Mar
31
Identity Theft – are You at Risk?
Filed Under Credit | Leave a Comment
Cathy Taylor asked:
Chances are you think that you won’t be affected by the nation’s number one fast-growing crime. Think again. Identity theft is on the rise.
In 2005, 9.3 million Americans were victims of identity theft according to the Javelin Better Business Bureau survey. 68.2 percent of the cases involved thieves who obtained personal information off-line vs. only 11.6% obtained online. ID theft through lost or stolen identification, misappropriation by family and friends, and theft of paper mail are among the most common ways thieves gain access to your information.
Most people do not have a clue how to protect themselves.
For a moment, let’s just examine what could happen in your life if you are targeted for this crime:
· Victims now spend an average of 600 hours recovering from identity theft over a period of years. This equals nearly $16,000 in lost potential or realized income. Typical out-of-pocket expenses are $1,500 on average.
· Even after a thief is stopped from using your information, sometimes up to as much as 10 years, victims still struggle with the impact of identity theft. That includes increased insurance or credit card fees, inability to find a job, higher interest rates, as well as continuing to battle collection agencies that refuse to clear records despite substantiating evidence of the crime. How stressful do you think this situation would be?
· The emotional impact on victims is likened to a violation similar to what victims of violent crime describe including rape, violent assault and battering. People feel dirty, ashamed, embarrassed and often are afraid to ask for help. Many have reported a split with a spouse of significant other as well as being unsupported by family members.
Most victims report a lack of responsiveness from those entities they turned to for help including police, collection agencies, credit issuers, utility companies and financial institutions. The average arrest rate for identity theft based on reported cases is 5%. The message here is crystal clear – we have to fight identity theft ourselves!
Exactly what are the different types of identity theft and how do identity thieves get access to your personal information?
Financial Identity Theft
This is the kind of identity theft most people think of first. Thieves hack into your computer at home or at the office and steal personal information. It accounts for about 28% of all identity theft happening today.
For example, thieves will:
· use your line of credit to make purchases
· use your credit cards to make purchase
· open up a mortgage using your name and social security number
· create a loan using your name and social security number
· file bankruptcy under your name
· open phone or utility accounts under your name
· attempt checking and/or savings fraud (accessing your accounts)
· attempt to use existing accounts to make purchases
Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, your liability in the case of unauthorized credit use is limited to $50 per card. However, in order to take advantage of this protection, you must file a dispute letter within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was mailed to you. So what happens if the thief changes your address and you don’t receive your bill? Guess what, you are held financially liable. In addition, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act has the same 60 day notification provision or your liability is unlimited. Not fair, but it’s the reality.
Some credit card companies promote zero liability for these kinds of fraudulent transactions. However the reality is that there are exclusions including cards used by business purposes, ATM transactions, and certain PIN-based transitions, all transactions processed outside the card issuer’s network, and cases where the card holder gave permission for someone else to use their card. You have to read your cardholder agreement carefully to find out the exact details.
Financial Identity Theft has significant impact on a person’s life including: financial losses, inaccurate credit reports that can mean being denied a job, difficulty getting new lines of credit, trouble opening new accounts as well as higher costs for loans and insurance. The toll of this kind of financial loss can be significant as can be witnessed in a recent lawsuit filed by a plaintiff against Home Depot, Case #02CC13327 in Orange County Superior Court, where a judge awarded the plaintiff $1 million in damages for identity theft.
Criminal Identity Theft
This is the second most common type of identity theft and most people aren’t even aware of it.
In this case, a criminal uses your information during encounters with the police. For example, a thief who has your identifying information gets arrested for a crime and gives them your name and social security number. One day you are driving along and get stopped for a traffic infraction. The cop runs your name through their database and finds out you just committed a bank robbery in another state. Suddenly you are being hauled off to jail for something you didn’t even do!
Never mind how stressful and embarrassing this mistake could be, it can also lead to an erroneous criminal record, outstanding arrest warrants, and possible consequences such as being fired from your job for not disclosing a conviction and even get you thrown in jail. What if this happens on a Friday night and they toss you the local jail overnight? Do you have someone you can call that could bail you out? Can you afford this kind of mistake happen in your life?
The results of this kind of criminal identity theft could include a negative impact on future employment, loss of security clearance, lost jobs and higher insurance premiums. It is the most difficult type of ID theft to clear up and in some cases, almost impossible. Some victims have been reduced to carrying court documentation with them at all times to prove who they really are and not the actual criminal.
Social Security Identity Theft
If someone uses your social security number to get a job and they have a continuous work record, guess who gets to pay the tax bill? The answer is you. There are cases where someone’s social security number was used a total of 37 times by different people. In the employment screening business, we see this happen every day.
Medical Identity Theft
This kind of ID theft involves someone using your health insurance for medical and/or hospital care. The result is a mixed up medical record that could result in potentially deadly consequences. For example, what would happen if someone used your identification and health insurance number and got an HIV test that proved positive? Now all of a sudden, that record is attached to your medical records and every time you see a healthcare person, they think you have aids. In addition, this can seriously impact your ability to get insurance and it can result in significantly higher insurance premiums.
A recent article in the November 2006 issues of Reader’s Digest reported that “fraud is estimated to account for as much as ten percent of all health care costs … including medical identity theft.” “An insurance card is like a Visa card with a $1 million spending limit,” says Byron Hollis, national anti-fraud director of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The most frightening part of this article is the fact that organized crime rings are realizing how lucrative identity theft is and are adding a new dimension to the problem.
Driver’s License Identity Theft
Our driver’s license is the standard and most often used form of identification in United States. ID thieves are professionals at creating fake driver’s licenses that are virtually impossible to detect. Having this form of picture ID opens the door to numerous other types of ID theft.
