BPCIA Newsletter

1. Watch for shoulder-surfers. When entering a PIN number or a credit card number in an ATM machine, be aware of who is nearby and make sure nobody is peering over your shoulder to make a note of the keys you're pressing.

2. Require photo ID verification. Rather than signing the backs of your credit cards, you can write "See Photo ID".. This is only good if the clerk asks to see identification.

3. Shred everything. Buy a personal shredder and shred all papers with Personal Identifying information on them before disposing of them. Be sure it is a cross-cut/diamond cut or confetti cut shredder.

4. Destroy digital data. When you sell, trade or otherwise dispose of a computer system, or a hard drive, or even a recordable CD, DVD or backup tape, you need to take extra steps to ensure the data is completely, utterly and irrevocably destroyed. Use a hmammer and smash the hard drive to bits.

5. Be diligent about checking and credit card statements. Be sure that the charges, purchases or other entries on the statement are legitimate and match up with your records so that you can quickly address any suspicious activity.

6. Pay your bills at the post office. Never leave your paid bills in your mailbox to be sent out. An identity thief looks for that red flag or mail sticking up and will take your mail to get whatever information they can.

7. Limit the information on your checks. Use our initials instead of first and middle names, that way the thief does not know your name to sign that way.

8. Analyze your credit report annually. The big three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) joined forces to provide free credit reports to consumers, annually. The web site: annualcreditreport.com

9. Protect your Social Security number. Do not ever give any information out loud or to someone who calls you. Do not carry your social security card with you.

10. Caveat Emptor. Buyer beware. When you do make online purchases, read the companies online privacy policy first to ensure you agree with it and make sure you are on a secure or encrypted web site (symbolized by a small padlock at the bottom right of the screen in Internet Explorer). Online banking and bill paying IS secure.

For more information call 630-605-1029 Susan Kelbas Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist

Independent Associate

Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.

Ways You Can Help the Environment

Buy local - Food shipped and trucked from all corners of the world uses untold millions of gallons of gasoline for transport and threatens the existence of local farms. Not to mention all of the carbon dioxide it releases into the environment, just to get to your kitchen.
Reduce your consumption
Recycle
Reuse
Buy non-toxic materials
Buy products made of sustainable material
Be conscious of how you impact the environment in your everyday living

Did you know...

For every ton of paper that is recycled, the following is saved: 7,000 gallons of water; 380 gallons of oil; and enough electricity to power an average house for six months.

You can run a TV for six hours on the amount of electricity that is saved by recycling one aluminum can.

By recycling just one glass bottle, you save enough electricity to power a 100-watt bulb for four hours.

Be Thrifty with Paper:

Don't print out each memo or email you receive. Read and delete the ones you don't need to save and electronically file others you might refer to later. Make sure your office copier can make two-sided copies, and ask everyone to get into the habit of doing so. High-speed copiers that are set to automatically make two-sided copies reduce paper costs by an average of $60 per month -- and, of course, save paper. Save even more paper by using the blank sides of used sheets of paper for note-taking and printing drafts.

The next time you purchase paper towels, toilet paper, napkins or other paper products, buy recycled products. Look on the label for the percentage of post-consumer content - the higher the percentage means more of the materials have been used before.

Bedford Park, IL. 60638

The mission of the Bedford Park-Clearing Industrial Association is to build a partnership of business professionals and government officials working together to protect and foster a healthy business retention and planned expansion.

BPCIA Newsletter

May 2009

Mayor David Brady gives a

"State of the City" address

at BPCIA Annual Meeting

The Bedford Park-Clearing Industrial Association hosted their annual meeting and election of officers last month at Toyota Park. Mayor Brady gave a PowerPoint presentation highlighting the following:

Recent Completed Projects

Fire Station #2
Residential Decorative Fence
65th Street Resurfacing
Home Purchases
Archer Avenue Sidewalk
Share Point System Unification
Modification of Village Supervisory Staff
Expansion of Inspection Process
Updates to Village Hall
Historical Display
Red Light Enforcement

Pending Projects

Update streets/water mains - 66th St., Major, Menard, 70th Place Natchez, Laurel, 71st, LeClaire
Water Updates
Residential Streets
Village Hall
Water Facilities
Beautification Projects in Industrial District