Identity Theft Through Email

As I've discussed in earlier posts, there are many ways you can become an identity theft victim. By now we know that your identity can be stolen if someone is able to access your credit card numbers, bank account numbers, and Social Security number. It may be simpler than that. What if someone else gains access to your personal email?

This can be more dangerous than it sounds. We send and receive sensitive information in our email more and more often. What is at risk here? When you sign up for an online vendor, don't you often receive an email confirming your user name and password? If you have a Paypal account, you log into it with your email address. What's to stop an identity thief from clicking on, "forgot password" and entering your email address. You might also be reminded that your Paypal account can only be confirmed with your bank account. What about Amazon? Once you order, they keep your credit card number on file. Your thief won't even need the credit card number to start spending. He'd just need to re-route the order as a gift delivery to have it sent elsewhere. I could go on, but you probably get the point by now. And if you're not convinced, check out this woman's experience after leaving her Hotmail account open on a public computer.

So what's to be done? That actually depends. Do you use free web-based email accounts? Do you use them for signing up for membership on the web and making online purchases? If so, you may not want to access them from a public computer. Sure, it's convenient, but at what cost? You may also consider changing your password often, and being careful to log out every time you use it. What about your personal email on your home computer? Do you have it set to automatically open when you start up your computer? That's something else you may want to consider. Anyone who enters your home (with or without permission) and sits down in front of your computer can view your email without even the benefit of a password.

Keeping your identity secure is not always convenient, but it pays off in the long run.

Identity Theft Methods: Shoulder Surfing

You never know who is watching. Most people who appear to be minding their own business while you are conducting your own business probably mean you no harm. But that's not the case for everyone. Some are watching, waiting for you to reveal important information. This identity theft method can be an effective way to gather information. Shoulder surfing involves the identity thief observing and/or eavesdropping on a potential victim to gather information such as PINs, account numbers, credit card numbers, passwords, etc.

The shoulder surfer will stand behind you at the grocery store or ATM, watching carefully as pull out your credit card or type in your PIN, maybe even taking pictures with a camera phone. Or he could be watching from farther off with binoculars. The shoulder surfer may also be sitting nearby at your favorite coffee shop, stealing glances at your fingers as you type in passwords on your laptop and eavesdroping on cell phone conversations for useful information. While most people around you are not trying to steal your identity, it is always best to act with some degree of caution.

If your identity thief has some hi-tech surveillance gear, it may be hard to hide from him, but here are a few tips to make it harder for the average shoulder surfer to steal your information:

* Do not write down passwords and PINs. As soon as you pull out that slip of paper, you make the shoulder surfing so much easier.

* Be aware of your surroundings and make note of those around you.

* If you are using a laptop in public, try to point the screen away from public view.

* Computer users should make user names and passwords as long and difficult as possible. Changing passwords frequently is also wise.

* While many ATMs are now modified to combat shoulder surfing, it is best to use the ATM as quickly as possible, and do not leave receipts behind.

It's always best to be cautious when it comes to your personal information. After all, you never know who is watching your back.

Chicago Man Charged With 800-Number Scam

Apparently, not all identity thieves call their potential victims to ask for information. Normally, pretexting fraudsters contact or approach potential victims. This Chicago man simply let them contact him. Harris Jones set up an 800 number in his home, claiming to be a Nextel representative. People would call information services for a Nextel rep and would be given his number. When they'd call, he would ask for their personal information, like Social Security numbers, birth dates, credit card numbers, and the victims, thinking they were talking to a sales rep, didn't think twice about giving him this information.

When Jones was arrested, he was found possessing 17 names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, but an estimated 200 people called his 800-number. Jones is being charged with identity theft and deceptive practice.

Identity theft is definitely a crime of innovation. Thieves are coming up with new scams and new variations on older ones. In this case, people obtained this number from a reliable source, but were scammed because the number was registered as a Nextel number. If you are calling or otherwise contacting a company where credit card numbers or other personal information may be involved, verify the information at the company's website to be sure the person you are calling does, in fact, work for that company.

