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Identity Theft Articles
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- LinkedIn targeted by Scammers - by Submitted on Nov 06, 2015 from Robert SicilianoLinkedIn is a free service that allows professional people to network with each other. Often, a LinkedIn member will receive an e-mail from another LinkedIn member “inviting” them to join their network. Sometimes, the inviter is someone the recipient doesn’t know, but the ...
Views: 876 - Most Locks are stupid easy to pick - by Submitted on Mar 10, 2016 from Robert SicilianoI hate to say this, but…any dummy can learn to pick a lock. This means that the locks on your house’s doors are probably very “pickable” unless you have a top-flight lock system—which few homes actually have. An article on lifehacker.com describes how easy it ...
Views: 876 - Protect your small business against viruses with these tips - by Submitted on Sep 09, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt is September and it’s National Preparedness Month—a great time to get involved in the safety of your community. Make plans to stay safe, and this includes maintaining ongoing communications. National Preparedness Month culminates September 30th with National PrepareAthon! ...
Views: 876 - Spear Phishing: Don’t Take the Bait! - by Submitted on Apr 06, 2017 from Michael PetersDon’t let your business get caught on a spear phisher’s hook. Like regular phishing, spear phishing involves sending legitimate-looking but fraudulent emails asking users to provide sensitive information and/or initiate wire transfers. However, while regular phishing emails are sent out en ...
Views: 876 - State sponsored Attacks big Problem - by Submitted on Sep 30, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe U.S. Office of Personnel Management, an identity database, was attacked by hackers rather recently, and they hit the jackpot: More than 21 million federal workers are at risk of identity theft for perhaps the rest of their lives, reports an article on forbes.com. The hackers from overseas ...
Views: 876 - 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: 876 - Fake News is Becoming Too Real - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2017 from Robert SicilianoFake news is a problem that is taking the internet by storm, and it ran rampant during the 2016 Presidential Election. In fact, many believe that fake news stories had a strong impact on the outcome of the election. In a survey following the election by the Pew Research Center, a whopping 64 ...
Views: 875 - Hackers don't play well with Kids' Toys - by Submitted on Jan 14, 2016 from Robert SicilianoNo company is immune from hackers—even a toy company. Hong Kong based VTech got hit by a hacker recently. This company makes techy educational toys for kids, and its database got breached. Customers go to the Learning Lodge store and download content to their children’s VTech ...
Views: 875 - Ins and Outs of Call Center Security - by Submitted on Sep 23, 2015 from Robert SicilianoCompanies that want to employ at-home workers for their call centers to save money and reduce the hassles of office space have to look at security considerations. In addition to thorough vetting of the agents and their equipment, organizations also need to ensure that the security is top-notch. ...
Views: 875 - 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: 875 - Facebook Photos bust Bank Robber - by Submitted on Nov 17, 2015 from Robert SicilianoDo these bank robbers have bricks for brains? They actually posted photos of themselves with wads of the stolen cash on Facebook, says a story on thesmokinggun.com. The alleged bank robers are John Mogan, 28 and Ashley Duboe, 24, and they’ve been charged with robbing a bank in Ohio. ...
Views: 873 - Covid-19 Remote Desktop Has Significant Risks - by Submitted on Mar 24, 2020 from Robert SicilianoAre you newly working from home? Or are you an old pro? Either way, it is likely you are using some form of remote desktop protocol. Those of us who have been working home as our primary means of earning a living, know these tools very well and are accustomed to eliminating the various ...
Views: 872 - How to build up or rebuild your Credit - by Submitted on Feb 11, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAfter taking all the necessary steps to Fixing a Credit Report after being hacked, it is then tome to rebuild your credit. Bad credit is bad credit no matter how it happens. No matter how responsible you are with your money, you won’t get a loan if there’s no evidence of this. The ...
