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More Than One-In-10 Americans Fell Victim to Fraud

The Federal Trade Commission today released a statistical survey of fraud in the United States that shows that nearly 25 million adults 11.2 percent of the adult population were victims of fraud during the year studied. Certain racial and ethnic minorities were much more likely to be victims of fraud then non-Hispanic whites. American Indians and Alaska Natives were the ethnic group most likely to be victims: nearly 34 percent had experienced one or more frauds in the preceding year. Seventeen percent of African Americans were victims; over 14 percent of Hispanics were victims; and over 6 percent of Non-Hispanic whites were victims.

We found that American Indians and Alaska Natives, African Americans, and Hispanics are more likely to be victims of fraud than non-Hispanic whites, said Howard Beales, Director of the FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection. "These findings will help us fine-tune our Hispanic Law Enforcement and Outreach Initiative, and explore additional opportunities to target frauds aimed at communities which are at risk."

The survey of 2,500 randomly chosen consumers shows that consumers with high levels of debt were more likely to be victims of fraud. Three of the top four categories of fraud related to credit, including credit-repair scams often targeted at those carrying high debt loads or having bad credit.

The most frequently reported type of consumer fraud was advance-fee loan scams, in which consumers pay a fee for a guaranteed loan or credit card. Four and a half million consumers 2.1 percent of the U.S. adult population paid advance fees but did not receive the promised loan or card. In fact, some consumers reported that more than once during the last year they paid fees to get loans or credit cards they did not get.

Buyers club memberships or bills for unordered publications was the second most commonly reported fraud category in the survey. Some four million consumers 1.9 percent of the U.S. adult population were unwittingly billed for memberships they did not authorize or publications they did not order.

Credit card insurance scams and credit repair were the third and fourth most common frauds identified in the survey. While federal law limits consumers credit card fraud liability to $50, fraudsters sell credit card insurance by falsely claiming that card holders face significant financial risk if their credit cards are misused. An estimated 3.3 million consumers bought unnecessary insurance against the unauthorized use of their credit cards.

Some fraudsters convince consumers that they can help them remove truthful, negative information from their credit report, or establish a new credit record. They cant, and credit repair schemes are illegal, but two million consumers paid for credit repair services the year prior to the survey.

The results of our survey indicate that fraud in the U.S. is a serious problem, said Beales. We have brought many enforcement actions against these types of scams in the past, and we will bring more in the future.

The survey reveals that 33 percent of fraud victims first learned about a fraudulent offer or product from print advertising in newspapers, magazines, direct mail, catalogs, or posters. Telemarketing was the first source of contact in 17 percent of the frauds. Only 14 percent of fraudulent offers were promoted using Internet and e-mail; television or radio advertising account for only 10.6 percent of fraudulent offers.

Women and younger consumers are more likely to complain if they have been victims of fraud, the survey found. An estimated 74.5 percent of female victims complained. For males, the complaint rate was 10 percentage points lower. Similarly, almost 75 percent of consumers under the age of 35 complained, compared to only 55.4 percent of consumers between 55 and 64.

According to the survey, consumers between the ages of 25 and 44 are most likely to be fraud victims. Eleven percent of them were victims, compared to 8.7 percent in the 45 to 54 year bracket, 6.1 percent of consumers aged 55 to 64, and only 4.7 of consumers 65 years and older.

The top 10 frauds listed in the report include:

* Advance-fee loan scams 4.55 million victims;
* Buyers clubs 4.05 million victims;
* Credit card insurance 3.35 million victims;
* Credit repair 2 million victims;
* Prize promotions 1.8 million victims;
* Internet services 1.75 million victims;
* Pyramid schemes 1.55 million victims;
* Information services .8 million victims;
* Government job offers .65 million victims; and
* Business opportunities .45 million victims.

In addition to the fraud categories, the survey found that an estimated 13.9 million consumers were victims of telephone slamming unauthorized and illegal changes in long distance telephone service.

If you need help reviewing your credit report, contact Cindy Morus, Certified Credit Report Reviewer for a Credit Report Review. For more information, go to: Credit Report Review Information (http://www.phelps-creek.com/archives/CreditReportPress.asp) and Top 10 Reasons to Review your Credit Report Regularly (http://www.phelps-creek.com/archives/CheckCreditReport.asp)

Cindy S. Morus (www.phelps-creek.com) is a Certified Financial Recovery Counselor specializing in showing women and their families how to achieve financial well-being and peace of mind. She is also a Certified Credit Report Reviewer and Get Clients NOW! licensee. Contact her at 541-387-2995 or cmorus@phelps-creek.com She is also the publisher and editor of "Financial Fitness", an internet gazette dedicated to helping people improve their financial fitness no matter what decisions were made in the past.

