5 Easy Ways to Prevent Identity Theft

Prevent Identity Theft and Protect Yourself

The FTC estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. According to data compiled by Zone Alarm, maker of antivirus and firewall software, identity theft results in an average cost to victim of $4,841 and takes, on average, 33 hours to resolve. With more and more of our personal information available online, it’s imperative that you take steps to protect yourself online.


Buyer beware. For as little as $30 in web hosting fees, criminals can set up fake online shop fronts to lure consumers into submitting their personal information and credit account numbers. Be wary of online retailers that you’ve never heard of, particularly if they’re offering a popular item at a lower-than-expected price.

If you can’t resist the deal, contact your credit card company to inquire if they offer one-time-use card numbers that you can use for vendors you don’t trust, or consider using a Visa or Mastercard gift card to protect your permanent account number. Never supply unnecessary personal information like your social security number, driver’s license number, or date of birth when completing an online retail transaction.

Pump up your password. I know, I know, I’m a broken record with this one. But if you’re one of the millions of Americans using the most popular passwords, such as “password,” “trustno1,” “abc123,” “monkey” or “letmein” (for the top 25 worst passwords, check out the list at SplashData: http://splashdata.com/press/pr121023.htm), you’re putting yourself at risk. Morgan Slain, CEO of SplashData (a provider of password management applications) explains, “Hackers can easily break into accounts just by repeatedly trying common passwords.” He recommends using an online password management tool. I like Lastpass (https://lastpass.com/) which can create and store unique, difficult to crack passwords for every site you visit online.

Secure your Smartphone. As more people acquire Smartphones, our personal information is going mobile. With instant access to email, social media accounts and often banking and credit account logins, Smartphones are an identity thief’s goldmine. Make sure that you password-protect the home screen to make it a little harder for a would-be criminal to access your data.

Consider storing account numbers and personal data that you regularly access (like bank account and passport numbers or alarm codes) in a cloud-based data vault program like that offered by Personal (www.personal.com/, free for iPhone and Android). Accessing the vault is password protected so it’s more secure than using notes, emails or texts stored on your phone.

Take notice of data breach notifications. With all the credit card offers, balance transfer promotions and junk mail sent by the average financial institution, it’s easy to tune out a form notification that your account data may have been compromised, but it’s important to take note. According to the “2013 Identity Fraud Report” compiled by Javelin Strategy & Research, almost 1 out of every 4 consumers that received a data breach notice letter became a victim of identity fraud. Of particular concern: “consumers who had their Social Security number compromised in a data breach were five times more likely to be a fraud victim than an average consumer.”

Take action. While the majority of identity theft activities are identified by third parties (55% vs. 45% discovered by consumers), it’s important to be proactive in your monitoring of account activity. The sooner you discover the fraud and take steps to close accounts and notify the appropriate parties, the less you stand to lose.

Catfishing Isn't What it Used to be: Online Dating Safety

Protect Yourself While Online Dating

Many looking for a partner this Valentine’s Day will turn to social media or dating websites to make a potential love connection.  If you're wary about trying them, or you've been burned in the past, you're right to be dubious.  Internet dating and romance scams, dubbed "catfishing," are on the rise according to the FBI, and the Better Business Bureau has seen a two-fold increase in complaints over the last year regarding online dating services. Arm yourself with information to protect yourself before you take a dip in the online dating pool.


Find a Trustworthy Online-Dating Company.  The Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) provides business reviews free-of-charge, so examine any site you’re considering posting a profile to.  Look for a history of satisfied customers and resolved complaints.  Big players like Cupid.com and Match.com have precautionary measures in place, so users who have negative experiences can get their issues resolved quickly; smaller sites may have less security for spotting a scammer.  Some sites like Cupid.com and Flirt.com employ software that scans IP addresses, profile photos and behavior patterns of their users so they're able to identify fraudulent accounts and block them from their communities.

Protect Your Personal Information. Set up an email address for yourself that is only used for your online dating account.  It is not necessary to provide your full name, address, phone number, link to your Facebook page or work details when setting up your profile, so don't include those details.  Provide additional personal information only once you've gotten to know each other better.  Make sure to have several phone conversations with your new love interest before agreeing to meet in person and always meet in a public place.

