Recently in Identity Theft Prevention Category
With tax season around the corner, it's a great time to get copies of your credit reports- not only for reviewing various accounts listed that may or may not belong to you. But it's equally important to review your credit reports looking for any erroneous notations of prior or current employment history, inaccurate middle initials or name variations and/or an address discrepancy -all of which can tip you off to a possible identity theft.
An often overlooked type of identity theft referred to as employment identity theft occurs when someone uses your information to obtain work. This can happen when an undocumented worker comes into the country illegally and needs to find legitimate work. The first thing they need -is a Social Security Number. Once they have that, they can then find work under your name, get access to medical services, credit and even commit other crimes in your name.
Social Security Numbers are often sold in various underground websites frequented by criminals -and those seeking to buy data. These sites operate 24/7 buying, selling and trading our personal information such as SSN's, credit card info, bank account info, medical insurance data, passwords, account login info, debit card info, personal PIN's etc.
If you think it doesn't matter if someone else finds employment using your id, you would be wrong.
Because we need to pay taxes on all income reported to the IRS and oftentimes when the incomes reported are tallied up -you can be put into a different tax bracket and the IRS wants the additional taxes now owed. Though they are aware of identity theft issues such as this -it's still up to you to prove you didn't receive that additional income.
When checking your credit reports, make sure you dispute any erroneous notations for employment history. If you discover there are places of employment listed on your credit report that you never worked, dispute with the credit bureaus. If you later find out that someone has been working using your Social Security Number, notify the IRS and file a police report.
Here's a glimpse of what a single mom in Florida is going through after her identity was stolen by an illegal immigrant who paid $800. for the mom's identity. Now, she can't get a job or a loan as she struggles to raise her young children.
Here's a bit of her story;
See this earlier blog for tips to avoid identity theft and watch a video that shows how easy it is for criminals to buy, sell and trade our information! If you learn you are a victim of identity theft -here are some steps you should take!
An often overlooked type of identity theft referred to as employment identity theft occurs when someone uses your information to obtain work. This can happen when an undocumented worker comes into the country illegally and needs to find legitimate work. The first thing they need -is a Social Security Number. Once they have that, they can then find work under your name, get access to medical services, credit and even commit other crimes in your name.
Social Security Numbers are often sold in various underground websites frequented by criminals -and those seeking to buy data. These sites operate 24/7 buying, selling and trading our personal information such as SSN's, credit card info, bank account info, medical insurance data, passwords, account login info, debit card info, personal PIN's etc.
If you think it doesn't matter if someone else finds employment using your id, you would be wrong.
Because we need to pay taxes on all income reported to the IRS and oftentimes when the incomes reported are tallied up -you can be put into a different tax bracket and the IRS wants the additional taxes now owed. Though they are aware of identity theft issues such as this -it's still up to you to prove you didn't receive that additional income.
When checking your credit reports, make sure you dispute any erroneous notations for employment history. If you discover there are places of employment listed on your credit report that you never worked, dispute with the credit bureaus. If you later find out that someone has been working using your Social Security Number, notify the IRS and file a police report.
Here's a glimpse of what a single mom in Florida is going through after her identity was stolen by an illegal immigrant who paid $800. for the mom's identity. Now, she can't get a job or a loan as she struggles to raise her young children.
Here's a bit of her story;
See this earlier blog for tips to avoid identity theft and watch a video that shows how easy it is for criminals to buy, sell and trade our information! If you learn you are a victim of identity theft -here are some steps you should take!
The best way to avoid being scammed this year is to avoid giving out your personal information to anyone who may be soliciting it. Whether it is through email, phone, voice or text -don't assume people are who they say they are!
January is Financial Awareness Month and a great time to act on your new year's financial resolutions. One step you should consider is figuring out your plan of action should you learn your information has been stolen or compromised.
Remember, the best way to prevent an identity theft -is to plan for one! Would you know who to call if your wallet went suddenly missing? Do you have a plan of action?
Also it's important to stay on top of your credit reports. One in four have errors that could cause you to pay higher interest rates and higher insurance premiums.
Order your free annual credit reports from the official place.
You can either call the automated toll-free line at 877-322-8228 or order them at annualcreditreport.com (but be watchful of your spelling, or you may be taken to a fake site)
Also take the time to review your credit card statements and bank accounts. Stay informed of the latest scams, as knowledge is power. You can search here and find info on various scams!
Some of the same old scams are circulating -with new twists;
Twitter Scam
Users of the popular social networking site Twitter have been warned to look out for a scam that is intended to steal the user's login and password details.
The scam starts with a direct message appearing in a user's Twitter account, urging them to check out another site - a scam message such as "hey! check out this funny blog about you..." is pretty common.
Click on the link provided and you'll be taken to a screen that looks a lot like a Twitter login screen but is actually a trap.
