Friday, December 28, 2012
Four New Notary Laws To Watch
Four New Notary Laws To Watch: Public attention in 2012 focused heavily on what Notaries do and how they do it, largely in response to major fraud concerns. As a result, legislators in many states started taking a close look at Notary laws and procedures, and passed several new measures. Here’s a look four laws enacted in the past year that make significant changes to state Notary regulations.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Fun News When You Do Things Right
It is always wonderful when you can help others out -- Tonight just found out that I am in
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Nominations For The 2013 Notary of the Year Close December 31!
Nominations For The 2013 Notary of the Year Close December 31!: There are just a few weeks remaining to nominate a colleague (or yourself) for the 2013 Notary of the Year Honor. This tribute recognizes a Notary who demonstrates an exemplary level of professional conduct and ethics in serving and protecting the public.
If we at Dash Notary have step-up in your eyes, we would love your vote!
If we at Dash Notary have step-up in your eyes, we would love your vote!
Friday, November 16, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Mortgage Crisis Caused Shift in Public Opinion
Mortgage Crisis Caused Shift in Public Opinion: The “robo-signing” scandal, along with the resulting housing market crisis, caused a decline in public opinion towards the mortgage and banking industries. A recent survey by ID Analytics revealed that most of the blame for the 2008 economic disaster, and subsequent slow recovery, has been directed at the mortgage industry and the banks that packaged sub-standard loans and sold them to investors. (credit NNA)
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
HOW TO: Prevent and Report Online Stalking Mashable HOW TO: Prevent and Report Online Stalking | The top source for social and digital news
Being Stalking is becoming more and more common -- Please read on what you can do to prevent it!
David Perry is Global Director of Education for Trend Micro,
where he represents the company’s Internet security awareness endeavors
as a leading authority on computer virus prevention. For ongoing
updates on the latest threats, check out the Trend Micro microsite.
The social web is not just a model of our world, but an indelible and growing part of it. People correspond, they do business, and just like in the real world, they have addresses, and mailboxes. And in today’s pervasive and immersive online environment, it’s almost impossible to be completely anonymous.
The web gathers vast amounts of personal information that we willfully share online — our location, interests, purchases, friends, current activities, etc. Anyone tracking this information not only knows what we say, but in what location we say it, and to whom. This adds up to a large dossier of information on nearly every Internet user.
One issue that persists in a web-based world is online stalking (also referred to by some organizations as “cyber stalking”). An online stalker can easily hide behind Internet anonymity, or worse, behind someone else’s identity. Below is a quick guide to understanding online stalking and how to best prevent it from happening to you.
The real key to the prevention of online stalking is remembering that every post you put on a social network could potentially be public. Sophisticated search engines and malicious data-stealing Trojans can find and share any information about you, even on the most trusted and secure social networks. Compromised data could potentially be used by criminals to harass you, harm you personally, or steal your identity.
The best thing to do is to stay informed about the latest threats and which popular sites may have been recently hacked. Some important resources with quality information include:
Whether you want to protect information on your Facebook profile or in your Gmail account, there is security software that can help you do it. For example, you can install software that will warn you if any sensitive words or numbers (like phone numbers, addresses, dates of birth, passwords, etc.) are entered onto a web page. You should also be sure your private and financial data is only entered into websites that have proof of their security from companies like TRUSTe or VeriSign.
Because so much of our day-to-day communication is done on social networks (sharing on Facebook, job hunting on Craigslist), it may not always be clear when we encounter the issue of online stalking. You may think you’re overreacting, but if you’re feeling intimidated or insecure about a situation and you’re not sure what to do, here are some sources that may help you determine if you’re being stalked.
QuitStalkingMe.com
WiredSafety.org
State Cyberstalking Laws
ConnectSafely.org
Anyone who is being stalked or harassed online should not respond to the instigator. They should instead either report it to the online community where it’s happening (by flagging on social networks, reporting abusive links, etc.), or to other sites such as Cyber911 Emergency from Wired Safety, and Cyberstalking from The National Center for Victims of Crime.
Keep a record of the communications, and contact authorities if it becomes threatening in any way. People who are under the age of 18 should also alert their parents or an adult they trust to help them properly track the communications and contact authorities as appropriate.
Like bullying and harassment, stalking cannot be stopped by any technology. However, there are several ways to keep track of communications through IM, Twitter, Facebook, etc. The silver lining is that online stalking is probably easier to prosecute than physical stalking because the communications are usually traceable in some way.
David Perry is Global Director of Education for Trend Micro,
where he represents the company’s Internet security awareness endeavors
as a leading authority on computer virus prevention. For ongoing
updates on the latest threats, check out the Trend Micro microsite.The social web is not just a model of our world, but an indelible and growing part of it. People correspond, they do business, and just like in the real world, they have addresses, and mailboxes. And in today’s pervasive and immersive online environment, it’s almost impossible to be completely anonymous.
