Smart Rich Information

by:Clarence Binayu

More and more people are lured into affiliate marketing and you might be one of them. Indeed, affiliate marketing is one of the most effective means of generating a full-time income through the Internet. It’s a fair deal between the merchandiser and his affiliates as both benefit from each sale materialized. Like in other kinds of business, a great deal of the profits in affiliate marketing depends on the affiliate’s advertising, promoting and selling strategies. Everyday, as affiliate marketing industry expands, competition heightens as well so an affiliate marketer must be creative enough to employ unique and effective ways to convince potential buyers to purchase or avail of the products and services offered.

Compared to traditional advertising practices, affiliate programs are more effective, risk-free and cost-efficient. But why do many people still fail in affiliate marketing? There are a lot of reasons and a lot of areas in the program to look into. The most critical aspect in the affiliate program is advertising. Many affiliate marketers fail in this aspect because they lack hard work, which is the most important thing in affiliate marketing and in all other kinds of business as well. Although it pays to be lucky, you cannot merely rely on it. Affiliate marketing isn’t as simple as directing customers to the business site. If you want to earn big, of course, you have to invest time and great amount of hard work in promoting the products. As earlier mentioned, the competition is very high and customers nowadays are very wise, too. After all, who doesn’t want to get the best purchase—that is, to pay less and get more in terms of quantity and quality.

Lack of preparation is also a reason why one fails in affiliate marketing, whether he is a merchandiser or an affiliate. Part of the preparation is researching. On the part of the merchant, he has to be highly selective in choosing the right affiliate websites for his affiliate program. In order to be sure he has the best choices, he must have exhausted his means in looking for highly interested affiliates whose sites are sure fit to his products and services. The affiliate site’s visitors must match his targeted customers. On the other hand, the affiliate marketer must likewise research on the good-paying merchandisers before he signs up for an affiliate program. He must ensure that the merchants’ products and services match his interests so he can give his full attention and dedication to the program. He can get valuable information by joining affiliate forums, comparing different affiliate programs and reading articles on affiliate marketing where he can get tips from experienced affiliate marketers on how to choose the best merchants and products with high conversion rate.

The website is a very important tool in the whole affiliate program. As an affiliate marketer, you should plan how your site is going to be, from domain name to the design, the lay-out, the content, and ads. Some users are particular about what they see at first glance and thus when they find your site ugly, they won’t read through the content even if your site has many things to say and offer. On the other hand, there those who want information more than anything else. Affiliate marketers with “rich-content” web sites are usually the ones who prosper in this business because the content improves traffic to the site. Websites with high quality contents—with relevant keywords and more importantly, right information about the product and not empty hyped-up advertisements—allow you to earn big in affiliate marketing even when you’re asleep. If you won’t be able to sustain the interest of your site visitor, you won’t be able to lead him to the merchants’ site. No click-through means no sale and thus, no income on your part.

Selecting a top-level domain name is also crucial to the success of the affiliate program. Lots of affiliate sites don’t appear in the search engine results because they are deemed by affiliate managers as personal sites. Major search engines and directories would think of your site as transient ones and thus, they won’t list it in the directory. Before you decide on the domain name, know first what you are going to promote. Many fail because their sites are not appropriately named, so even when they feature the exact products the customer is looking for, the customer might think the site is not relevant and thus, won’t enter the site.

Above all, an affiliate marketer must be willing to learn more. Certainly, there are still a lot of things to learn and so an affiliate marketer must continue to educate himself so he can improve his marketing strategies. Many fail because they don’t grow in the business and they are merely concerned about earning big quickly. If you want long-term and highly satisfactory results, take time to learn the ins and outs of the business. Continue to improve your knowledge especially with the basics in affiliate marketing ranging from advertising to programming, web page development, and search engine optimization techniques. Likewise, study the needs and wants of your site users and how different merchandisers compete with each other.

