A KUTV Get Gephardt Report: NCO Dispute Letter Victory

Last December Nanita Whitman got a letter from N.C.O. Financial Systems.They demanded that she pay $10,800. But Nanita already explained to the debt collectors that the debt is not hers.

“It’s just enough to almost give you a heart attack. I mean, my god, $10,000. It’s unbelievable,” Nanita says.

She also says that when she called N.C.O., all they did was confirm the debt and when we left messages at N.C.O. Financial Systems in Pennsylvania on her behalf, they never called us back.

So, let’s see if we can go around N.C.O. Financial Systems by using federal law.

I took all of Nanita’s information to Michelle Camp, the former president of the Utah Association of Collectors and the General Manager of Express Recovery Services in West Valley City.

Michelle says that anytime you receive a collection letter for a debt that you don’t think you owe, you can fight back by using federal law by simply writing a letter.

“The burden is then placed on the agency to go back and verify who the debt belongs to if it’s not you,” Michelle says.

I asked Michelle to write a generic dispute letter that I put on KUTV.com earlier this month.

Nanita followed that letter and sent her dispute with certified mail off to N.C.O. She also filed a complaint against N.C.O. Financial Systems with the Better Business Bureau.

It was through the Better Business Bureau that Nanita received acknowledgement that N.C.O. received and responded to that letter.

In the letter to the Better Business Bureau, N.C.O. states that they have not been able to confirm that the debt ever belonged to Nanita Whitman. And that her account is closed. Read More or watch KUTV News 2 video below.

For more Get Gephardt reports and investigations click here.

Individuals who encounter abusive practices by NCO may file a complaint against them with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Consumer Protection, Philadelphia Regional Office, 21 South 12th St., Second Floor, Philadelphia, PA. 19107 (215) 560-2414.

For other information concerning NCO and improper credit collecting practices, see
North Country Gazette

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Posted by Denise Richardson at 09:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tax Time or Prime Time for Identity Theft

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

By now, most of you have received your W-2's and other tax reporting forms used in preparing your taxes. The question is: where are those forms kept in your home? Are they lying on a table top or somewhere anyone can see them? Or, are they in a locked box or file cabinet?

Your W-2's, and other IRS reporting forms, include your Social Security Number and, in some cases, financial account information. These numbers can be a gold mine for identity thieves. They literally can kidnap your identity: obtain a job, open up new lines of credit, access existing financial accounts or stock portfolios, get welfare, avoid a criminal history and generally create havoc in your life.

For the identity thief, tax time is a prime time of opportunity. With that in mind, the Identity Theft Resource Center(R) wants to remind consumers and businesses to be careful when handling tax-related documents and information.

Here are some tips on how to minimize the risk of identity theft: --

Paper security

Keep tax paperwork in a safe, locked location. Financial documents don't belong in a briefcase. They can be lost or stolen if left unguarded in your car or at work for even a few minutes.

Document Disposal

Put papers you no longer need through a cross-cut shredder. These include credit card receipts, other papers with Social Security Numbers (i.e. income reporting forms), financial statements, health benefit statements and loan documents.

Computer Security

If your computer is linked to the internet, be sure to regularly update firewall, antivirus, and spyware software to protect you from invasion. Since many taxpayers now file online, or store financial information on their computers, it is vitally important to install and update these types of security programs.

Mail Theft Awareness

Be sure to retrieve your mail every day. An unlocked mailbox is an open invitation to an identity thief to steal your tax refund check. Uncollected mail is another opportunity for a thief. When mailing your tax documents, take them directly to the Post Office. Drop them in a box inside the Post Office. If you must use an outside Post Office pickup box, it's best to drop your mail before the last pick-up of the day. Don't leave tax documents in an outgoing mail box at work.

Tax Preparers and Personal Privacy

Be selective about who works on your taxes. Investigate tax preparation companies with the Better Business Bureau, especially new or seasonal offices. Ask the preparer...

how your information will be stored?
Will it be encrypted?
What computer security software is used?
Who has access to this information?
Has the person working on your taxes undergone a thorough background screening?
How many years have they worked for the company?
Do you see personal papers displayed on desks?

Trust your impressions.

If you feel uncomfortable, or doubt the firm's commitment to protecting your privacy, take your business elsewhere.

The phrase "buyer beware" especially applies to "on-line tax preparers.
Who are these people?
What do you know about them?
Are they really a company or legitimate accountant or is it a scam to gather Social Security and account information from you?

Avoid doing financial business in supermarket concession booths, where others may hear or see your transaction. Those mini offices are not soundproof -- and criminals have been observed watching transactions with telescopic lenses. Go some place where you have privacy.

Tax Time Scams If you receive an email asking for your Social Security Number or financial information, delete it or send it to the FTC at spam@uce.gov for investigation.

The IRS does not send emails stating you are being electronically audited or that you are getting a refund. If you have any questions about an email you received from the IRS, or a letter that sounds suspicious, immediately call the IRS Taxpayers Advocates at 877-777-4778.

Employment Identity Theft Identity theft goes beyond the well-known forms of financial identity theft. Sometimes identity thieves use your identity to get a job. They may be employed and using your Social Security Number -- or even your child's Social Security Number. In these situations, the IRS may send a notice indicating that more than one person is using a Social Security Number, or that you owe taxes. If this happens, immediately contact the IRS Taxpayer Advocates or the Identity Theft Resource Center at 858-693-7935 for assistance.

Where to Go For More Information or Help:

Identity Theft Resource Center 858-693-7935 or
www.idtheftcenter.org

IRS Taxpayer Advocates 1-877-777-4778

Federal Trade Commission www.consumer.gov/idtheft

Posted by Denise Richardson at 04:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Reckoning Day for ChoicePoint...

You may remember when Choicepoint, the data aggregator and vendor of personally identifiable information fell prey to a very simple ploy. Some Nigerian data thieves became customers and proceeded to download thousands of records. ChoicePoint is finally settling a class action law suit that arose from that incident almost four years ago.

