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Identity Theft Articles
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- Who Has Access to Your Personal Info? The Answer Might Surprise You - by Submitted on May 30, 2019 from Robert SicilianoAre you aware that many people probably have access to your personal info? If you have ever gotten an apartment, have insurance, or applied for a job, someone has done a background check on you, and you might be shocked by what’s in there, including your debts, income, loan payments, and ...
Views: 1190 - Why Are Cyber Hucksters so successful? - by Submitted on Feb 18, 2016 from Robert SicilianoOften, hucksters prey on the consumer’s desperation, which is why it’s no surprise that the No. 1 rip-off (at least between 2011 and 2012)) was bogus products promising weight loss. VICE (vice.com) interviewed psychologist Maria Konnikova about how cyber cons are so ...
Views: 816 - Why Do Schools Keep Getting Hacked? - by Submitted on Apr 19, 2017 from Michael PetersK-12 schools, colleges, and universities are attractive targets for hackers. Their networks contain an enormous amount of identifying information on staff members, students, and students’ families, including names, birth dates, addresses, Social Security numbers, and even health records. ...
Views: 1001 - Why do the users go for online privacy protection? - by Submitted on Apr 20, 2012 from Joy MaliIn a world where information about you is no more than a click away, privacy online has become one of the most essential requirements today. Most users prefer to have access to all the perks of the Internet without the hassle of being identified to ensure that they are able to get their jobs ...
Views: 1682 - Why go with a Wireless Security System? - by Submitted on Nov 29, 2016 from Robert SicilianoOne reason to go wireless is obvious: Who wants all sorts of wires built under their house, which requires more than just the abilities of a recreational DIY enthusiast, like the old fashioned home security systems required? Not only is this a hairy, time consuming installation project, but a ...
Views: 732 - Why Hacking is a National Emergency - by Submitted on Jul 29, 2015 from Robert SicilianoForeign hackers, look out: Uncle Sam is out to get you. President Obama has issued an order that allows the State Department and Treasury Departments to immobilize the financial assets of anyone out-of country suspected of committing or otherwise being involved in cyber crimes against the ...
Views: 856 - Why Hotels Check your ID - by Submitted on Mar 05, 2015 from Robert SicilianoI know someone who tried to make a hotel reservation over the phone. She goes by the name “Kelcie,” but her birth name is Frances. She hates her birth name. When making the reservation she used the name Kelcie, which is what’s on her credit card and checks, but her ...
Views: 1068 - Why install a Home Security System? - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2015 from Robert SicilianoQuestion: No. 1 reason people get a home security system? Answer: Recently burglarized; The majority of the people I hear from who want to install a home security system were recently burglarized. It often takes adversity or even tragedy for us to wake up to the realities of a harsh ...
Views: 922 - Why Privacy on the Internet May Offer Security Risks - by Submitted on Jul 30, 2013 from TJ PhilpottUnfortunately in this age your privacy on the internet may put both you and others at risk! The uproar over the NSA having access to your private data reflecting your activities online has drawn global attention! This outcry is all about whether a persons privacy online is being violated by such ...
Views: 2097 - Why use a VPN? - by Submitted on Oct 03, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIf you want to be a pro at privacy, here’s a tip: When it’s time to go online, whether it’s at an airport lounge, coffee house, hotel, or any other public Wi-Fi spot, don’t log into any of your accounts unless you use a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN is a ...
Views: 978 - Why You should file your Tax Return Yesterday - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2016 from Robert SicilianoSomeone else might file your taxes if you don’t get to it. And they won’t be doing it as a favor; they’ll be doing it to steal your identity. Here’s how it works: Cyber thieves send fraudulent e-mails to a business’s employees. The e-mails are designed to ...
Views: 796 - Why You Should Take a Woman's Self-Defense Class - by Submitted on Jan 02, 2018 from Robert SicilianoMany crimes against women are categorized as “crimes of opportunity.” The attacker doesn’t seem to care if the chance to attack comes in a large, busy city or in a small, sleepy town. If he sees a woman and he has intentions of attacking, he’s going to ...
