Even if you aren’t playing Pokemon Go, you know people — probably a lot of people — who are. And that means you, and your friends, should keep an eye on the permissions the popular app wants to access on your phone. [More]
security
6 Odd Things That Happened That Got My Netflix Account Canceled By A Stranger
By 7.11.16
There are lots of reasons — price hike, a content library that no longer appeals to you, infrequent use, poor internet connection — that you might cancel your Netflix service. One thing that’s not on that list is “Netflix employee doesn’t realize that two people could have the same name.” [More]
Use Of 3D Scans On Carry-On Bags Could Reduce TSA Wait Times By 30%
By 7.5.16
For much of the spring and beginning of the summer, the Transportation Security Administration and airlines have worked — and spent millions of dollars — to alleviate long lines at security checkpoints at the nation’s airports. Today, the agency unveiled two additional measures to speed things along: computed tomography (CT) scanners to inspect carry-on bags and automated checkpoints. [More]
Visa Sues Walmart In Response To Lawsuit Over Security Of Debit Card Authorizations
By 6.29.16
Last month, Walmart sued Visa, accusing the card network of pushing the retailer to use a less-secure method of verifying debit card transactions. Now Visa is firing back with a lawsuit of its own, claiming the nation’s largest retailer is violating its contract by setting up payment terminals so that they can only accept the more secure form of validation. [More]
Here’s A Big (Updated) List Of The Foods You Can Bring Through Airport Security
By 6.27.16 — Updated: 3.9.17
Inching your way through airport security is already a stressful and time-consuming process. The last thing you want to worry about is having that snack you packed to enjoy mid-flight thrown in the trash because of seemingly arbitrary rules on what can and can’t be carried through the checkpoint.
[More]
After Threatening To Leave City, Chicago Will Not Require Uber, Lyft Drivers Provide Fingerprints
By 6.22.16
Earlier this week, it looked like Chicago was about to become the biggest city to require that drivers for services like Uber and Lyft provide fingerprints to check against existing criminal databases; but after intervention by the Mayor Rahm Emanuel — whose brother is an Uber investor — Chicago city leaders have approved a compromise version of these rules that kick the fingerprint can down the road for at least another six months. [More]
Now There’s An Even Longer TSA Line For PreCheck Registration
By 6.22.16
Long Transportation Security Administration lines aren’t just for airports anymore. The government agency has encouraged members of the public to sign up for its PreCheck program to speed things along as security lines got longer, and the problem is that the public listened. Now they’re facing long waits for approval in the program, which requires a background check when you first enroll. [More]
IRS Relaunches “Get Transcript” Online Tool, Promises It’s More Secure
By 6.8.16
A year after the Internal Revenue Service said hackers used stolen Social Security numbers and other information gleaned from the agency’s system in an attempt to access hundreds of thousands of taxpayers’ accounts, the agency says that the Get Transcript tool at the heart of the attack is back online. [More]
Even Mark Zuckerberg Isn’t Impervious To Recycling Passwords, Having Accounts Hacked
By 6.6.16
Here’s why you should keep track of hacks and breaches and not re-use passwords: because even the king of the modern internet isn’t immune from account takeovers… and if he’s not, you’re not either. [More]
Would You Sign Up For TSA PreCheck If It Was Cheaper?
By 6.2.16
The Transportation Security Administration continues to try to wriggle itself out of the tough spot it’s found itself in, with passengers, airlines, lawmakers, and airport officials chiming in on excessively long wait times at security checkpoints in our nation’s airports. In an effort to cut down those lines, the agency has been trying to push more people to enroll in its PreCheck Program — but is the cost keeping travelers from signing up? [More]
Homeland Security Director Outlines Plan To Speed Up Airport Security Lines
By 5.13.16
Following weeks of complaints from airlines, airport personnel, lawmakers, industry groups, and, of course, passengers about seemingly unending security lines at airports around the country, the Department of Homeland Security says it will take immediate steps to address the concerns, including hiring more screeners and approving the use of increased overtime. [More]
Government Asks Wireless Manufacturers & Carriers About Device Security Updates
By 5.9.16
At the same time as their counterparts at the Justice Department are trying to circumvent smartphone security, the folks at the FCC and the Federal Trade Commission are talking to manufacturers about how to make these devices more secure. [More]
5 Alternatives To Get Through Airport Security Without A License
By 5.3.16
Imagine getting to the airport only to find that your driver’s license is not in your wallet. Maybe you left it at home or dropped it along the way, but looking for the misplaced license will cause you to miss your flight. Not to worry. While it might take a little longer, the Transportation Security Administration does provide a handful of options to get you through security without government issued ID. [More]
Can A Cashier Make Me Read My 3-Digit Credit Card Code In Front Of Other Shoppers?
By 4.15.16
Your credit card has a 16-digit number on the front, plus an expiration date, and another three-digit code on the back. We all know in a vague way that the code on the back (also known as the “CVC” or “CVV”) has something to do with making transactions safer or reducing fraud, but other than that we don’t give it much thought — and while we might expect to have to share that number when shopping online, we certainly don’t expect to be asked to read it out loud when making an in-person purchase at a crowded coffee shop. [More]
Lawsuit: CVS Told Security Guards To Watch Minority Shoppers
By 3.29.16
A year after four former CVS security workers filed a federal lawsuit against the company alleging their supervisors ordered them to keep an eye on minority shoppers at some New York City stores, another former “market investigator” in Brooklyn has levied similar allegations against the pharmacy chain in a new class-action lawsuit. [More]
CEO Email Scam Returns With A Special Tax Season Twist
By 2.24.16
We know that the above email couldn’t be real for a few reasons: Consumerist doesn’t have our own payroll department, and Olivia is a cat. Yet there’s a new variation of the now-classic CEO scam, where someone impersonates your boss over email and requests a massive wire transfer. In this version, the boss impersonator does exactly what Fake Meg does above: they request a file of employee W-2 forms enabling them to commit identity theft, including filing fraudulent tax returns. [More]
MasterCard Starts “Selfie” Verification, Working On Heartbeat Approvals
By 2.23.16
Last October, MasterCard revealed that it was testing new ID-verification solutions that used, among other things, facial recognition, to quickly and securely identify cardholders when shopping on their mobile devices. Now the company says the so-called “selfie pay” system is ready for the masses, and that it is working on a way to authenticate users via their heartbeats. [More]
