Identity Theft Answers Blog: January 2012

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Identity Theft Laws - Tue Jan 31, 2012

Stop Identity Theft Before it Stops You
NTV
Protect your social security number. Don't provide it unless required and never write it on checks. Photocopy the front and back of all the credit cards you carry in your wallet and store the copy in a safe place. Never routinely carry your social ...

Identity-Theft-Answers.com providing comprehensive answers for you and your family on issues regarding Identity Theft.

Website: http://www.identity-theft-answers.com

Follow us on Twitter: idtheftanswers

Fraud Alert Identity Theft - Tue Jan 31, 2012

Physician Medical Identity Theft
Journal of American Medical Association (subscription)
It took several months for one physician to learn that she was a victim of medical identity theft. This realization occurred after patients reported that her name was on their Medicare Summary Notices although they had never seen her. A fraudulent ...

Kids Get a Break From Identity Thieves
MarketWatch (press release)
Once enrolled, TransUnion adds each minor's SSN to a database it uses to alert creditors about potential fraud risk when requests for credit reports are received. This protection remains in place until the minor reaches 17 years-of-age.

Identity-Theft-Answers.com providing comprehensive answers for you and your family on issues regarding Identity Theft.

Website: http://www.identity-theft-answers.com

Follow us on Twitter: idtheftanswers

Email Hoax Identity Theft - Tue Jan 31, 2012

The "Dirty Dozen" tax scams; keep your money and information safe
San Diego Entertainer Magazine
In recent years the IRS has seen a significant rise in refund fraud and identity theft, as scammers are looking to seek your personal information in an email, claiming to be from the IRS or makers of Turbo Tax Software. They claim they need more ...

Barbour Co. Seniors Learn the In's and Out's of Preventing ID Theft
WDTV
We've all dealt with it, you get an e-mail or a phone call where someone is asking for your personal information. Hopefully you didn't share that information, but if you did you may have become a victim of identity theft. On Monday the Barbour County ...

Credit Monitoring Identity Theft - Tue Jan 31, 2012

These Women Tried To Use Craigslist To Score $500K In Fraudulent Tax Refunds
Business Insider
Get free credit monitoring. Credit monitoring is one of the best safeguards against identity theft and fraud. Services alert you to changes in your credit report, such as suspicious activity or new accounts that could be red flags of identity fraud. 2.

Trymedia breach exposes credit card numbers of 12000 digital game customers
Infosecurity Magazine (US)
Trymedia said it would notify the 12456 customers affected, including 96 New Hampshire residents, by postal mail about the potential breach and offer to provide a 12-month subscription to a credit monitoring and identity theft protection product.

Child Identity Theft - Tue Jan 31, 2012

Police bust potential identity theft ring
WSB Atlanta
By Kerry Kavanaugh Police say an investigation into stolen vehicles led them to a potential ring of identity thieves. Investigators said they got a call from the state about stolen cars with cloned Vehicle Identification Numbers.

Former day care business manager sentenced for employee theft
Green Bay Press Gazette
The former president of the Door County Child Care Center board told a sentencing judge Monday that a former business manager's thefts nearly put the nonprofit organization out of business. Chelsea Tlachac, 27, entered into a deferred prosecution ...

West Monroe man arrested in child porn investigation
Monroe News Star
The Attorney General's High Technology Crime Unit has investigated thousands of computer crimes, such as identity theft, Internet fraud and cyber-stalking, but most of the unit's investigations have involved crimes against children.

Hearing Set on Death Master File
LifeHealthPro
He explained that, “Parents of the deceased child do not know their child's identity has been stolen until the IRS rejects their legitimately filed return and the theft has been exposed.” Johnson also cited the National Taxpayer Advocate's 2011 report ...

Law Enforcement Blotter: 1/30
Brownwood News (blog)
*9:30pm-Brownwood Police received a report of possible child abuse/neglect from a complainant at the Brownwood Regional Medical Center. *6:21am-Brownwood Police received a report of the theft of a digital camera. The theft occurred on January 12, ...