Views: 663 - Why You Should Use a Password Manager - by Submitted on Oct 10, 2015 from Robert SicilianoMost experts in cybersecurity suggest that computer users utilize a password manager, and I think they have a great point. These managers ensure that you can use a unique, strong password for all online account. On the flip side, there are naysayers that state a password manager isn’t as ...
Views: 884 - Why you want a Copy of your Medical Records - by Submitted on Nov 19, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAfter receiving medical treatment, many people never look over the paperwork (save for bill total) and just shove it into some folder in a file cabinet. But medical identity theft is very much out there; know the signs: You’re denied coverage because you allegedly have a condition you ...
Views: 824 - Will Biometrics replace Passwords? - by Submitted on Aug 23, 2016 from Robert SicilianoThe days of using a computer to access your bank account, using a password, may be coming to an end, to be replaced entirely (as some experts believe) with a fingerprint or face scan using a smartphone. The smartphone employment of such biometrics will drastically reduce hacking incidents, ...
Views: 719 - Will Cyber Insurance Cover Your Business After a Ransomware Attack? - by Submitted on Apr 06, 2017 from Michael PetersDon’t depend on a cyber insurance policy to cover your losses after a ransomware attack. Hackers have discovered that there’s fast, easy money in holding enterprise systems hostage, especially in industries that process and store highly sensitive data, such as education and healthcare. The ...
Views: 1137 - Winter Vacation Home Security - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2015 from Robert SicilianoPlanning a trip? Thinking of having your snail mail and newspaper delivery placed on a vacation hold so that thieves casing your neighborhood won’t see a pile-up of these items? Well, there’s a better option, because what if…just what if…a crook works for the post ...
Views: 1111 - With All Of The Recent Weather Related Tragedies…”Please Give” Just Beware Of Online Charities…. - by Submitted on May 06, 2011 from Chris HeadleeWe as Americans tend to have generous hearts and give freely when called upon during times of trouble. Many people donate money to charities online to help needy people with illnesses, animal activists and more. If you're one of those people, good for you! It 'an incredible thing that you can ...
Views: 992 - Woman Chained Like a Dog, Man Killed - by Submitted on Mar 07, 2017 from Robert SicilianoBack in August, 2016, Kala Brown and Charles Carver arrived to a 100-acre property in South Carolina for a cleaning job. Charles Carver never made it off the property, and Kala Brown spent more than two months in a metal shipping container, allegedly held captive by Todd Christopher ...
Views: 838 - Woman Drives her Sleeping Assailant to Police Station - by Submitted on May 14, 2016 from Robert SicilianoYou don’t always have to outmuscle a assailant to beat him at his game. This is what a New Zealand woman learned after Vipul Romik Sharma abducted her. At first, things seemed fine; she exited a bar in Otahuhu with the 22-year-old and another man. Then they kidnapped and raped ...
Views: 926 - Woman Murdered after Man Tricks Her with Lost Puppy Ruse - by Submitted on Aug 20, 2019 from Robert SicilianoThis entire post is brutal and for some, hard to read. But if there is a woman or girl in your life might benefit from being freaked out, read it and forward and share it. We’ve all heard about the man approaching a child, showing her a picture of his “lost” puppy, asking ...
Views: 721 - Woman slams Staple Gun into Intruder's Head - by Submitted on Oct 11, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIf you’re ever confronted by an assailant in your garage, you may have any number of highly effective weapons within your reach. A woman in Indianapolis identified as Carol found that out soon enough when she arrived home in February of 2016. A man was waiting in her garage. The ...
Views: 785 - Woman Voluntarily Sits in Truck of Man Who Creeped Her Out - by Submitted on Oct 31, 2018 from Robert SicilianoWho does this? Morna Brennen did this when she was 22. She and a few friends went to a bar and stayed there late. At some point while they were there, a man took an interest in Morna. But she was creeped out by him and pretty much ignored him. Later when it was time to leave, Morna and one ...
