Articles and Tips on Protecting Your Identity
When it comes to your identity, you can never be too careful these days. That’s why it’s good to be familiar with any warnings signals of credit identity theft. It would be a shame to ruin an excellent credit score, that you’ve worked so hard to achieve. No one wants to be a victim of ID theft, but it can happen to anyone.
Here’s what to watch out for so you can stop identity theft right away.
1) Unauthorized Purchases - always check over your credit card statement and make sure all the purchases are your own. ...
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It may seem odd on the surface in this day and age of identity thefts, but Visa has decided to create a program called No Signature Required. The program will be offered to 800 different types of retailers and is limited to transactions under $25. The types of retailers included on the list are hair salons and sporting goods stores.
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Identity theft is a growing problem across the nation, and Yakima Valley in Washington State is yet another location joining the list of places experiencing growing numbers of thefts. David Gilbreath is the president and CEO of Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Yakima Valley. He reports that identity theft is one of the most rapidly growing crimes in Yakima Valley but it is difficult to police.
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Identity theft is no laughing matter. In 2008, almost 10 million Americans were victims of identity theft crimes, which was 22 percent higher than in 2007. What may be even more alarming is the fact that identity theft is usually not the work of a computer genius with expert hacking skills.
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Identity theft is on the rise and the laws that protect consumers are also becoming increasingly tougher and with few loop holes, plus consumes are receiving more protection too.
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Although financially you might not be on the hook if your identity is stolen, you will be on the hook for hundreds of man hours you’ll need to correct the problems created all over the place.
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In recent years, it has come to attention of authorities about an underground market involving stolen or marketed SSN cards and illegal immigrants, especially those from Mexico.
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Scammers have targeted credit cards since their inception. In the old days, before electronic transfers, people used to worry about the carbon slips falling into the wrong hands. These days, people worry about everything.
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You have to keep certain financial records and backup documents stored for a designated amount of time to meet IRS regulations. Unfortunately consumers tend to keep too much on hand instead of under lock and key and that makes them more vulnerable to identity theft or fraud. Looking around a typical household will reveal a wealth of personal information including social security numbers, account numbers, account passwords and so on.
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Preventing identity theft is not just a matter of implementing new government regulation. Laws can be passed between now and the end of the world intending to prevent identity theft, and yet there would still be those creative criminals able to slip between the cracks.
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Identity theft continues to grow at alarming rates and so it’s important that you do whatever you can to protect yourself. One tool is locking your credit reports. But is it as beneficial as some would have you belief. As a matter of fact it is.
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There are many different identity theft scams that we are faced with. Part of keeping you’re your id, your money, and your credit safe is to know what scams are most common.
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You meet what appears to be Mr. Right and you’re ready to believe every word he tells you. After all he’s wealthy, charming, and…or wait is he? What you should know before you open your purse.
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If you watch television, drive anywhere, or are just alive in general, you have seen ads for preventing identity theft. Prevention of identity theft has become such a major issue with the increase in dangers of someone stealing your identity.
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A great credit history doesn't just happen - it is a result of conscious effort. Students, homemakers, divorcees or any other consumer who may need to build or rebuild their credit history will be helped by the following tips:
Open a bank account. Here's a basic step that's sometimes overlooked by people seeking credit. Opening checking and savings accounts is also one of the few things you can do as a minor to start building a financial history.
A savings or checking account may not affect your credit score directly, but the account activity will demonstrate your stability and ability ...
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A mere 10-15 years ago, having an online identity meant you were on the fast track socially or professionally.
Today, not blogging or networking is the exception.
Just how broad an internet presence do you need? And if you're in the slow lane, how can you catch up without compromising your privacy or safety? We'll explore what having and maintaining an online identity means...and what can actually happen if you don't keep up with web networking.
Getting to Know You...Even if You Are You
It may surprise you to know that whether or not you blog, belong to a network site like Facebook or ...
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The internet has long been a communications pathway among singles looking to connect.
Savvy seekers watch out for well-known red flags. For example, an individual who can never be called or contacted any way other than e-mail may warn of another person already in the picture. Someone who asks for pictures but refuses to send any in return is another unspoken warning, and of course, anyone who asks for “help” with such issues as bills can be a bad sign.
But one danger of online dating that most people don't anticipate is the possibility of being an unwitting partner in criminal activity ...
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Caller ID is meant to keep the recipient of the call safe by revealing the phone number of the caller.
But crooks are using this safety feature to their advantage—by signing on with services that disguise their phone number and even, in some cases, the voice. For about $10 an hour, a con artist can potentially receive very profitable returns by stealing identifying information on any number of unsuspecting individuals.
And amazingly, though ID theft is obviously a crime, these call spoofing services are legal in every state in the U.S. except one.
The Governor's Wife Gets a Phone Call
ABC News recently ...
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Last year, networking site Facebook launched its then-new public search listings feature. The idea was to allow non-Facebook users to view profiles.
But researchers at England's University of Cambridge say the feature could make it easier than ever to target individuals for ID theft.
In a recently published paper, the UK-based researchers showed how they had developed a software tool to target Facebook users in ways you might never think of...but which could put the individual's online safety in jeopardy.
Even Limited Information May Reveal Too Much
Joseph Bonneau, Jonathan Anderson, Ross Anderson and Frank ...
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With all the dire news on increasing identity theft, we have something good to relate: an ID thief recently tried to sell his stolen goods...and got caught in the act.
The Tennessean reported last week that Nashville resident Steven Gilmore was arrested when he attempted to sell a flash drive—a portable storage device—to an undercover agent. The drive was filled with Social Security and bank account numbers, the Tennessean reported.
Gilmore faces charges of identity theft, aggravated identity theft and access device fraud.
Feds Tracked Gilmore for 16 Months
Gilmore had been under suspicion of illegal activities since December of 2007, when a ...
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The words “April 15th” cause groans all over the United States each year. But for one citizen, Tax Day last year was his heads-up that someone had been tampering with his identity.
Aaron Marks of Boston, MA told MSNBC that when he attempted to electronically file his taxes last year, the Internal Revenue Service informed him that he could not--because someone else had already filed in his name.
Marks was told on the phone to submit his tax forms anyway, but has told reporters that a year later, he still hasn’t received his refund. He says he’s owed $2000 from the 2007 ...
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You probably already know that identity theft can cause legal issues, not to mention financial loss.
Now, one Indiana resident has found himself not only a victim of an ID breach...but of the consequences of another crime the thief allegedly committed.
In a horror story of ID theft reaching new levels, Jeff Goldsmith of Elkhart was arrested in his own home Feb. 25 for abusing “his” girlfriend's six-year-old child badly enough to put the boy in the hospital.
It took many repetitions of his innocence for the shocked Goldsmith to convince the police to look into the matter further. Because in reality, ...
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A March 2009 report from the Consumer Federation of America has weighed paid-for services v. do-it-yourself identity protection, with revealing results.
Comparing sixteen anti-ID theft services, the CFA report reveals that some may have misstated information during the time period they were studied (Sept. 2008-Feb. 2009) and lists steps that be taken independently, at no cost to the consumer.
At the same time, the report notes the enormity of the problem of identity theft and acknowledges that some services do much more than simple credit monitoring, making them a good choice for some consumers.
Let's take a closer look at what credit ...
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If only he'd requested annual copies of his credit report and gone over his accounts with a fine-tooth comb, Jake LeGette may never have become a victim of identity theft.
And an occasional search on the internet to look for deliberate misuse of overuse of his name wouldn't have hurt, either.
But the thought of taking such standard precautions never crossed LeGette's mind.
And it's not because he's irresponsible or forgetful. It's because Jake LeGette is only 11 years old.
Shocking News
When the enterprising Miami, FL preteen attempted to open a bank account as a depository for his chore earnings, he was surprised to ...
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You may think you're keeping yourself from harm's reach by trashing SPAM and watching your bank account.
But identity theft experts say ID defrauders are smarter than ever about getting what they want—even from savvy citizens.
Find out the steps identity thieves take to steal information...and your best defense against each one.
ID Thieves Know Their Target
Today's “evolved” techno-thief has studied his target and knows exactly what to do to finagle information from a very targeted victim (for example, baby boomers, recent college graduates or single parents). The days of red-eyed hackers weeding through thousands of pieces of data in cyberspace seem to ...
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For some time now we've been reporting that identity theft is going high-tech, with techno-savvy thieves creating more and more ways to target and rob their victims.
As computer-operated machines, ATMs have not been immune. Familiar ways to steal information from ATM cards include withholding and skimming, both of which involve the placement of mechanisms on the machine to read a card's data, and the installation of tiny cameras to watch customers input their PINs.