On October 28, 2006 in California, a worker at the Santa Ana DMV was arrested for her alleged role in an ID theft scheme that used applicant information to create fraudulent licenses. The indictment alleged that she used her position to sell fraudulent drivers licenses to co-schemers who paid between $1,500 to $5,000 for each fraudulent license. She allegedly obtained the identifications of victims from the DMV database and changed their address and identifiers to match the fraudulent purchaser who then had a new DMV photo taken.
What can You do to Protect Yourself?
The good news is there are many things you can do to protect yourself, but you must be proactive. This is a crime you cannot afford to wait to become of a victim of.
1. Order the Federal Trade Commission’s free report on identity theft by visiting www.consumer.gov/idtheft or calling 877 382-4357
2. Get a copy of your own credit report and review it carefully for accuracy. Because of the new Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) you can get a free copy once a year at www.annualcreditreport.com
3. Be careful with your mail. Don’t use an unsecured mailbox when mailing anything containing financial information. Drop off at the post office or in a post office collection box.
4. Guard your trash. Identity thieves will look for credit card receipts and applications, insurance forms, bank statements etc. Buy a shredder and use it regularly.
5. Use your Social Security Number only when absolutely necessary. Before you give your SS# to anyone, ask why it is needed and how it will be used, or shared with others and how the company protects your personal information.
6. Pay attention to billing cycles. If your bills don’t arrive on time, follow up with your creditors. A missing statement can mean an ID thief has taken over your account and changed your billing address.
7. Be cautious with online purchases. Before purchasing anything on the internet, look for the icon of a lock in the lower right-hand corner of your browser windows. If it’s there, you’re dealing with a secure site. It not, you’ll be safer finding another merchant.
8. Remove personal information from old computers. Files you think you have deleted from your computer may remain on your hard drive where hackers can easily access them. Use a wipe utility program to delete files with sensitive data.
9. Opt-out of receiving pre-approved credit cards offers in the mail by calling 888 5-OPT-OUT or going to www.optoutprescreen.com
10. Immediately sign up for an ID Theft Shield program which can not only monitor your credit and let you know when anything changes, but can also provide restoration after the fact. Don’t wait on this one – Click here now for more information
Jerome
Chances are you think that you won’t be affected by the nation’s number one fast-growing crime. Think again. Identity theft is on the rise.
In 2005, 9.3 million Americans were victims of identity theft according to the Javelin Better Business Bureau survey. 68.2 percent of the cases involved thieves who obtained personal information off-line vs. only 11.6% obtained online. ID theft through lost or stolen identification, misappropriation by family and friends, and theft of paper mail are among the most common ways thieves gain access to your information.
Most people do not have a clue how to protect themselves.
For a moment, let’s just examine what could happen in your life if you are targeted for this crime:
· Victims now spend an average of 600 hours recovering from identity theft over a period of years. This equals nearly $16,000 in lost potential or realized income. Typical out-of-pocket expenses are $1,500 on average.
· Even after a thief is stopped from using your information, sometimes up to as much as 10 years, victims still struggle with the impact of identity theft. That includes increased insurance or credit card fees, inability to find a job, higher interest rates, as well as continuing to battle collection agencies that refuse to clear records despite substantiating evidence of the crime. How stressful do you think this situation would be?
· The emotional impact on victims is likened to a violation similar to what victims of violent crime describe including rape, violent assault and battering. People feel dirty, ashamed, embarrassed and often are afraid to ask for help. Many have reported a split with a spouse of significant other as well as being unsupported by family members.
Most victims report a lack of responsiveness from those entities they turned to for help including police, collection agencies, credit issuers, utility companies and financial institutions. The average arrest rate for identity theft based on reported cases is 5%. The message here is crystal clear – we have to fight identity theft ourselves!
Exactly what are the different types of identity theft and how do identity thieves get access to your personal information?
Financial Identity Theft
This is the kind of identity theft most people think of first. Thieves hack into your computer at home or at the office and steal personal information. It accounts for about 28% of all identity theft happening today.
For example, thieves will:
· use your line of credit to make purchases
· use your credit cards to make purchase
· open up a mortgage using your name and social security number
· create a loan using your name and social security number
· file bankruptcy under your name
· open phone or utility accounts under your name
· attempt checking and/or savings fraud (accessing your accounts)
· attempt to use existing accounts to make purchases
Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, your liability in the case of unauthorized credit use is limited to $50 per card. However, in order to take advantage of this protection, you must file a dispute letter within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was mailed to you. So what happens if the thief changes your address and you don’t receive your bill? Guess what, you are held financially liable. In addition, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act has the same 60 day notification provision or your liability is unlimited. Not fair, but it’s the reality.
Some credit card companies promote zero liability for these kinds of fraudulent transactions. However the reality is that there are exclusions including cards used by business purposes, ATM transactions, and certain PIN-based transitions, all transactions processed outside the card issuer’s network, and cases where the card holder gave permission for someone else to use their card. You have to read your cardholder agreement carefully to find out the exact details.
Financial Identity Theft has significant impact on a person’s life including: financial losses, inaccurate credit reports that can mean being denied a job, difficulty getting new lines of credit, trouble opening new accounts as well as higher costs for loans and insurance. The toll of this kind of financial loss can be significant as can be witnessed in a recent lawsuit filed by a plaintiff against Home Depot, Case #02CC13327 in Orange County Superior Court, where a judge awarded the plaintiff $1 million in damages for identity theft.
Criminal Identity Theft
This is the second most common type of identity theft and most people aren’t even aware of it.
In this case, a criminal uses your information during encounters with the police. For example, a thief who has your identifying information gets arrested for a crime and gives them your name and social security number. One day you are driving along and get stopped for a traffic infraction. The cop runs your name through their database and finds out you just committed a bank robbery in another state. Suddenly you are being hauled off to jail for something you didn’t even do!
Never mind how stressful and embarrassing this mistake could be, it can also lead to an erroneous criminal record, outstanding arrest warrants, and possible consequences such as being fired from your job for not disclosing a conviction and even get you thrown in jail. What if this happens on a Friday night and they toss you the local jail overnight? Do you have someone you can call that could bail you out? Can you afford this kind of mistake happen in your life?
