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Spyware, viruses, & security : Where, in your opinion, are you most vulnerable to ID theft?
- 8/17/07 2:08 PM
LapTop theft
by al4real - 8/19/07 6:08 AM In reply to: Where, in your opinion, are you most vulnerable to ID theft? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I think any body who has a laptop or has an idea of how laptop user use thier laptops will strongly agree with me if I say that laptop theft is the most vulnerable to ID theft.
Before I continue and in order to make you all understand how vulnerable laptop theft is to ID theft, let me ask, how many people have laptops that do not have creadit cards,nor have internet access?
Very few of us fall in this category.
Do you know why you did not have to type in your credit card information the other time you went to "that site" you like buying online stuffs?
What about the PERSONAL INFORMATION you have stored on your laptop that makes you login to the sites you love going to? The "cookies stuff"
Have we though of how someone could just get into his yahoo mail without having to digit a number or a letter becuase we have all checked the portion on yahoo login that enables you to login without having to press a key.
Now if you have personal info in these mails or on your laptop and you let it get to the hands of a theft who can be anything, then you should know that you've been CLONED!!!
Not only you laptop have been stolen but more importantly, your ID has been stolen, and that is more serious and important that the laptop.
This is why laptop theft should be prevented at all cost because it embrasses most of the important means to ID theft such as CREDITCARD, INTERNT, ONLINESHOPPING DIGITAL IDs and so on. All these means will be at the tips of thief and make easy as well if he should get your laptop in his hand.
Ex-boyfriend ID/Credit card thief
by Clipped - 8/20/07 10:35 AM In reply to: Where, in your opinion, are you most vulnerable to ID theft? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Sometimes the people you know and trust steal right out from under you. In my case it was an ex boyfriend and his vengeful quest for revenge. The Ex b/f along w/his convict business partner who claims to be a computer whiz, his ex wife, a psychotic vicodin abuser- who blamed me for their divorce which I had nothing to do with- & a dirty cop from Long Beach CA... set out for the ultimate revenge. The ex b/f used my credit card to purchase a Spooftel phone service over the internet where he could call himself repeatedly and pretend it was me doing it. He used his spare keys to access my home, left "manufactured evidence" hidden in places I never knew about, had his buddy the dirty LB cop do an illegal search. Illegal because there was no "probable cause" for the numerous false police reports he'd been filing for the past 2 years. He claimed I hacked into his work computer system, and sent email from his account to all his friends. Never happened, and there was NO email in existence. The ex b/f and his cohorts proceeded to send him numerous emails with some pretty hostile content pretending to be me, although all the emails were coming from people the ex b/f worked with, people I never even heard of. All this while my computer was sitting down at the LBPD. I had no computer. They gathered up all this manufactured "evidence" and started building a case against me. LB prosecutors believe I can magically send email out of thin air and to people I don't even know exist. The ex-wife sent email to her daughters baseball assoc. president, another person I've never heard of, and began accusing the ex of molesting his kids. Funny because she herself was molested as a child by her own father. This ex filed 2 restraining orders against him when he threatened her with violence, threatened to kill her, and now, she's saying she made it all up because her lawyers made her do it, yet she didn't have lawyers when she filed these documents in court. she was in Pro per... She's a liar. (his biz partner, the computer hack/whiz was recently arrested in Arkansas for "criminal impersonation"). I was arrested by his buddy the vendictive cop, because, as he said, of all the email his ex-wife and this con kept sending him. I think the cop's getting a little somthin on the side. Corrupt dirty cops from LB CA, they're all over. I hired atty's who were useless and lazy. They did nothing for me. I was told by the most imcompitant atty if I didn't "cop a Plea" I was going away for 14 years because the anorexic prosecutor who hasn't had a meal in 10 years and has oatmeal for brains refused to listen to reason. A person cannot be in two places at once. I had proof that I didn't do this. I was railroaded! The system in Long Beach CA is as corrupt as it gets. Nifong isn't the only corrupt prosecutor in this messed up system. Thank God he was held accountable for his actions and disbarred. Be careful who you let into your life. If it's on your credit card, you have no recourse. You are guilty no matter what proof you have. Expecially in the LBC DV court, the very system that is supposed to protect women from these violent, angry, vengeful men. Instead they protect them.
He threated my life, I filed a RO against him 3 years ago, he's been coming after me since. He threatened that if cops show up at his house he's coming after me. They did. and this was his revenge.