But now ID thieves have kicked their crooked technology up a notch—by installing a Trojan virus to hack victims' information from the inside.
The Discovery
The hacking was ...
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Almost three quarters of identity theft victims can't pinpoint the source of the crime, says a survey recently released by the Identity Theft Assistance Center (ITAC).
The information was compiled from the input of over 1500 ID theft victims. The survey results were released on Business Wire yesterday.
ITAC representatives said that victims who did know the source cited such examples as a lost or stolen wallet, theft by a friend or relative, computer-related crimes or data breaches, including those by employees.
Of known ID theft sources, friends, relatives and employees topped the list, at 26.5%.
Crimes are Becoming More Targeted
Criminals are honing their ...
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Identity theft can easily lead to credit discrepancies and legal issues.
But respondents to a Nationwide Insurance survey said today's difficult economy is making financial recovery following ID theft much harder than in the past.
Though credit card fraud is often reimbursed following an investigation, debit card theft may not always be, and loan fraud can involve legal fees beyond the victim's means, the survey said.
With salary freezes, layoffs and fewer bonuses, an identity theft victim may be left without the resources to fight thefts made in his name. And this is on top of losses already incurred by the theft ...
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How much does it cost a thief to steal your identity and thousands, tens of thousands or more of your personal assets?
Less than $200, according to a San Francisco-based security expert.
News site KTVU.com interviewed eBay security professional Chris Paget for the chilling low-down on how your passport could potentially lead a victim to your information…and your credit cards.
A Passport to Identity Theft
It sounds like something straight out of science fiction, but Paget told KTVU it’s all true: an individual with the correct (and legally purchased) equipment can drive by and “clone” passport information from unsuspecting individuals.
According to Paget, RFI (radio ...
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Privacy and security research company Ponemon Institute, Michigan, has released a report stating up to 60% of people have admitted to stealing company data upon leaving their jobs.
And it may not be for the reasons that you think.
Perhaps most chillingly of all, companies admit to as much as expecting some degree of data breaches within the organization and that it is “just something they have to live with,” spokespeople told BBC News in a report on the Ponemon findings.
Read on to find out how it's no longer the “big guy” you may need to fear—and how everyday workers are ...
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Generation Y may be the most techno-savvy group to date, but they are also the group most vulnerable ID theft, according to new data.
The FTC's Consumer Sentinel Network report for the calendar year 2008 (see below for link) shows that the 20-29 year old age group was more targeted for network identity theft than any other in 2008, with 25% of such complaints coming from this demographic.
Unfortunately for those fresh out of college, 2008 was the third year in a row that twentysomethings were targeted for a majority of ID theft attempts and successes, the data showed.
In second place ...
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Research company Gartner, Inc., Stamford, CT, released results yesterday of a study that analyzed financial fraud rates in 2008.
The news wasn't good. According to the results of the study, some 7.5% of adults in the U.S. were affected by financial fraud in some way during the past year.
Gartner also said that conviction rates for financial fraud were comparatively low, due in part to about one-third of victims not reporting the crimes—a surprising and discouraging finding.
Unsettling Findings
Gartner surveyed 5000 U.S. adults and, as part of the study, asked about the impact of financial fraud.
Most financial fraud in 2008 occurred in the ...
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It's been done before: con artists are offering “free” software on how to receive government grant checks. According to the come-hither claims, a majority of U.S. citizens qualify for grant checks—we just have to know how to go about getting them.
However, the impact of such bogus sites is bigger than ever in the wake of the development of an actual Washington stimulus package plan. Real government moves (or talk of them) are opening the door for more scam artists than ever, who are using the believability factor—as well as a tough economy—to push their product farther than ever.
Worst of all, ...
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Health care is supposed to help, not hurt.
That's why reports of fraud originating with medical records are, even in this age of increasing identity theft, all the more shocking.
Perhaps the worst aspect of medical identity theft is that the victims are often (up to 80% of the time, according to some reports) unaware of any misdeed until it's too late. Receiving a collections phone call or worse, approached by law enforcement officials, these individuals are alerted of crimes committed in their name...but by a total stranger.
The Heart of the Matter
One ...
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That e-mail is tempting: you have been chosen as a "final candidate" for a high-paying, lucrative position. All that's required of you now is to reply with some information, and you'll be "on the list."
You're already signed up with several employment seeking lists. In your excitement, you're not certain which of these the e-mail may have come from (or how the company got your private e-mail address).
But it can't hurt to click on the link they've provided just to find out a bit more about the job, can it?
Identity theft experts say it can. New programs from the hacker underworld ...
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Police scanners are a valuable resource to law enforcement officials, EMS (emergency medical service) personnel and others who work in helping and protection capacities.
They also have a subsegment following of non-officials who listen in to see what's going on in their town and county. Interestingly, it's a fairly common hobby, according to reports, and only seems to be growing as it becomes easier and easier to obtain high-quality scanners.
Unfortunately, this availability has a downside: criminals, too, invest in police scanners, but not to keep tabs on society or to offer to lend a hand. Rather, thieves are wise to the ...
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Forget “You may have already won!” Today's criminals are putting on a professional (and much more believable) face to nab personal information and dupe their victims.
Everyone knows to steer clear of e-mails titled “Urgent Message from Nigerian Account” or “You may have already won!”.
Nor are many people likely to fall for “Your credit card is ready” scams.
But what about when a defrauder poses as your very own bank? Perhaps the e-mail includes information that you would think only a legitimate source could have. Or the message is so serious—or even threatening—you just can't help but open it.
You think you can ...
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Earlier in the week we discussed data breaches, how they might happen and their growing occurrence during the past two to five years.
Now let's dig a little deeper into the common mechanisms criminals use to infiltrate databases,and just how much it costs businesses (and clients) each time this type of theft occurs.
Going Phishing...for Your Identity
As times change, so does technology. And unfortunately, identity thieves have moved right along with the newest updates in computer software.
Individuals or groups looking to commit a data breach typically utilize some form of malware (malicious + software). And it's not as hard to come ...
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You bank at a major financial institution—one that isn't hinting at bankruptcy or going up for sale. You check your credit card and checking statements carefully each month. And you use online passwords so indecipherable, even you can't always remember them.
You're safe. Right?
Not necessarily. By the time 2009 had completed its first month, a disheartening 45 data breaches had already been reported, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center. As of Feb. 3 of this year, that was close to 70% more than last year at this time.
But what is an identity breach? Can it be prevented? And are you ...
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It goes without saying that identity theft is on the list of many people's financial concerns.
It’s also common knowledge that ID fraud is a crime that started out strong and just seems to be growing from there, with some predictions stating 2009 could be the heaviest ID crime year yet.
The obvious answer would seem to be that authorities should crack down, initiate more investigations and prosecute more ID theft and related crimes.
But could the movement toward government involvement in this across-the-nation crime be impinging on the privacy rights of some people, including those innocent of any wrongdoing?
Consumers Demand Greater Security ...
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When one enters a hospital, he or she expects to be cured.
But dozens of patients at St. Anthony Central Hospital in Denver, CO received insult in addition to injury when their records were stolen and stashed away at a local storage unit.
Channel 9 News reporters say Brandon Michael visited his rented storage unit on New Year’s Day, 2009 to sort through what should have been “tools, laptops and furniture,” which the Denver resident was planning to sell at auction on ebay.
But instead, he found hundreds of pieces of identification—including Social Security cards and birth certificates—stashed in cabinets and trash bags.
Hospital ...
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On Jan. 27, foxnews.com readers were shocked by a story the accidental sale of identity-revealing files at a routine auction headed by the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem.
According to the report, the recipients of a file cabinet sold by the Consulate reported that a number of military and state department workers’ information--including Social Security numbers--were still stowed in one of the drawers.
Luckily for hundreds of U.S. servicepeople stationed in Jerusalem, a woman identified only as Paula reported the incident. But what if identifying information were to be accidentally given into the hands of the wrong person or organization?
Could data saved ...
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There is one simple thing you can do to stop one form of ID theft, and that is to shred every document that has your name on it before discarding it. A good shredder will reduce even thick files to unrecognizable bits, and allow you the peace of mind you need.
Why Should you Shred?
ID Thieves have dumpster dived for years, finding medical records and patient information outside doctors’ offices and lawyers condominiums. Sometimes the people you entrust with your information are careless. Asking for your records to be returned to you so you can oversee their shredding is not ...
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When was the last time you chatted with Brad Pitt about women or asked Charlize Theron for a baked Alaska recipe?
If you answered “yesterday,” you already know a bit about space faking. The term was coined for individuals assuming someone else’s identity over the internet--typically a well-known character.
