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Archive for July, 2008

Love MySpace Layouts Defined

Romantic MySpace profiles are becoming a growing niche within the MySpace profile industry. These “love” MySpace layouts have multiple uses, and not just for festive holidays and occasions. It might not replace death metal or gothic profiles, but the genre is becoming much more popular with due time.

The first and most used application of MySpace love layouts would of course be Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate such feelings of romance and love, so of course using such layouts on a day such as this is common sense. This is the best time to “wow” one’s significant other and impress them. Even if one is single, it’s nice to stay festive and open to the advent of a joyous holiday.

Those who like to share with others of their happiness in a relationship would do well to have a love profile on Valentine’s Day. But those who would rather share their love with their significant other, they can erect such love MySpace layouts on occasions such as an anniversary. This sends a clear cut message that one not only cares, but wants others to know of their sheer satisfaction in their love life.

MySpace layout genres can sometimes be easily modified to match a different genre. If a MySpace user sees a layout they like, it’s very possible to edit it if it doesn’t adhere to their tastes. This is the case with romantic and love layouts, where users looking for a girly MySpace website may see an intriguing design in a romantic layout. in such a case, the user can simply edit the profile for their specific needs.

For guys who are shying away from love layouts because of the lack of testosterone-driven design, there are some MySpace resource websites that do indeed cater to men’s love profiles. These aren’t as common, since men aren’t usually so in tune with their emotions, but they do indeed exist. It may take a good long search, but if all else fails, one can always either edit an existing profile or ask a design savvy friend for their help.

Lastly, love MySpace user layouts should never have to be paid for. Never fall for any gimmicks where MySpace resource websites charge for customizations or unique love layouts. Since love layouts aren’t usually used long term, it’s often a waste of money. What’s more is the fact that MySpace layouts are almost always free, and usually only businesses or band artists will ever have to pay for a customization. Most resources will indeed be free to download from, but many put ads into the layout- so be aware of the terms and conditions before downloading a layout.

Closing Comments

In the end, MySpace layouts that feature love as the theme are quite the seasonal decorative item. Valentine’s Day at the very least should have these layout themes, as well as anniversaries or just-announced relationships. And, as always, try to edit the layout if possible to make it your own unique design that both parties can thoroughly enjoy.

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Know What Identity Theft is So You Can Protect Yourself

Many people have prized possessions that they own. These can be a simple homemade gift from their child, a family heirloom that has been passed from generation to generation, photographs that tell a story, or expensive jewelry.

These possessions sometimes have monetary value and sometimes sentimental value. But nevertheless, they have value. Many people would be devastated if these items were either stolen or lost due to a fire, flood or natural disaster.
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The down side of owning things of value is that they may be susceptible to theft. Sometimes theft can be broadly defined as items lost to a fire, flood, earthquake, etc. In addition, there is an element in society made up of individuals who steal from others and can rob law abiding individuals of their prized possessions.

Some people go to great lengths to protect their personal information against those who perpetrate identity theft crimes, while others may not even know the definition of identity theft. It is import to understand what identity theft is so that all innocent people in society can protect themselves.

What is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is defined as an action or actions taken by another for the purpose of misrepresenting themselves as that individual in order to commit fraudulent acts. Those fraudulent acts can include the illegal accessing of a persons financial accounts, creating new credit card accounts, obtaining a loan in that persons name or even assuming another persons identity to get out of being charged with a certain crime.

Also, to properly define identity theft, it is critical to define the negative impact experienced by the individual whose identity has been stolen. One of the negative repercussions of identity theft is financial loss. Often an identity theft crime will affect a persons bottom line as thieves access credit cards, bank accounts, etc.

Unlike other thefts of possessions, the damage from identity theft can continue for many years. As the victim has use time and money to try and clear up their negative credit history or even clear their name in criminal courts. A persons best line of defense is to learn the definition of identity theft and protect their personal information so they dont experience the negative consequences of this crime.

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7 Ways to Prevent Identity Theft

by Paul Wilcox

Personal data that thieves can use to steal your identity can be gathered from your garbage, so be sure that any documents with sensitive information are shredded or otherwise destroyed. Examples of such papers are bank statements, credit card statements, etc.

Empty your mail box quickly. Don’t give identity thieves the opportunity to steal personal documents form your mail box, empty it every day as soon as possible. You can also get a PO Box or locking mail box for added security. You should also never mail bills or letters containing personal checks from home as they can be stolen too.

Keep your social security number safe. Don’t carry your social security card around with you or any other card that has your number on it. Don’t use your number on checks or bills that can be stolen.

