Archive for September, 2008

« Older Entries

Life Lock teams with FBI to battle ID theft

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

LifeLock has established a three-year collaboration with The FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (FBI-LEEDA) to identify identity theft trends and educate consumers. The initial meeting is scheduled to take place October 16 in Phoenix, and will be attended by local law enforcement CEOs, public safety commissioners and sheriffs from around the US and abroad.

To become a member of FBI-LEEDA applicants have to participate in a Command Institute for Law Enforcement Executives or the LEEDS training program at the FBI Academy or one of the twenty-three regional FBI Command Colleges located throughout the United States.

“By coming together as a law enforcement community, we have the ability to tackle this rapidly growing crime head on,” said Tom Stone, Executive Director of the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association. “This summit is just the beginning. By joining together and opening avenues of communication, we gain the ability to share effective policing strategies and connect identity theft cases from several cities and states to ensure that these criminals get the punishments they deserve.” (more…)

Posted in LifeLock | 3 Comments »

“Red flag rules” compliance deadline drawing near

Monday, September 29th, 2008

After five long years, the November deadline for financial institutions and creditors to comply with Red Flag Rules is just around the corner. The Red Flag Rules were established as part of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACT Act) of 2003 as a program to detect, prevent and mitigate identity theft.

The first step in compliance is the recognition of “red flags,” or warnings listed by the Federal Trade Commission. The list includes:

  • Fraud alert or credit freeze attached to a credit report (this doesn’t mean you’ll be turned down for credit, only that creditors must take steps to confirm your identity)
  • Address discrepancy (when you review your credit report, make sure it reflects your current address)
  • Unusually high number of new accounts of credit inquiries
  • ID seems to be phony, or photo doesn’t match applicant’s appearance
  • Social Security number is inactive (i.e., belongs to someone deceased, has never been issued, belongs to someone other than applicant)
  • Change of address followed by request for addition of new account users
  • Credit card statements returned as undeliverable, but transactions on account continue

Many of these warning signs should be simple common sense, but apparently common sense isn’t always common. (more…)

Posted in Identity Theft | No Comments »

ID theft a secondary risk after Hurricane Ike

Saturday, September 27th, 2008

Galveston and Houston residents returning to their hurricane-ravaged homes have been warned to watch for snakes and alligators. The same warning should be issued for residents still living in the shelters two weeks after Hurricane Ike.

Michael Scott Biles and Gregory Lewis have been arrested after visiting two shelters posing as recruiters for RDL Energy Inc., RDL, a local company, rovides contract workers for the oil industry. Job seekers at the shelters were instructed to complete an application, and attach a voided check so their paychecks could be direct-deposited. (more…)

Posted in LifeLock promotion code | No Comments »

Most companies don’t tell customers when a data breach has occurred

Friday, September 26th, 2008

You can blame data breaches on the hackers all you want, but a new survey places the blame squarely on the organizations storing your data. Only half of the companies who admitted to having data breaches notified police or other authorities. Only 40% bothered to tell their customers.

Logica, and IT security firm, surveyed 300 corporate and governmental organizations. Fewer than one in three of the companies surveyed provide staff trainings on information technology security. Another alarming discovery is that 57% of respondents said they have “no idea” what the consequences would be if they did have a data breach. (more…)

Posted in Data breach | No Comments »

Best prices on the best ID protection

Thursday, September 25th, 2008

If you’ve been wondering whether you need the help of an identity theft protection company, you do. If you’ve been wondering when to take the plunge, the answer is now—before you’re a ID theft victim. If you’re wondering how much it’s going to cost to enroll, the answer is less than ever before.

When you enroll in Life Lock your identity will be protected with preemptive fraud alerts. Credit monitoring services tell you after someone has already used your name to receive credit and run up debts. Fraud alerts work to prevent identity theft by letting you know anytime anyone applies for credit in your name. It’s your choice to refuse the credit or accept it.

But don’t limit your protection to fraud alerts. You can count on WalletLock to help you replace any documents from a lost or stolen wallet BEFORE identity thieves use them. TruAddress prevents thieves from redirecting your mail to their address where they can search through it for your identifying information and account numbers. With eRecon, your information can’t be bought, sold or traded on any of the 10,000 websites and chatrooms frequented by ID theft rings. (more…)

Posted in LifeLock promo code | No Comments »

Undetected identity theft becomes financial, criminal and medical nightmare for Minnesota CPA

Wednesday, September 24th, 2008

Minnesotan Michele Sorenson could be the poster child for identity theft prevention. Like 80% of other identity theft victims, the certified public accountant didn’t learn of the attack until collection agencies began demanding payment. She then called the national credit reporting agencies and discovered the magnitude of her problem. There had been 30 attempts to open new credit accounts using her identity. But that was just the beginning.

The thief—or thieves—also used her information to acquire a California driver’s license, write bad checks, steal a car, charge medical bills, get telephone service, run up thousands of dollars at department stores and gas stations, and–the piece de resistance—post bail for a jailbird buddy. (more…)

Posted in identity theft protection | No Comments »

Grady Memorial Hospital Data Breach

Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008

It could happen to anyone. You engage in a little gossip or self-disclosure, sharing a juicy tidbit with a friend. Your friend assures you it’ll go no further. And then the information is shared one more time, again, with the warning that this juicy story cannot be retold. Eventually, the story will get back to the subject of the gossip, or worse, end up on the Internet.

It was pretty much the same scenario with a recent data breach that originated at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. (more…)

Posted in Data breach | No Comments »

From 1 customer to 1 million in three years, an astounding success

Monday, September 22nd, 2008

How does an upstart identity theft protection company achieve such astounding growth? With commitment to their customer’s protection, excellent service, and honorable business practices.

LifeLock’s customers receive a wide array of innovative ID theft protection services: (more…)

Posted in LifeLock | No Comments »

LifeLock and TrueAddress

Sunday, September 21st, 2008

We all get so much junk mail that every once in a while it’s a relief to reach in and find the mailbox empty. We can breathe a sigh of relief that there aren’t any credit card bills, mortgage offers or—worst of all—pre-approved credit card offers.

But, if on the second day the mailbox is empty again, we start to wonder, “Is today an obscure federal holiday? Did the mail carrier have a stroke in someone’s front yard down the road?”

You might be better off wondering if your mail was delivered while you were at work, but stolen before you got home. Or, if someone has submitted a change of address so they can sift through your bank and credit card statements at their leisure and take advantage of all those pre-approved credit card offers delivered in your name. (more…)

Posted in LifeLock | 5 Comments »

Identity theft risks: What’s in your wallet?

Friday, September 19th, 2008

Lost or stolen wallets are the most common source of information for identity thieves. If you examing the contents of your own wallet, it’s easy to see how much damage you could suffer if it ever ended up in someone else’s hands.

I’ll tell you what’s in my wallet, and you compare it with yours. The smartest move I’ve made was taking my own and my son’s Social Security cards out of my wallet. A person’s SSN is the Rosetta stone of their identity, and the Holy Grail to identity thieves. (more…)

Posted in identity theft protection | No Comments »

« Older Entries