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When it comes to identity theft, businesses get hit, too
January 25, 2012 – 8:51 am
Identity theft isn’t something that just happens to individual people – it can happen to businesses also.
Criminals design websites that look like legitimate business sites, which feature real business names, logos and contact information, all in the name of tricking consumers into giving up their personal or financial information. It also ruins the reputation of the business.
The victims, in this case, businesses, don’t usually know they’ve been victimized by identity thieves until they are contacted by customers complaining about false solicitations, fake websites, phishing e-mails, fraudulent charges or check cashing schemes. Businesses who fall victim also can get billing and customer service complaints.
If you are a business owner, watch for the signs of identity theft: unusual product or service requests, unfamiliar advertisements posted online, and unwarranted complaints filed by unknown customers.
If you do fall victim, here’s how you can minimize the damage. First of all, make sure your licensing and registration records are up to date on your business name. You should set up Web alerts so that you know if your business name, address or phone number has been used without authorization. If you find fake ads, contact site publishers to have them removed immediately.
Track the complaints you receive, and alert your customers of possible scams. You should also report the crime to your local police, as well as the Federal Trade Commission.
Children can’t rest in peace if identity thief is after them
January 23, 2012 – 7:53 am
It never ceases to amaze – the extent to which identity thieves will go to obtain the information they need in order to steal money and commit crimes.
A woman in northeastern England lost her daughter after undergoing heart surgery. A few years later, she discovered a fraudulent Facebook profile featuring pictures of herself and her deceased daughter. The site was accepting donations for a heart transplant for the woman’s daughter, who was born with a heart valve that was too narrow.
The woman, understandably, was terribly upset, but said the incident was even more difficult for her to deal with because her daughter is deceased.
The profile was traced to Jamaica. Visitors to the site were asked to share the link, which would supposedly result in a free heart transplant if 1,000 people participated. There was also a PayPal account attached to the profile, which allowed for people to make donations.
According to ID Analytics, more than 140,000 children are victimized by identity thieves each year. Most often, the thief steals a child’s Social Security number, and thieves often target deceased children.
If you suspect that your child’s Social Security number has been compromised, you should check to see if there is a credit report. If you find one, it’s highly likely that your child’s information has been stolen.
To protect your child’s information, do not provide it to anyone unless you know how they plan to use it and how the information will be handled after you have surrendered it. This includes schools. Don’t be afraid to ask if another form of identification can be used instead.
Better safe than sorry…
January 18, 2012 – 8:50 am
Think back to this past year and ask yourself: Did you make it difficult or easy for identity thieves to steal and use your personal information? When you shopped, were you careful? When you were online, did you use secure sites? Did you shred documents before you disposed of them?
When it comes to protecting your personal information, it is important that you are careful when you are shopping or dining out. Don’t let your credit or debit card leave your sight. Have the clerk or server scan the card in front of you or go with them. Or you could just pay in cash.
When shopping online, use only secure sites. You’ll know it’s secure if the URL contains “https” instead of just “http.” You’ll also see a lock symbol in one of the corners of your screen. Never enter personal or financial information if the site is unsecured, or if you have received an unsolicited request for this information – even if the request looks to be from a legitimate source. Verify the request first, and never click on a link within an unsolicited e-mail; it could contain malware.
Shredding is such a simple thing – and it’s something many people choose to ignore, thinking that criminals really don’t dig through trash. But they do. It’s the easiest and fastest way to get personal or financial information. Shred all documents that bear your personal or financial information, including pre-approved credit offers. This can’t be emphasized enough.
When it comes to protecting your identity, it’s always better safe than sorry. Take the extra steps today to be sure your information is safe tomorrow.
What do I do if I am a victim of identity theft?
January 16, 2012 – 7:55 am
Ever wish you were someone else? You could just forget about your own troubles and start again, with a fresh, clean slate. Think it’s just a silly dream? Not for identity thieves. Using the personal and financial information of other people to create a whole new identity is their bread and butter. And it happens more frequently than you think.