The results of this kind of criminal identity theft could include a negative impact on future employment, loss of security clearance, lost jobs and higher insurance premiums. It is the most difficult type of ID theft to clear up and in some cases, almost impossible. Some victims have been reduced to carrying court documentation with them at all times to prove who they really are and not the actual criminal.
Social Security Identity Theft
If someone uses your social security number to get a job and they have a continuous work record, guess who gets to pay the tax bill? The answer is you. There are cases where someone’s social security number was used a total of 37 times by different people. In the employment screening business, we see this happen every day.
Medical Identity Theft
This kind of ID theft involves someone using your health insurance for medical and/or hospital care. The result is a mixed up medical record that could result in potentially deadly consequences. For example, what would happen if someone used your identification and health insurance number and got an HIV test that proved positive? Now all of a sudden, that record is attached to your medical records and every time you see a healthcare person, they think you have aids. In addition, this can seriously impact your ability to get insurance and it can result in significantly higher insurance premiums.
A recent article in the November 2006 issues of Reader’s Digest reported that “fraud is estimated to account for as much as ten percent of all health care costs … including medical identity theft.” “An insurance card is like a Visa card with a $1 million spending limit,” says Byron Hollis, national anti-fraud director of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The most frightening part of this article is the fact that organized crime rings are realizing how lucrative identity theft is and are adding a new dimension to the problem.
Driver’s License Identity Theft
Our driver’s license is the standard and most often used form of identification in United States. ID thieves are professionals at creating fake driver’s licenses that are virtually impossible to detect. Having this form of picture ID opens the door to numerous other types of ID theft.
On October 28, 2006 in California, a worker at the Santa Ana DMV was arrested for her alleged role in an ID theft scheme that used applicant information to create fraudulent licenses. The indictment alleged that she used her position to sell fraudulent drivers licenses to co-schemers who paid between $1,500 to $5,000 for each fraudulent license. She allegedly obtained the identifications of victims from the DMV database and changed their address and identifiers to match the fraudulent purchaser who then had a new DMV photo taken.
What can You do to Protect Yourself?
The good news is there are many things you can do to protect yourself, but you must be proactive. This is a crime you cannot afford to wait to become of a victim of.
1. Order the Federal Trade Commission’s free report on identity theft by visiting www.consumer.gov/idtheft or calling 877 382-4357
2. Get a copy of your own credit report and review it carefully for accuracy. Because of the new Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) you can get a free copy once a year at www.annualcreditreport.com
3. Be careful with your mail. Don’t use an unsecured mailbox when mailing anything containing financial information. Drop off at the post office or in a post office collection box.
4. Guard your trash. Identity thieves will look for credit card receipts and applications, insurance forms, bank statements etc. Buy a shredder and use it regularly.
5. Use your Social Security Number only when absolutely necessary. Before you give your SS# to anyone, ask why it is needed and how it will be used, or shared with others and how the company protects your personal information.
6. Pay attention to billing cycles. If your bills don’t arrive on time, follow up with your creditors. A missing statement can mean an ID thief has taken over your account and changed your billing address.
7. Be cautious with online purchases. Before purchasing anything on the internet, look for the icon of a lock in the lower right-hand corner of your browser windows. If it’s there, you’re dealing with a secure site. It not, you’ll be safer finding another merchant.
8. Remove personal information from old computers. Files you think you have deleted from your computer may remain on your hard drive where hackers can easily access them. Use a wipe utility program to delete files with sensitive data.
9. Opt-out of receiving pre-approved credit cards offers in the mail by calling 888 5-OPT-OUT or going to www.optoutprescreen.com
10. Immediately sign up for an ID Theft Shield program which can not only monitor your credit and let you know when anything changes, but can also provide restoration after the fact. Don’t wait on this one – Click here now for more information
Jerome
Mar
27
Dewey Kearney asked:
You heard right. Identity Theft is THE fastest growing crime wave in America. Why? Because it’s easy and doesn’t require someone to break into your home to make off with the goods. They can get them right out of your trash!
According to the U.S. Postal Service, one reason is the carelessness of how many of us handle sensitive documents. One of the best investments you can make for your home or office is a paper shredder. There are people who make a living out of looking for a copy of someone’s un-shredded bank statement, credit card bill, tax return or any number of documents with sensitive account numbers!
This article is an attempt to educate you of those dangers and give you some genuine facts and a solution or two. If you have ever known someone who had their identity stolen then you know what we are about to tell you is true.
Last year alone, more than 9.9 million Americans were victims of identity theft, a five billion dollar crime wave!
The number of id theft victims and their total losses are probably much higher. It’s hard to pin down, because law enforcement agencies may classify id theft differently – it can involve credit card fraud, Internet fraud, or mail theft, among other crimes. It can even involve your credit report because when you order a copy of yours unless you request that only the last 4 digits be listed, the entire number is there just waiting to be stolen! I know this myself because I recently ordered my credit report be mailed to me and there was my entire social security number on EVERY page for all to see!
The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) reported that only four percent of victims cited stolen mail as the source of personal information. Even so, U.S. Postal Inspectors, charged with protecting the nation’s mail system from criminal misuse, are leaders in the fight against identity theft.
What Should I Do If I Am A Victim of Identity Theft?
According to the FTC, if you are a victim of identity theft there are four steps you should take as soon as possible, and keep a record with the details of your conversations and copies of all correspondence.
Place a fraud alert on your credit reports, and review your credit reports.
Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening any more accounts in your name. But one is too many.
One of the best favors you can do for yourself is order LifeLock the guaranteed Identity Theft program. When we set our site up we decided to only recommend vendors that we had confidence in personally.
