id theft fraud prevention

February 2, 2011

ID Theft Methods

Filed under: Legal — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 2:18 pm
Dale G Davidson asked:




According to a story reported in the New York Times, one identity theft ring stole upwards of 30000 identities and made tens of millions of dollars during a two-year period by reselling merchandise bought with fraudulent credit cards.

The success of this criminal enterprise was due to the fact that an employee of the company that had access to consumers’ digital identities was bribed and sold the information to the gang of thieves, who then opened fraudulent accounts.

The transfer of personal information in digital form has made us more vulnerable.We need to become more vigilant when transferring personal information.

Your digital identity can be stolen in a number of ways.It can be stolen from the databases of financial institutions such banks,ISP’s retailers and data clearing houses. There is very little you can personally do to prevent an employee of your ISP from selling your information to anyone.

Identity thieves are clever and adopt sneaky methods into tricking the unsuspected into revealing personal information.

Some things of which you should be aware

Spoofing
Identity thieves set up fraudulent websites that look identical to the real thing and trick users into enter logon information usernames and passwords which is recorded and used to access your account at the real website.

Phishing
Phishing attacks start with an email message that purports to be from your bank, credit card company, ISP or e-commerce sites such as eBay or Payment processor such as PayPal. The message often requires that you address an immediate problem with your account and includes a link to what appears the web site sign-in page. The site, however is a fake that is hosted on servers that belong to the criminal organization, where you unknowingly enter your login info. From there you may be re-directed to the real site or be presented with an error message while your information is recorded.

keystroke loggers
keystroke loggers are programs that keep track of every key you press on your keyboard. This information is sent to a remote attacker, who scans for useful bits of data such as passwords and account numbers. Keystroke loggers can also come with a list of websites such as banks and e-commerce sites and start recording as soon the corresponding URL is entered into the browser.

Mail Theft and Dumpster Diving
Thieves steal the mail out your mailbox and financial information is retrieved from your trash.

Shred all unwanted documents that contain personal and or financial information
Get a shredder to shred personal documents before putting them in the thrash.

The pain of being a victim of id theft can be arduous and prevention is much better than the cure.

Stanley

January 26, 2011

ID Theft – Protecting Your Personal Information

Filed under: Legal — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 5:52 am
Lee Patrick asked:




There are people who make it a career out of trying to find ways to steal your identity. They have no concern for your family, well being or freedom. I have even heard of people who have had to go to jail because someone used there identity in a crime and they couldn’t prove otherwise. Don’t you owe it to yourself to take the necessary steps to protect yourself and your family. You don’t have to take my word for it or believe me, but do your own research. I was a victim and my only intention is to give you some more information and the tools to battle id theft.

The main step in protecting your info is to be aware and to stay proactive. Protect your purse and wallet at all times. Don’t carry your Social Security number or card, but leave it in a secure place. This is a common mistake that people make. But if your wallet is loss or stolen then the identity thieves have everything they need to start taking over your id. He has access to your drivers license, credit and debit cards and your social security number. Carry only the identification information and the credit and debit cards that you’ll actually need when you go out. Instead of carrying your social security card out keep it in a safe place.

Before you share any personal information, confirm that you are dealing with a legitimate organization. Check an organizations website by typing its URL in the address line, rather than cutting and pasting it. Many companies post scam alerts when their name is used improperly. Or call customer service using the number listed on your account statement or in the telephone book. Also, check your bills and statements as soon as they come and be on the lookout for any fraudulent charges. If you notice something out of the ordinary then call your bank immediately. If you notice your credit or debit cards missing then you should call your bank right away. Even if it was a day or two ago, because your bank will close your account and remove any charges that you did not make. They will also send you another card in the mail within 7-10 business days.

Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or on the Internet unless you have initiated the contact and are sure you know who you’re dealing with. Identity thieves are clever, and may pose as representatives of banks, Internet service providers, and even government agencies to get people to reveal their Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, account numbers, and other identifying information. It’s not hard for a con artist to pretend he is legit over the phone. If telemarketers are bothering you constantly for no reason that you can tell then you can have your number listed in the DO NOT CALL registry. Simply go to http://www.donotcall.gov

Keep your personal information in a secure place at home, especially if you have roommates. If you employ outside help or are having work done in your house. Share your personal information only with those family members who have a legitimate need for it. Keep your purse or wallet in a safe place at work. Do the same with copies of administrative forms that have your sensitive personal information.

