ANATOMY OF A SCAM

There is no specific category of people that is more likely than any other to be the target of a scam. Kroll's licensed private investigators talk to people from all walks of life who have actually fallen victim.

To protect against a scam, it really is helpful to have knowledge of how one is put together. Here we take a look at the basic components:

Contact information and facts are accumulated. The scammer has acquired a few of your personal identifying information (PII) that may include, name, email address, telephone numbers, address, and/or other relevant information they may use to reach you. In the event that contact information is not first acquired by the scammer, then they will lay out a lure of some kind-- a fake job opportunity advertisement, for instance, which could induce you to connect with the scammer
first and supply private identifiers.

A compelling experience is presented. This is precisely where the scammer delivers the good reason they need to have PII and/or money from you. The fabricated reason may well be one of the following:

You won the lottery held in another state or country (even though you never entered into that lottery game).

You are offered a well-paying, work-from-home job.

Your credit card or bank account is in danger of being closed or your availability to it not allowed.

A person in a foreign nation requires your aid getting millions of dollars transferred to the United States of America.

The target of the scam supplies personal important information or perhaps hard earned money. Here is usually where the trouble begins-- you give them your own personal identifiers, a way in to your credit card or bank account or accept a bad check presented to you by the scammer.

The scammer is rewarded. Immediately the scammer will begin to operate using important information supplied by the scam target in order to steal hard earned money, open brand new credit accounts, or trick the victim into providing money to the perpetrator of the fraud.

USE THESE SUGGESTIONS IN ORDER TO STAY CLEAR OF FALLING VICTIM TO A SCAM.

Hang up on anyone that you think is a scammer. Do not press any buttons on your telephone or even speak to the caller.

Legitimate companies will certainly not send email or text messages asking for your PII. Eliminate this kind of communications without taking action.

Don't trust Caller ID. Scammers can easily mask their number.

Think of exactly what you are asked about before giving your PII, clicking on a back link within an email message or responding to an offer, etc.

Do not pay any funds regarding an unpaid debt that is not your own.

Never provide anybody your username or passwords.

Beware anytime making use of an online search engine. The very first web links listed are paid advertising campaigns and might not be the website you are searching for.

In closing use common sense and do not give anyone your private information. 

Please visit richardbentley.us for more information on how to protect yourself from identity theft.
    

                                         

Other websites of interest :  

101smallbusinessmastermind.com/Master_Mind_Pages.html

http://www.infocard.cc

searching for.

3 Reasons Why Hackers Want Your Email Address and 6 Ways to Protect Yourself

A business insider not too long ago generated an unsettling lineup of, 9 items you are actually able to employ the services of a hacker.  For as low as $1.25, swindlers are actually prepared to perform pretty much anything from scamming a Netflix security password to sabotaging another person's Internet site.

"Fortunately many open requests for hacking assistance continue to be unfilled" says Matt Kidder, an expert private detective with Kroll, the global risk mitigation leader that powers IDShield. The more substantial consideration is actually that there is a criminal organization of experts more than ready to hack for money and numerous underground crime rings around the globe which perpetrate scams for profit.

"Among one of the most preferred forms of identity theft is actually email hacking, because e-mails are  frequently the entry to an individual's life on the internet" Kidder details. As documented by the United States Department of Justice, one of the most extensive data breaches in the history of the Internet involved the hacking of e-mail service providers throughout the United States. The hackers presumably made millions of dollars by stealing more than a billion email addresses from e-mail service providers. Last summer, Russian criminals ripped off 1.2 billion usernames along with passwords in order to send spam in behalf of paid clients.

Kidder points out three primary main reasons why thieves would like to hack into your personal account:

1. E-mail account takeover: "A hacker could easily e-mail your contacts as if they were actually you. The emails may be common spam, or perhaps an effort to gain even more personal information. A hacker is able to change your password to ensure that you aren't able to access your own account, and also can delete your e-mail messages and contacts".

2. Additional account takeover: "Imagine a thief got Bob's e-mail security password. That e-mail account was attached to Bob's credit card accounts and also was utilized in other communications where important personal information was  exchanged. Learning the name of Bob's credit card issuer and other relevant information, the thief could certainly take over the credit card account-- altering the address on the account and requesting a new credit card be sent to that address.".

