Posts Tagged ‘LifeLock promo code’

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Be cautious about bank-offered ID theft protection

Monday, January 31st, 2011

Banks all over the country are beginning to push sales of identity theft services, but the question is this: Can you get the same level of protection you’d get with a company that specializes in identity theft protection?

Many banks are ramping up their marketing of protection packages through pop-up and banner ads on banking Web sites, and through customer service pitches in branches, as well as on the phone or in the mail. Pricing is similar to what is being charged by identity theft protection services. Some banks are offering a promotional rate of $1 for the first month, then the regular rate afterward.

The services provide daily credit monitoring, and promise to send alerts about new accounts being opened by someone else in a customer’s name. They also give customers access to their credit reports. Banks are offering the service to fill revenue gaps left by the absence of overdraft and interchange fees, and other traditional sources of income.

The banks are pitching these services, which are mostly unregulated, to their existing customer base.

But the fact is that most of these services only offer credit monitoring, which tracks credit reports for changes indicative of fraud, like an address change or new credit card application, and then alerts the customer. Some go a step further by monitoring online chat rooms where data thieves sell information, which represents a very small percentage of identity thefts overall.

Another fact is that the banks don’t provide the service themselves – they partner with other firms that do the actual monitoring. Many of these firms have numerous complaints registered against them and poor grades with the Better Business Bureau, as well as lawsuits from state attorneys general.

Although you may have done business with your bank for years, you should be leery of this type of identity theft protection. While it may look good on the outside, you may find that you’re not getting any value for your dollar.

This isn’t the case with LifeLock. LifeLock not only provides credit monitoring, but it also provides proactive surveillance, searching online 24/7 for any threat to your personal information. If any threat is found, LifeLock will respond immediately, not only notifying you of the threat, but walking with you through any steps needed to restore order.

And you get LifeLock’s $1 million guarantee. No one is completely immune from identity theft – and if you ever fall victim while a LifeLock customer, LifeLock will spend up to $1 million to make things right. Guaranteed.

Now that’s protection you can take to the bank.

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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No 8-Ball needed to tell you ID theft is on the rise

Wednesday, January 26th, 2011

If you had a magic 8-Ball when you were a kid, you could ask it anything and you’d get such answers as, “It is certain,” “Most likely,” “Signs point to yes,” and “My sources say no.”

As children, somehow we believed those answers. We thought that magically, that 8-Ball knew just the right answer we wanted or needed to hear. We were amazed when the answer fit whatever our question was. It must have been magic.

But if you use that same 8-Ball to predict what will happen in the world of identity theft, you might not like what appears in that little window. Identity thieves are constantly changing their methods in order to keep up with changing attitudes and technology. But the one thing they count on is that people think it will never happen to them.

This kind of attitude gives these thieves just the opening they are looking for – it exposes consumer weaknesses, and scammers will take advantage of that apathy.

According to recent statistics, there are some trends in identity theft that will continue to grow and will be prevalent in 2011.

• Check fraud, based on synthesized checks will grow if the economy fails to improve. These specially-forged checks bear the name and address of a real person or company, but have fake account and routing numbers. Merchants often accept these checks.

• Small and medium sized organizations, like businesses, schools and governments, will be prime targets for criminals because of their healthy bottom lines and, all too often, minimal security against hacking.

• Social engineering, or deceptive attempts to obtain money from people, will increase. Criminals use third-party games and applications found on Facebook to accomplish this.

• Even though consumers and business owners are becoming more aware, and defenses against cybercrime and hacking are improving, criminals are developing more and better ways to hack into retail networks and network servers, and there will be more skimming of payment cards at points of sale and at automated teller machines.

Learn how to protect yourself. Never click on e-mail links without verification, particularly if they are unsolicited. Phishing e-mail is a top method used by scammers. Conduct financial transactions online only on secured sites with URLs that begin with “https” instead of “http.” Limit the amount of information you share online, particularly on social media sites.

Shred or burn documents that contain your personal information before disposal. Tearing them up isn’t sufficient. When asked for your personal information, be sure you know why it is needed and how it will be handled after receipt before you disclose it.

And sign up with LifeLock. LifeLock can provide protection for your personal information by monitoring for your info online, and scanning for any threat to it. This is done 24/7. LifeLock also quickly responds if there is ever a threat found, and will assist you in squelching any attempt at identity theft.

LifeLock offers more than just credit monitoring. It offers peace of mind. You can’t monitor your information every minute of every day – but LifeLock can.