Twitter has now posted a number of blogs on the scam and had one crucial piece of advice for users who are worried about the integrity of their information in this post: "If this has you feeling a bit weirded out, feel free to change your Twitter password."
Here's a screen shot of the bogus screen.
*************************************************
Credit Union Scam
The Cape Regional Credit Union is warning members of an e-mail identity theft scam. But please beware that scammers have been using various credit union names -and sending throughout the web. They hope that their email lands in someone's in box who has an account with that particular credit union -and then falls for their scam.
The scam email reports that the email recipients bank card has been deactivated. The fraudulent e-mail states that "for your security, the card and PIN have been disabled." They provide a phone number -urging you to call in order to reactivate your card. Don' t fall for it.
Here's more on this scam.
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LifeLock warns of Copy-Cat Scam
LifeLock prides itself on educating consumers about the dangers of identity theft and what scams are often used to obtain money or personal information.
Now LifeLock is issuing a warning to consumers about criminals scamming consumers by posing to be real companies, including LifeLock.
A telemarketing scam has recently come to LifeLock's attention, and now the company wants the general public to understand that the most common scenario is:
* A senior citizen receiving a phone call from an unknown individual, pretending to be a LifeLock related company;
* The unidentified individual falsely tells the senior citizen that his/her personal information can easily be found on the Internet;
* The unidentified individual scares the senior citizen into providing bank account/debit card information and authorizing the transaction to allegedly provide a solution;
LifeLock representatives will never call consumers at home or sell anything that is not available on the company website.
Anyone who may have had an experience similar to that listed above should contact the company at 1-800-LIFELOCK.
January is Financial Awareness Month and a great time to act on your new year's financial resolutions. One step you should consider is figuring out your plan of action should you learn your information has been stolen or compromised.
Remember, the best way to prevent an identity theft -is to plan for one! Would you know who to call if your wallet went suddenly missing? Do you have a plan of action?
Also it's important to stay on top of your credit reports. One in four have errors that could cause you to pay higher interest rates and higher insurance premiums.
Order your free annual credit reports from the official place.
You can either call the automated toll-free line at 877-322-8228 or order them at annualcreditreport.com (but be watchful of your spelling, or you may be taken to a fake site)
Also take the time to review your credit card statements and bank accounts. Stay informed of the latest scams, as knowledge is power. You can search here and find info on various scams!
Some of the same old scams are circulating -with new twists;
Twitter Scam
Users of the popular social networking site Twitter have been warned to look out for a scam that is intended to steal the user's login and password details.
The scam starts with a direct message appearing in a user's Twitter account, urging them to check out another site - a scam message such as "hey! check out this funny blog about you..." is pretty common.
Click on the link provided and you'll be taken to a screen that looks a lot like a Twitter login screen but is actually a trap.
Twitter has now posted a number of blogs on the scam and had one crucial piece of advice for users who are worried about the integrity of their information in this post: "If this has you feeling a bit weirded out, feel free to change your Twitter password."
Here's a screen shot of the bogus screen.
*************************************************
Credit Union Scam
The Cape Regional Credit Union is warning members of an e-mail identity theft scam. But please beware that scammers have been using various credit union names -and sending throughout the web. They hope that their email lands in someone's in box who has an account with that particular credit union -and then falls for their scam.
The scam email reports that the email recipients bank card has been deactivated. The fraudulent e-mail states that "for your security, the card and PIN have been disabled." They provide a phone number -urging you to call in order to reactivate your card. Don' t fall for it.
Here's more on this scam.
*******************************************
LifeLock warns of Copy-Cat Scam
LifeLock prides itself on educating consumers about the dangers of identity theft and what scams are often used to obtain money or personal information.
Now LifeLock is issuing a warning to consumers about criminals scamming consumers by posing to be real companies, including LifeLock.
A telemarketing scam has recently come to LifeLock's attention, and now the company wants the general public to understand that the most common scenario is:
* A senior citizen receiving a phone call from an unknown individual, pretending to be a LifeLock related company;
* The unidentified individual falsely tells the senior citizen that his/her personal information can easily be found on the Internet;
* The unidentified individual scares the senior citizen into providing bank account/debit card information and authorizing the transaction to allegedly provide a solution;
LifeLock representatives will never call consumers at home or sell anything that is not available on the company website.
Anyone who may have had an experience similar to that listed above should contact the company at 1-800-LIFELOCK.
You can bet there's a lot of buzz over today's unexpected announcement that LifeLock, and TransUnion, one of the "big three" credit bureaus, have entered into an Agreement to collectively utilize TransUnion's automated system to help streamline LifeLock's process of placing fraud alerts, and opt outs, for their subscribers.