What sold us on LifeLock? The fact that their founder and CEO Todd Davis does their advertising and gives his Social Security number in all their ads. When I first heard this I figured it had to be an advertising ploy. After further checking them out both my daughter and I both signed up. They have lived up to everything they said and as a bonus we stopped getting those pre-approved credit card offers and the majority of our junk mail also stopped.
Here is what LifeLock says about themselves:
Stop Identity Theft. Guaranteed.
By now you’ve heard the stories about individuals whose identities have been stolen by identity thieves. They’re not pretty stories . . . people working for hundreds of hours over many years to get their lives back in order, even innocent individuals ending up in jail! We can protect against this ever happening to you. Guaranteed. Up to $1 million.
LifeLock doesn’t just report unauthorized use of your credit information, we prevent it by working with the credit bureaus to make sure you’re contacted to approve any credit transaction before it takes place. We also remove your name from pre-approved credit card offers and junk-mail lists, where identity theft often gets started.
We’re the leaders in proactive identity theft protection as you’ve probably seen in coverage in The Wall Street Journal and Chicago Tribune, and on MSNBC, CNN, and many other national news outlets. We’re so sure of our system our CEO confidently publishes his own Social Security number in all our ads.
Is this fraud alert something you can do yourself? Yes however since this is not a priority with most people it will get put off until it’s too late. Then you have to un-do what could have been prevented in the first place for approximately 33 cents a day. That’s pretty cheap insurance. This is an investment in protecting your peace of mind and your good name as well.
If you’ve already become the victim of id theft you can contact them for help on getting your good name back!
With the increase of identity theft, I wouldn’t put it off another day. Once your identity is compromised it can take months or years to get it fixed. Contact LifeLock today.
Chad
You heard right. Identity Theft is THE fastest growing crime wave in America. Why? Because it’s easy and doesn’t require someone to break into your home to make off with the goods. They can get them right out of your trash!
According to the U.S. Postal Service, one reason is the carelessness of how many of us handle sensitive documents. One of the best investments you can make for your home or office is a paper shredder. There are people who make a living out of looking for a copy of someone’s un-shredded bank statement, credit card bill, tax return or any number of documents with sensitive account numbers!
This article is an attempt to educate you of those dangers and give you some genuine facts and a solution or two. If you have ever known someone who had their identity stolen then you know what we are about to tell you is true.
Last year alone, more than 9.9 million Americans were victims of identity theft, a five billion dollar crime wave!
The number of id theft victims and their total losses are probably much higher. It’s hard to pin down, because law enforcement agencies may classify id theft differently – it can involve credit card fraud, Internet fraud, or mail theft, among other crimes. It can even involve your credit report because when you order a copy of yours unless you request that only the last 4 digits be listed, the entire number is there just waiting to be stolen! I know this myself because I recently ordered my credit report be mailed to me and there was my entire social security number on EVERY page for all to see!
The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) reported that only four percent of victims cited stolen mail as the source of personal information. Even so, U.S. Postal Inspectors, charged with protecting the nation’s mail system from criminal misuse, are leaders in the fight against identity theft.
What Should I Do If I Am A Victim of Identity Theft?
According to the FTC, if you are a victim of identity theft there are four steps you should take as soon as possible, and keep a record with the details of your conversations and copies of all correspondence.
Place a fraud alert on your credit reports, and review your credit reports.
Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening any more accounts in your name. But one is too many.
One of the best favors you can do for yourself is order LifeLock the guaranteed Identity Theft program. When we set our site up we decided to only recommend vendors that we had confidence in personally.
What sold us on LifeLock? The fact that their founder and CEO Todd Davis does their advertising and gives his Social Security number in all their ads. When I first heard this I figured it had to be an advertising ploy. After further checking them out both my daughter and I both signed up. They have lived up to everything they said and as a bonus we stopped getting those pre-approved credit card offers and the majority of our junk mail also stopped.
Here is what LifeLock says about themselves:
Stop Identity Theft. Guaranteed.
By now you’ve heard the stories about individuals whose identities have been stolen by identity thieves. They’re not pretty stories . . . people working for hundreds of hours over many years to get their lives back in order, even innocent individuals ending up in jail! We can protect against this ever happening to you. Guaranteed. Up to $1 million.
LifeLock doesn’t just report unauthorized use of your credit information, we prevent it by working with the credit bureaus to make sure you’re contacted to approve any credit transaction before it takes place. We also remove your name from pre-approved credit card offers and junk-mail lists, where identity theft often gets started.
We’re the leaders in proactive identity theft protection as you’ve probably seen in coverage in The Wall Street Journal and Chicago Tribune, and on MSNBC, CNN, and many other national news outlets. We’re so sure of our system our CEO confidently publishes his own Social Security number in all our ads.
Is this fraud alert something you can do yourself? Yes however since this is not a priority with most people it will get put off until it’s too late. Then you have to un-do what could have been prevented in the first place for approximately 33 cents a day. That’s pretty cheap insurance. This is an investment in protecting your peace of mind and your good name as well.
If you’ve already become the victim of id theft you can contact them for help on getting your good name back!
With the increase of identity theft, I wouldn’t put it off another day. Once your identity is compromised it can take months or years to get it fixed. Contact LifeLock today.
Chad
Mar
27
Bots and Cybercrime and Identity Theft
Filed Under Cyber Law | Leave a Comment
Randy Vezina asked:
No one person can say for sure how large a role bots play in cybercrime today. Cybercrime will, at some point, make use of a botnet to do everything from spamming to hosting fraudulent Web sites. Internet security software giant Symantec has protected people from bots for a lot of years and has tracked the evolution of bots from basic threats to highly complicated crimeware. For at least a few years Symantec has seen a frightening increase in the amount of bots attacking the Internet by way of automatic assaults in search of new victims.
Symantec documented almost 9,000 different variations of the three prevailing bots – Spybot, Gaobot and Randex in the first half of 2005 alone! This means that there are at least 50 new criminally motivated bots a day searching the Internet for unprotected computers and peoples identities.
