You walk into a department store to make a purchase. You take your selection to the cashier and write a check. On that check is your name, address, and home phone number, the name of your bank and its address, and your bank account number. The cashier asks for your driver’s license. In nine states, the license number is your Social Security number. The cashier memorizes the birth date on your license and then asks for your work phone number, which will give them the name and address of your employer. A thief has sufficient information to apply for credit in your name. —Fraud expert Frank Abagnale illustrates an example of identity theft in a brochure for SafeChecks, Check Fraud and Identity Theft, Volume 7.

Frank Abagnale is a leading authority on crimes involving fraud, embezzlement, secure documents, and forgery. As the author of the novel, and Steven Spielberg-directed film, Catch Me If You Can, Abagnale is perhaps most famous for his five-year stint in the late 60s when he passed $2.5 million in bad checks in 26 countries, including every state in the United States. Several years after being “caught” and having served time in French, Swedish, and U.S. prison systems, he began working closely with the FBI, consulting financial institutions and implementing various fraud prevention programs. He is the founder of Abagnale & Associates, a secure document consulting company, and has worked with 65 percent of the Fortune 500 companies in America. Abagnale has authored numerous articles and three books on identity theft — The Art of the Steal, The Real U Guide to Identity Theft, and Stealing Your Life.

Don’t Let It Happen to You!

Consider this: For the grand total of $218, one could obtain on the black market a social security number, birth certificate, and driver’s license — one of the many sobering facts in Frank Abagnale’s most recent book on identity theft, Stealing Your Life.

20 Tips for Preventing Identity Theft:
Adapted from Stealing Your Life by Frank Abagnale

Check Your Credit Report
Unless you check your credit report periodically, you may not discover a problem until the damage has been done. An identity thief may have used your Social Security number and name to open a new credit card account with a fake address and phone number.

Don’t Give Out Your Social Security Number
Filling out a form that asks for your Social Security number doesn’t mean that it’s necessary to provide. Rule of thumb: the less information you give out, the better.

Protect Your Computer
Make sure your wireless Internet connection is secure by using an encrypted service. Update your virus protection regularly and install an adequate firewall. Assume that any e-mail requesting personal information is a fraud.

Keep Track of Your Billing Cycles
Follow up on any late or missing bills. It’s possible a thief may have changed the address.

Examine Your Financial Statements like an Obsessed Accountant
Carefully review credit card statements to make sure you can account for the purchased items.

Guard Your Mail from Theft
Try to pick up your mail soon after it’s delivered or consider a locked mailbox. If you live in a high-crime area, consider a post office box and drop outgoing mail in a drop box.

Invest in a Shredder
Shred documents before you throw them away, especially bills and documents containing personal information such as your Social Security number and financial account information.

Practice Safe Shopping
When shopping online, shop only from secure sites that will encrypt your order information and your credit card number before sending them to a merchant. Look for https:// at the beginning of the URL in the address bar. It’s the “s” that’s important. Use only one credit card for all online purchases or use department store-specific cards.

Avoid Sketchy ATMs
Be cautious of portable ATMs as seen in delis or hotel lobbies. Look for a protruding cord from the back that’s not plugged in as an indicator that the data isn’t being sent anywhere. Stick with real, secure bank ATMs.

Be Suspicious of Unexpected Calls or Letters
When a business calls or e-mails to inquire about personal information, be skeptical. Remember that banks and credit card companies don’t operate this way.

Example: You may receive an e-mail “from MasterCard” asking you to call an 800-number in order to verify recent charges. Upon calling the number, the person on the other end answers, “Hello, MasterCard.” You explain your e-mail, and the person begins by asking you to verify who you are by providing the card number, expiration date, and birth date. This is one of numerous scams detailed in Abagnale’s book, so practice a little healthy paranoia by not providing these details over the phone or Internet.