Views: 1063 - Work at Home Environment is a safe, secure Solution - by Submitted on Sep 15, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThere was a time when online dating was a novelty, perceived as unsafe. Today, 59 percent of people agree that online dating is a good way to meet others (Pew Research, 2015). In fact, it’s the preferred method of matchmaking. A different online environment with similar views from the ...
Views: 1101 - Work from Home isn't the Scam It used to be - by Submitted on Sep 16, 2015 from Robert SicilianoMany, including me, have reported for years about all the “work at home” scams. And frankly, there are still plenty out there, unless you know where to look. There has never been more opportunity to legitimately earn a living working at home, and NOT get scammed. Mothers with ...
Views: 835 - World's dumbest Rapist: Tells Victim to call Boyfriend - by Submitted on Sep 27, 2016 from Robert SicilianoWhat’s sicker than raping a woman? Ordering her to phone her boyfriend so he could listen to the rape. But that was a good thing for a woman who was kidnapped last year. Her abductor drove her to the parking lot of an adult entertainment store in Georgia with the intent of raping her, ...
Views: 697 - Xfinity Home Security Flawed - by Submitted on Mar 23, 2016 from Robert SicilianoBad news for users of the Xfinity home security system: It can report locked doors and windows that have been bypassed by an intruder and miss an intruder’s movements, says an article on wired.com. The intruder circumvents the system by using a radio jammer to block the 2.4 GHz ...
Views: 1047 - Yes, Macs Can get Malware - by Submitted on Apr 27, 2016 from Robert SicilianoSo Macs can be infected with malware. Who would have ever thought? The malware at issue here is the dreaded ransomware. Ransomware scrambles up your files, and the hacker at the helm says he’ll give you the cyber “key” in exchange for a handsome payment. Ransomware ...
Views: 759 - You Know Tom Might Kill You So Why Do You Stay with Tom? - by Submitted on Jul 31, 2019 from Robert Siciliano“Tom” can also be “Alicia.” Nevertheless, it happens often enough to come up every so often in a crime documentary aired on the Investigation Discovery channel. The premise is as follows: A person is SO convinced that their spouse or soon-to-be ex-spouse is going ...
Views: 677 - You need a Home Security Safe - by Submitted on May 05, 2016 from Robert SicilianoYou don’t have to be wealthy or live in a big house to need a home security safe. If you don’t think you need one, ask yourself why. Ask yourself if you don’t have any valuables—not necessarily something that would be valuable to a burglar, but something very dear and ...
Views: 796 - You need Two-Factor Verification for your Amazon Account - by Submitted on Sep 06, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIf you have a strong password for your Amazon account, you may still want to consider beefing up the security with two-factor verification (or authentication), which will prevent a thief from accessing your account (which is possible if he gets ahold of your password and username ...
Views: 776 - Young Kids Getting Sexually Exploited Online More Than Ever Before - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2019 from Robert SicilianoAn alarming new study is out, and if you are a parent, you should take note…children as young as 8-years old are being sexually exploited via social media. This is a definite downturn from past research, and it seems like one thing is to blame: live streaming. YouTube serves up videos ...
Views: 655 - Your Hacked Mobile Phone Number is Like Your Social Security Number - by Submitted on Jan 24, 2017 from Robert SicilianoIf you have a cell phone, and you use it in any way associated with accessing online accounts (and many do), you are putting yourself at risk of getting hacked. With only a phone number and a bit of information, which is easy to get through social engineering, a hacker can break into your ...
Views: 895 - Your Kids Digital Lives Are in Shambles - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2019 from Robert SicilianoIf you have a teenager, you probably have a battle in play: do you or do you not manage your teens mobile devices. Though some parents see this as an invasion of their child’s privacy,(which, frankly, is stupid) there are many reasons why you should start managing what they are doing ...
Views: 544 - Your ransomware profile: passwords, profiles and protection - by Submitted on Aug 08, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIf your computer password contains the name of your dog, your favorite vacation spot, and an easy-to-remember numerical sequence, then you are breaking some basic rules of password safety. Even though “BusterBermuda789” might seem impenetrable to you, this is a password security ...