The new bots are basically members of an existing ‘family’ of bot software and therefore they are not entirely new. The identity thieves and other criminals make minor changes in an attempt to sneak past security software, trick a user with a new tactic or capitalize on a newly discovered vulnerability. Bots and botnets are the “Swiss army knives” of cybercrime, in that they are used for a multiple of purposes. Bots are a part of almost every kind of popular cybercrime today. The botnet owners lease out their sinister networks for a fee to the identity thieves and other criminals or use the bots themselves so that they can steal un-protected identities and commit many other types of crime.
Bots are most often part of an identity theft by not only infecting the computer to be used as a “zombie” later but also stealing personal information from an unknowing victim and sending it back to the identity thief. Below, we want to show you a bot that works for identity thieves on the black-market. This particular bot was designed for an online forum for identity thieves to assist in basic identity theft tasks, such as finding out whether stolen credit cards are valid, the credit card limits and additional information like the CVV2 code and expiration date.
The following are examples of a bot performing ordinary tasks for different identity thieves:
!cclimit 4854xxxxxxxxxxxx
redeyezz I found limit for your visa
(4854xxxxxxxxxxxx) : 7,535 $
This first example is an identity thief with the name “redeyezz” , asking the bot what the limit is of a presumably stolen credit card by using the command “!cclimit” and the credit card number.
!chk 4158xxxxxxxxxxxx xx0x
Vietnamhack 4158xxxxxxxxxxxx : xx0x (Valid cc)
!chk 6011xxxxxxxxxxxx xx0x
jyde 6011xxxxxxxxxxxx : xx0x (You’re Card is Declined)
This second example shows two identity thieves checking the validity of 2 different credit cards, where one is still valid and the other got declined because it is no longer valid.
Do you want to learn about Identity Theft Prevention & Identity Theft Protection. Stop Identity Theft with LifeLock. LifeLock can guarantee identity theft never happens to you. To see how lifelock identity theft protection works
Victor
No one person can say for sure how large a role bots play in cybercrime today. Cybercrime will, at some point, make use of a botnet to do everything from spamming to hosting fraudulent Web sites. Internet security software giant Symantec has protected people from bots for a lot of years and has tracked the evolution of bots from basic threats to highly complicated crimeware. For at least a few years Symantec has seen a frightening increase in the amount of bots attacking the Internet by way of automatic assaults in search of new victims.
Symantec documented almost 9,000 different variations of the three prevailing bots – Spybot, Gaobot and Randex in the first half of 2005 alone! This means that there are at least 50 new criminally motivated bots a day searching the Internet for unprotected computers and peoples identities.
The new bots are basically members of an existing ‘family’ of bot software and therefore they are not entirely new. The identity thieves and other criminals make minor changes in an attempt to sneak past security software, trick a user with a new tactic or capitalize on a newly discovered vulnerability. Bots and botnets are the “Swiss army knives” of cybercrime, in that they are used for a multiple of purposes. Bots are a part of almost every kind of popular cybercrime today. The botnet owners lease out their sinister networks for a fee to the identity thieves and other criminals or use the bots themselves so that they can steal un-protected identities and commit many other types of crime.
Bots are most often part of an identity theft by not only infecting the computer to be used as a “zombie” later but also stealing personal information from an unknowing victim and sending it back to the identity thief. Below, we want to show you a bot that works for identity thieves on the black-market. This particular bot was designed for an online forum for identity thieves to assist in basic identity theft tasks, such as finding out whether stolen credit cards are valid, the credit card limits and additional information like the CVV2 code and expiration date.
The following are examples of a bot performing ordinary tasks for different identity thieves:
!cclimit 4854xxxxxxxxxxxx
redeyezz I found limit for your visa
(4854xxxxxxxxxxxx) : 7,535 $
This first example is an identity thief with the name “redeyezz” , asking the bot what the limit is of a presumably stolen credit card by using the command “!cclimit” and the credit card number.
!chk 4158xxxxxxxxxxxx xx0x
Vietnamhack 4158xxxxxxxxxxxx : xx0x (Valid cc)
!chk 6011xxxxxxxxxxxx xx0x
jyde 6011xxxxxxxxxxxx : xx0x (You’re Card is Declined)
This second example shows two identity thieves checking the validity of 2 different credit cards, where one is still valid and the other got declined because it is no longer valid.
Do you want to learn about Identity Theft Prevention & Identity Theft Protection. Stop Identity Theft with LifeLock. LifeLock can guarantee identity theft never happens to you. To see how lifelock identity theft protection works
Victor
Mar
26
Bernz Jayma P. asked:
Many people seeking to avoid the saddening effects of ID theft are in search of ways of minimizing such losses. Apart from enrolling in a credit card protection program, you can opt for identity card insurance, an insurance package tailored to meet the specific needs of potential ID theft victims.
Identity theft insurance, just like any other insurance is meant to cover for costs or losses incurred in the event of you becoming an identity theft victim. With cases on ID theft on the rise, it has become normal if not a prerequisite for one to have identity theft insurance. The many insurance companies marketing this service offer various policies depending on what your specific needs are, or what you risk looing in the event of ID theft.
The amount of coverage given for ID theft protection will largely depend on the type of policy you choose. The amount you will need to contribute will also depend on specific factors which will be inclusive in your policy.
Some companies offering credit service provide these policies as part of their plan or a form of endorsement to other forms of insurance policies. In such occasions the amount charged is often less. You can ask your creditor if such services exist in their products.
The most important thing to know before you take an insurance policy is its terms and conditions. This may be same across many insurance agencies but when it comes to what is covered in your policy, the list may vary sharply across the board.
Most insurers will cover legal costs incurred when you get an advocate to look into your case. Some will compensate for wages lost during the time you will spend dealing with the ID theft case. The loan re-application fees may also be covered by your agent. The mailing charges and other notary fees will also be inclusive in most policies. You may also send while notarizing various important documents to the relevant authorities.
