Anne Vanderbilt

Anne Vanderbilt Monthly Column

Identity Theft – Trust No One!

How much do we know about identity theft?  We think we know enough until it happens to us.  Identity Theft is when a person assumes another person’s identity without his/her knowledge.  According to research, women tend to be the more susceptible victims of identity theft.

The major problem with identity theft is the thief.  The primary questions are:  Who, How and What.  The secondary questions are: When, Where and Why.
Who is my thief?  How would he/she commit the theft?  What about my identity would he/she steal?  When is the most likely time I could become a victim?  Where would the theft occur?  Why would I become the victim?

According to Wikipedia, there are four types of identity theft:  Identity Cloning & Concealment Theft; Criminal Identity Theft; Synthetic Identity Theft; Medical Identity Theft.

Concealment & Cloning is when someone impersonates another person in order to conceal his/her true identity.  Thieves in this case are usually illegal immigrants or people hiding from creditors due to unpaid bills.  The purpose is to conceal an identity.

Synthetic theft is when a person fabricates his/her identity by combining either his/her correct name with someone else’s identification number or vice versa.  In the United States, that identification number is called a social security number.  In some other countries, it might be referred to as a government-issued ID number.  Whatever this number is called in one’s part of the world, it is of utmost importance that the owner always protects it.

Medical theft is when someone uses a person’s name and insurance information to obtain medical care without the victim’s consent and knowledge. 

Lastly, Criminal theft is when a criminal fraudulently identifies himself/herself to law enforcement as another person.  This type of theft is the most prevalent and the most dangerous.

Criminal theft is what happened to Sharon.  She had been careful with her identity and her credit.  Sharon has never committed a crime and is a law abiding citizen in the United States.  However she recently became the victim of criminal identity theft.

Sharon was stopped by the police, due to a broken tail light on her vehicle.  Within minutes of identifying herself to the police, Sharon was arrested and her vehicle impounded.  Confused, she demanded to know why she was being treated like a criminal and taken away in handcuffs.  But what Sharon was told by the police threw her into total shock.  The police divulged to her that several companies had filed criminal charges against her for excessive unpaid bills and bad checks.  What puzzled Sharon is that she had never heard of any of the creditors, neither did she have an account with any of them.  It wasn’t until after she had been fingerprinted and her husband had posted bail for her that Sharon discovered that her identity had been stolen.

A year earlier, a distant cousin had visited Sharon’s home only for a couple of hours.  He had brought along his then girlfriend.  Sharon had casually left her open mail on the table during their visit.  She recalls leaving the room for a brief moment.  It was during that moment that her cousin’s girlfriend had stolen her information.  It took a year before Sharon discovered the theft and unfortunately for her, she had made the discovery in an inconveniencing and embarrassing way.  Her cousin had long since parted company with the thief but was able to direct the police to her.  Sharon told Global Woman that she is still recovering from the theft of her identity.

How can you prevent yourself from being a victim?
 Protect your mail and personal information
 Be careful whom you welcome into your home
 Do not share your information with anyone

If you suspect that you have been a victim:
 Immediately file a report with your local police department where the theft occurred
 Keep a copy of the police report as proof of the crime
 File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov
 Contact the Fraud Units of the major credit card reporting bureaus
 Call each of your creditors and immediately file a report with them

To comment on this column, click “column” below.  Anne Vanderbilt is an international columnist.

YOUR CHILD’S SAFETY

I have been aware of pedophilia from the time I was a child.

I recall asking my father why my sister and I were not allowed to visit our cousin’s home.  My father had responded, “Because if Charles molests his own daughters, what would he do with mine?”  I was eight and my sister was nine.

Cousin Charles, my father’s cousin had two daughters to whom my sister and I were close.  They were allowed to visit us but we never returned their visits.  My sister and I at the time thought that my father was just being awful and snobbish.  After he explained to us what Cousin Charles practiced on his daughters, we had been grateful to my father for protecting us.

My father had not given what Cousin Charles did to his daughters a name but we understood that it was a thing that was wrong and bad.  He had told us to run away and scream if any man tried to get close to us inappropriately.

I recently received excerpts from a book written by Jim Benish titled Closed Eyes.  Mr. Benish is a retired Police Officer from the Thornton Colorado Police Department.  During his service at Thornton, he reopened a cold case of the deaths of two little girls in Colorado.  Benish discovered that the girls had been the victims of a pedophile. 

In Mr. Benish’s book, he describes what a pedophile (child molester) is.  He said they have an uncontrollable attraction to children who have not reached puberty.  Mr. Benish believes that pedophiles have a general preference to either boys or girls.

Pedophiles tend to hide their attraction to children, by marrying women or having girlfriends who have small children, according to Benish.

