American Express-Savings
Community Newsletter: Q&A: 3/04/05 New broadband subscribers: do's and don'ts
- 3/3/05 1:54 PM
RE: Stolen Bank account information
by DurangoJazz - 3/8/05 1:44 AM In reply to: Stolen Bank account information by sisterofthewindI'm sure your bank closed your account right away however, there is a safe way to purchase products on line which I use whenever I do on-line purchases. Check with the bank that holds your credit card and ask them about "virtual Account Numbers". If they don't offer this service go to another credit card bank. The program is downloaded to your machine and you access it whenever you need to buy something. It is protected with a password and your user name. They have to be typed in, copy and paste won't work. It generates a "one time use" credit card number which is linked to your credit card. Everything is changed except your name and it will fill in the form for you automatically if you so choose. That is the best that I have found.
Being an Ex-Banker in Fraud and Security I am guessing here.
by petecheesecake101 - 3/8/05 3:28 PM In reply to: Stolen Bank account information by sisterofthewind....what I think that happened to you is that this guy got ahold of one of your checks (if it indeed was a checking account to begin with). OR it was one of those on-line purchases, perhaps, as well. Who knows?!? But if you take into consideration that whenever you scrawl out a check at a convenience store, a mall, a gas station, whatever...then you should be well aware that you are handing over your account information...Name, address, frequently your phone number, and sometimes REALLY dumb people will have thier Social Security numbers printed on there to! Just because they do not want the inconvenience of (perhaps) having to write that down for verification purposes (HA!HA!) at some other store.
You're also including in that "hand-off"...the routing number, the account number and the check sequence number, right at the bottom of that little contract (the check) itself, to this stranger who may have been working at this place, that you write checks for maybe little more than a day, and MIGHT not work there any longer than the day after you have left, as well. Scary, huh? Well all it would take is for this clerk is to jot a little note to "self" on some adding-machine tape, with a few numbers and he is in like flint.
What I am going to recommend is the PayPal option for on-line purchasing, if nothing at all (which would be the safest). You have the option of moving funds where you need them relatively quickly from account to PayPal, and back again, if you want, for whatever your needs. They are pretty secure and they come to your aid for protection of your account with fraudulent and mis-directed purchases, rather well. They only thing that I would warn you of, (only because it happened to me last week) is that there was a SPAM E-mail that I received that looked like a damned good authentic PayPal generated E-mail...logo and everything that stated because of my lack of activity, if I did not verify my PayPal information, that it would be closed. Yeah right! I contacted PayPal on my own...not using that fraudulent link, of course. Guess what? They don't ask for any information like that. Foiled, they were.
This same type of stuff goes on with your debit/credit cards when you make purchases, too.
I've heard as of late that people that may be standing behind you while you are purchasing things at the counter are possibly taking a picture with thier camera phones of your card as it lies out there on the counter. Wow! Technology at work! Amazing! What they used to do is simply take a look, and memorize the bloody number, name and expiration-date. It's really not that hard, if you train your mind to do just that. Thieves are getting lazy as of late, I guess. Later, you would find that they would be accepting purchases they had made at vacant and houses for sale (so they would be there at the right time to remove the sale sign in time, etc.), tracking the UPS, FedEx tracking numbers, on-line so they would know when to be there to sign the driver's receipt of delivery, too.
There are thousands of ways to get your information, I have only touched the surface. And as you protect yourself and companies protect you, too. People are working just as hard to break down those defenses. If only they utilized their efforts for good and constructive things, I think they would be happier, anyway.
In short (too late!), I would recommend not doing too much on-line purchasing, as you could actually stand. That is, if you want to be safest. I still do it every once in a while, because I can't help myself.
There are many other things to watch for, but I don't have that kind of time, right now. I have to get back to work helping to put people in jail for those things that I mentioned before. I am not a cop...I simply assist where I can.
Good luck! We all are going to need it. I hope this may help though!
Credit Card "Verifications" are usually at non-cube-safe sit
by bmcintyre - 3/4/05 4:37 AM In reply to: 3/04/05 New broadband subscribers: do's and don'ts by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The purpose of this (if the site is legitimate) is almost always to show that the user is: Ready to be charged and; Old enough to get a credit card.
Any other purpose would be very suspect.
What's a "Non-Cube safe sit?
by alixtcat - 3/4/05 5:59 AM In reply to: Credit Card "Verifications" are usually at non-cube-safe sit by bmcintyreWhat are you talking about here? Non-cube safe sit(e)?
Non-Cube-Safe
by yeffers - 3/4/05 7:38 AM In reply to: What's a "Non-Cube safe sit? by alixtcatSites that you would not want to have your boss or HR person (or the network administrator) see you viewing in your cubicle at work. (READ: PORN)
Follow Up Question to Broadband Do's and Don'ts
by bobweb - 3/4/05 5:15 AM In reply to: 3/04/05 New broadband subscribers: do's and don'ts by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have a router with it's firewall enabled, but wonder whether there's additional software safeguards to block access to my LAN when I'm not using the internet? For example, if I close my browsers on all the computers on the LAN can they still be reached from the internet?