Views: 872 - How to protect your Mobile Phone from Hackers and Thieves - by Submitted on Sep 01, 2016 from Robert SicilianoLet’s cut to the chase: Regularly back up the phone’s data! If this is done every day, you won’t have to worry much about losing important information if something happens to the phone—such as a ransomware attack. Keep the phone’s software and applications ...
Views: 872 - Self-Monitored Security System Market heating up - by Submitted on Oct 09, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe Angee home security system is the only one with a video camera that rotates 360 degrees as it detects motion. And this high definition camera has smart zones; you can set up specific zones for monitoring. But Angee is more than just a video surveillance setup. It’s a self-monitored ...
Views: 872 - Getting attacked by a Police Dog - by Submitted on Sep 04, 2015 from Robert SicilianoHave you ever seen men getting “attacked” by a police or military dog as part of the dog’s training? The men (I’ve never seen a woman, but I’d like to think there are some strong, feisty women who suit up for this role) wear either just a big padded thing on one of ...
Views: 871 - Celebrate World Password Day in 2016 With These Tips - by Submitted on May 04, 2016 from Robert SicilianoEach year, researchers in security take the time to rate some of the worst passwords found on the Internet. While popular pop culture events have caused waves with the list of the worst passwords of 2015 – think “solo,” “starwars,” and “princess” – ...
Views: 870 - How much is your Data worth online? - by Submitted on Feb 09, 2016 from Robert SicilianoCyber crime sure does pay, according to a report at Intel Security blogs.mcafee.com. There’s a boom in cyber stores that specialize in selling stolen data. In fact, this is getting so big that different kinds of hot data are being packaged—kind of like going to the supermarket and ...
Views: 869 - Secure your home for the holidays - by Submitted on Dec 14, 2015 from Robert SicilianoThe holiday season is ramping up. And so are burglars. Even if you don’t get very festive, burglars may still target your home. Your dark, unlit home among all the dazzling festive homes will stick out like a sore thumb. Whether you have 10,000 decorative lights on or none, here’s ...
Views: 869 - 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: 869 - How to secure your Apartment - by Submitted on Feb 27, 2016 from Robert SicilianoI love that show, “Forensic Files.” Every so often there’s the case of a person who was found murdered in their apartment due to some forced entry. Which brings me to the topic of apartment security. New Apartment Don’t delay in doing a walk-through of the entire ...
Views: 868 - Survive Falling Through Ice - by Submitted on Feb 02, 2017 from Robert SicilianoIt can be truly terrifying to fall through ice on a frozen lake, but if you remain calm, it can save your life. Most people don’t realize that you have more time than you think, according to experts. This is due to the concept of thermoregulation and how your body deals with the shocking ...
Views: 868 - Using a knife for survival - by Submitted on Sep 24, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAn article at indefinitelywild.gizmodo.com informs on how to use a knife safely and efficiently for survival. Safety For outdoors, carry a fixed-blade knife, as this is less likely to break. The knife should always stay in its sheath. Otherwise, you could stumble and fall into it, slicing ...
Views: 868 - Seniors big Target for Romance Scams - by Submitted on Sep 25, 2015 from Robert SicilianoJanet N. Cook, 76, was duped by a dashing younger man. A report at nytimes.com explains that in July 2011 she connected with Kelvin Wells via a dating site. Next thing, this seemingly-together man was in trouble and needed lots of money. Cook got burned; she sent the crook nearly $300,000 ...
Views: 867 - 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: 867 - A Guide to How Hackers Hack - by Submitted on Dec 27, 2019 from Robert SicilianoYou have surely heard of hackers, but do you really know how they work? Hackers are well known for being bad guys, though there are certainly good hackers out there too. Here’s a brief guide to help you understand how a hacker can hack: Directions for Hacking are Easy to Come ...
Views: 866 - Street Fights can result in Death - by Submitted on Aug 17, 2015 from Robert SicilianoPeople who don’t believe they have been brainwashed by the film industry, which repeatedly shows men in a brawl who are still standing after each have received a dozen punches to the head and face. Sometimes it takes five full minutes to just daze a man, after he’s been hit in the ...