“Just as heterosexuals and homosexuals are found in all walks of life, all professions and all countries, so are pedophiles (child molesters).”  Benish writes.  According to his book, Jim Benish contends that pedophiles usually choose professions that bring them into contact with young boys and girls.  If they are not in contact with children, they will conjure up other ways to be in contact with their victims.

Based on research, there are two types of pedophiles (child molesters).  There is the kind that enjoys watching ‘kiddie pron” and reading such material on the Internet.  As long as this type does not decide to take the next step, which is making physical contact, they are less harmful than the second type.  However this kind could become just as dangerous if he suddenly finds himself alone with a child of his choice.

The other kind of pedophile (child molester) is the type that seeks out his victims.  He might hang around playgrounds, schools, churches and children’s back yards.  He stalks children until he finds the opportune time to make his move.  This is the same type that will seek out single mothers of young children and befriend them.
Remember, the pedophile is calculating.  He does not make his move in haste.  He scopes out his victims.  A single mother who needs financial help, a destitute mother or even one who has an abusive spouse are all vulnerable targets for pedophiles.  The first thing the pedophile does after he has settled on his target is to gain trust from both his victim and the victim’s mother or both parents.

Mothers, educate your children.  Protect them by arming them with enough knowledge about pedophiles (child molesters).  Teach them what to look for in a potential pedophile and what to expect from them.  Tell your children what their habits are – their overly friendly behavior, such as hugging and too much physical contact.

Pedophiles are people whom you least expect.  Banish lists in his book the relationships that could be pedophiles.  They could be the milkman, the ice cream man, your pastor, your priest, your boyfriend, your husband, your grandfather, your father, your uncle, your brother, your attorney, your plumber, your child’s boy or girl-scout leader, an older child or a stranger.  Notice that all of these relationships are people you and your child would trust and not suspect.

Be observant when guests are around or when you are a guest in someone’s home.  Pay attention to any adult or young adult that pays too much attention to your child.  Watch to see if your child shows fear of an older person.  Observe your child’s demeanor when a certain adult is present.  Is your child quiet, tense, nervous or withdrawn?  Be alert!  It is not my intent to frighten you but pedophilia is a serious and rampant crime against innocent children.

Research has shown that pedophilia is genetic therefore many of them were molested when they were children.  Know that your child’s safety is of utmost priority!     
     
Anne Vanderbilt is an international columnist, based in London, United Kingdom.  To blog about this story, sign up for free membership on www.MyGlobalWoman.com.
Look for Anne’s column next month when she brings you another demanding topic.

When I interview a woman about an abusive husband, the story is usually astounding. When I listen to the story of a child who has been abused, it is appalling. But when I interviewed an abused employee recently, I was outraged.

The interviewee asked that she remains anonymous. We will call her Alice and the employer, we will call Vickie.

Alice went to work for Vickie in January of 2008. She reported to wor the first day, dressed in a business suit and carrying a briefcase. She had always reported to previous jobs dressed in business attire. Vickie attacked her the moment Alice walked in. "I told you in the interview that this office is a casual office", said Vickie.

"Vickie, I worked at a business dress code office. I hardly have any casual clothes for the office", Alice explained.

"Well then you had better go out shopping and buy some jeans if you want to work here", Vickie snapped.

Alice was surprised by Vickie's attitude towards her. She thought at first that her new employer was only joking but she quickly discovered that Vickie was serious. Alice did go out and purchase 2 pairs of jeans and 2 pairs of casual linen slacks, though it was not in her strained budget. She wondered why Vickie had hired her since her eyes held dislike for her. That was her first day and as the days progressed, the rapport between Alice and Vickie worsened.

Though Alice went out of her way to establish a cordial employer-employee relationship, Vickie was more than awful to her. She shouted at Alice for the most insignificant things. She criticized Alice for not eating meat. Vickie told Alice once that her lentil soup lunch was nasty and that it was a sign of insanity for anyone to give up meat.

Alice spent many sleepless nights in fear of going to work the next day. She endured daily abuse from Vickie. She was yelled at, even when she did nothing wrong.
Meanwhile, the other three employees in the office were terrified of Vickie.  They smiled and laughed with her and in her absence they gossiped about her and dreaded her presence.

 

Vickie brought her dogs to the office, though pets were not allowed in the building.  She had another employee walk the dogs during business hours.  The other employee complained in Vickie’s absence that dog-walking was not in her job description but she would not dare refuse to oblige Vickie.

 

Alice tells of the unprofessional behavior of Vickie in the office.  “She brought her boyfriend to the office, sat on his lap and kissed him passionately right in the presence of her employees.”

 

Vickie shouted profanity daily throughout the office.  She was either shouting profane language at Alice or at another employee.  “She used the “F” word as though she was saying “hello””, said Alice.

