Protecting Your Identity During The Holiday Season

Eat, Drink, & Be Weary of Identity Thieves

The holiday season is upon us and with it comes cheerful get-togethers, festive food and drink, shopping sprees, travelling, and gift giving.  However, for identity thieves, the holidays mean pocket-picking, charity and gift card scams, phishing, skimming, and other unscrupulous theft strategies at a time when consumers are distracted with holiday merriment and thus more vulnerable.

Despite the holiday madness, with just 5 shopping weeks left, it is important to be alert and vigilant when it comes to knowing the status of your identity and how to defend it against thieves.

10 Tips for Avoiding Identity Fraud

Click here to learn about resources that can help detect and restore identity theft

Identity Theft is a Booming Business

 By Jake Stroup, About.com Guide   October 21, 2011

There has been a disconcerting trend in the party-line concerning identity theft recently. We all know that you can "prove" anything with statistics by choosing to report numbers that reflect a desired perception. You can even prove the opposite of the truth. What I've seen in the identity theft world is that some law enforcement and government publications prefer to use statistics that make it seem identity theft is on the decline.

But nothing could be further from reality. If anything, identity theft seems to be evolving into a more sophisticated business model, with product vendors, trainers, and even after-market support for the aspiring identity thief. READ THIS STORY

Interested in a Identity Theft Protect Plan and Restoration Services?  Click this link to see how these services can help serve and protect you, your spouse and even your children.

Pasco couple fear losing home to foreclosure for paying mortgage too early

NEW PORT RICHEY — Seventy-year-old Sharon Bullington may lose her home because she paid her mortgage a week early.

That may not make much sense to the thousands of homeowners who are behind on their mortgages in Florida. But it seems it does to Bank of America, which has filed to foreclose on Bullington and her husband, James, 78, who is terminally ill.

When James became ill, the couple encountered financial difficulties because of high medical bills. The couple asked Bank of America to modify the loan.

There was a catch. The couple would have to first officially default on their $1,400-a-month payment. The couple did that and entered into the modification plan, which reduced their payment to $916.

Sharon Bullington made the January payment on Dec. 23, and the bank accepted the money, according to court records.

The next month, she made the February payment over the phone. Weeks later, the money had not been withdrawn from her bank account. After Bullington asked the bank about it, a representative told her she had punched in the wrong routing number. In March, the bank kicked the couple out of the modification plan.

Bullington pleaded for help in a June letter to Bank of America president Brian Moynihan and U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor.

One of Moynihan's aides, Ana Olivera, told Bullington the foreclosure could not be stopped. She wrote in a two-page letter that the payment due on Jan. 1, 2011, had been made in December.

"In accordance with the Trial Payment Letter dated December 15, 2010, it indicates that if you are not able to make each payment in the month in which it is due, you will not be eligible for a modification under the Home Affordable Modification Program," the letter said. This is a stange case, read the full story here

Everyone deserves legal protection. No matter how traumatic. No matter how trivial. Whatever your situation, we are here to help. Learn more about how our services can help you and feel free to contact us anytime.

As Kids Go Online, Identify Theft Claims More Victims

More Usage, More Risk

 Children ages 8-18 spend an average of 10-plus hours per day on a variety of media, according to a recent study from the Kaiser Foundation, making it more important than ever to be aware of the risks involved.

 According to Norton’s Online Family Report from 2010, 41 percent of children have had an anonymous person try to add them as a friend on a social networking site, 63 percent of kids have responded to online scams and 77 percent of kids have downloaded a virus.

The FTC says the mid-teens is a good benchmark age for when parents should begin looking into their child’s credit.

THIS IS A MUST READ FOR PARENTS

 

 

 

Medical Identity Theft: The Harsh Reality

PriceWaterhouseCooper put out a scathing report saying the health industry is under-prepared to address the data-protection needs of patients. The apparent lack has been a poor culture of security within the industry, with over half of the providers surveyed reporting they had some sort of issue with information getting loose when it shouldn't have, and 2/3 indicating that this was the direct result of an inside job.

