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Identity Theft Articles
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- Beware of Vacation Rental Scams this Summer - by Submitted on Jul 10, 2015 from Robert SicilianoTalk about getting taken to the cleaners: Imagine you spot a great summer rental property advertised online. Looks wonderful. The deal sounds too good to be true, but the owner tells you (via e-mail or even phone) that the fee is correct. You apply for the rent and send in the required upfront ...
Views: 886 - Consumers smartening up to Privacy Issues - by Submitted on Jul 09, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAccording to a recent report from Pew Research, many Americans take privacy seriously—as in the cyber kind, but also offline. 9% of survey respondents thought they had strong control over how much of their personal information was collected and shared. 38% thought they had moderate ...
Views: 1045 - ATM Skimming rising, again - by Submitted on Jul 08, 2015 from Robert SicilianoDo you know what ATM stands for? For crooks, it stands for A Thief’s Moneymaker. A new report from FICO says that “skimming” crimes have made their biggest spike in the past 20 years. This includes ATMs on bank premises, but of course, public ATM kiosks have seen the biggest ...
Views: 914 - Check out Google's Password Alert - by Submitted on Jul 07, 2015 from Robert SicilianoCyber crooks have phony websites that masquerade as the legitimate site you want to log onto. They’ve spun their web and are just waiting for you to fly into it. Google now has Password Alert, which will tell you if you’ve landed into such a non-Google web. For the Chrome browser, ...
Views: 953 - Apple's bizarre Crashing Text and how to fix - by Submitted on Jul 06, 2015 from Robert SicilianoOf all the weird things that can happen to your iOS device, the latest is a relatively benign situation in which a string of text is sent to the phone…and it causes the phone to crash. The phone will reboot if the particular nonsensical text string is received while the phone is locked. Data ...
Views: 883 - An ode to Angry Drivers - by Submitted on Jul 02, 2015 from Robert Siciliano“Wes” is a professional man who, if you saw walking on the street, you‘d easily imagine being jumped by a few teen punks and getting beaten up for his wallet. Wes is nearing retirement age, has a potbelly, doesn‘t work out, has grey hair—hardly an imposing figure. But ...
Views: 890 - Coming up, Your Phone contains your Driver's License - by Submitted on Jun 26, 2015 from Robert SicilianoGone are the days of the fat wallet bursting at the seems, since smartphones can now contain most anything that a wallet does—except the driver‘s license. But don‘t write that possibility off just yet. Forbes.com reports on a story from the Des Moines Register that the Iowa ...
Views: 883 - How to prevent being tracked - by Submitted on Jun 25, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou worry about being hacked, but what about being tracked? Yes, there are hackers and then there are trackers. Internet tracking namely refers to the user‘s browsing habits being followed. But there are ways to make the trackers harder to tag behind you. Duhh, a fake name. What an ...
Views: 1152 - How to Avoid Bad Apps - by Submitted on Jun 24, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIf you think there’s like a million apps out there, that’s not exactly an exaggeration. For sure, there are more than you can imagine, which makes it easy to conceive that many certainly come with security problems. In fact, out of the top 25 most popular apps, 18 of them bombed on a security ...
Views: 1014 - Be Cautious When Using Wi-Fi - by Submitted on Jun 23, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe proliferation of mobile devices means that we can work or play online from almost anywhere, so it’s no surprise that public Wi-Fi networks have become more common. From hotels and coffee shops, to universities and city centers, Wi-Fi is widely available, but is connecting to these networks ...
Views: 1071 - Your Stolen Data around the World in 2 Weeks - by Submitted on Jun 19, 2015 from Robert SicilianoEver wonder just what happens to the data in a data breach incident? Does it go into some kind of wormhole in cyberspace, out through the other end? Well, the answer is pretty much so, when you consider that hacked data makes its rounds on a global scale, taking only 14 days to land in 22 ...
Views: 824 - Tips to being anonymous Online - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2015 from Robert SicilianoOne of mankind’s greatest inventions (besides the wheel) is the Internet. Unfortunately, with this marvelous invention comes the drawback of privacy—or shall we say, lack of. The Internet is a wonderful tool, but users must fight to remain as anonymous as possible, because ...
