Don’t waste money on identity theft protection services

Are you one of the 47.5 million Americans who purchased “identity theft protection” last year? If so, you wasted your money.

Credit reporting agencies and identity theft protection services push statistics like “almost 14 million adults were victims of identity theft in 2011” or “over 100 million Americans have had their personal identifying information placed at risk of identity theft as a result of governmental and corporate data breaches.”

These statements are made while prodding you to purchase a service that could cost up to $189 annually. What these companies fail to tell you is that identity theft protection does not cover IRS tax return filings, account takeovers, the misuse of credit or debit cards, prior instances of identity theft or the establishment of personal identification (such as a driver’s license or Social Security card) in your name.

According to recent reports, Americans are spending an estimated $3.5 billion a year on identity theft protection. Most of these services are a waste of money as almost all of the services provided are available at little or no cost to the consumer.

There is no reason to pay a monthly or yearly fee for something you can do yourself for free.

Periodically review your credit report

By keeping close tabs on your consumer credit profile, you can detect signs of identity theft early. If you find an account not opened by you and have positively identified it as fraudulent, enter a dispute directly with the creditor as well as with the credit reporting agencies of Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You can obtain a free credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com or (877) 322-8228. When you pay for identity theft protection, this free credit report is one of the “benefits” they tout.

Place a 90-day initial fraud alert on your credit report

Contact the credit reporting agencies and request a 90-day initial fraud alert on your credit report. Not only will this trigger a free credit report but will advise potential creditors to investigate any application prior to issuing credit, goods, benefits, services and/or employment. Contact Equifax at (800) 525-6285, Experian at (888) 397-3742 and Trans Union at (800) 916-8800. When you pay for identity theft protection, this fraud alert is one of the “benefits” they tout. Just be sure to renew the alert every three months.

Freeze your credit report

Identity thieves are frozen in their tracks without access to your credit report as potential creditors will not have access to your credit history. In most states, you are entitled to temporarily “freeze” access to your credit profile without cost if you are over 65 years of age or are a verified victim of identity theft. All others may be required to pay a small fee. Without access to your credit report, a responsible lender will not issue credit. When you pay for identity theft protection, a credit report freeze is one of the “benefits” they tout.

Stop unsolicited credit card offers

Are you tired of junk mail filling your mail box? Opting out at www.optoutprescreen.com or (888) 5OPT-OUT will stop most unsolicited pre-approved applications and reduce the incidence of identity theft. Opting out refers to the process of removing your name and address from lists supplied by the Equifax, Experian, Trans Union and Innovis credit reporting agencies to be used for firm (preapproved/ prescreened) offers of credit or insurance. When paying for identity theft protection, opting out is one of the “benefits” they tout.

Purchase a cross-cut shredder

“Dumpster diving” is still a very popular method of obtaining credit card applications and supporting documentation. Purchase a cross-cut shredder that cuts vertically and horizontally, turning sensitive mail into confetti. If you think a torn up credit card application will be rejected by a credit card company, you have not heard the story of how Chase Bank approved a ripped up application.

Victims of identity theft often feel pressured into purchasing additional identity theft monitoring products when contacting the Equifax, Experian and Trans Union consumer reporting agencies to repair their credit. So much so that the Federal Trade Commission has recently reported the conduct in a 73-page report titled: “An FTC Staff Report on a Survey of Identity Theft Victims.”

The FTC report also found that the vast majority of consumers dealing with identity theft issues were unaware of their rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. These rights included the ability to request free credit reports when placing a fraud alert, the ability to block fraudulent information from appearing on their credit reports and to receive a notice of these and other important rights directly from creditors and consumer reporting agencies.

While the Credit Card Act of 2009 mandated a number of changes in relation to “free credit reports,” the area of identity theft protection is an area to watch. Reduced fees in one area will only mean enhanced fees in another. There is no reason to pay a monthly or yearly fee for something you can do yourself for free.

Bill Lewis is the principal of William E. Lewis Jr. & Associates and host of The Credit Report with Bill Lewis — a daily forum for business and financial news, politics, economic trends and issues on AM 740 WSBR in south Florida.

Extreme coupon shopping tips

Since the start of the Great Recession in 2008, grocery shoppers have become more frugal.  Concerned about the rising cost of food, toiletries and household goods, they are clipping more coupons and saving more money.  According to the Promotion Marketing Association, spending as little as 20 minutes a week clipping coupons can save an average family close to $1,200 a year.   

