Home | Solutions Blog | Fraud
Posts tagged "Fraud"
With the recent avalanche of digital convenience and mass centralization comes our next greatest privacy threat – the stupid use of Mobile Apps. As a society, we depend on the latest technology and instant connectivity so desperately that we rarely take the time to vet the application software (Apps) we install on our mobile phones (and with the introduction of the Mac App store, on our Macs). But many of the Apps out there have not been time-tested like the software on our computers. As much as we love to bash Microsoft and Adobe, they do have a track record of patching security concerns.
The ability to have all of your information at your fingertips on one device is breathtakingly convenient. My iPhone, for example, is used daily as an email client, web browser, book, radio, iPod, compass, recording device, address book, word processor, blog editor, calculator, camera, high-definition video recorder, to-do list, GPS, map, remote control, contact manager, Facebook client, backup device, digital filing cabinet, travel agent, newsreader and phone… among others (which is why I minimize my stupidity by following the steps I set out in the Smart Phone Survival Guide).
Posted in Cyber Data Security, Identity Theft Prevention by Identity Theft Speaker John Sileo.
Tags: Android, Applications, Apps, BlackBerry, data security, Droid, Expert, Fraud, Hacking, iPhone, jail break, jail breaking, Jailbreaking, John Sileo, Mobile Phone, safety, Security, Smart Phone, Smartphone, Smartphone Survival Guide
In a town with a population of about 3,000 people it seems that almost all the citizens of Bennett, Colorado have had their identity stolen. The scheme was simple and it was easy to fall victim. Identity thieves apparently used skimmers to extract credit and debit card numbers from individuals. Skimmer scams can happen when the criminal installs a “skimming” device over the card slot of an ATM, debit or credit card reader. The skimmer then reads the magnetic strip as the user unknowingly passes their card through it.
In the case of Bennett, Colorado it is believed that this was done at a local King Soopers gas pump. The skimmer is gone now and authorities are on the hunt for the thief. King Soopers has denied that any of the fraudulent activity happened at their gas pumps and authorities have also said that they knew this was a crime spree for the past few weeks. In the meantime, many of the victims who used debit cards are without those funds because its the same as using cash. The average amount stolen was around $700 and more people are coming forward every day.
Posted in Identity Theft Prevention by Identity Theft Speaker John Sileo.
Tags: Bennett, Colorado, credit card fraud, Debit Cards, Fraud, identity theft expert, Identity Theft Prevention, John Sileo, Skimmers, Skimming
In response to the increasing data theft threat posed by Smartphones, identity theft expert John Sileo has released The Smartphone Survival Guide. Because of their mobility and computing power, smartphones are the next wave of data hijacking. iPhone, BlackBerry and Droid users carry so much sensitive data on their phones, and because they are so easily compromised, it’s disastrous when they fall into the wrong hands.
Denver, CO (PRWEB) March 7, 2011
Smartphones are quickly becoming the fashionable (and simplest) way for thieves to steal private data. Case in point: Google was recently forced to remove 21 popular Android apps from it’s official application website, Android Market, because the applications were built to look like useful software but acted like electronic wiretaps. At first glance, apps like Chess appear to be legitimate, but when installed, turn into a data-hijacking machine that siphons private information back to the developer.
Posted in Cyber Data Security, Fraud Detection & Prevention, Identity Theft Prevention by Identity Theft Speaker John Sileo.
Tags: Android, Android Market, App Store, Applications, Apps, BlackBerry, BlackBerry Security, data security, Droid, Droid Security, Expert, Fraud, Hacking, Hijacking, iPhone, iPhone Security, jail break, jail breaking, Jailbreaking, John Sileo, Lookout, Mobile Phone, safety, Security, Smart Phone, Smartphone, Smartphone Survival Guide
Google removes 20+ Apps from Android Market, signaling that malware distribution has gone mainstream, and not just for Droids.
The Adroid Operating System is open source – meaning that anyone can create applications without Google’s approval. It boosts innovation, and unlike Apple iPhones or Blackberrys, Droid Apps aren’t bound by all of the rules surrounding the Apple App Store. But this leniency can be exploited by hackers, advertisers and malicious apps. And now those apps aren’t just available on some sketchy off-market website, but on the Android Market itself. As smartphones and tablets become one of the primary ways we conduct business, including banking, this development shifts the security conversation into high gear.
A recent discovery forced Google to pull 21 popular and free apps from the Android Market. According to the company, the apps are malware and focused on getting root access to the user’s device (giving them more control over your phone than even you have). Kevin Mahaffey, the CTO of Lookout, a maker of security tools for mobile devices, explained the Android malware discovery in a recent PC World article (emphasis mine):
Posted in Cyber Data Security, Identity Theft Prevention by Identity Theft Speaker John Sileo.
