Dear Sun Spots: I hope you can please help me.

I am looking for any information about a popular country western pop singer of the 1950s – Slim Whitman. He had a wonderful voice and made every song a joy to listen to. I believe he lives in Naples or Juniper, Fla.

I hope you can help me with any information about him. Thanks. – B.C., Poland.

Answer: Unfortunately Sun Spots has not been able to locate much on what he is up to now, other than he turned 82 years old in January.

According to www.cmt.com, Whitman was once known as America’s favorite folk singer. For the majority of his career, he was more famous in Europe than in the United States. He is best remembered for his early-50s hit singles like “Love Song of the Waterfall,” “Indian Love Call,” and “Singing Hills.” Whitman was an excellent yodeler known for singing mellow, romantic and clean-cut songs.

Between 1980 and 1984, Whitman had a small run of minor hits, highlighted by the 1980s number 15 hit, “When.” In the late 1980s, he returned to television-marketed albums, releasing “Slim Whitman – Best Loved Favorites” in 1989 and “20 Precious Memories” in 1991. During the ’90s, Whitman recorded infrequently but continued to tour successfully, particularly in Europe and Australia.

Dear Sun Spots: You have been such a help before, and I hope you can help me again.

I would like to put a security freeze on my credit line at the three credit bureaus but have had frustration when calling the automated phone system. How can a person do this correctly? How can I reach a person and not an automated machine? What is the cost for a Maine resident? I do not have a computer, but I did ask a friend to look online and got a phone number to call for a form. There was no phone number to access to get a form. Thank you. – No Name, No Town.

Answer: From what Sun Spots can tell this is done via mail. Contact:

Equifax, 1(800) 685-1111. Equifax Security Freeze, P.O. Box 105788, Atlanta, GA 30348. Send by certified mail and include your name, current and former address, Social Security number and date of birth. Pay by check, money order or credit card. Credit card (Visa, Master Card, American Express or Discover only): Give name of card, account number, expiration date. An identification theft victim must include: a valid copy of police report, investigative report or complaint filed with law enforcement agency.

Experian, 1(888) 397-3742, Experian Security Freeze, P. O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013. Send by certified mail. Include your full name, with middle initial and Jr./Sr., etc. as well as your current address and home addresses for the past five years, Social Security number, birth date, two proofs of residence (copy of driver’s license, utility bill, insurance statement, bank statement). Pay by check, money order or credit card. Credit card: Give name of card, account number and expiration date. An identification theft victim must include: valid copy of police report, investigative report or complaint filed with law enforcement agency.

TransUnion, 1(888) 909-8872, Trans Union Security Freeze, P. O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92834-6790. Send by regular or certified mail. Include your first name, middle initial, last name, Jr., etc. current home address and addresses for past five years, Social Security number, birth date. Pay by check, money order or credit card. Credit card: give name of card, account number and expiration date. Identification theft victims must include: valid copy of police report, investigative report or complaint filed with law enforcement agency

According to www.moneycentral.msn.com, the ability to freeze became law in Maine effective Feb. 1. Any consumer can place a freeze. There are no fees for identity theft victims; up to $10 for others to freeze at each credit reporting agency ($30 total) $10 to lift temporarily or permanently per bureau ($30 total); $12 to lift for one creditor per bureau ($36 total).

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be posted at www.sunjournal.com in the Advice section under Opinion on the left-hand corner of your computer screen. In addition, you can e-mail your inquiries to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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