Archive for the ‘Identity Theft’ Category

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Keep the ‘keys’ to your kingdom safe

Tuesday, August 24th, 2010

Identity theft can be a complex crime. It starts with a grain of information about a victim, then blossoms into full-blown access to enough information for the thief to impersonate the victim, gain access to his accounts, and steal him blind.

The key to identity theft prevention is attention to details such as what you carry in your wallet and how you create passwords. Passwords, in particular, can make the difference between a stolen identity and a thief who gets frustrated and moves on to an easier victim.

Your passwords online are really the key to your identity. Behind your password is your personal information such as your date of birth, Social Security number and information on your bank accounts. Protecting those passwords – and your credit – is crucial.

Here are three ways to make sure you’ve got the strongest passwords possible:

• Use letters and numbers. You’ve probably heard that one before, but it really is one of the best ways to create a strong password. Use both letters and numbers; at least eight of them. Don’t use birth dates, anniversaries or Social Security numbers. And don’t use whole words.
• Avoid sequences and repeated characters. Longer isn’t necessarily better.
• Don’t’ use the same password everywhere. Even a strong password is useless if it’s cracked. If you use the same password on every Web site that you access, you are exponentially increasing your risk of identity theft. Instead, create a different password for every site that you access. It’s a lot of work and, some would say, a pain in the neck. But it also makes it much harder for identity thieves to gain access to large chunks of your personal data.

Passwords are truly the key to your kingdom and to your peace of mind. Keep them safe.

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As the school bell rings, protect your kids against ID theft

Monday, August 16th, 2010

It’s back to school time and, unfortunately, that means your child’s personal information could be at greater risk. Parents of school-age children must be aware of the growing threat of identity theft, and they must learn how to protect their children.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, 5 percent of all identity theft victims in 2008 were under the age of 1. Younger children are often targeted because the crime goes undetected for longer periods of time.

To help protect your child from identity the, follow these tips:

• Remind your children not to share personal information such as home address, phone number or Social Security numbers with strangers.
• If your child is entering kindergarten, most schools will require a birth certificate. Do not leave a copy behind.
• Most schools will ask for the child’s Social Security number, but it is more of a “like to have than a “must have.” Ask to speak to the principal if you are uncomfortable releasing this information.
• Children get excited about their new backpacks, and many include identification tags that hang on the outside that contain personal information. Instead of doing this, write the child’s first name in permanent ink on the outside of the bag.
• Teach your children how to be safe online while at school.
• Stay involved with your child’s online activities. Review and explain the privacy policies of your school with your child.
• Consider using parental control software to monitor what your children are doing online.
• Keep an eye out for any mail, particularly credit applications addressed to your child. This could indicate that someone has used your child’s information to commit identity theft.

Take a vigilant stance against identity theft for yourself and your family. Call LifeLock today.

Receive 30 days free and get a 10 percent discount on enrollment with the LifeLock Promo Code “Defense.”

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Thieves don’t need much to steal your identity

Monday, August 9th, 2010

Just how much information does a thief really need to know in order to steal your identity? Armed with easily-found information such as your birth date, address or mother’s maiden name, an individual could access your existing accounts or establish new loans or credit in your name.

Reports of security breaches in which customer data and personal information were compromised have been making headlines in recent months. Choicepoint, Lexis Nexis, HSBC and Bank of America have all reported massive amounts of compromised customer information. Each of the breaches were the result of a variety of reasons, including poor internal security, lax procedures and hacking.

Information can also be pulled from your trash can. Waiters can swipe or write down your credit card number when you pay for your dinner. But social engineering and good, old-fashioned theft still pose a greater threat than network security, and it is up to you to monitor and protect your personal information and your credit.

Here are some tips to help you secure and protect your personal information and ensure that your identity is not compromised.