Keep on trying

Clarence B. is the founder and Webmaster for http://www.virtual-guides.com. Here you can find FREE information on many subjects including business, automobile, travel, vacation, affiliate marketing, advertising, internet, sports, entertainment, technology, communication, fashion, home improvement, culture, education, society, science, politics, fitness and health. http://www.virtual-guides.com provides you with helpful guidance, tips and news update, from basic to the latest skills, knowledge and information, about these subjects.

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by:Jay Northco

You’ll often see the title ‘hedge fund manager’ in the bios of some of Wall Street’s famous investment gurus. But what exactly is a hedge fund? How is different than any other fund? And how do you get in on the action?

Hedge funds are private investment partnerships that are usually offered to limited number of investors and require a significant initial minimum investment. Hedge funds are normally open to institutional or otherwise accredited investors. Those investors are also required to keep their money in the fund for a minimum period, usually one year.

Basically, hedge funds are mutual funds for the super-rich. They resemble mutual funds in the way investments are pooled and professionally managed, but they are significantly different in the way fund can cooperate.

Hedge funds are lightly regulated private funds that are usually characterized by unconventional investment strategies. These funds are generally more aggressively managed and use advanced investment strategies such as leverage, long, short and derivative positions in both domestic and international markets with the goal of generating high returns. Regular investment funds are usually limited to ‘going long” and buying bonds, equities or money market instruments. Hedge funds also have the ability to “short” those instruments they believe will fall in price. Hedge funds are thus able to create more complex investment structures which can profit in times of market volatility, or even in a falling market.

In general, hedge funds are lightly regulated because it is believed they cater to sophisticated investors who need less protection. In the US, the majority of investors in the fund must be accredited. An accredited investor must earn a set minimum income annually and have a net worth of more than $1 million. Investment companies registered with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are subject to strict limitations on the short-selling and use of leverage that are essential to many hedge fund strategies. Although hedge funds fall within the definition of an “investment company,” hedge funds often elect to operate with exemptions from the registration requirements by selling only to “qualified purchasers” or “accredited investors.” Hedge funds are also only sold via private placement and cannot be offered or advertised to the general public. So the funds trade a smaller pool of investors for fewer government restrictions.

While hedging is the practice of attempting to reduce risk, the goal of most hedge funds is to maximize return on investment. The first hedge funds that appeared in the 1950s tried to hedge against the downside risk of a bear market with their ability to short the market. Today, hedge funds use dozens of different strategies, including speculative investments. In fact, in many cases these funds can carry more risk than the overall market.

The hedge fund manager is the general partner or manager and the investors are the limited partners or members respectively. The manager generally makes all the investment decisions based on the strategy it outlined in the offering documents.

In return for managing the investors’ funds, the manager will receive a management fee and a performance or incentive fee. Usually this management fee is computed as a percentage of assets under management, and the incentive fee is computed as a percentage of the fund’s profits. In some cases the manager does not receive incentive fees unless the value of the fund exceeds a “high water mark.”

Other funds charge no fees until the funds pass specific performance goals. Typical fees for hedge funds are 20 percent of profits plus two percent of assets under management. Famous and successful managers often demand higher fees.

Today, some $1.2 trillion are tied up in some 9,000 hedge funds This is up 19 percent from 2005 and up 300 percent from 2001. At the end of 2004, 55 percent of the number of hedge funds, managing nearly two-thirds of total hedge fund assets, were registered offshore. The most popular offshore location was the Cayman Islands followed by British Virgin Islands and Bermuda. In the US, most funds are located in New York City, Stamford, Connecticut and Greenwich, Connecticut. London is Europe’s leading centre for the management of hedge funds.

Investment companies registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are subject to strict limitations on the short-selling and use of leverage that are essential to many hedge fund strategies. Although hedge funds fall within the statutory definition of an “investment company,” hedge funds often elect to operate with exemptions from the registration requirements by selling only to “qualified purchasers” or “accredited investors” Hedge funds are also only sold via private placement and cannot be offered or advertised to the general public.