Views: 922 - Top 12 Scams Happening NOW - by Submitted on Jun 17, 2015 from Robert SicilianoScamerama is here to stay! Scams are as old as time, and evolve as inventions and technology evolve. Top scams, according to a report on FraudAvengers.com, are as follows: Scammer “accidentally” overpays you for an item you sold online; you cash the crook’s phony check and ...
Views: 880 - How to plan for Digital Disasters - by Submitted on Jun 16, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIn this day and age, we should never hear someone proclaim, “Oh my God, my computer crashed! I lost everything!” You can’t lose something that’s been properly backed up. So many people, including ones with businesses that rely upon cyber communication, continue to ...
Views: 911 - What is a Cache? - by Submitted on Jun 15, 2015 from Robert SicilianoPerhaps someone has told you that you need to “clear your cache,” but what does this mean and why should you do it? A cache is a folder of recently visited webpages, which is stored on your computer’s hard drive, and maintained by your Internet browser. The purpose of a ...
Views: 999 - A Quarter of all Underage Kids Will Meet with Complete Strangers - by Submitted on Jun 13, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAccording to a new Intel Security study, more than 2,000 American parents and kids ages 8-16 were surveyed to unveil some interesting things. 79% of the juvenile respondents learned online safety from their parents. 35% of them said they’ve been a cyberbully. 27% of them said they ...
Views: 1090 - Question: Should You worry about Kids on Social Media? - by Submitted on Jun 12, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWith all the increased news coverage of kids running off with adults they met online, and kids dying by suicide supposedly due to online bullying, many parents are wondering if their worries about their kids being online are justified. We hardly hear about how social media has benefited kids. ...
Views: 789 - How to keep a Clean Online Presence - by Submitted on Jun 11, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAt any given time, someone, somewhere, is probably googling you. This could be a former classmate, a neighbor, someone you’re trying to do business with, a relative, who knows? Are you confident that whatever they find will be information that’s truly representative of you? Maybe ...
Views: 1045 - Is It Fraud or are You just Crazy? - by Submitted on Jun 09, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWhat would you rather have happen to you? A Russian ring of hackers has infiltrated your computer and smartphone and is hell-bent on taking control of your finances, social media life, even the smart gadgets in your house…OR…you’ve just been diagnosed with paranoid psychosis, ...
Views: 899 - Phishing 101: How Not to Get Hooked - by Submitted on Jun 05, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou’d think that it would be as easy as pie to avoid getting reeled in by a phishing scam. After all, all you need to do is avoid clicking on a link inside an email or text message. How easy is that? A phishing scam is a message sent by a cybercriminal to get you to click ...
Views: 975 - Identity Fraud Victim every two Seconds - by Submitted on Jun 04, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYes, identity fraud is SO common that someone becomes a victim every two seconds. The 2014 Identity Fraud Study, as reported on javelinstrategy.com, turned up some alarming results. Though the dollar amount stolen had decreased over the year preceding the study, the number of victims had ...
Views: 865 - What is the Cloud? - by Submitted on Jun 03, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou’ve probably heard of people storing information in “the cloud,” but what does that really mean, and is it safe to put your data there? The cloud is best described as a network of servers offering different functions. Some servers allow you to store and access data, while others provide an ...
Views: 985 - Dude hacked Lottery Computers - by Submitted on Jun 02, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWho needs psychics to reveal future lottery numbers when you can hack into the state lottery association and tamper with it? That apparently was the reasoning of Eddie Raymond Tipton, 51. Prosecutors believe Tipton inserted a thumb drive into a computer—the one that spits out random ...
Views: 906 - How to Burglar Proof your Doors - by Submitted on Jun 01, 2015 from Robert SicilianoBurglars love doors; they frequently gain entry by kicking them down and even using less aggression to get into a house—and that includes simply opening the door because it’s not locked. Don’t believe that if a burglar wants to rob you badly enough, he’ll figure out a ...
Views: 930 - Tips to destroy and shred - by Submitted on May 30, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou can’t be too neurotic about shredding sensitive documents to smithereens. For example, some people make a career out of “dumpster diving,” digging through trash in search of bank account information, credit card preapprovals, medical bills, mortgage statements, etc., and ...