 

By January of 2009, Alice had accepted the daily abuse from her employer for so long that it had become routine.  Alice’s hair began to fall out, her nails became brittle and she hardly slept at night.  Alice’s friends and family asked her why she accepted the abuse but with the state of the job market and economy, she felt like she had no choice.  Therefore Alice continued to rise each morning at 5:00, get dressed and commute for nearly two hours to be abused by her employer.

 

Vickie began to put Alice out of the office whenever she was upset at her.  “She did it five times, yelling profanity and telling me to get out of her office because she did not feel like looking at me that day”, explained Alice.  The first time Vickie drove her out of the office; Alice remained and quietly prayed for patience and tolerance as she continued to work.  But the next time Vickie put her out of the office, yelling profanity, Alice put on her coat and left.  Within a month, Vickie struck again - she put Alice out of the office and Alice left.  Each time, Alice left and returned to the office the following day.

 

After speaking with Alice, I realize that an abusive employer is no different from an abusive spouse.  An abusive individual never stops his/her abuse.  The danger in these individuals is the possible escalation of their abuse.  Verbal abuse can easily escalate to physical abuse and physical abuse can escalate to fatality. 

 

The day that Alice’s abusive employer put her out of the office for the final time, Alice told her, “I hope you really mean it this time because when I walk out of that door, I will not come back.”  Vickie was in such violent rage that she might not have heard what Alice said to her.  She picked up the keyboard on Alice’s desk and violently slammed it down.  She pushed a sheet of paper in Alice’s face, while she shouted profanity.  “The veins in her neck stood out, her eyes held an alarming sense of madness and her arms waved around my cubicle.  I was really afraid”, said Alice.  She was terrified that Vickie was so uncontrollable that she might have struck her.  But she was not going to stick around to find out.  She hoped that someone would call the police but they would not dare – they protected their jobs.  Alice did not return the following day, though Vickie had other employees call her from the office.  She never returned their calls – she never returned to the abuse.

 

Alice wants other women to know that they do not have to stay in an abusive relationship – even if it is an employer and you desperately need your job.  No one has the right to abuse another.

 

Global Woman® promotes “women helping women” – we promote “women inspiring and motivating other women”.  It saddens us to learn that a woman employer would abuse another woman.  It goes against the Global Woman® Keys.

 

Anne Vanderbilt is an international columnist.           

I would like to thank Global Woman Magazine for allowing me to write a weekly column on the website. I am honored for the opportunity to provide women with something to read each week, as I help give them a voice in the world. Each week I will endeavor to address issues that affect women's lives through my point of view.

October is the designated month for the observance of breast cancer awareness, a topic that is close to my heart as it is to so many other women.

Now, I have no problem with the designation of a particular month to observe breast cancer awareness. However, breast cancer does not sit and wait for the month of October to sneak its way into a woman's body.

We are dealing with a vicious, sneaky and parasitic disease that does not discriminate. We are dealing with a disease that attacks a woman every five minutes out of a day around the world. Why then are we placing the emphasis on the month of October only? Why are we not stressing awareness as often as this monstrous disease attacks women's bodies?

On Sunday, October 4th, I was in New York City visiting with friends. I decided to join them in doing the biggest American pastime on Sunday afternoons during this time of the year-watching American football games. I was baffled to see players in pink cleats, referees wearing pink wrist bands and coaches in pink baseball caps. I suddenly realized that the National Football League in America had caught on and joined the observance of breast cancer awareness in October. "That's a first!" I said. As a football fan, I must say that I was impressed by the NFL's decision. Then I later learned that an owner of one of the NFL team's wife has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She has become the spokesperson in the NFL for breast cancer awareness. Her husband had asked the League if they would show their support for awareness this month by wearing pink.

Great idea! However, the teams play from September through January when the big game, which is the Super Bowl, ends the post season. Why not bring awareness every week of the season instead of October only? It is an excellent idea to have athletes help in bringing awareness to the world. With the influence that athletes possess in the world today, they should become more involved in the awareness of breast cancer. Soccer players should wear pink cleats in every country in the world. Basketball players, especially the female players should wear pink sneakers. Baseball, tennis, rugby, golf and hockey players should all participate in this justified cause. I applaud the NFL owner's wife for making such a request. I applaud the men for diligently wearing a color that has always been known as a female color. Quite frankly, I think those pink cleats looked rather cute!

I have a suggestion. Why doesn't every woman become involved by making a difference in another woman's or girl's life? Mothers, teach your daughters at an early age to do their self exam every night. To all you grandmothers, aunts, older sisters out there-if you taught a family member or a family friend how to do a proper self exam, you would have done your part in bringing awareness to the world.

Keep in mind that play makers win games. Are you going to be a play maker against breast cancer or are you going to sit by while this monstrous enemy continues to attack us? Let's bring awareness 365 days a year and become the victor in the game of eradication of breast cancer.

Anne Vanderbilt is an international columnist. To send in your comments, email Anne at avanderbilt@globalwoman-magazine.com