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

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Make 2011 the year to put scam artists out of business

Monday, January 3rd, 2011

As you start your new year, the Better Business Bureau urges you to be a smart consumer. By staying on top of things, you can help prevent scams and identity theft, and save money.

One of the most important things you can do this year is to check with the BBB before responding to too-good-to-be-true promotions, or when making purchases or donations. The BBB has reliability reports on businesses and nonprofits, and can offer you tips on marketplace issues and scams.

Follow these tips to make you a smarter consumer:

• Never give out your personal information to unfamiliar people or companies, in pop-up screens or unsecured Web sites. Verify the requests with organizations directly.

• Get everything in writing, including contracts, warranties or guarantees, oral promises, terms and costs. Be sure to review carefully any document before signing.

• Ask nonprofits for written materials, find out whether contributions are tax-deductible and make checks payable to the organization.

• Beware of unsolicited notifications accompanied with checks claiming you’ve won money, been awarded grants or offering secret shopper jobs. If a letter requests that you send cash or deposit a check and forward the money, don’t do it. The checks are likely counterfeit.

• Steer clear of work at home offers claiming big profits and that no experience is necessary.

• Review your income and expenses and develop a realistic budget and savings plan.

• Avoid high pressure or scare tactics to get you to buy something, make a donation or invest.

• Don’t be afraid to say no if your questions aren’t answered or something doesn’t feel right.

Make this your New Year’s resolution this year: be smart and put identity thieves out of business. One surefire way is to sign up with LifeLock. LifeLock will scan through thousands of databases daily, looking for any threats to your personal information. If any threat is found, you’ll be notified immediately so that action can be taken to squelch it.

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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Keep your eyes open this holiday season

Monday, November 29th, 2010

Police in Upper Darby, Pa. arrested two men who purchased gasoline with stolen credit cards. The arrests were fairly routine – until the cops dug a little deeper.

Sheik Fofana, 29, of Yeadon, Pa., and Conde Mamady, 28, of Bladensburgh, Md., were picked up after filling up two cars with gas with stolen credit cards Nov. 24. When the cars were searched, police officers found a quantity of credit and gift cards registered in New Hampshire and Maryland. The two men were also carrying stolen cards in their pockets.

The men have each been charged with credit card fraud, identity theft and other related offenses. The Secret Service was called in to assist with the investigation because of the number of credit cards. Investigators from the Secret Service were already in Philadelphia working on a rash of recent credit card thefts.

The case in Philadelphia involved hundreds of credit cards found in a raid at a house on the 1000 block of South 57th Street. Investigators found cards and the machinery needed to make phony cards.

Officers said those arrested had been making cards bearing victims’ identities and buying gift cards. Money was also being counterfeited at that location, with bleaching and changing $1 bills into $50 bills. Investigators called it a “major operation for counterfeiting and for the manufacture and distribution of credit cards.”

Activity involving stolen credit cards and fraudulent cards created using purchased gift cards will be on the rise in the coming weeks as Christmas approaches. Experts say there is an increase in these types of crimes during the weeks leading up to Christmas day each year.

Be vigilant about your credit card. When your statement arrives, check it carefully for any questionable activity. If you find charges listed that you didn’t make, contact the card issuer immediately.

If you are a business owner, be sure to ask for photo identification when a customer presents a credit card. Be suspicious if a person pays for a transaction with a gift card, but your computer readout indicates it is a credit card.

The key to playing it safe this holiday season is to be alert and aware. You can’t afford to not be.

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Woman uses daughter’s victim’s ID info to commit fraud

Thursday, November 18th, 2010

A 41-year-old Sheboygan, Wisc. woman has been charged with five counts of identity theft for renting an apartment and setting up utilities using the identity of a woman her daughter robbed in 2003.

Yvonne H. Johnson was charged with using identity theft for financial gain, five counts, with each count carrying a maximum penalty of three years in prison. Her current whereabouts are unknown, and warrants have been issued for each count she is charged with.

According to the complaint, the identity theft stemmed from a robbery that took place in Milwaukee in 2003 in which a Social Security card and other identifying information were stolen from a then-17-year-old girl. The victim filed an identity theft report in August 2009 after being contacted by collections agencies about services set up under her name in Sheboygan from 2007 to 2009.

One of the people arrested for the burglary in 2003 was Johnson’s daughter, who was a teenager at the time.

