Stop Identity Theft Crime

THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE’S EFFORTS TO COMBAT IDENTITY THEFT (or NOT!)

2010-06-03T16:42:00.000-07:00

The Office of the Inspector General conducted an audit on DOJ's efforts to combat identity theft. The report was released in March of this year. Not a glowing report by any means.

From the report:

Results in Brief
Overall we found that DOJ components responsible for combating identity theft have undertaken various efforts to fight this widespread crime. Several of the initiatives were in response to recommendations made by the President’s Task Force, while others were undertaken by the components before the Task Force was established. Although some of these efforts have had success, in other instances the components did not address the recommendations of the President’s Task Force. We also found that to some degree identity theft initiatives have faded as priorities.

In addition, we found that DOJ has not developed a coordinated plan to combat identity theft separate from the recommendations of the President’s Task Force. Representatives from every DOJ component involved in this review told us that they have not received guidance from DOJ’s leadership since the Task Force concluded its work. Further, DOJ did not assign any person or office with the responsibility to coordinate DOJ’s efforts to combat identity theft and to ensure that DOJ components further implement the recommendations of the President’s Task Force where appropriate. We believe the DOJ needs to ensure that its efforts to combat identity theft are coordinated and are given sufficient priority.

In our report, we make 14 recommendations to improve DOJ’s efforts to combat identity theft. The remaining sections of this Executive Summary provide a further description of our audit findings....

...Executive Office for United States Attorneys and United States Attorneys’ Offices
According to the President’s Task Force, one of the shortcomings in the federal government’s ability to understand and respond effectively to identity theft was the lack of comprehensive statistical data on law enforcement’s efforts to combat it....

Number of Defendants Charged and Convicted Pursuant to the Federal Identity Theft and Aggravated Identity Theft Statutes in 2009
Charged - 769
Convicted - 432

Attorney Work Years Charged to Federal Identity Theft and Aggravated Identity Theft Prosecutions
45.62 work years
(According to EOUSA, the term “work year” is used when defining the productive efforts of one individual for one year. One work year for a federal employee is typically equal to 2080 hours)

To read or download the whole 65 page audit click here!

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft". Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration). Educate yourself and call me at (909) 208-3728 or send a blank email for more info to joerecommends (at)aweber.com! Shameless plug the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

FTC Extends Enforcement Deadline for Identity Theft Red Flags Rule

2010-06-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Well, as expected, the FTC delays enforcement of the Red Flags Rule again. For about the 5th time. Surprisingly after the an audit by the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General revealed that while the FBI and Justice Department have made "various efforts" to fight identity theft crimes in recent years, these initiatives have "faded as priorities" mainly because the agencies have failed to develop a coordinated plan to deal with what's become an epidemic of cybercrimes.(Watch for this upcoming blog entry)

Anyway, here is the press release:

FTC Extends Enforcement Deadline for Identity Theft Red Flags Rule

At the request of several Members of Congress, the Federal Trade Commission is further delaying enforcement of the “Red Flags” Rule through December 31, 2010, while Congress considers legislation that would affect the scope of entities covered by the Rule. Today’s announcement and the release of an Enforcement Policy Statement do not affect other federal agencies’ enforcement of the original November 1, 2008 deadline for institutions subject to their oversight to be in compliance.

“Congress needs to fix the unintended consequences of the legislation establishing the Red Flags Rule – and to fix this problem quickly. We appreciate the efforts of Congressmen Barney Frank and John Adler for getting a clarifying measure passed in the House, and hope action in the Senate will be swift,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said. “As an agency we’re charged with enforcing the law, and endless extensions delay enforcement.”

The Rule was developed under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, in which Congress directed the FTC and other agencies to develop regulations requiring “creditors” and “financial institutions” to address the risk of identity theft. The resulting Red Flags Rule requires all such entities that have “covered accounts” to develop and implement written identity theft prevention programs to help identify, detect, and respond to patterns, practices, or specific activities – known as “red flags” – that could indicate identity theft.

The Rule became effective on January 1, 2008, with full compliance for all covered entities originally required by November 1, 2008. The Commission has issued several Enforcement Policies delaying enforcement of the Rule. Most recently, the Commission announced in October 2009 that at the request of certain Members of Congress, it was delaying enforcement of the Rule until June 1, 2010, to allow Congress time to finalize legislation that would limit the scope of business covered by the Rule. Since then, the Commission has received another request from Members of Congress for another delay in enforcement of the Rule beyond June 1, 2010.

The Commission urges Congress to act quickly to pass legislation that will resolve any questions as to which entities are covered by the Rule and obviate the need for further enforcement delays. If Congress passes legislation limiting the scope of the Red Flags Rule with an effective date earlier than December 31, 2010, the Commission will begin enforcement as of that effective date.

In the interim, FTC staff has continued to provide guidance, both through materials posted on www.ftc.gov/redflagsrule, and in speeches and participation in seminars, conferences and other training events to numerous groups. The FTC also published a compliance guide for business, and created a template that enables low risk entities to create an identity theft program with an easy-to-use online form (www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/redflagsrule/get-started.shtm). The FTC staff also has published numerous general and industry-specific articles, released a video explaining the Rule, and continues to respond to inquiries from the public. To assist further with compliance, FTC staff has worked with a number of trade associations that have chosen to develop model policies or specialized guidance for their members.

As was the case previously, this enforcement delay is limited to the Red Flags Rule and does not extend to the rule regarding address discrepancies applicable to users of consumer reports (16 C.F.R.§641), or to the rule regarding changes of address applicable to card issuers (16 C.F.R.§681.2).

For questions regarding this Enforcement Policy, please contact Naomi Lefkovitz or Pavneet Singh, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-2252.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,800 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.

MEDIA CONTACT:: Office of Public Affairs202-326-2180

(Red Flags May 2010)

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration). Educate yourself and call me at (909) 208-3728 or send a blank email for more info to joerecommends (at)aweber.com! Shameless plug the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

I'm Back! and Are Copy Machines a Security Risk?

2010-05-18T13:56:00.000-07:00

First, I want to apologize since it's been 4 months since I last posted. Where does the time go. Just got caught up in life, business, moving etc and had limited time. But now I'm back to keep everyone educated in the wicked wide world of Identity Theft and how to protect yourself.

Secondly, the following is from a CBS news story on copy machine security risks. Since the creation of digital copiers in about 2002, most people do not know that everything copied, printed, emailed or faxed is retained on a hard drive. PROBLEM: Most companies either lease or just sell off old machines leaving the hard drive intact. An identity thief's drooling payday.

Watch the video below. It actually starts after the brief commercial.

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration). Educate yourself and call me at (909) 208-3728 or send a blank email for more info to joerecommends (at)aweber.com! Shameless plug the Best Identity Theft Protection available dot com

What is 222,477,043?

2010-01-14T11:43:00.000-08:00

That is the number of records compromised in 498 data breaches in 2009! Was your personal information one of those records. If so, I hope you have some type of identity theft protection. If not, don't be like an ostrich with your head stuck in the sand thinking the lion won't bite you because you don't see him. Get protected now! It is better to be proactive not reactive when it comes to identity theft.

Visit my shameless plug below to get protected for as low as $9.95 per month for a couple. Add your children (up to 4) for an additional $1/month. This is the best protection on the planet and it comes with restoration services included.

For a copy of the above mentioned Breach report click here! or on the title above.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Happy Holidays and some Catch Up

2009-12-26T08:24:00.000-08:00

Once again, I have been remiss in my duties of posting, mostly due to the Holidays. However, here is some current id theft news.

Heartland Payment Systems will pay $3.6 million to American Express to settle charges relating to Heartland's landmark data breach. The payment, Heartland says in a press release announcing the settlement, resolves "all intrusion-related issues between the two parties" regarding the breach of an estimated 130 million credit and debit cards.

Credit card companies, including American Express, Visa and MasterCard, were forced to cancel and reissue credit cards because of the Heartland data breach. Banks and credit unions have also sued the payments processor to recoup the costs of reissuing cards and to cover the cost of fraud that resulted from the breach.

Earlier this year, Heartland said it had put aside more than $12 million to cover the charges related to the breach. Heartland is expected to be fined by other brands, including Visa and MasterCard.
___________________________

So far this year, there has been 483 data security breaches with 222,305,800 exposed records. To see the full report click here.
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Was Citibank the Victim of a Massive Breach?

Citigroup Denies News Report of Multi-Million Dollar Hack

December 23, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

Was Citibank breached by hackers who siphoned tens of millions of dollars from the bank's customers?

The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday reported news of an FBI investigation into an alleged Citibank computer security breach by hackers linked to a Russian cyber gang.

Citigroup executives, however, categorically deny the breach and investigation at Citibank.

"We had no breach of the system and there were no losses, no customer losses, no bank losses," says Joe Petro, managing director of Citigroup's Security and Investigative services. "Any allegation that the FBI is working a case at Citigroup involving tens of millions of losses is just not true."

Few details were given about the alleged attack, which is reported to have involved two other entities, one of them a U.S. government agency. The Citibank attack was reportedly discovered in the summer, but may have actually happened months or even a year earlier. The breach is said to have been detected by law enforcement agents who saw activity on Internet addresses previously used by the Russian Business Network, a Russian-based gang. Two years ago, RBN went quiet, but it is suspected by observers the group has reformed into smaller sects.

Whether the breach did or did not occur, security experts agree on one point: Large banking institutions are under constant attack, and this report should remind them to stay on alert for suspicious activity.(Full story at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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HR 2221 Passes Through the House - Now goes to Senate

2009-12-11T12:50:00.000-08:00

H.R.2221 - Also known as the Data Accountability and Trust Act was passed by the House this week and now moves to the Senate.

The bill would create nationwide rules for notifying potential victims of identify theft when their personal information that’s stored electronically is improperly exposed.

The bill was introduced in April by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) Under this legislation, companies that hold people’s personal data would be required to notify the affected people who are U.S. citizens and residents and the Federal Trade Commission if people are put at risk by a security breach to a system that holds the electronic data.

If passed, H.R. 2221 would preempt related state information security laws. This federal mandate could simplify a complex patchwork of state laws that have been passed without a federal mandate.

Notification, to those individuals whose information is compromised in a breach, would have to happen within 60 days of the discovery unless notification would jeopardize a law enforcement investigation or National Security. The legislation would apply to entities under the jurisdiction of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

Exemption: Companies would be exempt from the notification requirements if they determine that there is no “reasonable risk of identity theft, fraud, or other unlawful conduct.” If electronic data is made unusable, unreadable or indecipherable by encryption, the presumption under the law would be that there was no reasonable risk after a security breach.

California was the first State to pass a Breach Notification law and all States should have one. However, a National Federal law adds more teeth to bite the criminal with, that is if they are caught.

For a copy of H.R. 2221 from the Government Printing Office click here!

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Health Net Loses Information on Almost 1/2 million Clients

2009-11-19T09:59:00.000-08:00

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal investigating Health Net data breach. (He sure has been busy this month with Blue Shield's breach as well)

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said today his office is investigating a data breach by health insurer Health Net, which led to the loss of almost 450,000 Connecticut residents' health, personal and financial information.

Blumenthal said Health Net lost the information in May, but never informed consumers, the police or his office about the loss of information until today.

He said the six-month delay in giving notice to consumers and the state could be a violation of the law.

"I am outraged and appalled by Health Net's huge loss of personal, financial and medical information and its failure to swiftly inform authorities and consumers," Blumenthal said. "This information vanished six months ago, but Health Net is only now informing authorities and consumers, an inexcusable and inexplicable delay."

Blumenthal said the information was on a hard drive that disappeared from Health Net's Shelton office. The hard drive included all data on 446,000 Connecticut patients, including health information, as well as financial and personal data such as social security and bank account numbers. The data was compressed, but not encrypted, although a specialized computer program is required to read it.

...."My investigation will seek to establish what happened and why the company kept its customers and the state in the dark for so long," Blumenthal added. "The company's failure to safeguard such sensitive information and inform consumers of its loss -- leaving them naked to identity theft -- may have violated state and federal laws. I will vigorously and aggressively seek damages, penalties and other appropriate remedies, if warranted." (full text at www.hartfordbusiness.com)

Here is a link to Health Net's release http://healthnet.tekgroup.com/press_kits.cfm?presskit_id=13

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Kroll Fraud Solutions Helps Organizations Find and Fix Data Security Vulnerabilities

2009-11-18T12:31:00.000-08:00

New Kroll Security Risk Assessment enables organizations to measure current levels of data protection and address unacceptable exposure with ease and minimal internal resource requirements

Identity theft experts at Kroll Fraud Solutions have upgraded their comprehensive Security Risk Assessment to help impacted organizations identify existing data risk hot spots and determine how well-protected the exposures are at current security levels.

The Security Risk Assessment features improved usability, increased scope of analysis, and next steps to better help organizations ensure that existing safeguards are keeping pace with the evolution of data breach types, be they targeted or accidental forms of data loss and exposure.

Kroll’s upgraded Security Risk Assessment features:

A series of 38 detailed questions that cover 12 risk “domains,” which consist of areas such as administrative, technical and physical security. The questionnaire is completed by the organization and returned to Kroll for scoring.
A proprietary algorithm executed by Kroll that calculates organizational risk based on the organization’s specific responses.
A scored report for the organization, accompanied by a focused set of recommendations unique to the organization’s situation.

With this upgrade, organizations will be able to pinpoint specific data security risks and use industry-leading recommendations to strengthen security in areas that pose the greatest threat to their enterprise. This assessment is part of Kroll’s multi-faceted breach preparedness program.

WHEN -- Starting today, a demonstration of the new Kroll Security Risk Assessment will be available on the Kroll Fraud Solutions Web site.

HOW -- For more information, visit: http://www.krollfraudsolutions.com or call 1-866-419-2052.

About Kroll

Kroll, the world's leading risk consulting company, provides a broad range of investigative, intelligence, financial, security and technology services to help clients reduce risks, solve problems and capitalize on opportunities. Kroll Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE: MMC), the global professional services firm. Kroll began providing identity theft solutions in 1999 and created its Fraud Solutions practice in 2002 in response to increasing requests from clients for counsel and services associated with the loss of sensitive personal information, and related identity protection and restoration issues facing organizations and individuals. Since then, Kroll’s Fraud Solutions clients have included Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, and government entities dealing with healthcare, financial services, insurance, consumer service, and any activity involving the collection and use of personal information. Kroll’s Fraud Solutions team presently serves over 10,000 businesses and millions of individual consumers. For more information, visit: www.krollfraudsolutions.com.

To protect yourself and family against identity theft, put Kroll on your side by visiting my shameless plug below.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Hackers get $9.4 million in just 12 hours

2009-11-14T10:58:00.000-08:00

Eight charged in elaborate theft of debit card data
By Byron Acohido, USA TODAY

A U.S. grand jury on Tuesday indicted eight foreigners on charges stemming from an elaborate cyberheist that began by hacking debit card data from Atlanta-based payments processor RBS WorldPay, then using the data to extract millions from ATMs around the world in just 12 hours.

Acting U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates called it "perhaps the most sophisticated and organized computer fraud attack ever conducted." She credited "unprecedented cooperation" between the U.S. and Estonia for cracking the case.

....Viktor Pleshchuk, 28, of St. Petersburg, Russia; Sergei Tsurikov, 25, of Tallinn, Estonia; and Oleg Covelin, 28, of Chisinau, Moldova, were charged with wire fraud, computer fraud and identity theft, along with five others.

In November 2008, the trio allegedly hacked into RBS WorldPay's computer network, then cracked the encryption codes protecting account numbers and PINs for 44 prepaid payroll accounts. Companies use such accounts to distribute salaries via debit cards, which employees use at ATMs to withdraw their pay.
Yates says the thieves raised the payroll account limits, then arranged to have the stolen account numbers embedded on the magnetic stripes of blank payment cards. Finally, they set into motion an army of "cashers" in 280 cities worldwide.

In just 12 hours, using the counterfeit cards, the cashers withdrew $9.4 million from more than 2,100 ATMs in the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Estonia, Italy, Hong Kong, Japan and Canada, says Yates....(full story at www.usatoday.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Connecticut AG More Than Upset with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield

2009-11-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

Connecticut Attorney General's Office

Press Release

Attorney General Investigating Blue Cross Blue Shield Data Breach Affecting 18,000 CT Health Care Professionals, Seeks Additional Protection For Victims

November 9, 2009

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is investigating Blue Cross Blue Shield’s loss of confidential information, including tax identification and some Social Security numbers, for all 18,817 of its individual Connecticut health care providers, as well as seeking additional identity theft protection for affected doctors, therapists and other professionals.

Blumenthal said that the company and its affiliates may have violated state law by losing the information and failing to notify providers in a timely manner. The companies are offering professionals one year of identity theft protection, but Blumenthal called these measures “inadequate and unacceptable, and said, “I will fight for at least two years.”

Blumenthal said the information was lost when a laptop was stolen on August 25. The laptop held information on the companies’ providers nationwide, including names, addresses, tax identification and provider numbers and some Social Security numbers.