Unlike mutual funds, hedge funds do not have to disclose their activities to third parties. Investors in hedge funds however are entitled to a higher level of disclosure on risks assumed and positions taken, and the investor often has direct access to the fund manager. A byproduct of this privacy is that there are no official hedge fund statistics.

Institutional Investor and Trader Monthly magazine annually ranks top-earning hedge fund managers.

Hedge funds are often targets of criticism. Their secrecy and lack of regulation have led to all kinds of allegations of dodgy dealings. The size of the assets held in these funds has also led to allegations that these funds have adversely affected bond markets on different occasions. US regulators have tried to impose restrictions on these funds but there attempts have been thwarted by the courts and the complexities of the funds and their offshore locations have created a regulatory nightmare for the SEC.

Some writers have concluded that hedge funds have evolved into little more than exclusive, high-fee mutual funds. Warren Buffett has little time for them either pointing out that mangers are rewarded for high variability, rather than high long-term returns.

Jay Northco is the editor of http://www.Cramerwatch.org a website that pits Wall Street Guru and host of Mad Money, Jim Cramer against a stock-picking monkey.

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by:Julian Thornton

If you are suffering from bad credit in any form, you probably want to do everything you can to clean things up so you can enjoy the world of good credit again. After all, in the media and from talks with the majority of mortgage brokers and big lenders, chances are you’ve been told that bad credit won’t get you anywhere – ever. The great news is that’s rubbish! Working in the bad credit mortgage industry, I personally know that people with bad credit are securing mortgages – good ones with reasonable interest rates – every day. You can too, and when you do, it’s important to decide immediately that this bad credit loan will be your last – ever!

This Bad Credit Loan will be the Last!

It might sound depressing saying that something will be the very last ever, however when it comes to bad credit loans, I’m pretty sure you’ll agree with me that it’s a good thing to decide that it will be your last. That’s because once you secure your bad credit loan, you will be well on your way to cleaning up your financial house to make sure you achieve good credit and a financially secure situation again – or perhaps for the very first time! After saying this, perhaps you are saying, “Yeah Julian, all very well and good for a money expert like you to say, ‘make this bad credit loan your last’, but I have a history of bad credit and poor money decisions”? My response to that is, “So what!” Even with the strongest history of poor money management, bad credit mortgage experts worth their salt can work with you to change your bad money habits and turn them into good ones that will result in lasting financial security. Hold me to that, because now I’m going to show you how!

How to make this Bad Credit Loan Your Last one Ever!

Sure, I’ve made a pretty amazing statement in the previous section, and now I’m going to show you how you can ensure this bad credit loan is the very last one you’ll ever have because it’s going to be the last one you’ll ever need!

It’s quite easy and straightforward to achieve this, so here goes:

• Find a bad credit mortgage expert who knows what they are doing: It is critical that you choose to work with a reputable bad credit mortgage expert! Good specialists in bad credit mortgages will secure competitive mortgages for people with all sorts of financial problems. Sounds drastic right? It gets better! These experts don’t just secure their clients a good home loan though. They also make sure their clients are prepared to succeed both now and into the future.

• Good money management: If you are dealing with a credible bad credit mortgage expert, and you aren’t mortgage ready when you walk through their doors for the first time, they work with you to get you ready. It’s all about good money management, and no, it’s not rocket science. It is discipline though. You make the decision to turn from your bad credit ways and you stick to that decision. Then you go to a bad credit mortgage specialist for your credit redemption! Sounds pretty dramatic, however it’s true. Bad credit isn’t the end, because every day bad credit clients prepare for a better financial future and secure home loans – even people with personal bankruptcy! The reality is that for every financial problem, there is always a solution. That solution is good money management. Reputable bad credit mortgage experts teach every client they work with, how to regain control of their finances, and for some it may be the very first time they have that control. These specialists teach their clients how to keep control as well, which prepares the client for a successful financial future. Once a bad credit mortgage specialist secures a home loan for their client, they will also walk away with a plan to follow that will ensure they will find a life of good credit at the end of the rainbow.