Use Your Instincts.  If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.  Scammers love to use pictures of beautiful people, particularly trustworthy ones like men and women in uniform.  Beware of any relationship where the person professes his or her undying love immediately.  Flattery is nice, but too much of it too quickly should set off your warning bells.  Eloquent romantic language is often plagiarized from elsewhere on the internet and it's easily discovered through a quick Google search.  If someone claims to have been born in the United States, but uses poor grammar or verb conjugation, be wary; they may be a scammer from a foreign country.   Lastly, and most importantly, run for the nearest exit if anyone asks you to wire them money for any reason (travel expenses, medical emergencies and financial difficulties are common).

Do Your Homework.  Upload a photo of your date to Google Images by clicking on the camera icon on the side of the search field and choosing “Upload An Image.”  If the picture appears under the name of several people, you know it’s not legit.  If you've been communicating through email, you can use the IP address from the email URL to tell you where the email was sent from.  If your date claims to be from Minnesota, make sure she's where she says she is.  Review their profile thoroughly and check into details of information they provide by asking questions they should be able to answer or using Internet searches to verify what they're saying is accurate.  Test your date's knowledge of local events and places if they claim to live in your city and watch for mistakes.

Video Chat for Security. Before meeting or offering personal information to someone you’re interested in, arrange to use a free video chat service like Skype, Google Video Chat or Facetime to “see them” before you meet.

Report the Scammer.  If you think you've been victimized or you've identified a potential fraud, file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov).  They'll report it to higher authorities and their data analysis links complaints together to help to identify culprits.

 

Watch out! Top Tech Scams of 2012

Tech Scams that Hit Hard in 2012

Social media, online databases and our “connected” lifestyle has made it easier than ever for criminals to use technology to steal identities, money, and data from unsuspecting users.  Here are some of the most prevalent technology scams of 2012, so you don’t fall victim to these tricky ploys.

You get a call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft (or your cable company, or Norton, etc..).  They identify themselves as Adam or some common moniker yet likely have a distinct accent.  The caller informs you that they’ve tracked virus transmissions to your computer, claiming that you have malicious code on your system that’s infecting others.  You need only grant them the ability to remotely access your computer and they can remove the virus for you.


To protect yourself, never allow an unknown party access to your computer.  If you get a call from someone claiming that your computer as doing anything – be it transmitting a virus, downloading copyright-protected content, etc... -  immediately hang up and call your trusted computer repair company. Remote computer repair is a great tool, but only in the hands of a reputable repair professional.

The Better Business Bureau’s list of the top ten scams of 2012 lists “Fake Facebook Tweets” as its top identity theft scam.  You get a direct message from a name you recognize via Twitter or Facebook.  The text refers to a video posted to Facebook and the sender says that you’re in it, likely insinuating that the content is embarrassing.  Understandably, you immediately click on the link included in the message only to get an error message instructing you to update Flash or install some sort of plug-in.

Installing the program as prompted instead infects your system with a virus or malware that collects and reports back your personal information, allowing the perpetrators to steal credit card numbers or your identity.  Never install software that has originated from clicking on a web link.  If you believe that your Java may be out of date, go directly to the source (www.java.com) so you know you’re installing the legitimate program.

Another nefarious use of social media sharing is the so-called “Grandparents Scam.”  You get a call, text, email or Facebook message from someone claiming to be your grandchild, niece, cousin, etc.  The person explains that they’re travelling abroad and have fallen victim to a mugging, accident, or have been arrested.  They beg you not to “tell mom or dad,” just wire cash.

When this scam originated, criminals primarily took advantage of elderly people by calling late at night and offering just enough common information while farming the reminder on the call to convince victims of their legitimacy.  As the scam evolved, perpetrators have begun to use information posted on public forums and social media sites like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn to pepper truths into their fiction (“I’m in Mexico celebrating my college graduation”), leading more people to fall for the scam.

Never wire money without solid verification of the identity of the recipient.  Call friends and family of the supposed victim to check out the story, despite any panicked requests to the contrary.

For more of the Better Business Bureau’s Top Ten Scams of 2012, see their report which includes tips to avoid falling victim: www.bbb.org/us/article/better-business-bureau-names-top-ten-scams-of-2012-39388