Tags: Android, Android Market, App Store, Applications, Apps, BlackBerry, BlackBerry Security, data security, Droid, Droid Security, Expert, Fraud, Hacking, Hijacking, iPhone, iPhone Security, jail break, jail breaking, Jailbreaking, John Sileo, Lookout, Mobile Phone, safety, Security, Smart Phone, Smartphone, Smartphone Survival Guide
Here comes Spring Break! And the scams that go along with travel and vacations, whether you are a student or just taking some time off.
Picture this: you find a great deal online for a vacation package and are counting the days till you take off for some fun in the sun. The day finally arrives and you show up at the airport, bags packed and ready to take flight. But when you reach the ticket counter, you learn that you have no flights booked… you’ve been scammed!
It happens ALL THE TIME, and scammers are getting more and more convincing. Scams rise during any busy travel season, but there are ways to avoid becoming a victim. Here are some tips on how to prevent travel scams and make sure that you get to enjoy a great Spring break trip.
Posted in Identity Theft Prevention by Identity Theft Speaker John Sileo.
Tags: Fraud, Fraud Expert, John Sileo, Scams, Spring Break, travel, Travel Scams, Vacation, Vacation Scams
The 2011 Identity Fraud Survey Report by Javelin was just released, and it shows new trends in identity theft. While the report states that identity theft cases have decreased overall, it is costing consumers more time and money. The good news is that the drive to increase awareness about identity theft is working.
Meanwhile, consumer costs, the average out-of-pocket dollar amount victims pay, increased, reversing a downward trend in recent years. This increase can be attributed to new account fraud, which showed longer periods of misuse and detection and therefore more dollar losses associated with it than any other type of fraud. – Javelin Strategy & Research
Posted in Identity Theft Prevention by Identity Theft Speaker John Sileo.
Tags: 2010, Fraud, Identity Theft Prevention, javelin, John Sileo, social networking, Statistics, Stats
Romance is in the air, but so is fraud.
I hate it when scammers take advantage of you on holidays. In fact, I don’t much like being the person responsible for telling you that fraud goes way up during holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day. But it’s my job, and it’s important to me, and you have nothing to worry about if you are using common sense. In case your common sense is lacking due to all of the chocolate, here are some thoughts on Valentines Scams.
In happy and/or busy moments, people tend to let their guard down. Consumers are happier, more trusting, generous and hopeful around Valentine’s Day. This is a good thing. We want people to be happy, in love and celebrating each other.
Posted in Identity Theft Prevention by Identity Theft Speaker John Sileo.
Tags: Fraud, holiday, holidays, How to Spot Malicious Links, identity theft expert, Identity Theft Prevention, Identity Theft Speaker, John Sileo, Malicious Links, scammers, Valentine's Day. Valentines Day Identity Theft, Valentines Day Scams
With any big sporting event comes the opportunity for thieves to take advantage of desperate fans. This rings true with the upcoming Super Bowl match between the Packers and the Steelers (appropriately named, but incorrectly spelled for this post on theft). Whether you watch the game for the fun commercials or to root for your new favorite team (sorry, Broncos), we can all agree that Super Bowl Sunday is almost a national holiday. With any holiday comes predators looking to take advantage of distracted and unsuspecting fans.
Here are a few Super Bowl themed scams that you should be aware of:
Fake Tickets. According to the NFL, in recent years, between 100 and 250 football fans have shown up to Super Bowl games with bogus tickets. Before booking a hotel room and hopping on a plane to Dallas make sure that you have legitimate tickets to the big game.
Posted in Identity Theft Prevention by Identity Theft Speaker John Sileo.
Tags: Fraud, identity theft expert, Identity Theft Prevention, Identity Theft Speaker, John Sileo, Super Bowl, Super Bowl Fake Sweepstakes, Super Bowl Ticket Scams, Super Bowl Travel Scams, Superbowl Scams
Last week a list of 10 most scammed states was released, and Colorado ranks #3. The statistics, based on information from the Federal Trade Commission. According to their report, Coloradans receive more scam invitations via email, mail and phone than most other states. Add to this the number of new victims thanks to all of our information sharing on social networking sites like Facebook, and identity theft becomes relatively easy.
Here are the rankings for the top 10 states: 1. Washington D.C., 2. Nevada, 3. Colorado, 4. Maryland, 5. Florida, 6. Arizona, 7. Oregon, 8. Washington, 9. Delaware, 10. California
While many people think of scams that affect their pocket book directly, most thieves want to steal an entire identity from their victims. They are looking for as many pieces of personal information as possible, including: full name, Social Security number, address, phone number, mothers maiden name and passwords. This type of information allows them to use your identity to take out loans and purchase houses, not just wipe out your savings account or spend a bit on your credit cards.
Posted in Identity Theft Prevention by Identity Theft Speaker John Sileo.
Tags: Colorado Identity Theft, Fraud, Fraud statistics, Identity Theft Prevention, Identity Theft Speaker, Identity Theft Statistics, Identity Theft Victims, John Sileo