Although the computer was stolen in late August, Blue Cross Blue Shield and its related companies Anthem and Empire failed to inform health care providers until late last month.
“As appalling as the data loss, equally alarming and potentially illegal is the delay in disclosing it,” Blumenthal said. “We are vigorously investigating this appalling data loss, needlessly exposing more than 18,000 Connecticut doctors and professionals to devastating identity theft.

“Failing to promptly notify providers of the breach is inexcusable — and a possible violation of state law. Waiting two months left providers severely at risk — needlessly and irresponsibly exposing them to financial mayhem.

“My office demands a full accounting from Blue Cross Blue Shield — healthcare providers affected, details of the loss, protections for professionals, policies and procedures for data loss and other information. State laws mandate that companies fully secure sensitive personal information and quickly disclose breaches — laws the companies may have broken.

“Anthem’s one year of identity theft protection is inadequate and unacceptable. Connecticut doctors and health care professionals expect and deserve a stronger shield against identity loss. I will fight for greater safeguards, including longer identity theft protection, as I have done in other data breaches.

“For identity thieves, private personal data is as good as gold — and should be secured with equal vigor and vigilance. Companies must closely protect Social Security numbers and other sensitive data.”

In addition to protections provided by the companies, Blumenthal said that health care providers can protect themselves by asking the three major credit rating agencies to place a free “Fraud Alert” on their credit reports. The companies are: Equifax – 1-800-525-6285; Experian – 1-888-397-3742; TransUnion – 1-800-680-7289.

Health care providers can also have the major credit rating agencies “freeze” their credit, meaning no new credit can be taken out in their names without their express authorization. A credit freeze request must be made in writing by certified mail to one of the three major credit rating agencies, Equifax, Experian and Transunion.

Credit bureaus charge $10 to freeze and $12 to temporarily un-freeze credit. Blumenthal will seek reimbursement to health care providers for credit freezes and un-freezes.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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FTC Extends Enforcement Deadline For Red Flags Rule Again!

2009-11-05T11:52:00.000-08:00

At the request of Members of Congress, the Federal Trade Commission is delaying enforcement of the “Red Flags” Rule until June 1, 2010, for financial institutions and creditors subject to enforcement by the FTC.

The Rule was promulgated under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, in which Congress directed the Commission and other agencies to develop regulations requiring “creditors” and “financial institutions” to address the risk of identity theft. The resulting Red Flags Rule requires all such entities that have “covered accounts” to develop and implement written identity theft prevention programs to help identify, detect, and respond to patterns, practices, or specific activities – known as “red flags” – that could indicate identity theft.

The Commission previously delayed the enforcement of the Rule for entities under its jurisdiction until November 1, 2009. The Commission staff has continued to provide guidance to entities within its jurisdiction, both through materials posted on the dedicated Red Flags Rule Web site (www.ftc.gov/redflagsrule), and in speeches and participation in seminars, conferences and other training events to numerous groups. The Commission also published a compliance guide for business, and created a template that enables low risk entities to create an identity theft program with an easy-to-use online form. FTC staff has published numerous general and industry-specific articles, released a video explaining the Rule, and continues to respond to inquiries from the public. To assist further with compliance, FTC staff has worked with a number of trade associations that have chosen to develop model policies or specialized guidance for their members.

On October 30, 2009, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the FTC may not apply the Red Flags Rule to attorneys. Today’s announcement that the Commission will delay enforcement of the Rule until June 1, 2010, does not affect the separate timeline of that proceeding and any possible appeals. Nor does it affect other federal agencies’ ongoing enforcement for financial institutions and creditors subject to their oversight.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,700 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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CalOptima Reports Data Breach That Could Affect 68,000 Members

2009-10-28T16:50:00.000-07:00

Unencrypted CDs containing names, diagnosis codes, Social Security numbers and other information for about 68,000 CalOptima members have been lost, sparking concerns about identity theft, Computerworld reports.

CalOptima is Orange County's Medi-Cal managed care plan. Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program.

In a statement, CalOptima explained that a claims scanning vendor had sent the CDs to CalOptima via certified mail, but CalOptima only received the outside packaging, not the box with the CDs.

A spokesperson for the health plan said there is no evidence that the CDs were stolen (Vijayan, Computerworld, 10/26).

The statement said that CalOptima informed state and federal agencies of the situation on Oct. 14 and posted an alert on its Web site on Oct. 15 (Goedert, Health Data Management, 10/26).

CalOptima is making arrangements to offer credit monitoring services to members affected by the breach (Computerworld, 10/26).

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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FORMER WACHOVIA BANK EMPLOYEE CONVICTED OF BANK FRAUD AND AGGRAVATED IDENTITY THEFT

2009-10-28T16:35:00.000-07:00

Juan Rombado, a former Wachovia Bank employee, has been convicted of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft arising from several schemes aimed at defrauding his employer through the theft of customer identities, United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced. Indicted and arrested in August 2009, Rombado pleaded guilty to both counts before United States District Judge Vanessa Gilmore.

Rombado, 46, of Houston, admitted that while employed at the N. Eldridge Parkway branch of Wachovia Bank as a financial specialist between March 2007 through Nov. 23, 2007, he used his position to knowingly execute various schemes to defraud Wachovia Bank to obtain money through check kiting. In this scheme, Rombado unlawfully possessed and used the names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers of Wachovia Bank’s loan applicants to unlawfully open bank accounts under the name “Corsan Group,” and then wrote checks from the unfunded accounts knowing they had insufficient funds. Rombado deposited the unfunded checks into his personal bank account and immediately withdrew the funds represented by the fraudulent checks, taking advantage of the time elapsed between the unfunded deposits to his personal account and the money being deducted from the fraudulent accounts.

In addition to the check kiting scheme, Rombado used Wachovia Bank’s customers’ identities to apply for and use unauthorized access devices, namely credit cards. During roughly an eight-month period, Rombado obtained in excess of $1,000 through the use of the credit card. Lastly, Rombado used his position at the bank to embezzle funds from Wachovia Bank customers’ accounts by making unauthorized funds transfers from the customers’ accounts to his personal account. Through the execution of this scheme, Rombado took approximately $16,742.75 from the bank.

Judge Gilmore has set sentencing for Feb. 23, 2010. Rombado faces up to 30 years imprisonment and a $1 million fine for the bank fraud conviction. The aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory sentence of two years imprisonment to be served consecutive to the sentence imposed for the bank fraud conviction. Rombado will remain free on a $50 thousand bond pending sentencing.

The charges against Rombado are the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Secret Service and the Houston Area Fraud Task Force. Special Assistant United States Attorney Justo A. Mendez is prosecuting the case.

Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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H.R.3763 - To amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to provide for an exclusion from Red Flag Guidelines for certain businesses.

2009-10-21T10:42:00.000-07:00

Official Summary

10/8/2009--Introduced.Amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act with respect to the duties of users of consumer reports who take adverse actions on the basis of information contained in such reports. Excludes any health care practice, accounting practice, or legal practice with 20 or fewer employees from the meaning of creditor subject to Red Flag Guidelines regarding identity theft promulgated by the proper federal financial regulatory agency. Excludes any other business which the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) determines:
(1) knows all its customers or clients individually;
(2) only performs services in or around the residences of its customers; or
(3) has not experienced incidents of identity theft, and identity theft is rare for businesses of that type. States that such exclusion shall no longer apply to any business that can no longer meet such eligibility criteria.

If this bill passes it will exclude about 90% of healthcare professionals from having to comply with the FTC's Red Flags Rule Amendment to the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA). I have added a widget on the top of the blog so if you are interested, you can follow this bill by visiting my blog.

Enforcement of the Red Flags is to begin on11/01/09.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Sixty-six percent of U.S. adults say they worry "frequently" or "occasionally" about being a victim of identity theft

2009-10-21T05:15:00.000-07:00

Being a victim of car theft or home burglary when away rank a distant second
by Lydia Saad

PRINCETON, NJ -- Identity theft debuts on Gallup's Crime survey as Americans' top-ranked crime concern. Sixty-six percent of U.S. adults say they worry "frequently" or "occasionally" about being a victim of identity theft, higher than the reported anxiety about 11 other types of crime and the only crime that a majority worry about at least occasionally.
Gallup trends measuring Americans' fear of being victims of specific crimes date back several decades, but for each of 10 crimes, the question has been updated annually on Gallup's Crime survey since 2000. Terrorism was added to the list in 2001, and 2009 marks the first year identity theft has been included.
Men and women are about equally likely to say they worry about identity theft, but there are differences by income. Americans in households earning less than $30,000 per year are significantly less likely to say they worry frequently or occasionally about this crime than are those making higher amounts.

However, other data in the Oct. 1-4 survey suggest that identity theft is not related to income. According to respondents' self-reports of their crime victimization in the past year, 12% of low-income Americans -- identical to the percentage in high-income households -- say that they or another member of their household was the victim of identity theft in the past year. (Full report at www.gallup.com)

There is one comment in Lydia Saad's story that is incorrect. She wrote: "Although most victims can quickly undo the damage by canceling their credit cards,..." This may be true for some financial identity theft but financial only is about 22-25% of all identity theft. Canceling a credit card will not help if you are a victim of social security, drivers license, criminal or medical identity theft which was up 400% last year.

That is why when obtaining Identity Theft protection, choose a company that offers restoration for all areas of id theft such as the one I offer. Visit my shameless plug below for more information. And we also now protect child identities.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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New Phishing Attacks Target Institutions in Four States

2009-10-20T15:23:00.000-07:00

CA., NY, PA and WI Customers Victimized by Text, Phone Messages
October 13, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

A fresh string of phishing attacks have struck financial institutions nationwide over the past two weeks, with customers of 10 banks and credit unions in California, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin receiving fraudulent text messages or automated phone calls.
These incidents are concurrent with a new report from the Anti-Phishing Working Group, which says such attacks are up nearly 600 percent this year.
Text Messaging Scams

Members 1st Federal Credit Union of central Pennsylvania reported on Sept. 28 that it received calls from customers about text messages claiming that their cards were blocked. The calls were purportedly from Members 1st, and the customer phones that were targeted were reportedly AT&T mobile phones.....
.....Similar attacks happened on Oct. 2 in Nebraska to Greater Omaha Credit Union customers. Omaha police say the phishers sent text messages to mobile phones in the Omaha area, claiming their bank card had been deactivated and instructing them to call an 877 number to reactivate it. At least one customer fell victim, losing several hundred dollars to phishers located in Huntington Beach, CA. "Once he changed his PIN, somebody went in and withdrew the money," said Richard Patterson, president of Greater Omaha Federal Credit Union....

...How the scam works: Fraudsters learn the first three digits for certain cell phone providers in an area and just dial in remaining digits for mass texting, hoping to catch customers...

California Bank Hit in Automated Attack
The phishing scam that hit Liberty Bank, Boulder Creek, CA on Oct. 2, is still happening. The bank reports that an automated phone call phishing scam references Liberty Bank by name, making the scam more believable to unsuspecting bank customers.
Listen to the automated vishing call:

The Santa Cruz Sheriff's office initially handled the investigation, but the case has been turned over to the FBI, says Jill Hitchman, first vice president of the bank. "We've been told that Bank of America, Wells Fargo Bank, Citibank and some credit unions as far away as Humboldt County have been targeted," Hitchman says.
Residents of San Lorenzo Valley and parts of Santa Cruz reported receiving automated phone calls, purportedly from Liberty Bank, saying, "Your card has been suspended because we believe it was accessed by a third party. Please press 1 now to be transferred to our security department."
Customers who pressed "1" were asked to enter their credit/debit card number and personal identification number. Once usernames and passwords to a web-based e-mail account are captured from a customer, criminals can access the login information and transfer money out, Hitchman says.
Hitchman explains that the phishers used phone systems that were hijacked in small companies to make the calls. "They used voice over IP technology to get into the back door of these companies," she says. This recording is the actual message that customers heard from the phishers. (full text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

NOTE: In April while in Michigan, I answered two calls at my sister's home that were of this nature and "Caller id spoofing" was used as well. Read the article on caller id spoofing here.

This article is from a week ago. Sorry, I missed it the first time.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Payroll Processor Breached Twice in One Month

2009-10-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

PayChoice Warns Business Clients of Network Breaches, Potential Fraud
October 19, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor
For the second time in less than a month, New Jersey-based payroll processor PayChoice has alerted customers to a network breach.
PayChoice, based in Moorestown, NJ, had to take its Online Employer site offline last Thursday for a short time after the latest security breach was discovered. While the exact cause of the breach was not revealed, the company says it has taken new precautions.
"PayChoice deployed additional security measures to protect client data after the company identified a key mechanism used by online attackers," says CEO Robert Digby. PayChoice's Online Employer site was briefly taken offline after the company discovered the breach, which occurred on Oct. 14. Digby says PayChoice has reopened the site with most functionality after protecting against the methods used in the attack.
The payroll processing company, which boasts more than 125,000 business clients, warned its customers by letter about the new breach after some clients reported "phantom" employees showing up on their payrolls.
The message to PayChoice customers indicated that the hackers may have stolen customer login IDs and passwords by going through a hole in security on the website feature that helps customers change their password. PayChoice says it turned off the change-password feature to fix the vulnerability. (Full text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Online Crime up Nearly 600% in '09

2009-10-07T17:40:00.000-07:00

Expert: 'The Internet Has Never Been More Dangerous'
October 5, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

Bogus security software applications are among the types of electronic crimes that grew 585 percent over the first half of this year, according to a new study.
The Anti Phishing Working Group's (APWG) latest report shows that rogue anti-malware programs, infected computers and crimeware broke new records in the first half of 2009. The report shows that criminals are innovative and have "apparently unchecked ambition" with crimeware designed to target financial institutions' customers....
....The report also shows:
The number of unique phishing websites detected in June rose to 49,084 -- the highest since April, 2007's record of 55,643, and the second-highest recorded since APWG began reporting this measurement.

The number of hijacked brands ascended to an all-time high of 310 in March and remained at an elevated level to the close of the half in June.

The total number of infected computers rose more than 66 percent to 11,937,944 - now more than 54 percent of the total sample of scanned computers.

Payment Services became phishing's most targeted sector, displacing Financial Services. Jevans notes that institutions' customers still are a primary target of electronic criminals.
"The Internet has never been more dangerous," Jevans says. "In the first half of 2009, phishing escalated to some of the highest levels we've ever seen." Full text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

I don't want to tell you that "I Told You So...but..."

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Lawsuit: Heartland Knew Data Security Standard was 'Insufficient'

2009-10-07T16:36:00.000-07:00

Complaint Says CEO Described PCI as 'Lowest Common Denominator' of Protection
October 5, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor
Months before announcing the Heartland Payment Systems (HPY) data breach, company CEO Robert Carr told industry analysts that the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) was an insufficient protective measure.
This is the contention of a new master complaint filed in the class action suit against Heartland, which in January announced a data breach that is now estimated to be the largest known hack, involving 130 million credit and debt card accounts.
In a November 2008 earnings call, according to the complaint, Carr told analysts, "[We] also recognize the need to move beyond the lowest common denominator of data security, currently the PCI DSS standards. We believe it is imperative to move to a higher standard for processing secure transactions, one which we have the ability to implement without waiting for the payments infrastructure to change." ...
....Heartland executives have said consistently that the company was PCI-compliant at the time on the breach, which the complaint now says may have begun as early as December 2007. Visa, however, removed Heartland from its list of PCI-compliant service providers in March of this year, and one Visa security executive was quoted as saying "We have never seen anyone breached that was PCI compliant."

Heartland was re-certified as PCI compliant in May. (Full text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

As I've said in past articles, I was one of the 130 million victims. When I was notified in January 2009, I was in Las Vegas doing a seminar on Id Theft at a national convention. My credit union called me and told me that they had to close out my debit card due to the breach. Here I was with $7 in my pocket, no other credit cards with me and 2 more days in Vegas.

I guess "What happens in Vegas - Stays in Vegas!"

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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The Data Breach Blog Missing Blue Cross laptop puts 39,000 physicians at risk

2009-10-05T16:50:00.000-07:00

The loss of a Blue Cross laptop has put the sensitive information of possibly 39,000 physicians at risk.

How many victims? Approximately 39,000 individuals have been notified though the actual scope of the breach is unknown.

What type of personal information? Personal information including tax identification numbers, which for some, are the same as their Social Security number.

What happened? The laptop, which contained a database with sensitive information about physicians nationwide, was stolen in August from an employee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association’s national headquarters in Chicago.

Details: It is Blue Cross’ policy to encrypt all information on company computers, Jeff Smokler, national Blue Cross-Blue Shield spokesman told Boston.com. An employee who was authorized to have the information violated company rules, however, by downloading an unencrypted version of the database onto a personal laptop. The laptop was stolen after the employee left headquarters with it.

The breach might affect Massachusetts physicians and other providers the worst because they typically use their Social Security numbers as their tax identification numbers — which was part of the information breached.