Since early 2009, coupon distribution has exploded.  So much so that a recent study revealed over 89 percent of shoppers have used coupons in the last 12 months.  With over 175 billion coupons offered by retailers in the first six months of 2011, this growth builds upon the record-breaking trends of 2009 and 2010 when 311 billion and 330 billion coupons were distributed in the marketplace.

Many of my personal friends, co-workers and Facebook acquaintances regularly wonder how I save 70 to 80 percent at my favorite Fort Lauderdale Publix.  Although I accumulate printable coupons from various websites, the Sunday Miami Herald and South Florida Sun Sentinel remain my favorite.  In accumulating coupons from multiple papers – including the Spanish edition since the coupons are different – I have a number for use when an item becomes a “BOGO” free or goes on sale.

Many shoppers use the Sunday newspaper as their main source of coupons. They come in a number of varieties, the most common being the manufacturer’s coupon.  This particular coupon provides a discount on a particular product and is distributed by the manufacturer. Stores accept manufacturers’ coupons because they receive reimbursement, plus a handling fee, upon redemption.

Although grocery retailers allocate about 85% of their coupon distribution to the free-standing insert, Internet distribution has experienced record growth over the last two years.  The most popular online printable coupon sites are: www.coupons.com, www.pgeverydaysolutions.com, www.redplum.com,  www.smartsource.com, and www.valpak.com.

In the past few years, online promotional codes have become extremely popular, providing incentives from free shipping to a percentage off discount.  According to eMarketer, digital coupons have become so popular that 88.9 million shoppers used them in 2011.

Stores and manufacturers also send coupons to shoppers who personally request them.  Obtaining coupons from these sources is as simple as searching the Internet for your favorite brand or store and typing the term “coupon” into your browser.  (For instance, typing the term “Kraft cheese” and “coupon” yielded over 559,000 results.)  Most manufacturers have a separate are for coupons or special discounts.  Thereafter, it is simply a matter of printing the coupon for redemption at the retailer.

Whether you shop at Albertsons (www.albertsonsmarket.com), BJ’s Wholesale Club (www.bjs.com), Food Lion (www.foodlion.com), Publix (www.publix.com), Save-a-Lot (www.save-a-lot.com), Sam’s Club (www.samsclub.com), Sedanos (www.sedanos.com), Sweetbay (www.sweetbaysupermarket.com), Walmart (www.walmart.com), or Winn-Dixie (www.winndixie.com), each of these retailers offer an online section for coupon savings and store discounts.  Shoppers visiting a store website need only direct them

Some grocery stores, such as Publix, will accept traditional competitor’s coupons, while others, such as Albertsons, Sweetbay, Walmart and Winn-Dixie do not.  Although no longer common and not to be expected, it does not hurt to inquire on store specific policies as competitor coupons allow for deeper savings at the checkout counter.

Thousands of websites exist that allow shoppers to buy, sell, or trade coupons.  Although illegal and generally frowned upon, the popular auction site eBay has become number one in coupon sales.

Some of my personal favorites for Internet coupon clipping are www.jillcataldo.com, www.coupondad.net, www.supercouponing.com, www.retailmenot.com, www.couponcabin.com, www.couponmom.com, and www.fatwallet.com.  Be sure to print at least two of each coupon to take advantage of any “BOGO” free offers.

When it comes to “deal-of-the-day” discounts, Groupon (www.groupon.com), LivingSocial (www.livingsocial.com) and LuckyFan (www.luckyfan) are fast becoming industry leaders.

“Today’s shopper is more discount-focused than ever before,” said Jamie McDonnell, President of LuckyFan.  “Daily deal sites are becoming a common reality in tough economic times.  More and more shoppers not only expect, but demand discounted prices.” 

When it comes to eating out, Restaurant.com (www.restaurant.com) is my favorite for gift certificates.  With over 18,000 restaurants nationwide and more than 45,000 daily gift certificate options, customers have saved over $500 million since inception of the program.  Restaurant.com also offers deeply discounted promotional codes for loyal e-mail subscribers and Facebook friends.

According to Restaurant.com, they filled more than 5.5 million tables nationwide and fed more than 18.4 million people in 2010.  This was an increase of almost 10 percent from the previous record year.  Their gift certificate strategy also generated about $400 million in revenue for a struggling restaurant industry.

“We are extremely proud of our achievements in 2011,” said Christopher Krohn, President and Chief Marketing Officer of Restaurant.com.  “These numbers tell a story that goes far beyond our own success. We’re lowering the financial barrier that keeps millions of people away from dining out in an economy that’s still struggling in the wake of a recession. We’re keeping tables filled at establishments that employ tens of thousands of workers around the country, saving jobs from being eliminated and restaurants from closing.”