The price tag is $10 million. Ouch.

The lesson is obvious: you have to think through all possible scenarios when making critical data available to your customers including what should be obvious - that your customers may be crooks. There are deeper questions though. The credit bureau’s and ChoicePoint ( a spin off from one of the bureaus, Equifax) have created a world where credit histories can be used to open new accounts with credit card issuers, apply for loans, and rent apartments. If it were not for them thieves would have no reason to want to steal Social Security numbers and credit reports.

The real culprit is actually ChoicePoint itself and the three bureaus. MORE
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The company earlier paid $15 million in civil and consumer penalties to the Federal Trade Commission and agreed to tighten its security procedures and submit to random audits to ensure it was properly protecting personal information.

It coughed up another $500,000 to settle lawsuits brought by the Attorneys General of 44 states for its lax handling of personal data that led to the breach. See much more on ChoicePoint at ConsumerAffairs.com

Posted by Denise Richardson at 03:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Before filing your taxes online, downloading music of sharing files learn what safety measures you may need to take to prevent your personal information from being accessed and avoid opening up your computer to a malicious virus or spyware.
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File-sharing software could put your identity at risk

A click of the mouse. That's all it could take for your identity to be stolen, said ID theft expert Todd Davis who's dedicated his life to protecting identities through LifeLock.

People using free file-sharing software, such as Limewire, could be at risk, because it's not just songs and videos that are shared, it's everything on a computer's hard drive.

"If you've used your laptop filed your taxes online and stored your other personal information on your hard drive, you basically opened it up to see everything," Davis said.

On a laptop in his office, Davis demonstrated searching tax return in Limewire.

Immediately dozens of matches popped up, including tax returns saved as .pdf files, Word documents with important credit care account numbers, and even someone's scanned social security card.

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Protect Your PC From File-Sharing Dangers
Dangers of Peer-to-Peer Networks More Than Just Lawsuits

Peer-to-peer file-sharing networks have come a long way since the dawn (and demise) of Napster, with LimeWire, KaZaA, Morpheus, Grokster, and others offering everything from MP3 files to movies, software, and anything that can be exchanged across a digital network.

If you're using or plan to use such networks, you should know that copyright infringement isn't the only issue to consider. You also open up your system to a host of security and privacy threats, including viruses, worms, Trojan horses, snooping, data theft, spyware, and more.

The first thing to understand about file sharing is that every user's system acts as a server for everyone else's, so there is almost no way to control the content that is available on a network.

This makes it easy for anyone to distribute a virus, worm, or Trojan horse in a file you thought contained your favorite song. Once that file is in your file-sharing directory, it's usually available to everyone, whether you've tried to play it or not, so malware can spread very quickly.

Some of the software itself has been known to have Trojan horses and other security problems. And a number of file-sharing applications contain invasive adware that monitors your online behavior and sends data back to a server. Although providers are backing away from this lately, millions of users have unwittingly downloaded tons of spyware along with file-sharing apps.

Even if you aren't using your file-sharing application, it's usually up and running in the background, providing other users with access to your system — and often to your IP address.

Studies such as "Usability and Privacy: A Study of Kazaa P2P File-Sharing" suggest that the majority of users don't know what files they're sharing and may inadvertently end up sharing private files such as e-mail and financial information.

Turn It Completely Off

There are a number of steps you can take to protect yourself. The most obvious step is to turn off your file-sharing app when you're not actively searching or downloading. SEE MORE

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For a helpful list of protective steps you can take read:

Mobile Computing & Wireless Networking How-Tos

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Here's why

Posted by Denise Richardson at 09:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I received a note yesterday from an advocate who forwarded on an email claiming that cell phone numbers were about to be released to telemarketers and the email contained the official Do Not Call Registry phone number. The email claimed:

Cell phone numbers going public tomorrow -- Reminder: All cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies tomorrow and you will start to receive sales calls. You will be charged for these calls. To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: (888) 382-1222. It is the National Do Not Call list. It will only take a minute of your time. It blocks your number for five years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number. Help others by passing this on to all your friends. It takes about 20 seconds."

In an attemt to alert others, many of us proceeded to forward this email on-just as the email advised. A few minutes later while doing a bit of research on these claims, I was happy to find our numbers were not about to be released -rather, it was just an email a hoax.

The good news is, if you acted on the email and called the Registry to log your cell phone number -no harm was done. You simply added another level of protection by registering your number with the Do Not Call Registry. The phone number itself was and is, a known legitimate number to the offical Do Not Call Registry.

You can call the same number to register your home phone number if you haven't done so. If you did so years ago -remember it only blocks calls for five (5) years.

FTC facts:

"If you've received an e-mail telling you that your cell phone is about to be assaulted by telemarketing calls as a result of a new cell phone number database, rest assured that this is not the case," the FTC says. "Telemarketing to cell phone numbers has always been illegal in most cases and will continue to be so. In response to recent e-mail campaigns urging consumers to place their cell phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry, the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission issue this advisory to give consumers the facts."

Registry program: FCC regulations prohibit telemarketers from using automated dialers to call cell phone numbers. Automated dialers are standard in the industry, so most telemarketers are barred from calling consumers on their cell phones without their consent.

Wireless 411 service: Qsent Inc. is working on a "wireless 411" directory and the new Wireless 411 Service will provide cell phone users the choice and opportunity to list cell phone numbers in the same nationwide voice 411 service they use for land-line phones. They must opt-in to the service to be included, and consumers wishing to be left out of the directory need only ignore the opportunity to be included. Directory numbers will be given out individually, as requested, but the directory will not be published or sold to telemarketers.

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Don't get scammed.

Read a few of the other articles and scam alerts on this blog... you can also search our archives.

SCAM ALERT: Corporate Executives Target of Identity Theft Schemes

Beware of E-mail Scam: "I've been hired to kill you, it's one of your friends, I'm watching you..."