Many of us do it on forums or networking sites. When we do, it’s obvious to us that we’re just having a bit of fun, and we make sure others know it, too. But not every space faker you meet on the internet is as obvious…or has motives as innocent.
Warning from Australia has ...
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For thirty years he and a group of highly organized thieves distributed circulars throughout the neighborhood - or did they? Clutching brightly colored pieces of paper in one hand, they nonchalantly opened mailbox after mailbox up and down the streets of Baltimore - but they were taking out mail instead of putting it in.
No Cover of Night for These Thieves
Loquann Johnson, a 53-year-old Baltimore man, led a troop of co-conspirators targeting residents of neighborhoods with outdoor mailboxes. They became skilled at carrying out their thefts in broad daylight, reaching in to grab the mail under the shallow pretense of ...
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Despite compliance with security standards, card processing company Heartland Payment Systems announced a record-breaking security breach in a news story that broke Jan. 21. The company services 175,000 merchants amounting to some 100 million cards, according to company records.
Prior to the breach, the Jefferson, IN-based company had accurately followed Payment Card Industry (PCI) security standards, according to representatives, and had employed strong encryption to thwart potential hackers.
Nevertheless, attackers managed to slip past Heartland’s computer security stops, possibly slipping by before the encryption was put in place, reporters say. (A full story can be found here.)
Breaking Records…the Hard Way
Observers say ...
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Master Splynter
Supervisory Special Agent J. Keith Mularski was a spammer - or at least, that’s what his online pals thought. Under the name of Master Splynter, he didn’t run in the best of company - his associates had handles like Theunknown, Matrix 001, and the Iceman, and hung out at a place called DarkMarket.
DarkMarket was what's known as a "carder" site. Identity thieves could buy and sell stolen credit card numbers, online identities and the tools to make fake credit cards. By late 2006, Mularski had just been made administrator of the site and not only had control over the ...
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When a sex offender moves into town, neighbors (rightfully) want to know. It would also be helpful to have property deeds and transactions accessible. And wouldn't it be comforting to have nearby convicted thieves' or defrauders' information available at a button click?
The truth is that each of these can be a matter of public record in virtually all areas of the U.S. Such data is mean to provide security and legitimate information to a given location's citizens.
But some states are now arguing that public knowledge is expanding too far in the details of people's lives, crossing the line from ...
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It was supposed to be a casual cup of coffee after a business meeting in Annapolis. The victim had just signed a business contract with one Thomas Calvin Eichelberger, and the older man offered to buy him a cappuccino. Dinner and drinking followed, then a sick and queasy feeling, and somehow the victim woke up in Eichelberger’s home, in his bed, unclothed.
Drugged, Stripped and Photographed
A camera found under the bed showed nude photos of the victim, who eventually dressed and went home unsteadily to his wife and mother in law. From there he went to the hospital, where medics found ...
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He lived high on the hog for six years, but never held down a job. He didn’t have a trust fund, or a wealthy lover. He did, however, end up a wanted man. You see, all the credit cards he lived off of weren’t his!
The Hunt for a Con Artist
Jason Brown became known as the kingpin of ID theft, as he slipped from town to town changing his name and searching for new victims. A petty thief turned con man, he racked up at least 13 warrants from six separate agencies, including the New Orleans Police Department, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s ...
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We know, we know: that stack of bills on your kitchen table can't possibly have a bright side. Right?
Surprise: our experts note that your first rush of credit card statements after the holidays can offer a unique opportunity to catch up with an identity thief in the making.
By giving each transaction from the month or two before Christmas the once-over, you can find suspicious activity before it gets out of hand...and ruins your credit.
Checking Your Receipts
Smart shoppers kept their paper receipts for the 2008 holiday shopping season. If you have some or all of your shopping receipts, organize them now ...
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When 23-year-old Zal Chapgar of Bluebell, PA passed away, his family was understandably devastated.
But their grieving period was interrupted by a sudden slew of mysterious and confusing phone calls from banks and national stores.
Though the Chapgars didn't know it yet, Zal’s identity had been stolen...after he'd already passed away.
A Shocking Discovery
The family was alerted to the misdeed when they began receiving phone calls from credit card companies, including financial giants Amex and Citibank, and from businesses.
The Chapgars “thought it was a freak thing,” according to Zal’s mother, Kerban, in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer.
But when the unwanted solicitations ...
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Businesses, governments and educational institutions reported a nearly 50 percent increase in data breaches last year over 2007. Identity Theft Resource Center of San Diego announced last week that 656 breaches were reported in 2008, up from 446 in the previous year. Nearly 37 percent of the breaches occurred at businesses, schools accounted for roughly 20 percent, and the percentage of breaches attributed to data theft from current and former employees more than doubled from 7 percent to nearly 16 percent.
Crime Rings Use Insiders
"This may be reflective of the economy, or the fact that there are more organized crime rings ...
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For a little over five years, rumors have circulated the internet about hotel key cards potentially placing an identity theft threat. Are the rumors true? And if so, how can you protect yourself? We’ll explore ways key cards could be used against you--and how much of a risk they really pose.
Where the Concerns Started
The first whispers linking hotel key cards to possible identity theft date back to 2003, when warnings began circulating the internet via e-mail and websites. Concerns reportedly stemmed from Pasadena, CA, where a police detective leaked an internal theory that key cards might be encrypted with the ...
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Members of networking site twitter.com were warned this week of a potential scam being issued to some users’ mailboxes, a Jan. 5th report said.
In response, Twitter has issued a warning to its users to be on the lookout for the scam, which could be dangerously easy to fall for.
Direct messages are sent to site members with such leading statements as “Hey!--check out this funny blog about you,” reports say.
Since the scam was revealed, Twitter has issued several blogs on the subject, as well as the advice, “If this has you a bit weirded out, feel free to change ...
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Tweet! Tweet!
Last week two hits on Twitter were made - the first two large scale hits on Twitter. First, President Elect Barack Obama’s Twitter account was hacked, along with the accounts of several other prominent people. This was alrming enough, but the second scam was much more sinister.
People were receiving emails to go and check out a story. The emails took them to a ‘Twitter login page’, and their usernames and passwords were being captured. This is a common phishing tactic, used to obtain information that can often be backtracked to more info about the person - particularly when the ...
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Chris Wolf dislikes people taking his name in vain. He believes that many companies notify victims TOO SOON after a breach of security. Of course, he’s an attorney and head of the Proskauer Rose (Washington, D.C.) law firm’s privacy and security group, so he might have a little different take than the average Joe.
‘Never Cry Wolf’, Says Wolf!
In a recent interview with Wolf, he stated that breach notifications should be delayed until all the facts are in about what was lost and who was affected. The basic topic of discussion was the potential for a U.S. Federal breach notification law ...
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Little did many Christmas shoppers know that they were giving the gift of malware to their friends and loved ones this Christmas. However, a well known brand name carried corruption into their computer files even as they downloaded their favorite pictures!
Windows Vulnerable to ‘Attack of Photo Frame”
Windows XP has been the stronghold of many PC owners, who steadfastedly campaign for the version to be kept up and running with full support years after it should have given way to newer programs such as Vista. Unfortunately, a specifically aimed worm virus somehow included in many digital picture frames has targeted the ...
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From political moves to the romantic lives of Hollywood stars, predictions abound at the beginning of each new year.
But what about identity theft? Organizations such as the Identity Theft Assistance Center (ITAC), as well as professionals in the field of identity theft prevention, have a lot to say about what to look out for in 2009. We’ll outline a few potential ID theft pitfalls…and reveal what efforts are in the works toward a safer future.
New Information from ITAC
Spokespeople for the ITAC outlined the problems associated with identity theft and predicted it will continue into the new year, according ...
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It’s a nightmare scenario no family ever wants to face: 11-year-old Rebecca has been stricken by a rare form of cancer. Worse, Rebecca’s father, an aircraft rigging assembler, was laid off from his struggling company seven months ago.
The family makes do with seasonal work…when they can find it. Meanwhile, Rebecca, who loves horses, Hannah Montana and hopes to be a marine biologist one day, is getting worse.
But perhaps the biggest tragedy here is that Rebecca isn’t real.
Heart Strings and Computer Viruses
Shocked? Confused? A little angry? You should be. Social engineering involves manipulation of the emotions, like the sympathy you likely ...
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The far reaching effects of Katrina are still making themselves known. When the devastating hurricane hit new Orleans, thousands of people were displaced, and some went off the grids altogether - to reappear months later in other cities and states living under assumed identities.
