Let's Play Some Poker

Once again, registration is open for a fantastic tournament

It's been a while, but I just wanted to pop this notification in

I have registered to play in the PokerStars World Blogger Championship of Online Poker! This PokerStars tournament is a No Limit Texas Hold’em event exclusive to Bloggers, you too can take part by registering on WBCOOP

Registration code: 878985

Do You Have More Than $100K in Indy Mac?

Over the weekend there was some pretty disturbing news in the Banking/Financial industry. A very large bank, Indy Mac was deemed undercapitalized which resulted in the FDIC coming in to take over the bank. Many of us are of the mindset, "So what, my money is in ABC Bank." Well, think about it the way I do. If one is deemed insolvent and must be taken over, there may be consumer/depositor sentiment that causes a run on the deposits of highly capitalized banks. You may look at face value in NY and say, ABC Bank is secure. Riddle me this, if there are 50 states in the USA and the run on Indy Mac took place 3,000 miles away, why were the ramifications felt here in NY on Wall Street? Think big picture ladies and gents. Remember the S & L debacle of 20 years ago? Not all S & L's were insolvent and entangled in shady business deals, offshore shelters or off balance sheet agreements. Most were doing rather well financially, but UH-OH, one went under and the financial stampede/domino effect began. Everyone started to demand that their money be forked over, no matter the relative strength of the institution. (All of this is just my opinion, but I am opinionated after all…) If the same occurs at more of our financial institutions, where will YOUR financial balance be? Will you be smart enough to unravel the FDIC rules on deposit insurance? Have you sheltered your accounts with 100K thresholds? Are you insured supplementally by the financial institutions brokerage agreements? Don't get me wrong, I'm just throwing the information out into the arena.

What I WILL do however, is put this information in your hands. If you need an attorney for on-going consultation, assistance in restructuring your accounts, explanation of the FDIC insurance law, information on how brokerage contracts provide additional protection, where to get your brokerage contracts and account contracts interpreted, take a look at this service Prepaid Legal Services Inc.

In order to be totally transparent, I am a member of this service and I am also an associate that markets this protection. I am only placing the information in your hands, what you do with it is totally up to you and your personal situation. However, I would like to leave you with this thought:

You have medical insurance IN CASE you are taken to the hospital

You have auto insurance IN CASE you have an accident

You have life insurance IN CASE you pass away

You have dental insurance IN CASE you have a cavity

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO COVER YOUR LEGAL ISSUES like FDIC Insurance and what it covers?

Take Care and Be Safe

William D. Calloway Jr., CITRMS

New Laws Affecting YOUR Business!!

Small Business Owners -
New Laws Affecting YOUR Business!!
I went down to the local automotive repair place in my neighborhood and had the fortune to speak to the owner rather off-handedly about some things taking place in the small business market and found her (YES HER!! What ?!?! a woman can’t own an auto repair business sheesh….) somewhat dismayed by the subject of our conversation. As I was giving her my registration to do the inspection, I asked her “Have you had any of your employees trained in the handling of non-public information?” She replied, “Well, no, but what is that necessary for?” That is when I told her about legislation that is making mandatory compliance with FACTA, Graham-Leach-Bliley and the Red Flag Rules a reality. Needless to say, she was appalled that her attorney, accountant and advisors hadn’t informed that these programs require compliance. As we spoke for about an hour, I informed her that our service provides trainings and compliance alternatives to gain compliance with what the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) has requested.
In thinking about the dilemma that she faces, I came to the realization that research is the bain of every small biz owner. Ladies and gents, DO YOUR RESEARCH! If you don’t have the ability or knowledge of what is going on in your small biz arena, you open yourself and your livelihood up to a chasm of liability. If you find you need some assistance with getting your questions answered, or you simply don’t know what questions to ask, try joining a service that provides over 40,000+ small business owners a wealth of resources. GoSmallBiz.com and Prepaid Legal Services have a program that will give you not only access to advisors but will give you a website for your internet presence, a searchable listing within GoSmallBiz.com, access to attorney’s for consultation and other business related advice and a wealth of additional services.
Please feel free to look into these laws and do what is best for you and your small business, I did and I sleep more comfortable for it!
My website for additional information or to enroll is: www.prepaidlegal.com/biz/williamdcalloway
You can tour Go Small Biz here: http://www.gosmallbiz.com/
\Fair Credit Reporting Act as amended by FACTA (Paragraph 616 – 621 are especially important) www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/031224fcra.pdf
My email is: William.Calloway@CallowayPPL.com
I hope you find the information useful