These are just some steps that you can take to battle identity theft. There is so much more information on the subject and you owe it to yourself to do your research. The identity thieves are looking for new ways to steal from us so we have to do our due diligence as well. Your identity is your responsibility and will not reflect anybody but yourself and maybe your spouse. Imagine being denied for a loan because you have several open accounts that haven’t been paid. Do your research and make sure it doesn’t happen to you.

Phyllis

January 22, 2011

Identity Theft Insurance and Education

Filed under: Legal — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 2:06 pm
Joseph Petta asked:




Id theft is definitely a major issue which unfortunately just isn’t going away any time in the near future. When you become the victim of an identity thief you frequently encounter monetary and psychological problems because of your identity getting hi-jacked, with hardly any mistake of your own. Having to get time off from work in order to reestablish a person’s good name or credit rating, fighting with credit card companies so that you can verify your innocence, damage to your character, safety, anxiety and many other personal factors are simply a couple of the disastrous problems reported by victims of identity theft.

In that respect there are a number of important things you may do to safeguard oneself and protect yourself against Identity theft. Becoming heedful with who and where you discuss your personal info is the most effective first step to prevent this wrongdoing. Identity theft insurance coverage is actually a excellent product intended for year-round peace of mind. It’s just like automobile insurance, people hope they never have to utilize it, though are happy to have it when they require it the most.

If you have recently been thinking about taking steps to guard yourself or your loved ones from identity theft, right now is the time.

As an added note I have recently joined the many millions of people on Facebook and I have noticed that many people have their birth-dates listed for the world to see in their public profile. You are only making it easier for a identity thief to steal your id, your birthdate is an important piece of your personal identity. You should remove it immediately.

Dawn

January 20, 2011

50-70 Percent of ID Theft Stems From the Workplace

Filed under: Legal — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 12:19 am
J. M. Smith asked:




Statistics show that 50-70% of ID Theft comes from within the workplace. This means for the business owner you can spend $100′s and even thousands of dollars in your IT security and have the best encryption service on the planet but if your employee walks out with stolen information on paper that’s thousands ill spent thinking you had ID Theft protection.

Many business owners whether small or large are just not aware of how to fully protect their business and definitely not aware of new ID theft compliance laws. Many attorneys are not aware of these laws let alone help the owner protect the businesses customer personal information.

Businesses spend a lot of money keeping crooks from getting in but what about crooks from within getting information out.

Many owners just don’t have the resources available to them to keep up with the information the Federal Government is putting out and with ID theft laws being somewhat new over the last couple years there aren’t even many ID theft companies out there that can truly help the business.

You may not even be aware of how many people have access to your customer and employee information. What are your vendors doing with your customer information? Do you know what their procedures are if they have a breach with your customers information? Who handles your shredding if you even have a service? What policies and procedures does the shredding company have?

What about your employees? what type of training do you have for them? Are they keeping your customers information secured or could you walk around your business at lunch time and see critical information left on the desk?

ID theft compliance is more than Physical Security. Physical security offers encryption, Shredding service, IT, etc.

Your business should have a full risk assessment done. Helping you become aware of your businesses weakness. When the assessment is complete you should then be able to develop a plan for your business. Generally the cost will depend on how involved you want to be and just how much you want the consulting company to help.

If you think you can’t afford the cost to get your business in compliance think of the cost if you have a breach. You can’t put a number amount on the cost it could potentially cost your business. The loss of customer trust alone can be devastating.

“If you experience a security breach, 20 percent of your affected customer base will no longer do business with you, 40 percent will consider ending the relationship, and 5 percent will be hiring lawyers!” -CIO Magazine, The Coming Pandemic, Michael Freidenberg, May 15th, 2006

Could your business handle these numbers? Even if it could, you should take responsibility for the protection of your customers and employees.