Coupons represent free money and additional income to those who clip.  Nothing can be further from the truth in a tough economy where grocery bills exceed 12 percent of an average family budget.  “If it’s free – it’s for me” is quickly making its way into my vocabulary.

Protect yourself from IRS tax scams

Like a bad dream, tax season is upon us once again. With two extra days to file your personal return this year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is warning against scammers that prey upon trusting Americans.

Earlier this month, the IRS announced that the 2012 due date for personal income tax return filings would be Tuesday, April 17. The traditional deadline — April 15th — falls on a Sunday. Also taken into consideration is the District of Columbia holiday — Emancipation Day — which falls on Monday, April 16.

Therefore, the extra two days to file your personal tax return.

If you are surfing the Internet for the official site of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, do not mistakenly click on www.IRS.com. This website is privately owned by Banks.com and is not related to the governmental entity Americans have grown to love and respect.

Despite yearly warnings and stories of the unsuspecting falling victim to scams, the Internal Revenue Service is once again reminding taxpayers to be alert for predators who may contact them by email, telephone, fax or regular mail pretending to be from the IRS. They warn that “many of these scams fraudulently use the Internal Revenue Service name or logo as a lure to make the communication more authentic and enticing.”

In the form of a fake IRS email, this scam is known as phishing.

According to WHOIS, a widely used Internet record listing service that identifies domain owners and how to contact them, the IRS.com domain name was registered in 1999 by the seemingly legitimate Banks.com Inc. The banner headline on the homepage suggests an official association with the real Internal Revenue Service: “US Tax Center — Tax Information You Can Trust.”

The Internal Revenue Service, like all U.S. government agencies, uses the “.gov” top-level domain name and can be found at www.IRS.gov.

The IRS.com website is not affiliated with the federal government or the Internal Revenue Service despite the misleading “US Tax Center” headline. While the U.S. Tax Center seemingly appears legitimate, they are impossible to contact, offering no phone number or email address and only an online “contact us” form.

Several “how-to” related articles redirect to websites offering services that could make consumers deceptively believe they are dealing with the real Internal Revenue Service.

The goal of scammers is to trick unsuspecting victims into revealing personal information such as name, address, date of birth, Social Security, credit card or PIN numbers and other confidential information. With this information, scammers steal money or commit identity theft. Personal information should never be revealed until verification is made upon a legitimate request.

The Internal Revenue Service advises taxpayers on how to respond when they receive a suspicious email, telephone call, fax or letter:

1. The IRS does not request detailed personal and financial information like credit card or PIN numbers, passwords or similar secret access information.

2. The IRS does not initiate taxpayer communications through email and will not send a message about your tax account. If you receive an email from someone claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service or directing you to an IRS site; do not reply to the message, click on any of the links, or open any of the attachments.

3. The official IRS website is http://www.irs.gov. Do not be confused or misled by websites claiming to be the Internal Revenue Service but ending in .com, .net, .org, .us, or designations other than .gov. If you discover a website claiming to be the IRS but suspect it is bogus, do not provide personal information and report it to the IRS immediately.

4. If you receive an email, telephone call, fax or letter from an individual claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service, but suspect they are not, contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to determine their legitimacy.

5. Become proactive in shutting down scams and prevent others from being victimized. Report scams and learn what to do if you have been victimized at http://www.irs.gov, keyword “phishing,” or email the IRS at phishing@irs.gov.

Consumers who believe they have been victimized by an IRS scammer or identity thief should visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website at http://www.OnGuardOnline.gov. The Internal Revenue Service is one of the site sponsors.

With most returns being filed by the April 17 deadline, the IRS said it expects to receive more than 144 million individual tax returns this year.

Life, death and social media

Many people live long after they’re gone through social media. There is no such thing as a digital death.

Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn and many other major social media sites have policies regarding the death of its users. Are you familiar with them?

While losing a family member, friend, colleague, classmate or connection is often painful, imagine the reminder of the dearly departed when they appear on your Facebook Timeline, Twitter Feed, MySpace Stream or LinkedIn profile. This is especially so when the deceased user is received as a “friend recommendation” through mutual friends.

From the digital age of sending a simple email or text message to an age of information overload where we publish our entire lives through timelines, tweets or status updates, many social media users tell all and provide all. From photographs and blog posts to complete personal histories, our entire lives have become an open book.

Will your Facebook friends or Twitter followers know when you die? With MySpace itself dying a slow death, will anyone miss you or notice you gone? As for LinkedIn, a few too many profile views should reveal your dearly departed status.