"Smishing": The Wicked Twin of "Phishing"... may be Targeting your Cell Phone

News From Around the Country Identity theft is on the rise. More than 162 million records have been reported lost or stolen in 2007. That's three times more than the more than 49 million that went missing last year.

Click here for a 20% Discount

Here's why...

Posted by Denise Richardson at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I recently received several emails from people in the TN area relaying they believed themselves to be victims of identity theft. It prompted me to check on various stories from the State as a follow up on previous blog that warned of over 337,000 TN voter's may have had their information compromised due to reported laptop thefts.

Here are a couple of stories that pertain to that area of the country -but it's important to note these cases involve other states -and even countries. Ultimately these stories point out that data breaches and theft can happen anywhere and identity theft rings are active in every state and operating world wide.

Identity Theft Ring in DeSoto County

(TN) DeSoto County authorities say at least 180 people have been ripped off by thieves stealing their credit and debit card information.

Eyewitness News Everywhere first reported on dozens of ID theft victims back in December; now investigators say this case is bigger and more complicated than anyone thought.

Investigators say the stolen numbers are mostly being used in Texas and the Miami, Florida area. They believe the ID theft ring may also be part of an organized crime operation in St. Petersburg, Russia. More

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Credit theft ring gets larger...

(Hernando, MS 1/22/08) This case keeps getting bigger by the day. It now involves crooks overseas and many more victims here at home.

Like most of us, Cory and Valerie Donnelly used their credit and debit cards like cash... now, like a growing number of DeSoto Countians, they've mysteriously become victims of ID theft. "We were talking about what happened to us and some people overheard us and like that happened to us too. Did you report it? Well, we didn't think anything of it, and that's a big deal." explained Cory Donnelly.

It is, because so far we've learned there's a connection between these card thefts and crooks in St. Petersburg, Russia. They've bought jewelry, jet skis, and hundreds of gallons of fuel they turn around and sell on the streets of Florida and Texas.

At the same time, detectives in DeSoto keep searching for that local connection. "Obviously we have the federal government involve in this but what we're looking at from this standpoint is where are they getting the numbers from locally." said Commander Mark Blackson of the DeSoto Sheriff's Department.

Many victims believe the problems came from one particular store, one which serves all types of customers, customers who don't even know they're potential victims.

It can happen to anybody at any time. In fact, just this past weekend I got a call from my credit card company about some questionable charges. One of them was from a store in Hernando.

And although many victims we've talked with point to purchases at this same store with suspicion, police say there's no evidence the stolen card numbers came from here. "For me to sit here and say that is a single common denominator amongst all the complaints we got, it's not." Blackson emphasized.

Blackson says he still expects arrests in Florida any day now. He hopes those arrests will somehow lead back to DeSoto where he can connect the dots on this end. MORE

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Identity theft scam at Paulette's

MEMPHIS - You may be a victim of a huge identity theft scam involving a popular restaurant in Midtown. A cook at Paulette's is accused of stealing credit card numbers from hundreds of customers and selling them for just 50 cents a piece.

The Shelby County Sheriff's Department believes this scam started in January. Newschannel3's Richard Ransom was among the victims. He had dinner there with his wife and another couple back in May. It was only recently that he noticed something very strange on his online bank account.

"I noticed a charge to our account online for more than $600 to Slendertone. I asked my wife 'What did you buy at slendertone?' She said, 'I didn't buy anything at Slendertone.'"

$600 bucks worth of fat burning belts was purchased with Ransom's credit card on the Slendertone website. Sheriff's deputies say it was all part of a scheme started by 32-year-old Brad Taylor.

They say the 10-year cook at Paulette's got a hold of the key where all credit card log sheets were locked up, copied down all the numbers and sold them to 29-year-old Roderick Webb. He worked with a third man, 34-year-old Marlon Cox, on buying all kinds of products over the internet. More

Posted by Denise Richardson at 02:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

A number is a very concrete thing. It always represents a quantity, yet can also signify quality (a score of 9.7 out of 10), duration (since 1915), or time (8:30 a.m.). Numbers can also have mysterious, magical characteristics. Superstition whispers that 1 is a lonely number, 13 bodes ill-fortune, and a stitch in time saves 9. Every child knows that Snow White had seven dwarfs and the genie in the bottle grants exactly three wishes.

When it comes to buying an automobile, financing a home or obtaining credit, it's all about the numbers. The numbers contained in a consumer's credit report are directly related to the price of a car or home the consumer can afford. These all powerful numbers can affect both the affordability of insurance premiums and the interest rates and ultimately, may be a deciding factor in whether or not the consumer obtains employment or can purchase a home or automobile.

What happens when the numbers lie?

Here’s just one of the many stories that illustrate a continuing pattern of abuse often heaped on innocent consumers :

Credit report errors still plague woman

Even though she won a court case, she isn't sure what's on record
By KEVIN TURNER, My Nassau Sun

Although a jury in November awarded Angela Williams $2.9 million in damages from Equifax, one of the nation's three largest credit reporting bureaus, errors in her credit report still haunt her.

"I'm hesitant to apply for credit because I don't know what's on there," Williams said Jan. 11. "I'm a good person. I pay my bills. I should have good credit, but because of what's gone on with Equifax, I'm unable to take advantage of it."

Williams said the company now claims that her credit report is repaired, but a lot of damage has been done over the last 13 years due to errors that wouldn't go away.

Equifax, headquartered in Atlanta, maintains records on virtually all Americans who have credit. In a 2003 suit, Williams claimed the company scrambled her credit record with those of another person who lived in Florida and who had a similar name and Social Security number.

The trouble started in 1995, when she noticed several credit accounts that weren't hers on her credit report. She disputed them and had them removed, but they later reappeared. MORE
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Ms. Williams many year battle to retain her accurate credit is all too eerily similar to mine and many others who have had to file suit before finding any relief. The best thing you can do to prevent living through a similar fate is to check your credit reports, disputer any inaccuracies and place fraud alerts on file to avoid identity theft.