The web gathers vast amounts of personal information that we willfully share online — our location, interests, purchases, friends, current activities, etc. Anyone tracking this information not only knows what we say, but in what location we say it, and to whom. This adds up to a large dossier of information on nearly every Internet user.
One issue that persists in a web-based world is online stalking (also referred to by some organizations as “cyber stalking”). An online stalker can easily hide behind Internet anonymity, or worse, behind someone else’s identity. Below is a quick guide to understanding online stalking and how to best prevent it from happening to you.
1. Get the Facts
The real key to the prevention of online stalking is remembering that every post you put on a social network could potentially be public. Sophisticated search engines and malicious data-stealing Trojans can find and share any information about you, even on the most trusted and secure social networks. Compromised data could potentially be used by criminals to harass you, harm you personally, or steal your identity.
The best thing to do is to stay informed about the latest threats and which popular sites may have been recently hacked. Some important resources with quality information include:
- The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA)
- The Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Computers and Internet Privacy
2. Be Cautious
Whether you want to protect information on your Facebook profile or in your Gmail account, there is security software that can help you do it. For example, you can install software that will warn you if any sensitive words or numbers (like phone numbers, addresses, dates of birth, passwords, etc.) are entered onto a web page. You should also be sure your private and financial data is only entered into websites that have proof of their security from companies like TRUSTe or VeriSign.
Because so much of our day-to-day communication is done on social networks (sharing on Facebook, job hunting on Craigslist), it may not always be clear when we encounter the issue of online stalking. You may think you’re overreacting, but if you’re feeling intimidated or insecure about a situation and you’re not sure what to do, here are some sources that may help you determine if you’re being stalked.
3. Don’t Respond, Just Report
Anyone who is being stalked or harassed online should not respond to the instigator. They should instead either report it to the online community where it’s happening (by flagging on social networks, reporting abusive links, etc.), or to other sites such as Cyber911 Emergency from Wired Safety, and Cyberstalking from The National Center for Victims of Crime.
Keep a record of the communications, and contact authorities if it becomes threatening in any way. People who are under the age of 18 should also alert their parents or an adult they trust to help them properly track the communications and contact authorities as appropriate.
Like bullying and harassment, stalking cannot be stopped by any technology. However, there are several ways to keep track of communications through IM, Twitter, Facebook, etc. The silver lining is that online stalking is probably easier to prosecute than physical stalking because the communications are usually traceable in some way.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Life is like Coffee Movie
Life is like Coffee Movie: Do you know people that just seem to be happier in general? Do you say to yourself, "I want to be more like them"? Often, the happiest people in the world don't have the best of everything...they just make the best of everything!
Friday, November 2, 2012
Join With The National Notary Foundation To Help Sandy Victims
Join With The National Notary Foundation To Help Sandy Victims
Foundation Will Match All Contributions Dollar For Dollar
Please join with us in relief efforts for the areas hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy. Millions of people on the East Coast have been impacted by this catastrophe which destroyed entire neighborhoods by wind, flooding and fire. The NNF will match all contributions dollar for dollar to help those who lost loved ones, their homes or their livelihoods during this unprecedented natural disaster.
Foundation Will Match All Contributions Dollar For Dollar
Please join with us in relief efforts for the areas hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy. Millions of people on the East Coast have been impacted by this catastrophe which destroyed entire neighborhoods by wind, flooding and fire. The NNF will match all contributions dollar for dollar to help those who lost loved ones, their homes or their livelihoods during this unprecedented natural disaster.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Can you close your home anywhere? TX VS IL this time
Hi Tonie, I have a remote closing question for you. The customer's are buying a home in Illinois and selling their home in Plano. Customer's wants to close both loans in Texas. I am getting push-back from real estate attorney in Ill. He states that "The transaction will need to take place in Illinois. We are an attorney state where both attorneys need to be present at closing."
Does that sound right to you?
My short reply:
Nope not correct -- both homes can be closed here in Texas since IL is NOT Attorney State... Keep the questions coming
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Revised Laws Provide Better Protection for Estate and Financial Planning
Revised Laws Provide Better Protection for Estate and Financial Planning: An alarming increase in financial manipulation and abuse of the elderly has inspired many states to tighten their laws pertaining to estate and financial planning, and Notaries Public play an important role in the prevention process, specifically in reference to the execution of durable power of attorney documents.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Take Advantage of Private Notary Public Services
Take Advantage of Private Notary Public Services: Greyhound Legal’s offer full investigations, skip-tracing, stakeouts and courier services locally while setting the standard for exemplary service Nationwide
Texas Absentee Ballot Guide | Long Distance Voter - The Absentee Ballot Experts
Military and Overseas voters should visit FVAP.gov. Long Distance Voter's forms and information should only be used by voters with US mailing addresses.