Jorge

January 16, 2011

How To Stop ID Theft Of Deceased Relatives

Filed under: Legal — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 10:32 pm
Miguel Peralta asked:




To an ID thief, an obituary column on the daily newspaper provides him with
a list of perfect candidates. They are all “perfect candidates” because most relatives
are too deeply in mourning to think about the potential threat posed by an obituary listing.
The threat, of course, is of identity theft.

Don’t be shocked nor confused by what I’m about to tell you. Most ID thieves would prefer
to assume the identity of a deceased person over a living person.

“What sort of ghoul would do such a thing?”

The two legged kind skilled in creating identities in order to apply for loans, credit cards and other financial instruments. Of all kinds of criminals, to me, these come the closest to being ghouls.

They will steal death certificates, study the obituary column, or go to the many websites that provide them with the ability to search the Social Security Death Index database – for FREE! Don’t believe such a database exists? When you get a chance, go to this site and try it for yourself: http://ssdi.rootsweb.com/

Once they have the social security number from the database, they have to do a little bit of detective work. They’ll try and trace back to their collection of old newspaper obituary columns to find a match. Once they have a match, they will study as much as they can about the deceased in order to improve their chances of creating the fake identity.

Since it takes time for financial institutions to get notified of the death of one of their account holders, this delay provides the ID thief with the necessary time to accomplish his goal. Some of the reasons why there is a delay is due to the normal grieving process and the bureaucratic delays inherent in the Social Security Administration. As of January, 2007 the Social Security Administration Death Master File is not accurate and is missing some new entries.

Until the financial institutions are alerted by the surviving relatives, the executor or the estate, legal representative or the Social Security Administration, the accounts of the deceased will remain active for up to 10 years.

One of the sad things that have come to light with this crime is that it is just not perfect strangers that steal the identity of deceased people. It is also family members who may take advantage of the situation. The chances of this being the case increase if the deceases suffered from mental confusion, a lengthy illness, or if there is lack of agreement among family members before death.

It is crucial that you notify the credit reporting agencies and any other institution the deceased had financial records with.

To help you focus on the crucial things to do under these painful times, I’ve listed the following tips for you:

1. Get 12 copies of the official death certificate as soon as it’s available. You’ll need these 12 originals in order to provide proof to financial institutions such as banks and credit bureaus.

2. With the above originals begin notifying stock brokers, banks, loan holders, lien holders as well as mortgage companies of the death. You will have to transfer the account to an appropriate individual to handle any outstanding financial issues. Once this is done, place the account as closed due to death of account holder.

3. Contact all the credit reporting agencies and have them place a “deceased” alert on the credit file.

4. When contacting any of these institutions, include the following information:

a. Name and SSN of deceased

b. Last known address

c. Last 5 years of addresses

d. Date of birth

e. Date of death

To speed up the process, make sure you include all requested information in your correspondence. Also, keep copies of all correspondence with these institutions along with their response. For credit bureaus, ask for a detailed credit report with any active joint account that may need to be closed.

If you follow these steps along with any other steps required by the institutions or your legal counsel, you will be better prepared to prevent any identity theft thief from abusing the good name of your departed loved ones.

Kelly

January 13, 2011

Do I Need ID Theft Protection?

Filed under: Legal — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 9:53 am
Benedict Perez asked:




Id theft protection as nearly everyone knows is now among the essential things you need for survival in this computer age. Thus, it is no longer and issue nor a question if you need to have this kind of protection. You should therefore not think that this kind of protection is only for those who often do business in the internet of those having to use the computer either online of offline. You should always bear in mind that everybody or anyone for that matter is definitely a potential victim to identity theft that is why it is pretty essential to have this kind of protection.

Even if you are the kind of person who does not need to do any forms of online transactions, you still need to have id theft protection. Yes, id theft protection in its real sense. This means having to protect all your personal information away from fraudulent individuals who may be trying to lure you into something enticing yet bogus.

How then should you have id theft protection would definitely be your next question. Well, if you are just an ordinary person who does things the normal way, then no need for you to hire companies providing much technical and complicated ways for id theft protection. Being extra cautious and keeping your personal information as personal as they can, would more then suffice.