Identity theft easy in face of disaster
The handling of such a catastrophe was going to be difficult, everyone knew, but just how vulnerable victims could be wasn’t driven home completely until last week, when FEMA revealed the names and social security numbers of more than 16,850 relocated individuals had been posted on two websites.
The SSNs, names and ...
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New Jersey state and government law enforcement officials have arrested four men in connection with a ring that stole millions from existing home equity lines of credit, The Washington Post has reported.
Even more frightening, three individuals pleaded guilty in Virginia to being co-conspirators to the New Jersey gang. $10 million may have been heisted by the group, authorities said.
Arrests Made Across the U.S.
Under arrest for this ongoing series of thefts are Derrick Polk, of Los Angeles; Oludola Okinmola of Brooklyn, NY; Oladeji Craig, also from Brooklyn; and Oluwajide Ogunbiyi of Springfield, IL.
The heists were global, with millions ...
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Those savvy in the internet world were stunned late last week when Microsoft broke their rule of releasing patches to their software on the second Tuesday of the month. The reason? Their latest version of Internet Explorer had been breached by hackers.
Microsoft's IE7 Breached
Malicious software aimed at a weak spot in IE7 hit several legitimate websites the first week of December, including a major internet portal in Taiwan. Trend Micro identified at least 10,000 websites infected with the software, which was slipped onto unprotected browsers and can be used by hackers to take control of infected computers, steal data, redirect ...
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Credit Ccards represent a fundamental aspect of today's economy, and as such, they come with all the risks and rewards of a digital age. People are able to shop online, make purchases over the phone, and buy items that are normally too expensive and pay them off later, and even build their credit. Credit cards have revolutionized the way consumers behave, and have made numerous tasks incredibly easy -- too easy, possibly.
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Identity theft typically rises around the holidays. Don’t get snowed by an identity thief this Christmas. We’ll give you safety tips to make your shopping experience merry, bright…and safe.
The Holidays are Prime ID Theft Time
With the holidays upon us once again, American consumers are being advised to “spend, spend, spend”. And it’s not greed alone that’s the motivating factor: economists insist that increasing the flow of cash in the U.S. is vital to the recovery most citizens have been hoping for.
But these efforts to jump-start a flagging economy are a veritable treasure trove in the eyes of criminals waiting to ...
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The problem of illegal immigrants becoming participants in identity theft is more widespread each year, and federal tax returns prove it.
Operation Number Games
Back in November, officials from both the Weld District Attorney’s Office and the Weld County Sheriff’s Office officially announced they were working together on Operation Number Games. This sting involved a sweep of more than 1,300 illegal immigrants who were suspected of using false or stolen Social Security numbers and identities.
The operation was set into motion when a local man got arrested for stealing a Social Security number. The man confessed that he had obtained the tax ...
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In a fascinating story reported by the Los Angeles Times, former NFL running back Chuck Muncie recently thwarted an attempt at a fraudulent loan made in his name.
The ID theft ironically marked how different Muncie’s life is today than when he himself was on the wrong side of the law, according to the Times. In fact, the three-time Pro Bowl choice even did jail time, going to prison in 1989 for selling cocaine.
All that has changed, said Muncie, who today mentors athletes and heads the Chuck Muncie Youth Foundation, which aims to keep southern California youth from making ...
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When seniors get taken advantage of in group homes they may not report it; afraid of being ridiculed, accused of memory problems or even threatened with losing control over their own finances. This makes them prime targets for identity thieves, and scammers who would take advantage.
Part Time Employee, Part Time Scam Artist
A terminally ill woman on hospice was living at an assisted living center in northeast Texas when she received a disturbing American Express bill - The total was over $5K, and she hadn’t used her card in over two years. An on-call employee who lived in the next town ...
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A story that has been unfolding since last year is finally drawing to a close with the guilty plea of a 28 year old man who has admitted to using hacked PIN numbers to loot Citibank ATMs. Aleksandar Aleksiev was arrested last May when a stakeout set to catch him withdrawing cash at a Citibank branch proved successful.
Prime Time Drama?
Alekseev is the tenth person charged on what proved to be an offense with all the earmarks of a made for TV series - a Russian mastermind, a Ukrainian crime ring, a fake marriage and a giant corporation’s cover up. Supporting ...
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When one thinks of identity theft, a hacker at a computer stealing the information of an unsuspecting victim often comes to mind.
But sometimes, criminals illegally obtain the information of multiple individuals all at one go, experts are now saying.
Reports on Dec. 1, 2008 outlined the story of a woman who was arrested and found to have the credit card numbers of more than one hundred people. The information had been listed on four typewritten pages and was stuffed into her purse.
Police were luckily called on a hunch from a motel clerk, who saw the suspect rummaging through the ...
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Tis the season to be careful, according to experts in the field of ID theft and theft prevention.
Shopping is projected to be down this year as opposed to previous years due to a flagging economy. Even so, criminals will have a watchful eye out, waiting for harried consumers to look the other way.
Because more purchases are made around the holidays, and because both husband and wife may be buying off the same credit cards, an extra withdrawal or two could easily be missed. The rushed quality of the season also makes people more lax than usual about keeping up with ...
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Peter Lim was ticked off at his supervisors. Fortunately for them, he decided filching gift cards sent in the mail he was supposed to be processing was sufficient revenge, rather than opening up with an AK 47.
Unfortunately for Lim, another employee had been under suspicion and postal inspectors had put the gift card envelopes in the mail as bait. They were surprised when the 17 year postal employee took the bait.
There is a zero tolerance policy for theft by postal employees due to the trust the public must be able to have in them. This means that a theft of ...
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If you use a fake identity, are you an identity thief? Lawyers will argue in the Supreme Court early next year (2009) that you may not be…if you didn’t realize the false ID was connected to a real person.
Immigrants and ID
It’s nowhere near as confusing as it sounds…and it’s a lot more commonplace than you’d think. Experts in the case Flores-Figueroa v. United States, which demands a two-year prison sentence for “knowingly” using another person’s identification, point out that purchasing false ID doesn’t mean the individual realizes it already belongs to another person.
In fact, many immigrants to the U.S. seek ...
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Iowa has one of the lowest ID theft levels of anywhere in the US, but lawmakers and enforcers stay on their toes. Too much on their toes, according to some, who point out flaws in new laws proposed to cut down still further on this particular type of crime.
A legislative study panel heard expert witness testimony on cyber crime and combative methods, revealing that sometimes the laws as they are written hurt more than they help. Legitimate commerce could be impeded by laws that restrict information to the point that accurate details cannot be obtained.
This is especially true in the ...
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You’ve heard the rumors and always wondered: can a computer hacker really pick up on your computer keystrokes remotely--say, from across a coffee shop or library?
It’s a fear many people have, and with good reason: remote-access crimes have already been reported and are under investigation by authorities. We explore the circumstances under which it could happen, and ways you may be able to keep yourself safe from remote-access ID theft.
Keyboards, Monitors and Electro-Magnetic Waves
Though it sounds like it came straight from a sci-fi movie, tech experts say that in some cases it may indeed be possible for a hacker to ...
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When you walk in a doctor’s office, one of the first things you get to do is sign a form explaining your right to privacy. Yet, in a case on Capitol Hill, a judge ordered medical records to be opened and made public in the case of a woman who used the information of a dead person to receive treatment.
Was the Judge Right to Expose Medical Records?
The records revealed not only the woman’s crime of identity theft, but exposed her as an illegal immigrant, causing her to be targeted for deportation. In a country where big brother has their hands ...
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It sounds absurd, but authorities say it happens with frightening regularity: children are being targeted for identity theft.
What’s worse, the thieves could be family members who take advantage of their children’s social security numbers to procure credit cards or fraudulent loans.
Identity theft may be easier and faster to detect when perpetrated against adults, as most individuals in the workforce check their credit regularly.
It’s different in the case of a child, who may never know his or her identity was tampered with until years later, experts warn. The possibility is an unsettling one for parents, but there are signs to look ...
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Health club patrons in the Pacific Northwest had no idea that while they were toning and shaping their looks, their features were being altered even more.
Crime on the Go
Members of an ID theft ring headed by one Gabriel Jung were filching credit cards from gym lockers and skipping merrily out to a mobile lab in the back seat of a vehicle outside. Using photos of ring members, false ID cards were manufactured with the help of a computer and printer in the back seat and matched to each card.
The group apparently used their forged identities and the credit cards to ...
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Think identity thieves are done when they’re sent to prison? Think again. Just as “on the outside,” ID criminals in prison work via the phone and in other ways to continue their thieving ways.
In fact, identity theft may be one of the easiest crimes to pull of from prison, experts say. Many forms of ID theft involve networked communications (read: “hacking”), which can often be achieved using nothing more than a phone line and a little criminal know-how.