3. Targeted phishing: "If a hacker can view the businesses you interact with, they could phone or e-mail you posing as one of those businesses and also try to steal even more information from you.".

For Jill Feeney, a business owner from Detroit who counts on email for interacting with her clients, the fear became unnerving when she found out that her e-mail address and password were posted on the "Dark Web". According to Wired, the Dark Web is actually a collection of thousands of web sites which are publicly view -able yet use anonymity tools such as Tor and I2P in order to conceal the IP addresses of the web servers which operate them. These types of sites have "most famously been used for black market drug sales and even child pornography.  According to the publication they are also used  to exchange stolen security passwords along with other illicitly acquired personal information.

Feeney says, "I keep a great deal of personal information and facts within my e-mail folders, the thieves could have carried out practically anything. However, after receiving two different monitoring alerts within the past year, I got in touch with Kroll and they were very professional, answering all my questions. They discovered that my email address along with passwords were on several of the Black Market web sites. It was comforting to know that I had indeed been alerted before anything transpired along with a solution provided by the Kroll Licensed Private Investigators.".

Email theft is, sadly, an expanding trend. To protect yourself, Kidder recommends that you :

1. Make use of safety and security software in order to protect your device from malicious software that could enable a hacker to gain access to your e-mail addresses.

2. Utilize a unique e-mail address when it comes to social networking accounts.

3. Utilize a wide range of security passwords for all accounts to ensure that hacking into one account will not allow thieves to gain access to others.

4. Make use of the security and safety features readily available with your e-mail account (two-factor or perhaps "two-step" verification, backup e-mail for recovery, etc.).

5. Log out of your email account whenever you are not using it.

6. Refrain from accessing your email via public computers, including those in hotel rooms as well as resort lobbies and also public libraries.

Generally speaking, the most efficient way to safeguard yourself is to treat your email using the exact same consideration that you use to safeguard your personal property. In the absence of a Professional service like IDShield in position, your email is like a home with the doors and windows unlocked. 

To learn more regarding ways to safeguard yourself from identity theft, visit www.IDShield.com.  

Or visit richardbentley.us  

Other websites of interest :  

101smallbusinessmastermind.com/Master_Mind_Pages.html


http://www.infocard.cc






































www.IDShield.com.

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Wow… with this new hootsuite app I can really share important information with all my social media; so stay tuned for some great stuff coming from me. Richard Bentley http://www.Richardbentley.us

Every three seconds there is a new victim

            The ITRC data breach report

As of July 22, 2014 there have been 411 data breaches with 11, 059, 749 records exposed. The Ponemon Institute estimates the average cost per records breached is $145.

http://www.idtheftcenter.org/images/breach/ITRC_Breach_Report_2014.pdf

                      What is a breach?

An event in which an individual name plus social security number

, driver's license number, medical records or a financial record/credit/debit card is potentially at risk

                  The financial ripple effect 

The financial impact on the companies that have been breached is immediate and long-lasting, executives have lost their jobs, there have been layoffs and some companies have even gone out of business because of it. It is estimated it can take up to two years for these companies to rebuild trust and confidence in their brand. If you go to the ITRC data breach report you will see a broad spectrum of businesses, government websites,  hospitals and other health care providers that have been victimized.

Visit the ITRC website and go to the victims help tab  you'll find a wealth of guides, tips and tools to help educate you on how to protect yourself and what to do if you are a victim of identity theft.

http://www.idtheftcenter.org/Help-for-Victims/document-
catalogue.html


                        What's in your car?

If your car is ever stolen or broken into it could be a treasure trove for identity thieves. Most people have their automobile registration, insurance cards, bill of sale for the car and sometimes the repair bills with a credit card receipt attached. We sometimes leave our laptops, tablets, wallets and mail in plain view inside the car. In the wrong hands these items and documents could make your life miserable trying to rebuild your identity.


We all should be very aware of what we leave in our car and don't leave these items in plain sight as an invitation to break into your car or steal it. Most cars have a separate key to lock the glove boxes, make sure it is locked before you leave your car and if you valet park it make sure that the key is with you and don't leave any valuables or any information in plain view. It takes just a few seconds to take these precautions.

             How smart is your smart phone ?

The smart phones have changed our lives forever. You can text, email, surf the web, watch movies, and manage our finances through your smart phone. Which means if it is lost, stolen or hacked into  it provides the identity thieves with a tremendous amount of your personal information.