Put Real Passwords on Your Accounts
Your pet’s name is not a government secret. Also avoid using the last four digits of your Social Security number, your mother’s maiden name, your name, your birth date, your pet’s name, consecutive numbers, and the word password.

Keep Your Credit Card Close When Shopping or Eating Out
Observe how salespeople or wait staff handle your cards. Make sure they don’t have a chance to copy them.

Use Safe Checks, and Use Them Sparingly
Always get your checks from the bank as these checks are more likely to contain fraud protectors such as watermarks, thermochromatic ink, chemically reactive paper, and light-sensitive ink and fibers.

Secure the Home Front and Office Front
Locate a safe place, one that’s not obvious, in your home to store your Social Security card, passport, and all records, including credit card statements and tax forms. Don’t leave personal information on your desk or computer screen.

Carry Out What You Need
Leave your Social Security card at home and carry only the cards you plan to use.

Spring Clean Your Credit Cards
Cancel any cards that you don’t regularly use. Maintain organized records of all your credit cards so that if a theft does occur, you can report it promptly.

Opt Out
Remove your name from marketing lists that get sold and resold and opt out of other offers by calling 1-888-5-OPTOUT.

Read Privacy Policies
Not to be confused with junk mail, privacy policies are essential for understanding what your bank, financial institutions, and other businesses that you deal with do with your information. They also offer restrictions you can place on the dispersal of that information. Elect the restrictions available to you.

Protect a Deceased Relative
Contact the credit bureaus and have a “deceased” alert put on the person’s reports. Inform Social Security of the death yourself with a copy of the death certificate.

Place Fraud Alerts on Your Credit Reports
Limit a thief’s ability to open accounts in your name by placing a “fraud alert tag” on your credit report. Contact one of the three credit bureaus to place the alert. Fraud alerts are free and last for 90 days.

How to Prevent Identity Theft The Saturday Evening Post

In the May/June issue of The Saturday Evening Post, Lisa LaPorta, HGTV’s interior designer for the hit show Designed to Sell, revealed top secrets for staging a home promised to put on a show for potential buyers.

But for those who don’t plan to sell, spring (after all that cleaning, of course) is the perfect time for a fresh new look in the home. Here, LaPorta shares some of her favorite budget-friendly guidelines and tips for sprucing up the place, just in time for summer entertaining.

Finding Your Style
It’s my job to help clients cross this bridge with what I like to call “transitional” style. People often tell me, ‘I like eclectic because I like lots of different styles’ or ‘I like open and airy spaces.’ We all like different styles, and who doesn’t like open and airy? What I like to do is help them find a nice balance of specific things they like. A favorite design exercise of mine is having them go through several magazines and point out what they like and don’t like. This way, we establish a pattern of colors and styles that appeal to them.

Color Coordinating
I can’t tell you how many people have color trouble. My advice to clients is to look at your wardrobe and how you might pair colors and styles. Think about how you might dress up a pair of black pants. … Would you wear pearls with plaid pants? Probably not. The same principles should be applied to styles and patterns around the home.

Keeping It Simple
The best way to keep your home looking up-to-date is to invest wisely from the beginning, which will also work to your advantage when it comes to resale. I like to buy big ticket items in classic styles and in colors that are earthy and natural. This lends to a versatile scheme for quick and easy updates. I like to shop at discount stores for throw pillows and lighting accessories. Just changing the pillows or lamp shades can make a big difference. If your furnishings have loud prints, commit to the pattern by working with the paint color on the wall. Note that slip covers for couches or chairs are tricky and don’t always fit properly. They require lots of primping and stick pins.

Kitchen Upgrade
Dated kitchen cabinets are a big turnoff. There’s a fine line between ‘classic’ and ‘old.’ If your budget doesn’t allow for replacing them, stain them. First, apply the stain in even strokes, going with the grain of the wood. Add some stylish new hardware, and your kitchen will have a whole new look.