• Watch for shoulder surfers. When entering your personal identification number or credit card number at an ATM machine, at a phone booth or even on a computer, be aware of who is nearby, and make sure no one is peeking over your shoulder to make a note of the keys you’re depressing.
• Require photo identification. Rather than signing the back of your credit or debit card, you can write, “See Photo ID.” Many times, store clerks don’t look at the signature on the back of the card, but for those times they do, they will see that they need to verify with a photo ID.
• Make sure you shred everything. One of the ways that would-be identity thieves acquire information is through dumpster diving. If you are throwing out bills and credit card statements, old credit card or ATM receipts, medical statements or even pre-approved credit card offers, you may be leaving too much information lying about. Buy a shredder and shred all papers before disposing of them.
• Destroy all digital data. When you sell, trade or dispose of a computer system or hard drive, or even a backup tape, you need to take extra steps to ensure the data is completely and irrevocably destroyed. Simply deleting it is not enough.

Take a proactive stance with LifeLock by becoming a member today. LifeLock will monitor the Internet and databases for your personal information and notify you of any fraudulent activity before it becomes a problem.

Receive 30 days free and get a 10 percent discount on enrollment with the LifeLock Promo Code “Defense.”

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Proposed database could help prevent child ID theft

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

The theft of children’s identities is a growing segment of identity theft. The terrifying thing about this type of crime is that it often goes undetected until the child tries to apply for credit as an adult or tries to get a loan for college, and by then, the child’s credit is ruined.

The identity information of children is a hot commodity on the black market because they come without a credit report attached, which makes them ideal for identity theft. And if the thief is “lucky,” he can use the information for many years.

But the Social Security Administration and the Department of Justice have been recently issued the challenge of creating a tool for credit issuers to use to assess whether a Social Security number belongs to a minor. The database, as proposed, would contain the name, Social Security number, and month and year of birth of every child ages birth to 17 years, 10 months.

The idea was first proposed in 2005, but with the ever-increasing incidents of child identity theft, the idea has gained more traction.

The Social Security Administration’s Death Master File has been cited as a precedent for the database. The file is a list of everyone with a SSN who has passed away. It’s distributed to the three major credit reporting bureaus so that they can mark credit reports “deceased.”

But the new database won’t happen overnight. There are some legal hoops to jump through first, due to the Patriot Act. Furthermore, the database would have to be extremely secure, and available only to entities in exchange for their assurances of certain security levels and safeguards.

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Gamers worried new policy could cause ID information breach

Monday, August 2nd, 2010

Activision Blizzard Inc. has enacted a new policy which has video gamers everywhere up in arms.

The company, which puts out games like “World of Warcraft,” “Diablo” and “Starcraft,” announced that forum posters will now have to reveal their real identities immediately after the launch of their newest Starcraft series, which was launched July 27.

Activision rationalizes that the new policy is necessary to limit the amount of trolling and other forms of cyber harassment in its forums. The company argues that the Real ID system is widely-used in such social networking sites and Facebook and Twitter, and that the move will allow gamers to better interact with their friends. Forum moderators, who work for Activision, will also use their real names, and the company says better customer service will be provided and complaints will be more easily addressed.

Irate players have flooded online gaming forums. Posters cited violations to their freedom of speech and Activision’ initial sign-up terms of agreement, which stated that the company will never reveal the players’ true identities.

Players have also picked apart the company’s reasons for removing the anonymity. They believe it is an unacceptable excuse for Activision’s inadequacy in moderating the forums, and are questioning why they are being forced to reveal their true identities to cover up the ineptitude of the moderators.

But gamers may be tapped by thieves for identity theft. Protection provided by not revealing one’s true identity will be compromised. To prove their point, some forum posters even posted information regarding Activision employees and their families, which they said can be easily obtained online, once you know their real names.

If this policy is implemented, identity theft protection will cease to exist for gamers, according to those opposed.

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Stay ahead of the game to prevent online identity theft

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

As the reported incidents of online identity theft continue to rise, more and more people are becoming aware of this type of crime. But it is important for novice Internet users, as well as experienced surfers, to take extra measures to protect sensitive personal information.

There are a few basic steps you can take to protect yourself from becoming the next victim of online identity theft. First and foremost, never give out your personal information, account numbers or passwords unless you have initiated the transaction. If you receive a phone call requesting this information, do not reply. Instead, contact the business making the request or log onto their Web site to be sure the request is legitimate. Even if the caller threatens to close or penalize your account, do not surrender your personal information.