Police discovered last year that Johnson had used a misspelling of the Milwaukee woman’s name to rent an apartment in 2007. She also used the name and Social Security number to sign up for services from Alliant Energy, Charter Communications, Wisconsin Public Service and Direct TV. Johnson accumulated bills totaling $3,966 under the victim’s name.

How do you protect yourself from this type of circumstance? You sign up with LifeLock.

LifeLock monitors for non-credit related threats to your personal information, as well as monitoring your credit. So if someone applies for any type of services in your name, LifeLock will alert you immediately and the threat will be squashed.

Call LifeLock today. You’ll sleep easier tonight.

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

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Data breaches becoming more common; still frequently not reported

Wednesday, November 10th, 2010

Since the data breach by ChoicePoint six years ago, regulators, businesses and consumers have increased their awareness and reaction to organizations that mishandle sensitive consumer data.

In early 2005, California was the only state that had a breach notification law. ChoicePoint allowed information on approximately 150,000 consumers to be accessed fraudulently. When ChoicePoint only notified California victims of the breach, a precursor to identity theft, both victims and regulators reacted.

Since 2005, 46 states and three territories have enacted data breach laws. Only Alabama, Kentucky, New Mexico and South Dakota are left. Each state law is different, making compliance difficult for any organization that has security a security breach in which the victims reside in multiple states.

Since the CheckPoint incident, over a half-billion profiles have been compromised in 2,500 reported incidents. Some Americans have been victimized by security breaches multiple times, for example, by their schools, local, state or federal government, a retailer, financial institution or their favorite charity. Some organizations have suffered numerous breaches.

Of the 2,500 reported breaches, one third of the reporting organizations could not quantify how much information was accessed, lost, stolen or improperly disposed.

The most frightening statistics are a bit more general. Most organizations haven’t inventoried the consumer information they possess, and they don’t have a method in place to detect a breach. Others report that their employees don’t report breaches because they fear retribution by consumers and regulators.

It pays for consumers to take action to protect themselves with a service such as LifeLock.

LifeLock is the only proactive identity protection service on the market today. As a LifeLock customer, you will be notified the moment any threat to your personal information, whether credit related or not, is detected. This, in effect, stops identity theft in its tracks, and makes any information a thief could acquire during a data breach useless.

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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Couple tells their story of ID theft recovery

Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010

While most people enjoyed their summer, the Johnsons spent theirs cleaning up the mess left behind by a phishing attack that cost the couple their identities and nearly $40,000.

Joe Johnson says that months after his wife, Sasha, fell victim to a phishing attack, their online banking transactions were suddenly not going through. Automatic bill payments were being turned down for insufficient funds, and checks were ordered and mailed to locations the couple didn’t recognize.

At one point, the thieves attempted to wire a $40,000 line of credit from the couple’s account. The couple spent countless hours over the summer calling creditors and chasing down accounts they never opened.

Unfortunately, this same type of event occurs every day. People fall victim to a phishing attempt or some other scam, and soon they discover they’ve been victimized by a thief. Often, they don’t discover it until the damage has been done to their credit report and their bank accounts have been drained.

How can you prevent this? By signing up with an identity theft protection service that monitors for threats to your personal identity. There are lots of them to choose from – but who should you select?

When you weigh the options, the choice becomes clear: LifeLock. LifeLock is the only ID protection service on the market that provides proactive protection. In other words, LifeLock monitors for and helps prevent identity theft before the damage can be done. And you can sign up for a very affordable $10 a month for the standard service, and $15 for the LifeLock Command Center, which affords you greater power over your personal information.

So give LifeLock a call to day or sign up online at www.lifelock.com. Receive 30 days free and get a 10 percent discount on enrollment with the LifeLock Promo Code “Defense.”

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Debunking the myths about ID theft

Wednesday, October 20th, 2010

There are some prevailing myths out there about identity theft. Here’s the truth.

No. 5: Checking your credit report protects your from identity theft. Checking your report just tells you if your identity has been stolen. But you should still check it as often as possible.

No. 4: Caller ID is safe. Caller IDs are easily spoofed with technology that allows the bad guy to change what shows up on your handset. First, no matter who calls, never give personal information to anyone over the telephone. If you initiated the call or are sure of the person at the other end of the call, it’s okay. Be sure to check the person and/or organization out thoroughly and verify the call before you respond to any questions.