Quote: “It took some time to figure out what type of data was on the laptop,’’ Tara Murray, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts spokeswoman told Boston.com. “There is no reason to be believe the data has been used to steal people’s identity, but we are just being cautious . . . to notify them and offering free credit monitoring.’’ (I highlighted this because this is standard boilerplate verbal vomit every time there is a breach! Credit monitoring only covers about 25% of all id theft. What if......the docs will find out the hard way or they can get our service that protects them in all 5 areas of id theft).

What was the response? Blue Cross will review its security procedures and make it a priority to persuade state physicians and other health care providers to apply for a new tax ID number that is different from their Social Security number. In addition, additional encryption will be implemented.

Source: Boston.com, “Blue Cross physicians warned of data breach,” Oct. 3, 2009.

By the way, any Physician reading this and still needs to get his Red Flags Policy before enforcement begins by the FTC on 11/01/09, feel free to visit www.stopidtheftcrime.com for a video and link to create your policy.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Senate Bill (SB-20) to bolster California breach law awaits governor

2009-09-15T14:17:00.000-07:00

Bill to bolster California breach law awaits governor

Dan Kaplan

September 11, 2009

A new Senate bill in California, which seeks to complement the state's trailblazing SB-1386 data breach disclosure bill, is ready for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's signature.

The new legislation, SB-20, builds on the 2003 bill by requiring that breach notification letters also contain specifics around the data-loss incident, including the type of personal information exposed, a description of the incident and advice on steps to take to protect oneself from identity theft. The law also would require that organizations that suffer a breach affecting 500 or more people must submit a copy of the alert letter to the state attorney general's office.

"Experience over the past half dozen years indicates that too often, the information received [in the letter] is confusing, not clarifying," state Democratic Sen. Joe Simitian, author of both bills, said this week in a news release. "SB-20 ensures that notice of a security breach will be genuinely helpful to consumers."

...The governor must sign or veto the bill by Oct. 11.

SB-1386 laid the groundwork for roughly 45 other states to pass similar laws requiring organizations that expose personal information to notify victims. (Full text at www.scmagazineus.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Chase Bank Notifies Customers of Breach

2009-09-15T14:05:00.000-07:00

Backup Tape Reported Missing from Vendor Storage Facility
September 11, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

Chase Bank has sent out data breach notification letters to an undisclosed number of customers after a computer tape with customers' personal information was reported missing from a third-party vendor's storage facility.
Tom Kelly, spokesperson for New York-based Chase, the commercial/consumer banking arm of financial giant JPMorgan Chase, says the vendor -- which he would not name -- confirmed it received and maintained the tape, and that its offsite facility had been searched thoroughly after the tape disappeared. Kelly would not say if the data on the tape was encrypted, but says its data can be read only with special equipment and software. "We have no evidence to indicate any of the information has been viewed or used inappropriately," Kelly says. (emphasis added because: That's what they all say. It must be a boilerplate all use in case of a breach) (Full text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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More on Heartland Breach Court Case

2009-09-14T13:56:00.000-07:00

I have been out of town since Sept 9th. Now I have to play catch-up or is it Ketchup?

Heartland Update: Judge to Hear Motions to Dismiss Class Action Suits
Attorney: Discovery is "the Biggest Battlefield"
September 9, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

Preliminary legal hearings have begun in the class action suit against Heartland Payment Systems, the U.S.-based payments processor that was breached in 2008
More than 30 financial institutions from 22 states have joined the lawsuit against Heartland, which is the largest data breach on record, with a reported 130 million credit and debit cards stolen.
....There are two class action suits -- one on the consumer side and the second on behalf of the financial institutions affected by the massive breach. Earlier in June, a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) panel decided the suits would be held in Houston. ...
..Coffman said that the biggest battle during the August 24 hearing was discovery; specifically, what Heartland will be required to produce now and what will be deferred until next spring after Heartland's anticipated motion to dismiss is argued. Heartland already has filed a motion with the Court asking that all discovery be stayed until after the Court rules on the motion to dismiss. Coffman anticipated that the Court will rule on Heartland's motion to stay discovery shortly....(Full text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Another Guilty in ID Theft that nailed Bernacke

2009-09-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

Makieta Leake, 36 years old, of Prince Frederick, Md, plead guilty to a single count of conspiracy to commit bakn fraud Tuesday in federal court in Alexandria, VA.

She was the fifth person to plead guilty in the scheme that resulted in more than $2 million in losses at 10 banks.

Leake was a doctor's receptionist and admitted stealing bank account information from 37 patients as part of the ID Theft ring that took advantage of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernacke.

She was paid between $200 and $500 for each victim's information. About 40% of the above losses can be traced to her.

Note: It still amazes me that most healthcare professionals still don't know about the FTC's Red Flags Rule and that the must comply with this amendment to the FACTA law. Enforcement begins 11/01/09.

We can assist any business with the Red Flags or FACTA training of their employees. For more info visit http://www.redflagsrulepolicy.com/ or call me.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit http://www.stopidtheftcrime.com/ and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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66% of Social Networkers Vulnerable to Attack

2009-09-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networking sites are sweeping the world with tweets, friends and more messaging than ever before, but what’s the cost of all this networking? More than two-thirds of social community members don’t proactively protect themselves from cyber attacks, a survey by the CMO Council and security software maker AVG found.

The study surveyed 250 social networking site users during the second quarter of this year and found that a whopping 64 percent never or rarely change their passwords. All networking sites offer privacy controls to some extent, but 57 percent don’t regularly adjust these settings, therefore providing little to no real protection.

How often do you receive “friend invites” or links within messages from people you don’t know? According to this study, 21 percent of users have accepted such invitations and 64 percent have clicked on links sent by people they didn’t know. (Full story at www.ditio.net)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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"Soup Nazi" Accepts Plea Deal!

2009-09-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

Albert Gonzalez, plead guilty on Friday to 19 count indictment regarding his involvement in the largest identity fraud case in U.S. history. the Heartland Data Breach, where over 170 million credit and debit card numbers were stolen. He agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.

Under a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, he will serve a sentence of 15 to 25 years. He will also forfeit some $2.8 million in cash, a Miami condo, a car and expensive jewelry.

Gonzalez had once been an informant for the U.S. Secret Service. (For more info on this case, click here)

It still surprises me that most people think they will never be a victim and fail to protect themselves. I can help protect anyone and their identity for as low as $9.95/month and it covers both you and your spouse or significant other. Identity THEFT Shield is provided by a Stock Exchange company and has restoration included should you become a victim of identity theft in any of the 5 areas of id theft. Not just financial.

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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FDIC Warns of Online Fraud Against Banks, Small Businesses

2009-08-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

Alert Cites Increase in ACH, Wire Transfer Fraud
August 26, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor
Online crime is increasingly hitting small and mid-size companies in the U.S., draining those entities' bank accounts through fraudulent transfers. The problem has gotten so bad that a financial services group recently sent out a warning about the trend, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) issued an alert today.
"In the past six months, financial institutions, security companies, the media and law enforcement agencies are all reporting a significant increase in funds transfer fraud involving the exploitation of valid banking credentials belonging to small and medium sized businesses," says a bulletin sent on Aug. 21 to member financial institutions by the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center, (FS-ISAC). The FS-ISAC is part of the government-private industry umbrella working with the Department of Homeland Security and Treasury Department to share information about critical threats to the country's infrastructure. The member-only alert described the problem and told its members to implement many of the precautions and monitoring currently used to detect consumer bank and credit card fraud.
The FS-ISAC notice -- and subsequent media attention -- in turn prompted the FDIC alert to warn banking institutions about this kind of fraud.
The Threat
The FDIC traces the fraud to compromised login credentials on online banking websites. Over the past year, the FDIC says, it has detected an increase in the number of reports and the amount of losses resulting from unauthorized electronic fund transfers (EFTs), such as automated clearing house (ACH) and wire transfers.

...While the institutions and business customers are not necessarily large or high-profile, the money that is being drained by the criminals can add up to significant amounts. One recent example: Dwelling House Savings and Loan Association, Pittsburgh, PA. The tiny institution failed after an ACH fraud event siphoned off a whopping $3 million. ...
(Full text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Federal Reserve Chairman Id Theft Victim

2009-08-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

No one is safe from id theft, not even chairman, Ben Bernake, of the Federal Reserve. His personal checking account became an elaborate id theft scheme after his wife, Anna, had her purse stolen last August at a Capital Hill Starbucks. According to a Washington DC police report, it contained her social security card, checkbook, credit cards and IDs.

It's not revealed how much money was stolen from their account but someone started cashing checks on their account just days after the purse was stolen. The thefts helped an ongoing investigation into a sophisticated ring.

Losses from the fraud totaled more than $2.1 million and involved at least 10 financial institutions, court documents said.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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"One Tree Hill" star actor who plays Skills guilty of selling Social Security Numbers.

2009-08-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read the title right! "One Tree Hill" actor Antwon Tanner pleaded guilty to selling 16 Social Security Numbers and 3 Social Security cards for $10,000.

He told the federal judge that he was just a middleman selling the numbers someone else gave him. Tanner will be sentenced on Nov 20 and could get up to one year in the slammer and a cool $250,000 fine.

I'm told that he also faces similar charges here in California.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Radisson Hotels Suffer Data Breach

2009-08-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

Radisson Hotels Suffer Data Breach. It's not this article that amazes me but the number of people that I speak with daily who do not see the need for Identity Theft Protection with full restoration services and/or Prepaid Legal Services since an identity theft is going to be a legal issue.

Radisson Hotels Suffer Data Breach
Unknown Number of Records Exposed During 6-Month Period
August 21, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor
An unknown number of Radisson Hotel guests in the U.S. and Canada may face credit card fraud in the wake of a data breach announced by the hotel chain this week.
In an open letter to customers, Fredrik Korallus, CEO of the hotel chain detailed the breach, which involved computer systems invaded by hackers for a six-month period, from Nov. 2008 to May 2009.
According to the hotel chain's spokesperson, David Chamberlin, the forensic investigation of the breach is still underway, with federal law enforcement involved, and the company isn't unable to provide accurate estimates of the number of potentially exposed records.
...The facts of the breach released by Radisson:
Between November 2008 and May 2009, the computer systems of some Radisson Hotels & Resorts in the U.S. and Canada were accessed without authorization. This past spring, the company was able to confirm an intrusion. The investigation is ongoing.

The accessed computer systems contained guest information such as the name printed on a credit or debit card, the account number and the expiration date on the card. "We do not know, however, whether a particular name, credit or debit card number or card expiration date were in fact accessed or taken," he says.

The accessed computer systems did not include Social Security numbers.

The hotel says at this time, "it appears to be an unauthorized attack from an outside source, and have no reason to believe it was an insider."

The hotel says it has worked closely with the major credit card brands, issuers, the credit reporting agencies, and its payment processor, Elavon, to address the incident.

It also placed ads announcing the breach in the Wall Street Journal and USA Today on Wednesday and has set up a dedicated web site to address customer questions.

Notification letters were sent to affected consumers, where they were able to be identified, Chamberlain says.... (Full story at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

Massachusetts Data Protection Law Amended, Delayed - Again

2009-08-21T13:16:00.000-07:00

Before you read this article you should know that the Massachusetts law mentioned here is the strictest law in the nation. It has requirements that a business must comply with in regards to identity theft in the workplace. Their requirements are tougher than the FTC's current FACTA law and the Red Flags Rule amendment.

For those business owners reading this, this is what we do at no direct cost for most businesses:
1. We provide a personalized written policy outlining specific requirements for protecting the non-public information of customers vendors and employees.

2. A letter that can be used when appointing a security compliance officer - see www.ftc.gov under Gramm, Leach, Bliley.

3. A comprehensive training program which (www.FTC.gov "Protecting Personal Information: A Guide for Business") is a suggested first step (pages 16-17) in protecting NPI and educating employees about the risks/liabilities of identity theft and data loss.

4. When employees complete the training, we provide the "Use of Confidential Information by Employee" form that serves as proof they've completed a mandatory training in handling NPI. This signed document demonstrates that the company is taking reasonable measures to protect customer, employee and vendor information.

We also offer an online Red Flags Rule compliance module at www.RedFlagsRulePolicy.com

Massachusetts Data Protection Law Amended, Delayed - Again
New Rules Now Won't Apply Until March 2010
August 20, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

Once again, Massachusetts is delaying the compliance deadline for its toughest-in-the-nation data protection rules. The new effective date is March 1, 2010.
Saying that the state must balance the needs of consumer privacy protection with the needs of small business, the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR) has also amended its data security regulations. Earlier this week the OCABR announced the revised rules will facilitate a "risk-based approach" to data security - an approach that is expected to help the small-business community.
The OCABR also modified the regulations to make them technology neutral. A public hearing on the changes will be held on September 22 in Boston.
Barbara Anthony, the Massachusetts Undersecretary of the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, says the adjustments to Massachusetts' identity theft regulations will also reinforce flexibility in compliance by small businesses.
The risk-based approach is especially important to small businesses that may not handle a lot of personal information about customers, says Anthony. Under a risk-based approach, a business, in developing a written security program, should take into account its size, nature of its business, the kinds of records it maintains, and the risk of identity theft posed by its operations. (Full text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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"SoupNazi" Indicted in largest US Identity Theft Case

2009-08-17T18:48:00.000-07:00

Federal Authorities indicted three men in New Jersey in a massive identity theft case that the Justice Department is labeling as the largest in American history.

Truth of the matter is that only one body is actually in custody. The other two that were indicted are Russians, whereabouts unknown. Albert Gonzalez of Miami, age 28, also known as the "SoupNazi" online (must have been a Seinfeld fan) if convicted, could face up to 20 years on a charge of wire-fraud conspiracy and an additional five on the conspiracy charge. He also faces fines of up to $250,000 for each charge.

The Department of Justice calls this "the single largest hacking and identity theft case ever prosecuted." There were about 130 million credit and debit card numbers stolen. I was one of the victims back in January.

The three culprits, hacked into and took the card numbers from Heartland Payment Systems; 7-Eleven Inc., a Texas-based convenience store chain and Hannaford Brothers Company, a Maine-based supermarket chain.

This is not Mr. Gonzalez' first crime either. in May 2008, the U.S. Attorney's Office of New York charged him for his alleged role in the hacking of a computer network run by a national restaurant chain. He is slated to stand trial on those charges in September of 2009.

In August of 2008, he was indicted on additional charges for a number of hacks into eight major retailers including discount giant TJ Maxx that involved an estimated 40 million credit cards and cost TJ Maxx $200 million. He is scheduled for trial on those charges in 2010, the Department of Justice said.

Gonzalez, if convicted, will undoubtedly be spending a long time in Federal Prison after all the trials, that is unless he can prove that it was not him. Maybe somebody stole his identity to do the crime.

Either way, with the money he must have been paid for his work, I don't understand why he is still in the US and not abroad with the Russians avoiding extradiction.

After research, I found the following video with Albert Gonzalez and it could actually be his Attorney's best defense for him, click here to watch.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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ID Theft Red Flags: 4 High Risk Areas

2009-08-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

ID Theft Red Flags: 4 High Risk Areas
What You Might Not Know About Staying in Compliance -- and Secure
August 13, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

There are four "high risk" areas that aren't getting the attention they deserve as financial institutions work toward complying with the ID Theft Red Flags Rule, says a leading industry compliance expert. ...
...The Red Flags Rule is a risk-based regulation. As such, Huda says, compliance should be approached from a risk management and not a purely technical perspective, and institutions should ask these questions:
Which accounts are more at risk to identity theft?
Which red flags represent higher risk?
Which detection and response procedures are commensurate with the risks?
Which service providers pose greater risk?
What controls exist to mitigate the risks?
...There are four areas Huda says that are "high risk" that many financial institutions have not paid enough attention to are:
Service Providers. Many have not conducted an inventory, risk-ranking or assessment done on service providers. This may be the weakest link in the chain.

Business accounts. Many have focused only on consumer accounts. The rule applies to any account with a reasonably foreseeable risk of identity theft, not just consumer accounts. Small business accounts in particular are susceptible to identity theft and must be analyzed for risk.

Training. Many have not provided proper training to staff. The training does not cover what the written, board-approved program deems to be the red flags one should be on the look out for, nor what one should do to respond. The training is very general and does not cover how to comply. How can identity theft actually be prevented if one does not know what to look for and what to do if one finds a red flag?

Updates. Many have put their program on the bookshelf, forgetting to update it to address new risks or changes in operations. For example, if a new line of business is opened, a new service provider added or new products or services are rolled out, or identity theft is attempted or perpetrated, the Program must be updated. (Full story at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

Many business owners have the same issues as financial institutions. That is why I recommend www.RedFlagsRulePolicy.com for businesses by idBUSINESS. It is an online module that not only creates your policy but allows you to email vendors to take an assessment test as well. You will also be able to email your employees to take the online training for the Red Flags Rule.

Business owners can also take a free Needs Assessment at the site.

