler
County Fair on Aug. 12.
Deadline nears
for Heritage
Station’s
History tour
H eritage S tatio n
M u seu m 's P o tp o u rri o f
History Tour, Sept. 26 and
27, offers an itinerary chock
full of history. Don’t miss the
bus. The d ead lin e for
reserving your seat is Aug.
31.
P a rticip a n ts w ill
travel by c ru ise r to
Heppner’s Morrow County
M useum , the John Day
Fossil Beds N ational
M onum ent, Kam Wah
Chung and C om pany
M useum and the G rant
County Historical Museum
in John Day and the Prairie
City Museum.
The overnight trip is
$170 for Umatilla County
Historical Society members
and $210 for non-members.
Included are two lunches,
dinner, lodging (double
occupancy), transportation
and all museum fees.
Call the M useum.
(541) 276-0012, for more
information or to reserve
your place by credit card.
Reservations may also be
sent by mail to the Umatilla
County Historical Society,
P.O. Box 253, Pendleton,
OR 97801.
S t Patrick’s Senior
Center news
Many people in town
have brought items in for the
Senior Center rummage sale
being held in the dining room
on Aug. 19 from 9 a.m. to 2
p.m. Proceeds from the sale
are being used to help cover
co sts, not co v ered by
insurance, created by recent
flood damage.
The menu for the
Aug. 23 noon meal includes
spaghetti and m eatballs,
tossed green salad w ith
tomatoes and cucum bers,
garlic bread, fruit juice and
ice cream bars. Serving will
be v o lu n teers from the
Seventh Day A d v en tist
church.
i