In conjunction with National Consumer Protection Week, Catholic Charities is hosting the fifth annual Community Consumer Resource Fair on Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Richland Mall.
Exhibitors will provide information on identity theft, housing, scams and fraud, credit scores and credit protection. There will also be a virtual store called “Finances 101,” which will allow people the opportunity to test how they handle finances in everyday situations.
“It’s like the game of Life in actuality,” said Wanda Dean, Catholic Charities volunteer, about the reality store.
People of all ages are welcome to attend the event. Commissioner Ed Olson noted that the attendees do not need to visit all of the exhibits; rather, they could get the information they need the most pertaining to a particular topic(s).
Speaking on the importance of identity theft protection, Jenni Paramore, Community Outreach Education Coordinator for Directions Credit Union, said, “It’s becoming very, very difficult for consumers to protect themselves…One of the things that consumers really need to be aware of is that we do have to take individual responsibility for protecting ourselves, because if your identity is stolen, what a mess that is to clean up.”
Paramore noted different devices, like computers and mailboxes, which criminals use to steal another’s identity. “It is very important that you take advantage of what your financial institution offers to protect you,” she advised.
She said companies like LifeLock can be very effective in monitoring one’s credit and notifying the consumer whenever “unusual” purchasing behavior is detected.
With homeowner’s insurance, there is sometimes an identity theft recovery policy you can attach, she further stated. “So if your identity is stolen, your insurance then helps you with the financial cost of recovering your identity.”
She added that people may choose to freeze their credit report if they desire. “That means that if any credit is applied for in your name, it bounces right back because there’s a freeze on your credit.”
Olson inquired about the impact of canceling credit cards on one’s credit rating, to which Paramore said, “It depends on many factors. The number one thing is that you first have to look at the credit report and see how much history of that credit card is showing up on that report. The history is what’s important.”