On the other hand, if you are the kind of person who could not seem to do away with online transactions like banking and shopping then you surely need to have a much technical and truly efficient type of id theft protection. You surely need to have professional assistance on this matter. Those that will surely provide you with the most efficient yet inexpensive manner of having to protect yourself from identity theft.

Due to the fact that identity theft is indeed on the rise especially in the United States and some parts of Europe, it is really a must to protect yourself from this modern crime. Having the help of professional experts on this matter will definitely help a lot. Just make sure though that you do not need to spend all your fortune for it. It is therefore recommended that you have the most efficient and results oriented yet inexpensive id theft protection.

Jack

January 10, 2011

Simple Steps to Prevent ID Theft

Filed under: Legal — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 2:43 pm
Tina L Douglas asked:




Identity theft is a fast growing crime that is pretty hard to detect. It is something that attacks silently and before you knew it, all your bank accounts have been drained and your credit cards owe thousands of debt from various merchants and service providers. Everything simply blows in your face and you will be left aghast, confused and frustrated that such a crime happened and all else transpired without your knowledge or without any hint. Identity theft does not only affect the individual but it also affects individual corporations and businesses.

Nobody wants to be a victim of identity theft. I believe everyone will agree to that. We cannot afford another person using our name, much less, our entire identity. For one reason, we all work too hard to protect it and whenever possible, we want it all for ourselves (who wants his identity shared, anyway?). You should be adamant when another person tries to steal your identity and decides to be you.

You see identity theft on television and in the movies. You hear them on the news and read them on magazines. However, identity theft is a reality than it actually seems. I have talked to a lot of victims of identity theft and everyone is in agreement that they never realized how grave id theft actually was until they were the ones who experienced it personally. You will never see the identity thief face to face but just the mere fact that another person was able to gain access to your personal information should be enough to make you feel paranoid and frustrated.

When identity theft is in place, individuals lose their identity because another one feigns it. Credit balances skyrocket because another individual decides to go on a shopping spree without being financially liable for the purchases. Bank accounts are drained, and social security numbers are used to apply for new driver’s licenses. Credit histories are ruined and people are refused of good jobs, promotions and a good future.

You do not have to be a victim of identity fraud. Everyone has a choice. Of course, when you decide that you will not be a victim of id theft, you really have to commit yourself against it. Your entire identity is composed of various information, each stored, kept and monitored by various agencies and organizations in your behalf and otherwise. If you seriously want to protect yourself against it, then you should be vigilant in safeguarding all the components of your identity. You do not just protect your social security number, but you should also protect your bank account number, passwords and even birthdays from being accessed by other persons. All these are important data that should always be kept out of public eye.

Remember, identity theft is not an accident. It is something that you decide would happen to you. If you become a victim, then probably you have missed out on something. Simple steps are significant steps. Take the first step now before everything else is too late.

Kevin

January 9, 2011

Avoid ID Theft

Filed under: Legal — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 3:44 pm
Billy Burnet asked:




People are more vulnerable than ever these days due to increased technology use by both consumers and thieves. More and more people are finding themselves with emptied bank accounts and stolen identities. To avoid facing this circumstance, you could pay a company that essentially insures your identity. Or, you could work to preserve your identity on your own. In most cases, you should be able to make do on your own and avoid paying significant fees. Below are a few tips on how to protect your identity from thieves. Shred your important documents before throwing them away. You never know who will end up with your trash and who it might pass through along the way. So, be sure to shred documents that contain any person information at all. This would include bills, among other things. Also, be careful with your credit cards and social security number. Don’t leave them lying around for people to see or even steal. When using the internet, there are a few main points to abide by to protect yourself:

* Use strong passwords. Don’t use names, street addresses, or your username as a password. Use strong combinations of letters, numbers, and characters(if permitted).

* Install anti-spyware and anti-virus software on your computer to protect yourself from hackers and viruses. Spyware can track your keystrokes so the people behind the malicious programs can steal your personal information. Make sure the software is up and running on your computer.