If you are thinking of calling one of the credit bureau's to find out what is in your credit report or discuss your credit score—forget it. You first need to have ordered and received your report –prior to being allowed access to speak with a human being. All credit reporting agencies utilize automation, requiring the input of the actual report number assigned to, and contained in, the credit report in question.

Thanks to government mandates, we are all entitled to a free annual credit report. However, you need to get that free credit report from the right place -and the right place isn't what you hear on the television commercials. Nor do you hear any public service announcements -that clearly provide the accurate website.

The officially designated website is annualcreditreport.com and the automated toll free number is
877-322-8228. I recommend the latter and further recommend you order by calling from your home phone. Many privacy experts have noted their concerns regarding the official website’s privacy policy. It appears the site’s privacy policy isn’t exactly consumer friendly and indicates they may sell your information to third parties. Additionally, when typing the URL in your browser check and double check your spelling accuracy. If you inadvertently misspell the address –it will most often divert you to an imposter site. You may find yourself on a site offering credit reports that are only free if you purchase additional products such as credit monitoring services or your credit score.

The truth is -numbers do lie! If you don't know what is contained in your credit report, then you can’t detect whether or not your credit score is based on accurate data or not. If erroneous or fraudulent information is mixed in the recipe utilized to establish your credit score -you may find yourself paying a high price for someone else's mistakes.

Posted by Denise Richardson at 01:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Lost Laptop Exposes Nashville Voters to Identity Theft
January 19, 2008

Thieves have stolen two laptops containing unencrypted Social Security numbers of 337,000 Tennessee residents.

The theft of a laptop containing Social Security numbers of Nashville, Tennessee, area voters is expected to cost local officials about US$1 million as they roll out identity-theft protection to those affected.

County officials say that thieves broke into Davidson County Election Commission offices on the weekend before Christmas, smashing a window with a rock and then making off with a $3,000 router, a digital camera and a pair of Dell Latitude laptops containing names and Social Security numbers of all 337,000 registered voters in the county.

County election officials began notifying residents of the breach on Jan. 2, and the local government is offering victims one year of free identity theft protection from Debix Identity Protection Network.

Debix says that 25 percent to 35 percent of victims of this type of breach typically request this service. With the city paying Debix just under $10 per account, the price tag for the laptop theft is expected to be in the $1 million range.

Since state data breach disclosure laws went into effect a few years ago, the theft of an unencrypted laptop computer can become a major problem for any organization that stores sensitive data.

"It is a very bad information-handling practice to keep sensitive information about individuals including their Social Security numbers on an unencrypted laptop or any other device that is removable," said Paul Stephens director of policy and advocacy with Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a privacy advocacy group that has tracked the exposure of 217 million records in the U.S. over the past three years.

Laptop thefts have been the source of privacy breaches at AT&T, The Gap, and the Chicago Public School system recently. More
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To learn more about protecting your laptop see:

Laptop theft on the rise! GPS for laptops...who knew?

Posted by Denise Richardson at 01:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

NEW ALERT:

Exactly one year since news spread about T.J. Maxx's massive data breach (See Prior Blog)comes word that a computer tape containing information on 650,000 customers of J.C. Penney and up to 100 retailers is missing.

The tape, discovered missing in October, includes the Social Security numbers of about 150,000 people. GE Money, which handles credit-card operations for J.C. Penney, has been notifying consumers and referring them to a call center set up to deal with the breach.

GE has not identified the other retailers whose customers' information is missing, but spokesman Richard C. Jones said "it includes many of the large retail organizations."

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The Consumerist "Major Retailer's" Data Breach Results In Wave Of Credit Card Fraud?

Anecdotal evidence suggests that a recently reported data breach by an undisclosed "major retailer" has resulted in a jump in consumers having their debit cards forcibly reissued, or calls from their bank to verify their recent purchase history. The problems seem to have started just around Christmas time and have continued into mid-January.

The thefts cut across all types of credit cards, but one of the common threads is that the cards are being used to purchase physical products in-store. This is a contrast to the big credit card reissue last year when stolen debit cards were being used to make fraudulent ATM withdrawals. Which retailer? Who's behind it? Nobody knows and we won't find out for some time, not until the cops catch the robbers. Until then, here's all the people on our site talking about the recent seeming surge of fraudulent activity..

A Washington Post reporter recently had her debit card number stolen and used to buy hundreds of dollars of running shoes.

Sprint has been debiting chunks of $300 from Andrew's Bank of America debit card account, a card that he has never even used at a store. See MORE
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If you are one of the hundreds of thousands whose identities could be at risk -I urge you to place fraud alerts on your credit reports. You can do so on your own -or find a company that will do it for you!! Yes, it is true that consumers can place their own fraud alerts on their credit reports. They can contact Chex systems too, and even opt out of pre-approved offers of credit to stop the bombardment of targeted mass marketing. Consumers can also mark their calendars to remind themselves to update their fraud alerts every 90 days or so. We can do this, but I don’t want to anymore – I quit! There are many services out there that you will be happy you have –if your information ends up in the wrong hands. I turned to LifeLock. Here's why...

Though many may feel that paying ten dollars a month (or a hundred dollars a year) is too much money for something you can do yourself, I view it differently. After fighting for 15 years to keep my accurate credit identity, and always coming up short, I prefer to let someone else handle that responsibility. In my view, preventing fraud and restoring my identity the same as one of the many everyday jobs that I don’t want to do myself and would prefer paying someone else to do. I no longer want to worry about cleaning up from the mess a data breach or fraud can bring into my life at any given moment. Whether my wallet is stolen or my information is breached -the task of cancelling credit cards, placing fraud alerts, restoring my identity and preventing a loss -is now someone elses responsibility. The continued and growing threats of daily data breaches should be a strong motive for anyone to consider taking preventative steps now -to lessen the degree of loss suffered -through no fault of your own!

