About Identity Theft

A recent news report of a skimming scam in Long Island, N.Y., netted thieves more than $200,000 from ATMs at five branches.

Skimming today is far more sophisticated than in the past. Skimmers can include blue tooth and texting technology that send the data to the criminal anywhere. Keypads can be compromised by devices that overlay the exiting pad and transfer the data remotely.

ATM scams and fraud go beyond skimming to crimes that are very physical such as ram raiding to remote malicious software hacks.

Bankinfosecurity.com published “7 Growing Threats to Financial Institutions”.

#1 Skimming; Hardware readily available online that is attached to the face of ATM records user card information and pin codes. In this case you may still be able to perform a transaction.

#2 Ghost ATMs; A card reader is blocked off and replaced with hardware that supersedes the machine and records all your data without allowing a transaction. The machine reads “Can’t complete transaction”.

#3 Dummy ATMs; In some cases an ATM is bought off of eBay (do a search) or elsewhere and installed anywhere there is foot traffic. The machine is set up for one purpose; read data. The machine might be powered by car batteries or plugged in the nearest outlet.

#4 Ram Raids; ATMs built into a wall or stand alone are being rammed by a truck and/or wrapped with chain and pulled out then loaded onto a truck. Once removed the thieves blow torch the machine taking the cash. This is a hot topic in Mexican banks, buy certainly happens everywhere. A bank would be smart to install battery backed GPS in any machine.

#5 PIN ID’s; Sophisticated criminal hackers break into a database or skim magnetic strips. They then go to an online banking site with a hacking software that plugs in various well known PINs. These PINs might be consecutive numbers, people names, pet names, birthdates, or other various simple pass phrases people use. When it finds a match it gives the criminal access to your account.

#6 Automated PIN Changes; Criminals go through the banks telephone banking system to change the customers PIN. They may try to change the customers ANI (Automatic Number Identification) is a system utilized by telephone companies to identify the DN (Directory Number) of a caller. This might be accomplished via “Caller ID Spoofing”. They use publicly available data on the card holder such as name, card account number and last four digits of the social security number to “verify” them as the banks customer.

#7 SMS Attacks; AKA Smishing or Phexting – phish texting. Customers receive a text from a bank on their Smartphone requesting login information.

#8 Malware or Malicious Software; Researchers found a virus that specifically infects ATMs and takes over the machine logging card numbers and pins.

To help combat ATM skimming, ADT unveiled the ADT Anti-Skim ATM Security Solution, which helps prevent skimming attempts and detects skimming devices on all major ATM makes and models.

ADT’s Anti-Skim Solution is installed inside an ATM near the card reader, making it invisible from the outside. The solution detects the presence of foreign devices placed over or near an ATM card entry slot, without disrupting the customer transaction or operation of most ATMs. It can trigger a silent alarm for command center response and coordinate video surveillance of all skimming activities. Also, the technology helps prevent card-skimming attempts by interrupting the operation of an illegal card reader.

How to protect yourself from ATM skimming;

1. First and foremost; Pay attention to your statements every two weeks. Refute unauthorized transactions within a 30-60 day time frame.

1. Pay close attention to everything you do at an ATM. Look for “red flags”, anything out of place, your card sticks, odd looking configurations on the ATM, wires, two sided tape.
2. Use strong PINs, uppercase lower case, alpha and numeric online and when possible at an ATM and for telephone banking.
3. Don’t reply to phishing or phexting emails. Just hit delete.
4. Don’t just use “any” ATM. Choose ATMs at locations that are “more secure” than in the middle of nowhere. Do not drop your guard if the ATM is at a bank branch.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing ATM skimming on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

It is very important to get online identity theft protection. Protecting yourself online from identity theft could be one of the most important things that you can ever do for yourself, your finances and your future.

Approximately 10 million people are affected each and every single year from the personal crime of identity theft. A lot of people are finding it increasingly difficult to stop in this crime in its tracks. In fact this crime costs the average person and businesses approximately $221 billion a year worldwide.

Most people feel that by simply hiding their personal information such as credit card numbers and Social Security numbers will be enough to prevent this personal crime from happening to them. Some might even go as far as shredding each and every single document that has their personal info on it.

However the crime has become more advanced. They now have the technology to piece together the shredded documents you have worked on which makes all the work you did useless.

It is very important to safeguard yourself with better solution to prevent this crime from happening to you. There is an online id theft protection solution available that will take your protection a step further.

This online id theft protection makes sure you are full protected by giving you fraud resolution assistance, credit and ATM card protection, child monitoring services, and most of all a financially backed guarantee that if anything was to happen to you will be covered. And this crime can often cost the average person $15,000 a year just to try to rebound from the effects of identity theft.

And Now, To Check Out A Guaranteed proven protection that safeguards you and your family from id theft click the following link today Id Theft Protection

Internet Security Initiative

The US government is considering an internet security initiative to improve cyberspace for everyone including individuals, businesses and government agencies who conduct business online. This initiative was announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and as mentioned aims to create a more secure system of online identification. This internet security initiative is called National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace.

There are a few components of this government security initiative that we could discuss including whether DHS is the appropriate US government Department to lead this initiative. There was actually a good article written by Mike Spinney who is a senior privacy analyst at the Ponemon Institute discussing this area posted here.

There are three other areas that I would like to address with regards to National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace. They include privacy laws, consumer awareness of the risks and best practices which I have been advocating for some time, as well as single sign on for select and related accounts.

First, I think there are too many redundant, incomplete, and distributed privacy and security laws at the Federal and State levels. While the government is addressing this particular area through this internet security initiative, they must focus on the existing laws and think about consolidation and completeness of the laws. Although the redundancy of the laws is less of a concern, their completeness must be addressed which brings me to my next point.