As a distributor for idBUSINESS, I can also offer business owners a discount - just contact me.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Elder abuse and identity theft: Why they are targeted and true crime stories

2009-08-07T10:06:00.000-07:00

Elder abuse and identity theft: Why they are targeted and true crime stories

August 4, 12:44 PMHouston Family ExaminerLisa Carey

When most people think of elderly abuse they think of neglect, physical, sexual or psychological abuse. There is another form of elder abuse or abuse of senior citizens; that of “using the money or resources of an older person without their knowledge or consent to benefit yourself or another person.” Identity theft falls into that category, as family members, caregivers and strangers may take advantage of the elderly in an effort to gain their hard earned money and credit report.

Why is the elderly targeted for identity theft and financial crimes?
-In some cases they may have more money, cash reserves, home equity, and other resources that others as they may have been working for retirement all their lives.
-Many seniors are not “technologically savvy” so may not be aware of many of the scams that are based around Internet usage.
-Since seniors may not be actively “using” their credit report they are less likely to check it regularly and monitor it carefully.
-Retirement home staff, home caregivers and family members may take advantage of their position of trust as well as the information readily available to them.

What forms of abuse may identity theft and other financial scams take?
-investment fraud
-mortgage fraud
-phony charity solicitation
-so called “prize” money awards where they must provide information that can be used later against them
-check cashing fraud
-credit card fraud
-forging signatures to benefit in a financial way (cashing checks that came to the elderly)

The saddest part of all about identity theft, financial scams and frauds against the elderly is that far too often it is committed by someone in a position of trust, like a caregiver or family member. (Full text at www.examiner.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Network Solutions Data Breach: 573,000 Cardholders at Risk

2009-08-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

Network Solutions Data Breach: 573,000 Cardholders at Risk

Company Says It Was PCI-Compliant When Hacked

July 28, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

A data breach at Internet domain administrator and host Network Solutions has compromised personal and financial data for more than 573,000 credit and debit cardholders. To add more pain to the breach, Network Solutions says it was PCI compliant at the time of the breach.

The breach, discovered in June, was the result of hackers planting rogue code on the company's Web servers used to host mostly small online stores, intercepting financial transactions between the sites and their customers. No further explanation of how the rogue code made its way onto the company's servers was available from Network Solutions. When asked, Susan Wade, Network Solutions communications representative says "Not at this time. Because of the ongoing law enforcement investigation, we aren't able to release that information."

Compromised data was captured between March 12 and June 8, 2009, when the breach was discovered, says Wade.

The last PCI assessment and certification of Network Solutions' networks was completed on October 31, 2008, says Wade. The firm that performed the assessment was the Payment Software Company, a San Jose, CA-based qualified security assessor company.

The 4.343 ecommerce merchant customers were notified of the breach on Friday, July 24, via an email and a letter sent via US postal service, Wade says. Network Solutions provides service to more than 10,000 merchant websites.

....Affected merchants can visit www.careandprotect.com, the website Network Solutions set up for them to get more information. .. (Full text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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FTC Grants Another 3 Month Reprieve for Red Flags Rule Enforcement

2009-07-29T14:14:00.000-07:00

FTC Announces Expanded Business Education Campaign on 'Red Flags' Rule

To assist small businesses and other entities, the Federal Trade Commission staff will redouble its efforts to educate them about compliance with the "Red Flags" Rule and ease compliance by providing additional resources and guidance to clarify whether businesses are covered by the Rule and what they must do to comply. To give creditors and financial institutions more time to review this guidance and develop and implement written Identity Theft Prevention Programs, the FTC will further delay enforcement of the Rule until November 1, 2009. (emphasis added)

The Red Flags Rule is an anti-fraud regulation, requiring “creditors” and “financial institutions” with covered accounts to implement programs to identify, detect, and respond to the warning signs, or “red flags,” that could indicate identity theft. The financial regulatory agencies, including the FTC, developed the Rule, which was mandated by the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA). FACTA’s definition of “creditor” includes any entity that regularly extends or renews credit – or arranges for others to do so – and includes all entities that regularly permit deferred payments for goods or services. Accepting credit cards as a form of payment does not, by itself, make an entity a creditor. “Financial institutions” include entities that offer accounts that enable consumers to write checks or make payments to third parties through other means, such as other negotiable instruments or telephone transfers.

The FTC’s Red Flags Web site, www.ftc.gov/redflagsrule, offers resources to help entities determine if they are covered and, if they are, how to comply with the Rule. It includes an online compliance template that enables companies to design their own Identity Theft Prevention Program through an easy-to-do form, as well as articles directed to specific businesses and industries, guidance manuals, and Frequently Asked Questions to help companies navigate the Rule.

Although many covered entities have already developed and implemented appropriate, risk-based programs, some – particularly small businesses and entities with a low risk of identity theft – remain uncertain about their obligations. The additional compliance guidance that the Commission will make available shortly is designed to help them. Among other things, Commission staff will create a special link for small and low-risk entities on the Red Flags Rule Web site with materials that provide guidance and direction regarding the Rule. The Commission has already posted FAQs that address how the FTC intends to enforce the Rule and other topics – www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/redflagsrule/faqs.shtm. The enforcement FAQ states that Commission staff would be unlikely to recommend bringing a law enforcement action if entities know their customers or clients individually, or if they perform services in or around their customers’ homes, or if they operate in sectors where identity theft is rare and they have not themselves been the target of identity theft.

The three-month extension, coupled with this new guidance, should enable businesses to gain a better understanding of the Rule and any obligations that they may have under it. These steps are consistent with the House Appropriations Committee’s recent request that the Commission defer enforcement in conjunction with additional efforts to minimize the burdens of the Rule on health care providers and small businesses with a low risk of identity theft problems. Today’s announcement that the Commission will delay enforcement of the Rule until November 1, 2009, does not affect other federal agencies’ enforcement of the original November 1, 2008, compliance deadline for institutions subject to their oversight.

MEDIA CONTACT:: Office of Public Affairs
202-326-2180

(Red Flags July 09)

Business owners can also take a needs assessment free at www.RedFlagsRulePolicy.com

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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ID Theft Ring Allegedly Bribed California DMV Employees

2009-07-28T11:30:00.000-07:00

ID Theft Ring Allegedly Bribed DMV Employees

Counter-terrorism investigators busted an alleged identity theft ring whose members are suspected of bribing Department of Motor Vehicles employees in Inglewood and several states to provide fake documents.

Los Angeles police, the FBI, DMV and District Attorney's Office teamed up to track a Pakistani woman and 13 alleged accomplices, the Los Angeles Times reported on its Web site.

Shamsha Laiwalla, 44, who recently pleaded guilty to federal charges of identity theft stemming from the investigation, paid DMV workers to provide driver's licenses and other documents, Los Angeles police and federal officials told The Times.

For $3,500, she offered to provide a driver's license, birth certificate and Social Security card to an undercover agent pretending to be a Pakistani who sneaked into the United States, The Times reported.

The names of least some of her alleged clients have turned up in ongoing federal investigations into national security issues, LAPD Deputy Chief Michael Downing told the newspaper.

...in 2007, one of her contacts changed DMV records for members of a criminal organization that dealt drugs and sold counterfeit goods in Los Angeles' garment district...

Authorities suspect that money from the group went to Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant Shiite Muslim group in Lebanon.

...."We have no idea how many thousands of people might be out there with these documents," LAPD Detective Mark Severino told the newspaper. "If we're talking about counter-terrorism issues, that's a scary thought." (Full text at www.nbclosangeles.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Lexis-Nexis Breach Linked to Crime Family

2009-07-20T16:59:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back from a short vacation of taking my son and friends to Lake Havasu and 120 degree weather. Obviously, while I was away - the id theft cats still played.

Lexis-Nexis Breach Linked to Crime Family
Analyst: 'Days of Amateurs Committing Breaches are Well Behind Us'
July 17, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

Lexis-Nexis made public notification of a data breach that federal authorities say is tied to a New York mafia crime family. The New York-based company has sent more than 13,000 letters to former customers whose personal data may be at risk. The 13,000 customers may have been targeted for extortion and identity theft.
Earlier in May, the U.S. Attorney General's office in Southern District of Florida handed down an indictment charging 11 men with racketeering conspiracy. The 11 had ties to the Bonnano organized crime family.
.....The alleged suspect, Lee Klein, one of the 11 charged in the indictment, "was an employee of a former Seisint customer who misused his employer's Accurint access. As such, we notified all individuals whose information could have been viewed in connection with the limited searches that law enforcement believed were unauthorized. We provided notice in accordance with the law because the customer was no longer in business," the Lexis-Nexis representative says.

Accurint is used by law enforcement and other entities to verify identity and locate people. Lexis-Nexis says 13,329 letters were sent to individuals on behalf of Seisint's former customer in connection with this investigation. ....

How it Happened
According to the indictment, Klein worked for the criminal "crew" of Thomas Fiore, an associate of the Bonanno organized crime family.
The indictment alleges that Klein illegally used "information obtained from computer databases in order to acquire identification information regarding potential victims of extortion" and people suspected by Fiore's criminal organization of being involved with law enforcement.
Klein allegedly provided Fiore with "corporation names, addresses and account numbers to facilitate the manufacture and negotiation of counterfeit checks."
In addition, the indictment alleges that members of the criminal crew used threats of force and violence, including conspiracy to commit murder, to advance the objectives of the enterprise.
...The Bonanno crime family was making money from the sale of unauthorized identification documents (including social security numbers and health and life insurance applications). "If the mafia considers that selling sensitive information is a legitimate line of business, then clearly the days of just amateurs committing breaches are well behind us," Holland observes. (Full text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

I used to use Lexis-Nexis while in law enforcement to track down criminals on the run. I was impressed when I used their system to run my own name and it generated about a 12 page report including all my neighbors (from 3 previous addresses) and their contact information as well.

Ya gotta love technology!

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Legal Eagles Don't Want Red Flags Waving in Their Faces

2009-07-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

Statement of H. Thomas Wells, Jr., President, American Bar Association
Re: Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act 'Red Flags' Rule

CHICAGO, June 22, 2009 - The American Bar Association urges Congress and the Federal Trade Commission to exempt lawyers from the Red Flags Rule that imposes requirements on creditors to detect the warning signs of identity theft in their day-to-day operations. The Rule, adopted under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, or FACT Act, is noble in its intent. However, the Commission’s application of the Rule to lawyers is unnecessary and not supported by law. Lawyers are not engaged in the type of commercial activity that Congress was attempting to regulate with the FACT Act and should not be considered creditors under the Red Flags Rule.

Congress intended the FACT Act to apply to financial institutions and other businesses that extend credit, not to lawyers who merely bill for services after they are performed. Regardless of the specifics of billing arrangements used in client-lawyer relationships, lawyers cannot ethically charge for legal services until they are rendered.

Lawyers’ fees already have been determined not to be credit transactions by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Further, the D.C. Court of Appeals has held “that the regulation of the practice of law is traditionally the province of the states” and that federal law “may not be interpreted to reach into areas of State sovereignty unless the language of the federal law compels the intrusion.” Nowhere in the FACT Act did Congress even imply that it intended to regulate lawyers with respect to their client relationships, and lawyers should not be considered creditors simply because they bill for legal services only after those services are rendered.

Treating lawyers as creditors under the FACT Act would impose an undue burden on law firms, especially solo practitioners, and would accomplish very little. The type of identity theft addressed by the Rule would be present only if an individual pretended to be someone else; a person would have to assume not only another person’s identity, but his or her legal needs as well. Compliance with the Act would complicate client arrangements and require a major commitment of lawyers’ time, yet the FTC has failed to identify a single case of identity theft in the legal service context, suggesting that such a scenario is far-fetched, if not impossible.

The American Bar Association applauds the federal government’s efforts to protect American consumers from the devastation of identity theft, but strongly urges the FTC to direct its efforts at the problems Congress intended to address. The ABA will work with Congress and the Federal Trade Commission to ensure that, when the final Red Flags Rule goes into effect, the Rule will not apply to lawyers engaged in the practice of providing legal services to clients.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Athletes Not Exempt From Id Theft

2009-07-08T09:11:00.000-07:00

Vontae Davis identity theft incident is another reminder for athletes By CARLOS FRIAS
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Saturday, June 27, 2009

Marlins infielder Wes Helms didn't have to hear about Dolphins rookie Vontae Davis being victimized by identity theft to know the hassle it can mean.
Helms learned that lesson years ago after seeing the stress it caused outfielder Geoff Jenkins, his former teammate with the Milwaukee Brewers. Someone apparently used Jenkins' information to open several credit cards and racked up "a good bit" of debt.
It took Jenkins more than a year to clear up his credit and deal with banks that had been defrauded in his name.

"He'd come in every day and be on the phone with somebody about it," Helms recalled. "As an athlete, you already have enough stress on you. You don't need something else pressing on your mind."

Helms then hired a service - they cost as little as $10 a month - to monitor his and his family's credit and bank accounts.

"We've got our guard up," Helms said.

Davis is learning that lesson, too. Apparently, a man stopped for traffic infractions June 9 in Champaign, Ill., showed police Davis' driver license and drove off a free man. Davis' wallet was stolen several months ago while he was a student at the University of Illinois.

Last week, national media reports identified the Dolphins' cornerback as the man cited.

Davis' grandmother, Adaline, got this forwarded text from his brother, Vernon, a tight end with San Francisco: "Your brother got arrested in Illinois."

Vontae, who was practicing with the Dolphins in Davie on June 9, was joking when he sent the text. But his grandmother didn't know what to think.

"It was like the blood rushed to my head," Adaline remembered. "I was thinking he got mixed up with some boys and got arrested."

Identity theft and fraud affected nearly 10 million Americans last year at a cost of more than $48 billion, according to Javelin Strategy & Research. Athletes can be particularly vulnerable because details about them - dates of birth and family members' names, for example - are available in press guides and on the Web. (Full text at www.palmbeachpost.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Playing Catch-Up!

2009-07-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't believe it's been over 2 weeks since I have had the time to post an article. I've been busy assisting clients due to the FTC's Red Flags Rule and been out of town in more training. Anyway, here are a few things that happened in the last few weeks.

TJX settles over breach with 41 states for $9.75 million
In a move to close the door on the largest reported retail data breach in history, TJX announced Tuesday that it has settled with 41 states who were probing the discount merchant's data security practices.

TJX, which operates more than 2,500 outlets nationwide, agreed to pay $9.75 million to settle investigations by 41 state attorneys general, who were looking into the monster breach, announced in January 2007, that exposed as many as 94 million credit and debit card numbers.

Under the agreement, TJX will pay $5.5 million in settlement fees, plus $1.75 million to cover the cost of the states' investigations. In addition, the company will provide $2.5 million to establish a new Data Security Fund that states will use for a number of data security initiatives, including researching the benefits of technology, developing best practices or model laws, and establishing consumer outreach programs. (Full story at scmagazineus.com)

Customs and Border Protection agents have discovered more than 500 cases of potential identity theft since January of this year, authorities said.According to a CBP news release, officers encounter "numerous cases of identity theft on a daily basis," usually through stolen or fabricated documents."Because our officers are in a position to uncover attempts at entering the U.S. by utilizing someone else's identity, we take the responsibility seriously and work with the U.S. attorney's office to seek prosecution on all cases we encounter," said Director of Field Operations David Higgerson.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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California District Court Rules Against Lifelock

2009-06-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Last month, the District Court in California granted Experian’s motion for partial summary judgment on its claim for unfair competition against Lifelock. However, Lifelock has filed a motion to reconsider in California’s U.S. District Court in the case of Experian v. LifeLock

In this case, Experian seeks to block Lifelock from placing fraud alerts for consumers.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Betsy Broder of the FTC Presents Testimony Regarding ID Theft

2009-06-20T06:28:00.000-07:00

On June 17, Betsy Broder, Assistant Director of the Division of Privacy and Identity Protection at the the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) presented testimony regarding identity theft before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The testimony summarized the FTC's efforts to fight identity theft through:

► Participation on the President's Identity Theft Task Force;

► Law enforcement on data security;

► Consumer and business education; and

► Implementation of the identity theft-related provisions of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act).

The testimony also discussed the FTC's legislative recommendations on developing national data security standards, granting the FTC authority to seek civil penalties in data security cases, and passing legislation to help reduce the unnecessary use and display of social security numbers.

To read the whole testimony click here.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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New Indiana Law Creates ID Theft Unit in AG's Office

2009-06-19T06:19:00.000-07:00

A new law enacted by the Indiana General Assembly to protect consumers will take effect on July 1.

The first, Public Law 137, is the state’s latest weapon in the war against identity theft. Authored by State Rep. Linda Lawson, D-Hammond, the legislation creates a unit within the Attorney General’s Office to investigate and prosecute ID theft and to assist victims.

“As Hoosiers increase their reliance on electronic forms of payment, the risk of identity theft will continue to grow,” Lawson said in a statement released on Wednesday by the media office of the Democratic Caucus. “By giving the Attorney General’s Office additional powers to stop identity theft, we can greatly reduce the instances of these crimes and save innumerable Hoosiers from financial ruin.”

Other provisions of the law:

To stop sloppy business practices which increase the risk of ID theft, the law requires database operators to report security breaches to the Attorney General and forces businesses which handle personal information to implement reasonable security procedures.
The law requires businesses to make reasonable efforts to verify the identity of an applicant before extending a line of credit and bars businesses from denying credit to an applicant because he is a past victim of identity theft.