'Tis the Season to be Cautious: Holiday Identity Theft

With the holiday shopping season just around the corner, this seemed to be an appropriate topic. The holiday season tends to make us more generous and stressed about finding that perfect gift, planning parties and getting everything done on time, but it also makes us a bit less cautious than we'd normally be. With so many people shopping in stores, making online purchases, receiving packages and invoices, etc., this is also a profitable time for those who commit identity theft. I can't place enough emphasis on this. Take extra precautions when shopping this season. Watch transactions in stores (especially, with your credit cards), order gifts only from reputable vendors with secure order forms ("https" instead of "http"); and if your purse or wallet is stolen while shopping, report it immediately.

While you shouldn't let this compromise your holiday spirit or generosity toward friends and family, you should remain vigilant to protect your information. After all, identity thieves know people will be distracted at this time and will capitalize. Your personal information (Social Security number, account numbers, PINs) is priceless, and once compromised, repairing your finances and credit can take months, even years. Be careful who you share this information with, even if its a family member (identity theft can be committed by someone you know).

Here's an early wish for a happy and secure holiday season!

Child Identity Theft Increasing

Anyone can be an identity theft victim. You'll see that in any book, article or web page you read about the crime. Old or young, rich or poor, living or deceased, you are always a potential victim. The most obvious potential victim would be a child, and why not? A child will have no credit history (no credit cards, loans or any other services in his/her name), so stealing a child's identity gives the thief a clean slate to apply for as much credit as possible before the child's credit history is ruined. The fortunate child will have a parent notice something amiss (bills or preapproved credit offers arriving in a son/daughter's name) and look into it.

The less fortunate child won't know he/she is a victim of identity theft until trying to rent an apartment or apply for a credit card or student loan, and the even less fortunate ones will find that they have been living with their identity thief without even realizing it. Yes, there are parents who will steal their children's identities, often out of financial desperation. Imagine choosing between absorbing the debt and accepting the bad credit or reporting your mom or dad to the police as an identity thief. Fortunately, most parents don't put their children in that situation.

According to news reports, child identity theft is becoming more common, but parents can take precautionary measures to prevent this or at least catch it early. Watch for suspicious mail showing up in your son/daughter's name, and occasionally obtain copies of your child's credit report. Children, under normal circumstances, will have no credit history. Watch for people who ask for Social Security numbers in situations where they shouldn't be needed (like sports and other after school activities), and observe your child's online activities. It's my opinion that only the lowest identity thief would victimize a child, but this can be stopped early and even prevented. Be vigilant.

Firefox 2.0 Helps Protect From Identity Theft

Mozilla's open source web browser Firefox has grown in popularity since its launch. It has become a major thorn in Microsoft's side and has gained the support of many of the software giant's competitors. While sporting many popular features and extensions, what makes Firefox most appealing is security. Firefox has proved to be less vulnerable to viruses, spyware and adware than Microsoft's Internet Explorer, hence making the data on the user's computer less accessible for a tech savvy identity thief. Don't just take my word for it. This article explains Firefox's security including stats from Secunia, a security and vulnerability reporting site.

If that isn't enough, Firefox is continuing to protect users' computers while they are online and adding extra defense against identity theft. Just days after the October 19 release of Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 2.0 is hoping to compete and gain a larger share of the market. One feature that Mozilla is boasting in its new release is protection from phishing scams with a tool that will alert users that websites they are encountering are potential forgeries, which are designed to extract their personal information.

Identity theft can be a high tech as well as low tech crime. Be sure you are protecting yourself in every aspect of your life. Your files, the personal and financial data you store on your computer, are too important to be compromised. Is the convenience of using the browser that came with your operating system worth the risk of this information falling into malicious hands? If you haven't already done so, switch to Firefox.

Firefox 2.0 can be downloaded here.