At first glance this Agreement would seem implausible, to say the least. However, with a second glance it makes perfect sense. If in fact their common goal is to thwart identity theft and their objectives are focused squarely on how best to protect consumers and creditors by reducing risk and loss from fraud, then sharing a secure automated system -is a logical and wise choice -but I can't help but wonder, how this latest news will affect Experian -and their lawsuit against LifeLock.
Be careful what you wish for -lest it come true!
Experian filed a lawsuit against LifeLock earlier this year claiming the company was misusing the fraud alert system as laid out in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and in doing so was costing them money. In a nut shell, Experian wanted LifeLock to stop setting fraud alerts on behalf of consumers period! But I don't think this latest Agreement between TransUnion and LifeLock is exactly what they were wishing for!
Experian, Equifax and TransUnion all place fraud alerts on consumer credit reports, on a daily basis. Consumers can request a fraud alert by calling one bureau who then shares the consumer's request with the other two bureaus. With fraud alerts in place, creditors, lenders, or other prospective users of your consumer report must take steps to verify your identity before they can issue new credit, increase credit lines, and obtain utilities, cell phones or new loans.
Ultimately, if TransUnion is now going to essentially "set" consumer fraud alerts on behalf of LifeLock and their subscribers -it would appear as though Experian's lawsuit may have run its course. And you can be certain that this Agreement is not good news for Experian.
LifeLock came bursting on the scene a few years ago and since then has grown to become the leading identity theft protection company with well over a million subscribers who find their array of proactive services both of value and convenience when fighting against identity theft.
In addition to being proactive, they additionally take over the time-consuming process of dealing with banks and creditors to help consumers restore their name in the event an identity theft occurs. Among their services, such as scouring underground websites where our information is bought and sold, replacing lost or stolen wallet contents, one of the services that directly relates to utilizing TransUnion's proprietary service is the setting of fraud alerts and reactivating them, as the system call for, every 90 days.
LifeLock's proven desire to continue to find ways to deter identity thieves, form useful partnerships, pursue stronger consumer protection measures -and their continued efforts to educate the public, says a lot about their commitment to promote consumer protection.
I hope this unlikely and unexpected announcement of a joint venture between LifeLock and TransUnion will serve to remind others, including our government, that working together to circumvent problems -regardless of personal agendas or corporate profits, is the best way to become part of the solution, and not the problem. And it doesn't hurt to remember that Karma -is unavoidable!
For the full press release click here.
At first glance this Agreement would seem implausible, to say the least. However, with a second glance it makes perfect sense. If in fact their common goal is to thwart identity theft and their objectives are focused squarely on how best to protect consumers and creditors by reducing risk and loss from fraud, then sharing a secure automated system -is a logical and wise choice -but I can't help but wonder, how this latest news will affect Experian -and their lawsuit against LifeLock.
Be careful what you wish for -lest it come true!
Experian filed a lawsuit against LifeLock earlier this year claiming the company was misusing the fraud alert system as laid out in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and in doing so was costing them money. In a nut shell, Experian wanted LifeLock to stop setting fraud alerts on behalf of consumers period! But I don't think this latest Agreement between TransUnion and LifeLock is exactly what they were wishing for!
Experian, Equifax and TransUnion all place fraud alerts on consumer credit reports, on a daily basis. Consumers can request a fraud alert by calling one bureau who then shares the consumer's request with the other two bureaus. With fraud alerts in place, creditors, lenders, or other prospective users of your consumer report must take steps to verify your identity before they can issue new credit, increase credit lines, and obtain utilities, cell phones or new loans.
Ultimately, if TransUnion is now going to essentially "set" consumer fraud alerts on behalf of LifeLock and their subscribers -it would appear as though Experian's lawsuit may have run its course. And you can be certain that this Agreement is not good news for Experian.
LifeLock came bursting on the scene a few years ago and since then has grown to become the leading identity theft protection company with well over a million subscribers who find their array of proactive services both of value and convenience when fighting against identity theft.
In addition to being proactive, they additionally take over the time-consuming process of dealing with banks and creditors to help consumers restore their name in the event an identity theft occurs. Among their services, such as scouring underground websites where our information is bought and sold, replacing lost or stolen wallet contents, one of the services that directly relates to utilizing TransUnion's proprietary service is the setting of fraud alerts and reactivating them, as the system call for, every 90 days.
LifeLock's proven desire to continue to find ways to deter identity thieves, form useful partnerships, pursue stronger consumer protection measures -and their continued efforts to educate the public, says a lot about their commitment to promote consumer protection.
I hope this unlikely and unexpected announcement of a joint venture between LifeLock and TransUnion will serve to remind others, including our government, that working together to circumvent problems -regardless of personal agendas or corporate profits, is the best way to become part of the solution, and not the problem. And it doesn't hurt to remember that Karma -is unavoidable!
For the full press release click here.