Important Deadlines
- Voter Registration Form: Postmarked on or before October 9, 2012
- Absentee Ballot Application: Received by close of business on October 30, 2012
- Voted Absentee Ballot: Received by 7:00 pm on Election Day
Texas Absentee Ballot Guide | Long Distance Voter - The Absentee Ballot Experts
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Can you do Medallion services as a Notary Public?
This question came up today from a friend of mine....
Have I done them in the past when I worked for a bank yes Shelly --- now-a-days as a notary here is the proper response:
The answer is a “medallion signature guarantee,” a special signature guarantee required for the sale or transfer of securities (a type of negotiable instrument). This service is provided only by banks or other financial institutions that have been certified to issue medallion signature guarantees. Sale or transfer of securities instruments requires the holder’s signature. By issuing a medallion signature guarantee, the selling or transferring financial institution guarantees that the signature is genuine, and accepts liability for signature forgery. This differs significantly from a notary’s purpose in performing an acknowledgment or oath/affirmation notarial act.
In short, a medallion signature guarantee is the issuing financial institution’s certification that a signature related to sale or transfer of securities is authentic. Medallion signature guarantees have a completely different purpose from notarization, should not be confused with notarization, and ***cannot be performed by a notary unless he/she is a certified participant in a financial institution’s medallion signature guarantee program.***
Any requests for a “medallion signature notary” or “golden medallion notarization” or similar should be referred to a bank. The requester may contact any local bank and ask if the bank can issue a “medallion signature guarantee.” Warmly, Tonie
Have I done them in the past when I worked for a bank yes Shelly --- now-a-days as a notary here is the proper response:
The answer is a “medallion signature guarantee,” a special signature guarantee required for the sale or transfer of securities (a type of negotiable instrument). This service is provided only by banks or other financial institutions that have been certified to issue medallion signature guarantees. Sale or transfer of securities instruments requires the holder’s signature. By issuing a medallion signature guarantee, the selling or transferring financial institution guarantees that the signature is genuine, and accepts liability for signature forgery. This differs significantly from a notary’s purpose in performing an acknowledgment or oath/affirmation notarial act.
In short, a medallion signature guarantee is the issuing financial institution’s certification that a signature related to sale or transfer of securities is authentic. Medallion signature guarantees have a completely different purpose from notarization, should not be confused with notarization, and ***cannot be performed by a notary unless he/she is a certified participant in a financial institution’s medallion signature guarantee program.***
Any requests for a “medallion signature notary” or “golden medallion notarization” or similar should be referred to a bank. The requester may contact any local bank and ask if the bank can issue a “medallion signature guarantee.” Warmly, Tonie
Monday, October 1, 2012
Our Qtrly Dash Notary Online Scavenger Hunt Winner
Every Qtr Dash Notary host an Online Scavenger Hunt where folks search the description for the hint then go on www.dashnotary.com to "hunt" for the 1 x 1 inch photo that is the item. Then they submit the Contact Me form with the proper item and where it is at. It is a 1 - 25 chance to win $100.00 Visa Gift Card. Please be on the look out for our next contest. Warmly, Tonie Boaman, 24 hour traveling notary public
Monday, September 24, 2012
Texas I-9 Confusion
Many Texas Notaries a few years ago quit doing I-9 Forms because of the liability & the laws are somewhat confusing regarding government I-9 forms. So, after much conversation with the Texas Secretary of State directly here is the low down:
Some states might authorize their notaries to complete and attest to an I-9 form on behalf of an employer, but Texas notaries are not authorized to do so.
According to information I found in the USCIS Handbook for Employers (http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/m-274.pdf), an employer’s “designated agent” can complete the I-9 form on behalf of the employer. The handbook states, with regard to certification of Section 2 of the form, “If a designated agent or notary public completes this section, he or she must provide the employer’s name and address under his or her signature.”
So, an employer could designate an agent to complete the form. A Texas notary has no independent authority to complete the form. If you are a notary, and an employer designates you as its agent to complete the form, then you could complete the form as a designated agent. You could not put your notary stamp on it or otherwise suggest that you completed it in your capacity as a Texas notary.
So what this means in the end you are NOT allowed to put your notary stamp on any I-9 form but you can complete it as an designated agent.
Some states might authorize their notaries to complete and attest to an I-9 form on behalf of an employer, but Texas notaries are not authorized to do so.