Take Care and be safe,
Mr. William D. Calloway Jr., CITRMS

Pardon Me While I RANT -

FORECLOSURES!!!!
As we all know by now there have been a rash of foreclosures that have been ravaging the country. There is no need, in my honest opinion, to regurgitate the situation, nor do I think it necessary to give a staunch reiteration of what could have been done to prevent it. (Can you tell I am not a person that dwells in the past??) What I will address is our, OUR in the sense that we are all Americans and we are ALL in this country together, current situation. Many of us were fortunate enough to be homeowners or prospective home purchasers when the release of the credit flood gates opened up. We were able to refinance (myself NOT included) at unbelievable rates and at zero costs, we had the ability to purchase phenomenal homes at more incredulous rates. Needless to say, many purchased under the auspices of ARM’s with interest only clauses. Granted the plan seemed well thought out. Finance now and refinance later at a reduced rate that will fall in the monthly budget. Well, the problem comes along when the option to refinance is taken away. By taken away, I am referring to the FMC increasing rates (FMC – Federal Monetary Commission), homes decreasing in value in the short term and/or companies starting to see an economic downturn. One of these issues coming to fruition could cause the most well thought out plan to collapse. Two could mean devastation. All three, which is the current state of the union, means collapse! That being said, does anyone actually know who owns their mortgage? Years ago, you went to a bank, jumped through 17 hoops and low and behold, the mortgage was extended, the bank serviced your loan and you knew who you could talk to in the event you had problems or issues with your financing. During the most recent credit spree, mortgages were granted by corporations, some tenuous at best, and the sold off to the highest bidder for the available cash so they could repeat the process. Various other institutions purchased these mortgages, sent you a notification stating that they were now your servicing agent and you now had a mortgage payment to go out to a new institution. For instance, my mortgage started with Chase, went to Washington Mutual, then to Wachovia, then to Wells Fargo…get the picture. Now, with all that in mind, whom do I talk to if I have a problem with my mortgage? The originator? The interim institutions? NONE OF THE ABOVE!!! I would talk to my attorney. He/She would know the details and legalese to get through the red tape of “You have to speak to someone else about that…” Many people do NOT know that there are 10 different remedies available to homeowners rather than foreclosure. Will your bank take the time to explain what they are? Your attorney will! Will your bank let you know what government moratoriums are being discussed in order to prevent further collapse of the mortgage market? Your Attorney WILL! Do you think your mortgage lender will listen to you or respond to any letter you write, other than to say “Pay us or we take the house” I think NOT. However, will they listen to YOUR ATTORNEY?
Ladies and gentlemen, I am sure we all know that businesses are more prone to listen to our attorneys rather than to us. The ringer is that we all think attorneys are HORRENDOUSLY EXPENSIVE!! Well I am here to tell you that they are NOT!!! You can have the services of an attorney to do all of the above for you AND MORE for a very nominal fee. OK, I said “nominal” but didn’t give you a price. Am I afraid to? No… Am I reluctant to? NO. I just don’t think you will immediately believe me. All right now that I got that out, here is the price. FOR 36.95 a month or LESS you can have an attorney to make phone calls, write letters, or simply ask questions of. (I have the membership and have used it for advice, letters and the like. Now let’s be frank, how many of you would gladly pay the 36.95 a month if it meant you had someone to deal with the bank that is trying to foreclose on your home? I you think this is worth the money you could possibly save, visit my website and see what else is available to you to protect your family. I hope you see the value as much as I do, because the only thing I can be an advocate for, is the thing I believe in and use……….

My website is: http://www.prepaidlegal.com/info/williamdcalloway
My email is: William.Calloway@CallowayPPL.com
I look forward to speaking to each and every one of you that sees this as an opportunity to empower your family against the “powers that be”!!