Before going for an ID theft insurance policy, be informed of the above and such factors from the insurance agency in order to ensure the policy you get will provide you the maximum protection available. Identify theft insurance policies are a great way to protect you and your family against the growing threat of identity theft.
Ralph
Many people seeking to avoid the saddening effects of ID theft are in search of ways of minimizing such losses. Apart from enrolling in a credit card protection program, you can opt for identity card insurance, an insurance package tailored to meet the specific needs of potential ID theft victims.
Identity theft insurance, just like any other insurance is meant to cover for costs or losses incurred in the event of you becoming an identity theft victim. With cases on ID theft on the rise, it has become normal if not a prerequisite for one to have identity theft insurance. The many insurance companies marketing this service offer various policies depending on what your specific needs are, or what you risk looing in the event of ID theft.
The amount of coverage given for ID theft protection will largely depend on the type of policy you choose. The amount you will need to contribute will also depend on specific factors which will be inclusive in your policy.
Some companies offering credit service provide these policies as part of their plan or a form of endorsement to other forms of insurance policies. In such occasions the amount charged is often less. You can ask your creditor if such services exist in their products.
The most important thing to know before you take an insurance policy is its terms and conditions. This may be same across many insurance agencies but when it comes to what is covered in your policy, the list may vary sharply across the board.
Most insurers will cover legal costs incurred when you get an advocate to look into your case. Some will compensate for wages lost during the time you will spend dealing with the ID theft case. The loan re-application fees may also be covered by your agent. The mailing charges and other notary fees will also be inclusive in most policies. You may also send while notarizing various important documents to the relevant authorities.
Before going for an ID theft insurance policy, be informed of the above and such factors from the insurance agency in order to ensure the policy you get will provide you the maximum protection available. Identify theft insurance policies are a great way to protect you and your family against the growing threat of identity theft.
Ralph
Mar
21
is there a new possible law in state Mass or Main that citizens will need ID Theft Protection?
Filed Under Law & Ethics | 3 Comments
Jon P asked:
I heard they are trying to pass a mandate to help protect citizens from Identity Theft. Ie citizens will be required to carry ID theft protection or insurance????
Im not looking on info abut ID Theft protection, I sell the protection, Im just looking for info on a possible new mandate, that Massachusets may be passing to make mandatory for its citizens.
Grace
I heard they are trying to pass a mandate to help protect citizens from Identity Theft. Ie citizens will be required to carry ID theft protection or insurance????
Im not looking on info abut ID Theft protection, I sell the protection, Im just looking for info on a possible new mandate, that Massachusets may be passing to make mandatory for its citizens.
Grace
Mar
19
Randy Vezina asked:
The term “bot” is for robot. Not the kind of robot you have seen in movies and television shows (does anyone remember ‘Lost In Space’?) or the one at the car assembly plant. Bots are now one of the most complex types of crimeware on the Internet and therefore a significant tool for identity theft. Bots are a lot like worms and Trojans, except that they can perform a wide variety of automated tasks on behalf of their master who is usually located far, far away.
Bots can perform nasty tasks like sending spam that can blast a Web site right off the internet when the spam is part of a coordinated “denial of service” attack. A bot infected computer does the work for its master and that machine is known as a “zombie”. Bots can enter your computer in several ways. They are able to search the internet for vulnerable and un-protected (Nawaz, please link to Symantec) computers and inject the infection. After infecting the machine they immediately report back to their master.
The bots objective now is to stay hidden until their master awakens them and assigns a task. Bots are so silent that the victim does not know of their existence until the Internet Service Provider notifies you that your computer has been spamming other Internet users. There are times when the bot will actually clean up an infected computer so that it will not get bumped off the victims machine by another identity thieves bot. Bots can also infect by being downloaded by a Trojan, installed by a malicious Web site or emailed directly to you from an existing infected computer.
Bots never work alone because they are part of a network of infected computers called a “botnet”. Botnets are created by identity thieves/attackers who repeatedly infect victim’s computers using one or several of the techniques already mentioned. Each zombie machine is controlled by a master computer called the command and control server. The cybercriminals/identity thieves manage their botnets and instruct their army of zombie computers from their command and control centre. Typically, a botnet is composed of a large number of victimized machines that stretch across the entire planet, from China to the U.S. Some botnets have a few hundred or few thousand computers; others have tens and even hundreds of thousands of zombies at their command.
Do you want to learn about Identity Theft Prevention & Identity Theft Protection. Stop Identity Theft with LifeLock. LifeLock can guarantee identity theft never happens to you. To see how lifelock identity theft protection works
Deborah
The term “bot” is for robot. Not the kind of robot you have seen in movies and television shows (does anyone remember ‘Lost In Space’?) or the one at the car assembly plant. Bots are now one of the most complex types of crimeware on the Internet and therefore a significant tool for identity theft. Bots are a lot like worms and Trojans, except that they can perform a wide variety of automated tasks on behalf of their master who is usually located far, far away.
Bots can perform nasty tasks like sending spam that can blast a Web site right off the internet when the spam is part of a coordinated “denial of service” attack. A bot infected computer does the work for its master and that machine is known as a “zombie”. Bots can enter your computer in several ways. They are able to search the internet for vulnerable and un-protected (Nawaz, please link to Symantec) computers and inject the infection. After infecting the machine they immediately report back to their master.
The bots objective now is to stay hidden until their master awakens them and assigns a task. Bots are so silent that the victim does not know of their existence until the Internet Service Provider notifies you that your computer has been spamming other Internet users. There are times when the bot will actually clean up an infected computer so that it will not get bumped off the victims machine by another identity thieves bot. Bots can also infect by being downloaded by a Trojan, installed by a malicious Web site or emailed directly to you from an existing infected computer.