• Get a bookkeeper: A bookkeeper will really help you to keep on top of your financial situation, so find a good one and hire them! At least this way you will be up-to-date with everything and know what money is coming in and what money is going out.

• Stick to your cash flow plan: You are paying a certain amount off your mortgage each month according to your budget. You must stick to your budget. One way to ensure you never go beyond your budget is to donate what you deem to be a significant amount of money, to a cause you do not support. For instance, if you have a fear of birds, donate money to a bird society. Do this even if you go over budget by just a few dollars. It will keep you disciplined.

• Stay Motivated: Think about what you want to do once you are financially stable and secure. Pin photographs of your dream home, car or holiday destination on your corkboard, so you can see it as you work. Set goals and remind yourself of them. Try reading rags to riches stories as well, because they will definitely inspire you. All of these things will help you stay on track.

How to Get Your Last Bad Credit Loan Ever!

Forget the banks, because they won’t touch anybody with bad credit! Find an experienced bad credit mortgage broker who will work with you so you’ll get a great home loan to suit your needs, and the guidance you need to ensure your financial future is bright. Say goodbye to bad credit once and for all!

© Julian Thornton, Designer Mortgage Solutions Pty Ltd, 2006.

Julian Thornton is a Melbourne-based mortgage specialist who owns and operates the highly successful Designer Mortgage Solutions Pty Ltd. Although specializing in the field of bad credit mortgages and debt elimination, Julian can help anybody into their own home and prepare them for financial success. Julian can be contacted by email at julian@designermortgagesolutions.com.au or by telephone on 03 9556 5431. Further information is also available at www.designermortgagesolutions.com.au .

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by:Kevin Eikenberry

Chances are this article’s title gives you a strong opinion about whether or not to continue reading. You are either in sales and want to understand your work better and therefore very interested, or you are being kind and giving me until the end of this paragraph to convince you to continue, because you aren’t in sales, you don’t want to be in sales, and you don’t see a connection between your work and sales.

If you are in the second group, please give me just one more paragraph before you decide, ok?

If you think of the stereotypical high pressure used car salesperson when you think about sales, rest assured that isn’t what I’m referring to. Think about this. Do you ever need to persuade others to see your position or take a particular action? Do you ever need people to follow your recommendations? Do you ever benefit in a tangible way when you are able to be more successful in persuading others? If your answer is yes to any of these questions (and I’m sure it is for everyone), then you are in sales – regardless of your job title or how you feel about “salespeople.”

So regardless of your experience in or feelings about sales, there are likely things you can learn from the best in the sales field – because we are all in sales.

The Model in your Mind

With all due respect to the many truly outstanding used car salespeople, the “high-pressure, used-car-salesperson” stereotype is one held by many people. And while we may have experience with this type of salesperson, most of us also have experience with someone who was extremely helpful. Someone who helped us select the best possible product or service for our situation and really cared about the results we would receive from the products we were buying. In other words, when we stop to think about it we all have some very positive experiences with salespeople.

It is those positive experiences that I want you to reflect on as you read the seven lessons below. Chances are some – or all – will be consistent with your experiences, and by reflecting on your experiences as you read you will make these lessons even more valuable for you.

The Seven Lessons

Listen more talk less. How can a salesperson know what you need unless they listen? If they don’t listen they are making assumptions as to your needs, wants and desires. The same is true for us. We will get much further much faster when trying to persuade or influence others when we talk less and listen more.

Ask more and better questions. One of the ways to talk less is by asking more questions. Great salespeople are masters at asking questions. They collect and use questions intelligently to learn more about our needs. They use questions to understand us better and to strengthen their relationship with us. Questions are one of our greatest learning tools and one of the best ways to further relationships. Whatever your work, being more skilled at asking questions will make you more successful.