According to information I found in the USCIS Handbook for Employers (http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/m-274.pdf), an employer’s “designated agent” can complete the I-9 form on behalf of the employer. The handbook states, with regard to certification of Section 2 of the form, “If a designated agent or notary public completes this section, he or she must provide the employer’s name and address under his or her signature.”
So, an employer could designate an agent to complete the form. A Texas notary has no independent authority to complete the form. If you are a notary, and an employer designates you as its agent to complete the form, then you could complete the form as a designated agent. You could not put your notary stamp on it or otherwise suggest that you completed it in your capacity as a Texas notary.
So what this means in the end you are NOT allowed to put your notary stamp on any I-9 form but you can complete it as an designated agent.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
A Touching Tribute to September 11, 2001 | Be A Hero-Hire A Hero
A truly a Touching tribute which we wanted to share – thank you Carl Savino for posting
Monday, September 10, 2012
Voter ID Law Could Prompt Thousands To Seek Notarization
Voter ID Law Could Prompt Thousands To Seek Notarization: Thirty states now require voters to present some form of identification at the polls, but Pennsylvania’s new law could send thousands of people to Notaries before casting their ballots. Pennsylvania’s law, which recently survived a court challenge, requires voters to present an official photograph ID such as a driver’s license, passport, ID card from a private or public university, or identification issued by a state care facility.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Falling asleep at a signing « Notary Blog – Signing Tips, Marketing Tips, General Notary Advice – 123notary.com
Falling asleep at a signing « Notary Blog – Signing Tips, Marketing Tips, General Notary Advice – 123notary.com
Funny thing is I also had something similar happen! At least he was able to verify that he was cognitive.
Funny thing is I also had something similar happen! At least he was able to verify that he was cognitive.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Courts Invalidate Mechanics Liens Executed With Acknowledgments Vs. Jurats
Courts Invalidate Mechanics Liens Executed With Acknowledgments Vs. Jurats: Just about everywhere you look notarized documents are being challenged. Most recently, courts in two states invalidated mechanics liens against commercial properties because they were improperly notarized using an acknowledgment instead of a jurat, which requires the signer to give an oath or affirmation attesting to the truthfulness of the document.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
The Colony cracks down on West Nile virus myths
How worried are you about the West Nile Virus? What personal changes have you done? For our family we are not walking at 5am anymore etc. Do you have a bad reaction to most of the anti-mosquitoes medicines out on the market or worried they might cause cancer....
Our family has bad reactions to these types of medicines and wonders what else we can do to protect ourselves even more. Then you add in the fact that I alone average over 700+ miles a week driving to various places not knowing the care they are taking to maintain the facility's. (homes, work places, businesses)
Below is a recent post by WFAA Steve Stoler E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com
http://www.wfaa.com/news/health/True-or-false--Myths-about-West-Nile-Virus-162153955.html
Our family has bad reactions to these types of medicines and wonders what else we can do to protect ourselves even more. Then you add in the fact that I alone average over 700+ miles a week driving to various places not knowing the care they are taking to maintain the facility's. (homes, work places, businesses)
Below is a recent post by WFAA Steve Stoler E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com
http://www.wfaa.com/news/health/True-or-false--Myths-about-West-Nile-Virus-162153955.html
Monday, August 20, 2012
Dash Notary Online Scavenger Hunt ends 9/29 & 1 in 25 chance to win!
 |
| Dash Notary's Online Scavenger Hunt Rules |
HP Officejet Pro 8600 e-All-in-One CM749A#B1H (Google Affiliate Ad)Hammermill - Copy Plus Copy Paper, 20lb, 92 Bright, 8-1/2 x 11" - (Google Affiliate Ad)
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Power of Attorney and Verifying Capacity « Notary Blog – Signing Tips, Marketing Tips, General Notary Advice – 123notary.com
Power of Attorney and Verifying Capacity « Notary Blog – Signing Tips, Marketing Tips, General Notary Advice – 123notary.com
Great Discussion going on about PoA's and Notaries verifying Capacity or not ...
Great Discussion going on about PoA's and Notaries verifying Capacity or not ...
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Notary Summer Games: The Torch Is Lit, Games To Begin On Facebook On 7/30
Notary Summer Games: The Torch Is Lit, Games To Begin On Facebook On 7/30: In recognition of the 27th Summer Olympics in London, the National Notary Association will host its own Notary Summer Games beginning Monday, July 30. Each business day, a question involving some issue in notarial history, i.e. individuals who have made an impact, regulations, duties, signings and more will be featured on the NNA's Facebook page.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Texas Enacts Expansive New Health Privacy Law
Last month, Texas Governor Rick Perry signed a health privacy bill
into law that imposes new obligations exceeding the requirements in the
HIPAA Privacy Rule. The law, which will become effective on September
1, 2012, incorporates the expanded definition of the term “covered
entity” in Texas’s existing health privacy law and could have a broad
impact on many non-HIPAA covered entities.