Make sure you always password protect the phone so if it has been stolen the locked phone will slowdown the thieves access to your information which will give you time to protect your other accounts.

                   Other links of interest

Visit this link to hear our weekly small business Mastermind pod casts

http://101smallbusinessmastermind.com/Master_Mind_Pages.html

My website and my LegalShield hub site
http://richardbentley.us/

https://w3.legalshield.com/aasites/Multisite?site=hub&assoc=rdbentley


http://www.101marketingpodcast.com

http://www.seniorscamspodcast.com

http://www.selfdefenseweaponssite.com/

Data breach alert

      Small retailers are especially vulnerable

When hackers breach a large national retail chain their getting the private information on millions of customers. If you think you have less security issues to worry about when doing business with a small business think again.

Results of a survey taken by the Ponemon Institute in 2013 showed that more than 50% of the small businesses surveyed have experienced a data breach, it also pointed out that only a third of the consumers have been notified that their personal information had been breached. The trend in 2014 is showing similar hacking activities.

Typically the hackers are using cyber thief robots searching the Internet 24 hours a day looking for  weaknesses in websites,and they are finding many weak spots to hack into.

Many small businesses cannot afford the expense it would take to patch the weak spots in their systems.

                   What can you do

If you do a fair amount of business with the same small business and you have concerns about the safety of your private information ask the small business owner to provide documentation that their business has undergone a security assessment by a third-party. Most have not.
 To protect your bank account from being siphoned off by a breach it is best to use a credit card rather than a debit card which will limit your liability. And as I've mentioned previously limit the amount of personal information you share with any business that you're doing business with big or small

                        Scams and alerts

The following information are excerpts from the IR TC web page I mention them in  pretty much every blog I have published. That is because the information provided by this web page is invaluable and I am trying to get it to as many people as possible.

                       Scam introduction

****You have not won the lottery in some foreign country that you never bought a ticket for.

****No one is going to ask you for your help to move money from a dead person's account to another place

****the IRS is not electronically auditing you

****when you get called for jury duty no one is going to ask for your so security number

It is imperative to know the scams that these thieves use to gain access to your personal information and in turn steal your hard-earned money and retirement funds. You must be on high alert at all times and use good common sense when someone tries to get you involved in these phony schemes.

Scam detector--- a new mobile and web-based application

This new app is filled with easily accessible educational tools and resources to find crime prevention partners and has the ability to instantly share news of fraudulent activities at the click of a button. Scan detector is considered the go to app in the fight against identity theft.  If you go to the ITRC website you can see the amazing capabilities this app provides. You will see nine buttons that categorizes the different types of scams such as auto, employment, social networking, financial, real estate and more. Click a button and it will give you a list of every conceivable scam in that category. I know most everyone is involved with one of the social networks, I clicked on that button and found a hundred and forty two different scams related to social networks.

        Support the Identity Theft Resource Center

The IdentityTheft Resource Center has been a lifeline to consumers and victims by providing its FREE services for 15 years. Consumers just like us are reaching out to them more and more both for assistance when they have become a victim and also to arm

themselves with the necessary information to prevent them from becoming a victim. it is important that we do what we can to support their efforts. If you would like to donate please go to the website listed below and click on the donate button, you will also see an address to mail checks to if you prefer to donate in that way. I am sure your help will greatly appreciated.

                 http://www.idtheftcenter.org/

                   

                  Other Links of Interest

richardbentley.us

http://seniorscamspodcast.com/index.html

http://101smallbusinessmastermind.com/Master_Mind_Pages.html

http://infocard.cc/101_Marketing_Podcasts.html

           

Why you need to protect yourself from identity theft

  If you have been following the news for the last couple of weeks you may have read about two major security breaches that have been going on for months and years and nobody was aware that their private information was at risk.  I will talk briefly about both of them.

                             The Heart Bleed Bug

  The heart bleed bug is a flaw in the encryption standard used by a majority of websites. They recently found a programming error that would allow a hacker to trick the computer at the other end into sending your 
confidential information to a bogus computer. This made it possible for hackers to steal the encryption keys, the codes used to turn encrypted data into readable information, allowing the hackers to intercept encrypted data moving to and from a site's servers. Which gave them access to your information.