Focus on the longer-term, big picture. The best salespeople aren’t trying to sell one car today. They are trying to sell you your next 5 (or 10) cars. They know Rome wasn’t built in a day and that they won’t reach their goals – or best serve you – by pressuring you to buy now. So it is for you in your interactions. When we think about the longer term we will make better decisions and behave more appropriately.

Build relationships. Business success is about relationships, and great salespeople know that. One of the fastest ways to become more successful is by building more and stronger relationships. One of the fastest ways to lose your job is by neglecting relationships. Take it from the best salespeople – business is based on relationships.

Follow-up and follow through. One of the ways to build relationships is to follow-up and follow through. Ever had a service provider call you and check on your satisfaction? How did you feel about that provider and his/her organization after that? How do you feel about people who send you handwritten thank you notes? How do feel when people go above and beyond to stay in touch with you and make sure you are satisfied? You feel good about them and their services, right? Apply those approaches to your work. Send a note. Remember a birthday. Mention the article you read that they would be interested in. Do what you said you were going to do. Follow-up and follow through.

Lose the techniques – focus on the other person. There are many helpful techniques that we can learn from training, from watching others and reading. We look for a magical formula or approach. While it is important to learn the techniques, they will only help us if we integrate them into who we are and what we stand for. For example, there is a difference between practicing active listening techniques and actively listening. When the focus is on the result, we relax and use the techniques in support of the end goal. Great salespeople learn the skills, but focus on their Customer. In an almost paradoxical way, by focusing on the Customer (remember your colleagues and your boss are your Customers too) and being sincere and genuine, you will gain the advantage of the techniques you were trying to use to begin with.

Help them buy. People don’t want to be sold, but they do want to buy. Just like a master salesperson, help people be persuaded to your position. Help them see the value. Help them own the decision. Help them remove the roadblocks – real or perceived.

Some Final Thoughts

There are likely many areas of your life where you can apply the lessons above. Consider your work, but also your role as a neighbor, in a community group and as a parent as places where you can benefit from these lessons.

You may have never sold magazine subscriptions door to door for a school project. You may have never had a job selling furniture or other products. You may never want to be in “sales.” Even if this is true, I urge you to think about what you can learn from the true masters of sales – because they are lessons that can make you better at whatever you do. Because it is really true – we are all in sales.

Kevin Eikenberry is a leadership expert and the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group, a learning consulting company that helps Clients reach their potential through a variety of training, consulting and speaking services. To receive your free special report on Unleashing Your Potential go to http://www.kevineikenberry.com/uypw/index.asp or call us at (317) 387-1424 or 888.LEARNER.

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by:Tim Sales

Whether you lead just a few or a few thousand people in your MLM business, there’s one very specific quality you must have. Develop this one quality and achieving MLM success will be A LOT easier.

If you do not tell the truth, your downline may be friendly to you…but they probably won’t follow you.

Truth means: that which is factual based on observable data.

There has been much written about truth, a lot having to do with philosophy and religion. I don’t wish to go there in this conversation. My only interest in the subject (as it pertains to the MLM industry) is that we, as a group, stop destroying our income and our reputation by not telling the truth.

I know telling the truth should go without saying, but I have to discuss it because it is one of the Ten Communication Qualities that make up a great communicator; yet also a major problem in the network marketing community that needs to be corrected for the MLM industry to grow to its fullest potential.

In 1991 my income dropped – like a brick falling from the top of a building – from a monthly gross of $68,000 to $16,000 – just because people were not telling the truth.

A member of the media sneaked into my colleague’s business meeting and recorded the dialogue that occurred. Although it was a painful experience for me, the biggest loss stems from the CONSTANT number of people we repel because of not telling the truth.