Take Care and be safe,
Mr. William D. Calloway Jr., CITRMS

Why is it SO Hard to HELP People These Days

Hello Everyone,
You may or may not know that I am a small business owner and entrepreneur in the area of Identity Theft. I am a Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist and recently, I have had the opportunity to sit with a few clients and explain to them the services I offer through my company. Interestingly enough, in the news in NY, there have been quite a few reports about an employee of one of the largest and most prestigious hospitals in New York City, New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Cornell Weill Medical Center, having been charged with stealing the nonpublic information of approximately 40,000 patients. Here is the Story from NewsDay, and Here is the New York Times artcle.. During these meetings, I informed my clients that there are Federal Trade Commission laws specifically, The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA) and the new Red Flag Rules which mandate that ALL companies both large and small have in place a program that maps out preventative measures and steps taken to prevent data breaches of nonpublic information. As the information I gave to them in reference to the fines, lawsuits and loss of clients/customers took root, I saw each and every one of my clients look at me in awe since they were not even aware of the legislature having been passed, much less how to implement it. Needless to say, when I offered my expertise to assist them in setting this program up, FOR FREE, that’s when I received the raised eyebrow as if to say “What’s the catch?” New Yorkers are notorious for their skepticism. While explaining that: 1. My services in setting this up are free, (all I ask is that I have the opportunity to offer my services as a voluntary or fringe group benefit to the employees) 2. New hire follow up training is free and 3. Documentation is free, I am met with extreme disbelief.
Picture this: I am willing to meet with your employees, train them, follow up training for any new hires, keep you abreast of any new legislation involving these laws and fully document all of the above…. And my only request is that you allow me to offer a service to your employees. Does that sound like a deal that would assist ANY business? Well, to me it does, however, many potential clients are so skeptical that they cannot believe that there is no string attached! Even after showing the fines levied against, Choicepoint, Iron Mountain, BJ’s Wholesale Club for millions of dollars, these potential clients are still bewildered by the fact that it is a free program for the taking.
I fail to understand three things:
1 – How a business owner could know the ramifications of NOT having this program in place yet still pass on a free offering that protects the product of their many years of hard work, blood, sweat and tears
2 – How a business owner could pass on a benefit that can be offered to his/her employees that not only increases productivity during at-work hours, but 24/7/365 and it can be offered at no cost to the business if necessary
3 – How an owner AND employee could possibly pass on a service that gives the most comprehensive Identity Theft protection / Attorney Access in the country after reading the above articles from the NY Times and NY Newsday.
Sometimes it’s SO hard to help people it’s painful. I once saw an article about a man that tried to GIVE AWAY 100.00 bills. 70% of the people he offered it to, WOULDN’T TAKE IT!!! I have since contacted these clients and am in the process of sitting down with them again to reassess their need for this program. If you are a business owner, executive in charge of the welfare of your most cherished asset – your employees, concerned head of household or simply someone in search of a better way to protect your identity, please feel to check these websites, For Businesses, For Employees, For I D Theft Protection, For Individual Families. If you prefer a video presentation Turn Your Speakers On. All of my websites have my contact information, so feel free to contact me.

Take Care,
Mr. William D. Calloway Jr.

Go Ahead and Steal My Identity – My Credit Is Bad Anyhow

Someone actually said this to me the other day and I had to sit down and give them a quick and dirty lesson in ID Theft. Although it sounds funny, most people are under the false impression that identity theft is not a problem to those with bad or mediocre credit. Well ladies and gentlemen, I am here to let you know that “This aint Kansas anymore Dorothy”
Instead of giving a boatload of statistics on which types of identity theft are most prevalent, I’ll save that for a more editorial style blog at a later date, I would like to give you a few scenarios that could occur if you take the stand that your mediocre or bad credit keeps you out of the realm of having your identity stolen.
Scenario One: Your credit is horrendous, but you have a decent job with medical benefits for you and your family. This sounds relatively innocuous and serene right? Well, take this scenario and add a little medical identity theft. Now in one case, the thief gets your medical card and goes to a local doctor’s office and gets a prescription filled for oxycontin. Then another and another and another and another at different medical facilities. Now they go out and hit the club with some friends and sell some of them. WOOPS!!! One of those sales was to an undercover police officer. (Extreme case right?) Now they ask where they got them. Hmmmm..don’t all of the prescriptions have YOUR name on them? OK, that was too drastic. Let’s say the thief goes to the emergency room and it is found out that they are diabetic. Well, they get an insulin prescription and low and behold, YOU are now a diabetic. Go to the hospital in any kind of unconscious state and … You guessed it, you’re going to get insulin! Sound drastic? Well it happens.
Scenario Two: Your credit is mediocre but you have a driver’s license. Another relatively mild sounding affair correct? Well your friendly neighborhood thief gets a few speeding tickets and low and behold, YOU are now a scofflaw subject to arrest when stopped for ANYTHING. “Excuse me officer, I didn’t know my tail light was broken…Huh? What do you mean step out of the vehicle?” I make it sound kind of funny but these things happen. One man was jailed for three days because he had an argument with his girlfriend and the police ran his ID and found that he was wanted for possession of a controlled substance, trafficking in narcotics and quite a few speeding tickets. All because someone stole his license and had decided rather than go to jail they’d give someone else up instead. Let’s be for real people, we may not think these things can happen, but they can and will. When it comes to identity theft, it’s not IF it can happen, it’s only a matter of time until WHEN it happens.
I know it’s scary, but the best thing is to be covered. Not just credit, but Social Security, Medical, Driver’s License AND Criminal. The service I market through my business offers all these coverages for less than you can imagine. In addition, it includes access to a SYSTEM of provider law FIRMS…..in case you need an attorney. What more can I say besides, contact me for any additional information you might need.

Be Careful, Be Safe,
William D. Calloway Jr., CITRMS