* Only shop at trusted and established company’s websites. You might save some money elsewhere, but it isn’t worth the risk or the potentially severe consequences if something negative does happen.

In general, just be smart with your personal information. People are looking for a little bit they can get their hands on. Even small amounts of information placed in the wrong hands can be a problem.

Bernice

January 3, 2011

How to Stop Identity Theft

Filed under: Legal — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 3:27 pm
Linda K. Vincent asked:




Identity theft is a threat to everyone, but you don’t have to be a casualty. Stop ID theft in its tracks by taking action today so you don’t have to spend months or even years trying to repair your good name.

How to Stop Identity Theft On a Schedule:

Most of us use calendars to remind us to go to meetings, run errands, or remember a dentist appointment. Even when our “to-do” list seems endless, calendars keep us focused, on time, and on track.

In addition to keeping our lives organized, calendars are great tools to stop ID theft. Calendars enable you to spot suspicious activity quickly and help you plan ahead to know when, where, and how to stop ID theft:

- When to stop identity theft: Now! Start a “Credit Calendar” today and follow it closely, month after month, to protect your identity.
- Where to stop ID theft: Everywhere! Identity thieves will stop at nothing to steal your personal information. Unless you have a comprehensive plan in place, your identity is at risk of being stolen.
- How to stop identity theft: Be proactive! Setup paper or electronic calendars to remind you to implement credit freezes and monitor credit reports.

How to Stop Identity Theft By Implementing a Credit Freeze:

A credit freeze is simply locking down your credit to prevent any charges or new accounts from being setup without your consent. Setup your paper or electronic calendar to remind you to implement a credit freeze once per quarter. Since a credit freeze expires after 90 days, you’ll need to mark your calendar accordingly to remind you to start another credit freeze in 90 days.

- How to stop identity theft tip: Start your first credit freeze on the day you always pay your bills. If you pay your bills on the first of the month, your Credit Calendar could show that you need to do a credit freeze on August 1, November 1, February 1, and May 1. Put it on the calendar and forget about it for 90 days!

How to Stop Identity Theft By Monitoring Credit Reports:

Carefully monitoring your credit report is critical to quickly spot and stop ID theft. The three credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and Transunion, each allow you to order your credit report for free once per year. You’ll need your Credit Calendar to schedule which credit bureau to use and when you can use each one to get your free credit report. You’ll do this on a rotating basis, so it’s important to make a plan and stick with it. For example:

1. Order your free Equifax credit report on August 1
2. Order your free Experian credit report on December 1
3. Order your free Transunion credit report on April 1
4. The cycle begins again when you order your free Equifax credit report on August 1

By following a schedule like this one you’ll be able to monitor your credit for free year-round.

- How to stop identity theft tip: Your credit report provides a wealth of information to stop identity theft, including the ability to review all open accounts, see who has accessed your account for information, see who has attempted to start a new line of credit or open a new credit card account, and more. Use this valuable information to notify a company of any irregular credit activity.

Don’t be an ID theft victim. Now that you know how to stop identity theft, start protecting your identity today.

Manuel

December 29, 2010

ID Theft Checklist – Print & Keep!

Filed under: Legal — admin @ 8:26 am
Syd Tash asked:




Over the last few years I have written a lot, and you have no doubt read a lot about identity theft, and how to protect your personal data online and on your computer. So here, in one convenient list, are some dos and donts you should follow.

1. Before entering sensitive data on a Web site, look for the closed padlock in the upper or lower part of your screen. Make sure the site address begins with https:// That letter”s” means secure. However, these two indicators are not foolproof.

2. Never copy and paste login IDs or passwords. The contents of your Clipboard can easily be seen.

3. Avoid public computers. If you do use one, do not shop or do your banking. Never step away from the computer while an application is open that you had to log in to. Change your password as soon as you get home.

4. If you use your own laptop at a wireless hot spot, make sure you have proper encryption set up. Do not just use the default factory settings. These usually provide little or no protection.

5. Regardless of where or how you do your online surfing, change your passwords every couple of months, or more often if you think they have been compromised. Choose passwords of at least six characters, and include numbers, letters and?,!, *, #, $ if permitted.