Not only that, but every time we (I’m talking about me and you) don’t tell the truth, we feel icky inside. Observe a dog that has done something wrong – do they come strutting into the room? Not at all! They actually hide under the couch. Their ears and tail hang low. They don’t feel worthy. The same is true for us. That icky-ness actually causes us to not feel worthy that others follow our advice…and so they don’t.

Five broad categories of not telling the truth have gotten individuals and/or companies in trouble and have stopped them from growing to their fullest potential. They are listed below.

1. False income representation or suggesting others can earn a stated level of income.

2. Stating that a product or service can do something that has not been substantiated.

3. Promising someone (or yourself) something and not doing it.

4. Gossiping about others. Passing information to another that does not add value.

5. Building the business in a way that is not truthful…such as suggesting distributors create fictitious accounts or positions.

As per category one above (false income representation), if you don’t know what your upline earns don’t say what you think it is. If through the grapevine you’ve heard it’s “X” amount, and you feel you must state it, say: “The rumor is that she earns ___ amount; although I’ve not verified it.”

Say nothing you don’t know is absolutely true. This gives you tremendous credibility!

When you discuss income, discuss what the prospect wants – NOT what someone else is earning. If prospects state an income they want, tell them it’s doable here (provided it is). Then state, “Some people go to school and become the President. Some become billionaires, some sell illegal drugs and some draw a welfare check. It would be impossible to know what you’re going to do with what I teach you, but there is the potential to earn a substantial income if you choose to fully apply what you’re taught.”

Category two from above is unsubstantiated product claims; which have also gotten the network marketing industry into trouble in the past. If you market a nutrition product, the current law (in the USA) is the DSHEA Act (Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act), which states you can discuss what a product does, provided THAT PRODUCT is what has been proven to get results.

Most often an INGREDIENT has had some studies done on it (such as vitamin C) but your company’s product (that contains that ingredient) has NOT. Therefore, it is against the law to claim your product does ANYTHING!

Now, that doesn’t mean you can’t promote your product truthfully. You simply say something like, “The active ingredient (vitamin C) in Potent-C (an example of your company’s product) has demonstrated to increase/decrease ________ by X amount.” That way you’re not claiming your product does anything.

Telling stories of your success or others’ success with the product or the MLM business is also common. I’m not saying don’t do it. Nor am I saying to do it. Just keep in mind that the common way people get in trouble is from questionable claims reported by the media after coming in with hidden recording devices and capturing what you say. So, make sure you are not claiming anything that isn’t the truth.

If a friend went on your company’s product and stopped having migraine headaches, you honestly wouldn’t know if the reason was the product or the fact that she increased her water intake to take your product! You can’t determine what really helped her – so be very careful what you represent.

Category three is to keep your word once given. If you say you will be at a meeting at 6:45 – be there at 6:45. No excuses, just be there. If you say you’re going to help someone – help them. Keep your word. If for some reason you’re unable to keep your word, make it up to the person. Do something that shows you want to help.

But the most important person you must keep your word with is yourself. If you say you are going to bed at 11pm – go to bed at 11pm. If you say you will call five prospects a day, call five prospects a day!

When you’re honest with yourself and with others, people will trust you. This trust is what helps your MLM business to grow and be successful. My experience is that people will not follow someone they can not trust.

Tell the truth always and you will be on your way to experiencing passive income and time freedom in your MLM business.

Tim Sales helps network marketers gain the confidence and skills to be an MLM success. Discover what you must know to become a true network marketing professional. Sign up for his free MLM training newsletter and listen to free training at http://www.brilliantexchange.com.

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by:Danna Schneider

Identity theft is becoming an increasingly used buzzword in today’s high tech world of online banking and bill paying, and with the advent of services like Paypal and shopping cart.

We hear about identity theft in the news all the time, and we think we very well may be at risk, but we’re not sure what to do to help prevent it. Well, there are some things you can do that are very simple that will help prevent you from ever becoming a victim of this potentially disastrous crime.