As a social media guru with over 76,000 contacts spread across six social media networks, one of them – Barry Epstein, of Boca Raton, Fla. – advised that he was closing the accounts of his recently deceased son. Aware of the “memorial” policies of Facebook, I was prompted to investigate the various social media policies of deceased users’ accounts and what can be done to preserve, memorialize or delete them following death.

“I believe social media is really useful for memorializing the deceased,” stated Epstein. “No matter what happens at the memorial service, people are using social media as a way to deal with their grief, but in a way that funerals don’t allow.”

With over 1.1 million social media users dying annually, family, friends, social media providers and the Internet are left to deal with a deceased user’s digital bits. When we die, who takes control of our social media networks?

“The interactions of a person through social media are a facet of a life and supply some tangible evidence about what they valued and who they chose to interact with while alive,” said Daniel Forrester, author of “Consider: Harnessing the Power of Reflective Thinking in Your Organization.” “While the person has died, their digital life already has been imprinted with their permission and thus it should continue on.”

Facebook

Although Facebook was not the first social media provider to establish a policy for its 800 million users worldwide, it was the highest profile because of the way it addressed the issue. Rather than allow a family member to take control of a deceased user’s account, Facebook instead decided to take things a step further and allowed them to be deleted or memorialized.

A memorialized Facebook account preserves the deceased user’s online identity so that only confirmed friends can visit their profile to read about them, view photos and leave posts of remembrance.

When Facebook converts an account into a memorial, the deceased user no longer pops up in Facebook’s friend suggestions, thus we are not constantly reminded of their disappearance. The person’s profile automatically becomes private to everyone but confirmed friends. Personal identifiers and contact information are also removed to prevent hacking and to respect privacy.

To establish a Facebook memorial, a family member or friend completes a special contact form providing proof of death. This can include an obituary, news article or Internet link. Unlike other social media networks, Facebook allows non-family members to perform this task, which is helpful in situations where the deceased user’s friends are more Internet-savvy than family.

Twitter

Just as Facebook allows users to request an account be deleted or memorialized when a family member or friend has passed away, Twitter allows for a permanent backup of the deceased user’s public tweets or a complete account deletion.

Profiles of deceased users will no longer appear in the “Who to Follow” suggestion box and previously scheduled tweets are not published. At present, the profiles of deceased users look exactly the same as those of living users and can be followed and listed.

To establish a permanent backup or to delete a deceased user’s Twitter account, a family member is required to submit the user name or profile page link along with proof of death in the form of a public obituary or news article. Twitter also advises, “Please note that we cannot allow access to the account or disclose other non-public information regarding the account.”

MySpace

As one of the oldest social networks, MySpace has a deceased user policy that is more of a standardized policy of deletion rather than memorializing like Facebook or Twitter. In addition, MySpace does not adequately address privacy concerns and is susceptible to hacking.

To delete a MySpace profile, a family member must contact MySpace via e-mail with proof of death and the user’s unique identification number. A username or profile link is generally not acceptable.

“Unfortunately, we can’t let you access, edit or delete any of the content or settings on the user’s profile yourself, but we’ll be sure to review and remove any content you find objectionable,” reads MySpace’s policy.

This policy is not particularly helpful for older relatives that are not Internet-savvy and makes it almost impossible to remove a deceased user’s existence from MySpace.

Strangely enough, hackers may attempt to access a deceased user’s account without authorization. Contained on MySpace’s policy page is an admission that anyone with access to the deceased user’s email account can simply “retrieve the password through the ‘forgot password link’ and make necessary changes.”

LinkedIn

Unlike the personal social networks of Facebook, Twitter and MySpace where a family member or friend must make a death notification, anyone can notify LinkedIn about the profile of a deceased member.

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional business network with over 120 million members. According to LinkedIn, it will delete the profile of a deceased colleague, classmate or connection upon receipt of proof of death. There is no provision to memorialize the profile of a deceased LinkedIn user.

To delete the profile of a LinkedIn user, a “Verification of Death Form” must be submitted online, by fax to (402) 493-3548, or by mail to LinkedIn Corporation, 2029 Stierlin Ct., Mountain View, CA 94043. Proof of death in the form of a death certificate, obituary, news article or Internet link must be included.

LinkedIn is clear to point out that an email address registered to the deceased member’s account must be included. “Without this important piece of information, we will not be able to address your request.”

“You can argue that permanently archiving a digital life will allow some survivors to better reflect on the person and even discover new connections and insights that would have faded too quickly with only human memory,” concluded Forrester.