6. Do not reply to emails supposedly from your bank, broker, utility company, government agency, PayPal, eBay, etc. Do not click on links in such emails. To go to one of these organizations, click your Desktop icon or Favorites link, or type the address manually into the browser address bar.

7. If you have fallen victim to a fake email (phishing) and have given out confidential information, change your password immediately and notify the company in question. Send them a copy of the spoofed email.

8. Do you travel with a laptop across international borders? Make sure you do not have any sensitive data on the machine that could cause you problems if the computer was inspected by customs agents. If your data is encrypted, you may have to reveal the decryption key, or risk having the laptop seized. Make sure you have a current backup at home or at the office.

9. Do not open email attachments, even if it is from your friend. His computer could unknowingly be infected. True friends do not send each other attachments!

10. Beware if you receive a text message containing an URL on your cellphone. If you select the address, you may download malware to your phone.

11. The Firefox browser from Mozilla is safer than Internet Explorer, largely because Firefox does not use those notorious ActiveX controls, and because it is not part of Windows. It is also reputed to be faster. Give it a try.

12. There are three pieces of your confidential information which you should never reveal, whether online or off, unless you absolutely have to. These are your birth date, your mother’s maiden name and your Social Insurance/Security Number.

New threats and dangers generally evolve much faster than countermeasures. So your best defense is to keep your security programs up to date, including your antivirus, antispyware, firewall and of course Windows. Now be a good buddy and send this entire list to your friends. Suggest they save or print it.

Stephanie

December 26, 2010

December 25, 2010

How ID Theft Happens

Filed under: Legal — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 7:00 am
Tina L Douglas asked:




Identity theft has ruin a lot of lives and future. With its increasing number of victims, identity theft has taken the attention of the federal and state governments, each taking their own initial steps to protect consumers and assist victims of identity theft.

Understanding how identity theft happens can significantly help you protect your identity. If you know how they access your personal information, then you can take the necessary steps to shield your future.
There are a lot of ways on how criminals can get your personal information. Here are the most common:

Stealing/Snatching wallets and purses that contain your personal information.

This is probably the oldest method that identity thieves use to get your personal information. They steal your wallets because this is where you usually keep your social security number, ATM and credit cards which they often use to assume your identity and do all malicious stuffs.

Get inside your mailbox to steal your mail.

Your mailbox is another gold mine of information. Here you receive your credit card and bank statements, pre-approved credit card applications, birthday cards and other correspondences that contain your personal information. Identity thieves intercept your mail, particularly those that contain valuable information about you. If they’re lucky enough, they even file for a change of address so that all your credit card statements will be sent directly to them, and you will never know that they’re running up your credit.

Scour your trash cans to get your personal data.

People who perform this kind of stuffs are also known as dumpster divers. They “dive” in garbage bins because if they can’t intercept mail, then they just wait for people to dump these mails into their garbage bins. People are not fond of shredding their documents before they are disposed off the trash. This makes everyone vulnerable to identity theft.

Enter your home and look for personal information inside.

Some people who join social networking sites often post where they are and what they are doing. There have been instances when people who go out on vacations often arrive home only to find that their house has been broken into and their valuable electronic appliances and other valuables have been stolen. If you tell everyone in your post that you are out on a vacation and you’ll be gone for a week, it is easy for burglars to find your house and break into them because no one is around. All they need to do is monitor your status so that they’ll know if you’re coming back or not.

Obtain personal information that you share online.

Millions of users exchange personal information on the internet everyday. They do these through online banking, shopping, chat, school enrollment and registration, and any other transactions that needs your personal information to secure the exchange. Computer hackers are also identity thieves and they are also internet users with malicious intent that can harm other people who love the internet experience.

Identity theft has become a very serious issue so it’s important that you arm yourself against this crime.

Lauren

December 16, 2010

Compare the Top Three ID Theft Protection Services and Find Out What’s New

Filed under: Legal — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — admin @ 5:34 am
Lisa Carey asked:




If you’ve ever considered investing in the peace of mind an identity theft prevention and protection service, the good news is that today you many more options than in the past.

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