   Most of the articles that I've read about the Heart Bleed Bug are very technical in nature but the bottom line is this is potentially a very serious problem that we all may have been facing for two years and not realized it.

                       What can you do to protect yourself

  Since the vulnerability has been going on for about two years and using it leaves no trace, assume that your accounts may be compromised.  You should change your online passwords especially for services where privacy and security are major concerns.


              Michael's arts and craft stores are hacked 

  Michael's stores incorporated said Thursday about 2.6 million credit and debit cards about 7% of all debit and credit cards used at its namesake stores may have been affected in a security breach.

  The compromised data includes customer information such as payment

card numbers and expiration dates but there is no evidence that other personal information such as names, addresses or pin numbers were at risk Michael's said.

  Aaron brothers is a subsidiary of Michael's and they also reported that they were attacked with about 400,000 cards potentially affected. About 3 million customers have been impacted by the data breach that lasted over eight months.

                              ITRC
  I've mentioned in previous blogs the Identity Theft Resource Center and the report they produce that lists every company or organization that has had a security breach this year. As of April 15 there have been 233 companies or organizations that have had security breaches. That has resulted in 5,171,507 records that have been compromised. If you open up the link below  you will be able to review the affected companies and see if you have done business with any of them.

   The message I am trying to deliver in this blog is that everyone in this day and age should have a identity theft protection program.
As you can see the two incidents mentioned above were going on for months and years and you have either no or very little knowledge of them. If you will take the time to review the ITRC report I believe you'll be shocked when you see the names of the companies, charities and agencies listed there. The first link is to their homepage, the second link takes you directly to the report.


           http://www.idtheftcenter.org/
                      http://www.idtheftcenter.org/images/breach/ITRC_Breach_Report_2014.pdf 
  
                    Other links of interest
                 

                                                  richardbentley.us

                https://sites.legalshield.com/aasites/Multisite?                      site=hub&assoc=rdbentley

                 http://seniorscamspodcast.com/index.html

                 http://infocard.cc/101_Marketing_Podcasts.html

                         http://101smallbusinessmastermind.com/Master_Mind_Pages.html
                         

Five ways to protect yourself from identity theft

     There are a number of ways for you to become a victim of identity theft, sometimes it's accidental such as you lose your wallet or the theft of your pocketbook and sometimes it's the  devious route through fictitious emails requesting personal information over the phone.  And then there is the much-publicized hacking of  major corporations billing systems to get your credit card information and other personal information. Identity thieves are getting more sophisticated in their attempts at stealing our identities.

     The information I am providing you today comes from the Identity Theft Resource Center website. I have spoken of them in previous blogs and their website is one of most comprehensive sites on identity theft that I have read.

             http://www.idtheftcenter.org/ 


                                  
        Protect your personal information

Social security number, health insurance policy number, and other pieces of key data are unique to you. Before you give them to anyone whether you know them or not verify the reasons for needing the information.

                  Don't toss it in the mail

Do not use your curbside mailbox for mail that contains sensitive personal information (checks, health insurance statements or tax documents) drop them off at your local post office.

               Don't make it easy to steal from you

     Make sure to review your financial statements thoroughly each month or if you can, set them up online so you can  review them a minimum of once a week. Shred everything, if possible sign up for paperless billing if that service is offered to you.

           A password is only as good as you make it

     When developing a password you should avoid using the obvious such as birthdays,street addresses, names of family members or the infamous 1234 or password. There should be a minimum of eight characters using uppercase, lowercase, numbers or symbols. You should change your passwords frequently and try not to use the same password on different accounts.

      Because they ask, doesn't mean you have to tell   them.

     Finally don't fall for the oldest trick in the book: the direct question if you get an email or you are speaking with someone on the phone and they ask you directly what is your social security number don't give it to them.  It doesn't matter if it's a company you

recognize and you have done business with them before or the  person on the other end of the line is a complete stranger. Remember your SSN is not an identification number and should not be used to verify your account information and anyone who presses you for that information is probably not someone you should give it to. 

     I hope you find this to be informative and beneficial. I encourage feedback and would like to have this blog become more interactive. 

                    Richard Bentley
                    richardbentley.us


                 Other websites of interest
         http://seniorscamspodcast.com/index.html                http://infocard.cc/101_Marketing_Podcasts.html