“Identity theft was the top consumer complaint made to the Federal Trade Commission in 2008,” the statement said. “Studies show that there were approximately 9.9 million ID theft victims in the U.S. that year. Of that number, 328 complaints were made directly to the Indiana Attorney General’s Office.”

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Six federal agencies issued a set of FAQ's on Identity Theft Rules

2009-06-12T10:12:00.000-07:00

Six federal agencies issued a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) today to help financial institutions, creditors, users of consumer reports, and issuers of credit cards and debit cards comply with federal regulations on identity theft and discrepancies in changes of address.

The "Red Flags and Address Discrepancy Rules," which implement sections of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACT Act), were issued jointly on November 9, 2007, by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FRB), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS), and Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The rules require financial institutions and creditors to develop and implement written Identity Theft Prevention Programs and require issuers of credit cards and debit cards to assess the validity of notifications of changes of address. The rules also provide guidance for users of consumer reports regarding reasonable policies and procedures to employ when consumer reporting agencies send them notices of address discrepancy.

The agencies' staff have jointly developed answers to these FAQs to provide guidance on numerous aspects of the rules, including which types of entities and accounts are covered; establishment and administration of an Identity Theft Prevention Program; address validation requirements applicable to card issuers; and the obligations of users of consumer reports upon receiving a notice of address discrepancy.

Download the complete FAQ document here.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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What You Don't Know About the World's Worst Breaches - Dr. Peter Tippett on the 2009 Data Breach Investigations Report

2009-06-08T11:25:00.000-07:00

What You Don't Know About the World's Worst Breaches - Dr. Peter Tippett on the 2009 Data Breach Investigations Report
June 2, 2009 - Tom Field, Editorial Director

Verizon Business investigated 90 major data breaches in 2008, including 285 million compromised records. Nearly ¾ of those breaches were external hacks, and 99.9 percent of the records were compromised via servers and applications.

These are among the findings of Verizon's new 2009 Data Breach Investigations Report. In an exclusive interview, Dr. Peter Tippett, VP of Technology and Innovation at Verizon Business, discusses:

The survey results;

What these results mean to financial institutions and government entities;

Which threats to watch out for most in the coming months.

Tippett is the chief scientist of the security product testing and certification organization, ICSA Labs, an independent division of Verizon Business. An information security pioneer, Tippett has led the computer security industry for more than 20 years, initially as a vendor of security products, and over the past 16 years, as a key strategist. He is widely credited with creating the first commercial anti-virus product that later became Norton AntiVirus.

....FIELD: Give us some highlights about this report that you have done.

TIPPETT: Well the report is different from most things we read in security because this is the actual data from our investigations of over 600 cases of computer crime that were the worst in the world; 90% of whatever made it to the major media were cases that we investigated; a third of all cases that have ever been published were cases that we investigated.

The quick, short story for the bank and financial industries this year is they have had an increase in organized crime and they were entirely focused at the financial sector, very focused. We saw an increase in sophisticated tool use. But the good news is that in all of those cases, they got in through some easy way. They got in somewhere on a non-sensitive, non-critical device where the password was password, or where it wasn't patched two years ago, or where it was a little SQL injection attack....

...FIELD: Now one of the interesting things I have heard secondhand about this report is that you talk about where a lot of these attacks are coming from and we've got people putting a lot of energy, particularly in financial services, on the insider threat. I am told that what you find sort of dispels some of that myth.

TIPPETT: Yeah. We all learned that 80% of all giant attacks are insider. But it turns out that 75% of our data is outsider and 30% or 40% are partner-type outsiders. Only 20% have anything to do with insiders and half of those were duped by the outsider, so only in the vicinity of 10% are true insider attacks, so it is not a very common mechanism. And again, this is of the bigger attacks... (Full interview at bankinfosecurity.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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FTC Red Flags Rule Update

2009-06-02T15:39:00.000-07:00

If you are unfamiliar with the Federal Trade Commission's Red Flags Rule then download a copy at www.ftc.gov/redflagsrule. Basically, if you are a creditor or have "covered accounts" then you must comply with the Rule.

Doctors, Dentists, and Veterinarians must all comply as they have lost their battle with the FTC, at least as of this date.

The best way to become compliant is by using IdBusiness and their online Red Flags Compliance module. It not only will assist you in creating your policy but trains your employees, and notifies your vendors as well.

Business owners may also want to download the following book "Protecting Personal Information - A Guide for Business" at www.ftc.gov/infosecurity

If you find that you do not need a Red Flags Policy, then I can assist you with setting up a Non-Public Information (NPI) policy at no direct cost to your company. Although, certain restrictions apply so give me a call.

If you need a Red Flags Policy, then click here for assistance.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Classic Fraud: 6 Scams That Don't Go Away

2009-06-01T15:30:00.000-07:00

Classic Fraud: 6 Scams That Don't Go Away
From Check Fraud to Phishing, All the Old Tricks are Back with a Vengeance
June 1, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

Bank fraud has evolved over the last several years (See: Fraud Update: The 13 Hottest Schemes You Need to Prevent), but some classic variations keep financial institutions busy.
Here are six old fraud tricks that are back with new twists to bedevil fraud departments and information security professionals.
#1. Check Fraud
Last week, New York indicted 18 people in a massive check counterfeiting ring that cashed more than $1 million worth of checks at major New York City banks. This case causes even the best fraud departments in financial institutions to check their own programs and safeguards.
Attempted check fraud at U.S. banks totaled $12.2 billion in 2006, according to the latest biennial survey conducted by the American Bankers Association (ABA). Bank prevention systems caught 92 percent or $11.2 billion of check fraud attempts.
Actual bank losses totaled $969 million, compared with $677 million from the previous survey in 2004. ...
#2. Elderly and Immigrant Identity Fraud
Financial institutions' mortgage and loan officers need to pay attention to this kind of fraud. While not new, elderly and immigrant fraud is regaining popularity, especially in the age of identity theft. In this predatory practice, Jennifer Butts, Director of Operations at the Mortgage Asset Research Institute, explains that elderly and non English-speaking consumers are taken advantage of by fraudsters who steal their identities and use them in straw-buying or other property transactions.....
#3. ATM Fraud/Skimming

This type of fraud made it into President Barack Obama's speech announcing his cybersecurity initiative, when he said "thieves used stolen credit card information to steal millions of dollars from 130 ATM machines in 49 cities around the world -- and they did it in just 30 minutes." The big question is: Can it happen at your institution? The answer is seen in the numbers from a Pulse EFT study (Pulse is one of the leading ATM/debit networks in the U.S.) -- the banking industry lost $662 million to debit card fraud in 2005. Of these losses, 60 percent resulted from ATM transactions, 37 percent from signature transactions, 37 percent from signature debit transactions and 3 percent from PIN point-of-sale (POS) transactions.....
#4. Phishing
Phishing continues to change and grow, and crimeware (or malware) is also growing, says noted phishing and crimeware researcher Dr. Markus Jakobsson, Principal Scientist at the Palo Alto Research Center, Palo Alto, CA. "There is a notable tendency for phishing to become more technical -- for example, using advanced obfuscation to combat anti-spam techniques," Jakobsson notes. At the same time, crimeware (what used to be called malware) is becoming increasingly more reliant on social engineering. "Trojan horses commonly use clever social engineering techniques to improve their success rates," he says.....
#5. Vishing
The increased number of "vishing" - or phone-based phishing -- scams hitting regions is cause for alarm. In the last week, there have been five different regions of the country hit by phishers using phone calls to solicit information about the person's credit union or bank account:
New England Federal Credit Union in Williston, VT reported that a vishing scam hit residents, and the Heritage Family Credit Union in Rutland, VT also reported a similar scam.

Customers of the Forward Financial Credit Union in Niagara, WI and the River Valley Bank in Iron Mountain, MI received calls last week from fraudsters asking for account information.

Asheville Savings Bank, Asheville, NC was alerted last week by its customers that a vishing scam targeting area residents was trying to get debit card numbers.

The final vishing scam of last week targeted all 22,000 residents of Guilford, CT. The calls started coming on May 24. Guilford Police say they believe by the time they were done every land line telephone in the town of 22,000 residents received a call.....
6. Insider Threat

The threat of a trusted employee or vendor taking sensitive information is not new, but the ways that insiders are getting to the juicy data or dollars is changing, according to Randy Trzeciak, Senior Member of the Technical Staff for the Threat and Incident Management Team in the CERT Program at Carnegie Mellon University's Software Engineering Institute. Collusion is the new way insiders are getting sensitive data. (Full Text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Fraud Update: The 13 Hottest Schemes You Need to Prevent

2009-05-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

Below are just the highlight of each of the 13 Schemes. To read the whole report -click on the title above.

Fraud Update: The 13 Hottest Schemes You Need to Prevent
From Credit Bust-Out to In-Session Phishing, Fraudsters Are Finding New Ways to Ply Old Tricks
May 26, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

The fraud fight is getting nastier by the minute, say experts familiar with the new schemes - and some old ones with new wrinkles -- being perpetrated by criminals against financial institutions and their customers. Here are 13 of the most prevalent ruses.
#1 -- Credit Bust-Out Schemes
By definition, credit bust-out schemes are a combination of a credit and fraud problem, although many organizations are not always sure where the losses sit - or who might be the party responsible. How it works: According to Michael Smith, manager of the Fraud and Market Planning division at Lexis Nexis, consumers apply for credit from lenders using similar last names, oftentimes Eastern European or Balkan, in an intentional effort to capture financial access vehicles to cause delinquency.

#2 -- Customer Loan Account Takeover
This type of fraud occurs online, and a recent case study related by Avivah Litan, distinguished analyst at Gartner Group illustrates how customer loan account takeover happens. The case resulted in a $71,000 theft from a customer's loan account.
An online loan Web site gave a customer the ability to open demand deposit accounts (DDA), Litan explains, which were to be held as savings accounts that could only be opened and accessed via the Internet. "To open the account through the online loan application, a customer needed an existing relationship with another bank," Litan says. The customer would provide all the account information necessary for both banks to complete ACH transfers.
Prior to opening the account, the online loan application system would complete two test transactions and require the potential customer to confirm the exact dates and amounts of the transactions. "If the customer could not provide that confirmation, then it was thought to be attempted fraud, and the account relationships would be closed."
#3 -- Corporate Account Takeovers
Corporate account takeovers are becoming more prevalent says Gartner's Litan. "Corporate banks are reporting that criminals are targeting their cash management customers and moving money out of their accounts via innocent consumer accounts," she says. The owners fall for phishing e-mails that promise lucrative commissions for participating in the schemes.
#4 - Cross-Channel Call Center/Online CD Purchase Scam
A fraudster purchases multiple CDs online from one bank, funded by ACH Transfers from multiple compromised third-party accounts at other institutions, says Ori Eisen, former worldwide fraud director for American Express. How it happens: The perpetrator contacts the Call Center within 48 hours of the CD purchases to cancel the CDs and transfers the funds to yet another institution to liquidate. "Variable email addresses are used in an effort to mask identity," Eisen says. "Current procedures and safeguards at most financial institutions may not preclude the success of this type of cross-channel attack."
#5 -- Wire Fraud Account Grooming
Financial institutions are exposed to very high levels of risk within their online wire transfer processes. "Traditional methods of detection are very labor intensive, yielding high false positive rates and low recovery of stolen funds," Eisen says.
#6 -- In-Session Phishing
A somewhat recent tactic being perpetrated by fraud rings -- "in-session Phishing" -- has emerged as one of the chief threats to the breach of secured online assets. These attacks utilize vulnerabilities in the Javascript engine found in most of the leading browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox and even Google's Chrome, notes Eisen.
How it happens: Utilizing a host website that has been injected with malware acting as a parasite, this parasite monitors for visitors with open online banking sessions or similar protected asset sites (such as brokerage or retirement planning sites).
Using the Javascript vulnerability, the parasite can identify from which bank the victim has a session currently open by searching for specific sites pre-programmed in the malware itself. "There are no limits to the volumes of URLs a website hosting the parasite can test from the victim's machine. The malware asks: 'is my victim logged onto this XYZ bank website' and their browser replies either yes or no," Eisen says.
#7 -- ATM Network Compromises
The industry is seeing breaches at all stages in the payment process, including merchant terminals, the communication links between merchant acquirers, and (worst of all) core elements in ATM networks, according to Paul Kocher, Cryptography Research Institute's president and chief scientist. "Once the perpetrators have the contents of magnetic stripes and the corresponding PINs, the data is then sold to people who write the data onto counterfeit cards and drain customers' accounts," Kocher observes.

#8 -- Precision Malware Strikes
The most common defenses against malicious programs work by comparing programs against the signatures of known malware, says CRI's Kocher. As a result, attackers have learned that they can breach high-value targets' computer systems relatively easily, provided that their attack software does not spread so widely that antivirus companies get a copy and add it to their databases.

#9 -- PIN-Based Attacks
For the past 10 years, Verizon Business has tracked metrics and statistics from IT investigative cases, including incident response, computer forensic and litigation support, across the globe. The Verizon Business' just-issued 2009 Data Breach Investigation Report, shows more electronic records were breached in 2008 than the previous four years combined, fueled by a targeting of the financial services industry and a strong involvement of organized crime, says Bryan Sartin, director of forensics and investigative response at Verizon Business.
Driving this explosion in compromised records are more sophisticated attacks, specifically targeting the financial sector. In fact, 2008 saw three of the world's largest known data compromises on record.
#10 -- Account Manipulation
Aside from the five or six massive individual compromises that took place across the globe in 2008 is a vastly larger population of data breaches, also targeting financials, that garnered little public attention, Sartin notes. "Much of these involve unusually small populations of compromised records, yet massive fraud in terms of total dollar losses, resulting in significant impacts to the institutions affected. By and large, these cases appear in two forms: insider manipulation and application manipulation," he says.
#11 -- Fraud Pattern Changes
Fraud patterns changed dramatically in 2008 as a result of both reduced percentage of successful fraudulent transactions and arrest of individuals involved in organized fraud activity, says Verizon Business' Sartin. The new fraud patterns can be divided into two categories: random fraud patterns and global ATM transactions.
Random fraud patterns used by organized fraud groups involve similar purchases as seen prior to 2008, but in a random pattern. "In 20089, the fraudsters have adapted to completely random fraudulent purchases to make pattern identification much more difficult," he notes. The fraudsters began showing up at random stores in random time patterns to make identification of a pattern difficult or impossible. "No two purchases would be made at the same merchant location in a several month period. No pattern of purchases at each exit as a group drives up a highway. The purchases were at the same chain merchant stores of the same items, but now in a random pattern," he explains.
#12 -- Foreclosure Prevention Schemes
This doesn't hit a financial institution directly, but if an institution holds mortgages for "troubled" homeowners, this is a scheme you need to be on the lookout for, says Denise James, market planning director Lexis Nexis' Residential Mortgage Solutions. These foreclosure prevention schemes generally involve fraudsters posing as professional, knowledgeable foreclosure specialists. Homeowners facing the threat of foreclosure and nearing eviction are contacted by these "foreclosure specialists" who promise to work out their loan problems or buy their home and offer the homeowners tenancy. "Unfortunately for the homeowner, the fraudster has no intention of following through with these promises and instead will manipulate the homeowner into deeding the property to them," James says.
#13 -- Builder Bail-Out Fraud
This fraud involves securing funds for condominium conversion or planned community development properties that, unbeknownst to the investor (financial institution), will not be completed, says Butts of the Mortgage Asset Research Institute. The scams entail multiple purchases from would-be investors or false identities on fabricated loan transactions. "Investors are lured by photos or inspections of a few converted units used as models with promises of further rehabilitation of remaining units. Once the contracts are in place, the fraud continues as the perpetrator secures funding for the contracts," Butts explains. However, she adds, no additional work is done and the investors and lenders are left with incomplete and, in some cases, uninhabitable dilapidated buildings. (Full text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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28,000 NJ unemployed IDs at Risk

2009-05-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

Blunder puts IDs at risk
Social Security numbers 'misdirected' by agency Personal information of 28,000 'misdirected'
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
BY CHRIS MEGERIAN

STATEHOUSE BUREAU

Nearly 30,000 unemployed New Jersey residents now have something else to do besides looking for work: They can worry about who may have their Social Security number.

The Department of Labor and Workforce Development notified thousands of people last week that their personal information may have been sent to companies they never worked for.
Those who received warnings were told the state had no way of knowing whether their information was sent incorrectly.
"This letter is to inform you that due to an error at the Department of Labor and Workforce Development your name and Social Security number may have been accidentally delivered to an employer for which you did not work," the letter reads.

Also included in the letter were details on how to halt the release of credit information, which is allowed by New Jersey's Identity Theft Prevention Act. However, the letter also noted a freeze on credit reports can create problems when consumers seek loans that require creditors to access credit information.

"It's important to remember the information was not stolen, simply misdirected," reads the letter. "Nevertheless, you should be aware of the situation and alert for irregularities that may suggest your personal information may have fallen into the wrong hands."

