The mind of someone who would be willing to sabotage the life of another fellow man obviously works differently than most average people. The moral compass, the code of ethics, and the laws of this county seem to be forgotten, overlooked, or dissolved when it comes to the execution of their daily lives. The faces of the people whose lives they are ruining (and not just their lives, but their families as well) do not ever seem to register in the mind of an identity thief.

The five Things Identity Thieves Love: Beware!

The first thing fraud fiends love is skimming. It is quick; it is easy, undetectable for the most part, and there is a clean getaway waiting. Skimming is using a device to capture information from your credit card without your consent. Many times a “skimmer” is placed over or around a gas pump, ATMs, and store checkouts. As the card is run through the mock scanner, you card’s information is stored for the thief to later.

The second thing that identity thieves absolutely love is a fairly new threat. It is called medical identity theft. It is the theft of personal information, including your social security number, to get medial attention. In most cases, medical identity theft  is used for surgical procedures since these procedures are extremely expensive. The owner of the stolen personal information is then left holding the tab. Many times the thief uses the credit line of the victim to finance cosmetic surgery. According the the credit reporting company Experian, about 1.4 million people became victims of medical identity theft in 2009.

“If a person who is impersonating you has had medication administered [and] a procedure performed and then you go into the emergency room, and you are not conscious, and your medical records reflect that you have had this procedure performed [and] you have had this medication administered, when in fact you hadn’t, there are some real medical risks there,” Leonard Gordon of the FTC said.

The third thing identity thieves flock to is social networking abuse. Hacking Facebook, Myspace, and MyLife accounts has become an epidemic. People often put personal information on such sites like age, hometown, employer, and certain favorites. Fraudsters will often use pretexting to steal an identity. Pretexting is the practice of getting your personal information under false pretenses, such as posing as someone else to obtain a “friending”. After which, they can seen the personal information or ask for it posing as a false part of an organization you trust.

The forth love of identity thieves is a dirty pleasure. “Dumpster diving” as it is called, is the act of going through other peoples garbage. It’s not very dignified, but it works. All the time families throw out papers that have their personal information on them. Identity thieves might only need to go through your garbage once to get all they need. On many occasions, thieves will come back more than once to compile a complete profile to steal. Trashing an old computer can be the mother load for  fraudsters going through your trash.

The fifth and often times the most unexpected enjoyment of fraudsters is the use of family and friends against you. The correctly prepared line of questions, or the right approach will lure your friends or family to divulge your information. You would not think that your friends or family would be the downfall of your identity, but in fact it very well could be.

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Passwords are the first line of defense between you and some criminal’s probe of a program which is aimed at taking your personal info for a ride. We are all guilt of getting comfortable using a password for something. Some of us are even more comfortable using the same six-letter-no-numbers password for everything. We live in an age where spyware can hop into your machine undetected and transmit not only, your cookies, but sequences of keys typed- like say, a password.

Passwords are like underpants, they need to be changed often. They are also like bank accounts- the more numbers the better.

Your wireless network password, your OS log-in, email, paypal, online banking, etc. They all could bring you a world of hurt if left unchanged. You should never just use a dictionary word only. Don’t use identifiable info like names, IDs, birthdays or house numbers. Don’t share them with anyone. If you have to in a pinch, change them immediately. Even if you shared it with a family member, you should change it. These keys are not meant to be shared with others. It undermines the security of the computing network. Make a strong password, cycle it with other strong ones, and give it to no one.

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It’s getting to be a real mess out there for jobseekers. The economy is drowning in a sea of uncertainty. Everyone is unsure and thus, the spiral continues. Big corporations are worried about markets, pending tax laws, and government intervention. So they are hoarding assets and screwing with liquidity. They are also making cutbacks in staff. I guess it’s cheaper to pay one guy with overtime than two salaries.

Now we have got small business owners picking up the slack with taxes too. Small business owners might not be taking home $250,000 after expenses, but if we stay on the same track they will soon be taxed like it. Knowing this, would that make you go out and hire on a few new workers?

So everyone is scared because the things being proposed to fix the problems do nothing to fix the instability today. And so, the uncertainty continues and the job creation stands at a halt. Some of you are undoubtedly saying “Wait, you forget about the jobs Obama just made! And the stimulus package!”

