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Identity Theft Articles
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- 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: 842 - 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: 842 - 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: 841 - Businesses struggling to keep up with latest wave of malware attacks - by Submitted on Feb 29, 2016 from Robert SicilianoCompanies have been struggling for years to keep cyber-attacks at bay. Cyberthieves are working faster than ever before to send out their malicious attacks, and it’s become increasingly difficult for companies to keep up. CNN reports that almost one million malware strains are ...
Views: 839 - 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: 839 - Mother Nature can ruin your business: Get ready for natural disasters now - by Submitted on Sep 28, 2015 from Robert SicilianoSeptember is almost over. This means National Preparedness Month is nearing its end. Nevertheless, you must be prepared all year long to stay safe. National Preparedness Month culminates September 30th with National PrepareAthon Day. In the boxing ring, if you focus on the knockout ...
Views: 839 - 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: 839 - Bank Tellers stealing Identities - by Submitted on Mar 01, 2016 from Robert SicilianoEver consider the possibility that a person gets a job as a bank teller…for the sole purpose of stealing a patron’s identity? Do you realize how easy this would be? No techy hacking skills required. No gun required. So we’ve all been instilled with fear of our bank ...
Views: 838 - Beware of ALL these Scams - by Submitted on Feb 17, 2016 from Robert SicilianoScams targeting older people are probably very under-reported, as seniors don’t want to appear senile. The most vulnerable group is educated men over 55, because, quite frankly, they think they know everything. Sweepstakes/Lottery This scam comes in many forms, but the common ...
Views: 838 - Can the cloud be trusted? - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2016 from Robert SicilianoMost people have heard of storing information in “the cloud,” but do you know what this means, and if it is even safe? A cloud is basically a network of servers that offer different functions. Some of these servers allow you to store data while others provide various services. The ...
Views: 838 - Louisiana Woman Tries to Buy a Million Dollar Home with False Document - by Submitted on Dec 12, 2019 from Robert SicilianoHave you ever seen a house and thought…I wish I could afford that? Some people actually try it, but let this story be a lesson learned: if you can’t afford the cost of a house, you probably shouldn’t try to buy it. Pamela Chandler was arrested and now faces forgery charges ...
Views: 837 - Medical Identity Theft can be deadly - by Submitted on Nov 18, 2015 from Robert SicilianoEvery time you have a medical procedure done, including routine checkups and treatment for minor issues, paperwork is generated. You should have copies of every single paper. This is one line of defense against medical identity theft. Review your paperwork thoroughly for unauthorized or ...
Views: 837 - How to recycle Old Devices - by Submitted on Jan 21, 2016 from Robert SicilianoWhen it comes to tossing into the rubbish your old computer device, out of sight means out of mind, right? Well yeah, maybe to the user. But let’s tack something onto that well-known mantra: Out of site, out of mind, into criminal’s hands. Your discarded smartphone, laptop or ...
Views: 836 - Business Credit Scores 101 - by Submitted on Jun 08, 2016 from Robert SicilianoAre you a small business? Do you know your business’s credit score? The range is zero to 100 for most credit reporting agencies, with at least 75 being desirable if you want to be approved for financing and trade credit (business loan or line of credit), says a report at nav.com and from ...
Views: 835 - 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 - Gift Cards: The Newest Scam that You Should Be Aware of - by Submitted on Oct 27, 2019 from Robert SicilianoHackers are making a lot of money thanks to phishing attacks these days, and now they are also focusing on gift card scams. One of the most notorious scam groups, Scarlet Widow, which is out of Nigeria, has been boosting its efforts to scam people with gift cards since 2015. This group generally ...
Views: 834 - How to use two-factor authentication for critical accounts - by Submitted on Oct 12, 2015 from Robert SicilianoHave a small business? Great. Have two-factor authentication for your accounts? If you’re not sure of the answer to that question, you could be in trouble. October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, the perfect time to learn more about cyber security. As a small business owner, ...
Views: 834 - Self-Defense and Sexual Assault Prevention - by Submitted on Aug 15, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIf you reach your hand to a strange dog loose on the street to pet it on top of the head, and it mauls your hand, whose fault is this? One camp would put most of the blame on the dog owner. But most people would blame the victim. But everyone with half an ounce of sense would agree on one ...
Views: 834 - Why is Cybersecurity Essential for All Business Sectors? - by Submitted on Jun 29, 2021 from Naimisha MLet’s face it In today's digital world our work, personal life, and finances all have begun to gravitate towards the world of the internet, mobile computing, and electronic media. But, this widespread situation makes us prone to more vulnerabilities and risks than ever to malicious attacks, ...
