Karen Villa Schweinfurth, ABR, CRS, SRES, CyberStar

With identity theft on the rise these days, most of us are already taking steps to protect ourselves. But did you know that there's now a growing form of identity theft known as "medical identity theft" that can not only devastate victims' finances, but also compromise their health, too. According to Joy Pritts, JD, author of Your Medical Record Rights, here's what you need to know.

What is Medical Identity Theft?

Medical identity theft occurs when criminals access victims' medical records. Since medical records contain a person's social security number and credit card information (if bills have been paid via credit card), criminals can open accounts and make fraudulent charges. However, criminals also gain access to victims' health insurance policy information and medical histories, and they can create forged health insurance cards to sell to people who are uninsured and need expensive medical treatment. A person who buys a fake health insurance ID card would then seek treatment using the victim's name and policy number, and then disappear, leaving the victim with the bills to pay.

Why Should You Be Concerned?

Victims of medical identity theft not only have to repair their credit and convince credit agencies and service providers that bills are fraudulent, they also have to correct inaccurate medical information that becomes part of their health records. Victims could be denied life insurance or individual health insurance if their record shows treatments that they did not have. In addition, victims could receive treatments or medicines that could be harmful to them on the basis of inaccurate content in their medical records.

Steps to Take if You Suspect a Medical Identity Theft

1. Read all bills and "Explanation of Benefits" statements from your insurance company to verify they are for treatment you received.
2. If a bill or statement refers to treatment you did not receive, contact the employee in charge of investigating fraud at your insurance company and at the medical facility involved and explain the situation. Follow up with a letter sent via registered mail with return receipt once again explaining the situation, asking for any bills to be voided, and asking that your medical record be amended to state that you did not have this health problem or receive this treatment.
3. Report the identity theft to the police department and state's attorney general's office.
4. Contact the health care providers you use, explain the situation, ask if the erroneous information has been added to the providers' records, and if so, ask them to correct the records.
5. Report the fraud to the major credit bureaus and set up fraud alerts. Also, request free copies of your credit reports to make sure no new fraudulent accounts have been opened.
6. Review your medical records every few years to make sure there are no errors.

To learn more about your medical record rights, visit http://ihcrp.georgetown.edu/privacy/records.html.

A local doctor and his family purchased a small 50 year old home perched on an Everett bluff. As the family grew they found that the 1400 sq. foot home would no longer serve their growing family needs. They learned that remodeling wasn't feasible; so it would have to be a "tear down" so they could rebuild on the beautiful lot. They felt like it was a waste to destroy a historical home that had sat there for 50 years. So they contacted a Canadian Company that opened an office in Everett to buy the home. This company specializes in moving houses and other super-sized loads. The home had good bones and curb appeal and charm so it made sense for the company to buy it and relocate it.

The owner of the moving company usually buys a home for a silver dollar minted the year the house was built. A post-World War II shortage on silver, however, had him improvising on the 1950's house. He handed the owners two 50-cent pieces and a silver dollar from another year, and shook hands. He saved the owners over $15,000 in demolition costs by hauling away their home.

It wasn't an easy task, loading the home on a flat bed, running it through narrow city streets, trying to avoid electrical wires and stop lights. Moving it a few miles across town took over two hours. It finally made it's way on to Puget Sound sailing a few miles to Hat Island - a vacation get-away that is only reachable by boat.

Meanwhile a local attorney and her policeman husband was looking for an "island get-a-way cottage" for their weekends they decided to buy a "recycled home". They were able to purchase the home that was moved from the Everett Historical District and placed on Hat Island.

What a wonderful story to salvage a piece of Everett history and have another family enjoy it.

So instead of getting the bull dozer ready, think of recycling! It just might make someone else happy.

For all your Snohomish County real estate needs visit my web site or call Karen Schweinfurth, 425-308-3669.

OK, everyone, here in Everett, WA, 25 miles N. of Seattle, autumn is here. The rains have settled in, and today we are experiencing a horrific wind storm. It is normal for this time of year, but just last week it was sunny and in the 70's. Today, it's grey and rainy and the winds are so bad that branches are flying off just like pin needles dropping to the ground.

The leaves are changing colors, my apple tree is ready to be picked, and I've winterized the deck pots and put away the patio furniture. The only thing left is the grill; but she winters the outdoors quite well.

So everyone in the great Pacific Northwest, buckle down, get ready for those storms (I can remember in the early 1980's we had a wind storm on Thanksgiving day, power went out and people had to cook their turkeys on their Weber Charcoal grills or gas grills) and nestle in for a long winter!

Time for apple cider, winter soups, fireplaces, corn mazes, pumpkins and scarecrows. Happy Harvest to all.