Bathroom Update
There’s a simple solution for dated tile: coat the tiles with a high-adhesion prime and brush on a special ceramic epoxy covering. Pedestal sinks are a big hit because they show off square footage in small bathrooms beautifully. First, your old vanity has to go. Next, just hook up your new sink and your bathroom will have dramatic appeal.

Patio Refurbishment
Spray paint and a topcoat can go a long way when rescuing old patio furniture. Or sometimes it just requires a good cleaning. Vinegar and water is a resourceful and effective way to scrub outdoor furniture. If you have a red-brick patio, freshen it up by first rolling a light coat of paint onto the bricks. Next, gently spray them with water and dab to dry.

Also, there are some really nice and affordable outdoor fabrics on the market. Replacing old cushions and power spraying the patio is always a good idea for creating an inviting entertaining area.

Spring Home Makeover The Saturday Evening Post

In Fireproof, Cameron plays a firefighter named Caleb, who is called a hero at work but facing marital strife and burnout at home. The inspiring and action-packed film cost $500,000 to make but as of early February has raked in more than $33 million in ticket sales and is now out on DVD.

While forever linked to his role as the lovable teenage troublemaker Mike Seaver on the award-winning TV series Growing Pains, the actor did an about face in his teens, converting to Christianity and leaving the Hollywood scene behind. In 1991, the former teen heartthrob married his on-screen girlfriend, actress Chelsea Noble. Seventeen years later, the couple—along with their six children—remains happily together.

The Post recently caught up with the actor to learn more about his latest movie, his family, and his faith.

In Fireproof, the firemen emphasize the firefighters’ creed “Never leave your partner behind.” While a theme in the movie, is this also a key to successful marriages?

Absolutely. Never leave your partner behind. Statistics today tell us that more than half of people who say “I do” at the altar end up with a failed marriage before long. In this movie, we wanted to uphold a very, very high standard of marriage in a day when marriage is attacked and undermined in many ways. The writers, producers, and I wanted to say, “No, marriage is honorable, sacred, and wonderful—a foundation for a family.”

Your character lives in a strained relationship on the verge of divorce. Both parties blame the problem on lack of respect. You say, “Marriages aren’t fireproof. Sometimes you get burned.” Do you believe that all marriages can be saved?

If including all possibilities, I would say yes. Now, there are extreme circumstances where marriages are just destroyed beyond hope of recovery. I was talking to a friend the other day who did everything he could possibly do to save his marriage, but his wife was just absolutely set on a divorce. You can’t make somebody love you and stay in a marriage if they don’t want to. But more often than not, both people suffer from the same thing—a chronic case of selfishness. If one person can find what it takes to make an about face and put 200 percent into loving their spouse, the effort can transform a person. Suddenly an antagonistic spouse begins to melt and warm up. Pretty soon, he or she starts to bloom into the flower you married. That’s what love can do. It’s certainly not easy. It takes hard work. For many people today, it’s just so easy to trade in your spouse for a newer model.

Your character, Caleb, questions his faith in the movie. Did he mirror your personal struggles with faith and belief?

Yes. I call myself a recovering atheist. When I was young, I never went to church. We never talked about God — never saw the need for it. Things were going great in my life. I was 9 years old and in the entertainment industry. Growing Pains was going great. I just started asking questions like, What happens when you die? Walking down that path and asking those questions led me to a place where really, with all my heart’s desire, I turned my heart to God and allowed God to make me the person that he created me to be. That has just transformed my life. When I get a chance to share that with people on a personal level or in an inspirational movie like Fireproof, I consider it a privilege.

Was there one central message you wanted to convey in the film?

A line in the movie keeps coming back to me. My character’s wife is talking with her girlfriends, and they’re consoling her. One of the ladies says, “A man has got to learn to be a hero to his wife before he can be one to anybody else.” She’s absolutely right. If you’re getting an A at work and a D at home, you’re not successful. You made a commitment and a vow. I know that marriage is hard and everyone has got their unique situations, but a man has to learn to be a hero to his wife and kids first before he can be a real hero.