Any Use of a Credit Card, BUT, More So In ......
by JRMcBride43 - 8/20/07 2:57 PM In reply to: Where, in your opinion, are you most vulnerable to ID theft? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Like others say, you expose yourself at any restaurant when you use a credit card. But, even more so, if you travel, you expose yourself far worse. If you travel to Mexico, especially Cancun, your chances of theft of your credit card information is dramatically higher than in your home town. Major corporations warn all travelers to avoid the use of the company credit card when in Cancun or other resort cities due to the high rate of sale of the magnetic card data on the back of the card along with clear pictures of your signature. What can you do? You almost have to see them put the card in the machine and assure yourself they don't put the card in a separate reader for their own use. Inconvenient? Yes. Safe? Huummm; likely just a little safer. Carry traveler's checks in those areas.
Finding a Way Around the Attack on Your Vacation Monies
by Mel McKee - 8/26/07 2:28 PM In reply to: Any Use of a Credit Card, BUT, More So In ...... by JRMcBride43I have a modest proposal. My Credit Union had an attack on their data about a year ago. We were warned and given a check-through the credit bureaus.
Why don't the banks have a service for their clients where they set up a one-time account for a vaction period? The clients put in a certain amount they believe they'll will need for that one trip and only that amount can be withdrawn. That does protect the other monies the clients may have involved. The account is automatically shut down from further withdrawals after the close-date.
Of course, that does not prevent an attack on the monies in the account while the account is active for the vacation period. What to do? Maybe there could be an encryption code that could have a one-digit add-on each time the account is used so that what the restaurant, the hotel, or any service provider would have only that one-time code The add-on digit could come from a number of possibilities: a made-up nonsense sentence, an address for a place no longer used by the clients, a nursery rhyme, etc. Of course the clients will have to make sure they memorize the material. Mnemonics can help them. As the last resort they could write the material down.
Just a suggestion. Maybe there is a better way. But this variant of a one-time code might be usable.
Of course, the banks would have to make a little more effort to help their clients. But they could charge a small, reasonable fee. I did say SMALL, REASONABLE. They certainly would get a lot of good-will for their help.
Another of-course it the traveler could use American Express. But that does involve protecting a physical manifestation of one's fiscal means and also the rigmarole of going through the fear-based and time-consuming process of renewing one's checks.
Vacation Idea
by JandNLarson - 8/27/07 6:23 AM In reply to: Finding a Way Around the Attack on Your Vacation Monies by Mel McKeeAppreciate your suggestions. But how can a typed-in password be guaranteed security? All it takes is a determined hacker...
One thing: we learned from a e-news bulletin that most US credit card transactions will either not work at all, or require a manager or other upper-level person to permit. As of recently, most overseas credit card-accepting machines require a local ID chip of some kind.
Snail Mail!
by krissimouse - 8/20/07 5:19 PM In reply to: Where, in your opinion, are you most vulnerable to ID theft? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Most vulnerable? Well how about the only place I've had something stolen..my unlocked mailbox. Only the Post Office seems unworried about security.
People you think you know
by howiem - 8/20/07 5:37 PM In reply to: Where, in your opinion, are you most vulnerable to ID theft? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I believe that there are studies showing that you are most vulnerable from people you know...and more importantly trust with enough personal information that they can steal your identity, or just enough so they can get the missing pieces elsewhere. Maybe you can trust someone 100% today, but what about tomorrow?
Of course the security industry is not much help, because it spews so much hype that people do not know what to do. Better advice, like how to make, and especially use, secure bookmarks to beat phishing attempts, would go a long way towards reducing phishing. As for the dumb, gullible, and greedy, they will always be out there (or in here). No use complaining about it... try to educate them if you can, otherwise just live with it.
most vulnerable to id theft
by lynjs - 8/21/07 1:04 AM In reply to: Where, in your opinion, are you most vulnerable to ID theft? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
It is the folk who work at the various institutions because in most cases, the employers really don't care about the quality of individuals who handle our personal data and nor do they want to pay a fair wage.
Oursourcing to various overseas firms and also outsourcing jobs to various prison institutions doesn't help the situation either. I believe in second chances when it comes to prisoners doing this type of work. But if they are paying Joe on the outside $7.00 an hour and up why not do the same with Emery whose locked up to stop actions such as identity theft. Just pay these workers a fair and decent wage is all.
ID Theft Vulnerability
by Steve Korsen - 8/21/07 7:42 AM In reply to: Where, in your opinion, are you most vulnerable to ID theft? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Motor Vehicle Departments of every State are a cache of enough personal material to allow any one who can access this data to accumulate identities to exploit. The security of this information is suspect, especially as it is available to many employees as well as hackers.
Also the IRS is not innocent of oversight. Mailing labels on tax forms include names and social security numbers. Birthdates can be obtained online and from a multitude of other sources.