Bots never work alone because they are part of a network of infected computers called a “botnet”. Botnets are created by identity thieves/attackers who repeatedly infect victim’s computers using one or several of the techniques already mentioned. Each zombie machine is controlled by a master computer called the command and control server. The cybercriminals/identity thieves manage their botnets and instruct their army of zombie computers from their command and control centre. Typically, a botnet is composed of a large number of victimized machines that stretch across the entire planet, from China to the U.S. Some botnets have a few hundred or few thousand computers; others have tens and even hundreds of thousands of zombies at their command.
Do you want to learn about Identity Theft Prevention & Identity Theft Protection. Stop Identity Theft with LifeLock. LifeLock can guarantee identity theft never happens to you. To see how lifelock identity theft protection works
Deborah
Mar
15
Child Identity Theft
Filed Under Insurance | Leave a Comment
Randy Vezina asked:
When a child is born, a parent may apply for a Social Security number for that child. A child’s Social Security number is very much sought after by identity thieves. The child identity thief could be a family member (uncle, aunt cousin), another adult who has access and is allowed in your home, someone who has stolen your mail or hacked into your computer. We think we know who the child identity thief could be, but we don’t.
Most parents apply for the baby’s SSN so that they can claim the child on their taxes and you must submit the SSN on the official tax forms, so now, anybody who has the means to see that tax form can copy the child’s information. The child’s identity could be stolen at the hospital or at a health professionals’ office. What about the dishonest legal professional who sells the child’s identity to an unscrupulous client. It does not matter what profession a person is in, they have the potential to be dishonest.
The thief could be anybody. Typically, your not going to check your child’s credit rating (why would you), so your not going to know their identity has been stolen. Now the identity thief has more than a decade to create a new identity for him and gain credit cards, loans, cell phones, utilities, bank accounts, drivers license etc. etc. The crime is not discovered until your child has grown and applies for her first education loan, apartment, credit card or job! By now, the trail has become ice cold and your child’s credit record has been cut to ribbons. In all likelihood all of the accounts opened in her name have been purchased by a collection agency.
It would be very difficult for your child to repair what has happened because of the difficulty in tracking down the original loan applications and transaction records if the original account has been through several hands because of companies merging and being bought-up. Our children need to be taught about the dangers of providing their personal information and your personal information when they are logged onto the net. Today’s kids have a burning desire to log into the many chat rooms and social networking sites and they may be asked for personal information on a registration screen or by an identity thief.
The preventative identity theft company, LifeLock, has already launched the first-of-its-kind Children’s ID Theft Prevention Program. Now, LifeLock’s subscribers can add the children’s ID theft program to their existing full suite of ID theft preventative services. The children’s theft prevention program is for minors 16 years and younger. A recent study in the state of Utah revealed that 1,800 Social Security numbers assigned to children 12 years of age and younger had been forged, according to the state’s Identity Theft Task Force.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has advised that between 5% and 7% of identity theft victims are under the age of 18 and if you include college-aged individuals, it is almost 20%.
“Due to the extreme increase in ID theft among minors, we have taken the initiative to develop a first-of-its-kind program to protect children,” said Todd Davis, CEO of LifeLock. Tracking credit bureau activity and monitoring depository accounts are considered standard when dealing with identity theft. But Davis insists that working with the Social Security Administration and identifying work activity from unusually young minors is a red flag that warrants further investigation. “LifeLock is in the process of working with local and federal agencies, as well as leaders in Washington D.C. to lead the efforts in protecting our children from identity theft. This is a critical aspect of our overall service,” continued Davis. “As the Utah investigation demonstrated, sadly, there are numerous victims yet to be discovered.” LifeLock subscribers can pay $10 per year for the Children’s ID Theft Prevention Program through which LifeLock will regularly audit the credit bureau, monitor depository banking accounts, and track any unusual “work activity” with the Social Security Administration on behalf of LifeLock’s youth customers. All minors enrolled in the program will also benefit by LifeLock’s standard $1 million guarantee.
Do you want to learn about Identity Theft Prevention &
Sean
When a child is born, a parent may apply for a Social Security number for that child. A child’s Social Security number is very much sought after by identity thieves. The child identity thief could be a family member (uncle, aunt cousin), another adult who has access and is allowed in your home, someone who has stolen your mail or hacked into your computer. We think we know who the child identity thief could be, but we don’t.
Most parents apply for the baby’s SSN so that they can claim the child on their taxes and you must submit the SSN on the official tax forms, so now, anybody who has the means to see that tax form can copy the child’s information. The child’s identity could be stolen at the hospital or at a health professionals’ office. What about the dishonest legal professional who sells the child’s identity to an unscrupulous client. It does not matter what profession a person is in, they have the potential to be dishonest.
The thief could be anybody. Typically, your not going to check your child’s credit rating (why would you), so your not going to know their identity has been stolen. Now the identity thief has more than a decade to create a new identity for him and gain credit cards, loans, cell phones, utilities, bank accounts, drivers license etc. etc. The crime is not discovered until your child has grown and applies for her first education loan, apartment, credit card or job! By now, the trail has become ice cold and your child’s credit record has been cut to ribbons. In all likelihood all of the accounts opened in her name have been purchased by a collection agency.
It would be very difficult for your child to repair what has happened because of the difficulty in tracking down the original loan applications and transaction records if the original account has been through several hands because of companies merging and being bought-up. Our children need to be taught about the dangers of providing their personal information and your personal information when they are logged onto the net. Today’s kids have a burning desire to log into the many chat rooms and social networking sites and they may be asked for personal information on a registration screen or by an identity thief.
The preventative identity theft company, LifeLock, has already launched the first-of-its-kind Children’s ID Theft Prevention Program. Now, LifeLock’s subscribers can add the children’s ID theft program to their existing full suite of ID theft preventative services. The children’s theft prevention program is for minors 16 years and younger. A recent study in the state of Utah revealed that 1,800 Social Security numbers assigned to children 12 years of age and younger had been forged, according to the state’s Identity Theft Task Force.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has advised that between 5% and 7% of identity theft victims are under the age of 18 and if you include college-aged individuals, it is almost 20%.
