Posts Tagged ‘promo code’

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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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Betty’s one smart old gal – and you should be, too

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

Betty is a retiree who lives on the coast. She enjoys gardening, is active at her local church, and volunteers at the local hospital. She just bought a computer and is learning to use it, so that she can keep in touch better with her grandchildren.

And Betty is one smart cookie. She thwarted a recent attempt at identity theft, and was quick to notify her local police department about it.

Betty received a call at her home from someone asking about her newly-purchased computer. The caller told her that his company worked with the retailer where she had purchased her computer, and he knew that there were major files that are part of the Microsoft program on her computer that were corrupted and in need of repair.

Betty hasn’t had time to have someone set up her Internet connection yet, so she knew that no one outside of her home would have access to anything on her computer. She promptly ended the phone call, and didn’t provide the caller with any information.

Based on that call, Betty believes someone was attempting to gather information about her and her computer so that he could access her files and obtain personal information – information he could then use to steal her identity and rob her blind.

If you receive a call such as this one from someone requesting your personal information, don’t give it to him. This includes your address, birth date, Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers, and passwords. Betty did the right thing by reporting the incident to her police department, and so should you.

Be sure to shred any documentation that contains personal information, including medical bills, credit card and bank statements, and pre-approved credit card offers.

To be completely sure you’re safe, call LifeLock today. LifeLock will monitor for any credit or non-credit related threats to your personal information, and will notify you immediately, so that the issue can be resolved quickly.

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

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Settlement reached after customers forced to sign up for ID theft services

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

A settlement has been reached between Bellevue, Wash. background check company Intelius and Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna, who acted on behalf of an undisclosed number of customers of the background checks company.

The customers utilized the company’s Web site to do background checks, and the company unknowingly signed the customers up for identity theft services who never utilized the services. The customers paid for background checks through the site, and were asked to click through several screens of information that, unknown to them, obligated them to pay for identity theft services on a monthly basis.

Intelius has agreed to contact the customers in the coming months and offer refunds, but has admitted to no wrongdoing in the incident.

Fortunately, when you go to www.LifeLock.com, the process to sign up for membership is both simple and straightforward. There are no extra windows to click through, and you can rest assured that you won’t be signed up for anything you don’t want.

And with LifeLock member service representatives available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, you can always call and get the answers to your questions.

LifeLock has recently updated its Web site as well, adding more information about the services offered in clear, well-defined terms. You’ll even find help in determining which service is best for you – LifeLock’s regular membership, available for a monthly cost of $10 or an annual cost of $110, or LifeLock’s Command Center, which is available for a monthly cost of $15 or $165 annually.

What’s the difference? LifeLock’s regular membership offers monitoring services, reduced pre-approved credit card offers, 24-hour member service, $1 million guarantee and WalletLock™, which will help cancel and replace the lost contents of your wallet if it’s ever lost or stolen. LifeLock will also monitor the Web for the illegal selling or trading of your personal information, as well as any new address activity. You’ll be notified if anything suspicious is found.

With LifeLock Command Center™, you’ll get all that and even more. With this service, you also get data breach detection services, payday, public, alias and court records alerts, and LifeLock will also monitor sex offender registries for any fraudulent activity.

Go online and check out LifeLock today.

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

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Broward data breach puts close to 24,000 at risk

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Nearly 24,000 Broward College summer school students are at risk for identity theft after a data breach at the Florida college leaked the students’ personal information during a computer upgrade.

The leak was not announced until recently, and college officials say the information was on the Web, unprotected, for five days in late May and early June.

The College Center for Library Automation, which provides library services and electronic resources to Florida’s community colleges, apologized Aug. 10 for the breach, which also affected five other schools.

The affected parties will receive a letter from the center, which will contain instructions on what to do to protect their credit and minimize the risk for identity theft.

Statewide, about 126,000 community college students, faculty and staff were affected by the breach. There is no evidence to date that the information has ben used by criminals.
According to identity theft statistics, about 11.1 million Americans – one out of every 20 adults – became victims of identity theft last year, with the cost to victims estimated at $54 billion.

To take a proactive stance to protect your personal information and your good credit, contact LifeLock today. With LifeLock Identity Alert™, you can rest assured that LifeLock will monitor for credit and non-credit related identity threats. You’ll be notified immediately via e-mail, postal mail or telephone of any potential compromises.

And should you fall victim to identity theft while under LifeLock’s watchful eye, LifeLock will spend up to $1 million to make it right. In addition, LifeLock’s member representatives are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist you and answer all your questions.