I can't stress enough...especially, if you believe your information may have been involved in any one of the recent data breaches -take action now -before it's too late. You can sign up for LifeLock for as little as $8.00 a month or $88.00 a year by using the promotional code: denise

There are many other services out there -just make certain you know what type of services they provide. Credit monitoring alone -does little to prevent fraud. Some services for hire do not reimburse you for losses, nor do they restore or "fix" the problem for you. It's important to know exactly what they each service offers in both preventative and restorative services. This is not intended as a commercial for LifeLock -rather, it is a company that I personally use -and can therefore feel comfortable recommending. Feel free to email me or check out prior blogs and archive for additional information and tips on how to protect yourself, your employees, your clients and family.

Posted by Denise Richardson at 02:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

How Identity Theft Can Ruin Your Drive Home
Guest Blogger: Marc Woolf

Just picture yourself driving home from a business trip on a cold December
day…

Your cell phone rings but you don’t recognize the number displayed on the
caller ID. You answer your phone and the caller exclaims that you’ve won his
online auction for a PlayStation 2™, and urges you to send him $450.00 that
afternoon so he can ship the item in time for Christmas.

You’re puzzled because you didn’t bid for any items on the popular auction
site. You tell the caller you don’t know what he’s talking about, dismiss it as
a random event and hang up.

An hour and a half later, your cell phone rings again. Same story –
unfamiliar number and a caller telling you that, as the successful high bidder,
you need to send him hundreds of dollars immediately so he can ship you the
PlayStation 2™ in time for Christmas.

By now your heart is starting to beat faster and your brain is working
overtime trying to figure out what’s going on. After five more calls just like
the previous two, you start to panic because you know what happened…

Someone pilfered your personal finance information and you’ve become a victim of identity theft.

How did it happen?

In this case the thieves sent the unsuspecting driver an email prompting him to change his auction site password. What the identity theft victim didn’t realize was that the email originated from a criminal, not the auction site. He had unknowingly bid on every auction of its type on the popular site!

How do you safeguard your personal finance information?

Here’s what NOT to do:
1. Do Not respond to emails from banks, financial institutions, auction sites, etc. that ask you to change or verify your account information and passwords.

2. Do Not volunteer personal finance information over the phone.

3. Do Not mail bills from home or a common mailbox in your apartment building. Always place mail in a postal service mail box or take it to the post office.

Here’s what to DO:
1. Examine your credit card statement before paying the bill.
2. Copy your driver’s license, credit card, health insurance information, etc. in case your purse or wallet is stolen.
3. Monitor your credit report.
4. Crosscut shred pre-approved credit card offers, old bank statements or any correspondence containing private personal finance information.

If you become a victim of identity theft, close the accounts that have been tampered with, contact the vendor or retailer involved, get in touch with area law enforcement agencies and access your credit reports and place a fraud alert.

By the way, the story you just read is true… it happened to me just one year ago.
By:Marc Woolf

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For more tips on how best to avoid scams Read prior blog: Fraud & Phishing Scams...

Posted by Denise Richardson at 04:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The TJX Data Breach exposed 45.7 million credit and debit card numbers when hackers accessed their computers in 2006. The hackers were also able to access nearly a half-million customers’ driver’s license or state-issued ID information that was attached to their account. A prior blog details how a good friend found out his information was one of the nearly 50 million people put at risk. In his case, a thief used his information to ring up over $11,000+ on his Sears Master Card and then managed to open other accounts. He found out about the fraudulent accounts and charges after getting copies of his credit reports...and simultaneously -his first debt collector call. SEE BLOG

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January 2008 - Joe Whatley, an attorney representing credit card companies suing TJX over its massive data breach in 2006, didn't mince his words. In open court he told U.S. District Court Judge William Young that the company knew about the data breach in early October of 2006; more than two months before the company began to notify credit card companies of the problem. If true, it will mean that TJX violated numerous state laws by trying to keep the breach quiet.

The TJX data breach is the largest single data breach know from any company or any government organization. As many as 93 million credit cards in 13 countries had their data exposed to identity thieves through a Trojan Horse - a malicious software program - that was operating on TJX's servers. TJX owns and operates a number of discount department stores including TJ Maxx and Marshals.

Whatley told the judge that, "TJX first became aware of this breach as early as October the 3rd of 2006 when it learned of problems with Discover Cards. It took them over two weeks, roughly the same time it took us to file our amended complaint, for them to even contact a consultant to investigate the matter. And it took them another two weeks after that to retain the consultant and work out a nondisclosure agreement. And, of course, there were problems. TJX then allowed them to have access to it for a period of time and then terminated them when they found there was a problem," referring to the data breach. Read More

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EDS to pay for identity theft coverage after errant mailing

MADISON, Wis. — Electronic Data Systems Corp. said Friday it will provide one year of free identity theft insurance and credit monitoring for 260,000 Wisconsin residents whose Social Security numbers were mistakenly visible on mailers sent by the company.

EDS vice president Sean Kenny said the coverage and new mailings will cost the Plano-based company at least $1 million. EDS was "deeply regretful" about the mistake, he said.

The Social Security numbers wound up being outwardly visible on brochures sent to Medicaid and other insurance participants when data fields were merged to create the address label. Kenny described the mistake as human error.

Wisconsin's Department of Health and Family Services has asked the state's attorney general's office to investigate a possible lawsuit against EDS for the error. Department Secretary Kevin Hayden said he believed the error violated the company's contract with the state, as well as state and federal privacy laws. Read More

Metro offering 337,000 registered voters identity-theft protection

Identity-theft protection will be provided at no cost to the 337,000 registered voters whose personal information was contained on two laptop computers stolen from the Davidson County Election Commission over the holidays, Mayor Karl Dean says. Read More

Records for 800 UA students missing

The University of Akron has informed 800 students and graduates of the College of Education that a portable hard drive containing personal information is missing and may have been discarded or destroyed in December.
The university said the device contained Social Security numbers, names and addresses of students and graduates.