Open browsers NOT how someone accesses your LAN
by alixtcat - 3/4/05 6:03 AM In reply to: Follow Up Question to Broadband Do's and Don'ts by bobwebClosing your browsers has nothing to do with someone accessing your LAN. You need to get a firewall SOFTWARE program to block access. ZoneAlarm works well for me and it is free. You can click the Block button when you leave for the day and it blocks ALL access. Tiny Personal Firewall is also good, but I think it lacks the Block button ease of blocking all traffic.
Hope this helps.
So should I install an extra Firewall
by PhilMack - 3/4/05 3:12 PM In reply to: Open browsers NOT how someone accesses your LAN by alixtcatI am a social user of the internet and not very cyber wise. I use XP, and it has a Firewall. Should I turn this off and install ZoneAlarm? I was told to do this by an aquaintance. Most interested in a reply.
Use ZA Firewall
by bountysx - 3/6/05 3:10 AM In reply to: So should I install an extra Firewall by PhilMackZA is ok with my WinXP Firewall on. But I did read somewhere that XP firewall shld. be turned off if you have another software firewall installed. But it has caused no problem on my computer. I am leaving it on.
So should I install an extra Firewall
by DurangoJazz - 3/8/05 1:55 AM In reply to: So should I install an extra Firewall by PhilMackI use to have the built in fire wall and while talking to my ISP on the phone, they said they could see me, so I shut off the firewall that came with and installed ZONE ALARM firewall and anti-virus. I have had no problems plus when ever someone tries to get in the firewall will tell me that they just blocked it. I choose to be alerted but that can be turned off if you don't want to know.
Spyware
by asharpe - 3/4/05 6:09 AM In reply to: 3/04/05 New broadband subscribers: do's and don'ts by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Great answer, or should I say answers. One more thought on spyware. I would move the spyware comment to the top of the priority list, in other words run the spyware before connecting to broadband. Anything that Steven does to prepare for broadband or processing purchases can easily be captured by the 'evil doers'. After removing all spyware then begin to set up and use his DSL connection.
Remember the golden rule in Internet use, "Don't give out any personal or private information and don't participate in (forward) mass mailed emails!"
Broadband Internet is true fulfillment!
3/04/05 New broadband subscribers: do's and don'ts
by rdinning - 3/4/05 6:30 AM In reply to: 3/04/05 New broadband subscribers: do's and don'ts by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
You are wrong about sites asking for credit card information "for verification only". There are a lot of them. My advise is to go somewhere else and ignore these requests.
Also what Norton are you running. A lot of people think Norton Antivirus is enough. It isn't, you need the firewall as well.
On top of that investigate your ISP and see what security setings they have available and turn them on. People tell me they get hundreds of spam messages a week while I get fewer than three because my ISP has a truely great AntiSpam filter, but it is off by default. I had to go in and turn it on.
If you want to shop online, when it comes time to settle up, make sure the lock is showing locked or secure when you input credit card information. Also use Money or Quicken to immediately document the purchase and keep the receipt that they send you until the order arrives and you have reconciled the credit card statement with that purchase on it.
I don't agree with using a separate credit card for online as it seems no two places use the same credit cards. One only takes Visa and Mastercard and another insists on Amex or Discover. How many special cards do you want to have?
RE:New broadband subscribers: do's and don'ts
by DurangoJazz - 3/8/05 2:07 AM In reply to: 3/04/05 New broadband subscribers: do's and don'ts by rdinningI agree with you on the sites that ask for c.card info for verifacation but as for Norton, I use to think they were the best until I found out Norton let the trojan horse in and then told me it was on my machine. I got rid of Norton and use Zone Alarm, they tell me BEFORE the horse gets in that they just blocked it. With Norton I was fighting my fair share of horses but now I have no more battles. I hope that didn't jinx me.
As for credit cards, I use one only for the net, not anywhere else, but I spoke to the bank that issued it and they have "Virtual Account Numbers". They are a one time use number that is linked to your credit card account and the system is automatic when you say go and is protected by your user name and a password. For me it is the only way to shop.
new to surfing
by joemarv - 3/4/05 6:38 AM In reply to: 3/04/05 New broadband subscribers: do's and don'ts by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
One of the main things one should look for as well as knowing who you`re dealing with financially on the net is, looking to the bottom of your screen, on the right side you should see a padlock, in the locked position. that is in addition to the previous writer.
I agree
by pes67 - 3/4/05 7:02 AM In reply to: 3/04/05 New broadband subscribers: do's and don'ts by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I agree with Lee, great answer. I currently do all of these things and it is good to hear confirmation.
Thanks.
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