58 out of 60!? We knew people were vulnerable to phishing operations, but that number is just sad. Get to know your bank’s security features and, for heaven’s sake, look for them when you log in. There’s no reason 58 out of 60 people should be falling for an obviously fake site with incorrect security features. Looks like it might be back to the drawing board for Bank of America.—MEGHANN MARCO
ID theft
Gas Station "Skimmers" Steal Your Credit Card Info When You Pay At The Pump
By 6.1.07
In case you weren’t aware, a skimmer is a tiny device that reads your credit card number and delivers it to the bad guys.
Postmaster General Angry At Wachovia Over ID Theft Ad
By 5.31.07
Postmaster General John Potter is mad as hell at Wachovia! He’s accusing them of ‘really doing a disservice to the American public’ with an ad that suggests mailing your bills puts you at greater risk of ID theft than paying them on-line. Potter says this simply isn’t true:
“I have no problem with competition — it’s a good thing, it can keep everyone at the top of their game,” he said. “All I ask for is a little honesty when you’re doing it.” Asked specifically about the bank, he accused Wachovia of “really doing a disservice to the American public.”
Payday Lender Leaves Customer Information Out In The Street
By 5.25.07
As if you needed another reason not to get a payday loan… —MEGHANN MARCO
It's Easy To Use Google To Find Exposed Credit Card Numbers
By 5.24.07
When merchants expose your credit card numbers to the internet, there’s an easy tool that ID thieves can use to find them. Google. According to an article on Slashdot, it’s as easy as searching for the most common credit card prefixes. The credit card companies have known about this problem for years, and they’ve yet to fix it. Is it because they can’t? Or is it because the vendors are the ones exposing the numbers? Whose responsibility is it?
Bank Of America Sues ID Theft Victim For $23,312.04
By 5.21.07
When you are the victim of fraud, you assume that your biggest friend will be your bank. They’re the ones that are supposed to help you put your life back together.
Detecting Synthetic Identity Fraud
By 5.17.07
It’s bad enough when ID thieves steal your persona, but what happens when they use your information to create an entirely different person? A fake person? Bankrate has an article about detecting and protecting yourself from this type of scam. It’s called “synthetic identity fraud.” From Bankrate:
Synthetic fraud is quickly becoming the more common type of identity fraud, surpassing “true-name” identity fraud, which corresponds to actual consumers. In 2005, ID Analytics reported that synthetic identity fraud accounted for 74 percent of the total dollars lost by U.S. businesses to ID fraud and 88 percent of all identity fraud “events” — for example, new account openings and address changes.
Sythetic ID fraud could affect your credit, and debt collectors might come after you based on your SSN, ignoring that a ficticious name was used.
Beware The WiFi Snoopers, They're Watching You
By 5.17.07
For more info on how you can protect yourself when using public WiFi, check out this article from Computerworld. —MEGHANN MARCO
Other Stores May Be Just As Vulnurable To Hacking As TJ Maxx
By 5.10.07
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the most likely scenario for how the hackers stole an estimated 200 million card numbers is as simple as a person with a laptop breaking into the wifi network of a store:
The biggest known theft of credit-card numbers in history began two summers ago outside a Marshalls discount clothing store near St. Paul, Minn.
How Crooks Steal or "Skim" Your ATM Card
By 5.9.07
Why do we suddenly want to watch The Departed? Anyway, after talking with the detective the Today show set up their own skimming operation in Times Square. Just about 1/2 of the people who used the ATM fell for a skimming box located just outside the door where the swipe pad that unlocks the door would normally be. Sad.—MEGHANN MARCO
Closed Your Account Because Of Fraud? Bank Of America Helpfully Links Your New Account
By 5.7.07
If you close your account because some jerk stole your student loan payment check and is trying to cash it, you might want to switch banks. Otherwise, Bank of America might helpfully link your new account to your old one so the #%@$# can still cash the stolen check.
May 8: Last Day To Sound Off About The Real ID Act
By 5.2.07
The Department of Homeland Security would like your opinions on the Real ID Act, but it would like them by May 8th.
JetBlue Employees Charged In Credit Card Scam
By 5.1.07
Don’t leave your credit card on the JetBlue counter at JFK! Four JetBlue employees and a city corrections officer are charged with stealing credit card numbers from JetBlue passengers, according to Newsday. The “JetBlue 5” as we’ve decided to call them, used the cards to go on a “spending spree” that included “restaurants, liquor stores, and shops including Bloomingdale’s and Victoria’s Secret.” Naughty!
Ask The Consumerists: Can I Fly With No ID?
By 4.3.07
I have a friend that moved to NYC a little while ago from Iowa. She hadn’t switched to a NYS Photo ID yet, as she isn’t sure if this is going to be a permanent move, so she has been using her Iowa State Photo ID (non-Driver’s License, which is important as you’ll see) around town.
TJ Maxx Data Thieves Caught Buying $8 Million in Walmart Gift Cards
By 3.23.07
Stolen TJX data has been linked to 6 arrests in the Miami area. According to the AP, the ID thieves exploited a Walmart gift card loophole that allowed them to buy multiple $400 gift cards without showing ID, which they would then redeem or sell.
Social Security Numbers Decoded
By 3.20.07
The Tao of Making Money has collected a bunch of interesting facts about Social Security Numbers, for example:
Car Dealer Refuses To Sell You A Vehicle Without A Thumbprint
By 3.19.07
You are handed a slip of paper and told to mark your right thumbprint in a box. The paper says clearly that it’s a request, for your protection, and to prevent your identity theft.
ID Stolen? Get an ID Theft Passport
By 3.9.07
Several states have started programs, often called “ID Theft Passport” programs, to help victims of ID Theft regain control over their information and establish their innocence of any crimes that may have been committed under their ID.