Under the Texas law, the term “covered entity” includes any entity that engages in “assembling, collecting, analyzing, using, evaluating, storing, or transmitting protected health information,” as well as any entity that “comes into possession of” or “obtains or stores” protected health information (“PHI”). Notably, the new Texas health privacy law:
Under the Texas law, the term “covered entity” includes any entity that engages in “assembling, collecting, analyzing, using, evaluating, storing, or transmitting protected health information,” as well as any entity that “comes into possession of” or “obtains or stores” protected health information (“PHI”). Notably, the new Texas health privacy law:
- Requires all employees of covered entities to undergo training on HIPAA and Texas’ health privacy law within 60 days of hiring (and at least once every 2 years);
- Bans the disclosure of PHI for remuneration, except that covered entities may disclose PHI to other covered entities for treatment, payment, health care operations, insurance or HMO functions, or as authorized or required by federal or state law;
- Requires covered entities to provide notice to individuals that their PHI is subject to electronic disclosure and obtain authorization for any electronic disclosure of PHI (apart from disclosures of PHI to other covered entities for treatment, payment, health care operations, insurance or HMO functions, or as authorized or required by federal or state law);
- Mandates that health care providers provide individuals with access to their PHI within 15 days of their request;
- Authorizes the Texas Attorney General, Texas Health Services Authority or Texas Department of Insurance to conduct compliance audits of covered entities that have consistently violated the Texas law; and
- Obligates the Texas Health Services Authority to develop privacy and security standards for the electronic sharing of PHI.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Saturday, July 7, 2012
New Virginia Law Prompts Worlds First Online Legal Notarization
New Virginia Law Prompts World's First Online Legal Notarization: For the first time in U.S legal history, an online notarization has taken place online. A signer located in Los Angeles, California personally appeared before a notary located in Richmond, Virginia using audio-video conference technology under the authority of a Virginia law that went into effect today.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Why use Dash Notary? From Julia Kappel, RE Investor
Had Tonie not asked the questions she did, in the way that she did, I would not have known about these issues. Tonie's former real estate experience and her ability to understand the ramifications of what was being said by the listing agent and the seller in casual conversation led her to step up and refuse to notarize any documents until these issues could be resolved. Had she not been willing to do that, I may have completed the transaction and later lost the house in a legal battle. I can't say enough about how impressed I was with Tonie's professionalism and skills and how much I appreciate her saving my bacon! I'll be using her services much more in the future!
Bush Vantage Collection Corner Desk, Harvest Cherry
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Deals For Everyone in US
One of my favorite new deals is this one: $49 for a Two-Night Hotel Stay for Four (40+ Cities) and $50 Restaurant.com Gift Certificate! http://tonie.moolala.com/deals/deal/QT4G443/vacation-getaway-destinations/?pid=YFJT451&cid=Q5DWAX9
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Three Flawed Notary Practices That Put You At Risk
Flawed Notary practices can put you at serious risk. No matter how
urgently a document needs to be notarized, or how demanding a client or
employer is, violating the essential rules of notarization leaves you
exposed to lawsuits. Here are three of the most egregious practices to
avoid:
Notarizing without the signer being present. Notarizing without the signer being present is prohibited in all U.S. states and territories. Any request to notarize a signature where the signer isn’t present to verify his or her wishes is an open invitation to fraud — and leaves the Notary to bear full responsibility against allegations of negligence resulting from the signer’s absence.
Failure to identify a signer. Every signer must be identified by the Notary according to statutory rules. A signer lacking satisfactory evidence of identity is not safe to notarize for — without satisfactory evidence of identity, the Notary has no way of knowing whether the signer is an impostor posing as the person named in the document.
Allowing someone else to use your seal. The Notary’s seal must remain under the Notary’s control at all times, and only the Notary is authorized to affix the seal impression to certificate wording. Allowing an unauthorized person to use your seal is against the law and enables falsification of documents — but if your seal was utilized, you can still be held responsible for any problems resulting from letting another person use the seal.
http://www.nationalnotary.org/Media/notary_news/three_flawed_notary_practices_that_put_you_at_risk.html
Remember it is illegal to do webcam notarization for over 28+ states already with more ligation & laws being put into effect everyday that passes.
Notarizing without the signer being present. Notarizing without the signer being present is prohibited in all U.S. states and territories. Any request to notarize a signature where the signer isn’t present to verify his or her wishes is an open invitation to fraud — and leaves the Notary to bear full responsibility against allegations of negligence resulting from the signer’s absence.