...The University of Akron has informed 800 students and graduates of the College of Education that a portable hard drive containing personal information is missing and may have been discarded or destroyed in December.
The university said the device contained Social Security numbers, names and addresses of students and graduates. Read More

Hacker breaches UGA system –Augusta Chronicle

ATHENS, Ga. - University of Georgia officials are scrambling to contact more than 4,000 current, former and prospective residents of the university's graduate family housing complex after an overseas hacker tried to access a server containing Social Security numbers.

The hacker breached the security system sometime between Dec. 29 and Dec. 31, according to a statement UGA released Tuesday.

During that time, a computer with an overseas Internet Protocol address was able to access the personal information, including Social Security numbers, names and addresses, of 540 current graduate students living in graduate family housing and 3,710 former students and applicants.

University officials know what country the hacker was operating in but would not comment on that part of the investigation, UGA spokesman Tom Jackson said. Read More
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As we I continue to hear reports of what seems like an endless array of security lapses -maybe the Federal government should listen to the sharp criticism aimed at them by state governments and privacy experts who have been opposing the upcoming initiation of Homeland Security's Read ID program. Will a database containing the personal data of 245 million people be too tempting to hackers and identity thieves to ignore?
See ABC's News report: .Real ID Program Has Drawn Criticism From States, Privacy Groups

Posted by Denise Richardson at 05:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Over the last year, I suffered two window system crashes and found myself combating numerous viruses and PC attacks. It seemed that no-matter what I did, or how often I updated my virus protection software and made sure my firewalls were active, I would wake up morning after morning to find another intrusive virus of some sort had managed to land in my life –and my computer.

On a recommendation, I turned to Mr. Whale and inquired about the service of ABS in hopes that his service could add that extra layer of protection necessary to stop the madness and frustrations associated with protecting my PC. I am happy to report that ever since ABS took on the responsibility of eliminating spam and protecting my PC, I have been virus free -and no longer fear turning on my computer in the morning. And that's why I wanted to share this with you...

Secure your Wireless Access Point

By Guest Blogger: Albert E. Whale, Network & Security Expert,
Senior Consultant & President of ABS Computer Technology, Inc.

If you have an Internet connection with your Cable, Telephone, or local Internet Service Provider (ISP), then you were probably given a Wireless Router (such as a Linksys or D-Link brand), which will permit you to connect to the Internet with your personal laptop computer.

While everyone likes the convenience of the wireless routers to access the Internet, few are aware of the dangers of not using the proper security (or any of the security which is built into the wireless routers).

I recently performed a scan of the Access Points (APs) visible from my Home. Many of the APs I identified could be easily connected to from our home. If you have a wireless connection, you may be inviting visitors that you did not know exists.

While the Wireless Routers have given us the convenience of permitting us to connect our computer together without cables, many of are not aware of the potential for others to gain access to our internet connection without our knowledge.

Suffice it to say that there many websites dedicated to mapping the APs of the world for others to find. This process is called War Driving, and has been the subject of security experts internationally for many years. In the process of returning from a recent business trip which I installed Wireless Security for a company, I decided to review the wireless APs available in my community.

I was amazed at the number of open APs, and the number of APs without any security. If you do nothing more after reading this page, I hope that you improve the security on your AP. After all, would you just place your checkbook on the front door for others to use? Leaving your access point open is practically doing the same thing.

OK so you are sharing your home network with a friend, and you think that the security on your PC will protect you, right? Wrong. Security on PCs has been described as being as efficient as a screen door in a submarine. Technically, it’s a door, but it will never hold water.

This year, make sure that you spend five extra minutes to secure your Internet Connection. If you cannot do it yourself, then please be sure to call someone else to assist you. The connection that you secure can protect your personal information.

For much more information read the entire report available on-line at ABS-CompTech.com. Select the Library, and then select the wireless security report.

Posted by Denise Richardson at 01:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Geeks.com website hacked -customer data stolen!

If you bought anything from Geeks.com in at least the last year or so, you might want to start paying close attention to your credit card statements—the company sent out an email on Friday telling former customers that they "recently discovered on December 5, 2007 that customer information, including Visa credit card information, may have been compromised." Read More

Six (bank employees) Charged With Identity Theft

Philadelphia - Four Philadelphians and two individuals from Conshohocken were charged with aggravated identity theft and other charges over the weekend.

U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan announced a superseding indictment, charging the six with conspiracy, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and the use of a computer in connection with bank fraud.

According to the indictment, the defendants, Rashin Owens, 49, David Tunnell, 29, Victor O'Connor, 22, Damoon Hosseinzadeh, 26, Clarissa Gavin, 22 and Tommy Antone Murray, 48, stole names, social security numbers, addresses, dates of birth and driver's license numbers of customers of Citizens Bank and Commerce Bank, where two of the defendants were employed. Read More

Mail theft turns into identity theft

It started with a letter from a bank.

A payment was overdue.

Before long, similar letters swarmed into James and Alice Harris’ Crab Flats home from credit card and insurance companies. All were past due bills. The bank confirmed the checks were cashed — but not by businesses they were written to.

A check to pay their credit card bill was spent in a local restaurant. Another was used to buy gas.

The Harris' discovered they were victims of mail identity theft.

And they’re not alone.

All across the county, police agencies and U.S. Postal Service officials are seeing an increase of the crime. Read More

Illegal immigrants turn to identity theft
Legal names and government-issued ID numbers used to thwart detection

When U.S. Air Force veteran Marcos Miranda had his identity stolen, he went from being a valued customer and employee to a government statistic — one of thousands of identity theft victims caught up each year in the crackdown on illegal immigrants.

Identity theft has been a growing worry in the United States, but a rise in federal prosecutions of immigrants offers a new wrinkle on the problem. As better systems are developed for verifying employment, illegal immigrants are assuming the names and government-issued ID numbers of Americans like Miranda to thwart detection at workplaces, get driver's licenses and obtain credit.

