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Location:
Santa Fe, New Mexico
United States
My Websites:
http://www.aarp.org/nm

About Me

AARP's New Mexico state office focuses its work on issues, both at the state and local level and in the nation's capital, that are important to the state's 260,000 AARP members. At the national level, AARP began Divided We Fail, urging lawmakers and those seeking office to come together to find real solutions toward health care reform and financial security. To date, over 8,000 New Mexicans have signed the Divided We Fail pledge stating they'll only vote for candidates that have real solutions for fixing these issues, and once in office, they'll hold lawmakers accountable toward implementing those solutions. At the state level, lawmakers in 2008 began to consider several health care reform plans but efforts stalled over a lack of consensus for any one solution. The Legislature is expected to revisit the matter possibly a special session this fall or again during the 2009 regular session in January. AARP's New Mexico volunteers work diligently with state legislators on a variety of issues such as consumer protections bills, Medicaid funding and utility and water issues. In 2007, AARP was successful in getting a new law passed that lets individuals implement a security freeze, essentially freezing credit reports so new accounts cannot be opened under a person's name without authorization, helping to prevent identity theft. Volunteers also worked to get a law passed that would help regulate payday lending. AARP New Mexico also hosts a number of outreach events across the state to explain consumer issues and get help raising local awareness in individual communities. The state has 15 local chapters across the state as well as an information center in Albuquerque that help spread the word about AARP's initiatives and assist a variety of community volunteer activities.

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Worried about identity theft? New Mexico residents have the opportunity to use a security freeze to protect their finances from identity thieves. The 2007 Legislature passed a bill, then signed into law by Gov. Bill Richardson, establishing the use of a security freeze.
 
A security freeze essentially “freezes” an individual’s credit report at the three credit reporting agencies, Equifax, TransUnion and Experian, so that a new account, such as a credit card, bank account or other financing, cannot be opened in that individual’s name without his direct authorization.
 
To request a freeze, an individual will need to send a letter to each credit reporting agency by regular or certified mail, providing a copy of a government issued identification, proof of current residence and the required fee if under age 65. (You and your spouse have to do this separately.)
 
A confirmation containing a password or personal identification number (PIN) should be received within five working days. The password or PIN will be needed to “unfreeze” the credit file when the individual wants to open a new credit or financial account.
 
For individuals age 65 and over or for victims of identity theft, there are no fees charged, except Experian may charge a $5.25 gross receipts tax.
 
For individuals under the age of 65 there is a $10 fee to initiate the freeze ($10.50 for Experian), a $5 fee to lift the freeze ($5.25 for Experian) and a $10 fee to reinstate the freeze ($10.50 for Experian) once it has been lifted. For example, if an individual chooses to start a freeze at all three agencies the full cost would be $30.50.
 
 
Added: June 9, 2008
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