Failure to identify a signer. Every signer must be identified by the Notary according to statutory rules. A signer lacking satisfactory evidence of identity is not safe to notarize for — without satisfactory evidence of identity, the Notary has no way of knowing whether the signer is an impostor posing as the person named in the document.
Allowing someone else to use your seal. The Notary’s seal must remain under the Notary’s control at all times, and only the Notary is authorized to affix the seal impression to certificate wording. Allowing an unauthorized person to use your seal is against the law and enables falsification of documents — but if your seal was utilized, you can still be held responsible for any problems resulting from letting another person use the seal.
http://www.nationalnotary.org/Media/notary_news/three_flawed_notary_practices_that_put_you_at_risk.html
Remember it is illegal to do webcam notarization for over 28+ states already with more ligation & laws being put into effect everyday that passes.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
(Reuters) - Nearly 12 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2011, an increase of 13 percent over 2010
Another headline other day:
(Android Security issues) 5 million of Android devices got infected by virus, security giant Symantec says.
The above has been a well known issue with androids since the release.... with so much ID theft via phones why are folks not paying attention?
Here are a few tips:
From Javelin to avoid becoming an identity fraud victim and mitigating losses:
-
Password protect your home and mobile devices. Avoid exposing personal
information that can be used by someone else for identity verification.
- Be careful about the apps you download. Only download through a service that monitors the apps, such as iTunes.
- Share information carefully when you are on a public wifi network.
-
Monitor your credit cards by checking their use online or reading the
statements carefully. Quickly report to your credit card issuer if you
see any suspicious transactions.
-
Take data breach notifications seriously. If your data has been
accessed, consider subscribing to a credit-monitoring service, which is
often is offered for free for a year by the company that had been
breached.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~and more Tips from me:
1. Lock your screen with a pin code or password. While this seems simple, anything that provides an extra layer of difficulty for an untrustworthy user is beneficial.
2. Install and enable remote services. All major smartphone operating systems (Blackberry, iOS, Android, Windows Mobile) can be enabled with some or all of these features: remote lock, remote wipe, and even GPS location (for finding where your phone went) are available in many cases. This goes hand in hand with No. 3.
3. Back up your data. Either through a product that offers this functionality, or simply by copying your documents, pictures and info to your computer. This can save you in the event of a lost, stolen, destroyed, or otherwise non-functioning phone.
4. Use encryption where available. Though not offered on every platform, if you can use it, you should. Even in cases where you lock your phone, the data on your device storage can, in some cases, be accessible unless it is encrypted. This includes external memory cards, such as SD cards, installed in the device as well.
5. Use Antivirus. The mobile malware landscape is developing more quickly now than ever before, due to increased reliance on smartphones for everyday tasks such as banking, paying bills, and managing finances. As a direct result, malware writers will likely show an ever increasing interest in gaining access to your money.
Friday, January 27, 2012
The Importance Of Character....
In Leadership From The Inside Out, the late Kevin Cashman makes a powerful distinction between character, the essence of who we are, and persona, the external personality we have created to cope with our everyday life. A leader who leads through character is guided by authenticity, while the one who leads from persona is guided by image.
The former has trust and compassion as foremost guiding principles, while the latter is concerned about fear and self-interest. The leader who leads through character is focused on creating value and contribution rather than winning at all costs. Such a leader values openness and inclusion, shunning control and exclusion, the hallmarks of the leader who is driven by image.
Here are a few tips to inspire you in your leadership journey:
1. Make values actionable
Living your values every day is an important aspect of character in action. Companies go through considerable expense having consultants craft value statements that, unfortunately, end up being nothing more than motherhood statements hanging on the wall in the reception lobby. Prevent this from happening by making values actionable. “We value open communication” is vague and left to interpretation. Consider what happens if you clarify this by adding: “There are no sacred cows in this team.”
2. Be known as a promise-keeper
In The Leadership Challenge, authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner consider “Model the Way” through personal example and dedicated execution, as a foundational practice for admirable leaders. One way to put this into action is to keep your promises, to do what you say you will do. No matter how small the promise is, no matter who the promise is made to, strive to keep your word. While events may well prevent us from honoring commitments we made, don’t let a commitment slip by without getting back to people to let them know why you can’t fulfill your promise. Resolve to handle your word as precious currency and watch how your value rises in everyone’s eyes.
3. Don’t take shortcuts in quality
As Henry Ford put it: “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.” Do you preach to your team that quality is an important value, yet when there is a crisis, you find yourself telling people to take shortcuts at the expense of quality in order to get the order out the door? Every time you do this, it erodes your authenticity in the eyes of your constituents. Eventually, when you speak about quality, they will discount it as lip service.