The harsh reality is that without some sort of protection put in place, it can be just as dangerous to go to the doctor as not when we need medical attention.

CLICK FOR THE FULL STORY

Most Recent Data Breach Affects Millions of Military Personnel

According to the source, the records of 4.9 million former military personnel and their closest of kin were stolen from a truck in San Antonio, Texas. The data back-up tapes stolen had electronic health records stretching back to 1992 until September 7 of this year, the news provider noted. The source explained that the backup tapes disappeared on September 14.

All of the records were through the federal TRICARE health provider, one that services military and government personnel exclusively use.

Read  full story

Nurse faces 51 counts of medical record ID theft at Colo. hospital

Suspect allegedly accessed 85 confidential patient and staff records

Sept. 27--A nurse accused of improperly accessing patient records at numerous hospitals in the Denver metro area faces five counts of identity theft and 46 counts of theft of medical records in connection with his time at Boulder Community Hospital between May 2010 and January 2011.

Cannon Lamar Tubb, 31, worked for a now-defunct Denver nurse staffing agency that placed him as an intensive care unit nurse in numerous Centura Health facilities, the Platte Valley Medical Center and Boulder Community Hospital, according to court documents.

Tubb had a nursing license from Texas that was also valid in Colorado, but his license was suspended in January in relation to prescription fraud, according to an arrest affidavit.

Centura first discovered Tubb had accessed 85 confidential patient and staff records at its hospitals during a computer audit in 2010 and notified Westminster police, where a detective identified at least three cases of identity theft, according to an arrest affidavit.

 

That first victim had filed a complaint after several credit cards were taken out in her name and her husband's name and used to make purchases, including $758 for an Apple iPad. Detectives traced the IP address used to make the purchase back to Boulder Community Hospital, the affidavit said.

Hospital officials said Tubb worked at BCH for 32 days between May 2010 and January 2011. BCH ran an audit on Tubb's computer use at the hospital and sent letters to all patients whose records he looked at, as well as all patients who were under his care.

BY ERICA MELTZER

Daily Camera (Boulder, Colo.)

Read full story

Landlady Refuses to Rent to WI Single Mom

As one of the groups most likely to face housing discrimination, single mothers often have a difficult time renting apartments and homes in areas safe enough for their families.

In one such incident, Darlene Dovenberg, of Dovenberg Investments in West Salem, Wisconsin, refused to rent to a single mother, claiming that the property was unsafe without a man around "to shovel the snow."

She's now the subject of an administrative complaint brought by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Read the full story and see how this violates the Fair Housing Act

 

Disabled Child? Create a Special Needs Trust

You may not have a will, or a durable power of attorney, but if you have a disabled child or family member who will be in need of care once you're gone, you should absolutely leave your assets in a special needs trust.

Designed to protect assets and provide for the care of disabled or mentally ill children and adults who lack the capacity to manage finances, special needs trusts are the premier estate planning devices for family members with disabilities.

Read the full article and Learn how one can help

Are Bullying Lawsuits on the Rise?

Are bullying lawsuits on the rise? Parents and teachers everywhere have become more aware of the dangers of bullying and cyberbullying in both the classroom and on the Internet.

Many parents are now turning to the law to try to ensure their children's safety and welfare.

One bullying lawsuit centers on the tragic case of Jon Carmichael. Jon was only 13-years-old when he committed suicide, which his parents believe was spurred by bullying.

Read the full story....

Pre-Paid Legal Services Becomes LegalShield(SM)

 After Four Decades, Legal Service Plan Provider Rebrands Marketing and Corporate Identity

The rebranding initiative is a component in the overall integration plan for long-term growth of the company, which began immediately after the MidOcean acquisition.

CEO Rip Mason has commented on the strong operational and administrative systems within the company, as well as the scalable operating system and legal network which offer strong opportunity for future growth. With this infrastructure in place, CEO Mason and his team are focusing on an ambitious plan of action that includes: increased focus on business retention; standardization of training and expanding; and developing new market segments, such as small business services and the Hispanic market.