Business Identity Theft - Tue Jan 31, 2012

IRS says federal sweep against identity theft targets 105 people in 23 states ...
Washington Post
WASHINGTON — The federal government has swooped down on 105 people in 23 states in the past week as part of a nationwide crackdown on identity theft and tax refund fraud that was timed to warn cheats to beware this tax season, the Internal Revenue ...

Can You Take Your Credit Card Company to Court?
Fox Business
Planning to sue your credit card company over identity theft? What about taking your cell phone carrier to court? You may need to break out the glasses and read over your contract. If the words "mandatory arbitration" appear, looks like you'll be ...

6 trends to drive evolution of IAM in 2012
Times of India
Six major trends will drive the evolution of corporate management of identity and access management (IAM) and privacy management in 2012. MUMBAI: Six major trends will drive the evolution of corporate management of identity and access management (IAM) ...

IRS tax fraud crackdown targets identity thieves

http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/basics/story/2012-01-31/irs-identity-theft-crackdown/52903496/1?loc=interstitialskip
Identity-Theft-Answers.com providing comprehensive answers for you and your family on issues regarding Identity Theft.

Website: http://www.identity-theft-answers.com

Follow us on Twitter: idtheftanswers

Monday, January 30, 2012

Victims of Identity Theft - Mon Jan 30, 2012

Cancer scammer admits harassing phone call to victim
phillyBurbs.com
One month earlier she had pleaded guilty to charges of theft and identity theft for victimizing her parents in a $24000 credit card scheme. Tolton took credit cards that came into the mail for her parents and then, using the cards, ...

Identity-Theft-Answers.com providing comprehensive answers for you and your family on issues regarding Identity Theft.

Website: http://www.identity-theft-answers.com

Follow us on Twitter: idtheftanswers

Social Security Identity Theft - Mon Jan 30, 2012

IRS warns of identity theft, tax fraud
Monitor
To prevent identity theft, individuals shouldn't carry their Social Security card or any document bearing the Social Security number, according to information released by the IRS. Additionally individuals should check their credit scores at least once ...

Identity-Theft-Answers.com providing comprehensive answers for you and your family on issues regarding Identity Theft.

Website: http://www.identity-theft-answers.com

Follow us on Twitter: idtheftanswers

Social Media Identity Theft - Mon Jan 30, 2012

cMoney Kicks off Aggressive Social Media Campaign
MarketWatch (press release)
PK), a leading technology company at the forefront of international mobile phone-based payment and money transfer services, announced today that the Company has started an aggressive social media campaign aimed at increasing cMoney's awareness around ...

Identity-Theft-Answers.com providing comprehensive answers for you and your family on issues regarding Identity Theft.

Website: http://www.identity-theft-answers.com

Follow us on Twitter: idtheftanswers

Phishing Scams Identity Theft - Mon Jan 30, 2012

Google, Microsoft and Facebook join forces to fight phishing scams
PC Advisor
By Carrie-Ann Skinner | PC Advisor | 30 January 12 Google, Microsoft and Facebook are among 15 web firms joining forces to fight spam and phishing scams. DMARC.org is a technical working group comprised of the tech giants along with payment providers ...

Illinois Bankers Association Alerts Consumers About Text Phishing Scam
MarketWatch (press release)
30, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The Illinois Bankers Association is aware of some recent incidences in the state of "phishing" through text messages. Phishing is a tactic in which identity thieves "phish" for personal information, like account ...

Email providers teaming up to fight spam and phishing scams
WXYZ
(WXYZ) - Are you tired of spam and suspicious emails clogging your inbox? Email providers are joining forces to try and block spam and dangerous phishing scams aimed at stealing your identity. Microsoft, AOL, Google and Yahoo are teaming up to make ...