4. Be consistent in your dealings with others
Do you treat some people in your organization or team better than you treat others? For example, do you unwittingly complain about a member of your team to other team members? While we can easily slip into such behavior, especially when we are tired and frustrated by the day’s events, consider that this chips away at your integrity as a leader.
5. Audit your decisions
At the end of every week, get in the habit of going over each decision you made. Did your focus on the bottom line cause you to forget the impact on some people? Did your biases affect the objectivity of your actions? Are you proud? Do your actions reflect positively on you as a person of character? What could you have done better? Every action we take, no matter how small, has our character stamp on it.
According to Biology Letters’ “Cues of being watched enhance cooperation in a real-world setting,” one of the reasons we are more civilized when we know we are being watched is due to concerns about our reputation. Reputation is the quality or character that other people attribute to us; it’s the surface layer. It’s our carefully crafted profile on Facebook; it’s the multitude of recommendations that are posted on our LinkedIn profile.
Character, on the other hand, is what is deep inside us; it’s who we are on a daily basis, when things go well and when things go wrong. It’s who we are in the boardroom as well as in our living room. We have reason to be proud when both reputation and character are a mirror image of each other. Abraham Lincoln put it this way: “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” Bruna Martinuzzi President, Clarion Enterprises Ltd
_____________________________________________________________________
My whole point in posting this was to make folks think about who they are recommending and why? Is it someone or company with Character and Integrity? or is it someone you just met and liked but have no real knowledge of their company or character.
So many times in life we pass the day away with no real thought other than to make sure everything is taken care. No thought of how we are affecting others with our decisions.....
Let's start the new year with a bolder vision of who we truly are both in the professional and personal venue. By bolder vision, I meant take your expectations of 2012 and go ahead and increase it by 10%. Sit down and find out why you hamper yourself with the constraints we put on ourselves everyday because we do not have this or that. If we put away the negative thinking and do a weekly "Character" check of our decisions I truly feel 10% is a no-brainer to achieve in a yearly basis.
Tonie Boaman, Dash Notary
The former has trust and compassion as foremost guiding principles, while the latter is concerned about fear and self-interest. The leader who leads through character is focused on creating value and contribution rather than winning at all costs. Such a leader values openness and inclusion, shunning control and exclusion, the hallmarks of the leader who is driven by image.
Here are a few tips to inspire you in your leadership journey:
1. Make values actionable
Living your values every day is an important aspect of character in action. Companies go through considerable expense having consultants craft value statements that, unfortunately, end up being nothing more than motherhood statements hanging on the wall in the reception lobby. Prevent this from happening by making values actionable. “We value open communication” is vague and left to interpretation. Consider what happens if you clarify this by adding: “There are no sacred cows in this team.”
2. Be known as a promise-keeper
In The Leadership Challenge, authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner consider “Model the Way” through personal example and dedicated execution, as a foundational practice for admirable leaders. One way to put this into action is to keep your promises, to do what you say you will do. No matter how small the promise is, no matter who the promise is made to, strive to keep your word. While events may well prevent us from honoring commitments we made, don’t let a commitment slip by without getting back to people to let them know why you can’t fulfill your promise. Resolve to handle your word as precious currency and watch how your value rises in everyone’s eyes.
3. Don’t take shortcuts in quality
As Henry Ford put it: “Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.” Do you preach to your team that quality is an important value, yet when there is a crisis, you find yourself telling people to take shortcuts at the expense of quality in order to get the order out the door? Every time you do this, it erodes your authenticity in the eyes of your constituents. Eventually, when you speak about quality, they will discount it as lip service.
4. Be consistent in your dealings with others
Do you treat some people in your organization or team better than you treat others? For example, do you unwittingly complain about a member of your team to other team members? While we can easily slip into such behavior, especially when we are tired and frustrated by the day’s events, consider that this chips away at your integrity as a leader.
5. Audit your decisions
At the end of every week, get in the habit of going over each decision you made. Did your focus on the bottom line cause you to forget the impact on some people? Did your biases affect the objectivity of your actions? Are you proud? Do your actions reflect positively on you as a person of character? What could you have done better? Every action we take, no matter how small, has our character stamp on it.
According to Biology Letters’ “Cues of being watched enhance cooperation in a real-world setting,” one of the reasons we are more civilized when we know we are being watched is due to concerns about our reputation. Reputation is the quality or character that other people attribute to us; it’s the surface layer. It’s our carefully crafted profile on Facebook; it’s the multitude of recommendations that are posted on our LinkedIn profile.
Character, on the other hand, is what is deep inside us; it’s who we are on a daily basis, when things go well and when things go wrong. It’s who we are in the boardroom as well as in our living room. We have reason to be proud when both reputation and character are a mirror image of each other. Abraham Lincoln put it this way: “Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” Bruna Martinuzzi President, Clarion Enterprises Ltd
_____________________________________________________________________
My whole point in posting this was to make folks think about who they are recommending and why? Is it someone or company with Character and Integrity? or is it someone you just met and liked but have no real knowledge of their company or character.