In 2008, 10 million people fell victim to identity theft. This means there were 27,397 victims each and every day during that year. And this doesn’t even account for the unreported incidents. Believe it or not, there are thousands of people out there who don’t report their incidents of identity theft.
It’s important to report identity theft because the sooner your report it, the greater chance the police have of finding and arresting the thief. If you have discovered that you are a victim, you may not know what to do. Here are some tips.
As soon as you discover that your identity has been compromised in any way, contact the police and file a police report. Be sure to get and retain a copy of the report. Next, you’ll want to contact the three credit reporting bureaus – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion – to place a fraud alert on your credit files. Note that you only need to call one of the bureaus; the one you call is bound by law to notify the other two.
Be sure to obtain a copy of your credit report so that you can make sure there are no fraudulent accounts or activity. Contact the credit bureau about any errors you find and work to have them removed immediately.
You’ll also need to contact the credit card issuer or other company from which the fraudulent accounts were established. Make them aware of any accounts that were opened fraudulently, and close those accounts immediately.
Don’t regret that drive-thru visit – Protect yourself from card theft
January 11, 2012 – 8:56 am
A 17-year-old resident of Olympia, Wash., who works at the local McDonald’s, has been charged with identity theft after local authorities busted him for skimming credit and debit cards while working in the drive-thru window.
It’s easy enough for anyone to perpetrate this type of fraud – all you have to do is purchase a skimming device online. You can get one for less than $100, and you’re in business. And those who sell the devices could not care less if the buyer is underage.
In this incident, the teen was caught after transaction monitoring traced the fraud – but not before he had gained nearly $13,000 using the stolen information. He used a handheld skimming device to collect the information, then used the stolen information to purchase gift cards at stores like Walmart and Toys R Us. He then purchased nearly $13,000 worth of merchandise, which he sold on Craigslist and eBay for profit.
How do you prevent this type of theft from happening to you? First of all, never take your eyes off your card. If the cashier or clerk tries to step out of sight with your card, ask them to swipe it in front of you. If the clerk refuses or argues, ask to speak with a manager. If there’s still trouble, move on and make your purchase elsewhere. This goes whether you’re in a restaurant, retail store or a drive-thru.
It’s important to also guard your information when shopping in a retail store. In addition to keeping your card in sight, it’s also important to be sure the terminal you’re using is safe. Check it before you swipe your card, and if there are any loose pieces, don’t swipe.
When it comes to credit and debit card theft, thieves are getting more and more sly. It’s time consumers followed suit.
Protect your RFID-enabled credit card
January 3, 2012 – 7:53 am
Imagine yourself getting your credit card bill and finding that there are hundreds of dollars in charges you know nothing about – just thinking about it can bring on a migraine.
But an estimated 9 million people faced just that during the past year, all victims of identity theft. This figure wasn’t helped out by the convenience of the new radio frequency identification credit card, despite the fact that a the cards are supposed to be designed with extra layers of security against identity theft.
An RFID card is basically designed to transmit credit card information through radio waves from a chip embedded in the card. When you use your card at a retailer, your card won’t be swiped through traditional point of sale machine. Instead, all you have to do is hold your card close to a card scanner, and it transmits the information. It’s supposed to be fast and convenient.
But is this technology safe? Because the technology behind the card allows you to conduct a transaction without putting the card through the card reader at the point of sale, a thief can also be nearby and swipe your information using an RFID scanner.
But there is good news. RFID cards encrypt a cardholder’s information, so a thief has to not only obtain the information, but also has to break the card issuer’s encryption. Each transaction is also given an authentication code, which means if a thief has the info from your RFID chip, they can only make one purchase with the authentication code.
It should be noted, however, that this is the case only if your information is stolen by a thief nearby using an unauthorized scanner. If the thief actually steals your card, he can use the magnetic stripe on the back until the card is reported as stolen.
Protect your card by storing it in an RFID-blocking wallet or a credit card shield. You could also request a new card from your card issuer, that does not contain the RFID chip.
