Am I Safe Identity Theft

Identity Theft Takes Man's Power

2009-07-20T13:16:00.000-07:00

Here is an interesting story about a man and a possible case of identity theft.

A Fort Worth man heard someone with a ladder climbing around his house. Moments later, his electricity was off.

The power company was called, and they indeed had a work order to turn off his power. Someone had told them to, but who? The power company is investigating whether it was an internal error or a prank. It is possible that someone had enough personal information to convince the power company to shut off power to this man's house.

Rosemarie Grabowski
PC Security & Identity
Theft Protection
308 687 6085

Whatever the case, this story certainly opens up our eyes to the possible uses of identity theft. While this may not have been a huge ordeal for the man, a prank like this could harm another person

8 Expert Tips for Preventing Identity Theft

2009-07-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

I found a great article with 8 tips for preventing identity theft. I'll reiterate them here in case the article is taken down:

1. Don’t carry your Social Security card with you, or print this number on your checks.

2. Every year, get a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit-reporting agencies. Each agency has a Web site, or you can order all three at http://www.annualcreditreport.com/.

3. Using the toll-free telephone number 888-567-8688, you can ask not to be mailed unasked-for credit offers. This is a good idea because ID thieves often use these mailings to steal data.

4. If your state offers a do-not-call list to protect you from telemarketers, sign up.

5. Don’t give out credit-card or bank-account numbers over the phone unless you are positive you’re speaking with a trusted merchant.

6. Tell your bank, insurance company, and stock broker not to share your personal data with other firms.

7. Close rarely-used credit-card accounts. Study your statements carefully to spot unauthorized activity.

8. Invest in a personal shredder to destroy sensitive records before discarding them. Remember, 70% of all ID theft occurs not through high-tech means, but through old-fashioned tactics such as dumpster diving.

Rosemarie Grabowski
PC Security & Identity
Theft Protection
308 687 6085

It's a Vicious Cycle

2009-07-20T13:11:00.000-07:00

We've certainly heard it before: identity theft is now the fastest growing crime. The media frenzy and paranoia over identity theft is itself providing yet another tool to the thieves themselves.

Enterprising identity theives are now sending phishing emails out that pretend to be from Chase Bank saying that your account has been compromised and could you please log in and fix the situation. Naturally, clicking on the link in the email takes you to a fake site where, if you fill out the form, your identity is stolen.

The emails look something like this:

Dear Chase & Co. Member

For the User Agreement, Section 9, we may immediately issue a warning, temporarily suspend, indefinitely suspend or terminate your membership and refuse to provide our services to you if we believe that your actions may cause financial loss or legal liability for you, our users or us.

Our terms and conditions you agreed to state that your service must always be under your control or those you designate all times. We have noticed some unusual activity related to your service that indicates that other parties may have access and or control of your informations in your service.

We recently noticed one or more attempts to log in to your Chase Account, service from a foreign IP adress. If you recently accessed your service while traveling, the unusual log in attempts may have been initiated by you. However, if you did not initiate the logins, please visit Chase homepage as soon as possible to restore your account status.

The login attempt was made from:

ISP host : c-64-154-34-134.hsfgd1.il.comcast.net

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and appreciate your assistance in helping us maintain the integrity of the entire system. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Please do not reply to this e-mail. Mail sent to this address cannot be answered. To restore your account status click the link below:

If you have received one of these emails and responded to it, notify Chase immediately at abuse@chase.com.

Rosemarie Grabowski

PC Security & Identity
Theft Protection
308 687 6085

How Vulnerable Are You to Identity Theft?

2009-07-20T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hennepin County (Minnesota) Attorney Amy Klobuchar has posted a rating system for how vulnerable you are to identity theft. Specifically the article discusses how vulnerable you'd be if your purse or wallet was stolen.

For education, and in case the article gets removed, the test asks:

What's in Your Wallet or Purse?

1. Your Social Security card? Score 3 points

2. Anything with your Social Security number on it (e.g., health insurance card)? Score 2 points for each

3. Your passport? Your birth certificate? Score 3 points for each

4. Any account PIN numbers? Score 2 points for each

5. Your home security codes? Score 2 points

6. Your checkbook? Is your phone number printed on it? Your driver's license number? Your Social Security number? Score 1 point for each

7. How many credit or debit cards? Score 1 point for each

8. Any credit or debit cards without your signature in permanent ink? Score 2 points for each

9. Any other financial account information (e.g., investments)? Score 2 points for each

Add Up Your Total Score

If your score is 0 - 3, your risk is acceptable.

If your score is 4 - 6, your risk is high.

If your score is 7 or above, you are at very high risk.

The article also mentions several specific tips on avoiding identity theft and is certainly worth reading. By the way, I scored a 4.

What did you score?

Rosemarie Grabowski

PC Security & Identity
Theft Protection
308 687 6085