Views: 865 - What are Consumer Reports? - by Submitted on Oct 13, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou’ve heard the term “consumer report.” Many times, I’m sure. But do you really know what one is? If you’re nodding your head, would you be able to explain it to a Martian? If not, then you probably do not have a solid understanding of what one is. But lenders, ...
Views: 865 - Another Successful Ransomware Attack - by Submitted on Sep 08, 2016 from Robert SicilianoRansomware thieves sure know how to pick their victims—institutions that store loads of highly critical data that they need on a daily basis, that without—even just 24 hours without—can have crippling effects. This form of cybercrime is growing by leaps and bounds. Recently ...
Views: 864 - Beware of these 4 Scams - by Submitted on Aug 25, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIRS The e-mail (or phone call) says you owe money; if you don’t pay it immediately, you’ll be put in jail or fined.The scammer may know the last four digits of the victim’s Social Security number. Caller ID will be spoofed to look like the call is from the IRS. The ...
Views: 864 - Child Identity theft is becoming Solvable - by Submitted on Oct 20, 2015 from Robert SicilianoYou’ve seen TV commercials and print ads about identity theft, and the “victim” is always an adult. That’s not realistic. The actor-portrayal should be that of a child. Yes, a kid. Children are 51 times more likely than adults to have their identity stolen, says ...
Views: 864 - DoorDash Admits 4.9 Million Affected by Data Breach - by Submitted on Nov 07, 2019 from Robert SicilianoDoorDash has admitted that it has been the victim of a data breach, which has affected about 4.9 million merchants and people. In a recent blog post, DoorDash announced that it noticed some odd activity early in September from a third-party service. After looking into it, the company found ...
Views: 864 - Small Town investigates String of Burglaries - by Submitted on Feb 18, 2015 from Robert SicilianoHome burglaries don’t just happen in the big cities that everyone’s heard of. They can also occur in small towns—simply because the burglar lives in them or in neighboring areas. Such is the case with Kirksville, Missouri. A recent report from heartlandconnection.com tells of ...
Views: 864 - Stop being a blabber on Social Media - by Submitted on Dec 24, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAre you a cyber-blabber? Even a post about your daily afternoon foray to the sub sandwich shop could get you in trouble: A burglar reading this knows when to rob your house. But it doesn’t end there. STOP THE MADNESS! The Giants: Facebook and Twitter Be careful what you post on ...
Views: 864 - Summer of Home Invasions - by Submitted on Sep 17, 2015 from Robert SicilianoEven three men in a house aren’t immune to a home invasion, as was the case in Bedford, Massachusetts recently, says a report at boston.cbslocal.com. Three men broke into the apartment’s second floor at 2 a.m. and attacked the three male occupants. Three men, especially when one ...
Views: 864 - Case allows Employees to run amok on Social Media - by Submitted on Nov 24, 2016 from Robert SicilianoLesson learned: If you run a fast-food restaurant or any company for that matter, you’d better treat your employees right. After all, they have a legal right to tweet all they want about you. A Chipotle Mexican Grill in Havertown, PA, had a ban in place: Employees are prohibited from ...
Views: 863 - How to save money by using a VPN: the things you have never heard about - by Submitted on Nov 18, 2019 from Dean ChesterHow to save money by using a VPN: the things you have never heard about "Big Brother is watching you" is not just a motto from the Orwell's book but an everyday reality. Nowadays even a teenager knows that our online activity is far from being private. What sites we visit, what people we talk ...
Views: 862 - Top Cyber Threats Organizations Are Facing Right Now - by Submitted on Jul 26, 2018 from Michael PetersCyber security is a continuous game of Spy vs. Spy. Every time a new technology is introduced, the potential attack surface expands. The moment one vulnerability is patched, hackers find another way in. Keeping up can feel overwhelming, even for security professionals. In no particular order, ...