And ID criminals often have a realtime network too, working in conjunction with others to pull off multiple scams.
Behind Bars
It’s long been known ...
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...on credit belonging to parents of sick child.
Marcus and Heather Oginsky’s son had surgery at The Children's Hospital in Denver. Like good citizens, they paid their bill, not knowing the person taking their payment and thanking them had more personal reasons to be grateful.
The Oginsky’s credit card number paid for her vacation in Vegas. Aurora-based Revenue Enterprises , a third party billing provider, terminated her after they found out she had abused her position as a specialist working on the hospital’s account. Revenue Enterprises says the woman in question had passed their background check. Incredibly, she’ll pass her next one, ...
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Some people move frequently, whether for work or other reasons. They may constantly be forced to update all information. This can put them at risk from ID thieves who take advantage of the lag in time while mail and bills catch up.
Favorite Tricks of ID Theives
A favorite trick of ID thieves is going through people’s trash. They hope to strike it lucky and find an unshredded bank statement or a deposit slip or unheeded credit card application. All too often we don’t get out mail reassigned on a later date - and that means we won’t be getting those late ...
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Last October, Portia Rankin of Louisville, KY got a big surprise when she discovered she had bought a house--but didn’t own it.
Ms. Rankin was forced to appear in court when “her” home on Highland Avenue became entangled in foreclosure and legal issues. It was the first she’d ever heard of the property; in fact, she’d never even seen the house.
So what happened? According to Ms. Rankin’s attorney, mortgage defrauders used Rankin’s stolen identity to obtain a loan for the property on Highland Avenue--and then took off with the money. Left in the middle was Rankin, who according to the deed ...
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They were living high on the hog - BMWs, motorcycles, trips and fancy hotels and Dallas strip clubs every night. What they didn’t know was that the net carefully being laid by the Secret Service for two years was closing in.
Homeless People Used as Pawns
When Naval Petty Officer and former US Naval payroll clerk Cora Dixon decided that the men and women she worked with were easy pickings for ID theft, she didn’t take into account the government’s fury at someone who would take advantage of the nation’s military.
The Texas woman and five others, including her boyfriend Seneca Wills, rounded ...
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Becoming the victim of identity theft is bad enough. Being arrested on behalf of the criminal is worse. When a thief robs an innocent individual of his or her account information and goes on crime sprees, the victim may be caught in the crossfire.
Perhaps most insultingly of all, the victim may not even know he’s been had until the police come knocking at his door. And to top it all off, his account may have been depleted and his credit ruined.
Surprise!--You’re a Criminal
The St. Paul (MN) Press reported on Oct. 29, 2008 that Beth Ellidge gave police her sister Nicole ...
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When you fill up at the gas pump, you may unknowingly be leaving something behind: your identity. ID theft at the gas pump is the preferred method of the latest generation of ID defrauders. But there are ways to outsmart them. Let’s take a closer look at this growing problem and what you can do to minimize the risks.
A Full Tank…and an Empty Bank Account?
ATM card users have long been advised to shield the key pad any time they input a PIN number to obtain services. Though this method is an important one and can deflect a thief standing just ...
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Virginia and many other states used to use Social Security Numbers on drivers licenses. Due to the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 which went into effect on December 17, 2005, all new licenses and registrations issued since that date have randomly assigned numbers.
Unfortunately, not all of the licenses from before have expired, and a serious security breach that occurred during the elections in Charlottesville, Virginia could have serious ramifications. Two laptops with personal information such as the names, addresses, birth years and DMV numbers of every registered voter in the city were stolen after the polls closed ...
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“Just Google it” is the mantra of today’s electronic generation. The information highway is quickly traversed, and the amount of information grows daily. Google has declared that their intent is to be the main source of data for generations to come, but with the compiling of all this data also arrives the new potential for Identity theft and fraud.
"To Whom it May Concern..."
This was made glaringly apparent in a Letter to Judge Rosenthal from PublicResource.org, which stated that over 1,718 instances of personal identifying information had been discovered in records which had been released for inclusion in Google’s public domain. ...
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Is the German insistence on online security the reason German consumers have much less ID fraud than English speaking buyers? Paypal recently commissioned a survey which revealed that 1 in 10 shoppers in the US, UK and Canada are identity theft victims, compared to 1 in 20 in Germany, Spain and France.
E-commerce in Germany is equivalent to that in the UK, which puts paid to Paypal’s suggestion that ID theft "tends to occur in countries where a higher percentage of e-commerce is concentrated". Why then do the Germans have such a low incidence of ID theft?
Paranoia Reigns
There is no denying ...
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As happens each year, this Veteran’s Day (Nov. 11, 2008) the United States honors those who have proudly served their country. But there is an insidious faction that looks at the military in an entirely different way: as potential targets for fraud, scams and identity theft.
Find out why the military is the latest target for identity related crimes, and what's being done about this growing problem.
Targeting the Military
With most professional and medical records now kept on computers and with the preponderance of file-swapping for legitimate purposes, ID fraud is easier than ever for criminals. Networked files in particular are at ...
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In the wake of consumer education on internet-propelled ID fraud, Americans are changing certain online behaviors, according to a survey conducted by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA).
Although 73% of the survey’s respondents said they use the internet for various transactions that include banking and stock trading, almost 60% said their behaviors online have changed due to fear of ID theft. (See this link for more information, including the surveyors' methodology.)
A few of the findings of the study included:
22% of those surveyed reported their identity had been used for such criminal purposes as credit card theft or unauthorized ...
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There is information in your wallet, your computer, countless databases and files across the country and possibly the globe. You do the best you can to safeguard yourself against attack by identity thieves and credit fraud, but sometimes they get sneaky.
There is one little thing you may carrying around with you that has an immense amount of personal information on it - your cell phone. Not only do they often have your own phone number, but names, phone numbers and addresses of friends and colleagues, internet access to your personal accounts, banking and financial information and other personal keys to ...
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More and more thieves are grabbing personal information from popular internet networking sites. Could you be next? We explore an identity thief’s methods and what you can do to keep from becoming a victim.
The New Face of Networking
Today’s new face in networking is a host of sites, such as facebook.com, meetups.com and myspace, which allow individuals to keep in touch. What makes these networking spaces so popular is the immediate accessibility of associates to one another’s vital information. Unfortunately, that’s what makes them popular among identity thieves, too.
Up Close and Too Personal
Networking site users drop an amazing amount of personal ...
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At a glance, the numbers may seem reassuring: experts say overall ID fraud was down for the past several years, decreasing by more than 12% between 2004 and 2007 (see this study).
But crime experts are warning that with the recent headline-making economic events may come an increase in criminal activity…and that you could become a victim.
Consumers have gotten wiser to ID fraud in the wake of online, phone and ATM theft news in recent years. Unfortunately, so have criminals--and their tools of the unsavory trade are more sophisticated than ever. Know what to look out for in order ...
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There has been controversy throughout this entire campaign regarding identity fraud being used to illegally funnel campaign contributions to various candidates. In previous elections, identity fraud was alleged to have been used to cast invalid ballots. In a country where every person is supposed to have a voice, the idea that someone could steal that right away and use it wrongly is not to be tolerated.
The Democratic Proposal - Obama:
Barack Obama voiced concerns in the Senate over the loss of 26.5 million veterans’ personal identifying information by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2006. He claimed : “The system is so poorly ...
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Your social security number is important, but in the wrong hands it can ruin your credit--and your identity.
You’ve had your social security number from birth (or since becoming a citizen of the United States). It has allowed you to obtain a driver’s license, open a bank account and obtain credit cards.
Unfortunately, it can allow an identity thief to do the same things…using your name and other personal information, all easily obtainable with those nine little numbers.
Social security theft is considered one of the most lucrative businesses by today’s savvy ID criminals. Your social security number is a gateway to your ...
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You’re 18 at last, and off to college. You have a part time job, a full time class load, a terrific roommate and a second hand car. Life couldn’t be better, right?
You’re pretty smart for an 18 year old - you listened when Mom and Dad were talking about finances and try to live within your means. You have one credit card, which you use for gas and groceries (and pay off in full every month), and a gym membership that debits a monthly fee automatically from your bank account. You know these two simple items are building your credit ...
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When you swipe your credit or debit card at a major retailer, you expect it to be a safe transaction, right? WRONG. Big companies and businesses are highly unconcerned about the safety of your credit information. Even the government seems surprisingly lax when it comes to protecting your information.