Be sure to report any suspicious or unauthorized activity to the business it supposedly originated from for investigation. You should also monitor your credit cards and bank accounts on a regular basis to catch any questionable activity and deal with it as soon as it is discovered.

Use the most current operating system on your computer, and run a compatible anti-spyware virus protection and install firewall software. Keep these programs up to date and secure your wireless Internet connections.

Internet phishing scams are one of the most common ways thieves seek to steal your identity online. These scams usually come in the form of an official-looking e-mail from a familiar financial institution or Web site that you might have an account with, such as eBay or PayPal. Within the e-mail, there will typically be a link with a request asking you to confirm your account data and/or update your password. Clicking on these will take you to a Web site that closely resembles the business site. Once you enter your personal information into this cloned site, it will be sent directly to a thief.

Some tips that can help protect you from becoming a victim of computer identity theft include:

• Use good anti-spam, anti-adware and anti-spyware on your computer and keep them running whenever the computer is connected to the Internet.
• Install a firewall.
• Avoid clicking on pop-up ads and never enter any personal information on the Web sites these ads lead to.
• Do not click on links in e-mails unless they are from a trusted source.
• Keep your anti-virus software up to date and current.
• Stay informed and educated about the most recent computer identity theft trends and methods.
• Use strong passwords.
• Shop online with care.
• Avoid software that can harm your computer.

Protect your sensitive information and your good name. Call LifeLock today. Receive 30 days free and get a 10 percent discount on enrollment with the LifeLock Promo Code “Defense.”

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Soldiers marked for identity theft scam

Wednesday, July 28th, 2010

A new identity theft scam of the lowest form has emerged, using American soldiers.

Online imposters are stealing photos of U.S. soldiers they find on the Internet and are fraudulently placing them on dating Web sites in order to scam women out of money. In some cases, the photos being used are of soldiers who died overseas.

There is evidence that this crime is growing, and hundreds have reported being victimized. But the FBI, the State Department, the Federal Trade Commission and the National White Collar Crime Center all say there’s little they can do, because the scammers are mobile, operating out side of the country or from places like Internet cafes.

The Army has said it cannot go after these criminals either, since the perpetrators are not soldiers. It’s out of their jurisdiction.

The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command has received frequent reports of such scams, which often involve requests for money from the victim, in order to purchase laptops, phones and transportation fees to be used by the “deployed solider” so the relationship between the “soldier” and the female victim can continue. The perpetrators often tell the women their units don’t have phones, or that they need money to help keep the unit’s Internet going. They also ask the victims for money to purchase leave papers, or to help pay for their flight home.

It is believed the perpetrators are mostly from Ghana, Angola and Nigeria.

To date, there have been no reports that any U.S. service people have suffered financial loss as a result of these scams. But the victims of this scam have lost thousands.

Before you engage in communication with anyone online or send money to someone you’ve met online, be sure to check them out thoroughly. And never give out your personal information to someone you’ve met online.

You never know who’s on the other end of that “send” button.

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Be thoroughly prepared for that job interview – and safe

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

Whether you’re seeking to re-enter the job market, or just changing jobs, chances are you’ve prepared a resume and are heading to some interviews. As part of that process, prospective employers will want to do a background check. How do you prepare for this while protecting your most sensitive information?

First of all, you should order a copy of your credit report. Go over it carefully, and if you find something that you didn’t authorize or disagree with, dispute the information with the creditor and/or credit bureau before you have to explain it to an employer. You’ll also want to check court records if you have an arrest record or have been involved in a court case. Cases that have been expunged or dismissed should not be divulged.

Check your DMV records. Request a copy of your driving record from the Department of Motor Vehicles, especially if you are applying for a job that requires driving.

Ask to see a copy of your personnel file from your old job. Even if you do not work there anymore, state law may allow you to view it. You are entitled to copies of any documents that have your signature on them.

Tell your neighbors and work colleagues that a background check is being conducted so they can be prepared, since they may be asked about you. This avoids suspicion and alerts you to potential problems, and can expedite the process.