What's Hot! Every year the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) shares its thoughts for the upcoming year. The following items are ITRC's predictions for 2009:
Real Estate-based scams: There are multiple scams that attack the equity in a home or which may be used to establish a whole new home loan. Home Equity or Mortgage Frauds can be found on the Internet, local advertising and even via word of mouth. Some real estate scams include refinancing current loans, adding in unforecasted payments or property to increase the cost of the loan. Your home, while fully paid for, could even be entangled in a second mortgage without your knowledge. Due to the unfortunate turn in the real estate market, some home owners find themselves strapped and falling behind. Opportunistic scam artists might propose relief through a bogus land grant process. The best strategy for a home owner is to talk with your bank or mortgage company before engaging an unknown company.
Credit Card scams: With the current economy, credit will be tight. Thieves may advertise the ability to get credit cards despite a poor credit score or the lack of a Social Security number. There will continue to be more scams that offer to consolidate your credit card debt or to renegotiate your interest rates.
Other scams: Job scams are on the rise as people seek second sources of income. An example would be an offer to act as an account's receivable clerk for a company outside the U.S. - opening an account, receiving checks, depositing them in the bank and then wiring them to the company. Consumers have also been receiving more "phishing" scam emails due to the merging of financial institutions and stores. These emails ask you to confirm your personal identifying information. Finally, a variety of emails reporting to be from the IRS have been circulating, including tax refund offers, audit information demands and verification of citizenship status. Don't open attachments or go to another website due to cybercrime.
Professional thieves and targeted attacks: Along with law enforcement and the financial institutions, the ITRC is anticipating an increase in more sophisticated ways to "mine" information, sometimes by organized crime groups. Cybercrime, which includes transporting or selling large amounts of personal information from one group both nationally and internationally, will continue and expand. Part of this trend includes "skimming" (duplicate scanning of credit cards or debit cards), and fake fronts on payment scanners and ATM machines. Peripheral crimes, which use identity theft for funding, will continue and increase. Cybercrime is also tied to malware attacks on individual computers of consumers.
Check Fraud: As it becomes more difficult to get new lines of credit, identity thieves may be drawn more to commit check fraud. These crimes may take the form of stolen checks, using checks thrown into the trash by unknowing consumers or even synthetic checks. Synthetic checks typically have something that links them to a consumer, usually in the name and address section of the check. The checks may be for a closed account, an account that never existed or with a bank the consumer never used.
Breaches: Some companies, public entities and other groups that collect personal identifying information are cutting IT security staff. This may be due to apathy or to budget cuts. Targeted attacks of entities may increase as thieves develop improved techniques for hacking and other forms of illegal data acquisition, especially if fewer security measures are in place.
Other Identity Theft Crimes: ITRC anticipates an increase in the fraudulent use of SSNs for work by people who can not use their own Social Security number or who don't have one. As law enforcement and the public realize that identity theft is not just a financial crime, the ITRC expects more calls from people regarding criminal and medical identity theft, and from those whose information is negatively impacted due to the actions of an identity thief. Finally, thieves are aware that the Social Security numbers of children, the deceased, the elderly and even critically ill patients are excellent opportunities for long term use of another's information.
Increase in for-profit consumer products: This market has both positive and negative sides. There are some products in the market that meet the expectations presented and others that don't. Consumers need to do their homework and understand that it is impossible at this time to completely protect a consumer from identity theft with the products currently available.
On the Positive Side: More collaborative efforts are being established to more deeply define the issues, isolate the problem areas and start policy statements on ways to deal with multi-faceted crimes. The Red Flag Compliance Laws (implementation July 2009) are a set of regulations set by the federal government which will help entities to audit their security programs, strengthen weak areas and set up written policies. However, it will be up to individual entities to enforce those policies.
The ITRC projects an increase in the training of law enforcement regarding identity theft, from local to federal levels. Federal law enforcement will be even more aggressive in their actions against international syndicates especially in cybercrimes and international job scam operations. The IRS has trained and expanded its IRS Taxpayer's Advocate program to now assist victims of identity theft. The Crime Victims' Rights Act finally includes white collar (including identity theft) crime victims.
Many states have made significant strides in stopping the use of the Social Security numbers as an identifier. We foresee the federal government addressing similar problems in the identification cards of military members and their dependents as well as those seniors using Medicare.
Conclusion- While there still are major problem areas, there are exciting new programs on the horizon. Additionally, we predict that there will continue to be an increase in the number of state and federal agencies and nonprofits that provide identity theft victim advisors at no charge or victims suffering losses and problems from this crime.