Letter recipients were directed to call the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs for more information on credit reporting and identity theft protection. (Full text at www.nj.com)

Maybe if these people are lucky, someone will use their identity with a job and help improve their credit score.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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California DMV Wants to Use Biometrics

2009-05-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

A hint of "1984"

DMV wants to face identity theft head on

May 17, 7:49 AM

Remember that Visa Card campaign where everyone claimed to be Emmit Smith? Well, California's DMV is hoping to prevent license monkey-business by recording biometric data then matching it against existing records on file. Match up with an existing entry under a different name and you are a WINNER!

Privacy advocates see "Big Brother" written all over this. Authorities could scan crowds, identify people and then use that info to develop profiles. For example, you could show up at an anti-war rally and suddenly you're on a list that would make Senator McCarthy proud.
(Full text at www.examiner.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Heartland Data Breach: MasterCard, Visa Impose Hefty Fines

2009-05-15T11:57:00.000-07:00

Heartland Data Breach: MasterCard, Visa Impose Hefty Fines
Processor says it Has Already Spent $12.5 Million in Fees, Penalties
May 14, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor
The Heartland Payment Systems (HPY) data breach has already cost the card processor millions in fines from Visa and MasterCard.
This news was revealed by CEO Bob Carr in Heartland's recent earnings call, wherein Carr said the much-publicized breach has already cost the company $12.5 million.
Other than legal fees and some related charges to the breach, much of that amount went toward fines imposed by Visa and MasterCard against Heartland's acquiring banks, Carr says.
A Visa source would not confirm the amount of the fine imposed, but Carr told investors that more than 50 percent of the $12.5 million relates to a fine that MasterCard assessed against its sponsor (acquiring) banks. "Ostensibly, because of an alleged failure by Heartland to take appropriate action upon having learned that its computer system may have been breached, and upon thereafter having discovered the intrusion," Carr states.
Heartland believes that it responded appropriately to all information that it learned regarding the possibility of a system breach and that, upon discovering the intrusion, it took immediate and extraordinary action to address the intrusion, Carr adds.
Heartland therefore considers the MasterCard fine to be in direct violation of both the MasterCard rules and applicable law, and the company "intends and is prepared to vigorously contest, and it has recommended to its sponsor banks that they vigorously contest through all means available, including litigation if necessary, any liability that may be asserted or imposed upon Heartland or its sponsor banks by reason of this fine," Carr says.
(Full text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Uni-ball® offers consumers an anti-theft solution with its specially formulated “Super Ink”

2009-05-13T08:59:00.000-07:00

Identity theft scams are at an all-time high. As economic pressures continue to increase, identity thieves and other criminals are finding new (and traditional) ways to commit this crime, which rose 22 percent in 2008, and is expected to be even higher in 2009.

Uni-ball, a leading brand of pens, has an ongoing campaign to elevate awareness about the growing threat of identity theft. Many of uni-ball’s pens contain specially formulated ink that helps prevent check fraud. As it becomes more difficult to get new lines of credit, identity thieves may be increasingly drawn to commit check fraud. These crimes may take the form of stolen checks, using checks thrown into the trash by unknowing consumers, or a type of identity theft known as “check washing.” Check washing occurs when checks or other tax-related documents are stolen from the mail or by other means and the ink is erased using common household chemicals, allowing thieves to endorse checks to themselves. This is where inexpensive uni-ball pens can help. With exclusive "Super Ink™”, these pens help prevent document and check fraud by absorbing into the paper fibers. When an individual tries to wash or lift the inked information written on the document, the ink remains “trapped" within the fibers of the paper, thereby discouraging the efforts of identity thieves.

Doing something as simple as paying attention to the pen you use could potentially save you thousands of dollars and endless hours of headaches. “Uni-ball pens with uni-Super Ink help prevent identity theft,” said Steve Gradman, senior brand manager of uni-ball. “Our goal is to help ease the minds of individuals when writing sensitive materials – from legal and medical documents to checks and tax forms. It’s a simple, inexpensive pen, but it packs a lot of punch when it comes to identity theft prevention.”

For more information on uni-ball and uni-Super Ink, and to see check out which pens contain the special ink, visit www.uniball-na.com.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Hackers Breach UC Berkeley Database

2009-05-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

On Friday, UC Berkeley officials announced that hackers infiltrated restricted computer databases, putting at risk health and other personal information on 160,000 students, alumni and others.

The data included Social Security numbers, birth dates, health insurance information and some medical records dating back to 1999.

As of 05/05/09, there has been 190 data breaches with over 11 million records compromised nationwide.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Hacker says he stole confidential medical data on 8 million Virginia residents

2009-05-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

Hacker says he stole confidential medical data on 8 million Virginia residents
May 06, 2009 | Molly Merrill, Associate Editor and Chip Means, Web Editor
RICHMOND, VA – A Virginia government Web site was replaced last week with a ransom note from a hacker claiming he stole 8.3 million patients' personal and prescription drug information. The hacker says he wants $10 million for the safe return of the information.

The Virginia Prescription Monitoring Program's site tracks prescription drug abuse and contains 35.5 million prescriptions in addition to enrollees' personal information, such as names, social security numbers and addresses.

According to Wikileaks.org, an online clearinghouse for leaked documents, on April 30 the secure site for the Virginia Prescription Monitoring Program was replaced with the following ransom demand:

"Attention Virginia! I have your [expletive]! In *my* possession, right now, are 8,257,378 patient records and a total of 35,548,087 prescriptions. Also, I made an encrypted backup and deleted the original. Unfortunately for Virginia, their backups seem to have gone missing, too. Uhoh :( For $10 million, I will gladly send along the password." (Click here to see full ransom note).

The hacker, who taunts the FBI and lists his own email address as "hackingforprofit@yahoo.com," claims the database of prescriptions has been bundled into an encrypted, password-protected file.

The Virginia Department of Health Professions Web site has been temporarily disabled and now features a notice saying the site is "experiencing technical difficulties which affect computer and email systems." According to the department's director, Sandra Whitley Ryals, the breach is under federal investigation.

Speculation has risen about whether or not the Virginia Department of Health Professions has back-ups of the patient database.

"It is possible that they do have back-up, but they fear the massive damage if patients data is used for identity theft," says Deborah C. Peel, MD, founder of Patient Privacy Rights.(Full text at www.healthcareitnews.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Supreme Court limits Identity Theft Law

2009-05-05T09:10:00.000-07:00

Supreme Court limits identity theft law

In a unanimous decision, the justices say an illegal worker must know he is using a real person's Social Security number.

By David G. Savage
May 5, 2009

Reporting from Washington -- The Supreme Court on Monday took away one of the government's tools for prosecuting and deporting workers in this country illegally, ruling that the crime of identity theft was limited to those who knew they were using another person's Social Security number.
People who use false documents can be jailed, the court said. But they cannot be convicted of the more serious crime of "aggravated identity theft" without proof that they knew the identification number belonged to someone else, the court ruled unanimously.

The ruling on identity theft will probably boost the Obama administration's plan to target employers who knowingly hire illegal workers, rather than focusing on illegal workers.

Deportation is usually a slow process if the illegal immigrant does not have a serious felony on his record. But a conviction for aggravated identity theft would most likely lead to a speedy deportation.

Last year, the Bush administration announced roundups of illegal immigrants at several workplaces. Most of those arrested were charged with possessing false documents and aggravated identity theft. For example, 389 workers were detained at a meat-packing plant in Iowa; two-thirds of them were charged with felony identity theft.

The novel use of the law prompted the Supreme Court to take up the issue. Five years ago, Congress strengthened the penalties against thieves who stole identities and used the information to take money from people's bank accounts or charge expenses to them. It called for a mandatory two-year prison term for each offense....

...And the law suggested the criminal had to intend to steal a person's identity. It referred to someone who "knowingly" uses the identification of another person.

The court said the provision did not cover an illegal worker with a phony Social Security card who did not know whether its numbers were those of an actual person.

Justice Stephen G. Breyer cited some common examples. "If we say that someone knowingly ate a sandwich with cheese, we normally assume that the person knew both that he was eating a sandwich and that it contained cheese," he said. (Full text at www.latimes.com)

So, if I understand this ruling correctly, we can eat a cheese sandwich and it is okay as long as we don't know that the cheese belonged to somebody else. It seems that "ignorance is no excuse for violating the law" was just thrown out.

So if you are an illegal immigrant and use a social security number (that you know does not belong to you) then it is okay if you remember to say, "I didn't know it belonged to someone else."

If the Justices had their social security numbers being used, and the individuals claimed tax exempt that were using them, maybe when the IRS sent them a huge tax bill they would have a different outlook.

Chalk another one up for the criminals.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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FTC Delays Enforcement of Red Flags Rule Again

2009-05-01T14:16:00.000-07:00

FTC Will Grant Three-Month Delay of Enforcement of ‘Red Flags’ Rule Requiring Creditors and Financial Institutions to Adopt Identity Theft Prevention Programs

The Federal Trade Commission will delay enforcement of the new “Red Flags Rule” until August 1, 2009, to give creditors and financial institutions more time to develop and implement written identity theft prevention programs. For entities that have a low risk of identity theft, such as businesses that know their customers personally, the Commission will soon release a template to help them comply with the law. Today’s announcement does not affect other federal agencies’ enforcement of the original November 1, 2008 compliance deadline for institutions subject to their oversight.

“Given the ongoing debate about whether Congress wrote this provision too broadly, delaying enforcement of the Red Flags Rule will allow industries and associations to share guidance with their members, provide low-risk entities an opportunity to use the template in developing their programs, and give Congress time to consider the issue further,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said.

The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA) directed financial regulatory agencies, including the FTC, to promulgate rules requiring “creditors” and “financial institutions” with covered accounts to implement programs to identify, detect, and respond to patterns, practices, or specific activities that could indicate identity theft. FACTA’s definition of “creditor” applies to any entity that regularly extends or renews credit – or arranges for others to do so – and includes all entities that regularly permit deferred payments for goods or services. Accepting credit cards as a form of payment does not, by itself, make an entity a creditor. Some examples of creditors are finance companies; automobile dealers that provide or arrange financing; mortgage brokers; utility companies; telecommunications companies; non-profit and government entities that defer payment for goods or services; and businesses that provide services and bill later, including many lawyers, doctors, and other professionals. “Financial institutions” include entities that offer accounts that enable consumers to write checks or make payments to third parties through other means, such as other negotiable instruments or telephone transfers.

During outreach efforts last year, the FTC staff learned that some industries and
entities within the agency’s jurisdiction were uncertain about their coverage under the Red Flags Rule. During this time, FTC staff developed and published materials to help explain what types of entities are covered, and how they might develop their identity theft prevention programs. Among these materials were an alert on the Rule’s requirements, www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/alerts/alt050.shtm, and a Web site with more resources to help covered entities design and implement identity theft prevention programs, www.ftc.gov/redflagsrule. The compliance template will be available on this Web site.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Office of Public Affairs
202-326-2180

(Red Flags Deadline Extension)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Nevada Lawmakers Coming into the 21st Century

2009-04-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

Attention Dumpster Divers - Nevada has a smorgasbord for you - at least until January 2010!

Lawmakers discuss identity theft prevention plan

By RACHELLE GINES, Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
A Senate panel was urged Tuesday to support an Assembly-approved plan that would help prevent identity theft by making less credit card information available on printed receipts.
AB389 would prohibit printing more than the last five digits of credit card numbers and expiration dates on copies of customer and business receipts, Senate Judiciary Committee members were told.

Assemblywoman Bonnie Parnell, D-Carson City, chief sponsor of AB389, displayed a receipt listing a complete credit card number and expiration date along with the cardholder's full name, saying the amount of information was "alarming."

"I thought this was frightening on a lot of levels," Parnell said. "As a consumer, I just might toss it in a trash can after dinner not realizing that it had all of that personal identification information on it, but what I found just as troubling was that businesses had access somewhere to that kind of information on multiple individuals."

The measure would impose a fine of $500 the first time businesses issued noncompliant receipts and an additional $1,000 each week that the situation isn't corrected.

"I think the important part of this is that we have to be firm. We can't just say we're going to fine you $100," Parnell said.

After the hearing, Parnell said that receipts that make such information readily available put large numbers of people at risk for identity theft. (Full text at www.sfgate.com)

I was really surprised when I saw this story. I didn't realize that businesses still used machines that printed all the information on the receipts. I remember a few years back of seeing all the info on receipts at gas stations but that was quickly changed, at least in California.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Who's in Your Wallet?

2009-04-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

It never ceases to amaze me as to the "blissfull ignorance" of people when it comes to the world of identity theft. The less people know about a subject the less they fear it - that is Blissful Ignorance.

However, after educating people, either in person or at an Identity Theft Awareness Seminar, and they still don't take measures to protect themselves it turns to just plain ignorance! I guess some people think if they have their head in the sand and don't see the lion that it won't bite them in their butt.

Anyway, today I have a few articles to demonstrate that you never know who will steal your identity from your bank or your health treatment provider.

Former Federal Reserve Bank IT worker charged with ID theft
Angela Moscaritolo

Two brothers, one a former IT analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, have been charged with committing identity theft to obtain fraudulent loans.

Curtis Wiltshire, 34, of Staten Island, N.Y., previously worked as an IT analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he had access to employee personal information, including names, birth dates, Social Security numbers and photographs of bank employees.

Wiltshire allegedly used the identities of two individuals without permission to apply for two different student loans, totaling $73,000, the according to a Department of Justice news release and a criminal complaint.

A bank investigator found a removable storage device, connected to Wiltshire's computer, which contained the loan applications, the image of a student loan check for $36,000 payable to one of the victims, and a fraudulent Maryland state driver's license with a photo of a bank employee who is not the person identified on the license, prosecutors said.

Meanwhile, Kenneth Wiltshire, 40, of Brooklyn, N.Y., who is Curtis' brother, allegedly used stolen identities to apply for a loan to purchase a boat, prosecutors said. He used a driver's license and a fake income tax return in the name of another bank employee to apply for the loan, prosecutors said in a separate criminal complaint. (Full text at www.scmagazineus.com)

Va banker sentenced for fraud, ID theft
By the Associated Press
April 27, 2009

RICHMOND, Va. - A former bank credit card department manager has been sentenced to two years, three months in prison for bank fraud and identity theft.

U.S. Attorney Dana Boente (BEN'-tay) said Monday that 38-year-old Bernard James Brown Jr. of Saluda also was ordered to pay more than $65,000 in restitution to his former employer, Eastern Virginia Bankshares.

According to prosecutors, Brown used a stolen access device and identifying information to withdraw money from someone else's account. After the credit card account was closed, Brown reopened it under a new name and address and continued to tap the account for cash and purchases.

Brown pleaded guilty in January.
Nurse indicted in federal identity-theft case
CHRIS DUMOND MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE
Published: April 27, 2009

LYNCHBURG -- A nurse who worked at two assisted-living homes for seniors has been indicted on 32 charges related to identity theft of patients there.

Karen Jones, 48, was indicted last week by a federal grand jury. The indictment charges that she used information stolen from nine people to take more than $9,000. (Full text at www.timesdispatch.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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New Id Theft Survey

2009-04-24T07:39:00.000-07:00

An identity theft survey conducted by Nationwide Insurance found that while recovering from identity theft has never been an easy task, the current economic conditions have made the challenge even greater.

Nearly half of respondents indicated that, if their identity were stolen today, they were unsure whether they had enough money saved to manage the recovery process. Ten percent of identity theft victims polled said they missed bill payments as a result of the crime. Of that group, four out of five experienced serious consequences-including credit score decrease, utilities shutoff, vehicle repossession, home foreclosure, bankruptcy and, in some instances, even jail time.

The survey is the third in a series conducted by Nationwide to better understand identity theft and the impact it has on its victims. The poll found that victims of identity theft tend to be Caucasian, female, ages 35-54, college educated, married and employed full-time. Individuals who are separated or divorced and those making $75,000 or more a year also have a greater vulnerability to identity theft.

In addition to the financial toll, identity theft can result in other serious repercussions-including family problems and missed time at work. It is a crime where the victim is generally presumed guilty until proven innocent.

On the positive side, the poll found nine out of 10 people are taking at least one action to protect themselves. This includes regular checks of bank and other financial statements, shredding of important documents, limiting the number of credit cards used, and credit report monitoring.

Note: The only problem with the positive side of the poll is that the action steps people are taking only offers protection in financial id theft. What about the other 4 areas of id theft? Are you protected in if id theft happens in those areas. If not, visit my shameless plug below and get protected!

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Tummy Tuck = Medical Identity Theft

2009-04-21T11:29:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Michigan after conducting 4 Identity Theft Awareness seminars and getting caught up. I saw this story and had to share it with everyone. It is another caper of a vain woman having plastic surgery courtesy of another woman.

Medical identity theft was up 400% last year. Enjoy the story.