Amen I say to you, I have not. First, we will tackle the “long-term job program” our President talked about Monday. Roads, highways, rails, and the jobs that go with them? Sounds like déjà first off. Obama promised this while running for office. When in debt…excuse me, doubt, spend more. The stimulus package was supposed to be a quick fix, targeting the immediate creation of jobs. Where is that $787 billion in stimulus money the government approved last year at now?

This transportation thing is just silly. First off, back in August, 42% of all unemployed persons were going on over 27 weeks of not having a job. We have 6.2 Million unemployed, and 554,000 new claims. What stimulus are we talking about? This transportation thing will make jobs building stuff we don’t need or don’t use. Trains?! Seriously. Trains.

With Congress nearing enactment of a bankruptcy reform bill, a long overdue bankruptcy comes to mind: Amtrak. That’s right. Despite receiving $29 billion in federal subsidies over its troubled existence, Amtrak is a private corporation and, as such, is subject to the nation’s bankruptcy laws. And like any other private business that hemorrhages money year after year, it is time for Amtrak to declare bankruptcy and get itself reorganized for a better future.^[1]

Fix the roads. Thanks. That’s groovy. People get paid and we get shocks and tires that last a few months longer. But new roads? Has anyone been carpooling along recently (gas is expensive) and think ‘Gee, I wish there were a six lane superhighway right there.’ If that isn’t enough, these jobs in Obama’s long-term plan will be gone in 5 years! How many roads and railtracks does one country not producing much of its goods need?

No we got all these people looking for jobs. Desprate, they are willing to do anything to provide for their families. They get painted with targets; hunted by others who see their vigor to obtain gainful employment as a way for they themselves to make money. The whole country is going to Hades and we are preying on each other? This is just sad.

So, I am going on the offensive. Everyone I know who is unemployed is getting this link. Despite my passionate political views, I still have faith in our government. Having said that these rules the FTC laid out about job scammers are of note: http://www.ftc.gov/jobscams. Spread awareness. Learn to spot them too, even if you are not unemployed. You might try to be helpful to a friend or family member by forwarding them an email you got promising employment, but instead get them into a bad situation. Job scams can if fact be spotted. The “Six Signs It’s A Job Scam” page of CNN Living will help you to learn how.

Cited Sources

1)      http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2005/03/amtrak-bankruptcy-its-time

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A few years ago, a new cyber-security company made a name for themselves at the Flash Memory Summit. The three day event showcased new designs in the area of consumer, computer, and enterprise markets. Network Intercept, creator of Scan-on-the-Go, won best in show. The device acts as a portable detection system for identity theft and virus/malware threats. The USB connected innovation gives its user a secure internet browser that encrypts all network traffic, simultaneously scanning your computer for keystroke logging, viruses, and other malwares.

If this wasn’t enough, the card actually speeds up your web browsing too; up to 300% actually. The company’s hardware/software acceleration server and patent pending algorithmic software take credit for the performance boost.

The company has since renamed the product Secure-Me. They now offer a downloadable version which is $40 and they are continuing to offer the portable USB drive version for $150. They both protect against:

• Data Interception/Man-in-The-Middle attacks
• Keystroke Logging
• Malware
• Viruses
• Spyware
• Phishing

You can see some user reviews, product description and download the software at Cnet’s Secure-Me page.

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“But he that filches from me my good name/Robs me of that which not enriches him/And makes me poor indeed.”

- Shakespeare, Othello, act iii. Sc. 3.

I often relate these posts to students. This is for a number of reasons. For starters, this group is a little more naive when it comes to credit theft. They use their debit or credit cards everywhere and with little to no responsibility. Being a member of this group not too long ago, I feel a deep sense of responsibility when it comes to educating these college students. You and the $29.47 in your bank account are more of a target than you realize.

According to Javelin Strategy and Research’s 2010 Identity Fraud Survey Report, more than 11 million people became victims of identity theft in 2009. Young adults aged 18-24 took an average of 132 days to detect identity theft. Subsequently, the average cost ($1,156) was roughly five times more than the amount lost by other age groups.

Let’s face it, as a college kid you have more important things to worry about: There’s that girl in R-216, getting to work and class on time, and most importantly developing a booming social life. It can be a tremendously difficult lesson to learn at an age where it shouldn’t even be a risk. Sorry guys. You are an easy target.