Views: 834(1 vote) - Victim overcomes Identity Theft with Art - by Submitted on Mar 12, 2015 from Robert SicilianoDoes your wallet contain enough information about you for someone to steal your identity and commit crimes under your name? That’s what happened to Jessamyn Lovell when Erin Hart stole her wallet in 2011. Hart shoplifted, checked into hotels and rented cars in Lovell’s name. Of all the ...
Views: 833 - Gemaltos' "EMV For a Week Challenge," starts now! - by Submitted on Feb 10, 2016 from Robert SicilianoAs part of Gemalto’s #ChipAwayAtFraud campaign, I’m being tasked with numerous tasks, some tacky, some essential to living. Gemalto, one of the world’s leaders in digital security, wants a real-world take on the EMV card experience. Which includes the security benefits EMV ...
Views: 832 - 12 Ways To Contain the hack stop the bleeding & eliminating the threat - by Submitted on Mar 07, 2020 from Robert SicilianoHey YOU, SMB, yeah I’m talking to you. There are a number of things that you can do to not only protect your personal information, but also the information you have in your business: Hire a professional – It is entirely possible the small business was hacked because they did not ...
Views: 831 - 45 Home Security Tips That Help to Keep Burglars Away - by Submitted on Mar 20, 2018 from Robert SicilianoIf you have a home, you should be worried about burglars. Here are 44 home security tips that you can use to keep the burglars away: Keep your doors locked all of the time. Use a deadbolt on every door. Don’t leave ladders outside. Teach young kids NOT to answer the door. Make ...
Views: 831(1 vote) - App Tells Who's Digging into Your Personal Data - by Submitted on Jul 31, 2015 from Robert SicilianoDid you know that sometimes, the apps you use for your smartphone have access to your personal information and are capable of sharing it? Are you aware that your privacy can be invaded across the network board? That includes Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google+ and more. And how ...
Views: 831 - Save Money with the Nighthawk 2-in-1 cable modem-router - by Submitted on Dec 03, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIf you are like most people, there are several devices in your home that fight for WiFi connections at any given time. This slows your network, and gives you a shoddy experience. Instead, look into upgrading your system immediately and save some cash too. The Nighthawk is a 2-in-1 cable ...
Views: 829 - Another Rideshare Rape is an Epidemic - by Submitted on Aug 16, 2019 from Robert SicilianoWomen should never take a ride from a stranger because it’s dangerous – unless she’s paying the driver??? Wrong, of course. Uber and Lyft drivers provide paid rides to strangers as requested via the Uber and Lyft apps. As of August 2018 WhosDrivingyou.org tallied the number ...
Views: 828 - The Smart Parent Guide to Digital Literacy - by Submitted on Nov 27, 2019 from Robert SicilianoIf you are the parent of a child or teen who uses the internet, here are some stats you need to know: Stats About Teens and the Internet Teens think that the internet is mostly private They also think that they can make the best decisions for their life online They believe they are safe ...
Views: 828 - How Water Leak Sensors protect your Home - by Submitted on Feb 28, 2016 from Robert SicilianoEver wonder how a water leak sensor actually works? Water comes into contact with the sensor. The sensor makes and electrical contact and send a signal. The sensor transmits a signal to a central station of sorts (kind of like how if extreme heat or a needle comes in contact with your ...
Views: 826 - Opportunities in Government for Skilled Security Personnel - by Submitted on Sep 15, 2015 from Robert SicilianoAs recent data breaches have shown, cyber attacks are particularly threatening to government entities handling sensitive data like Social Security numbers. Unfortunately, state agencies struggle to hire cybersecurity professionals. The cause of this staffing shortage? There simply ...
Views: 825 - Getting Owned or Pwned SUCKS! - by Submitted on Jun 13, 2017 from Robert SicilianoA well done New York Times article recently re-introduced this topic to the masses. Being “owned” isn’t new, but the term is not becoming part of popular culture. If you use the internet or are often on social media, odds are good that you have been OWNED. Whether you are ...
Views: 824 - Must-have Apps for Safe Long Distance Driving - by Submitted on Oct 27, 2016 from Robert SicilianoWhether you’re driving long distance to make a career move, visit family/friends, or just sightsee multiple states, you may be wondering what kind of helpful applications for your phone are out there. There’s just tons, and many fall under the category of convenience, such as apps ...
Views: 824 - Nineways to shop safely on Cyber Monday - by Submitted on Nov 24, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWith Cyber Monday, you don’t have to camp outside in the cold overnight so you can be the first person busting through the doors like on Black Friday. But you still may get trampled to a pulpby cyber scammers waiting for their prey. How can you avoid these predators? You know that ...
Views: 824 - 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 - 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 - Products to keep Kids safe online - by Submitted on Mar 16, 2016 from Robert SicilianoSome people believe that monitoring your kids’ online activities crosses the line of privacy or trust. But monitoring and controlling online activities is, essentially, no different than controlling access to the cookie jar or TV or even locking a liquor cabinet. Which brings me to a ...
