http://westernmichigan.bbb.org/WWWRoot//SitePage.aspx?site=53&id=a824b759-3137-43b5-aedf-a38056bcce73&debug=False 10 Mon, 08 Apr 2013 05:00:00 GMT During Financial Literacy Month in April, Better Business Bureau reminds consumers to keep track of their credit reports to help prevent identity theft. http://westernmichigan.bbb.org/article/credit-reports-are-an-identity-theft-protection-tool-41646 Tue, 05 Mar 2013 06:00:00 GMT Scams and identity thefts are particularly prevalent risks during tax time. http://westernmichigan.bbb.org/article/national-consumer-protection-week-online-and-offline-scams-target-tax-filers-40527 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 05:00:00 GMT Shredding more than 39,000 pounds of confidential documents, the BBB of Western Michigan’s Secure Your ID Day was a great success! The BBB partnered with document shredding companies, financial institutions, and a church to provide free document shredding to more than 300 individuals and small businesses. Thank you to Calvary Church and West Michigan Document Shredding in Grand Rapids, Gateway in Berrien Springs, Profile in Traverse City, Keystone Community Bank and West Michigan Document Shredding in Kalamazoo, and First Bank West Michigan and Rapid Shred in Hastings. http://westernmichigan.bbb.org/article/bbb-wmi-shred-day-a-success-33952 Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT Shop or donate online only on sites that use technology that encrypts your personal and financial information before sending it for payment processing. Encrypting sensitive information makes it inaccessible to anyone outside the system. Any page on a site that asks for personal or financial information should have a URL or Web address beginning with https:// as opposed to the usual http://. http://westernmichigan.bbb.org/article/holiday-help-from-your-bbb-of-western-michigan-30961 Mon, 03 Oct 2011 05:00:00 GMT Arlington, VA – October 3, 2011 – Child identity theft is a growing crime that is causing damage to the pristine credit reports of children. Hundreds of online businesses are finding inactive Social Security numbers online – most of which are assigned to children under the age of 18 who have not started using them yet. These scammers are then selling the numbers under different names to help people establish fake credit. Protecting your child’s innocent, clean record is something that every parent needs to do. http://westernmichigan.bbb.org/article/111003a-bbb-joins-national-effort-to-highlight-child-identity-theft-protection-and-education-29945 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 06:00:00 GMT Grand Rapids, MI – December 17, 2010 – More than 60 domain names have been registered in the name of Santa Claus, offering children a wide range of opportunities to persuade St. Nick via email that they were not at all naughty in 2010. Before allowing children to share any personal information with a “Letter to Santa” Website, the Better Business Bureau Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) recommends that adults carefully review such sites to determine who is seeking the information, how it will be used and whether it will be shared with third parties. http://westernmichigan.bbb.org/article/dear-santa-websites-bbb-recommends-adults-check-the-privacy-policy-twice-24310 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 05:00:00 GMT Online privacy policies have taken center stage as social networking sites and search engines have recently come under fire for sharing user information. Even if you think your business is too small to merit a privacy policy, the Better Business Bureau advises that if you have a website, you will benefit by having a comprehensive privacy policy. http://westernmichigan.bbb.org/article/100701d-bbb-small-business-advice-writing-a-privacy-policy-20515