The Identity Theft Resource Center is a non-profit organization established to support victims of identity theft in resolving their cases, and to broaden public education and awareness in the understanding of identity theft. It is the on-going mission of the ITRC to assist victims, educate consumers, research identity theft and increase public and corporate awareness about this problem. Visit www.idtheftcenter.org
Real Estate-based scams: There are multiple scams that attack the equity in a home or which may be used to establish a whole new home loan. Home Equity or Mortgage Frauds can be found on the Internet, local advertising and even via word of mouth. Some real estate scams include refinancing current loans, adding in unforecasted payments or property to increase the cost of the loan. Your home, while fully paid for, could even be entangled in a second mortgage without your knowledge. Due to the unfortunate turn in the real estate market, some home owners find themselves strapped and falling behind. Opportunistic scam artists might propose relief through a bogus land grant process. The best strategy for a home owner is to talk with your bank or mortgage company before engaging an unknown company.
Credit Card scams: With the current economy, credit will be tight. Thieves may advertise the ability to get credit cards despite a poor credit score or the lack of a Social Security number. There will continue to be more scams that offer to consolidate your credit card debt or to renegotiate your interest rates.
Other scams: Job scams are on the rise as people seek second sources of income. An example would be an offer to act as an account's receivable clerk for a company outside the U.S. - opening an account, receiving checks, depositing them in the bank and then wiring them to the company. Consumers have also been receiving more "phishing" scam emails due to the merging of financial institutions and stores. These emails ask you to confirm your personal identifying information. Finally, a variety of emails reporting to be from the IRS have been circulating, including tax refund offers, audit information demands and verification of citizenship status. Don't open attachments or go to another website due to cybercrime.
Professional thieves and targeted attacks: Along with law enforcement and the financial institutions, the ITRC is anticipating an increase in more sophisticated ways to "mine" information, sometimes by organized crime groups. Cybercrime, which includes transporting or selling large amounts of personal information from one group both nationally and internationally, will continue and expand. Part of this trend includes "skimming" (duplicate scanning of credit cards or debit cards), and fake fronts on payment scanners and ATM machines. Peripheral crimes, which use identity theft for funding, will continue and increase. Cybercrime is also tied to malware attacks on individual computers of consumers.
Check Fraud: As it becomes more difficult to get new lines of credit, identity thieves may be drawn more to commit check fraud. These crimes may take the form of stolen checks, using checks thrown into the trash by unknowing consumers or even synthetic checks. Synthetic checks typically have something that links them to a consumer, usually in the name and address section of the check. The checks may be for a closed account, an account that never existed or with a bank the consumer never used.
Breaches: Some companies, public entities and other groups that collect personal identifying information are cutting IT security staff. This may be due to apathy or to budget cuts. Targeted attacks of entities may increase as thieves develop improved techniques for hacking and other forms of illegal data acquisition, especially if fewer security measures are in place.
Other Identity Theft Crimes: ITRC anticipates an increase in the fraudulent use of SSNs for work by people who can not use their own Social Security number or who don't have one. As law enforcement and the public realize that identity theft is not just a financial crime, the ITRC expects more calls from people regarding criminal and medical identity theft, and from those whose information is negatively impacted due to the actions of an identity thief. Finally, thieves are aware that the Social Security numbers of children, the deceased, the elderly and even critically ill patients are excellent opportunities for long term use of another's information.
Increase in for-profit consumer products: This market has both positive and negative sides. There are some products in the market that meet the expectations presented and others that don't. Consumers need to do their homework and understand that it is impossible at this time to completely protect a consumer from identity theft with the products currently available.
On the Positive Side: More collaborative efforts are being established to more deeply define the issues, isolate the problem areas and start policy statements on ways to deal with multi-faceted crimes. The Red Flag Compliance Laws (implementation July 2009) are a set of regulations set by the federal government which will help entities to audit their security programs, strengthen weak areas and set up written policies. However, it will be up to individual entities to enforce those policies.
The ITRC projects an increase in the training of law enforcement regarding identity theft, from local to federal levels. Federal law enforcement will be even more aggressive in their actions against international syndicates especially in cybercrimes and international job scam operations. The IRS has trained and expanded its IRS Taxpayer's Advocate program to now assist victims of identity theft. The Crime Victims' Rights Act finally includes white collar (including identity theft) crime victims.
Many states have made significant strides in stopping the use of the Social Security numbers as an identifier. We foresee the federal government addressing similar problems in the identification cards of military members and their dependents as well as those seniors using Medicare.
Conclusion- While there still are major problem areas, there are exciting new programs on the horizon. Additionally, we predict that there will continue to be an increase in the number of state and federal agencies and nonprofits that provide identity theft victim advisors at no charge or victims suffering losses and problems from this crime.
The Identity Theft Resource Center is a non-profit organization established to support victims of identity theft in resolving their cases, and to broaden public education and awareness in the understanding of identity theft. It is the on-going mission of the ITRC to assist victims, educate consumers, research identity theft and increase public and corporate awareness about this problem. Visit www.idtheftcenter.org
Letters from an organization called "Grant Prospect, Inc." and/or Old World Industries, Inc., have been sent to college students telling them they have been approved for a $50,000 grant to pay college related expenses.