“Identity thieves don’t care if you’re a struggling student and don’t have a penny to your name; all they want is to exploit your clean credit record,” said Matthew Fehling, BBB President/CEO. “Young adults who establish good habits for monitoring and detecting fraud are creating a healthy financial road for the rest of their lives.”

This portion of the post will hopefully ensure a more college kids get to spend their nights at parties and not on the phone with credit card companies and bank hotlines. Here are the major guidelines for college students:

Have sensitive mail sent to a PO Box or a parent’s home. A lot of times these student mail boxes aren’t secure. The sorting of the mail is often a paid student position as well.

Get a lock box. It will be your treasure chest.

Use your lock box.

Don’t put any revealing info on your social media pages. Maybe your email, but that’s it.

Don’t give your plastic to anyone. Even friends can be tempted or act irresponsibly with your cards.

Check bank statements and credit reports regularly. It takes very little time and will prevent you from becoming an unaware victim.

Report weird charges and possible fraud.

Protect your computer. Spyware, antivirus, and passwords people. They are not that expensive. This also means watch where you surf the web and where you online shop.

Watch the free gift with sign-up credit card offer stands. A lot of college students do this: they sign up for a card for the free t-shirt and then never activate it or use it. This practice welcomes fraud.

Everyone and their dog will ask for your SSN while you are at school. There are other things that are just as good and identifiable. Authority or not, sometimes you don’t need to give it out. Guard that XXX-XX-XXXX with your life.

Related Sites:

ED.gov, Identity Theft: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/misused/idtheft.html

Fraud Victim Handbook: http://www.fraudaid.com/How-To-Deal-With-Having-Been-Conned/index.htm

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It is way easier to nab the 16 digits and corresponding information from your credit card than you ever thought.  You and millions of other Americans give their plastic to strangers several times a day. Bartenders, servers, hotel clerks, cab drivers, coffee shop baristas, or even movie theater ticket counter personnel can grab your info.

The device is called a skimmer. The credit card skimmer takes seconds to us, and what’s worse, you almost never know it happened. The handheld models are responsible for this type of identity theft. The best way to avoid becoming a victim is to use cash when these transactions arise. Do not let your card out of your sight and be able to identify a skimmer.

Authorities are not taking this lightly, but you should also abandon the routines that making yourself vulnerable. Last month an employee of the Cheesecake Factory was arrested and pled guilty to the charge of committing bank fraud and for her involvement in a card-skimming scheme in Washington state. Nicole Ward now faces a sentence of up to 30 years in prison.

Handheld skimmers are not the only threat. ATMs and Red Box units have been recently rigged with scanners/skimmers which are placed on the machine in hopes of getting accidental use. In some cases, they are just placed on or by the real card reader. A person swipes their card, nothing happens, and so they try the other slot. The damage has already been done. Other times they are placed directly over the real slot, so it both steals your info and still allows your card to be read by the real ATM on the backside.

It’s not an urban legend. It really happens. Some may even use wireless hacks. Snopes.com breaks the scam down here.

Best way to not become a victim? Be aware of your surroundings at the ATM. Don’t use it if it looks different that prior visits. Go inside at the bank and use banks where the teller scanner is on your side of the counter. Finally, use cash when possible and never let your card out of your sight. Also, keep your savings and debit accounts separate. Transfer funds on an as-needed  basis.

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All too often we find at least one story in the news about some poor individual whose credit has been tarnished to beyond recognition. This post is designed to show you how NOT to become one of those stories.

First and foremost, adopt a policy of the FBI towards your information. DO NOT just give the information out because it is asked for by an “authoritative” source. Adopt a “need to know” approach. The more comfortable you get with giving out things like your mother’s maiden name or your social, the greater the risk becomes. Develop a routine of offering other less personal information like phone numbers or conformation emails. As a general rule, never give out your data for the claiming of a credit card, prize, or anything of value over the phone. Ask instead for a written application form. Look at the resources for on the BBB website.

I know its summer and many of us are traveling. So I feel this is extra pertinent to say this: If your neighborhood does not have a lockable mailbox unit, get you mail forwarded and held at a local post office. I suppose you could also have a trusted neighbor collect it for you. Also, if you need to pass financial information over the phone, don’t do it from an open telephone booth.

You can find more information on how to keep your personal data safe this summer by visiting the Department of Justice website.