Read the Full Press release

Watch the REVEAL video HERE

California Strengthens Its Data Breach Law - Will Other States Follow?

California Amends Its Data Breach Law - For Real, This Time! (As California Goes, So Goes the Nation?)

August 31, 2011, Governor Brown signed SB 24 into law.  SB 24, which will take effect January 1, 2012, requires the inclusion of certain content in data breach notifications, including a general description of the incident, the type of information breached, the time of the breach, and toll-free telephone numbers and addresses of the major credit reporting agencies in California. 

In addition, importantly, SB 24 requires data holders to send an electronic copy of the notification to the California Attorney General if a single breach affects more than 500 Californians.  This adds California to the list of states and other jurisdictions that require some type of regulator notice in the event of certain types of data security breaches

CLICK HERE TO SEE State Security Breach Notification Laws

The importance of trained professionals to properly handle YOUR medical records!

More insiders snooping into health records, says survey

Breaches into protected health information (PHI) are on the rise, and staffers are responsible for more than a third of the intrusions, a new survey has found.

The "2011 Survey of Patient Privacy Breaches" from Veriphyr, a Los Altos, Calif.-based provider of identity and access intelligence, determined that more than 70 percent of organizations surveyed were targets of one or more breaches of PHI within the last 12 months. And, insiders were responsible for the majority of breaches, with 35 percent taking an unauthorized look at medical data of fellow employees and 27 percent peeking at records of friends and relatives.

 

  The Veriphyr report determined, as evidenced by the fact that data breaches of patient information cost health care organizations nearly $6 billion annually, according to a Ponemon Institute report.

But what stood out of the survey for Norquist was the prevalence of insider abuse. Even the health care personnel themselves are concerned that fellow staffers will abuse the system and take a look at their personal health records out of curiosity, Norquist said.

But, he added, there is a second motive for insiders sneaking looks at health records: identity theft. With a growing market for personally identifiable information, health care personnel increasingly are being recruited to feed sensitive information to outsiders for Medicaid fraud and credit card schemes, he said

READ THE FULL STORY NOW

 

Office Depot now offers secure shredding services designed to meet the growing security needs of businesses and consumers

Office Depot and Iron Mountain Announce Secure Shredding Services Available at Nationwide Office Depot Retail Locations

Office Depot now offers three distinct options for secure shredding services designed to meet the growing security needs of businesses and consumers alike. In a new agreement with Iron Mountain Incorporated the information management company, Office Depot will now offer this expanded service to provide customers with convenient, secure shredding options for jobs of any size.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), identity theft affects as many as 10 million Americans each year and is the fastest growing form of fraud in North America. The FTC estimates that the average victim of identity theft spends 200 to 600 hours and approximately $1,500 to restore their identity. Shredding personal and business documents and properly discarding them is an important precaution.

"Shredding has become a personal and business necessity in order to be protected from financial loss, identity theft, and more," said Kristin Micalizio, Vice President of Office Depot's Copy & Print Depot

READ THE STORY NOW

Universities are big targets for data breaches

August Data Breaches Strike Yale and 4 Other Schools

By Dian Schaffhauser 08/29/11

According to multiple media reports, the New Haven, CT institution accidently allowed a Google search engine to index a database containing private information about 43,000 former faculty, staff, and students who were involved with the university in 1999.

The breach was discovered June 30 when an individual in that database did a search on his own name and discovered that his Social Security number was publicly displayed.

READ THE FULL STORY NOW

Common Scams Directed At Baby Boomers

Baby Boomers Are The Target Of Fraud And Scams

Founder of http://howsafeareyou.org Michael Roberts shares the list of the most common scams directed at baby boomers.

Medicare Fraud-
This is perpetrated by sending unsolicited mail to the senior requesting the medicare information in exchange for some product. Most people will give this up easily if it's a product that they want because they assume medicare will pay for it. This is a technique that thieves use to acquire social security numbers and other information.