How I Work as an Accredited Buyer's Representative

Many of you think that when we find your dream property, write an offer and get it accepted, our job is done. Far from that point.....our job is just beginning.

In addition to helping you find your dream home through the listings we have sent you, making appointments to show you these listings, we are always working FOR you.

When we first met we gave you a copy of the "Laws of Real Estate Agency" that describes your legal rights in dealing with a real estate broker or salesperson in Washington State. It describes the duties of a licensee, a seller's agent, a buyer's agent, a dual agent, compensation, vicarious liability, imputed knowledge and notice and interpretation. You also received my buyer book that contains information on your purchase process and an introduction to my team of professionals; my transaction coordinator, my lender, my title company representative, my escrow officer, and my inspectors.

As a buyer's agent we are to: Be loyal to the buyer by taking no action that is adverse or detrimental or the buyer's interest in a transaction; to timely disclose to the buyer any conflicts of interest, to advise you to seek expert advice on matters relating to the transaction that are beyond our expertise, not to disclose confidential information from or about the buyer, except under subpoena or court order, even after termination of the agency relationship and make a good faith and continuous effort to find a property for you, the buyer, except that a buyer's agent is not obligated to: seek additional properties to purchase while the buyer is a party to an existing contract to purchase, or show properties as to which there is no written agreement to pay compensation to the buyer's agent.

We then begin the process of negotiating the contract in your best interest. Once we reach mutual acceptance, we send the contract to our assistant who will set you up on an internet web-based program so that we can communicate through emails what is happening on your transaction. You have 24/7 access to this file. We contact the selling agent, lender, title company, escrow company and they all become a party to this transaction.

We set up your inspection by coordinating that with your inspector and the seller. We negotiate after the inspection is completed and make sure all parties are aware of what's happening.

We follow up regularly with the lender to make sure they are on track with ordering the appraisal, getting paperwork to the underwriter and getting final loan approval.

We provide you with utility information and advise you when to contact the companies to get local utilities in your name.

We then make sure that the lender gets their paperwork to the escrow officer in a timely manner so that they can schedule your signing appointment. Remember, we talked about this, this is where you sign closing papers, deposit your funds to close. The paperwork is then sent back to the lender for a 24 hour review. Once the lender releases the package for recording, we follow up with the escrow office to make sure they are going to the court house to record your documents. Once that happens and we receive recording numbers, the escrow officer releases the fund and you CLOSE. You then are awarded keys according to the terms of the purchase and sale agreement.

We meet with you and hand over keys. You have your beautiful home, finally. We then follow up with post closing instructions to make sure there are no details left to discuss.

Phew, you say, you didn't realize we did all that. Yes, we do, and with zest, as you see provide you with the American Dream - home ownership and if we can do that successfully, our job is well done.

Congratulations, on your purchase. You'll be receiving a welcome home gift from my team. We wish you many years of happiness. "Oh, by the way, if you know of a friend or family member that could use our services, we'd be happy to speak to them and offer them the same level of service we gave you." Good Luck in your new home!

For Buyer Agency in Washington State contact:

Karen Villa Schweinfurth, ABR, CRS, SRES, ePRO, ACRE

Accredited Buyer's Reprsentative, Certified Residential Specialst, Seniors Real Estate Specialist, e-PRO Internet Certified, Accredited Consultant in Real Estate

Your Snohomish County Expert

Too many consumers still don't get it when it comes to credit scores. And what you don't know about credit scores can hurt you when it's time to buy a home -- especially in a tight credit market. Only 28% of consumers are aware they need at least a 700 credit score to qualify for a low-rate mortgage. Three of every four consumers incorrectly believe that credit scores are influenced by income. And even more, 79% erroneously believe that credit scores can be obtained for free once a year. (They are probably thinking about their credit report, instead). Those are amonth the findings of a new report, "Consumer Understanding of Credit Scores Inproves but Remains Poor" commissioned by the Consumer Federation of America.

First your credit socre is a number assigned to your creditworthiness. Your credit score indicates how well or how poorly you'll repay a debt. The higher the number, the more likely you'll repay on time. Your bill paying information on credit reports provides the basis for your credit score. Consumers who take the time to obtain their credit score, for only about $15 under most crcumstances, are more likely to have a better understanding of the scores. That includes knowledge that mortgage lenders rely heavily upon credit scores to approve or reject home loan applications.

Informed consumers also know they can generally raise their credit score by consistently paying bills on time every time; by paying off debt and closing those paid off accounts; by not coming close to maxing out credit cards and by regularly checking their credit reports to make sure they are accurate. Your credit report is free from AnnualCreditReport.com. For more information about your credit score to to MyFICO.com. The study also found that consumers could save $28 billion a year in lower finance charges if they improved their credit scores by 30 points.

For all your real estate needs, visit my web site.