Views: 951 - Smartphones for Kids aren't such a good Idea - by Submitted on May 29, 2015 from Robert SicilianoMaybe you believe that kids should not have smartphones because the devices can tell a pedophile where a child is located. But there’s other reasons that perhaps you haven’t thought of: cyberbullying, violent porn, online drug purchases, you name it. Smartphones give kids ongoing ...
Views: 909 - Is your Website and Data secure? - by Submitted on May 28, 2015 from Robert SicilianoImagine a lifeguard at the beach sitting on his perch. His job is to patrol and monitor for signs of trouble. He sees a surfer being attacked by a shark. Wow, a lot of good it does that he’s in a completely helpless position; by the time he scrambles off his perch and runs towards the ...
Views: 926 - The High Performance Router for a Many-Device Home - by Submitted on May 27, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou will love the Tri-Band WiFi technology; it can connect all of your devices at the same time. The only router capable of this is the Netgear Nighthawk X6 AC3200 Tri-Band Wi-Fi Router (a.k.a. Netgear R8000). This router provides three connections and has six wing-like antennas. Another ...
Views: 923 - Trusting too much brings Trouble - by Submitted on May 26, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThere will always be the person who lives on the Equator to whom you can sell an electric heater. As they say, there is a sucker born every minute. This is why cyber criminals will always have a field day, like the crook who posed as a tax man who got an elderly couple to send $100,000 to an ...
Views: 845 - Risks of Public WiFi - by Submitted on May 25, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWired internet or wireless WiFi, the warnings are out there: Don’t visit any websites that you have important accounts with when using a public computer (hotel, airport, café, etc.). Visiting even a more trivial account, such as an online community for cheese lovers, could sink ...
Views: 1052 - 3 More Ways Criminals use influence to steal - by Submitted on May 23, 2015 from Robert SicilianoCriminals use six basic principles to influence and steal. In the first post we discussed: Reciprocation: Do something nice for a person and they will feel obligated to return the favor. Social Proof: This is the “It’s okay if everyone else does it” approach. Commitment ...
Views: 922 - The most horrible Craigslist Killing ever - by Submitted on May 21, 2015 from Robert SicilianoBeware. This is tough to read. An expectant woman had spotted an ad on Craigslist asking for baby clothes, so she contacted the ad placer—a woman—then went to her Longmont, Colorado house alone. The woman stabbed the would-be seller and removed the seven-month-old fetus. The baby ...
Views: 862 - Things You should and shouldn't do on Public Wi-Fi - by Submitted on May 20, 2015 from Robert SicilianoPublic Wi-Fi is the location where you can get online: airport, airplane, coffee house, hotel, motel and more. Many people don’t give this a second thought, unaware of how risky this really is. Public Wi-Fi is very non-secure, a goldmine for hackers who want to steal your identity and ...
Views: 1032 - How to hide your Cash at Home - by Submitted on May 19, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt’s good to have a stash of cash for emergencies. If the grid goes down and the power goes out, an ATM or bank does you no good. But there are security issues too. Where do you put it? A safe is certainly a smart idea. You can get creative too. What burglar would not think to look ...
Views: 926 - Cyberbullying: Its Uniqueness & Prevention - by Submitted on May 18, 2015 from Robert SicilianoUnfortunately, cyberbullying is prevalent, and a growing threat in today’s always-connected world. Cyberbullying refers to bullying done via computers, or similar technologies, such as cell phones. This kind of bullying usually includes mean or threatening comments, or public posts through ...
Views: 991 - Tax Return Basics: What You must know! - by Submitted on May 16, 2015 from Robert SicilianoTax ID Theft Three things in life are guaranteed: death, taxes and tax-related identity theft. Michael Kasper would agree. Someone registered Kasper’s IRS.gov account, requested the document for his 2013 tax return, then filed a 2014 tax return. The crook used a middleman—an ...
Views: 861 - What is Shoulder Surfing? - by Submitted on May 15, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe next time you’re in a public place and glued to your smartphone or tablet — whether it’s at the gym, a coffee house, the airport, or just a park bench— know that someone might be peering over your shoulder to see what you’re doing. The snooper could just be ...
