Credit Fraud
ID Fraud up 13 Percent – Javelin Identity Fraud Report
Feb 23rd
In 2011, nearly 12 million Americans were victim of identity fraud, a 13 percent jump from 2010. People are monitoring credit cards more thoroughly then ever before and credit card companies have beefed up their security procedures to help prevent fraud. So why the increase in fraud?
Turns out that thieves have moved on to smartphones and social media. People tend to let their guard down a little bit when dealing with the phone and social networks, leaving the door open for scammers to take advantage of them.
One thing to keep in mind is that thieves are always one step ahead More >
SpyEye Trojan Steals Your Money, Covers Its Tracks
Jan 6th
The original SpyEye Trojan was effective at stealing bank account credentials for online banking. It would also make fraudulent transactions as the user was logged in to the account, allowing them to watch their balance drop to zero. The updated version of SpyEye, discovered by Trusteer, still takes the login credentials, but then adds a twist.
Instead of allowing a user to see the fraudulent transactions being made, it covers its tracks. The Trojan intercepts the communication with the banking website, allowing it to alter transaction records and account balance. So what does this mean? Your bank account could be at More >
INVISUS announces first Business Identity Theft Protection service
Aug 23rd
Today we are proud to announce iDefend Business, the industry’s first complete identity theft protection program that is specifically designed to protect entrepreneurs and their businesses against business identity theft and fraud.
Business identity theft has recently become a huge problem, and it is wreaking havoc on businesses and business owners. Business owners have significantly increased risks because their personal information, credit, and finances are so closely intertwined with their business. The potential impact of business identity theft can be devastating to the business owner personally, and vice versa.
You can check out the seriousness of this problem by looking over some of More >
Holiday Shopping Tips
Dec 9th
The holidays are here and shoppers are out (and in) in full force. It seems as the years go by, online shopping is becoming the ideal way to get your loved ones, and yourself, gifts for the holidays. Cyber-Monday is growing every year with deals getting better than those offered on black Friday. Retailers are offering deals online that you just can’t get in the stores.
I still go out on black Friday, but it is more of a nostalgic thing. I like to watch people go crazy and reminisce about the good old days when shoppers would trample each other More >
A New Way to Steal Your Identity - Copy Machines
May 5th
So, you have your anti-virus, firewall and anti-spyware installed. You have a hardware firewall on your router. You computer is fully updated to prevent zero-day attacks. You keep your wallet chained to you at all times and never leave your credit cards anywhere. You shred ALL your important papers and documents and store the ones you can’t shred in a locked safe. Your identity is safe…right? Think again.
Just when you thought you knew all the ways thieves steal your information, something pops up that takes us all by surprise. Copy machines. That’s right, copy machines are your new threat. Since More >
Mariposa – 13 Million Computer Botnet
Mar 4th
The Mariposa botnet has 13 million computers under its control. These computers have been tasked to do the usual botnet thing. You know, steal information including banking information, credit cards, and usernames and passwords.
Having 13 million computers under your control is pretty amazing, but what astonishes me is the tool used to take over these computers. Mariposa is based on the Butterfly botnet kit which can be easily purchased online.
What makes this tool unique is that you can’t classify Mariposa as a virus or a Trojan. It is whatever the hackers command it to be.
3 people have been arrested in More >
If It Can Happen To Them, It Can Happen To You
Mar 2nd
Virus news is almost a daily occurrence now. I don’t think I have passed a day that there hasn’t been some kind of virus attack. You would think by now we could figure out how handle viruses better, but as we all know, hackers are always one step ahead.
Last week, a well-known Utah based website, KSL.com, was part of a virus attack that infected visitors who went to that site. What this means is that every person that went to that website was subject to a virus infection.
When visiting the site, a box would appear warning the visitor that they More >
Credit “Skimming” Becoming Bigger Problem
Feb 17th
I would like to talk about a story that hit locally. It concerns a growing trend in “Skimming”. Just the other day a device that records credit card and debit card information was found in a 7-Eleven gas pump. Authorities say the device could have been there for over 60 days.
What is even more disturbing is that someone would have had to take the gas pump apart to hide the device inside where it was found. Investigators say that the management and employees were not involved. So how did this person do this without having record of it in the More >