Consumer awareness and education regarding identity theft risks and best identity protection practices is not addressed in any of the current laws. There are no laws requiring companies which collect their customer non-public information as part of their business transactions to educate their customers regarding best identity protection practices and provide them with some type of identity theft awareness.

And lastly, the existence of excessive number of online accounts, IDs and passwords just increases the online identity theft risks which should also be addressed. I think related accounts such as financial accounts from the same institution have a lot to gain from a single and strong identification and authentication mechanism. A good example is the Google strategy for linking and using the same access mechanism for its multiple user accounts. The excessive collection, retention and sharing of personal information is further addressed in my identity obesity concept and Identity Diet program.

Return from internet security initiative to workplace information protection.

He was coaching for a week when am aware parent notified the school, he was a sex offender from 1996. As a parent, you should be the one notifying school officials because you are aware of these issues. You can do a search on “sex offender registry” to locate those in your area and check out Neighborhood Watch.

The parent telling the school shows a flaw in the schools system of effectively vetting out someone who has a past of inappropriate behavior with children. The school district went on to say they screen volunteers in the hundreds of background checks they do his may have been overlooked. What is also a possibility is he lied on his application which skewered the results.

Officials point to the sex offender putting his name alongside his father’s name on the application as his father may have some ties to the league. This may have been done to confuse the background check process.

If you are a sex offender, and you have been prosecuted for something you did to a kid, what the heck could possibly be your motivation work want to work alongside kids, and possible discovered? There’s no way to rationalize irrational behavior. I think these kids and their parents dodged a bullet.

That parent who brought to to the attention of the district is a hero.

Robert Siciliano is a Personal Security Expert and Adviser to Intelius.com. For more information see Intelius at Sex Offender Check to reduce your chances of encountering a bad guy. See him discussing personal security on NBC Boston. (Disclosures)

A good identity theft protection company is one that offers reliable, convenient, competent and affordable services. Different companies offer different packages and plans that will suit your requirements. There are many services offered by the anti fraud services and they are all differently designed to make sure that there is no loss of identity to fraud thieves. The services that are offered involve life locks, ID watchdogs, identity guards and many others. A good company is one that will take you through detailed step by step information on how the services work. They should also tell you the pros and cons of theft protection.

People have over the years lost millions of cash through people who have perfected their art in ripping off people. One can fall to fraudsters through loosing ones social security number or passing the number to someone through a phone call. A good anti fraud service is one that will protect from these ways in which people can get your information and use it without your consent. The introduction of the internet has led to an increase in such theft cases, people have been known to hack into others people’s emails and use it to steal from them.

Anti spy wares and programs created are used to prevent such cases from taking place. The anti spy ware programs designed by these companies are to prevent the pop up ads that show up on ones computer. Most companies offer their products at great discounts and these are the places you should be looking for the services. Look for services that monitor credits, track your records, have alerts system services and those that keep in touch with you for additional information and updates. A good company should act as a watchdog of individual’s medical records, credit bureaus, utilities and many other documents so as to give detailed alerts on your credit situation. Since there are many plans that come with many plans, choose the one that works for you in terms of protecting our identity and affordability. It is time to act fast before something happens to your identity.

By the way, by researching and comparing the different identity theft protection services in the market, you will be able to determine the one that meets your specific needing and it is reasonable priced. Nonetheless, it is advisable to check several offers before making any decision, this way you will save time through getting the right identity theft protection plan for you and money by securing the better results and the best company available in the market.

Hector Milla runs the Identity Theft Protection Service website – where you can see his best rated identity theft protection recommendation.

Some things are irrational to fear, such as monsters under the bed or your inlaws coming for a visit. But some things that we fear are perfectly reasonable, like the Internal Revenue Service and identity thieves. In fact, a study taken by Unisys, an information technology consulting service, asserts that more Americans fear having their information stolen online than getting mugged or robbed in person.

Perhaps the reason for this is twofold. First of all, when you submit your information online you like to think that it is safe. Knowing that someone can hack in and find it can make a person feel vulnerable. The second big problem with this type of identity theft is that it can occur without your knowing about it. At least if someone steals your wallet you know that you need to cancel all the credit cards it contains. In the case of online identity theft, you may not even know that a criminal has your accessed your information for months, or even years, after they get their hands on it.

Another study taken in February says that right now only about 25% of identity theft is conducted online, but identity theft is continually growing due to the still prominent recession and the high unemployment rate.

More interesting information coming out of the October survey is that:
*Americans between the ages of 35 and 65 are the most concerned about the security of e-commerce, which is reasonable considering this group has the most disposable income and assets.
*Over 50% of Americans are willing to use biometrics, such as retinal scans and fingerprint scans, to identify themselves.
*Approximately 65% of Americans are “extremely concerned” or “very concerned” about identity theft.

You would think that this number would be higher considering that over 10 million Americans were victimized by identity thieves last year. Perhaps the other 35% have identity theft protection plans in place. These plans are designed not only to protect your personal information but to preserve your peace of mind.

It’s easy to feel safe when you know you are protected, and your credit will remain intact. And it’s good to know that many plans have insurance policies in place just in case something does happen. You can find out more about the plans that are available directly through this website and even sign up for some of them at a discounted rate.

It’s important to discuss your identity theft protection plan options with your family before you choose one. That’s because some are individual plans and some will protect all of your immediate family members for one low price.

While fear is healthy in some situations, feeling secure is almost always preferable. An identity theft protection plan can make this possible. Unfortunately there’s not much that can be done about the Internal Revenue Service.