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Why Use This Brochure?

Before you say “it won’t happen to me” read the fol-lowing statistics:

• Over 10 million identity theft victims in the US. • An identity is stolen every 4 seconds in the US. • The average cost to restore a stolen identity is

$8,000. • Victims spend an average of 600 hours recover-

ing from this crime.

Spending just a little time now can save you countless hours in the event that your identity or financial assets are compromised.

About The Joyful Organizer®

Bonnie Joy Dewkett began organizing as a child when she would organize her toys, and has been or-ganizing ever since. Bonnie is passionate about help-ing her clients meet their organizational goals, and loves to see the positive impact that organization has on their lives. Her diverse background in teaching, corporate relocation, and customer service gives her the ability to assist her clients with everything from the unique needs of organizing children’s room to the organizational challenges of moving an entire family across the country.

Bonnie has been a guest speaker at many groups in Fairfield County, has been featured in the Ridgefield Press, and is a regular contributor to the newspaper. She is a proud member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.

∂The Joyful Organizer® LLC

Bonnie@thejoyfulorganizer.com

203-731-4651

HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE PREPARED ...

Identity Theft

Take Immediate ActionWe live in a digital world where we undoubtedly complete a lot of financial transactions online. No matter how careful we are, our account and financial information can be put at risk. Taking the necessary precautions today will save time, money, and give you peace of mind down the road should your identity be compromised, your bank information stolen, or if your wallet is sim-ply misplaced.

The Facts

The average victim of identity theft sustains a personal loss of $371. Help minimize your loss by acting quickly and being ready. In order to prove that you are not responsible for the fraudulent charges, many banks require a police report be filed. Be prepared to visit your local police station as soon as possible. Bring all ap-plicable materials with you to make it as easy as possible to file the report. Ask for a copy of the report and the filing officer’s name and phone number before you leave the police station.

Get Prepared

Start by calling your financial institution and ask about their policy on fraudulent charges and withdrawals. Get a copy of this in writing and keep it with this brochure. Also, ask your bank if they have a separate 24-hour emergency hot-line to call if you realize you are a victim of fraud after hours or on holidays. Record this number in the space to the left.

Make copies of the front and backs of all of your credit and debit cards. This will give you all of the numbers, security codes, and company phone numbers when you need them. Put the copies you make with this brochure. Also, be sure to include a blank check for each checking account.

A Watchful Eye

Many victim’s of financial fraud do not realize that something has gone wrong until weeks or months down the road. Keep a watchful eye on your monthly bank statements to make sure you are alerted to fraud as soon as possible. Keep in mind that 16% of all victims know the thief! Don’t leave your information around for anyone to see!

Avoid Theft

The easiest way to deal with identity theft is to prevent it. Do your best to prevent the loss of

your financial information by keeping passwords in a secure, separate location, and changing them frequently. Do not carry your social security card in your wallet and keep all personal docu-ments in a safe location in your home.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us at info@thejoyfulorganizer.com.

Thank you and we also welcome your sugges-tions.

© 2009 The Joyful Organizer® All Rights Reserved

Use the spaces below to fill in your personal information.

Lock it up/store it in a safe place, but make sure you know where it is if you need it!

Bank Phone -

Bank 24 Hour Phone -

Checking Account -

Savings Account -

Credit Card #1 -

Company Phone #1-

Credit Card #2 -

Company Phone #2 -

Credit Card #3 -

Company Phone #3 -

Credit Card #4 -

Company Phone #4 -

Debit Card #1 -

Debit Card #2 -

Police Non Emergency #-Insurance Company # -

Social Security # -

Social Security # -

Passport # -

Passport # -

License # -

License # -

Miscellaneous -

Miscellaneous -

Miscellaneous -

Miscellaneous -

Miscellaneous -

Miscellaneous -

Preparation is Peace of Mind