The public sat up and paid attention when a recent investigation in Miami uncovered a 11 person identity theft ring with international influence that targeted customers of large chain stores and stole millions of credit card numbers. Another ring admitted to using random entry of numbers into a municipal court site to ...
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An alarming amount of homeowners are facing foreclosure, and more so this year than in years past, will be filing bankruptcy. Unable to buy a new home until their credit has been rebuilt, these families have been flooding the rental market. Property management companies are seeing an increase in applicants. These new renters, though, aren't eligible to rent a home through many property management companies. Designed to protect landlords by screening new applicants, and tenants by ensuring that repairs are made in a timely manner, a person with a current foreclosure or new bankruptcy is a ...
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You’ve heard this phish story before: a friend or associate received an e-mail from a reputable bank or credit card company. Warned that her credit status was in danger, she was directed to a link where she was able to supply her information in order to “verify” her credit status. Two weeks later, her bank account was empty and her credit score had plummeted.
It had all seemed so legitimate, right down to the design of the web page and logo of the faux “company”. And your friend is only one of millions who get taken in by phishing each year.
Now ...
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Plenty of people wardrive. Cruising around looking for wireless network locations isn’t illegal - but hacking into the network to access sensitive information is. ‘Sniffers’ are illegal programs that can be installed in hacked wireless networks, and used to download information like customers credit card numbers and other personal information.
The Renagade Wardrivers
An international identity theft ring was discovered operating out of Miami in August, that was credited with the theft of over 40 million credit and debit card numbers. This is the largest credit card and identity theft scheme yet, with 11 people from the US, Ukraine, Estonia ...
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Late last month, President Bush signed a new identity theft law in an attempt to help the increasing numbers of victims affected by this insidious crime. Previously, the requirements to be met to allow prosecution of cyber-crime were so high as to allow many hackers to slip through the cracks.
Felony Charges May Now Apply
Identity theft is the number one offense associated with computer based crimes, and usually involves some sort of computer based fraud, unauthorized access or tampering, or even hacking into government or state owned computer systems. The new law makes many of these acts a felony.
In ...
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This article is not directly related to ID theft, but the prevention of fraud is very similar to that of ID theft and should be beneficial to the majority of you
The Consumer Federation of America, one of the country's biggest consumer watchdog groups, released a warning recently: the more desperate you are financially, the more vulnerable you are to the predations of unscrupulous white-collar criminals. These are scammers who wont' hesitate to turn your worry to their cruel advantage. Thus, in the wake of the past year's economic troubles, more and more Americans are potential victims of fraud.
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Last year, 8.4 million people across the U.S. were victims of identity theft. Amounting to more than $49 billion in lost funds, identity theft in 2007 was a lucrative business for criminals in the know.
But the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) says it doesn’t have to be that way. The organization is spearheading National Protect Your Identity Week Oct. 19-25 in order to educate citizens on how to protect their accounts, their funds and their identity.
Sponsored by such well-known organizations as the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), National Protect Your Identity Week will include tips, ...
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One of the most supreme tools that can put the brakes on identity theft is a good paper shredder. Though this might not cross the mind of many as an essential tool, there is a reason why so many financial security experts strongly recommend them not only to individuals but to businesses as well.
For the most part, once an individual throws out his or her trash, there is no legal recourse to it and there can be no expectation of privacy. This means anyone is free to go through a person's trash once it is in a public area waiting for disposal. As unsettling as rifling through trash may sound, it is one of the top methods by which identity thieves get their hands on prized information.
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One of the newer forms of identity theft is known as medical identity theft. As commonly associated with this type of fraud, medical identity theft occurs when an individual uses somebody's personal information to obtain costly medical treatments. The number of ways an individual can end up with the personal information of another varies; however, medical fraudsters end up with their hands on the medical insurance numbers of their victims as well. This poses a number of dangers. While it is inconvenient to be left with large medical bills, the fraudster's medical history becomes entwined with their victim's. This can leave the potential for deadly mistreatment were a victim to receive the wrong type of blood for a transfusion or a drug that he or she is allergic to.
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Identity theft is not a concern only for the rich, the poor, or the elderly. It strikes all types of people, in many different places, and in many walks of life. The thieves are not always the people that you’d suspect, either, as has been proven by the case of the mother-daughter team of Cynthia Jean Walker and Cassidy Janosky in Washington State.
The duo was discovered when an alert resident tipped off the local police that a credit card had been opened in their name—and they knew absolutely knew nothing about it. A local detective was able to put a ...
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ATM machines hold some of our most critical money information, including our bank account number, PIN number and other identification. As such, ATMs make it easy for us to perform bank transactions. Unfortunately, they also make it easy for crooks to steal your identification--and strip your wallet. Here are some of the top ATM theft procedures and what steps you can take to help prevent becoming a victim.
Withholding
With this common trick, the thief places a capture strip, called a “loop,” inside the card insertion slot. The thief may stand behind you to watch you enter your PIN number, or a ...
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Back in Time - to 2006
A few years ago, Shell employees made headlines as an identity theft scam was uncovered in Forest Hill TX. Erica Washington was employed at a Shell station there, and realized she could make a nice side business out of selling customer credit card information off of in-store generated manger reports.
Erica sold off credit card numbers and expiration date information to a couple from Ft Worth, who subsequently used the numbers to make multiple purchases online. The items purchased included shoes, clothing, DVDs and other items that were shipped to Melvin Jones and Jenifer Perkins - ...
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It’s all over the news: 2008 may leave U.S. citizens more open to identity theft than previous voting years. Why? According to identity theft prevention experts, this year’s emotionally charged primary election may expose voters open to sneakier and more sophisticated means of illegally grabbing (or even destroying) their vote.
Additionally, the grassroots efforts of the major political parties mean that we expect to be approached--and that we assume the approachers are legitimate members of a given party.
In order to minimize the possibility of your vote being stolen, keep the following in mind:
Beware of E-Mail Voting Scams
The internet ensures that we ...
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The fact that over half a million people will be victims of identity fraud every year has made identity theft programs a product of interest for many. The average working adult is likely already busy leading a hectic life balancing home with a professional career; therefore, spending days and nights trying to watch one's back to keep from becoming a victim of fraud is simply unfeasible.
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It was a cold January morning when MVE officers entered a Salt Lake City hotel room to find evidence of an incredible, carefully planned crime. Stacks of stolen mail; dozens of credit cards with corresponding user agreements, account information and pin numbers; counterfeit state ID cards and multiple credit reports littered the crowded room, along with the receipts for two laptop computers.
The Motor Vehicle Enforcement officers had found what they were looking for; the second half of an elaborate and carefully put together identity theft ring. They arrested Joshua Smith and Michelle Chapman, who would be joining the previously apprehended ...
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Phishing. What is it...and would you know it if you saw it? You may think so--but watch out: today's phishing techniques are more sneaky than ever. Here’s the quick-and-dirty on how computer criminals are faking their way into bank accounts just like yours (and what you can do about it).
Fishy Business
Phishing involves posing as a trusted entity, such as a well-known bank or credit card company, in an effort to obtain a password or other account information from an unsuspecting victim. (The word is a combination of "fishing"--casting out for and reeling in information--and "phreaking," or hacking via networked communications, ...
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There are indications that paying credit card bills late could have severe repercussions for consumers this new year.
That's because late fees on credit cards have become astronomical. If, for instance, you fail to pay your January credit card bill on time, you could be hit with a $39 late fee.
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Male, white, college-educated and a confirmed computer geek: you've heard a lot about the "average" ID thief. But do these characteristics constitute the majority? Not by a long shot, according to the latest reports. Read on for the scoop on who's really out to take your identity--and how he (or she!) plans to do it.
Do I Know You?
Many people are surprised to learn that ID thieves aren't always strangers. One common scamming method involves what is known as the "sweetheart scenario". A new love (perhaps someone you've known for months or even longer) cries on your shoulder about an ill ...
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Was Jesus Christ the first recorded victim of identity theft?
Because it has recently become so widespread, many assume identity theft is a whole new phenomenon. However, identity theft has been practiced by the less than scrupulous throughout history. In the early times when personal records were scant, it was not unheard of for identity theft to be perpetrated for the gain of status, authority or even a stately inheritance. Even as the world became more organized, slipping into another identity to gain access to money, goods and benefits was still a rather easy task.
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Identity theft is the awful business of taking a person’s personal information and gaining access to their credit. This information is then often used to get credit cards, checking/savings accounts, loans, rent, mortgage, etc. One way criminals access your personal information is the old fashioned way – stealing your purse or wallet. Another mode of criminals is “dumpster diving.” This occurs when someone goes through the garbage of homes & businesses to find personal information. Perpetrators of identity theft have also been known to steal mail, watch over your shoulder to get your pin number, ...