The letter contains a check for over $4,000. The student is advised to cash the check to send money back to the organization to pay state and federal processing fees. The checks are counterfeit. Do Not Deposit them or fall for this scam aimed at college students!
Fraud prevention tips:
• Do not respond to suspicious e-mails or mailings. Most often it is best to just delete or throw them away
• Fake payment scams by their nature sound very believable. Scammers actively search for victims online
• Counterfeit checks, money orders, and currency look very real, and can even fool bank staff
• Under federal law, banks must make deposited funds available quickly. Just because you withdraw the money, doesn't mean the check is good. It can often take weeks to discovery forgeries
• Financial institutions that lose money as a result of cashing a fraudulent check expect to recoup their loss, often at the expense of the victim. You are responsible for the transactions you make
• There is no legitimate reason for someone who is giving you payment to ask you to send money back. Insist on getting paid the exact amount
• Trust your instincts. If a business proposition seems suspicious, then don't engage in the transaction
Here's a copy of the actual letter and check circulating at universities as scammers try to hook college students! Pass this information on to parents and students to help them avoid falling victim to this scam.
Source: Iowa Dept. of Justice, University of St. Thomas
For more information on recently reported holiday scams , and information for on online holiday shopping tips,
see a few earlier blogs:
Did you get an E- Valentine Card from friend? Don't open it until you check with that friend first!
Holiday Season Cyber Scammers Target Victims...
The letter contains a check for over $4,000. The student is advised to cash the check to send money back to the organization to pay state and federal processing fees. The checks are counterfeit. Do Not Deposit them or fall for this scam aimed at college students!
Fraud prevention tips:
• Do not respond to suspicious e-mails or mailings. Most often it is best to just delete or throw them away
• Fake payment scams by their nature sound very believable. Scammers actively search for victims online
• Counterfeit checks, money orders, and currency look very real, and can even fool bank staff
• Under federal law, banks must make deposited funds available quickly. Just because you withdraw the money, doesn't mean the check is good. It can often take weeks to discovery forgeries
• Financial institutions that lose money as a result of cashing a fraudulent check expect to recoup their loss, often at the expense of the victim. You are responsible for the transactions you make
• There is no legitimate reason for someone who is giving you payment to ask you to send money back. Insist on getting paid the exact amount
• Trust your instincts. If a business proposition seems suspicious, then don't engage in the transaction
Here's a copy of the actual letter and check circulating at universities as scammers try to hook college students! Pass this information on to parents and students to help them avoid falling victim to this scam.
Source: Iowa Dept. of Justice, University of St. Thomas
For more information on recently reported holiday scams , and information for on online holiday shopping tips,
see a few earlier blogs:
Did you get an E- Valentine Card from friend? Don't open it until you check with that friend first!
Holiday Season Cyber Scammers Target Victims...
Koobface, a malicious virus that attacks users with spyware and then hacks their system for passwords and credit card numbers, has now been found on Facebook.
Many people enjoy networking and keeping track of friends and family through sites such as Facebook and MySpace which makes Koobface a challenge to those that frequent social networking sites.
How does Koobface work?
According to reports, the virus spreads via messages sent between friends on the site.
When one user is infected, his or her account will send messages to friends like, "you just look awesome in this new movie!" or "they said some bad things about you. Click here to see them." Of course, most Facebook users can't help but want to find out exactly what these messages mean. Even those distant, grade nine friend-of-friends will make many users of the site click on to find out more about all the juicy gossip. (Source: telegraph.co.uk)
If users do click on the link, they'll be led to a site asking them to update to a newer version of Adobe's Flash player. Downloading that bogus software will instead infect the victim's computer with a nasty worm that searches out personal information that can help hackers steal identities. Of course, social security and credit card numbers, along with banking passwords, are gold mines.
Spokesman for Facebook Barry Schnitt denies rumors that the site may have already been hit hard by Koobface;
"Only a very small percentage of Facebook users have been affected, and we're working quickly to update our security systems to minimize any further impact," he assured millions of worried users.
Craig Schmugar of McAfee Avert Labs said Koobface messages are likely to come from infected friends. The best advice is to be wary of Facebook messages, which could actually be from the Koobface worm. Facebook has posted a message on its security page advising users to install the latest antivirus software. Users who have been affected, the company added, should change their password. McAfee also warns against following unexpected hyperlinks, and adds that it's best to install software and updates from the source, whether Adobe or some other provider, instead of trusting content from a third-party site.
Facebook has not disclosed how many of its more than 120 million members have been infected with the virus.