Views: 862 - Blackhat Hackers Love Office Printers - by Submitted on Jul 28, 2017 from Robert SicilianoThe term, or in this case the word “blackhat” in tech generally refers to a criminal hacker. The opposite of black is white and a “whitehat” is a security professional. These terms originate from the “spaghetti western” movies when the bad guy cowboy wore a ...
Views: 861 - Raising a Boy to Be a Man, not a Sex Predator - by Submitted on Jan 23, 2020 from Robert SicilianoIf you looked at a photo of a baby boy, could you ever predict that he would grow up to become a sexual predator? Probably not. However, a study shows that men who commit sexual crimes are more likely to have something called an “anxious attachment” to their mothers due to feeling ...
Views: 861 - What is Two-Factor Authentication and How Does it Work? - by Submitted on Nov 22, 2019 from Robert SicilianoThere are a number of ways that you can protect yourself online, and one of the things you can do is to start using two-factor authentication. You probably have seen two-factor authentication even if you aren’t sure what it is. For instance, if you do online banking, your bank might ...
Views: 861 - ISPs invading Subscriber's Privacy - by Submitted on Jul 26, 2017 from Robert SicilianoIt’s hard to keep track of the news of politics these days, and even if you can, how do you know it’s even real? The political landscape has greatly changed since January, and there have been a lot of laws passed that will affect us all, including the repeal of a law that protected ...
Views: 860 - Ransomware Attacks Show that Healthcare Must Take Cybersecurity Seriously - by Submitted on Apr 10, 2017 from Michael PetersWhile healthcare providers and healthcare industry vendors cannot afford to ignore HIPAA compliance, a new threat emerged in 2016 and has only gotten bigger in the past year: ransomware attacks on hospitals and healthcare providers that are not seeking to breach patient information but instead ...
Views: 860 - Top 3 Social Engineering Scams - by Submitted on Jan 12, 2017 from Robert SicilianoThink about hackers breaking into accounts. If you think they need top-notch computer skills, you would be wrong. These days, instead of requiring skills behind a keyboard, hackers generally rely on strategy…specifically a strategy called social engineering. This means that hackers ...
Views: 859 - 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: 859 - How to Choose a Home Security Safe - by Submitted on Oct 21, 2015 from Robert SicilianoHome safes aren’t just for expensive jewels and wads of $100 bills. They can be for anything you’d be crushed about if it were stolen, lost or burnt in a fire. This could be a birthday card that your child made for you when they were five, or a photo of you and your ...
Views: 858 - Keep Accountant happy and Thieves out - by Submitted on Dec 18, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAre you a shredder? I hope so. No identity thief on this planet is going to want to attempt to reconstruct cross-shredded documents. So what, then, should you make a habit of shredding? All financial documents and information, including financial information you’ve jotted on a ...
Views: 858 - Medical Identity Theft: 12 Million Patients Breached - by Submitted on Oct 17, 2019 from Robert SicilianoQuest Diagnostics is a US-based company that provides medical testing services, and announced that it used third-party billing collection companies that were hit by a severe data breach. In fact, about 11.9 million Quest customers were affected. The compromised information could include ...
Views: 858 - Oh No, iOS Hacked by NSO - by Submitted on Dec 22, 2016 from Robert SicilianoRecently, says a report at wired.com, it’s been unveiled that the obscure Israel-based NSO Group has been selling spyware delivered to smartphones through vulnerabilities in Apple’s iOS operating system. “Pegasus” spyware can put a surveillance out on nearly everything ...
Views: 858 - How to prevent IRS scams - by Submitted on Mar 09, 2016 from Robert SicilianoOnce a thief knows your Social Security number…you’re at very high risk for having your identity stolen. A report on bankrate.com says that the IRS is warning of a cyber attack on its electronic filing PIN application. Thieves infiltrated it with malware in an attempt to claim ...
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