Soundings (11/27/07)
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Visiting Rotarians: Ron Jepson, Joe Morse, Ron Pellis(?).
Guests: John Rittmueller, Grant Hayes, and L.J. Eiben (Merrill Lynch)
Announcements:
Tim McEvoy announced that Rotary International received a $100 million matching grant from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for Rotary Polio eradication.
Bob Yost reported that G&G netted $52,830 with a few more dollars expected.
Terry Brown asked everyone to sign up for Salvation Army bell-ringing!
Patti needs volunteers for Sergeant at Arms!
Bob Jones for missed meeting, thanks for Bellingham's wonderful medical community and healthy birth of 2nd grandson!
Shannon Terrell gave $ for WSU victory;
Tonja Myers for frontpage photo and article in the Whatcom Indy re. St. Francis' prestigious national award!
Pete Rittmueller hosted daughter's celebration party for WSU football victory; Alan Knutson $ for WSU football and basketball success;
Ron Hardesty played in a Seattle last weekend and celebrated WSU victory there with a lone fellow couger;
Phil X Hagemen announced Food Bank groundbreaking Friday the 30th 11-12pm;
Terry Brown couger bucks football and basketball;
Patti Imhof article and photo of Frank in Herald about IMCO, and also she is hosting a "ladies" trunk show Thurs night 4-8pm featuring the jewelry of daughter Ashley;
Jane Carten happy bucks for vacation in Mexico, and big article about Saturna and her dad in the Wall Street Journal:
(http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB119543449000297483.html)
Sergeant at Arms by Robin Schmidt on short notice
Fines for our new Mayor Dan Pike, snow days, non-attendees to the make-up meeting at Hearthfire Grill, Cy Lindberg, Couger fans, Honduras trip attendees, John Hulbert, Tonja Myers.
Program
Stew introduced Grant Hayes from the investment firm Touchstone Investments. Grant is an expert in the field of identity theft prevention.
Grant explained that the only two things that make us unique is our SS# and fingerprint. Mail theft is a primary way for criminals to steal your identity. For example, anyone can stop your mail service and then show up at the post office with fake ID to take your mail. So, if you don't get mail for more than two days call the Post office and check. Never mail important letters/info from your home mailbox.
Skimming: Getting the information from the black strip on your credit card.
Phishing: Posing by phone or Email as a legitimate company.
Use your shredder for all important documents at home, shred even the front back cover of catalogs and magazines. Thumbprints will soon be required for accessing ATM machines. Email is not a secure communication tool, but online shopping is actually very safe (supposedly five times safer than shopping in person). On shopping websites, look for https (the "s" is for "secured site"). Sign up for national "do not call" registry. Also you can call 888-5OPTOUT, which stops ALL your insurance and credit card offers by mail. Keep a list of all credit card numbers and drivers license number in a safe place at home. Do not print your social security number on checks (and hide the social security card in safe place). Use only ONE credit card for ALL online orders, and another for overseas travel.
Credit fraud: The three credit bureaus are Equifax, Experian, TransUnion. (www.freecreditreport.com). Ask for the free credit report, but you DO NOT need to purchase the credit score (which costs money).
Uni Ball makes a pen with permanent (unwashable) ink.
Respectfully submitted,
Stowe Talbot