Lauderdale Lakes woman stole ID to pay for tummy tuck, feds say
By Vanessa Blum |South Florida Sun Sentinel

FORT LAUDERDALE - A Lauderdale Lakes resident stole another woman's identity to pay $5,000 for a tummy tuck operation, federal authorities say.

Patrice Thomas, 33, used a stranger's personal information to apply online for a credit card, which she used to help pay for the plastic surgery at a Weston clinic, according to criminal charges filed this month in Fort Lauderdale federal court.

Thomas, who was arrested April 9, is charged with credit card fraud, social security fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Defense lawyer Christopher Grillo could not be reached for comment. If convicted on all counts, Thomas could face more than four years in prison.... (Full text at www.sun-sentinel.com)

The huge problem with medical id theft is if the thief has your records altered. What if the thief has a different blood type than you or has a positive aids test done in your name? This could be deadly and also make you uninsurable until you can prove it wasn't you,

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Nebraska has new law to help protect against Identity Theft

2009-04-16T08:59:00.000-07:00

Legislative Bill 177, which Gov. Dave Heineman signed last week, reduces the cost for residents to lock up their personal financial data by putting security freezes on their credit information.

Security freezes require credit bureaus to seek permission before releasing a consumer's credit reports, with certain exceptions. That way, consumers know if someone was trying to use their name to open a credit card account or line of credit.

Under LB 177, the cost of getting a security freeze will be $3 per credit reporting agency, down from $15 per agency. The change will take effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns, or in early September.

LB 177 also eliminates an automatic seven-year expiration for freezes, leaving the decision up to the consumer about when to lift or cancel a freeze.

My only concern for Nebraskans is that they don't relax because of the freeze. There is still plenty of id theft that doesn't involve their credit files, such as medical and character id theft.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Caller ID Spoofing

2009-04-15T06:31:00.000-07:00

Most people screen their telephone calls with Caller ID. We answer the calls from the people we want to speak with and avoid others based on the caller id. Don't You?

What if you saw that your bank or credit union was calling you? You would answer the call (unless you weren't paying on a loan). Then the person on the phone from the bank tells you that there was unusual activity on your credit or debit card and needs to verify your number or some other information. Most people wouldn't think twice because they were talking to someone at their bank.

Well start being more cautious about trusting that Caller ID. Why? Because of Caller ID spoofing. There are web sites that charge about $10/hr and offer the ability to change what someone sees on their caller ID display when they receive a phone call. Simply dial the toll free number and then your PIN. You'll then be prompted to enter the destination number followed by the phone number to appear on caller ID

Any 10 digit number can be used. Not only will the number show up but also the Name registered for that number would automatically appear. And whatever number you enter as the spoof number will show up on the bill of the person you called. They won't ever see your actual phone number!

You also have the ability to change your voice to a Male or Female. If you do choose to change your voice, the person whom you call will hear your transformed voice in real-time. This spoofing service also offers the option to record your conversation, which can later be retrieved by logging-in to the control panel or calling the toll-free access number from any phone.

Is it legal? Yes, because there are some legitimate uses. For example, business professionals such as doctors can return calls using their personal telephones without disclosing phone numbers they prefer to keep private.

However, I believe most are being used in the field of Identity Theft to trick individuals into giving up private information. I received 2 calls this week regarding a credit card being suspended. When I called back the number on the caller id, it was an insurance company in Utah and they had been getting a few calls from other folks as well.

So now we never really know if mom is calling or not. Beware!

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Operation Number Games was Illegal

2009-04-14T10:13:00.000-07:00

Larimer Judge throws out Operation Number Games
Sharon Dunn

A second judge has ruled that a search of a Greeley tax preparer’s records last October was illegal, taking the heat off more than 1,000 suspected illegal immigrants caught up in Operation Number Games.

Larimer District Court Judge James Hiatt put a stop to the identity theft investigation Monday, saying deputies from the Weld County Sheriff’s Office wrongly seized federal income tax records to pursue suspected illegal immigrants in the investigation. Hiatt ordered Weld District Attorney Ken Buck and Weld Sheriff John Cooke to return or destroy in the next seven days all evidence seized in the case.

“This is an important ruling for all of America,” said Reid Neureiter, an attorney with Jacobs, Chase, Frick, Kleinkopf and Kelly of Denver. He is working on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed for a preliminary injunction against Buck and Cooke.

“Tax records should be private, and just because you have a suspicion that someone filing taxes with a Hispanic tax preparer might be doing something wrong doesn’t give you license to seize 5,000 tax records and look for the needle in a haystack,” Neureiter said.

Buck and sheriff’s investigators based their search of Amalia’s Tax and Translation Service on one defendant who had been investigated for identity theft and said illegal immigrants throughout the community knew to file their taxes there. Deputies searched through 5,000 records and found evidence of roughly 1,330 suspected illegal immigrants filing returns with false or stolen Social Security numbers. The Internal Revenue Service requires everyone to file tax returns, regardless of citizenship. In cases where filers do not have a valid Social Security number, the IRS issues individual taxpayer identification numbers.

..The case has divided many in the community on the issue of illegal immigration and the rights of the victims of identity theft. The IRS’ policy of issuing special identification numbers to illegal immigrants points to the problems, Buck said.

“The federal government has turned a blind eye to illegal activity in this country, with its failure to enforce the law at the border, with its failure to enforce tax laws, and Social Security laws within this country,” Buck said...

What about the id theft victims now? The 1330 people who were having their social security numbers being used illegally. I guess only time will tell.

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Identity thieves got data on 3,400 employees, Irving school district says

2009-04-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

Identity thieves got data on 3,400 employees, Irving school district says
By KATHERINE LEAL UNMUTH / The Dallas Morning News
kunmuth@dallasnews.com
Irving school officials now say that identity thieves obtained the names and Social Security numbers of 3,400 teachers and other employees contained in an old benefits report and then used the information to make thousands of dollars in purchases.

District security director Pat Lamb said a woman charged in the case said the information came from a list of names pulled out of a trash bin.

"We still do not know how our records were compromised," said Lamb, who mentioned that his own name was on the list. "We don't know if somebody was supposed to shred that information, but it ended up in a Dumpster."
....The victims include Cynthia Will, a former teacher who worked at the Union Bower Center teaching students with disabilities for five years. More than $25,000 in credit card charges were made in her name, including a $4,000 diamond ring from Zales.

"It was stunning the damage that was done in just seven days," she said in an emotional appeal to the Irving school board Monday night.....(Full text at www.dallasnews.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Job Seekers Beware!

2009-04-09T05:50:00.000-07:00

Job hunters must guard against identity theft
Richard Burnett |Sentinel Staff Writer
April 9, 2009

With unemployment soaring, identity thieves are increasingly preying on unsuspecting job seekers by stealing personal information and trying to cash in on it.

The scams run the gamut from fake help-wanted ads and job-search services to bogus resume-posting Web sites, part of a new arsenal of weapons targeting millions of recently unemployed people.

Job-search fraud is one of the fastest-growing segments of identity theft in Florida, generating thousands of complaints a year, according to the Federal Trade Commission. It fielded more than 2,400 such complaints from Florida in 2008, up nearly 40 percent from 2007.

Overall, Florida posted the highest number of identity-theft complaints on record in 2008 (24,400), up nearly 44 percent in the past three years. The state ranked third in the nation, behind only California and Texas.
...Most job-search fraud appears to come through bogus help-wanted ads, which have spiked nearly fourfold in the past three years, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center,.. (Full text at www.sun-sentinel.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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ID Theft Victims Get Help To Avoid Wrongful Arrest

2009-04-08T06:05:00.000-07:00

Kudos to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department for taking steps to help the victims of id theft. Perhaps all other agencies should take note.

ID Theft Victims Get Help To Avoid Wrongful Arrest
Cards Issued To ID Theft Victims

INDIANAPOLIS -- Victims of identity theft now have a new option to avoid being wrongfully arrested within Indianapolis.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has started issuing ID cards with the finger print, picture and case number of the person whose identity has been compromised, 6News' Jack Rinehart reported.

The department doesn't keep statistics concerning the number of people who wind up arrested when someone else fraudulently uses their identity, but officials said it's on the rise. (Full text at www.theindychannel.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Medicine slams FTC over forcing physicians to police identity theft

2009-04-06T13:07:00.000-07:00

Medicine slams FTC over forcing physicians to police identity theft
Physicians object to the broad application of the "red flag" rules and say they were not forewarned properly. Enforcement begins May 1.
By Amy Lynn Sorrel, AMNews staff. Posted April 6, 2009.
Organized medicine and the Federal Trade Commission continue to joust over the application to physicians of new identity theft prevention rules. With a May 1 compliance date just around the corner, neither party shows signs of capitulation.

The FTC regulations require a variety of business entities -- mainly financial and banking institutions -- to implement a written program for preventing identity theft as well as detecting and responding to warning signs of such incidents. The commission maintains that when physicians defer payment for services, they become creditors -- entities that regularly extend, renew or continue credit -- under the "red flag" rules.
...The commission "did not give physicians an appropriate opportunity for notice and comment on the ruling that the red flags would be applied to them," said AMA Secretary Ardis D. Hoven, MD. "The AMA is calling on FTC to re-publish its rule so that we can make the case that physicians should be excluded."...
...The FTC has no plans to extend the deadline again, said Naomi Lefkovitz, an attorney with the FTC's Division of Privacy and Identity Protection. "That said, we continue to take a view that we're looking for reasonable efforts" by doctors to comply...(Full text at www.ama-assn.org)

To any non-compliant Doctors out there:

We offer an Affirmative Defense Response System (ADRS) in which:

1. We provide a written policy outlining specific requirements for protecting customers and employees personal info

2. A letter that can be used when appointing an employee as security compliance officer - which is required by the GLB law.

3. A comprehensive training program which according to the FTC is one of the 1st steps to protecting NPI by conducting a mandatory meeting to educate employees about the risks/liabilities of data loss.

4. When employees complete the ADRS training, they sign the "Use of Confidential Information by Employee" form that serves as proof they've completed a mandatory training in handling NPI. This signed document demonstrates that the company is taking reasonable measures and actively working to comply with FACTA, GLB and HIPAA.

We do all the above at no direct cost to you if allowed to offer our Pre-Paid Legal services (PPL) and Identity Theft Shield to the employees as an employee benefit.

PPL spent over $1 million developing the above to assist companies in becoming compliant with all the new laws. PPL is a 36 year old NYSE company and named as one of the top 200 small businesses on the NYSE by Forbes magazine 7 times.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Red Flags Rule requires veterinarians to have identity theft prevention programs

2009-04-04T12:51:00.000-07:00

Rule requires veterinarians to have identity theft prevention programs
Veterinarians are not exempt from a new federal rule to prevent identity theft. The Red Flags Rule, which the Federal Trade Commission will begin enforcing May 1, requires creditors to develop programs to prevent, detect, and mitigate identity theft.

The FTC proposed the Red Flags Rule in late 2007, and it took effect in 2008. The commission delayed enforcement until this year because many organizations did not consider themselves to be creditors—not in the same sense as financial institutions, which also fall under the rule. Nevertheless, the rule applies to most organizations that make arrangements to defer payment of debts, including almost all health care providers. Health care providers are creditors under the rule, for example, if they bill clients after completing medical services.
...Each organization must write, implement, and administer an ongoing program to detect warning signs and respond appropriately to prevent or mitigate identity theft after finding a red flag. Responses to warning signs could include monitoring accounts or changing account numbers.

Finally, organizations should update their programs periodically to reflect changes in identity theft risks.

The intent behind the Red Flags Rule is good, said Dr. Patricia Wohlferth-Bethke, an assistant director in the AVMA Membership and Field Services Division...(Full text at www.avma.org)

To any vets reading this article, this is what we do for you at no direct cost to you.

We offer an Affirmative Defense Response System (ADRS) in which:

1. We provide a written policy outlining specific requirements for protecting customers and employees personal info

2. A letter that can be used when appointing an employee as security compliance officer - which is required by the GLB law.

We do all the above if allowed to offer our Pre-Paid Legal services (PPL) to the employees as an employee benefit. PPL spent over $1 million developing the above to assist companies in becoming compliant with all the new laws. PPL is a 36 year old NYSE company and named as one of the top 200 small businesses on the NYSE by Forbes magazine 7 times.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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NCIS Crime Reduction Program targets identity theft

2009-04-02T12:20:00.000-07:00

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) recently focused its crime reduction program (CRP) campaign on identity theft.

By:MC1(SW/AW) Kristen Allen, Naval Criminal Investigative Service Public Affairs

04/02/2009

"Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in our country," said NCIS Special Agent Carrie Nelson, CRP coordinator. "This campaign is designed to highlight the protective actions individuals can take to safeguard themselves from becoming a victim."
NCIS has been working closely with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to provide the most current information on identity theft to all Sailors and Marines during this campaign. The FTC is the federal government's center for resources, information, and coordination with other agencies on identity theft issues. FTC's campaign motto in fighting identity theft is to deter, detect, and defend.

...She said service members can have particular problems with identity theft because their Social Security numbers are so closely intertwined with their identities, and Social Security numbers are often what identity thieves are looking for to open up new accounts. Deployments and being stationed overseas also put Sailors and Marines at risk.
"Considering the frequent deployments our service members experience and the amount of time spent away from home, they are at high risk for victimization," added Nelson...

...Identity theft victims need to file a police report in order to pursue their rights and start clearing their name and cleaning up credit reports. Sailors and Marines in the United States can make a report at any police department. Personnel who are deployed or stationed overseas, can file a report with base law enforcement.
Broder also advised bringing the issue to the attention of your command because it may require quite a bit of time to resolve the issues, and reporting identity theft issues to the FTC...(Full text at www.zwire.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Breaches Update

2009-04-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

As of 03/31/09, there has been 133 security breaches in the US with over 1.5 million records (that is personal information) compromised.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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ID Theft Red Flags: Institutions Found Lacking in Awareness, Vendor Management

2009-03-31T10:27:00.000-07:00

ID Theft Red Flags: Institutions Found Lacking in Awareness, Vendor Management
FDIC Examiners Find 'Substantial Compliance' with New Reg, But Also See Common Challenges
March 31, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

In the five months since the compliance deadline for the Identity Theft Red Flags Rule, banking institutions generally are compliant. But examiners are finding issues with security awareness and vendor management.
This is the initial report from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), the largest U.S. bank regulator. The FDIC and other regulators have been testing Red Flags compliance at financial institutions since Nov. 1.
The good news, says Michael Jackson, spokesperson for the FDIC's regulatory compliance division, is that examiners have found "substantial compliance with the Red Flags regulations."
Still, there are three common issues that have arisen among banks that have been examined:
Covered Accounts - Some banks are misidentifying their covered accounts. Small business accounts are not automatically covered under the Red Flags regulation, Jackson says, but some should be included if the risk for identity theft is reasonably foreseeable. Some banks have had small business accounts that were victims of identity theft, but were not included among covered accounts.

Security Training - Some banks have not put together employee training, which is required, Jackson says. "By the regulation, they may have talked about it or assigned it to someone, but they need to have an actual program in place and have their employees trained on it." He says it would look better to examiners if institutions already had moved forward in training. "While banks may at this time be more focused on other things -- they may have [training] scheduled for sometime in the future -- but it is something they do need to work on a little more."

Vendor Management - Another area where examiners are interested in is in the area of third-party service providers (TSPs), says Jackson. "Banks are not adequately overseeing the oversight of their third party service providers' (TSP) compliance with red flags regulation," he says. "Even though they are not directly answerable to the regulation, these TSPs that hold information on these covered accounts or process transactions for these covered accounts need to be taking appropriate steps to prevent and mitigate ID theft."
(Full text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Fake ID = Fake Breasts

2009-03-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

The following story is to make sure everyone keeps abreast of all in the world of Identity Theft.

Calif. Cops Seek Breast Implant Bandit
Hunt On For Woman Who Allegedly Stole Someone's ID To Pay For Cosmetic Surgery

CBS2 in Los Angeles reports on the hunt for a California woman who allegedly stole someone else's ID to get herself breast implants.

Police in Hungtington Beach, south of LA County, are searching for a Laguna Niguel woman who is accused of using someone's identity to pay for $15,000 worth of cosmetic surgery.