Views: 823 - The Password Reset Isn't How to Remember a Password - by Submitted on Oct 17, 2015 from Robert SicilianoConsider a keychain for a moment. For most of us, a keychain holds all of our necessities such as home keys, car keys, work keys and even forgotten keys, that we aren’t quite sure what to do with. Now, think about this. What if your keychain had keys that look identical, but each key only ...
Views: 823 - Beware of the Jury Duty Scam - by Submitted on May 12, 2016 from Robert SicilianoImagine getting a call from someone identifying themselves as a federal court official or U.S. Marshal, informing you that your arrest is imminent unless you pay a cost—all because you failed to respond to a jury summons (which you don’t remember getting). I’d like to think ...
Views: 821 - Pokemon Go a Network Malware Nightmare - by Submitted on Nov 22, 2016 from Robert SicilianoPokémon Go has taken the world by storm, even though it is nothing more than a silly little game that people play on their mobile device. And it is not just child’s play, either. Plenty of adults are hooked on Pokémon Go—including college degreed professionals who ...
Views: 821 - 9-Year-Old Kidnap Victim convinces Abductor to Release Her - by Submitted on Oct 06, 2016 from Robert SicilianoJeannette Tamayo was nine when she was abducted in June 2003, and exhibited a presence of mind that few adults would have in a similar circumstance. Home from school, Jeannette entered her house, unaware that a man had been following her; he entered too, and that’s when the nightmare ...
Views: 820 - Creating an Effective Business Continuity Plan - by Submitted on Jan 04, 2020 from Robert SicilianoMost of us have no idea when a disaster is about to strike, and even if we do have a little warning, it’s very possible that things can go very wrong. This is where you can put a business continuity plan to good use. What does this do? It gives your business the best odds of success ...
Views: 820 - Government risks Consumers' Identities - by Submitted on Jun 14, 2016 from Robert SicilianoGuess who may be compromising the security of your Social Security Number. The Social Security Administration! Yep, that’s right. Did you know that 66 percent of the mail the SSA sends out contains someone’s Social Security number? This is what the inspector general of the SSA, ...
Views: 820 - How the FBI hacks You - by Submitted on Jun 10, 2016 from Robert SicilianoIn a recent Wired.com expose’, they expose how the FBI has been secretly hacking civilian computers for about 20 years, but thanks to Rule 41, their ability to hack has been expanded. Nevertheless, effective record keeping for these hacking incidents doesn’t exist. For instance, ...
Views: 820 - Business Identity Theft: Beware of Identity Thieving Employees - by Submitted on Dec 31, 2015 from Robert SicilianoWow, a lawyer in Memphis got scammed by his secretary—she embezzled over $362,000 from him, says an article on wreg.com. Attorney Jerry Schatz hired Teresa Sumpter, 48, in July of 2013. Little did he know that his assistant would end up stealing checks from his trust account, forging ...
Views: 818 - How to Protect You Frequent Flier Miles NOW - by Submitted on Nov 29, 2018 from Robert SicilianoSocial Security numbers and credit card numbers are not the only types of data that hackers are after. Now, they are looking at frequent flyer accounts, and they are stealing reward miles, and then selling them online. How do Hackers Steal Frequent Flyer Miles? As with other types of ID ...
Views: 817 - Sales Staff Targeted by Cyber Criminals - by Submitted on Oct 27, 2015 from Robert SicilianoCompanies that cut corners by giving cybersecurity training only to their technical staff and the “big wigs” are throwing out the welcome mat to hackers. Cyber criminals know that the ripe fruit to pick is a company’s sales staff. Often, the sales personnel are clueless about ...
Views: 817(1 vote) - 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: 817 - 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: 816 - "Choking Game" Killing Kids, and Authorities Have to Step Up - by Submitted on Jul 11, 2019 from Robert SicilianoIt only took a minute for 12-year old Erik Robinson to die while playing a macabre game called the “Choking Game.” His mother desperately tried to save her son when she found him with a Boy Scout rope around his neck, but it was too late. Erik was brain dead due to lack of oxygen, ...
Views: 815 - Computers perfectly forge Handwriting - by Submitted on Nov 17, 2016 from Robert SicilianoHandwriting analysts really have their work cut out from them now, thanks to the development of new software that can forge—better than a human can—a person’s handwriting. So if you are worried about identity theft, add one more element to the kettle: a crook getting ahold of ...
Views: 815 - How to deal with difficult people - by Submitted on Aug 08, 2015 from Robert SicilianoIt’s been said that nobody can make you feel bad about yourself without your permission. Well bah! Some people don’t wait for your permission to denigrate you. They are toxic. Lifehacker.com offers some ways to deal with such people. Love Yourself If someone’s words have ...
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