"You must run an up-to-date antivirus, security patches, and firewalls," Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant at Sophos advised. "That will not only help you defend your computer if you click on a dangerous link, but it will also help reduce the chance of a hacker stealing your Facebook identity and using it to spread messages to your network of friends."
Is this a serious threat? It's serious in the sense that Facebook users are receiving spam messages on their wall or Facebook inbox pointing to malicious content, said Cluely.
"A key factor which helps social-networking spam and malware succeed is that people are more prepared to click on a link or message if they believe it is from someone they know," Cluley said. "The average person is used to receiving unsolicited e-mails in their regular inbox, but believe messages have more credence when they arrive via Facebook. The message is clear -- people need to beware.".
Sources: it.toolbox.com,sfgate.com, infopackets.com
Many people enjoy networking and keeping track of friends and family through sites such as Facebook and MySpace which makes Koobface a challenge to those that frequent social networking sites.
How does Koobface work?
According to reports, the virus spreads via messages sent between friends on the site.
When one user is infected, his or her account will send messages to friends like, "you just look awesome in this new movie!" or "they said some bad things about you. Click here to see them." Of course, most Facebook users can't help but want to find out exactly what these messages mean. Even those distant, grade nine friend-of-friends will make many users of the site click on to find out more about all the juicy gossip. (Source: telegraph.co.uk)
If users do click on the link, they'll be led to a site asking them to update to a newer version of Adobe's Flash player. Downloading that bogus software will instead infect the victim's computer with a nasty worm that searches out personal information that can help hackers steal identities. Of course, social security and credit card numbers, along with banking passwords, are gold mines.
Spokesman for Facebook Barry Schnitt denies rumors that the site may have already been hit hard by Koobface;
"Only a very small percentage of Facebook users have been affected, and we're working quickly to update our security systems to minimize any further impact," he assured millions of worried users.
Craig Schmugar of McAfee Avert Labs said Koobface messages are likely to come from infected friends. The best advice is to be wary of Facebook messages, which could actually be from the Koobface worm. Facebook has posted a message on its security page advising users to install the latest antivirus software. Users who have been affected, the company added, should change their password. McAfee also warns against following unexpected hyperlinks, and adds that it's best to install software and updates from the source, whether Adobe or some other provider, instead of trusting content from a third-party site.
Facebook has not disclosed how many of its more than 120 million members have been infected with the virus.
"You must run an up-to-date antivirus, security patches, and firewalls," Graham Cluley, a senior technology consultant at Sophos advised. "That will not only help you defend your computer if you click on a dangerous link, but it will also help reduce the chance of a hacker stealing your Facebook identity and using it to spread messages to your network of friends."
Is this a serious threat? It's serious in the sense that Facebook users are receiving spam messages on their wall or Facebook inbox pointing to malicious content, said Cluely.
"A key factor which helps social-networking spam and malware succeed is that people are more prepared to click on a link or message if they believe it is from someone they know," Cluley said. "The average person is used to receiving unsolicited e-mails in their regular inbox, but believe messages have more credence when they arrive via Facebook. The message is clear -- people need to beware.".
Sources: it.toolbox.com,sfgate.com, infopackets.com
As a long-time advocate who encourages consumer education, and corporate responsibility I support and respect companies and organizations who take an active role in educating consumers on the risks of identity theft and/or consumer protection rights.
However, having said that, I feel compelled to comment on a recent Angie's List article about LifeLock. The article now appears to have spurred on at least one competitor to blog about it -and if history is a predictor of the future, soon more will follow.
Early this fall I was contacted by Mr. Pogue, a reporter with Angie's List. He said he was working on a story specifically about LifeLock and asked if we could arrange a convenient time to speak about their services and why as an advocate I found them to be of value. We ended up having a lengthy conversation and talked extensively about identity theft, LifeLock and why I chose to subscribe to their services.
While reading the article that was released this week, I was stunned and dismayed on several levels. I was extremely disappointed that it appeared as though Angie's List had regrettably veered from their longtime policy of reporting on company services with an unbiased, fair and balanced viewpoint.
With just a glance I could tell they were dredging up old news and it appeared as though they were reinserting that same old rusty bullet back inside a gun that has been fired at LifeLock on numerous occasions ever since the ex-CEO of LifeLock left the company, (shortly after LifeLock came on the scene) and Experian decided to sue them crying about their lost profits! Please!...See: Experian, the pot called and wants its kettle back!
But it wasn't that the reporter opted to leave out my comments and opinions about LifeLock's services from his article that makes me want to speak up on this matter.
Instead, it was LifeLock's competitor's claims (and Angie's List assertions) that Angie's List "provides unbiased reports and reviews about service companies" when clearly in this particular story, that doesn't appear to be the case. I left a comment on the above linked competitor's site that noted my concerns of this article -however it appears as though it has been removed.