What is the “Love Dare” challenge, and how did it translate into a book?

In the movie, the “Love Dare” is the 40-day challenge passed from father to son. It was just a plot device in the movie. There wasn’t a published book titled The Love Dare until after the movie was released, then everyone asked where to get that book. They wrote the book quickly so that they could release it with the opening of the movie. The 40-day challenge is to love your spouse unconditionally. Halfway through the dare, you realize you can’t do it. The standard for unconditional love goes against so much of your feelings, as a person who deals with pride and ego. You soon realize that “I don’t think I can do this without some help.” You then turn to the source of love and the creator of marriage and ask for help me.

Is it true that the film cost about $500,000 and grossed more than $33 million?

Yes. We were all very surprised when it turned out to stay in the top 10 and be the No. 1 independent movie last year. No one expected that. But we were confident that it was going to hit the bull’s eye because the script was great. We had high hopes and good expectations but the film’s success really exceeded what we thought would happen.

Did you donate your time and effort to support a personal mission?

I didn’t have a paycheck. I agreed to donate my time up front, like everybody had done in the move. And Sherwood Pictures — the filmmaker — made a donation to the nonprofit camp for terminally sick children and their families that my wife and I run. It’s called Camp Firefly.

Would you tell us about the camp?

Camp Firefly is a camp my wife and I started when we were working together on Growing Pains. We met many children through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. These were kids with terminal illnesses, who wished to come to the set, meet the cast, and get an autograph. Our hearts went out to these families who were dealing with such tragedy in their lives. We wanted to do more than sign a piece of paper, so we put together an all expenses paid week’s vacation. Then, we invited six of these families to get away from the hospitals, needles, and treatments to simply be together as a family and have fun. Forget about being sick. Be around other families who understand what they’re going through. We spend time together as families, getting to know each other, making new friends, talking about life and death, what’s important and what’s not. It turned out to be a real blessing in our life and in the lives of over a 100 families who had come to camp during the last 20 years. If you go to www.campfirefly.com or www.kirkcameron.com, you can find out all about it.

In Fireproof, you had a physically demanding role. Do you exercise regularly?

It was physically demanding. I like to keep in shape, but I had to gain 15 pounds of good, solid muscle for this movie to not only look the role but to be able to carry some of the equipment and do things I had to do. I followed firefighters before the movie to research and prepare, which was very helpful. When you really realize what firefighters do, the courage it takes, the way that they put their lives on the line for other people, and the discipline to be ready in an instant to rescue somebody’s life while you put your own in danger, they command a lot of respect.

Your wife Chelsea came in for the kiss at the end of the movie instead of the actress playing your wife. What was the reasoning behind that?

When I married Chelsea, it was important for me to reassure her that my love is for her alone, so she didn’t have to worry about me being one of these actors who’s going out with other women. I’m not going to be kissing any other woman but Chelsea. That is a promise I made to my wife regardless of what it did to my career. When we did this movie, the writers were on the same page and thought, Wouldn’t it be great to write this romantic scene that is just screaming for a kiss? Then, the writers would have Kirk’s wife put on the dress and wig the actress was wearing and shoot it in silhouette, so you can’t tell. It allowed me to keep my commitment to my wife and make the movie great and romantic.

Anything coming up in the future that people might want to know about?

I recently wrote and released an autobiography called Still Growing, which is a fun, entertaining journey back into the 1980s. You get a feel for what it was like to be a teen idol and how I wound as I am today.

You and your wife have six kids and been married for 17 years. How do you maintain autonomy from the Hollywood community?

I just really dig being with my family most of all, and I don’t live right in the center of the commotion in Los Angeles. I live in the outskirts. We have a nice, big backyard for our kids, and my life is really about my family. My friends are really not in the industry—a separation that is just healthy overall. Your best friends are not the people you’re competing against in business.

Kirk Cameron: Still Growing The Saturday Evening Post