Motor Vehicle!
by webweazel - 9/6/07 1:28 PM In reply to: ID Theft Vulnerability by Steve KorsenSteve wrote:
Motor Vehicle Departments of every State are a cache of enough personal material to allow any one who can access this data to accumulate identities to exploit. The security of this information is suspect, especially as it is available to many employees as well as hackers.
Your post reminds me of something...I had recently gone to the DMV to get my license changed to Mississippi where I now live. Of course, SS# is required, obviously. But the clerk asked me for my mother's maiden name. I balked, and asked, "What do you need that for? Is there a specific law where you require that information" She didn't specify anything, and seemed flustered and said she would put down "unknown". I am still wondering what on earth they would ask for that information for. Also a bit disturbed that most people there when asked that question just blurted it out, rather than asking about it, like I did.
Also, one of my other rules is, that I do not fill out the SS# section on a job application, as I would give it personally upon hiring. (A few companies' online application process requires inputting SS# before beginning the application. NO WAY!) I also don't give it on the sign-in sheets at the Dr's office. They've got my basic info and the insurance carrier's card info. That's all they need. Just because the blank is there doesn't mean it needs to be filled out!
Due diligence, and questioning everything helps to protect your identity. (A little basic paranoia helps, too. Where's my tinfoil hat?)
Not sure which is more disturbing...
by KTate70 - 9/6/07 1:42 PM In reply to: Motor Vehicle! by webweazelI'm not sure which is more disturbing: the Mississippi DMV clerk asking for your mother's maiden name or the realization that others are so willing to give it out upon being asked.
And yes, job applications would never get my SSN. Only after the first or second round of interviews would it be relinquished. Personally, I wouldn't want to work for a company that did not have a policy in place to protect this highly confidential piece of information of its employees. Know what I mean?
And no, you're not paranoid: Just smart!
ID theft vulnerability
by Bigbear52 - 8/21/07 8:47 AM In reply to: Where, in your opinion, are you most vulnerable to ID theft? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have had my ID stolen before. To this day I,with the the help of my bank Have not been able to locate the source. I'm very careful about putting any useable information out there and the only source for that info I can think of would be one of my financial services. Is there enough done to secure my info in these insitutions?
Shredding Papers Is Underrated
by kkomafo - 8/21/07 1:19 PM In reply to: Where, in your opinion, are you most vulnerable to ID theft? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Although it is easy to steal identities on the web, it only really poses a threat when you don't pay attention to how legitimate something is. Those who know nothing about spyware and whatnot, are the people who easily will end up giving out information. Even through such things as online gaming, people lose their identities because they mistakenly give out their passwords, not paying attention to the "we never ask for your password!" notices that the forum moderators put up. I think a lot of the time, people fail to realize that generally, the moderators of games and forums are the ones who already have the passwords and therefore don't need to ask for further info.
Although wallet theft is a major thing, I don't feel it can lead to too much identity theft as long as someone is smart about it, and hopefully, doesn't have so many credit cards, they can't keep track of them. All one has to do if his/her wallet is stolen is call up the DMV and tell them their license has been stolen, and call up any important companies (like banks) to cancel credit cards. Unless someone is completely unaware that his/her wallet has been stolen for weeks, it shouldn't be too difficult to cut the problem off at the source.
A lot of people, however, forget to shred their important documents before throwing them out. Although we might not all live in areas where bums reside and sift through our trash, there is always a lot that could happen. Papers could end up falling out and flying away at some point, or yes, there is the possibility a bum might see it. Either way, people often fail to realize that any document with a credit card number, bank number, SS#, or other important information, puts them at great risk in the future.
ID Theft in your front yard.
by Phantom507 - 8/22/07 2:38 PM In reply to: Where, in your opinion, are you most vulnerable to ID theft? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
ID theft takes place in the least logical ways possible for those that make their living. It is easy for the least sophisticated to dumpster dive from restaurants, hotels, and yes even your curbside trash. Knowing that today is still inconvenient for most people to feed the shredder, it maybe easier to cover it with glue all your expended papers! No kidding, shred everything that can get you in trouble, even the solicitation with your name and address that you don't want to open because you got it before last month. I used to remove classified documents in trash cans under someone else's control to prove how easy it was for the good information to pass to bad hands. Even with high tech shredders, for cd's and papers it became a nightmare for someone else to properly destroy the documents.
None of the above
by KaeruSr - 8/23/07 6:58 AM In reply to: Where, in your opinion, are you most vulnerable to ID theft? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
The above options, to me, are but acts or devices of petty thiervery. I feel the most vulnerable in the hands of the financial people who for some reason have been given the right to commit me to transactions of which I have have no knowledge and have not authorized. That they can do this with impunity is the real source of the problem.
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