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Financial experts are recommending that consumers do all they can to protect themselves against identity theft.
If, unfortunately, you do become a victim, there are ways that you can lessen your financial pain.
A poll conducted by Javelin Strategy and Research indicated that victims who discover the theft on their own tend to straighten out the situation much more quickly than those who don't find out about the theft until their bank or a collection agency tells them about it. Those who discovered on their own that they were victims of identity theft tended to clear their names about 65 days after the fraud began, while those who found out the hard way had to wait about 104 days before the mess was straightened out.
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When it comes to identity theft prevention/protection, anyone who has credit cards, a bank account and a credit score wants to do whatever they can to avoid becoming a victim of fraud. Luckily, there is much the average citizen can do to keep their personal information out of the clutches of thieves. This often means consistently using the simple but highly effective concept of common sense.
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Identity theft is the highest rising crime in America. This statement alone begs the question; what is our government doing to protect us? The federal government has created several laws with the intent of reducing id theft. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (pdf) establishes the measure required for correcting mistakes on your credit report and ensures that only viable businesses will have access to your report. The Fair Credit Billing Act determines procedures for settling billing errors on credit accounts and limits the amount of money a consumer can be held liable for ...
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When one hears of identity theft, it is easy to imagine that a thief would want a lesser known name that would not attract too much attention. However, many criminals target celebrities and other well known individuals counting on the fact that they have larger assets to plunder. There have been many cases of identity theft involving everyone from famous television personalities to CEO's to sports stars. Though celebrities and the like are often privy to certain advantages, they will never be immune to identity theft.
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Protecting an individual's financial well being often means implementing plenty of identity theft precautions. However, it also means having plenty of identity theft legislation in place as well. Though there has always been some form of identity theft regulation on the books, a number of laws and guidelines have been renewed, rewritten and reinforced over the last several years. This was done in order to keep up with the changing climate of fraud and to help victims have some form of viable recourse. Because the problem is so widespread, legislation is written in languages that address both individuals and businesses.
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Identity theft is the act of using an individual's or business' private information without permission to obtain goods, benefits or money. Identity thieves have been known to steal another person's identity in order to escape punishment for committing crimes as well.
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Like any other kind of crook, an identity thief is an opportunist. Most of their time is simply spent waiting for an individual to get careless with their information. Whether it's tossed out in the garbage or lifted from a restaurant, there are a number of places that this can happen. The vast majority of identity thieves set themselves up wherever they will have good access to an individual's personal information. Most often, this is any place where financial transactions are handled. For example, Abraham Abdullah was an identity thief who managed to steal millions from well to do victims while working as a busboy in an upscale New York eatery.
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A common subject reported on in newspapers and on television, many have become quite aware of the cruel inconvenience of identity theft. However, a true understanding of the situation often does not come until an individual is in the midst of being a victim. In general, identity theft is a crime perpetrated by using sensitive information to gain money, benefits, goods or a combination thereof. It has wreaked havoc on a number of industries, including banks and other lending institutions as well as government agencies, real estate, retail and other types of commerce. Law enforcement agencies, from local levels on up to federal bureaus, are often overwhelmed with the number of claims that pour in on a daily basis.
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Identity thieves will advance on a Social Security number with the intensity of sharks smelling blood in the water. This is because a Social Security number is the magic key that allows a thief to not only open new lines of credit but gain other crucial information as well. Once a thief has a Social Security number he or she can then get the victim's credit report that details their address and phone number. Once put together, a thief can live a large part of their life on the dime of another person. The worst part is the victim may never even find out until months or years later. This is especially true if the individual is someone who does not check his or her credit report on a regular basis.
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Dealing with identity theft is not something that is not commonly found on an individual's list of top ten things to do. Unfortunately, it is something that, when it does occur, must be dealt with swiftly, adeptly and without hesitation. When it comes to identity theft, perpetrators are counting on time to be on their side. By practicing safe, smart habits and staying alert, one can often keep the upper hand on the underhanded.
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There are two things an individual can do in the unfortunate event of either becoming an identity theft victim or suspecting the possibility of becoming a victim. Putting a credit freeze and fraud alert on one's credit report is essential for stopping fraudsters before they start. With either of these options, creditors will be made aware of the suspicious circumstances for the individual they are considering extending a line of credit to or opening an account for. Plus, a creditor will be made to contact an individual specifically in order to establish any type of credit at all.
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There have been a number of security measures implemented by banks, government institutions and many other organizations in order to prevent identity theft. Whether it is pictures, encoded data or holographic images, the unwavering will of criminals has found a way around nearly every single security precaution in place. Rather than one size fits all safety features, the new science now relies on the use of an individual's unique and distinct identifiers to thwart thieves.
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These days, there are as many child victims of identity theft as there are adults. Children make for the ideal target not only because their clean credit history but because it is likely to be years before the damage is discovered. Though it is possible for a child's personal information to be gleaned from such places as insurance forms and similar records, the perpetrators of child identity theft are often more close to home. Unfortunately, the vast majorities of these crimes are committed by parents, a guardian or close relative of the child. As many will agree, having one's identity stolen is hard enough; the added element of having it done by what is supposed to be a trusted family member only adds further insult to injury.
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We recently had the chance to chat with Cortney Read, Communications Coordinator for Lifelock. Lifelock is the leading company offering identity theft protection. With identity theft and security breaches so prevalent in the news today, it is more important than ever to protect yourself. We asked Cortney how they protect their customer's data and what distinguishes them from the competition.
Q: LifeLock has quickly risen to the top spot in the identity theft protection field. What distinguishes your product from that of competing companies?
A: LifeLock takes a proactive approach to help protect consumers before they become victims ...
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In the US alone, there are almost 15,000 criminal organizations that are trying to scam the elderly. Each year that passes, these thieves and con artists will net more than $40 billion dollars from their victims, and that amount continues to rise. Everyone is susceptible to a scam of some kind, but seven out of ten of these criminal acts will be geared toward senior citizens.
Most men will die long before their wives, and these older women will sometimes have to take care of their finances alone. If the husband dealt with the financial work by himself, these women ...
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Scams and fraud crimes are most dangerous when they are highly complex and there is little information available to successfully warn and educate potential victims and the public at large. A fairly new and little known scam involves two common crimes, mortgage fraud and identity theft, and it goes by the names of "home stealing" or "house stealing".
This crime is so new that the average home owner may be unaware that they are the targets of a new scam. Warnings need to go out at a faster rate, because according to the FBI, new or not, home stealing crimes ...
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In the United States, everyone has the right to contact the major credit agencies like Equifax, and ask them to put up a fraud alert. This alert means that you will have to be contacted whenever an application of credit is attempting to be put in your name. You can ask for a fraud alert but none of the companies have to comply.
A credit freeze, which was first allowed back in January 2003 to victims of identity theft, allows you to have much more control over your credit and its history. Once you place a credit freeze on ...
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Cleaning Up After the Crime
Once someone has found that they are a victim of identity theft, they may try to begin the long process of paper work and phone calls that is necessary to clear their good name. When they begin, hope is still present as they assume that everything will be cleared and automated. It will only take a few short days or weeks for the victim to learn that the burden of proof is on them.
When they contact a government agency to report the crime or to get help, they will be referred to another agency. While ...
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Stealing the Identities of Children
To an identity thief, there is nothing better than the profile of a child. They have a clean history that is free of debt, fraud and criminal activities. Even better, nobody will think to check their credit history - after all, they shouldn't have one! All the thieves will need is the social security number of a child and they can give themselves a new life. To them, it is like they can start over with a crystal clear government record.
Besides the fact that an identity thief can make good use of an identity that ...
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Protecting your identity and credit is absolutely critical, as nearly 25,000 people daily become victims of identity theft. People are losing their personal and financial information at alarming rates all over the country. According to Garter Research, the number of identity theft victims in 2006 has increased by 50% since the FTC reported 9.9 million in 2003.
In addition, the financial damages done to an ID theft victim are enormous. On average, thieves commit $5,700 in fraud per identity theft victim, and victims spend about 40 hours to clear their name, both through phone calls, filling out ...
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Guaranteed loan and credit scams typically take your money in the promise of a loan, credit card or another type of credit. Their emails and advertisements guarantee that a loan to you will be awarded, and credit history is not a hurdle.
The scam begins when the loan starts, you have to pay a fee. It’s a fairly substantial fee, but if you are short of cash and someone offers you a chance to get back on top, who wouldn’t take it up?
With these scammers, you won’t see a loan or credit card after you’ve forwarded the upfront fee. They ...
