Are You at Risk For Identity Theft?

By
Kathryn Lively - EzineArticles.com

These days, it isn't unusual to hear stories about people who have had their identities stolen, credit ratings trashed, and reputations put at risk. The Internet, unfortunately, provides a forum for making identity theft easier and more expedient. However, there is no need to panic, for one can take measures to decrease the possibility of this happening to you. Common sense and vigilance are the keys to keeping your identity - and consequently your finances and future - safe.

Good Steps to Take to Prevent ID Theft

If you are concerned about private, sensitive information being exposed for thieves to use against you, there are things you can do to maintain your security, especially on the Web. Here are a few suggestions for keeping your ID your own.

Shred Important Documents and Receipts: Once you are finished with invoices, credit card statements and anything else that has personal or financial information, make sure it is shredded thoroughly. But watch for personal shredders, because even the craftiest white collar criminal can piece together strips. Look in your area for community shredding events, where professionals will take your paperwork and shred it with an industrial strength machine.

Be Careful When Shopping Online: Buying products and services via the Internet may be easy, but if you give credit card information over an insecure website you risk exposing that information to hackers. Look for the lock icon on your browser when you shop, and only make purchases from sites you trust. If you receive e-mail newsletters from vendors, be wary of clicking through to websites unless you have opted-in to a specific mailing. Many times scam artists disguise e-mails to look like a legitimate company advertising to you. Sometimes hovering your mouse over the links will reveal a dubious address.

Change Passwords Periodically: If you are the type to use the same password for a multitude of protected websites, consider mixing it up a little, and changing your password from time to time. Do not use a password closely associated with you - children's names, phone number, etc. - that somebody could figure out.

Give as Little Information on Yourself as Possible: Social media is a popular trend right now, with millions of people using Facebook and Twitter to connect to friends. If you feel the need to be social, don't give out too much information about yourself. Use an e-mail address with a gender neutral ID and try not to volunteer geographical information if you can.

Identity Theft Protection: A Vital Concern For Every Citizen, Rich Or Poor

Only people that live far from big cities and in places where identity thieves have as yet not extended their operation to will the need for proper identity theft protection be something that is of less than of extreme importance. The fact is that today identity theft is a huge problem that affects millions of people all around the world and particularly in the USA. Even if you are not given to purchasing goods and services online there is still no assurance that identity thieves won’t get to you.

Don’t Shop Online?

Identity theft protection is vital for even those people that never shop online or who buy from brick-and-mortar stores because recent studies have been able to prove that online activity is not a major concern as far as identity theft goes. This means that even if you have never shopped on the net; not ensuring identity theft protection will not prevent identity thieves from getting to you. It is not a question of whether you will become a victim of identity theft but more a question of when will the identity thieves get to you.

The best identity theft protection is of course to understand the modus operandi of identity thieves and then to take preventive measures to ensure that the identity thieves cannot use these methods on you. Even those innocuous looking offers that pop into your mailbox on a daily or perhaps weekly basis can be one of the ways that identity thieves will strike you down. Unfortunately, as yet the US postal service is not able to spam out fictitious mails and so they deliver whatever is posted to you into your letterbox.

Therefore, proper identity theft protection means throwing away these so-called offers without giving them another thought. However, before you throw away the offer makes sure to shred the offer so that your name and address cannot be found by those that rummage the garbage looking for just such information.

Identity theft protection is also not an activity that is relevant to only rich and wealthy people because ordinary citizens too need to be on their guard at all times. It is very sad that today you cannot throw away your garbage without needing to worry that you have not taken the appropriate identity theft protection measures such as shredding useless documents and bills and of course those good-for-nothing offers.

Vigilance is crucial to proper identity theft protection and in fact you can also make use of identity theft protection services to handle this vigilance for you. By enrolling with such service companies you can rest assured that you will be informed regarding changes to your credit reports and so be warned in time when something false shows up on these reports such as someone having made off with your identity and who then ran up bills that you will have to pay.

Advance-fee fraud

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Nigerian 419 scam originated in the early 1980s as the oil-based Nigerian economy declined. Several unemployed university students first used this scam as a means of manipulating business visitors interested in shady deals in the Nigerian oil sector before targeting businessmen in the west, and later the wider population. Scammers in the early-to-mid 1990s targeted companies, sending scam messages via letter, fax, or Telex. The spread of email and easy access to email-harvesting software made the cost of sending scam letters through the Internet low. In the 2000s, the 419 scam has spurred imitations from other locations in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe, and, more recently, from North America, Western Europe (mainly UK), and Australia.

The number "419" refers to the article of the Nigerian Criminal Code (part of Chapter 38: "Obtaining Property by false pretences; Cheating") dealing with fraud. The American Dialect Society has traced the term "419 fraud" back to 1992.

This scam usually begins with a letter or e-mail purportedly sent to a selected recipient but actually sent to many making an offer that will ultimately result in a large payoff for the intended victim.

