Rejoice shopaholics! Black Friday is once again upon us. Before you head out on your shopping trip at 4am, check out of survival guide for surviving Black Friday. We almost guarantee that our advice will save you some hard earned cash.

Get a leg up on the competition. There are plenty of online coupon sites that publish advance notice of Black Friday bargains. Already you’ll find some awesome deals on www.walletpop.com, www.dealtaker.com, www.blackfridayads.com and more.  Most of these sites have the ability for you too see which products come with a rebate and which merchants offer free shipping.

Is the sale price advertised the best in town? Just because a retailer has the price slashed on a sales item doesn’t mean it’s the best in town. I recently spotted a refrigerator on sale at Best Buy where the price was dropped by $500. I then spotted a sales ad from hhgregg with the same refrigerator for $1 less; but wait there’s more! hhgregg also included free delivery and free removal of your old refrigerator. Now that’s a deal!

Can you buy it cheaper online? Cyber Monday is proving to be great competition for the brick & mortar retailers. Online retailers can sometimes sell items cheaper due to lower overhead costs. Look carefully and you’ll find many online retailers selling their goods tax free and with free shipping.

Are there coupon codes available? When making online purchases, perform a Google search to see if there are any promotional coupon codes available. Most sites have a place to enter a ‘promotional code’ on the check-out page. Check out www.savings.com, www.keycode.com,  www.couponcraze.com and more.

Use common sense and stay physically safe. OSHA recommends retailers have security personnel or police officers on site, but that’s not all. Stores expecting big crowds should use barricades, make sure local emergency services are aware of the event, use bullhorns to address the crowd, and be aware of the building’s maximum occupancy. This year, expect more stores to let shoppers in at a slow and steady pace rather than all at once.

A Google search for black friday safety returns numerous articles and blog posts on the risks shoppers and employees face on Black Friday. MSNBC reports that Wal-Mart for one has implemented many changes. Hopefully all retailers can keep their employees and shoppers safe and out of the ER.

What is Phishing

Phishing is a scam where Internet fraudsters send spam or pop-up messages to lure personal and financial information from unsuspecting victims.

To avoid getting hooked:

• Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, as well as a firewall, and update them all regularly.
• Don’t email personal or financial information.
• Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them.
• Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to check for unauthorized charges.

How to Report Phishing

• Forward phishing emails to spam@uce.gov – and to the company, bank, or organization impersonated in the phishing email. You also may report phishing email to reportphishing@antiphishing.org. The Anti-Phishing Working Group, a consortium of ISPs, security vendors, financial institutions and law enforcement agencies, uses these reports to fight phishing.
• If you’ve been scammed, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft website at ftc.gov/idtheft.

Prevent Phishing

Phishers are looking to lure you with bogus emails and pop-ups that seem safe. Will you take the bait or live to swim another day? Play the game below to see how much you know about phishing scams. Once you have all the information you need you’ll have learned how to survive phishing scams.

Protect your Identity

• Equifax – Get Equifax Credit Watch Gold 3-in-1 Now!
• TrustedID – Stop Identity Theft with TrustedID. Click Here for your 30 Day Risk Free Trial
• LifeLock – Help Protect Yourself From ID Theft. Get help with LifeLock. Enroll Now

What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your name, Social Security number, date of birth, or other identifying information, without authority, to commit fraud. For example, someone may have committed identity theft by using your personal information to open a credit card account or get a loan in your name.

Identity Theft Quick Facts*

• In the United States, fraud and identity theft cost consumers $48 billion in 2008
• There were 10 million victims of identity theft in 2008 in the United States
• Identity theft is on the rise, affecting almost 10 million victims in 2008 (a 22% increase from 2007)
• 71% of fraud happens within a week of stealing a victim’s personal data.
• 50.2 million Americans were using a credit monitoring service as of September 2008
• Low-tech methods for stealing personal information are still the most popular for identity thieves. Stolen wallets and physical documents accounted for 43% of all identity theft, while online methods accounted for only 11%.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) gives you specific rights when you are, or believe that you are, the victim of identity theft. Here is a brief summary of the rights designed to help you recover from identity theft.

1. You have the right to ask that nationwide consumer reporting agencies place “fraud alerts” in your file to let potential creditors and others know that you may be a victim of identity theft. A fraud alert can make it more difficult for someone to get credit in your name because it tells creditors to follow certain procedures to protect you. It also may delay your ability to obtain credit. You may place a fraud alert in your file by calling just one of the three nationwide consumer reporting agencies. As soon as that agency processes your fraud alert, it will notify the other two, which then also must place fraud alerts in your file.

• Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com
• Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com
• TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com

An initial fraud alert stays in your file for at least 90 days. An extended alert stays in your file for seven years. To place either of these alerts, a consumer reporting agency will require you to provide appropriate proof of your identity, which may include your Social Security number. If you ask for an extended alert, you will have to provide an identity theft report.  An identity theft report includes a copy of a report you have filed with a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency, and additional information a consumer reporting agency may require you to submit. For more detailed information about the identity theft report, visit www.consumer.gov/idtheft.