“Due to the extreme increase in ID theft among minors, we have taken the initiative to develop a first-of-its-kind program to protect children,” said Todd Davis, CEO of LifeLock. Tracking credit bureau activity and monitoring depository accounts are considered standard when dealing with identity theft. But Davis insists that working with the Social Security Administration and identifying work activity from unusually young minors is a red flag that warrants further investigation. “LifeLock is in the process of working with local and federal agencies, as well as leaders in Washington D.C. to lead the efforts in protecting our children from identity theft. This is a critical aspect of our overall service,” continued Davis. “As the Utah investigation demonstrated, sadly, there are numerous victims yet to be discovered.” LifeLock subscribers can pay $10 per year for the Children’s ID Theft Prevention Program through which LifeLock will regularly audit the credit bureau, monitor depository banking accounts, and track any unusual “work activity” with the Social Security Administration on behalf of LifeLock’s youth customers. All minors enrolled in the program will also benefit by LifeLock’s standard $1 million guarantee.
Do you want to learn about Identity Theft Prevention &
Sean
Mar
14
Tips On Preventing Identity Theft
Filed Under Finance | Leave a Comment
Puripong Koomsin asked:
The number of people that have been victimized by identity theft and credit card fraud is on the rise. Each year, the losses from these cases amount to hundred of thousands, if not millions of dollars. Because of the alarming costs and the steady increase in number of cases; firms that offer protection against the crime are also multiplying. These firms offer protection and assistance in the unfortunate event that a client does get entangled in an Identity theft and credit fraud dispute.
But the fact is, most people don’t need to resort to availing the services of such firms, as long as time is available and patience is practiced. Protecting yourself from identity theft can be as simple as being cautious to whom you give your personal information or something like setting up fraud alerts for your credit cards. Below are some tips that can help you prevent identity theft easily.
CAUTION – this is probably the foremost advice that is given to anyone when identity theft is talked about. Beware who you give your personal information to. Be careful about giving away credit card numbers and your social security numbers; even employee ID numbers and Passport numbers can be used in performing identity theft and fraud. Beware also of sending the mentioned numbers and details over unsecured email connections and even shady online stores.
NO TO PRE-APPROVED CREDIT CARDS AND JUNK MAIL – One of the main functions provided by some identity theft protection firms is to remove your name from the list of pre-approved credit cards and junk mail. This is done because some identity thieves can use this in getting your information. You can do this task by simply not responding to junk email and pre-approved credit card offer.
If you do want them to stop arriving, you can contact the customer support numbers listed on the mail that you receive. That way, you can request that they take your name off their list. This can be very taxing, but the result is that you no longer get pesky junk mail, plus you eliminate a potential source where thieves can get hold of your sensitive info.
ANTI-SPYWARE – Thieves getting your information via the web may seem like something straight out of a John Grisham novel, but it can indeed happen. More people have fallen victim to identity theft and credit fraud than in any other way. What is spyware you ask? Spyware is a Computer Software that is installed in your computer without you knowing. It can be installed manually – someone gets in physical contact with your PC. It can also be installed remotely; anyone anywhere can easily install a Spyware program just by using their own computer. You can also download Spyware unknowingly when you download unsecured shareware.
Spyware works by monitoring your activity on the computer and stealthily sending it to another. It can gather important information such as passwords, frequented sites, birth date and other personal info. This can be exploited by tedious hackers and use the data to represent you in fraudulent transactions.
Glenda
The number of people that have been victimized by identity theft and credit card fraud is on the rise. Each year, the losses from these cases amount to hundred of thousands, if not millions of dollars. Because of the alarming costs and the steady increase in number of cases; firms that offer protection against the crime are also multiplying. These firms offer protection and assistance in the unfortunate event that a client does get entangled in an Identity theft and credit fraud dispute.
But the fact is, most people don’t need to resort to availing the services of such firms, as long as time is available and patience is practiced. Protecting yourself from identity theft can be as simple as being cautious to whom you give your personal information or something like setting up fraud alerts for your credit cards. Below are some tips that can help you prevent identity theft easily.
CAUTION – this is probably the foremost advice that is given to anyone when identity theft is talked about. Beware who you give your personal information to. Be careful about giving away credit card numbers and your social security numbers; even employee ID numbers and Passport numbers can be used in performing identity theft and fraud. Beware also of sending the mentioned numbers and details over unsecured email connections and even shady online stores.
NO TO PRE-APPROVED CREDIT CARDS AND JUNK MAIL – One of the main functions provided by some identity theft protection firms is to remove your name from the list of pre-approved credit cards and junk mail. This is done because some identity thieves can use this in getting your information. You can do this task by simply not responding to junk email and pre-approved credit card offer.
If you do want them to stop arriving, you can contact the customer support numbers listed on the mail that you receive. That way, you can request that they take your name off their list. This can be very taxing, but the result is that you no longer get pesky junk mail, plus you eliminate a potential source where thieves can get hold of your sensitive info.
ANTI-SPYWARE – Thieves getting your information via the web may seem like something straight out of a John Grisham novel, but it can indeed happen. More people have fallen victim to identity theft and credit fraud than in any other way. What is spyware you ask? Spyware is a Computer Software that is installed in your computer without you knowing. It can be installed manually – someone gets in physical contact with your PC. It can also be installed remotely; anyone anywhere can easily install a Spyware program just by using their own computer. You can also download Spyware unknowingly when you download unsecured shareware.
Spyware works by monitoring your activity on the computer and stealthily sending it to another. It can gather important information such as passwords, frequented sites, birth date and other personal info. This can be exploited by tedious hackers and use the data to represent you in fraudulent transactions.
Glenda