Protect Yourself from Credit Repair Scams

While the economy has been showing some signs of improvement, your good name and reputation is becoming more important within the community. Creditors have tightened their guidelines effectively barring millions of Americans from borrowing money.

Mortgage lenders, auto finance companies, credit card issuers and banks have all raised the bar. Borrowers with low FICO scores can expect to be denied or to pay significantly higher interest rates than those with excellent histories.

Long gone are the days of obtaining credit, goods, benefits, services and/or employment with a 620 score. In most instances, a consumer will be denied if they maintain a credit score lower than 740. Even those with high credit scores have experienced closed credit card accounts and equity lines.  When an account has not been closed, credit limits have been reduced to the current balance due. 

The terms credit repair, credit restoration or credit rehabilitation are somewhat synonymous. Those with bad histories cannot afford to ignore the potential benefits of credit repair. In today’s economy, a strong FICO score is more important than ever. 

Approximately 78% of credit profiles in the United States contain some sort of error or omission materially impacting credit worthiness.  Absent self-help and the “do-it-yourself” approach, a consumer may hire a credit service organization (CSO) in the restoration of their good name and reputation within the community.

Most – but not all – CSO’s specialize in the restoration of consumer credit worthiness as well as identity theft issues.  Assuming that the credit repair company is performing within the law, they utilize laws enacted by Congress to dispute negative, erroneous, obsolete, and/or fraudulent information contained within your consumer credit profile.

Utilizing the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Fair Credit Billing Act, and the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, a reputable CSO will assist in the submission of disputes electronically, verbally and in writing to the Equifax, Experian and Trans Union consumer reporting agencies.  Disputes are also submitted to creditors, collection agencies, third-party record providers and/or state, federal, local, and private regulatory authorities.

Unlike most credit repair clinics that submit the same written dispute letters monthly, a reputable CSO will have devised a strategy whereby disputes are submitted electronically, verbally and in writing over a long period of time to the credit reporting agencies, creditors, collectors, and third-party record providers reporting negative, inaccurate, obsolete and/or erroneous information.

Keep in mind that anything a CSO can do – you can do yourself for little to no cost. With that said, a reputable organization should have an edge as they will possess the education, knowledge and a source proven method that is generally unknown to the average consumer. 

A reputable CSO should have a provable track record of results as well as the ability to modify and/or remove erroneous or inaccurate judgments, liens, foreclosures, bankruptcies, short-sales, student loans, inquiries, derogatory tradelines, personal identifiers and other transient data from a consumer’s credit report. Although the credit restoration process can take anywhere from 30 days to six months, most individuals should see some results within the first 45 to 60 days.

Credit repair, credit restoration and/or credit rehabilitation is as legal as pleading “not guilty” in a court of law. With that said, one must understand that most CSO’s are not law firms and that their employees may not be licensed to practice law.  As such, even a reputable CSO cannot provide legal advice nor may they represent a consumer before any court or in any legal proceeding.  In the event that legal representation is required, the credit repair company should provide an appropriate attorney referral for consultation.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, as modified by the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, consumers are entitled to a free copy of their credit report under a narrow set of circumstances.  If you have been denied credit, goods, benefits, services, insurance, and/or employment, the credit reporting agencies of Equifax, Experian and Trans Union are statutorily mandated to provide a copy free of charge.

Equifax can be contacted at (800) 685-1111 or www.Equifax.com; Experian can be contacted at (888) 397-3742 or www.Experian.com; and Trans Union can be contacted at (800) 916-8800 or www.TransUnion.com. Be sure to prompt that you were denied credit when requested to do so.

Absent these exceptions, consumers are entitled to one free “annual credit report” per year. Credit scores are not included with any of the “free credit reports” provided by the national credit reporting agencies.

For your free annual credit report, contact the central source at 877-FACT-ACT (877-322-8228) or www.AnnualCreditReport.com. Follow the voice prompts and obtain your credit report for review.

When self-help or the “do-it-yourself” approach is not feasible and you decide to hire a CSO to restore your credit, be sure to check them out.  While the majority of credit repair clinics are scams, a few good ones do exist.  Consumers can check out a credit service organization through their state Attorney General, the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov or through the Better Business Bureau at www.BBB.org.

The Credit Report with Bill Lewis: Week of January 9th

Interesting guests and timely topics will be on AM 740 WSBR the week of January 9th and The Credit Report with Bill Lewis.

After seven plus years on AM talk radio in South Florida, Bill Lewis discusses his long anticipated move from morning drive time on AM 1470 WWNN to evening drive time on Money Talk Radio, AM 740 WSBR.