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I know this isn’t really an identity theft relevant topic, but I felt it pertinent all the same. The goal of ProtectIdentity.com is to keep you and your family safe. In that aspect, I think it’s not a digression.

“The FBI uses national security letters to find not just who the target of an investigation e-mailed, but also who those people e-mailed and who e-mailed them.” This is the statement that Gregory Nojeim, the director of the Project on Freedom, Security and Technology at the Center for Democracy and Technology made in reference to the governments new stance on web surfing. It’s a slippery slope though. Yes, it is true that this policy will help law enforcement track and catch those engaging in illegal activity, but the massive invasion of privacy cannot be easily overlooked. Criticism abounds.

The current process isn’t without flaws anyway. Obtaining a security letter to gather information has not been an infallible system. The bureau has allegedly engaged in a widespread and serious misuse of its authority in the issuing of these letters. From 2003 to 2006, the bureau issued 192,499 national security letter requests. It has also been concluded by the Justice Department’s inspector in 2007, that data from Americans and foreigners has been collected illegally.

This is not something to put out of sight and out of mind. It’s a huge expansion of the FBI’s authority. They are planning on burying it in the intelligence authorization bill. Why? Is it really just intended to bury it from scrutiny? The proposed amendment is going to add the category “electronic communications transactional records” to a section of the law which already lists only those items cited in the Justice legal opinion. Why? It’s because those four words are already included in another section of the law.

It should be met that this proposed amendment has Congress on guard with good reason. The Obama administration’s action here could just clarify a statue or end up allowing the FBI to request sensitive information without federal judges and courts being allowed to scrutinize it.

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Not going to lie guys, this one is a doozie. Apparently, there were these scammers that were charging small one time transactions to people’s accounts. This is where it gets good. The charges were routed through “dummy” corporations here in the US to banks in Asia and Europe. The FTC just recently got a federal court to halted the online scam, which (you guessed it) used identity theft to place more than $10 million in bogus charges on consumers’ credit and debit cards.

The alleged scammers were using fake company names similar to real names and information taken from identity theft victims in the United States. They opened over 100 “merchant” accounts with companies who process charges to consumers’ credit and debit card accounts. The FTC believes these defendants actually ran credit checks on their prospective victims prior to scamming; to be sure they were creditworthy.

The majority of consumers didn’t notice the charges on their bills or didn’t seek reimbursement because of the size of the amounts, which ranged from 20 cents to $10. People that called the phone numbers appearing on their statements found them disconnected or heard recorded messages instructing them to leave a message, but no calls were returned.

Check you statements every month. If you or your wife can’t identify the charge, CALL THE BANK OR CREDIT CARD COMPANY! Stay on top of your credit too.

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I had a recent scare with my kids, so I am on a protective kick. This and last weeks post reflex so. Anyways…

The World Wide Web (Do people even call it that anymore?) can be a dangerous place for your kids. Crazy To Catch a Predator stuff goes on everyday.  We don’t know who is on the other end of the connection talking to our kids. It makes my skin crawl to even think about it. On the other hand, after a long day of work the last thing I want to do is fight with my children about how and what they get to access on the net.

I’m also not going to do a reverse email lookup and a sex offender search for every little friend my kid makes online (Although I have done it before and it was in fact a 35 year-old man with a charge for “Fail & Refuse to Furnish Proof of Age and ID” and “Sexual misconduct with a minor in the first degree”. So the threat is real people. You best believe that my kids facebook accounts and yahoo messenger accounts were cancelled after that.

I can’t wrap them in bubble wrap before I sent them to school or walk them to the bus until they are 18. So I sat them down and talked to them like the competent little minds they are. Not sharing last names, addresses, birth days, schools attended, parents credit card numbers, etc. After doing so I went in search of alternatives.  I can’t just kick them off the computer. I found my answer in Togetherville.com.

It’s a safe online neighborhood for kids under 10. Here they can play games, create art and interact with friends and family under your supervision. It’s gotten some recognition from The Journal and The Times. Mashable.com even did an article about it.

I didn’t mean to put you off from performing one of those searches either. If you suspect your child (any age) is chatting with a serious creeper (Some younger girls [boys too i guess] find the attention of a much older male appealing. And won’t be telling you about it any time soon). Monitor their behavior and launch one of those searches after any signs arise.

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