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French kissing is probably one of the most romantic and sensual activity that a couple can enjoy. Everyone likes to be kissed, especially women. Lips are also one of the most sensitive parts on a human body, and it is a great way to kick starts foreplay with your partner.

A good passionate French kissing can show how much affection and love that you have for your partner. Therefore, it is important to know how to kiss well. There is basically nothing right or wrong in kissing, just personal preference. Try kissing your partner a few times and see how she kisses and which way she prefers.

So what is French kissing? It is a kissing where you also use your tongue to add some fun into it. So let me just share with you a really simple guide to kiss well:

1.Relax your body. Try to calm yourself down if it is the first time you are kissing. By relaxing your body, the kissing motion will not be tense and she will not think that she is kissing a dead fish!

2.Bring your face near to her. You can start by stroking her hair; slowly position your head near her and open your lips slightly. Once her lips are near your mouth, Open your mouth and put your tongue out around an inch or two.

3.Now tilt your head sideway so that your nose will not be blocking you from kissing her. Circle your tongue around her lips and then go into your partners mouth.

4.Do not keep your tongue still, as it is a major turn off. Keep moving your tongue passionately and explore her inner mouth and tongue. You can also try flicking your tongue over your partners.

Practice makes perfect. As I have said earlier, different people have different preference on the ways to kiss. But be assured that after both you and your partner have kissed a couple of times, both of you will know how to please each other more with your techniques on kissing.

Crid Lee is the webmaster of TheKamaSutraOnline.com

Download your FREE report: The 15 Best Techniques In KamaSutra at http://www.TheKamaSutraOnline.com now!

Crid Lee also also owns the site WhyWomenPlayHardToGet.com You can visit it at http://www.WhyWomenPlayHardToGet.com

Please feel free to republish this article on your website, or distribute it to your friends or clients, as long as you leave the resource box intact.

If you are reading this, and fit the situation, then the subject is already a consideration on your mind.

You may have read something on the subject, spoken to a girlfriend who has passed through the experience recently, and heard about it in school. We hope to help you here, with a short guide. It is for you.

First of all, you must feel it is the correct thing to do. You must NOT be pressured into it, or the experience will fail to bring you the pleasure and good memories you expect and deserve. You are in charge of your life and body. You must really feel ready for it.

If you have been masturbating, you probably had clitoral orgasm, so you know what is possible in terms of feelings. You must also, know your own anatomy.

You know you have some outer lips that cover the vulva, and some inner lips which are very flexible. If your hymen is intact, you are also going to tear that, with the accompanying sensations and bleeding. Find out.

In the second consideration, do not have sex if you have over-drunk alcohol. You can become drunk and lose a great deal of your judgment after even one drink.

The third consideration is INSISTING on the use of a condom with your partner. The reasons for this are well known, and certainly there is no excuse for not using it. You must be protected. This is a health concern, a very good way to prevent conception, and generally a good idea as it will help to slow down your partner by desensitizing him a bit.

So to begin.

You cannot have too much foreplay. This should take the form of mutual kissing, erotic massaging, exploring each others bodies, seeing where each of you are sensitive and have erogenous spots. Dont rush. It will be over soon enough as it is.

All the while as you have foreplay, your womb will be producing the all important moisture that is required. Believe us, the wetter the better. You cannot be too wet for the first time. If you are a bit adventurous, ask you partner to give you cunnilingus, and if you can, give to your partner some fellatio. These are wonderful signs of showing affection.

Getting into it.

Make sure after your foreplay (and perhaps fellatio) put on the condom if you havent already. The partner may make the first move to go directly into the standard missionary position. Bad idea. It is the worst position to lose your virginity. You are not in control, and it will be more painful and you cannot do anything but lay there and take it. Instead, try the girl on top position. Here you are in control. Your vagina has never had anything in it before (like a penis) and it must accommodate it slowlyand it will.

If you are losing you hymen, you are the one determining the speed and pressure with which it occurs. You will not suffer, and if you are still not wet enough, you can apply some water-based vaginal lubricant (such as K-Y). The deed is soon done, and you can get down to thrusting.

At first, have your partner move without thrusting, just applying pressure while fully inserted in your vagina. As it begins to feel natural, you can your self start thrusting.

At this point you can change positions (assuming your partner has lasted) and go onto your back. However, do not settle for the simple missionary position, but tilt your pelvis slightly up, and ask your partner to suspend himself on his arms and not lay on youthis when thrusting will stimulate both your clitoris and G-spot.

There are a lot of variables here, but lose you virginity as we suggest, and you will have in your mind pleasant memories instead of feeling unfilled, or used.

More FREE information

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