I hope you and your family had a fun – and safe – summer. With our kids now heading back to school, I know a lot of you have concerns about your children’s safety while they’re away from home. In fact, many parents have asked me how they can be sure that their kids’ school is a safe place.

Even though almost every state requires criminal records and background checks before teachers are hired, the best way to be assured that your kids will stay safe is to make sure you’ve personally taught them the basics of safety. For example, they need to know that their personal safety is more important than being polite – if an adult or even another student has done something inappropriate, they need to feel comfortable telling you about it. Teach your kids to trust their instincts – if something feels wrong or uncomfortable, they should get away and tell an adult they can trust. Continue reading John Walsh: Talking To Your Kids About Back To School Safety »

Amid signals that the national economy may not have yet hit bottom, many Americans are finding themselves in dire financial straits, and it can be frustrating as you struggle to care for your family.

Bad credit history can keep you from getting a loan, a home, or even a job. You might see ads on TV, in the newspaper, or online with offers for credit repair services, which can be very tempting.

These ads promise to get you through bad credit, bankruptcy, or maybe a bad loan, but beware. There is no quick fix to repair credit issues, and you might even find yourself in more trouble if you fall for one of these scams. Continue reading Outsmart Scammers: Don’t Fall Prey To A Credit Repair Scam »

According to the FBI, there may be more than 100,000 people missing in the United States on any given day. Having a family member disappear is a difficult and traumatizing experience for a family, and waiting for any information about a missing person’s whereabouts can cause a great deal of anxiety.

Now, officials say some people are preying on the vulnerabilities of the families of missing persons: they are sending e-mail messages claiming to know the whereabouts of your loved one. You think you are getting critical information that could lead you to your missing family member, but this is simply an attempt to scam you out of your money. Continue reading Families Of Missing Persons: Don’t Fall Prey To Scammers »

With millions of Americans falling victim to identity fraud schemes each year, you are probably already taking numerous steps to protect yourself in order to avoid becoming one of them. By making sure to use only a secure checkout when shopping online, ignoring email or pop-up window requests for personal information, and shredding any credit card offers or other personal documents before throwing them away, you are taking some important precautions to protect your identity. Continue reading Outsmart Scammers: Are You A Victim Of The Biggest Case Of Identity Fraud? »