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

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What’s in your wallet? It pays to find out

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

A popular advertising campaign for a credit card company asks the question, “What’s in your wallet?” Not a bad question to ask yourself when thinking about identity theft prevention.

A simple way to help protect yourself from identity theft is to limit the amount of confidential information you carry in your wallet. Experts recommend that you do NOT carry bank account numbers, personal identification numbers, passports, birth certificates or Social Security cards.

While it seems obvious, there are some extra points to be made about protecting your wallet. Don’t take out your wallet until you actually need it. Don’t forget your wallet when leaving a restaurant, store or any public place. Never put your wallet down alongside a cash register, in a phone booth or even on top of your car.

A good rule of thumb to remember is that you should never put your wallet down, unless you hand is attached to it.

LifeLock, a leader in identity theft protection, can help. If your wallet is ever lost or stolen while you are a member of LifeLock, WalletLock™ will help cancel and replace the lost contents of your wallet, including your credit and debit cards, driver’s license, Social Security card, insurance cards, checkbook and even traveler’s checks.

This is in addition to LifeLock’s other services, including the proactive LifeLock Identity Alert™, which provides much broader identity coverage, greater control and early notification of both credit and non-credit related identity threats. If your identity is compromised in any way, you’ll be notified immediately to prevent and protect.

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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Headed to college this fall? Call LifeLock first

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010

The Better Business Bureau has recommended steps that every student headed away to college this fall should heed to protect themselves against identity theft.

According to the 2010 Identity Fraud Survey Report, more than 11 million people became victims of identity theft in 2009. Young adults ages 18 to 24 took the longest to detect identity theft when compared to other age groups – an average of 132 days. Subsequently, the average cost of $1,156 was roughly five times more than the amounts lost by other groups.

Identity thieves don’t care if you’re a struggling student and don’t have a penny to your name; all they want is your clean credit record. Young adults that establish good habits for monitoring and detecting fraud are laying a path that will help create a healthy financial road for the rest of their lives.

The BBB recommends college-bound students take the following seven steps to fight identity theft on campus.

• School mailboxes are not always secure and can often be easily accessed in a dorm or apartment. To combat sticky fingers in the mail room, have sensitive mail sent to a permanent address, like a parent’s address or post office box.
• Important documents should be stored under lock and key. This includes your Social Security card, passport, and bank and credit card statements. Shred any paper documents that have sensitive financial information rather than just tossing them out. Shred any credit card offers that come in the mail.
• Never loan your credit or debit card to anyone; not even a friend. And just say no if your friend wants you to cosign for a loan or to finance an item like a TV.
• Make sure your computer has up-to-date anti-virus and spyware software. Install updates and patches to your computer’s operation system or browser software.
• Check your credit or debit card statements closely for any suspicious or fraudulent activity.
• When shopping on unfamiliar Web sites, always check the company out first with the BBB.
• Check your credit report at least once a year.

But the best thing you can do to protect yourself from identity theft is to be proactive – and you can do that by calling LifeLock today. It’s affordable for even the tightest of college budgets, and you can even be protected under your parents’ LifeLock membership. Give them a call today, and you’ll sleep much easier tonight.

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

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LifeLock offers must-have protection

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010

Despite the ever-rising number of identity theft incidents, many people still don’t understand what it is or how it works.

Identity theft occurs when a thief gains access to personal information such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth. Thieves will take that information and use it to obtain credit cards, get jobs, and apply for payday and mortgage loans. They will even commit crimes using the stolen information, so that the victim is violated twice.

The incidents of identity theft are on the rise, and there are some statistics that you should pay attention to. Up to 10 million Americans fall victim to incidents of identity theft with 12 percent of victims being arrested for crimes committed using their identities. One-third of victims have reported fraud involving checking accounts or stolen debit cards. Sixty-six percent of victims have to open new credit card accounts. Twenty-eight percent of victims’ identities were used to secure a cell phone.

In some cases, the person committing the theft is known by the victim. In fact, 43 percent of victims know who took their information. Other incidents include 14 to 25 percent of victims who think the thief works at a business they have frequented. And a growing percentage involves parents stealing the identities of their own children.

The time it takes for some victims to clear up the mess caused by identity theft can range from a few hours to hundreds of hours. Up to 32 percent of victims spend four to six months trying to resolve their cases. The average victim can lose over $14,000 in wages because of days away from work spent trying to straighten out their financial situations.

But you can protect yourself. LifeLock offers proactive services that will monitor and detect any fraudulent activity, and you will be notified immediately. Call LifeLock today – you can’t afford not to.

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

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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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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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