Today I begin a four-part series on travel safety to protect your identity before during and after your trip. I’ve tried to make this series comprehensive for all stages of travel. Today we’ll cover Planning Your Trip , to be followed in days to come by: Before You Go, On the Road and When You Return.
While you may be aware of the basics, the lists in these blogs show you how to think like the criminals think. Be proactive and outwit them at their own game!
Use a legitimate agency: Verify the business you are booking your trip through. If you are going to use a travel agency or online booking company, make sure they are authentic first. Go online and do your research – if people have been swindled before by the company, the Internet is the first place they will go to vent. You can even ask the company for references so you can check up on some satisfied customers. Also, investigate the travel companies with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) and the attorney general’s office in the state where the company does business. (www.naag.org).
When you read an account of the devastating “Black Death” Plague that spread across Europe and Asia in Medieval times, it’s impossible not to be awed by the statistics. In just five years, one-third of Europe’s population, 25 million people, were dead. It hit so fast and so unexpectedly that people were unable to protect themselves. As one writer summarized, “A terrible killer was loose across Europe, and medieval medicine had nothing to combat it.”
While experiencing medical identity theft isn’t always as devastating as dying from the plague, it’s easy to draw some parallels.
Both affect people in such a way that they are completely unaware of it until it is often too late? Check.
It can spread unexpectedly fast? Check.
The victims are not limited to one group, whether by country, age, race, or socioeconomic class? Check.
Tax season can be a stressful time of year for individuals and business owners alike, especially those who fail to plan in advance and then sacrifice focus and performance as they race to meet the filing deadline. But that stress is nothing compared to the potential destruction of your financial reputation brought on by tax-time identity theft. And tax-related identity theft is on a precipitous rise.
An audit published on July 19, 2012 by the U.S. Treasury Department, found that the IRS paid fraudulent tax returns to identity thieves worth a total of $5 Billion in 2011. The study also predicted that the IRS (and therefore, you as a taxpayer) will lose an estimated $21 Billion in fraudulent claims over the next five years. Tax-related information is the Holy Grail of identity theft because it contains virtually every piece of information, including a Social Security number (SSN), which a fraudster needs to defraud you.
More than 80 million patient records were stolen out of Anthem’s servers.
If you are an Anthem, Blue Cross or Blue Shield customer, now or in the past, you are probably affected by the breach.
The data stolen included at least Social Security numbers, birthdates, addresses, email addresses and employment information.
Not included in the breach (or at least disclosed as being part) were credit card numbers or medical data.
Why is the Anthem breach so serious?
When breach includes so much data on each victim, especially your Social Security number, it makes it fairly easy for cyber criminals and identity thieves to create new accounts in your name or takeover existing financial accounts. In other words, they can bank as you, borrow as you and pose as you in order to financially exploit you.
A new check fraud scam has reached the Front Range.
It involves a sizable check that arrives in the mail that, once cashed, can make you an accomplice in a money laundering scheme.
I recently appeared on 9 News to address the concern of a suspicious viewer, Martha, who had received such a check in the mail for $2,240.00. It was drawn on the Brown-Forman Employees Credit Union of Louisville, Ky.
The check came with a set of instructions:
No. 1: Have the check cashed at your bank.
No. 2: Pay yourself $300 after cashing the check.
No. 3: Take the rest of the funds to the nearest Western Union and transfer that balance to an address in San Diego.
‘Tis the season to receive holiday scams in your email, on your Facebook page and via text. But you won’t be singing tra la la la la if you click on links that install malware on your computer! More and more of us seem to be conducting our holiday shopping online, and the cyber security Grinches are taking advantage of this new-found holiday convenience. There are several varieties of holiday scams that seem to come around each year.
The first red flag might be the Subject line of the email: “Order Confirmation”, “Acknowledgement of Order”, “Order Status”, “Thanks for Your Order”, “Problem With Your Order”, “Delivery Failure”, “Canceling Your Scheduled Delivery”, etc. It may tell you that an order is ready for you and you just need to click on the link to get the information about how to redeem it. Or, it may play on your fear of not getting a package out before Christmas and say you haven’t provided a correct address – this is a fear-based holiday scam.
Checks Unlimited • PO Box 19000 • Colorado Springs, CO 80935-9000
Checks Unlimited values and respects your privacy. Visit www.ChecksUnlimited.com/Privacy.aspx to view our privacy policy. This is an automated message; replies will not be read. To contact Checks Unlimited Customer Service Department, please send an email to general@support.checksunlimited.com
Holiday Security Tips: On the tenth day of Christmas, the experts gave to me, 10 trusted charities
Because you tend to be more giving throughout the holidays, scammers target you during this time of year. Whether they are asking for a donation to a charity, promising free iPads, claiming to be a friend in need, or are asking you to click on something outrageous or out of character, don’t fall for it.
Solution: Keep your eyes open for these common holiday scams
Phishing. Thieves, or hackers as they are more commonly known, will send emails that look like they are legitimately sent from a charitable organization when in real-life these are fake web sites that are designed to steal credit card information, donations and your identity. To donate, call or visit the website of a reputable charitable organization.
Would you like to give the people you care about some peace on earth during this holiday season? Take a few minutes to pass on our 12 privacy tips that will help them protect their identities, social media, shopping and celebrating over the coming weeks. The more people that take the steps we’ve outlined in the 12 Days of Christmas, the safer we all become, collectively.
Have a wonderful holiday season, regardless of which tradition you celebrate. Now sing (and click) along with us one more time.
On the 12th Day of Christmas, the experts gave to me:12 Happy Holidays,
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