READ THE ENTIRE LIST OF SCAMS

May I take your identity?

Former waiter charged with stealing credit card numbers

By Ruben Castaneda

A former waiter at a TGI Fridays restaurant in Laurel was indicted Thursday on charges he copied and sold the numbers of 73 credit cards, Prince George’s authorities said.

Brian K. Adams, 21, of Elkridge, was indicted on 16 charges, including theft, identity theft, and conspiracy to commit theft, State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks said in a news conference outside the Upper Marlboro courthouse.

READ THE FULL STORY

 

Why in the world are banks still using SSNs as a major form of customer identification?

How Banks Are Aiding and Abetting Identity Theft

Why in the world are banks still using SSNs as a major form of customer identification?

To an identity thief, somebody else’s Social Security number is money in the bank. These nine digits unlock a world of phony credit and create a huge hassle for the poor person who actually holds that number. “The SSN remains the key that opens your life,” says Ed Mierzwinski, consumer advocate at U.S.-PIRG. “It’s the easiest way for a bad guy to pretend to be you.” So why are banks still using SSNs as a major form of customer identification?

READ THE FULL STORY NOW

Don't leave home without it...Your identity!

Safeguard Personal Information While on Vacation

The Investigators of the Fraud Solutions practice at Kroll offer tips to reduce your risk of becoming a victim of identity theft when traveling or on vacation.

Read the FULL REPORT NOW

Don't let this be the case for your children - Safeguard your minors

ID Thieves Target Kids

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Your child could become a crime victim, and you might not even know it until years from now! Thousands of children are being targeted each year by a new, growing form of “high-tech” child identity theft. 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan explains.

The first time Axton Betz applied for an apartment, she learned that she was thousands of dollars in debt. She says, “I was devastated.”

Axton was only a child when she says a thief stole her social security number and started running up bills. With her credit ruined as an adult, she’s now had to pay a deposit just to get the lights turned on. The lowest car loan rate she could get was 18%, and the lowest credit card interest rate she could get was 29%!

“It’s been life changing and life defining,” Axton says. Read the full story now...

Identity Theft Shield - Safeguard for Minors Program

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This program provides the following services:

• Monitoring for the existence of a credit file in your child’s name
• Notification when a credit file is found to exist
• No file found notifications when no file is found.
• If fraud has occurred you will be assigned a licensed investigator

Honor Thy Parents - help to educate a generation about the risks and detection of financial exploitation

Financial Exploitation of the Elderly

Criminals target older adults for financial exploitation for a variety of reasons. Criminals find seniors susceptible to these crimes of deception because they believe that the older population has higher cash reserves and are less likely to check their credit reports or financial account statements carefully. This may be due to the fact that they are usually in a financially stable position and are not opening new lines of credit. This gives the thief the opportunity to steal a senior’s identity or money with a reduced probability of detection. Some other reasons seniors are targeted is because the thieves assume they are less aware of the crime of identity theft and various scam scenarios.

In addition, older adults living in residential facilities - or under the care of someone - are at risk because the caretakers have access to the senior’s personal records. This creates a situation which allows unscrupulous individuals to exploit those in their care.

 

Read the full story...

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Have You Been Hacked This Month? Oh, Yes You Have

Written by Andrew Kemshall

You do everything you’re supposed to do, right? You’ve installed a firewall, you’ve got some anti-virus software, you never follow links in emails or open attachments from someone you don’t know or trust. Well, that’s all very commendable. But unfortunately it isn’t you that’s been hacked. It’s your information stored by the companies you trust that’s been compromised.

Since the start of this year, globally, there have been 365 data loss incidents involving 126,727,474 records. According to Juniper Research, 90% of organizations have suffered data breaches in one form or another over the past 12 months. Testament to this is the number of household brands that have inadvertently divulged the information of hundreds of individuals:

Read the full story...