Former prosecutor and Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorney Jim Lewis will appear and discuss his candidacy for Broward State Attorney as the only Republican for this countywide office in 2012.

Foreclosure defense attorney Carlos Reyes will appear and discuss the latest developments in the Florida Supreme Court case of Roman Pino versus Bank of New York.  Despite a voluntary dismissal by Pino in a foreclosure fraud matter, the Court found that the case is a “matter of great public importance” and will proceed on behalf of all Floridians.

Chairman Richard DeNapoli of the Broward Republican Party will appear and discuss initiatives to expand candidate awareness through social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Bill Burke of Paradise Bank will appear and discuss how his three branch bank reached a significant milestone in its six year history by becoming the top Small Business Administration (SBA) community bank lender in the state of Florida.

Weston philanthropist and serial entrepreneur Jamie McDonnell will appear and discuss his latest celebrity STOP Burger – the Jake Miller Burger.  Jake is a singer, rapper, musician and songwriter who has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the music industry. Jake Miller Music distributed a few homemade music videos on YouTube late 2010, and attracted the attention of music business insiders.

Criminal defense attorney John Contini will appear and discuss the importance of proper representation before the court in matters of post conviction relief and criminal history records expunction.

Former Plantation Councilman and current Republican Party of Broward County Executive Director Rico Petrocelli will appear and discuss the continuing commitment of the Broward Republican Executive Committee to ensure success in the 2012 presidential election.

Davie Mayoral candidate Mike Crowley will appear and discuss his candidacy for mayor and his plan to create jobs by attracting high-technology business to the town.

Tom Lauder of Red Broward will appear and discuss his political blog where “Making Broward See Red” is not such a hard job.

Since the show’s inception, Bill Lewis has interviewed some of the country’s leading politicians, including: Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Herman Cain, Jon Huntsman, Allen West, Rick Scott, George LeMieux, Jeff Atwater, Adam Putnam, Pam Bondi, Marco Rubio, Alex Sink, Charlie Crist, Bill McCollum, Jeff Kottkamp, Christine O’Donnell, among others.

In addition, The Credit Report with Bill Lewis has hosted a number of politicians as well as attorneys and industry experts in the south Florida area.  Among the dozens that have appeared on the show are Carlos Reyes, Al Lamberti, Chip LaMarca, Lori Parrish, Brenda Snipes, Richard Denapoli, Rico Petrocelli, Jamie McDonnell, Jim Lewis, Tom Lauder, Lori Barkus, and John Contini.

The Credit Report with Bill Lewis airs live, Monday through Friday from 6pm-7pm with an encore presentation Saturday’s at 3pm on AM 740 WSBR.  Streaming audio is available at www.wsbrradio.com and on air participation is welcome at (888) 721-0074.

If you miss the early broadcast, The Credit Report with Bill Lewis is still available weeknights at 9pm and Sunday’s at 1pm on AM 1470 WWNN by streaming audio at www.wwnnradio.com.

For daily updates on The Credit Report with Bill Lewis, you can join Bill’s 29,500 plus fans on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thecreditreportwithbilllewis.

Introducing Fort Lauderdale’s own Jake Miller

At just 19 years old, Fort Lauderdale’s own Jake Miller is a singer, rapper, musician and songwriter.  Since uploading a few homemade videos on YouTube last year, he has enjoyed a meteoric rise within the music industry.  Attracting the attention of music industry insiders, Jake Miller is no longer an “unknown” as they say within the business

Jake’s first live performance was opening for the legendary Snoop Dogg.  Shortly after that, Jake opened for Billboard Magazine cover phenomenon, Mac Miller. 

Jake was one of the acts for the THINK PINK ROCKS concert, sharing the stage with Flo Rida, Sean Kingston, Asher Roth, Melanie Fiona, Shontelle, Iyaz, Mann, among others.  Benefiting breast cancer awareness, this concert was sponsored by Steve Rifkind and SRC Records. 

Jake has performed with Schwayze, Cisco Adler, and the Wonder Broz (Nick Cannon’s protégé group).  He recently performed at the Y-100 Jingle Ball Village along side Cody Simpson, We the Kings and more. 

Jake will be performing New Year’s Eve weekend at the Miami Beach Orange Drive music festival with Cee Lo Green, Ne-Yo, Gym Class Heros, Cobra Starship, and Jason Derulo.

Jake’s song, ON THE MOVE, a remix of Ain’t No Stoppin Us Now, by McFadden and Whitehead was recently picked up by V-103 (CBS radio) in Atlanta and is quickly picking up spins in several markets. 