Home invaders often steal useful personal information when breaking and entering. Knowing this, the importance of storing your social security card in a safe or lock box becomes apparent.

Leaving receipts in stores, ATM’s, or banks can also be dangerous. When paying with a credit card, you need to ensure that the receipt leaves whatever business establishment you find yourself in with you.

Handing your card over to restaurant employees could prove to be unwise, since more and more employees are using such opportunities to take advantage of unsuspecting customers. If you can’t see what is done with your card, paying with cash or check would be best.

Don’t give personal information out to callers. Even if a call from your bank of financial institution seems legitimate, don’t give them information. Find out the reason for the call and what company they represent and then call them back on a number you know is legitimate to give them information.

You should only respond to junk mail if you are going to be taken off of their mailing list. It would be best to avoid junk mail as much as possible. That way, credit card offers can’t be stolen from your mailbox and the amount of undesired junk mail you receive will be minimized.

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How Trojan Horse Viruses Attack Your PC Computer

A Trojan Horse virus is so called because of its reference to the Greek legend of Troy. The legend goes that a large wooden horse was left outside the gates of Troy as a peace offering from the Greeks, whom the Trojans were at war with. Once inside, the horse burst open to reveal Greek soldiers who then destroyed the city.


Trojan Horse viruses are similar because they appear to be a harmless program but once installed on your computer can wreak havoc with a number of viruses potentially hidden in its code. There is a slight difference between a Trojan Horse and an actual computer virus however. Unlike typical computer viruses, a Trojan Horse does not replicate itself.

One type of Trojan is known as Spyware. This type of program is designed to monitor your Internet surfing habits and use that information for things such as targeted marketing.

Another common problem that Trojan cause is the installation of a backdoor. This means that hackers have a hidden entrance to your computer in which they can send you spam, take control of your computer, or even destroy it. These types of Trojans can be very hard to detect and eradicate.

How Trojans are Distributed

You may be wondering how to protect yourself against Trojans. The first line of defense is knowing how they are distributed.

One of the most common ways is via a useful program such as a computer utility. Once you run the program with the hidden Trojan it can do what it wishes with your computer. Another common way to get a Trojan is through an email attachment. Many people receive executable files through email and don’t think twice about running it on their computer. Once the program is run, you have a Trojan. If you ever get an attachment with an .exe at the end make sure you run a virus scan before opening it.

It is even possible to embed an image with a Trojan. Once you view the picture the Trojan has invaded your computer. It is best to never open files, regardless of type, if you don’t know where they came from. Even well-meaning friends can accidentally email you an attachment which contains a Trojan.

Trojans often take advantage of your computer’s operating system and ports which connect it to the Internet. Some Trojans even allow others to take remote control over your computer and steal keystrokes which may just be your credit card number.

Fighting Trojans

Other than being wary of what you open and install, the best defense is an up to date anti-virus program. It is important that you ensure your anti-virus software is always current since new viruses come out each day. You can typically download free updates from the software provider. You should also ensure you have a firewall to protect you while online.

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Identity Theft: The History and Current Issues

While identity theft is nothing new, thieves have been stealing innocent peoples identity throughout history. However, advances in technology have made it easier for thieves to steal information for identity thefts crimes.

Anonymizer - identity protection softwareIn the early days in the history of identity theft the thief would usually kill the victim and assume their identity. Looking alike was only worrisome if someone had known the person since there were not too many requirements for a photo identification card.

As time progressed, thieves learned other ways to obtain information for identity theft. They could easily rummage through someones trash to find useful information to commit identity theft. Some peoples trash contained a goldmine of information for thieves such as bank statements and credit card information. Thieves could easily use this information to assume another persons identity.

As the history of identity theft matured, thieves took to stealing directly from the mailbox, keeping an eye out on days bank statements usually went out. This method was just as successful but did not share the dirt that was evident in dumpster diving.

Telemarketing brought another wave of criminals into the history of identity theft as they could call people telling them they won a prize or were from a charitable organization calling about a donation. When they first started it was easy to convince people to give out personal information for verification purposes and then use it to open credit card accounts, buy houses and other forms of illegal financial transactions.

Internet Opens Doors Wide For Identity Theft

When people started conducting personal transactions online, thieves found a new source for stealing information. They began to hack into banking sites to obtain personal information. Banking sites then began using tougher security controls leaving thieves to find more intuitive ways to steal information.

One such ploy is to send fraudulent emails to individuals. These fraudulent emails look like they are from legitimate financial institutions and ask for personal information such as log in and password. Some unsuspecting individuals share their information this way, allowing identity theft to continue.

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