The type of smear campaign the original article seems to intentionally invoke, not only leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but makes many of us question the agenda of those who perpetuate this type of yellow journalism that includes dredging up old news designed to capitalize on someone else's misfortune. Mr. Maynard has a family and to continue to run old news and plaster pictures depicting him as a criminal -is needless, insensitive, mean-spirited -and has nothing to do with LifeLock!
LifeLock employs hundreds of families, has over a million customers -and to my knowledge they have not harmed anyone! There are many companies out there offering various types of id theft protection -yet it appears that LifeLock is the only company that old gun is repeatedly aimed at!
It really rubs me the wrong way when people forget the real problem is identity theft! It's identity thieves I am afraid of ...not LifeLock! And it's consumers I care about -not company profits!
The truth of the matter is I happen to find value in services that help remove the heavy burden of protecting my identity and reducing the impact should my data be compromised or stolen again. Consumers can certainly take on many of the tasks that LifeLock, and other companies, have to offer. However, they are also left on their own to handle the time consuming recovery tasks as well. It's my choice not to!
While following the latest smear campaign against LifeLock, I couldn't help but be reminded of the recent Presidential campaign and the polls that proved the public isn't at all impressed with dirty campaigns, and with good reason!
In order to make informed decisions and choices, we need to rely on integrity and honest depictions of what a particular company has to offer -not what a competing company claims the other doesn't!
It's a funny thing, I have yet to see LifeLock engage in smear tactics against any of their competitors -and they are the leading identity theft protection company out there. That speaks volumes. I wish more companies and journalists would follow their lead. As this latest round of ugliness spreads, it will be interesting to see who takes the high road -and who doesn't!
However, having said that, I feel compelled to comment on a recent Angie's List article about LifeLock. The article now appears to have spurred on at least one competitor to blog about it -and if history is a predictor of the future, soon more will follow.
Early this fall I was contacted by Mr. Pogue, a reporter with Angie's List. He said he was working on a story specifically about LifeLock and asked if we could arrange a convenient time to speak about their services and why as an advocate I found them to be of value. We ended up having a lengthy conversation and talked extensively about identity theft, LifeLock and why I chose to subscribe to their services.
While reading the article that was released this week, I was stunned and dismayed on several levels. I was extremely disappointed that it appeared as though Angie's List had regrettably veered from their longtime policy of reporting on company services with an unbiased, fair and balanced viewpoint.
With just a glance I could tell they were dredging up old news and it appeared as though they were reinserting that same old rusty bullet back inside a gun that has been fired at LifeLock on numerous occasions ever since the ex-CEO of LifeLock left the company, (shortly after LifeLock came on the scene) and Experian decided to sue them crying about their lost profits! Please!...See: Experian, the pot called and wants its kettle back!
But it wasn't that the reporter opted to leave out my comments and opinions about LifeLock's services from his article that makes me want to speak up on this matter.
Instead, it was LifeLock's competitor's claims (and Angie's List assertions) that Angie's List "provides unbiased reports and reviews about service companies" when clearly in this particular story, that doesn't appear to be the case. I left a comment on the above linked competitor's site that noted my concerns of this article -however it appears as though it has been removed.
The type of smear campaign the original article seems to intentionally invoke, not only leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but makes many of us question the agenda of those who perpetuate this type of yellow journalism that includes dredging up old news designed to capitalize on someone else's misfortune. Mr. Maynard has a family and to continue to run old news and plaster pictures depicting him as a criminal -is needless, insensitive, mean-spirited -and has nothing to do with LifeLock!
LifeLock employs hundreds of families, has over a million customers -and to my knowledge they have not harmed anyone! There are many companies out there offering various types of id theft protection -yet it appears that LifeLock is the only company that old gun is repeatedly aimed at!
It really rubs me the wrong way when people forget the real problem is identity theft! It's identity thieves I am afraid of ...not LifeLock! And it's consumers I care about -not company profits!
The truth of the matter is I happen to find value in services that help remove the heavy burden of protecting my identity and reducing the impact should my data be compromised or stolen again. Consumers can certainly take on many of the tasks that LifeLock, and other companies, have to offer. However, they are also left on their own to handle the time consuming recovery tasks as well. It's my choice not to!
While following the latest smear campaign against LifeLock, I couldn't help but be reminded of the recent Presidential campaign and the polls that proved the public isn't at all impressed with dirty campaigns, and with good reason!
In order to make informed decisions and choices, we need to rely on integrity and honest depictions of what a particular company has to offer -not what a competing company claims the other doesn't!
It's a funny thing, I have yet to see LifeLock engage in smear tactics against any of their competitors -and they are the leading identity theft protection company out there. That speaks volumes. I wish more companies and journalists would follow their lead. As this latest round of ugliness spreads, it will be interesting to see who takes the high road -and who doesn't!