Jake was brought to New York for a showcase by Universal Republic Records and was offered a development deal.  Other private labels have also offered deals, but Jake is maintaining his independence until the just the “right” deal comes along.

The studio has become a “home away from home” for Jake.  He is an integral part of the production of every song.  Jake writes his own lyrics and works closely with producers to ensure that the final product contains his own unique character and style.  He fills a void in current music with his clean, up-beat, positive raps and indelible hooks. 

Jake won the national Battle of the Bands contest sponsored by Samsung/T-Mobil.  The grand prize included $35,000 toward his music, a music video with YouTube sensation Keenan Cahill, and various other projects. 

Jake has been interviewed by multiple television shows and news programs.  WPOW (Power 96) in Miami features Jake on their website as an “up and coming” artist.  He has written a promotional jingle for the NBC 6 morning news show, and a theme song for the Miami Heat.  Jake has created that “buzz” any artist needs to propel them to the next level. 

In addition to writing their promotional jingle, Jake will be honored in January by STOP Burgers, a gourmet burger shop in Weston that features celebrity burgers.   Jake will be presented with his own celebrity burger design and naming rights as a sensational superstar rapper.

“Jake Miller is an exceptionally talented young man,” stated Jamie McDonnell, philanthropist, serial entrepreneur, and owner of STOP Burgers.  “A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each Jake Miller Burger will benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation.”

To learn more about Jake Miller and Jake Miller Music, visit http://jakemillermusic.com  To join Jake’s Facebook fan page, visit, https://www.facebook.com/jakemillermusicfans.

Paradise Bank presents the 2012 Charity Billfish Blast

Plans are underway for the most rewarding weekend of the year, the 2012 Charity Billfish Blast to benefit the Twin Palms Center for the Disabled in Boca Raton.

Presented by Paradise Bank and Mahogany Services Inc, the weekend of fishing, food, fun, and excitement is planned for February 10^th and 11th at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo.

Lots of great prizes will be awarded to top anglers in several divisions.  Great entertainment, auction items, and raffle prizes will be provided.

Proceeds from this special weekend will benefit a very worthy group of individuals at the Twin Palms Center for the Disabled located in Boca Raton. 

The mission of the Twin Palms Center for the Disabled is to improve the quality of life for individuals diagnosed with developmental challenges. They dedicate their program to educating our community on the talents and abilities that these individuals possess.

With a stated goal to encourage individual growth and development by teaching social, academic and daily living skills in a safe and supportive environment, they accomplish this objective while treating individuals with the dignity and respect that they seek and deserve.

“Paradise Bank is committed to charitable works within the community,” stated Bill Burke, President of Paradise Bank.  “We are very proud to be part of the Charity Billfish Blast and the Twin Palms Center for the Disabled.”

Sponsorship opportunities are available at all levels.  For more information about the Twin Palms Center for the Disabled, please visit www.twinpalmscenter.com.

For more information about the 2012 Charity Billfish Blast, please contact Lisa Mundell at (561) 392-5444 or by e-mail at lmundell@paradisebank.com.

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Boca Raton Society for the Disabled, a 501(C)(3) Corporation d/b/a Twin Palms Center for the Disabled, was founded in 1968 by members of Soroptimist International of Boca Raton/Deerfield Beach and parents.  They saw the need for a structured environment for their adult children diagnosed with developmental disabilities who had nowhere to go for socialization and on-going education once they outgrew the public school system.

Paradise Bank is a full service commercial bank with offices in Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale and Delray Beach, Fl. For additional information contact Bill Burke, President, at 561-392-5444 or visit http://www.paradisebank.com.

The Credit Report with Bill Lewis: Week of December 26th

Interesting guests and timely topics will be on AM 740 WSBR the week of December 26th and The Credit Report with Bill Lewis.

After seven plus years on AM talk radio in South Florida, Bill Lewis will discuss his long anticipated move from morning drive time on AM 1470 WWNN to evening drive time on Money Talk Radio, AM 740 WSBR.

Former prosecutor and Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorney Jim Lewis will appear and discuss his candidacy for Broward State Attorney as the only Republican for this countywide office in 2012.

Chairman Richard Denapoli of the Broward Republican Party will appear and discuss the continuing commitment of the Broward Republican Executive Committee to ensure success in the 2012 presidential election.

Former Plantation Councilman and current Republican Party of Broward County Executive Director Rico Petrocelli will appear and discuss initiatives to expand party membership.

Bill Burke of Paradise Bank will appear and discuss how his three branch bank reached a significant milestone in its six year history by becoming the top Small Business Administration (SBA) community bank lender in the state of Florida.

