types of identity theft Archives - John Sileo, Cyber Security Training

Consumers sick of identity theft and ready to fight back…are you?

2013 could go down in history as the Year of the Hack, or the Year of the Counter-Attack. The choice is up to us.

Not only are businesses and the government finally taking measures to stop identity theft, consumers are waking up as well.

It doesn't matter if you're the Fortune 500 banker cashing a hefty check or the teller at the front desk: everyone's personal information is valuable. The risks to businesses and major companies, even giants like Apple and Google, are pretty well-known by now. But the threat of a breach looms over everybody, regardless of occupation.

The Federal Trade Commission recently revealed that identity theft was the number one consumer concern of 2012. There were more complaints over different types of identity theft than things like fraudulent lenders and fixed gas prices. That's no fluke: it's the sign of a major threat.

Tax Fraud Can Happen With Anyone’s Data…Even Yours

Fraud prevention isn't just about building a wall: It's about making sure you have the right bricks.

During tax season, anyone who sees your pay stubs or tax forms could put them to nefarious use, and could do so without you being aware. As former clients and relatives of one California tax preparer were shocked to find out recently, the stability of their "brick walls" against fraud were filled with weak spots.

Imelda Sanchez of California confessed to using the names and personal data of other people to file fraudulent tax returns. She also used other falsified tax documents to apply for a loan worth more than $1.5 million. Her sentencing is scheduled for May, when she could be slapped with a prison sentence upwards of 30 years or more. As a tax preparer, she was in a unique position to set this plan in motion. Sanchez could also be given a fine around $1.25 million – just a touch under the amount of money she tried to steal.

Protect yourself and your business from the dangers of malware

How sure are you that your company’s computers aren’t being used against you for purposes of fraud and identity theft?

Recently, Bloomberg.com reported a case in which Microsoft and the antivirus company Symantec joined forces to take down a massive botnet group. Known as Bamital, this ill-intentioned family of bugs is believed to originate from somewhere in Eastern Europe, and operated by distributing malicious software to unsuspecting computers. Once the targets had been infected, the hackers on the other end could take control of Web browsers and drive them wherever they wanted, re-routing searches and addresses to dubious websites that could infect them further.

According to the article, at least a quarter of a million computers were hit in this most recent attack. Globally, Bamital’s victims are reckoned to number in the millions.