2. You have the right to free copies of the information in your file (your “file disclosure”). An initial fraud alert entitles you to a copy of all the information in your file at each of the three nationwide agencies, and an extended alert entitles you to two free file disclosures in a 12-month period following the placing of the alert. These additional disclosures may help you detect signs of fraud, for example, whether fraudulent accounts have been opened in your name or whether someone has reported a change in your address. Once a year, you also have the right to a free copy of the information in your file at any consumer reporting agency, if you believe it has inaccurate information due to fraud, such as identity theft. You also have the ability to obtain additional free file disclosures under other provisions of the FCRA.

3. You have the right to obtain documents relating to fraudulent transactions made or accounts opened using your personal information. A creditor or other business must give you copies of applications and other business records relating to transactions and accounts that resulted from the theft of your identity, if you ask for them in writing. A business may ask you for proof of your identity, a police report, and an affidavit before giving you the documents. It also may specify an address for you to send your  request. Under certain circumstances, a business can refuse to provide you with these documents.

4. You have the right to obtain information from a debt collector. If you ask, a debt collector must provide you with certain information about the debt you believe was incurred in your name by an identity thief – like the name of the creditor and the amount of the debt.

5. If you believe information in your file results from identity theft, you have the right to ask that a consumer reporting agency block that information from your file. An identity thief may run up bills in your name and not pay them. Information about the unpaid bills may appear on your consumer report. Should you decide to ask a consumer reporting agency to block the reporting of this information, you must identify the information to block, and provide the consumer reporting agency with proof of your identity and a copy of your identity theft report. The consumer reporting agency can refuse or cancel your request for a block if, for example, you don’t provide the necessary documentation, or where the block results from an error or a material misrepresentation of fact made by you. If the agency declines or rescinds the block, it must notify you. Once a debt resulting from identity theft has been blocked, a person or business with notice of the block may not sell, transfer, or place the debt for collection.

6. You also may prevent businesses from reporting information about you to consumer reporting agencies if you believe the information is a result of identity theft. To do so, you must send your request to the address specified by the business that reports the information to the consumer reporting agency. The business will expect you to identify what information you do not want reported and to provide an identity theft report.

To learn more about identity theft and how to deal with its consequences, visit www.consumer.gov/idtheft, or write to the FTC. You may have additional rights under state law. For more information, contact your local consumer protection agency or your state attorney general.

In addition to the new rights and procedures to help consumers deal with the effects of identity theft, the FCRA has many other important consumer protections. They are described in more detail at www.ftc.gov/credit.

Credit Monitoring Services

• Equifax
• LifeLock

* 2009 study by Javelin Strategy and Research

1. Buy gas on Wednesday. Gas prices are statistically the cheapest on Wednesdays, but this is only statistically true over a large number of days. It won’t be true every week.
2. Buy gas three days before a holiday. Gas prices almost always go up for holidays.
3. Keep tires properly inflated and aligned. Periodic wheel alignments and keeping tires inflated to the maximum recommended pressure can improve your gas mileage.
4. Avoid High Speeds. You can improve your gas mileage about 15 percent by driving at 55 mph rather than 65 mph.
5. Get regular engine tuneups and car maintenance checks. Tuneups improve performance as well as gas mileage. Check your owner’s manual for recommended maintenance schedules. By following the manufacturer’s recommendations, you should avoid fuel economy problems due to worn spark plugs, dragging brakes, low transmission fluid, or the transmission not going into high gear.
6. Avoid carrying unneeded items in your trunk. Extra weight decreases gas mileage. Also, reduce drag by placing items inside the car or trunk rather than on roof racks.
7. Go easy on the brakes and gas pedal. Avoid “jackrabbit” starts by accelerating gradually whenever possible. Also, anticipate stops to avoid sudden braking.
8. Avoid long idles. Turn off the engine if you anticipate a lengthy wait. Instead of idling at a drive-up window, park the car and go in. Idling burns more gas than restarting the engine. Limit car warm-ups in winter.
9. Combine errands into one trip. Consolidate trips to destinations that are near one another. Once you arrive, park and walk between destinations. Save errands for one afternoon and plan your trip so you don’t retrace your route. You not only save gas this way, but reduce wear-and tear on your car.
10. Walk, bike, take a bus, or carpool when possible. Use your car only when necessary. Public transportation authorities often have carpooling information as well as transit services. If you own more than one vehicle, drive the one that gets the best gas mileage whenever possible.

Find low gas prices in your area:

• GasBuddy.com
• MSN – Local Gas Prices
• GasPriceWatch.com

Find Carpools in your area:

• eRideShare.com
• iCarPool.com

Photo credit: Spigoo