Davie Mayoral candidate Mike Crowley will appear and discuss his candidacy for mayor and his plan to create jobs by attracting high-technology business to the town.

Foreclosure defense attorney Carlos Reyes will appear and discuss the latest developments in the Florida Supreme Court case of Roman Pino versus Bank of New York.  Despite a voluntary dismissal by Pino in a foreclosure fraud matter, the Court found that the case is a “matter of great public importance” and will proceed on behalf of all Floridians.

Tom Lauder of Red Broward will appear and discuss his political blog where “Making Broward See Red” is not such a hard job.

Fort Lauderdale philanthropist and serial entrepreneur Jamie McDonnell will appear and discuss his latest celebrity STOP Burger – the Jake Miller Burger.  Jake is a singer, rapper, musician and songwriter who has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the music industry. Jake Miller Music distributed a few homemade music videos on YouTube late 2010, and attracted the attention of music business insiders.

Criminal defense attorney John Contini will appear and discuss the importance of proper representation before the court in matters of post conviction relief and criminal history records expunction.

Barry Epstein will appear and discuss his Internet television show “Barry Epstein Live” airing Friday’s at 10 a.m. at http://www.wrpbitv.com.

The Credit Report with Bill Lewis airs live, Monday through Friday from 6pm-7pm with an encore presentation Saturday’s at 3pm on AM 740 WSBR.  Streaming audio is available at www.wsbrradio.com and on air participation is welcome at (888) 721-0074.

If you miss the early broadcast, The Credit Report with Bill Lewis is still available weeknights at 9pm and Sunday’s at 1pm on AM 1470 WWNN by streaming audio at www.wwnnradio.com.

For daily updates on The Credit Report with Bill Lewis, you can join Bill’s 18,550 plus fans on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/thecreditreportwithbilllewis.

The Credit Report with Bill Lewis: Week of December 19th

Interesting guests and timely topics will be on AM 740 WSBR the week of December 19th and The Credit Report with Bill Lewis.

After seven plus years on AM talk radio in South Florida, Bill Lewis will discuss his long anticipated move from morning drive time on AM 1470 WWNN to evening drive time on Money Talk Radio, AM 740 WSBR.

Former Plantation Councilman and current Republican Party of Broward County Executive Director Rico Petrocelli will appear and discuss initiatives to expand party membership. 

Bill Burke of Paradise Bank will appear and discuss how his three branch bank reached a significant milestone in its six year history by becoming the top Small Business Administration (SBA) community bank lender in the state of Florida.

Davie Mayoral candidate Mike Crowley will appear and discuss his candidacy for mayor and his plan to create jobs by attracting high-technology business to the town.

Foreclosure defense attorney Carlos Reyes will appear and discuss the latest developments in the Florida Supreme Court case of Roman Pino versus Bank of New York.  Despite a voluntary dismissal by Pino in a foreclosure fraud matter, the Court found that the case is a “matter of great public importance” and will proceed on behalf of all Floridians.

Tom Lauder of Red Broward will appear and discuss his political blog where “Making Broward See Red” is not such a hard job.

Former prosecutor and Fort Lauderdale criminal defense attorney Jim Lewis will appear and discuss his candidacy for Broward State Attorney as the only Republican for this countywide office in 2012.

Chairman Richard Denapoli of the Broward Republican Party will appear and discuss the continuing commitment of the Broward Republican Executive Committee to ensure success in the 2012 presidential election.

Weston philanthropist and serial entrepreneur Jamie McDonnell will appear and discuss his latest business venture, LuckyFan, South Florida’s newest daily deal site that offers 50-90% off the best restaurants, spas, travel, products, services and entertainment.

Criminal defense attorney John Contini will appear and discuss the importance of proper representation before the court in matters of post conviction relief and criminal history records expunction.

Barry Epstein will appear and discuss his Internet television show “Barry Epstein Live” airing Friday’s at 10 a.m. at http://www.wrpbitv.com.

The Credit Report with Bill Lewis airs live, Monday through Friday from 6pm-7pm with an encore presentation Saturday’s at 3pm on AM 740 WSBR.  Streaming audio is available at www.wsbrradio.com and on air participation is welcome at (888) 721-0074.

If you miss the early broadcast, The Credit Report with Bill Lewis is still available weeknights at 9pm and Sunday’s at 1pm on AM 1470 WWNN by streaming audio at www.wwnnradio.com.

For daily updates on The Credit Report with Bill Lewis, you can join Bill’s 17,350 plus fans on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/thecreditreportwithbilllewis.