Protect Your Identity

Recent Nationwide Data Breach!

• Heartland Payment Systems, a nationwide credit card processor, announced that cyber criminals have hacked into their computer network gaining access to customer information associated with the 100 million card transactions it handles each month.

• Heartland provides services to over 250,000 retailers and restaurants nationwide.

• Tech security experts said this breach could set a record. With more than 100 million transactions per month, they could discover that several months' worth of transactions were captured.

In today's world we all are at serious risk of identity theft. It is my belief that we need help protecting our identities. Approximately 15 million Americans are victims of identity theft each year, according to Gartner research firm. Proactive safekeeping of your personal information, including your birth date, social security number and credit card numbers, may be the most effective weapon against identity theft. Doing so takes a lot of time, time that many of us may not have. Luckily, there are companies out there that can help. I have been a customer of Zander Insurance for a year now and I have been nothing short of content with their services. I receive notices and emails with valuable information (such as that provided above) and they give me peace of mind, which I deem very valuable! In the event of a data breach, and other such alarms, Zander Insurance recommends that you take the following steps:

* Cardholders should examine their monthly credit /debit card statements closely and report any suspicious activity to their card issuers immediately. Cardholders are not responsible for unauthorized fraudulent charges made by third parties.

* Check your credit report 3 times per year by going to www.annualcreditreport.com. If you suspect you may be a victim of ID theft, please login to the ID Experts member site and file a theft report.

These are just a few things you can do to help protect yourself against identity theft. For more information on Zander Insurance and how they can help you, visit www.zanderins.com.