The email's subject line often says something like "From the desk of Mr. [Name]", "Your assistance is needed", and so on. The details vary, but the usual story is that a person, often a government or bank employee, knows of a large amount of unclaimed money or gold which he cannot access directly, usually because he has no right to it. Such people, who may be real but impersonated people or fictitious characters played by the scammer, could include the wife or son of a deposed African or Indonesian leader or dictator who has amassed a stolen fortune, or a bank employee who knows of a terminally ill wealthy person with no relatives or a wealthy foreigner who had deposited money in the bank just before dying in a plane crash (leaving no will or known next of kin), a U.S. soldier who has stumbled upon a hidden cache of gold in Iraq, a business being audited by the government, a disgruntled worker or corrupt government official who has embezzled funds, a refugee, and similar characters.

The money could be in the form of gold bullion, gold dust, money in a bank account, so-called "blood diamonds", a series of cheques or bank drafts, and so forth. The sums involved are usually in the millions of dollars, and the investor is promised a large share, typically ten to forty percent, if they will assist the scam character in retrieving the money.

Whilst the vast majority of recipients do not respond to these emails, a very small percentage do, enough to make the fraud worthwhile as many millions of messages can be sent. Invariably sums of money which are substantial, but very much smaller than the potential profits, are said to be required in advance for bribes, fees, etc.—this is the money being stolen from the victim, who thinks he is investing to make a huge profit.

Insa Nolte, a lecturer of University of Birmingham's African Studies Department, stated that "The availability of e-mail helped to transform a local form of fraud into one of Nigeria's most important export industries."

Tax Season Alert - The 3 Big Myths That Can Make You a Victim of Identity Fraud

The continued popularity of electronic tax filing has made this annual burden incredibly simple for many taxpayers. As a result, these individuals mistakenly equate ease-of-use with safety. This assumption too often leads to the #1 most-committed crime in the world - identity theft. The opportunities for your personal information to unwittingly fall into the hands of thieves wanting to commit fraud has grown exponentially along with the explosion of online tax return submissions. Do not falsely presume that your identity is protected.

Here are the 3 biggest myths that risk your identity during tax season, as well as important security tips to avoid the time, money and hassle related to identity theft.

Myth #1: Documents, PDFs and personal information used in the creation of your tax returns are safe just sitting on your computer.

Truth: Hackers may access your computer in various ways at ANY time via viruses, Trojans and Botnets. Confidential information on PDFs is NOT safe.

· Password-protect all tax returns that you print to PDF from your tax software so that Social Insurance Numbers are secure. Permanently shred unsecured documents on your computer that contain personal information used to prepare your tax return.

· Configure all peer-to-peer file sharing programs to disable the sharing of your personal folders so identity thieves can't download your tax return.

· Install the latest updates to your operating system to prevent known Windows or Mac vulnerabilities from being exploited by hackers.

· Don't save your password in your web browser when accessing payroll services, employers, banks and other institutions that keep your personal information because it could easily be stolen.

Myth #2: It's safe to electronically transmit confidential data to an accountant, employer, or the CRA.

Truth: Your personal information is at the greatest risk when it is en route from one location to another. Hackers and thieves have the ability to eavesdrop or spy on it when it is unprotected.

· Encrypt supporting tax documents you plan to email to your accountant to prevent anyone from snooping on your network and gaining access to your financial information.
· Create strong passwords when registering to download your CRA forms, and other personal tax documents from your employer so that they are not easily guessed by strangers.

Myth #3: Paper copies of your important tax documentation are always safe since they are in your control and are not accessible to electronic hackers.

Truth: Identity thieves are incredibly creative and will attempt to access your confidential information for their own personal gain however and wherever possible, especially when you least expect it.

· When you postal mail your tax return to the CRA, send it from a secured location, like the post office or an official Canada Post collection box; do not let it sit in a box overnight as it could be stolen. For added security use certified mail.
· If making photo copies of your financial documents, make sure the photocopier does not store images of them in memory.
· Using a traditional paper shredder, destroy the printed documents used during tax preparation that you no longer need.

The government takes your tax dollars on April 30th. Do not let a thief take your identity too. Employ a multi-step approach in the prevention of identity theft that includes awareness, changes in behavior, and security tools. Doing so will secure your personal information this tax season and allow you to rest easier on May 1st and after. One final tip:

· Monitor your credit report regularly.

adapted for Canadian use originally posted at eZine Articles

ATM Skimming - What is It?

ATM skimming is a method used for stealing your identity during an ATM transaction. This method utilizes a credit card skimmer to collect, record and store your credit card number and pin number. The person "Skimming" your card can then use this information to program his own credit card with your information!

This skimming device, when placed on the ATM machine is virtually undetectable if you are not looking for it. It looks like a normal part of the ATM. And just when law enforcement agencies have gotten a handle on the technology being used by ATM skimmers, along comes a break through technology that is leaving even veteran investigators astounded. The first device discovered by an ATM user and obtained by authorities was taken to the CIA and they indicated they had not seen anything like it!