No. 3: Technology and computers are why identity theft is so big. Certainly data breaches are responsible for some identity theft. However, low-tech identity theft is the bigger problem. A lost or stolen wallet, or stolen debit or credit card, is still the most common way identity theft happens.

No. 2: Identity theft is only a financial crime. There is also medical identity theft, which is when someone poses as you to get medical attention. Then there’s criminal identity theft, which is where a thief commits one or more crimes using your identity. Then there’s employment fraud, where a person uses your Social Security number to get a job. And don’t forget about identity cloning, which is where a thief uses your information to avoid law enforcement or others. In other words, there’s a world of ways an identity thief can take advantage of his victims.

And at No. 1: You can’t protect yourself from identity theft. Some, but not all, identity theft is preventable. There are many things you can do to minimize your risk, both online and off. Shred anything that has your personal information on it before you dispose of it. Keep financial records protected and private, in a locking file cabinet. Opt out of junk mail. Get a locking mailbox. Protect your personal information, and don’t provide it to anyone unless you know how it will be used and protected.

The best thing you can do is to sign up for the proactive services offered by LifeLock. LifeLock will monitor for any threat to your personal information, whether credit-related or not, and notify you the minute any threat is detected. And if there’s ever any issue while you’re a LifeLock customer, you’ll be notified immediately, and LifeLock will work with you to resolve the issue.

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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Complaints are just sour grapes

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

Despite being recognized as the leader in proactive identity theft protection, there are still those who would complain about LifeLock and its services. Here are those complaints and explanations.

• LifeLock doesn’t ensure foolproof protection of the personal information of its customers.

The fact is, LifeLock never promised this. It’s not a detective agency and can’t prevent anyone from obtaining your personal information. LifeLock works instead to make your information useless to anyone but you. And through its proactive services, LifeLock can notify you about any potential identity theft threats and prevent you from facing legal hassles and financial loss.

• There’s no guarantee that LifeLock will preserve the personal information of its customers.

LifeLock gets it. Your personal information is important and LifeLock treats it as such, using strict electronic, managerial and physical procedures to safeguard your information. LifeLock is ISO 27001 certified, which means its standards for data and operational security are the highest and the best. LifeLock is also certified Level 1 compliant per the payment card industry’s data security standards. LifeLock is also a member of Truste and is checked by VeriSign on a daily basis.

To ensure the confidentiality of its customers’ personal information, LifeLock conducts background checks on all of its employees, including random drug testing. The company also has all of its facilities built with high-quality surveillance and alarm systems and the latest biometric security access, and doesn’t store any important or confidential data online. The data is stored off-site in a safe and secure data center.

LifeLock also works to ensure that no computer outside the secure data centers contains critical information on any of its customers.

• Some people complain that the month fee of $10 (for standard services) or $15 for extended services, is unfair.

The services that are provided by LifeLock are worth much more than either of the fees, since they offer you protection from identity theft, and can save you money, time and heartache if you ever do fall victim to it. If it seems you’re paying a monthly fee for nothing, just remember than LifeLock will notify you only if there’s a problem. If you hear nothing, it’s all good.

The bottom line is this: the complaints are just sour grapes. LifeLock works. Period.

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

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Woman steals SSN, gets her own ID

Wednesday, October 6th, 2010

A Russellville, Texas woman has been arrested for forgery and identity theft after another Texas woman reported to the Social Security Administration that someone had stolen her identity.

Alba Villacorte, 21, appeared in the Pope County Circuit Court, after being held on a $50,000 bond.

According to the investigator’s report, income using the woman’s stolen Social Security number was reported from a Tyson facility in Russellville. A Russellville address also appeared on the victim’s credit report. During the course of the investigation, agents determined Villacorte had been using the woman’s identity, and had signed documents and obtained a Social Security card, an Arkansas identification card, a Tyson medical insurance card and other identification documents using the victim’s name.

Immigration officials are also investigating whether Villacorte, who is originally from El Salvador, is subject to removal from the United States.

If the victim in this case had been a LifeLock customer, she would have known almost immediately that her personal information had been compromised. With LifeLock’s proactive services, hundreds of databases are monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week to be sure your information is safe. If any threat, whether credit related or not, is detected, you’re notified before the damage can be done.

And if you ever do fall victim to identity theft while a LifeLock customer, a LifeLock representative will do what it takes to restore your good name. LifeLock’s representatives are available to answer your questions anytime, and will help put things back in order.

Now that’s service – service you can rely on.

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

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