Miranda first learned someone else was using his identity in 2000 when he was arrested on a warrant for unpaid traffic tickets at the border after a visit to relatives in Mexico. Read More

Vandals steal school computer with social Security Numbers

AUGUSTA, Ga. - Students throughout Richmond County returned to school today. But there were empty classrooms at Dorothy Hains Elementary school after vandals broke in -- breaking windows, setting walls on fire and stealing electronics.

"I was disgusted yet again...because it had just recently happened," said Principal Sophia Cogle.

It's the second time this has happened since November. This time, teachers desks were ransacked, bulletin boards destroyed, papers--and even an America flag--burned.

Principal Cogle says it's affecting everyone.

"I have a new teacher. This is her second month and her second break-in and i'm sure she's discouraged at this point," she says with concern, "I'm very scared. It sems to be an every other month thing here recently."

Most of the damage happened in the outside portable classrooms destroying things that teachers spend their personal money on.

"Many of them have come out of pocket to decorate and to make the classroom as conducive as possible for learning," says Cogle.

Teachers say they have no clue who could be behind these crimes, but they think the portable classrooms are being targeted because there's not enough lighting in that area of the school yard.

But, there's also damage inside the main building. The library door was kicked in and the circulation computer was stolen--something the principal desperately wants back because it has the social security numbers of students and teachers on it.
READ MORE
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With continued reports that point to an alarming growth of various types of identity theft, it's important to know what you can do to protect your children....Here's some info & Tips...

Protecting Your Child's Identity
SENDING YOUR CHILD off to their first summer job is a proud moment for any parent. For Kristin Smith of Mesa, Ariz., however, that milestone marked the beginning of a stressful battle to reclaim her child's identity.
It all began in mid-July, shortly after her 16-year-old son started a summer gig at a local car dealership. His new employer conducted a routine background check that returned shocking news: A man living in Phoenix was using his Social Security number. Even more shocking was the discovery by the local police department that there was more than one perpetrator. In 1994, a man from Pennsylvania with a DUI arrest on his record had been using Smith's son's Social Security number as well.
Was there any other damage, such as credit cards or other loans taken out using her son's information? Frustratingly, Smith — whose name we've changed for privacy concerns — hasn't yet been able to find out. When she tried to pull her son's credit report from the three credit bureaus, her requests were denied. The bureaus were not able to confirm her son's information, most likely because his Social Security number was already in use by someone else. READ MORE

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Oftentimes a child becomes a victim of identity theft when someone they know uses their social security number and name to secure a credit card or have utilities turned on in their name. But, nowadays, children are becoming a favorite target of criminals that use their social security numbers to secure employment, medical services, housing, loans, travel and to commit additional crimes under their names. Because children aren't using their credit, their information can be used and the thief can go undetected for years.

During that time the child’s information can be bought and sold to multiple thieves for multiple years. Sadly, the news of a child’s destroyed credit rating goes unnoticed until he/she learns an application for a student loan, credit, or employment has been denied. In some cases, the teen suddenly finds out they are being responsible for large debts they didn’t know about and didn’t accrue –but are still being held accountable for. There are some ways to prevent your child from becoming a victim of fraud and identity theft:

1. Keep their social security number locked up in a secure location – If your child’s SSN isn’t accessible, criminals can’t steal it.
2. Don’t carry their card in your wallet where it could easily be lost or stolen.
3. Don’t share the number with family members or provide it to anyone
4. Make sure their SSN isn’t listed on their insurance card.
5. Check with the credit bureaus to confirm they don't have a credit history –if they do... something is wrong.
6. Watch for pre-approved credit card offers or bills, or mail that arrives in your childs name -don't just assume it is junk mail. Your child shouldn't be receiving mail -unless his/her identity is being used.

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For additional information and more tips see:

Identity theft isn't only for adults anymore. Kids are having their identities stolen more and more often.

Posted by Denise Richardson at 03:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Lose your wallet?

"During the holidays, my wallet was stolen while having lunch at a local restaurant. My bank account numbers, Social Security card, driver's license and many major credit cards were in there. What should I do?"

The first thing is to notify the police in the town where the crime was committed. They should provide you with the necessary steps to take and will give you a police report number that you may need if the culprits try to use your credit cards or tap into your bank account.

Contact your bank and explain that your wallet was stolen. Have them give you a letter that states that you reported your checking account number and routing number if you had personal checks stolen.

Also obtain a replacement driver's license, which costs $5.

Next you should call either Experian, TransUnion or Equifax, the three major credit-reporting agencies. You will need to provide your Social Security number so they can monitor your credit for the next three months. It's important to follow up in three months because the thieves also are aware of the fact that the freeze lasts three months. Do not forget to follow up!

All credit card companies should be notified of the situation, and you may not be responsible for charges that the thieves may have incurred. If you decide to get another credit card, take some necessary precautions:

• Change your password.

• Change your "trigger question" for identification.

• Limit the amount of cards you carry.

Do not forget to notify the Social Security Administration, which also should give you some direction.

It's also important to not get caught in the trap of blaming yourself. Compare your situation to an accident. There was probably no way you could have prevented this crime and to beat yourself up will do you no good." READ MORE
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Note: New Service available: WalletLock.

LifeLock, an identity theft prevention/restoration service, has come out with a new product available this year. If your wallet is lost or stolen, you just make one call to LifeLock, anytime, from anywhere - and a WalletLock specialist will contact each credit card, bank or document issuing company, cancel your affected accounts and complete the paperwork and steps necessary to replace your lost documents, including your credit/debit cards, driver's license, social security card, Passports, insurance cards, checkbook - even travelers checks. Wallet Lock is free to subscribers of LifeLock. For an instant 20% discount off LifeLock services-use this link: courtesy of LifeLock.

