INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The nosy neighbor across the street is your best friend when it comes to protecting your home. Criminals usually case a neighborhood before committing a crime, so they will know when you leave for work. Watchful neighbors who are home while you are at work make you much less likely to be robbed. A dog is a big responsibility, but they are very effective at deterring burglars. You want to keep burglars out, so bark matters more than bite. A small yappy dog is a more effective deterrent than a large quiet one. Don’t make it easy on thieves. An open door or window – even if it’s only while you are walking the dog – makes your home an easy target. Get in the habit of locking every door and window when leaving, after entering and before bedtime. And don’t forget to secure your dog or cat door. The only thing worse than leaving your door unlocked is letting a criminal have the keys.  Don’t keep a hidden key outside your house. Thieves know the most likely hiding places, so whether it is under a mat, in a flowerpot, or hidden in a fake rock, they will probably find it. Instead, give a spare key to your neighbor.  Don’t carry house keys on a key ring bearing your home address or leave house keys with your car in a commercial parking lot or with an attendant. Even if you don’t really have security or a dog, a sign can be an effective deterrent. Criminals case neighborhoods. If they can see valuables – or even if you just look much richer than your neighbors – they are more likely to target you.  Draw blinds and shut curtains to keep items out of view and prevent criminals from “window shopping.”  If you have a fancy car, keep it in the garage.  Don’t advertise new purchases by leaving boxes on the curb. Put them in your recycling bin. Or break the boxes down and fold them inside out, then put them out just before the pickup time. Plumbing or home improvement projects give workers ample time to case your home; information they might pass on to criminals. Be sure to ask potential contractors if their employees are subject to criminal background checks. Criminals want to get in and out of homes as quickly as possible. Make it difficult on them by hiding or securing valuables.  Consider buying a small safe that bolts to the floor.  Rent a safe-deposit box for extra-valuable items. Keep car keys and garage remotes hidden.  Stash jewelry or cash in places where thieves are unlikely to look: Use old, cleaned out shampoo, conditioner or moisturizer bottles. Use an old spice jar. Paint the inside with glue and add herbs so it looks full. Then put cash in a plastic bag, insert in the jar and keep with your other spices. Hide valuables in a full feminine napkin or tampon box. Make a slit in a tennis ball, squeeze to open, and hide valuables inside If they are stolen, this will make it much more likely that you can recover them.  Engrave jewelry with your name or a number and take a photo of it. This will make it more difficult to sell and aid in catching the thief. Make sure you record the serial numbers for your smart phones, computers, televisions, and other expensive electronics, as this will make them easier to track.  Register your bicycle by serial number in the National Bicycle Registry.

SUMMARY: Get to know your neighbors. Get a dog. Always lock your doors and windows. Keep your keys safe. Post foreboding signs. Don’t show off expensive stuff. Be careful when having workers in your home. Make your valuables hard to access. Engrave and register valuables.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you have an attorney, sit down together and review the contract to see if you are in breach. You will want to know if you did indeed violate the contract or if the other party is fabricating the claim. Be sure to be honest with your attorney about the situation, so that he or she can give you the best legal advice.  It is quite possible that you breached the contract on purpose. It may be cheaper to pay the damages for breaching the contract than fulfilling its original terms. If you breached on purpose your primary goal will be to reduce the amount of damages you have to pay under the contract. Although it’s possible that you only entered into an “oral contract,” those are fairly rare today. Most states have now passed laws which require all contracts to be in writing when the goods or services involved are worth $500 or more. Written contracts are always preferable because they allow you to detail how each party must uphold its duties and how both sides should respond if any disagreements or disputes arise. This includes any discussion of the contract in question or an official "demand letter" from the other party. A demand letter sent from the other party’s lawyer is simply a letter that outlines what they think your contractual obligation is. For instance, it could demand that you pay a specific amount for services already rendered.  Once you get a demand letter, the ball is in your court. It’s then up to you and your attorney to decide how to respond to it. Make sure that the demand letter, if you have received one, complies with state law. Many states require that a pre-lawsuit letter is sent, in order to increase the chance of out-of-court settlement. Although most demand letters sent out are legitimate, it’s always important to carefully review the signature and the contents. Never just assume you’re in business with someone if the name isn’t readily familiar.  There are scam artists who do send out such mail, in the hopes that you will accidentally provide critical personal or business information that can be used for identity theft purposes. If you don’t know the individual or company contacting you, there’s obviously no need to respond. If you’re certain that the letter is legitimate, only provide the least amount of necessary information, in keeping with your lawyer’s advice.

SUMMARY:
Review the contract. Review all correspondence from the other party. Decide whether the claim is part of a scam.