The method used included two devices. A type of skimmer placed over the card slot on the ATM accompanied by what appeared to be a speaker mounted on the ATM above the keypad. When the card was inserted, a device placed over the slot scanned the magnetic strip and the account information was sent (wireless ) to a modified cell phone hidden behind the fake speaker placed on the ATM above the keypad. A small camera concealed in the fake speaker would then record the pin number entered and stored it on a flash memory card.

The perpetrator would then steal a gift card that has not been activated and transfer the account information to the gift card via the magnetic strip thus turning it into an ATM card. This device has been credited with stealing in excess of $300,000 from peoples accounts in Pennsylvania!

In order to prevent being taken at the ATM, the obvious safeguards should be taken. Look for anything that just doesn't appear to belong, or looks out of place such as the fake speaker or a skimming device placed over the card slot. Also, when typing in your pin number, shield the keypad with your other hand in case there is a camera watching. Always check your bank statements or better still, apply for on line account monitoring with your bank so you can check instantly to see if someone has been in your account.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_W_Albert

Desjardins supports Fraud Prevention Month

March is the ideal month for Desjardins to remind its members and clients of the importance of protecting themselves from identity theft.

MONTREAL, Feb. 27 /CNW Telbec/ - During the 2009 campaign to raise
awareness about fraud prevention, Desjardins Group is pleased to join the Fraud Prevention Forum along with several other partners, chaired by the federal Competition Bureau.

Throughout March, caisses, branches and other components of Desjardins
Group will be raising awareness about identity theft among their members and clients, highlighting the importance of following rules to guard against identity theft and protect their personal information. Web surfers can go to www.desjardins.com to learn more about different types of fraud, like phishing, and how to protect themselves.

"A study by the Canada Research Chair in Security, Identity and
Technology showed that in 2006-2007, Québec had 338,000 cases of identity theft, which is why we feel it is important to raise awareness among our members and clients about this fraud that is being committed every day," stated Yves Beaudoin, Vice-President, Specialized Advisory Services Division, Fédération des caisses Desjardins.

This presents yet another opportunity for Desjardins to encourage its
members, clients and employees to adopt good behaviours to protect their identities and their personal information.

"Our alliance with the Bank Crime Prevention and Investigation Office
(BCPIO), a group that is part of the Canadian Bankers Association (CBA), whose main objective is to share information in order to prevent financial crimes, and our ties with the Institut de sécurité de l'information du Québec (ISIQ) show that we take identity theft very seriously," said Yves Beaudoin.

Other than this campaign, Desjardins has instituted several precautionary measures - and has for some time now - to ensure the security of its members and clients and their personal information. In fact, these measures are posted in the Online security section of its Web site at www.desjardins.com. More than just a source for reliable information, it's also a tool to raise awareness and educate people on the different types of fraud being committed.

About Desjardins Group

Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in Canada,
with overall assets of $150 billion, as at September 30, 2008. It comprises a network of caisses, credit unions and business centres in Québec and Ontario, and some twenty subsidiary companies in life and general insurance, securities brokerage, venture capital and asset management, many of which are active across the country. Drawing on the expertise of its 40,000 employees and the commitment of more than 6,500 elected officers, Desjardins offers its 5.8 million individual and corporate members and clients a full range of financial products and services. Its physical distribution network is complemented by
leading-edge virtual access methods. To find out more, consult
www.desjardins.com.

Identity Theft Protection and Tax Scams

You need to make identity theft protection a number one priority in your life. The fact is that statistic reveal that in any ten year period, you are likely to become the victim of identity theft. In other words, you actually run the risk of becoming the victim of identity theft more than one time during the course of your adult life.

In considering your identity theft protection needs and objectives, you need to make yourself more familiar with some of the different types of identity theft schemes that are being "pulled" in this day and age. For example, one type of identity theft scam that is being used today in many countries around the world involves issues pertaining to tax payments and tax refunds. Simply, an identity thief will contact you through the Internet, by phone and sometimes even in person under the guise of needing to get information from you in regard to your taxes.

In undertaking identity theft protection related to a tax scam online, you need to be on guard for what might appear to be an official looking email regarding your taxes. Oftentimes such an email will indicate that you are due a supplemental income tax refund. But, in order to process the refund, it is necessary that you provide personal and financial information about yourself. In the alternative, the official looking email might contain a link that purports to take you to the website of a taxing authority. Once at this sham site - which will look very official, in fact - you will be asked to input your personal and financial data ... all of which will go directly into the hands of an identity thief.

In the brick and mortar world, when it comes to identity theft protection against a tax related scheme, you need to guard against phone calls allegedly from a tax official. Once again, the pitch is a good deal like what might happen online. For example, you are due a tax refund but personal and financial data is needed in order to process the refund itself. (A similar pitch is made when a thief actually goes door to door working to steal identities using the tax scheme as the pitch.)

In the end, by taking care to develop a comprehensive identity theft protection plan you will be in the best position to protect yourself against becoming the victim of this crime. You will be able to better ensure that you do not have your identity stolen today or at any point in the future.