Views: 789 - Your Ransomware Response: Prepare for the Worst - by Submitted on Jul 22, 2016 from Robert SicilianoA ransomware attack is when your computer gets locked down or your files become inaccessible, and you are informed that in order to regain use of your computer or to receive a cyber key to unlock your files, you must pay a ransom. Typically, cybercriminals request you pay them in ...
Views: 766 - Your Real Estate Agent May Have a Gun - by Submitted on Jan 15, 2019 from Robert SicilianoIf you are thinking of buying a house, and you start going to open houses, you might be surprised to learn an interesting fact: the real estate agent might be carrying a gun. Some of you reading this might have jumped to this article looking for a fight, because in M’erka guns are a ...
Views: 691 - Your Social Security Card Gets Stolen: Now What? - by Submitted on Jan 04, 2018 from Robert SicilianoYou might be shocked to know that when Social Security numbers were first given in the 1930s, the intention was never to use them as a form of identification. However, most of us use our Social Security numbers all of the time, from doing transactions at the bank to visiting our doctor’s ...
Views: 739 - 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 - Your Uber Driver May be a Criminal - by Submitted on Jan 16, 2020 from Robert SicilianoDo you Uber? If you do, you probably feel pretty safe getting into the car of a stranger. However, you might not be as safe as you think. Most people take for granted that Uber does background checks on its drivers, but there are actually a number of shady drivers who have recently been ...
Views: 815 - Youra Sheethed: My Dalliance Scambaiting a Nigerian Con - by Submitted on May 14, 2019 from Robert SicilianoI put an ad on Craigslist to sell a refrigerator that I no longer need. Within a few minutes I’m happy to report Micheal responded to buy it! SCAMMER: Hi am Micheal I like to ask if this item is till available for sale and what the present condition it. ME: Still for sale, someone is ...
Views: 626 - Youth Suicide on the Rise…is Social Media to Blame? - by Submitted on May 10, 2019 from Robert SicilianoA startling new study shows that youth suicide is on the rise, and it has risen in dramatic fashion. Data from the National Poison Data System shows that there were more than 1.6 million cases of kids from 10 to 24-years old attempting suicide by poison during the time between 2000 and 2018. ...
Views: 695 - YouTube's Spoon Feeding Pedophiles Kids Home Videos - by Submitted on Nov 07, 2019 from Robert SicilianoYouTube uses a recommendation algorithm to help people view things they’d like to see. Recently, the algorithm seemingly encouraged pedophiles (YouTube would have no way of knowing this) to watch videos of children playing at home, videos that the family members uploaded. A report from ...
Views: 787 - Zappos Data Breach - Customer Safety and Security - by Submitted on Jan 20, 2012 from Dovell BonnettOnline shoe and apparel shop Zappos, now owned by Amazon, reported earlier this week that 24 million users names, e-mail addresses, billing and shipping addresses, phone numbers, and the last four digits of credit card numbers may have been illegally accessed. In response to this breach, Zappos ...
Views: 1876 - Zeus Malware Gang take-down - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2015 from Robert SicilianoZeus is no longer a god of malware; he’s been taken down by law enforcement agencies spanning six European nations. Five people were recently arrested—believed to have infected tens of thousands of computers across the globe. There have been 60 total arrests pertaining to this ...
Views: 890 - ‘Tis the Season for the 12 Scams of the Holidays - by Submitted on Nov 22, 2014 from Robert SicilianoFa la la la la, la la la la. Yes that’s me singing, but thank goodness you can’t really hear me (I save that for the shower). If you can believe it, it’s that time of the year again (even though it seems like we just finished Halloween). Time for holiday parties, family ...
Views: 1264 - “Troncast” Podcast with Tron Jordheim - by Submitted on Apr 12, 2019 from Robert SicilianoI recently had the opportunity to join Tron Jordheim on his podcast hosted on stitcher.com. We talked about digital security and how to watch out for yourself in our digital landscape. I was able to share advice on privacy, information security and why it is so important to take control of your ...
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