"If you have ever had your wallet stolen or lost, you understand the panic and anger you feel, not to mention how much time it takes to cancel and replace the important items. It's frustrating and completely unnecessary," said LifeLock CEO Todd Davis. "By adding 'WalletLock' to our service we have found another way to help lift the burden that surrounds identity theft. If a wallet is lost or stolen, 'WalletLock' will provide the complete recovery services necessary to allow our client to go on with their lives and not spend hours on the phone."

As far as LifeLock is concerned, according to Davis, "If your identity is stolen while you are our client, we're going to do whatever it takes to recover your good name. If you need lawyers, we're going to hire the best we can find. If you need investigators, accountants, case managers, whatever, they're yours. If you lose money as a result of the theft, we're going to give it back to you. We will do whatever it takes to help you recover your good name and we will spend up to $1,000,000 to do it."

With the addition of WalletLock, it now appears LifeLock can virtually remove all fear associated with enduring or “fixing” an intrusive, costly identity theft when you sign up for their services. To me, having someone take the preventative steps required to protect my identity, be there to "fix" it if a problem occurs, and willing to reimburse me for any losses, is a valuable service. With the LifeLock promotional discount, for a low price of $88.00 per YEAR or $8.00 per month –you can enjoy total peace of mind that your identity, vacation, accounts, money and wallet are safe -as best they can be!

Remember, more often than not -when your wallet or information is stolen, your accounts are accessed long before your bank can stop the thieves...See prior blogs: Identity thieves have access to your money 24/7 -but you don't!?!?!?

and

Do you know what steps to take when your wallet is stolen -and then used to steal YOU?

Posted by Denise Richardson at 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Flirty Chat-Room 'Bot' Out to Steal Your Identity

Be careful next time you get accosted by a flirty stranger in an Internet chatroom: He or she could just be a Russian chat-up bot out to steal your identity.

Internet security experts say that Russian programmers have created a piece of software known as CyberLover that can infiltrate dating sites and chatrooms and patiently seduce its victims.

The "bot" solicits and collects information such as home addresses, telephone numbers and personal photographs, which are then used to compile a profile that can be sold on to identity thieves.

• Click here to visit FOXNews.com's Cybersecurity Center.

The creators of the software, who use the Web address Botmaster.ru, market it as a device allowing computer-savvy men to link up with women (or women with men) without having to go through endless time-consuming introductions.

Botmaster says that the its software can make the acquaintance of between 10 and 20 people in half an hour.

"It's a fact," it declares, "that not a single girl has yet guessed that she is talking with a computer program!"

But Sergei Shevchenko, senior malware analyst at the security firm PC Tools, said in a statement that its real application is much more dangerous: ID fraud.

"Internet users today are generally aware of the dangers of opening suspicious attachments and visiting unusual URLs, but CyberLover employs a new technique that is unheard of — and that's what makes it particularly dangerous," said Sergei Shevchenko, senior malware analyst at PC Tools.

"As a tool that can be used by hackers to conduct identity fraud, CyberLover demonstrates an unprecedented level of social engineering. It employs highly intelligent and customized dialogue to target users of social-networking systems," Shevchenko added.

For the moment, the attacks have been limited to Russia but could potentially spread to other parts of the world.

"CyberLover has been designed as a bot that lures victims automatically, without human intervention. If it's spawned in multiple instances on multiple servers, the number of potential victims could be very substantial," Shevchenko said.

Tips for staying safe while using social networking sites

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In all, 31 states had new legislation go into effect on January 1, 2008.

There are new laws going into effect around the country this week. Some of them deal with personal finance and privacy issues. Here is a brief roundup of some of the laws ACCESS would like you to be aware of:

California:

* Consumers who have been given gift cards for shopping can now request that their change be dispensed in the form of cash if there is less than $10 in purchasing power remaining on their gift card.
* Loan brokers will be required to follow federal disclosure guidelines on subprime loans.
* No employer will be able to require employees to have an RFID chip or other tracking device implanted under the skin.

Colorado:

* Just as in California, Colorado loan brokers will be required to follow federal disclosure guidelines on subprime loans.
* All mortgage brokers operating in Colorado must now be licensed by the state. Previously, they only needed to register with the state.
* Homeowners who are delinquent on their mortgage payments will now have 110 to 125 days to get caught up before their homes can be sold. Under the old law, homeowners had from 55 to 60 days.

Illinois

* Homeowners who are going through a foreclosure will be allowed to live in their house until the foreclosure proceeding is completed.
* Gift cards and gift certificates can't expire for 5 years or have their value reduced due to fees charged by the merchant.

Minnesota:

* The state has implemented a "car buyer bill of rights" that requires automobile dealers to show the actual costs of add-ons and their effect on monthly payments.

New Hampshire:

* HB 227 is intended to offer identity theft victims some resolution. The bill allows the victim to bring private, legal action against the perpetrator in the county where they live, regardless of whether the person who committed the violation was ever actually present in the county. Also, if a favorable judgment is received by the victim in court, he or she can use that judgment to help repair and correct credit or public records
* HB 169 makes it an unfair insurance trade practice for insurers and adjusters to knowingly underestimate the value of an insurance claim.

New York:

* The state now requires a criminal background check on anyone who is employed as a mortgage loan officer.

Oklahoma:

* Out of all the laws we've reviewed so far, this is our favorite. In Oklahoma taxpayers will be able to go to website that lists corporate tax breaks and discloses how the state is spending its money.

Oregon:

* Oregon is implementing one of the strongest laws in the country to stop security breaches involving employee data. From now on, companies that keep personal information on their employees must designate a "security officer", establish security procedures to protect employee data and establish a plan to safely dispose of old data.

Tennessee:

* Both the State and businesses operating within the state will be barred from including Social Security Numbers in their mailings.

Texas:

* Businesses that offer high-interest rate loans to people waiting for tax refunds will now be required to tell consumers prior to taking out such loans that they will get their tax refund in 2 to 3 weeks.

by Jim Malmberg
Executive Director
ACCESS

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