Unfortunately, even though identity theft is a federal crime, that still doesn’t scare theives away from bilking millions of dollars of year from unsuspecting, hard working people like you and I. It’s not something that any of us want to deal with, but it is prudent to exercise caution whenever possible to reduce your risk.

At this point, we may all have a story about a friend, acquaintance, or family member who was an unwitting victim of some form of identity theft, and the good thing is, these bring the reality closer to home, and have made more people aware that is a growing problem. There are a few types of identity theft, and I’m sure there are even more than I am listing here that not a whole lot of people are aware of.

The types of identity theft are :

1.) When one’s personal information is stolen from their person, such as a wallet with credit cards and other identity revealing financially negotiable instruments.

2.) Something called “phishing” where bogus emails are sent from a scam artist claiming to be a bank or some other type of financial institution, claiming they need you to “sign in” and provide personal information that can allow them to filter money from your account, or charge purchases to a credit card.

3.) Mail related identity theft is where a thief can either intercept your mail and get your personal information or even fill out a change of address form for you so they may receive your mail and do with it what they please.

4.) Internet fraud through unsecured websites when you provide credit card or personal information, a thief may be able to hack sites that are not secured and gain your personal information, or even infect your computer with a virus which hijacks personal information.

Like I said, the four mentioned above are probably not even the tip of the iceberg when it comes to identity theft, but they are the main categories of ways that these savvy and increasingly sophisticated scam artists are getting away with stealing money from people. So, what can you do to help prevent being a victim of these types of identity theft? Well, the good thing is, there are several ways you can help reduce your risk.

First and foremost, make sure you do not ever respond to an email that is requesting you to log in somewhere to verify your information, even if it appears to be from a company you do business with on a regular basis. Spammers skilled in the art of “phishing” are very adept at making these emails look like the real deal, and unfortunately many people have been duped into disclosing important personal information.

What you can do to help combat this problem is visit the company’s offical website on your own, not through any links in the email of course, and report this suspicious email to them. Most large companies have measures in place to protect their clients, and they want to be aware of any bogus emails going out to people with their trusted name attached.

There are also large efforts in the making to prevent these types of emails from coming through to your email inbox, and instead going to your spam bulk file, making them more idenitfiable as a potential security threat, and also reducing the likelihood that one will be defrauded by them.

I saw an improvement in this, but just recently, my inbox has been indundated with spam emails requesting personal information, so it seems the scam artists have found a loophole and are taking advantage, although it may not last long.

Another important prevention measure is to not only be aware of bogus emails, but also to make sure any website that asks for credit card information for a purchase has a security seal of approval. These secured sites usually will have some sort of symbol that they are secured by Verisign or another online security system that signifies it should be safe to pay with. If the site looks fishy, stay clear.

Whenever you receive mail that has credit card information, or is a solicitation for a credit card offer, make sure you tear it up into pieces. Another scam to gain access to your credit or accounts is for thieves to go through your garbage and fill out your credit card offers with a change of address, get the new credit card mailed to them, and start using it to make purchases. Also, it is wise to always have up to date virus protection on your computer, as some viruses are designed to hijack your personal and credit information.

When making purchases with credit or debit cards in any retail establishments, if your credit card number prints on the receipt that they keep, ask to scribble out the whole thing.

Workers or other people may have access to your credit card information, or have just enough information to make online or over the phone purchases with your credit, and this is yet another way your identity can be stolen for the financial benefit of thieves.

While this list of measure you can take to help prevent identity theft is not all inclusive, it is a good start to ensuring your security and making sure your hard earned money stays in your pocket only. They are good principles to live by in this day and age of online banking and financing.

Danna Schneider is the founder of http://www.primeratecredit.com for information on low interest credit cards, loans and mortgages, as well as financial news and personal finance tips. She also manages an online entertainment magazine http://www.flickwiki.com .

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