A $20,000 arrest warrant has been issued for Yvonne Jean Pampellonne, 30, who was identified through a photo line-up as the woman who allegedly had liposuction and a breast implant at the Pacific Center for Plastic Surgery in Huntington Beach, said Huntington Beach police Detective Larry Pitcher. (Full text at www.cbsnews.com)

UPDATE: The Breast Burglar has surrendered to Huntington Beach Police.
To see story online click here!

www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Heartland Data Breach: Visa Questions Processor's PCI Compliance

2009-03-25T10:30:00.000-07:00

Heartland Data Breach: Visa Questions Processor's PCI Compliance
Visa Executive: "We've Never Seen Anyone Who Was Breached That Was PCI Compliant"
March 24, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor

Despite the Heartland Payment Systems (HPY) data breach and other noted compromises, Visa staunchly supports the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).
This is the message from Adrian Phillips, Visa's Deputy Chief Enterprise Risk Officer, who in an exclusive interview hammers home the credit card company's support for the security standard - and suggests that, contrary to Heartland's own statements, the payment processor may not have been PCI compliant when it was breached sometime in 2008.
"We've never seen anyone who was breached that was PCI compliant," Phillips says without specifically naming - or excluding -- Heartland. "The breaches that we have seen have involved a key area of non-compliance."
Interviewed during last week's Visa Security Summit in Washington, D.C., Phillips acknowledges Heartland and other recent breaches, but uses them as an opportunity to support the PCI standard. "Let's remember we've had some bad breaches, but if we had not had PCI DSS, it would have been much worse," Phillips says. "As of today, I am confident that PCI DSS works."
Phillips comments come one week after news that Visa had removed Heartland Payment Systems from its certified PCI-DSS Compliant Service Providers list.
Gartner analyst Avivah Litan recommends that merchants and other card-acepting enterprises using Heartland take no action, "because the processor will likely be recertified soon." Litan says the Visa delisting should "nonetheless make it easier for [Visa] to help card issuers recover financial losses they may have suffered as a result of the breaches from the processor." She adds the delisting should also make it easier for Visa to impose fines, probably $150,000 or more, on Heartland. (Full Text at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

For a current list of the now - 625 institutions that have been affected click here.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Red Flag Rule Takes Aim at Medical Identity Theft

2009-03-23T09:22:00.000-07:00

Red Flag Rule Takes Aim at Medical Identity Theft
By: LYNNE JETER

Healthcare Providers Must Be in Compliance by May 1
In Jackson, Miss., the office manager of a physicians' practice quietly went on a spending spree. She had plastic surgery done, dined at the finest area restaurants, bought a hot tub and then an RV, and spent big bucks on other luxury items that eventually totaled $120,000.

Today, she's serving three years in federal prison, paying restitution, and faces three years of supervised release after completing her sentence.

...Identity fraud is the fastest-growing type of white-collar crime in America. Medical identity theft is the fastest-growing type of identity fraud, having mushroomed more than 400 percent in 2008.

Medical identity fraud typically takes place when a person's name and parts of their identity—insurance information, for example—are used to acquire medical goods or services without that person's consent, usually because the criminal needs treatment or is uninsured. This type of deception often results in erroneous entries being placed in existing medical records and may involve the creation of false medical records in the victim's name....

...Aimed at thwarting medical identity fraud, the new Red Flag Rule under HIPAA requires mandatory compliance by healthcare providers—which the FTC labels as creditors—to have an Identity Theft Prevention Program in place by May 1.

"The financial ramifications of your patient's information being lost or stolen could be devastating to even the most successful practices," said Asbell. "Did you know that a medical insurance card can sell on the black identity theft market for up to $500 each? Did you know that a patient's chart is worth $100,000 to an identity thief? It doesn't matter how the thieves get the info, your facility can still be held liable if you don't comply with the laws."

...Red Flags that definitely apply to healthcare:

Documents provided for identification appear altered or forged.
Photographs or a physical description on file are not consistent with the appearance of the patient.
Other inconsistent information identifies the patient.
Inconsistent signatures are on file.
Patient forms or applications appear forged, altered, or destroyed and re-assembled.

Red Flags that may apply to healthcare:

Statements sent to the patient or guarantor are returned as un-deliverable despite ongoing transactions on active records.

Red Flags that most likely do not apply to healthcare:

A fraud alert is included with a consumer report.
A consumer reporting agency provides notice of a credit freeze in response to a request for a consumer report, a notice of address discrepancy, and/or unusual credit activity.
Financial institutions and creditors use challenge questions that the person opening the covered account cannot answer with readily available information.
A request is made for new, additional or replacement cards or the addition of authorized users on the account shortly after a change of address request.
A new revolving credit account is used in a manner commonly associated with known patterns of fraud patterns.
The use of a covered account is inconsistent with established patterns of activity on the account.
There is unexplained usage of a covered account that has been inactive for a reasonably lengthy period of time. (Full text at www.acadiana.medicalnewsinc.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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A strange case of identity theft

2009-03-22T08:48:00.000-07:00

This story is a must read as it describes what happens if an identity thief uses your information to commit a crime in your name.

While I was reading the story, all I could think of was how much better off the victim would have been if she had Identity Theft Shield and Kroll working for her.

A strange case of identity theft
Susan Sward, Chronicle Staff Writer
Sunday, March 22, 2009

Margot Somerville knew she was in for a hassle when her wallet was stolen in 2006 on a San Francisco streetcar. But she had no way of knowing she would end up facing felony identity-theft charges 950 miles away.

Somerville, 64, was a retired Wells Fargo Bank vice president. Her youngest son, Todd Harris, was a nationally known Republican strategist. The entryway of her expensive Walnut Creek home was decorated with pictures of her with former President George H.W. Bush and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. She had never been accused of a crime in her life.

But one Sunday morning in April 2008, nearly two years after her wallet was swiped, police came to her house and took Somerville away in handcuffs on a no-bail warrant out of Colorado.

Prosecutors in a town near Denver claimed she had masterminded a scam in which a woman armed with Somerville's identification had used stolen checks and bank withdrawal slips to steal more than $60,000 from other people's accounts at local Wells Fargo branches. Somerville was charged with 19 felonies.

By the time the charges were dropped seven months later, Somerville said she had spent more than $46,000 in legal bills. (Read this lengthy article at www.sfgate.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Identity Theft Red Flags Rule: 56% of U.S. Mortgage Brokers Have Never Heard of It

2009-03-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

Identity Theft Red Flags Rule: 56% of U.S. Mortgage Brokers Have Never Heard of It

Mortgage Brokers Will Struggle the Most to Hit the May 1, 2009 Deadline

Orange, CA, March 21, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Only forty three (43%) of U.S. Mortgage Brokers have ever heard of the law and most will have trouble meeting the May 1 deadline for compliance with the Identity Theft Red Flags Rule. This is the key finding of a survey aimed at gauging the success of mortgage broker’s efforts to meet the terms of the new regulatory mandate.

With roughly two months to go before the Identity Theft Red Flags compliance deadline (May 1, 2009), over 50% of the mortgage brokers who were aware of the rule, say they have no idea how they’ll comply and therefore will have trouble beating the May 1st date. Only 17% of the mortgage brokers say they are already completely compliant.

The challenge is even more profound for the majority of mortgage brokers who responded, with 56% saying they weren’t aware of the rule at all or that that it pertained to them. (Full text at www.pr.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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CVS to pay $2.25 million to settle HIPAA violation

2009-03-18T06:51:00.000-07:00

CVS to pay $2.25 million to settle HIPAA violation
Dan Kaplan

CVS Caremark must pay $2.25 million to settle federal charges that its employees threw out personal information about patients into garbage bins.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said on Wednesday that the company -- which operates about 6,300 retail outlets -- lacked proper procedures for discarding sensitive data about customers when, in 2006, pharmacy workers unloaded pill bottles, medication instruction sheets and computerized order information into open trash containers.

This personal information was protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), according to the FTC. (Full text at www.scmagazineus.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Heartland Data Breach: Visa Sets Deadline for Issuers to File Fraud Claims

2009-03-16T09:17:00.000-07:00

Heartland Data Breach: Visa Sets Deadline for Issuers to File Fraud Claims
Heartland, RBS WorldPay Removed from Visa's Compliant Service Providers List
March 16, 2009 - Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor
Heartland Payment Systems (HPY) has been removed from Visa's list of compliant service providers, and banking institutions affected by the Heartland data breach have until May 19 to file their fraud claims with Visa.
This news emerged late last week from a public statement by Visa, as well as from a letter sent by the credit card company to card-issuing banking institutions.
In the statement, Visa confirmed that both Heartland and RBS WorldPay as a result of their recent data breaches, have been removed from the company's Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Compliant Service Providers list. This list represents the service providers that Visa has validated as being PCI DSS compliant for merchants and other businesses to run their credit card transactions.
Heartland and RBS WorldPay are now considered to be "on probation," and can apply to be relisted once they revalidate PCI DSS compliance and meet other security stipulations.
...Visa says:
Heartland is now "in a probationary period" and subject to several risk conditions, including "more stringent security assessments, monitoring and reporting."

Heartland's sponsoring banks will be assessed undisclosed fines as a result of the data breach.

Card issuers can recover an unspecified portion of losses connected to the Heartland breach, but they face a May 19 deadline to file their claims with Visa.

So far, neither MasterCard nor any other credit card company has issued similar statements about Heartland's status or how/if institutions can recover money losses from the breach. (Full story at www.bankinfosecurity.com)

If you were a victim, you had better circle May 19th on your calendar in red.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Red Flags Rule and Hospitals

2009-03-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

U.S. erecting barriers to ID theft
By Antonio Olivo |Tribune reporter
March 15, 2009
This spring, health-care providers will be required to install new safeguards against identity theft that federal regulators say can help control rising health costs and protect against potentially fatal information that has corrupted thousands of medical records.

"Say someone uses my health insurance to obtain care; I'm diabetic; they're not. Suddenly my records are corrupted because they've received treatment that would be inconsistent with the treatment that I'd expect in my medical condition," said Betsy Broder, an assistant director at the Federal Trade Commission, which will oversee the new "red flags rule" that also applies to banks and other creditors.

The measures could include using staff to screen new patients and track down victims to ensure their records are accurate, Broder said. A hospital's strategy should depend on its risk for identity theft, she said. (Full text at www.chicagotribune.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Merced County Sheriff Victim of Id Theft

2009-03-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

Sheriff is victim of ID theft
Signature taken off Merced jail check
By Jim Steinberg
The Fresno Bee

MERCED -- A Merced County sheriff's investigation into identity theft hit home this week when a detective discovered one of the victims was Sheriff Mark N. Pazin.
Christina Valenti, 34, of Merced was arrested Thursday, less than a week after a March 5 arrest in connection with a fake check passed at the Merced Community College book store.
A search at Valenti's home yielded identification cards that had been reported lost or stolen, check stock paper and printing supplies, detectives said.

..One image in her computer, MacKenzie said, was Pazin's signature.
Valenti had lifted the sheriff's signature from a check she scanned from the Merced County Prisoner Trust Account, the Sheriff's Department said. The Merced County Jail issues checks to inmates when they are released...(Full story at www.modbee.com)

Actually, the Sheriff is not yet a victim of id theft as his signature was not used. However, had Valenti not been caught the County and he could have suffered - BIG TIME.

Now the only question remaining is - Did Valenti sell or give the signature to anyone else? Time will tell.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Anatomy of a Data Breach Investigation: Interview with Alain Sheer, Attorney with the Federal Trade Commission

2009-03-13T11:56:00.000-07:00

The following interview was just released by www.BankInfoSecurity.com Click on the title or previous link to read the 32 minute interview. There is also an audio MP3 available at their site but you need a login to download it.

Anatomy of a Data Breach Investigation: Interview with Alain Sheer, Attorney with the Federal Trade Commission
February 27, 2009 - Tom Field, Editorial Director

The Heartland Payment Systems data breach is on everyone's mind, and the case is in the hands now of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if it chooses to investigate. While the FTC will neither confirm nor deny a Heartland investigation, staff attorney Alain Sheer does offer his insight on:
How the FTC investigates data breaches like Heartland's;

The timeline and milestones of such an investigation;

Details of the CardSystems data breach - which closely resembles Heartland's.

TOM FIELD: Hi, this is Tom field, Editorial Director with Information Security Media Group. We are talking today about data breaches, and we are talking with Alain Sheer, an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau for Consumer Protection. Alain thanks so much for joining me today.
ALAIN SHEER: Well thanks for inviting me.
FIELD: Could you tell us a little bit about your role within the FTC and what it is that you actually investigate?
SHEER: Yes. I work in the, as you said, the Bureau of Consumer Protection and particularly in the Division of Privacy and Identity Protection, which is a separate division within the bureau. Our division does exactly what the name suggests. We are concerned with privacy and identity protection and identity theft, and the work that we are doing, at least my part of our division is doing, is really to investigate data breach matters. And so over the years we have looked at a fairly large number of data breaches involving a number of companies, companies such as PetCo Animal Supplies and Guess Jean and BJ's Wholesale Club and TJ Maxx and Card Systems Solutions and Lexis-Nexis and others. So the work of the division is really directed at trying to address the security of sensitive information of our consumers. (Read whole interview at www.BankInfoSecurity.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Updates on Security Breaches

2009-03-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

Heartland Security breach now impacts over 600 institutions. Click here for latest list. My Credit Union has still not added their name to the list.

As of 03/10/09, there has been 100 security breaches since January 1st with over 1,285,128 records exposed. Click here to view the list.

The total number of records containing sensitive personal information involved in security breaches in the U.S. since January 2005 is 255,547,925

Still think you are not at risk? Don't be a victim of "blissful ignorance". It is not a matter of "IF" but "WHEN" it will happen to you. Be proactive and not reactive and visit my shameless plug below.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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What does GPS have to do with Identity Theft?

2009-03-10T09:39:00.000-07:00

If you use a GPS device in your vehicle, think about this! Most people have their home address listed in their device. If a thief steals your device, they now know how to get to your home and combined with the information on your registration can now make you a victim of identity theft.

What else do we keep in our vehicles? Garage door openers. If a thief takes that as well as the GPS, you just invited him for dinner and a ransack.

What can you do to protect yourself? Eliminate your home address from your GPS or if portable, take it with you. Hide your garage door opener and visit my shameless plug below.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Heartland Data Breach now more than 570 institutions

2009-03-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

You read the title correctly. There is now over 570 institutions impacted by the Heartland Data Breach. I notice that my credit union has not yet added their name to the list even though I told them how to do it. View the current list by clicking here.

There has also been a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of Banking Institutions. You can read that story by clicking here.

Both above links courtesy of www.bankinfosecurity.com

As of 02/25/09, there have been 83 Data breaches (in 2009) of companies with over 1.1 million records exposed. The records exposed is low as you will see by the number of records reported exposed by some companies is zero. To see current report visit IdentityTheftResourceCenter.com

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Identity Thefts Up as Economy Sinks -Go Figure!

2009-03-02T09:30:00.000-08:00

Identity theft up as economy sinks
Debate rages on Mass. regs
By Donna Goodison
Monday, March 2, 2009
As the state prepares to implement twice-delayed regulations next year requiring businesses to more aggressively protect consumer data, a new federal report indicates very large upticks in the numbers of Bay Staters filing identity-theft complaints.

Complaints by Massachusetts consumers to the Federal Trade Commission and other reporting agencies climbed 26 percent last year. Of the 5,408 complaints, 26 percent were related to credit card fraud, according to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network report released Thursday.

But those complaints are just the tip of the iceberg. A recent FTC survey found that only an estimated 4 percent of all identity-theft victims file complaints, said John Krebs, the FTC’s program manager for the Consumer Sentinel Network. (Full text at www.bostonherald.com)

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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National Consumer Protection Week

2009-03-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

March 1-7 is National Consumer Protection Week. Check your local papers for any presentations from the USPS, FTC and other organizations in your area.

You can also order your copy of the 2009 Consumer Action Handbook which is Now Available!

Order the 2009 Consumer Action Handbook. This everyday guide to being a smart shopper is hot off the press and chock-full of helpful tips about preventing identity theft, understanding credit, filing a consumer complaint, and much more. In the 2009 edition, you'll find updated information about filing for bankruptcy, finding a lawyer, and planning a funeral, along with many other useful topics.

Visit www.consumeraction.gov for more info.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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Identity Theft #1 Complaint to FTC

2009-02-27T09:40:00.000-08:00

According to the FTC report, Identity Theft #1 complaint for nine (9) years in a row!

The Federal Trade Commission today released the list of top consumer complaints received by the agency in 2008. The list, contained in the publication “Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book for January-December 2008,” showed that for the ninth year in a row, identity theft was the number one consumer complaint category. Of 1,223,370 complaints received in 2008, 313,982 – or 26 percent – were related to identity theft.

The report breaks out complaint data on a state-by-state basis and also contains data about the 50 metropolitan areas reporting the highest per capita incidence of fraud and other complaints. In addition, the report sets forth the 50 metropolitan areas reporting the highest incidence of identity theft.

The report states that credit card fraud was the most common form of reported identity theft at 20 percent, followed by government documents/benefits fraud at 15 percent, employment fraud at 15 percent, phone or utilities fraud at 13 percent, bank fraud at 11 percent and loan fraud at four percent.

(Full report with top 20 complaints at www.ftc.gov)

Odd thing is that most people will still keep their head in the sand regarding Id Theft. It won't happen to me (blissful ignorance)! Don't be like most people be proactive not reactive and visit my shameless plug below.

To learn more about Identity Theft and what to do if you are a victim, visit www.StopIdTheftCrime.com and subscribe to the newsletter to obtain your free 46 page eBook "Fighting Back Against Identity Theft".

Remember, estimates are that every 2-4 seconds an Identity is compromised. Why take chances? Why not protect yourself and your loved ones with the best suite of services provided (including restoration) by the best NYSE company in the field? Educate yourself and visit the shameless plug below or call me at (909) 208-3728!

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