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Dating fraud is a crime that has many names. One of the most popular names for it is the “sweetheart scam”. The crime is so named because the criminal, male or female, will begin a relationship with the victim for the sole purpose of getting as much money from them as they can before they are discovered.
Before the internet, scammers would meet the potential “suckers” at a party - maybe they passed each other on the street or they were introduced by a third party. All of this is still possible in recent times because there will always be ...
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Social Networking and Identity Theft
There are a lot of things to beware of when interacting with the online world. It is impossible to be sure that the person you are talking to is actually the person that they claim to be. A teenager could think that they are having a nice chat with another teen on the other side of the world, but it could just as easily be a criminal waiting to take advantage of them.
Social networking sites such as MySpace, Friendster, Yuwie, and Facebook are great places to meet old and new friends, exchange information, and plan events ...
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Slick and cunning are just a few of the words police have used to describe Esther Reed. The woman was a high school dropout who was able to con her way into some of the top colleges in the United States, including Columbia, California State University at Fullerton and Harvard. Esther stole the identities of different women and was able to become them in a short amount of time.
Devastated by the divorce of her parents and the death of her mother in 1998, Esther, who had been an above average student and attended her school’s debate team, dropped out and ...
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Work at home scams are everywhere, unfortunately. For a person wanting to take a step up in earnings, or someone out of work and looking for a job, these vague descriptions of potential ways to make large sums of money are usually nothing more than a scam.
You can find advertisements making ridiculous claims in the newspaper, online, on supermarket bulletin boards, in pamphlets showing up in your mailbox, even listings on eBay. They brandish statements like “Work part time in your own home and make $500 to $5000 in your first month” or “Single Mom at home makes $4000 a ...
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Protecting yourself from the damages of identity theft involves reviewing your credit file to ensure that the information is correct. You can order one free credit report each year, but it is recommended that you review your credit report at least twice a year. Your credit file is a key part in determining your credit worthiness, and the adversities an identity thief can wreak on your credit score can be devastating. It is critical that you ensure the accuracy of all of the information on the credit report, and if the information is not correct, file ...
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Identity theft is everywhere these days and in many guises - stealing your credit card number to make fraudulent purchases, posing as you to open bank accounts and buying homes in your name, and using your SSN number to gain employment and benefits. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), 8.3 million Americans reported being a victim in 2005.
The history of ID theft
Identity theft began as a “white collar crime,” where scammers would simply assume the identity of an unsuspecting victim. They would become the stolen identity, opening new bank accounts, credits cards, and perhaps even ...
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"Congratulations! You’ve won a free, 4-day vacation for two in the beautiful, sun-drenched Bahamas!"
When you get a flyer, email, or unexpected phone call promising a complimentary vacation, it’s likely a vacation scam. A current variation of the scam is an automated phone call explaining that you or somebody entered your name in a draw, and that you won. Of course, it's always from a perky-sounding female voice! Don't fall for any of it.
Do not, under any circumstances, give the company your credit card number or any other details. Many scammers simply collect your personal information and sell it ...
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The damages done with medical identity theft are usually irrevocable, permanently damaging the accuracy of your records. The changes in your medical file range from minuscule details to alterations that could pose a very high medical risk. Cleaning up your medical files of the erroneous information is very important, as they can reflect permanent, long-term diseases that are not really yours.
The underpinnings of medical identity theft
Medical identity theft is the least studied form of all ID theft crimes. It occurs if someone uses the name or insurance of another person, along with other ...
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Have you used your credit card to make your purchase, and the store clerk asks you for your identification? Sadly, not many of them ask for ID, but they should in order to compare signatures that are on the back of the card. The store clerk's oversight is an added bonus for credit card thieves, and it makes it relatively easy for them to make purchases with your identity! They can make purchases at stores, by mail, and very easily over the Internet. They often do not even need to have a physical card, as ...
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They say that billions of dollars in private scholarship money goes unused every year. 'They,' as in the slick salesman phoning you or a glossy ad announcing that a bunch of cash is waiting for you! In reality, nearly all aid comes from the government or individual colleges. The "billions" in unused dollars is a figure used since the 1970's, and is based on an unsubstantiated study about employer programs offering potential tuition to eligible employees. Sure it's unused, but it's certainly not available to the public.
Many private scholarships are for specific applicants, such as members of a church ...
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Identity theft is a crime that occurs when someone gains access to your personal information and uses your name for financial fraud. These thieves exploit your identity to make purchases using credit cards and bank accounts in your name, rent apartments and even obtain medical services. Previously, it was generally believed that identity thieves were individuals close to the victim. However, in a recent study, surprising information was revealed about the identities of ID thieves.
Are identity thieves lurking around your street corner?
Recent studies of case files from the Secret Service have revealed who these ...
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Charitable organizations deserve our support and play a vital role in our communities. However, not all organizations are honorable and there are a lot of scams out there. Unfortunately, it is sometimes not easy to distinguish between the legitimate fund raisers and the crooks.
Con artists play on our sympathy and generosity. Their scams take money away from those who need help the most. They also generate negativity in the public about legitimate charities. This is perhaps the greatest crime, as many kind-hearted givers then think twice about making donations where it is needed.
In recent times, fraudulent charities have been ...
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One of the most prolific and dangerous of internet scams has been the Nigerian scam, also called the 419 scam. Advance fee fraud has been around for a long time, usuallly via mail letters and fax to businesses, but this scam has hit unprecedented targets thanks to the popularity of the internet and availability of spamming software.
While the fraudsters involved in this scam were originally isolated to Nigeria, they now populate areas all around the world. The scam preys on those victims who believe they will gain an unbelievable amount of money for doing nearly nothing.
To make ...
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Law enforcement is faced with significant demands with the growing cases of identity theft, but their resources are limited in fighting ID theft. Enforcement agencies all across our country have been forming task forces and identity theft laws to address the severe problem. The FBI currently has 21 separate task forces dedicated to more than 80 different types of financial crimes and identity theft. The FBI also dedicates a significant amount of analytical resources in combating ID theft, referring these investigation cases to law enforcement, proactively targeting ID thieves in organized groups.
Identity fraud and identity theft ...
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Identity theft is the largest growing crime in the nation. Anyone can become a victim - all a criminal needs is your name, address, and other seemingly insignificant personal information. Many people believe that most identity theft occurs via the internet. This is a fallacy - most identity crimes happen offline. However, this does not decrease the need for cautiousness online. It is certainly more "convenient" for criminals to steal your information online - they run less risk of being caught as they would breaking into your house, and can do it from thousands of miles away. ...
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What could be worse? You apply for a new car loan and strangely you are declined. What is going on? You have always paid your bills on time, paid off all your previous vehicles, and never missed a mortgage payment. Yet somehow your credit does not warrant a car loan. Upon further investigation, you find that your credit report shows six different credit cards and charge accounts, all in default for non-payment. How can this be?
You are the victim of identity theft. Someone had gained access to your personal identification information and used this to acquire credit cards ...
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Your credit history sticks to you either like a dazzling diamond or a long shadow. Every loan and credit card you have, and how you pay it off (or don't), is all part of this history. This information is compiled into a credit report, which is a window of your financial health. Banks, insurance companies, landlords and perhaps even a potential employer will request this copy and pass judgment based on it. Your credit rating is a make or break to purchasing that automobile, house or gaining your dream job.
But what if you have no credit history to ...
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There are three major credit bureaus in North America: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. When a creditor requests your credit report, he has one of three choices to request it from. If you have single bureau monitoring, and the creditor requests your information from another bureau, you will not be notified. With 3-in-1 monitoring, you will be notified, because your monitoring service is keeping track of your credit from all three bureaus.
Single Bureau Monitoring
Each credit bureau has their own monitoring service, and they will notify you if somebody requests your credit file from the bureau you are with. Because ...
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Your credit report is like your identity in the world of finance. It is like the gate pass that one has to show at the entrance of the money market. If you fail to show your pass, your access will be denied.
A good credit report helps you obtain more credit as well, so goes the saying, "wealth attracts wealth". A person with a healthy credit history might not be synonymous with a person of plenty of wealth. As mentioned earlier, a credit report is the permit to receive credit; it is the token that shows how reliable ...
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With the first spam message being delivered into an unwary victim’s email account, identity theft has jumped online. Viruses and Trojans used to be the best way to capture your information, but with widespread anti-virus software and fewer security holes in computers, the most common way to steal your information now is through a technique called phishing.
Phishing for your information
Phishing is by far the most prevalent form of computer identity theft. Basically, a thief casts the bait - usually an email, but also voicemail, instant messaging and fax - and waits for a bite. In this case, the bite ...
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