Clean up your “digital dirt.” Conduct a search online for your name. If you find unflattering or untrue references, contact the source and learn how the references can be removed. If you have a profile on a social networking site, make sure to edit what you have posted to be sure a potential employer will not be offended. If you blog, check your entries for any postings that could prove detrimental.

After you’ve done all you can to prepare for a background check, make sure your personal information is safe by contacting LifeLock today. Be sure to ask how the personal information you share with a potential employer will be safeguarded. And then let LifeLock monitor for any fraudulent activity.

Receive 30 days free and get a 10 percent discount on enrollment with the LifeLock Promo Code “Defense.”

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Visa to make credit card theft harder for thieves

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

Visa has launched best practice standards for a new process known as tokenization, which could help prevent credit card theft – a task that is becoming more and more important, since this area of theft is growing every day.

The system replaces consumer information on payment records with random digits that hide credit card account numbers. The hope is that this will deter or prevent criminals from stealing credit card numbers.

“Where properly implemented, tokenization may help simplify a merchant’s payment card environment,” said Eduardo Perez, Visa head of Global Payment System Security.

The best practices provide merchants and companies with advice on how to implement tokenization for maximum effectiveness. That includes generating the token numbers, mapping them and setting up a place to store the information to keep it safe from fraudsters.

Not every merchant will use this type of system to hide credit card numbers, however. As a result, consumers may have to take identity theft protection into their own hands.

Along with monitoring monthly statements for any suspicious activity, people are advised by the Federal Trade Commission to properly dispose of old statements and associated paperwork by shredding them.

To be proactive in protecting your personal information, call LifeLock today. LifeLock can monitor the Web for any fraudulent activity with your information, and will notify you immediately if any such activity is found.

Receive 30 days free and get a 10 percent discount on enrollment with the LifeLock Promo Code “Defense.”

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ID theft among illegals a sticky wicket

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

If you use false personal information to commit fraud in Iowa, you can’t use the excuse, “I didn’t know it belonged to someone else” any longer. The Iowa Court of Appeals ruled July 14 that the excuse no longer flies, and the decision stemmed from the arrest of an illegal immigrant, Jose Abel Garcia, who was caught using a woman’s identification number in Marshall County, Iowa.

The ruling comes one year after a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court opinion that required federal prosecutors to prove that alleged identity thieves knew the stolen information belonged to a real person.

The state law differs from the federal law in that it requires prosecutors to prove only that the information belonged to another person and was used in a fraud. A “fraudulent” use requires the accused to know his use of the information was illegitimate, but does not require him to know the identification was of another person. Garcia was charged with forgery and identity theft, and was convicted of both counts. He served concurrent 45-day jail terms and was given probation. He has appealed the identity theft conviction.

Garcia was arrested in 2008 when deputies executed a search warrant on vehicles in an apartment parking lot. He gave the deputies a California identification card. Once a search on the card was run, it was found the information belonged to a California woman. Garcia admitted he had purchased the fake card from a third party. He later acknowledged he was in the U.S. illegally, and did not have a Social Security card.

Fake identification cards and Social Security cards, bearing stolen information, are often used by illegal immigrants to obtain work in the U.S. No one knows the extent of the problem, but there are some facts available.

• About 7 million illegal immigrants are using stolen Social Security numbers and paying Social Security taxes. Their payroll tax contributions may be as high as $7 billion a year.
• The contribution of those illegals to the Social Security system added about 10 percent of last year’s surplus.
• Each year, the Social Security Administration receives a very large number of W-2 forms with incorrect and sometimes fictitious Social Security numbers; the withholding taxes from these incorrect numbers are put in the “Earnings Suspense” file, which totals over $189 billion.

The Social Security Administration does notify you if your number is being used illegally by someone else and cannot resolve the problems created by such a theft, but will work with you to be sure your earnings and their records are correct.

To protect your Social Security number and other personal information, call LifeLock today. Receive 30 days free and get a 10 percent discount on enrollment with the LifeLock Promo Code “Defense.”

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