So many times in life we pass the day away with no real thought other than to make sure everything is taken care. No thought of how we are affecting others with our decisions.....
Let's start the new year with a bolder vision of who we truly are both in the professional and personal venue. By bolder vision, I meant take your expectations of 2012 and go ahead and increase it by 10%. Sit down and find out why you hamper yourself with the constraints we put on ourselves everyday because we do not have this or that. If we put away the negative thinking and do a weekly "Character" check of our decisions I truly feel 10% is a no-brainer to achieve in a yearly basis.
Tonie Boaman, Dash Notary
Monday, January 9, 2012
Are we TRULY open 24 hours 365 days a year?
yes, Dash Notary is truly 24 hours and 365 days a year. I went back over our records and see that we did over 90 signings of various types between the hours of 10pm and 6am for the year of 2011. So overall is it tons of signings? No, but we get more clients from those same signing because of the referrals. The clients that truly need our services are more than willing to help you out by reusing and referring more than the "standard hour" clients. They truly value the service(s) that we provide.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
5 Reasons You Need a Will:
1. Support your loved ones financially
If you own property and have investments and retirement accounts, a will can help you organize these assets and divide them among your family and friends. The mere fact of having a will and appointing an estate administrator can ensure that your assets go to where they are needed as quickly as possible. Plus, even if you don't have many assets to pass on, creating a will can save your family the costs of estate administration down the road.
2. Take care of your children when you're gone While wills are most often associated with money, what makes them truly valuable is their ability to help you care for your family. If you have children or are the main caretaker of an elderly or sick relative, you'll want to make sure that they are taken care of by someone you approve of after you are gone. You can use a will to name a guardian for your children or other dependents, someone who shares your values and concerns for your loved ones. Without a will, or even without such a provision in your will, your children could become wards of the state.
3. Make your wishes and preferences known If you have something specific in mind for your memorial service, are particularly attached to a certain charity, or have a certain family heirloom that you'd like to set aside for one of your relatives, make these known in your will. Unless you write down your wishes, your family may not be able to carry them out, either because they have no way of knowing what it is you wanted, or there is disagreement among them. By setting down your preferences, you'll ease the stress on your loved ones who are left to handle your affairs, since they can always look to the provisions of your will for guidance.
4. Plan for your family's particular dynamic, not just your state's laws In this day and age, many individuals have children or assets from different marriages. If you don't create a will before you die, your state's laws may leave everything to your spouse or to your next of kin. If you would like to spread your property differently, you'll need to make a will that specifically addresses your situation. Because these circumstances change throughout your life, it's important to revise your will after any major life events, such as marriages, divorces, childbirth or adoptions, retirement, or even death of a relative.
5. Peace of mind There's no reason not to make a will - it helps your family emotionally and financially, it's one of the most straightforward estate planning documents you can create, and for the next month, it's free if you create your will online with Rocket Lawyer!
*I always advise the use of an attorney with any legal documents you may not fully understand.
2. Take care of your children when you're gone While wills are most often associated with money, what makes them truly valuable is their ability to help you care for your family. If you have children or are the main caretaker of an elderly or sick relative, you'll want to make sure that they are taken care of by someone you approve of after you are gone. You can use a will to name a guardian for your children or other dependents, someone who shares your values and concerns for your loved ones. Without a will, or even without such a provision in your will, your children could become wards of the state.
3. Make your wishes and preferences known If you have something specific in mind for your memorial service, are particularly attached to a certain charity, or have a certain family heirloom that you'd like to set aside for one of your relatives, make these known in your will. Unless you write down your wishes, your family may not be able to carry them out, either because they have no way of knowing what it is you wanted, or there is disagreement among them. By setting down your preferences, you'll ease the stress on your loved ones who are left to handle your affairs, since they can always look to the provisions of your will for guidance.
4. Plan for your family's particular dynamic, not just your state's laws In this day and age, many individuals have children or assets from different marriages. If you don't create a will before you die, your state's laws may leave everything to your spouse or to your next of kin. If you would like to spread your property differently, you'll need to make a will that specifically addresses your situation. Because these circumstances change throughout your life, it's important to revise your will after any major life events, such as marriages, divorces, childbirth or adoptions, retirement, or even death of a relative.
5. Peace of mind There's no reason not to make a will - it helps your family emotionally and financially, it's one of the most straightforward estate planning documents you can create, and for the next month, it's free if you create your will online with Rocket Lawyer!
*I always advise the use of an attorney with any legal documents you may not fully understand.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)