Views: 981 - Time to check your Facebook Privacy settings - by Submitted on May 14, 2015 from Robert SicilianoDid you know that, once again, Facebook has changed its privacy policies? At the top of the FB page is a lock icon. Click it for more privacy settings. What do visitors see? To view how visitors see your Facebook page, go to “Timeline and Tagging,” then hit “Review what ...
Views: 856 - How Hackers use LinkedIn to Scam - by Submitted on May 13, 2015 from Robert SicilianoHackers love LinkedIn because it links them in—straight through the portal of the targeted company. Geez, how much easier could this be, what with all the publically-exposed e-mail addresses of key players (and also worker bees) in big companies that someone wants to hack. An article on ...
Views: 1060 - How Employers or Parents Spy - by Submitted on May 12, 2015 from Robert SicilianoDisgruntled employees act out in lots of ways. A guy I knew who hated his boss “played” on his work computer all day. The computer was strictly for constructing company graphics. But he installed all kinds of games and wasted lots of time. His boss never knew he blew off half the ...
Views: 903 - Data Privacy Issues In A Big Data World - by Submitted on May 11, 2015 from John TerraThere are so many people out there that trumpet the benefits of Big Data (including, admittedly, yours truly), that it's easy to overlook one very frightening implication. Big Data means increased information delivered easier and faster, but a lot of that information is about flesh and blood ...
Views: 1210 - Distracted Teen Drivers a Mess - by Submitted on May 09, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWorried about your teen causing a car accident from drinking too much? How about from being distracted too much? According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, distracted driving accounted for 58 percent of medium to severe wrecks involving teenagers, based on analysis of about 1,700 ...
Views: 897 - Myths Facts and Burglary Prevention - by Submitted on May 08, 2015 from Robert SicilianoMyth: Most burglaries occur at night when nobody can see the intruder. Fact: Most burglaries occur during the day because criminals know that’s the most likely time that people are away at work. Myth: Most burglaries are random and spontaneous. Fact: Most burglaries occur after the ...
Views: 929 - 25 Home Security Tips - by Submitted on May 07, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYes, 25 tips, because that’s how we roll. No home security tip is too trite. They are all important, especially when used all at once, all the time. Keep shrubs and trees manicured so that burglars can’t hide near them. Do a door and lock inventory to make sure they all ...
Views: 988 - Consumers sacrificing Privacy for Convenience - by Submitted on May 06, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt’s hard to believe that, according to a recent poll from the Pew Research Center, most Americans aren’t too upset that the government can track their e-mails and phone calls. There’s too much of a blasé attitude, it seems, with people thinking, “I don’t ...
Views: 924 - 3 Ways We are Tricked into Cyber Attacks - by Submitted on May 04, 2015 from Robert SicilianoSo just how are hackers able to penetrate all these huge businesses? Look no further than employee behavior—not an inside job, but innocent employees being tricked by the hacker. A recent survey commissioned by Intel Security reveals that five of the top seven reasons that a ...
Views: 1027 - 6 Tips for Protecting Your Social Media Accounts - by Submitted on May 02, 2015 from Robert Siciliano10 years ago, many of us were hearing about social media for the first time. Now, social media plays a giant role in our lives, allowing us to share pictures, connect with family and friends, and get updated news. Through social media, we can express ourselves to our inner circle and the ...
Views: 1126 - What is Spam? - by Submitted on May 01, 2015 from Robert SicilianoEveryone’s heard of spam as it pertains to emails. Spam isn’t necessarily a malicious message designed to trick you into revealing your credit card number or PayPal login information. But spam is an unsolicited message, sometimes referred to as junk mail. Spam can be ...
Views: 893 - What kind of Home Security System is right for Me - by Submitted on Apr 30, 2015 from Robert SicilianoBurglars don’t usually depend upon the light of the moon to break into homes; they depend on the daylight—because that’s when they know most homes are empty! The kids are in school, the adults are at jobs or shopping…duhhh, even a halfwit burglar knows this is an ...
Views: 879 - Protect Yourself from Online Fraud - by Submitted on Apr 29, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYes, it’s possible: preventing fraudsters from getting you via online trickery and other stealthy actions. Yes, it’s possible to be thinking one step ahead of cyber criminals. Let’s begin with e-mails—the conduit through which so many cyber crimes like ID theft ...
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