Email Scam Targets SaskTel
swtvchannel
http://www.mylocaltv.ca/ SaskTel Warns Customers of Email Phishing Scam.Over the past several days close to 200 SaskTel customers have received scam emails from a third party posing as SaskTel. The email as seen in this image, states that you have a ...

Tech Today: Battling 'Phishing' and Guessing Facebook's Ticker
Wall Street Journal (blog)
The goal is to reduce “phishing” emails–scams that attempt to trick recipients into thinking that the email comes from a legitimate source. [WSJ] Guessing Facebook's Ticker Symbol: News last week that Facebook would soon file its IPO documents ...

QUICK TAKE: Tech Companies Join Forces to Fight Scam E-mails
National Journal
Fifteen e-mail and technology providers—including AOL, Google, Yahoo and Microsoft—have joined forces to fight scam e-mails, the companies announced on Monday. A new industry group—the Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance ...

Microsoft Takes Action Against Halo 4 Beta Scam
Piki Geek
Although 343 Industries' creative director David Ellis has debunked and published a warning about fake Halo 4 beta testing invitations, the phishing site associated with the scam (halo4beta.net) remained active. Fusible reported yesterday that ...

Online Scams Identity Theft - Mon Jan 30, 2012

Secretary of State Kemp Announces Release of Business Identity Theft White Paper
WCTV
Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp announced today the release of a new white paper by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) that is designed to prevent the increasing threat of business identity theft. Secretary Kemp serves NASS ...

Deluxe Corporation's Webinar Offers Tips And Tools To Protect Small Businesses ...
Small Business Trends
Recognizing this weakness, hackers are increasingly preying on small business owners, accessing mobile devices to steal sensitive data and commit acts of fraud. On Jan. 31 at 2 pm EST, Deluxe and identity theft expert John Sileo will teach small ...

Internet Identity Theft - Mon Jan 30, 2012

CPD now utilizing crime ID website Internet access involves public
Cleveland Daily Banner
“In an effort to help resolve criminal cases involving identity theft, retail theft, credit card fraud and various other crimes, the Cleveland Police Department recently began using the website www.idthisperson.com,” according to Evie West, ...

Super Bowl XLVI: 6 Ways to Avoid an Online Scam
PC Magazine
Fraudulent websites and online ads promising tickets or merchandise, but which actually contain malware, spyware and ultimately, identity theft. As you search for all things related to the Super Bowl this week, don't let your money and personal ...

Identity Theft Protection - Mon Jan 30, 2012

Madigan offers business tips to protect consumer information
East Peoria Times-Courier
By Anonymous Attorney General Lisa Madigan today released a 2012 guide for Illinois businesses to better protect consumers' personal information and help prevent identity theft. “Illinoisans are vulnerable to identity theft and fraud when security ...

McAfee Announces Next Generation Of Mobile Security Software
Dark Reading
30, 2012 –McAfee today announced the next generation of McAfee' Mobile Security software, providing smartphone and tablet owners with more controls to preserve their privacy and protectionagainst financial fraud, identity theft and viruses.

Identity Theft Prevention - Mon Jan 30, 2012

IRS Warns of Identity Theft, Tax Fraud
LoanSafe
Preventing and investigating identity theft and fraudul will be one of the IRS's top tasks — one for which they have partnered with local law enforcement and other federal agencies, Miller said. In 2011, the agency disrupted $1.3 billion in refunds ...

Identity theft continues to ruin lives of many consumers
Sowetan
IDENTITY theft has risen at an alarming rate since consumers no longer have to lose their identity document to be defrauded. STASHED IN CEILING: Gauteng police discovered over 892 stolen IDs hidden in a house in Lenasia. People are on a daily basis ...

Sowetan

Medical Insurance Information Theft is New Twist in Identity Theft
Connecticut Business News Journal
Connecticut Better Business Bureau is alerting consumers about a new and growing form of identity theft involving medical insurance. Medical identity thieves pose as employees of insurance companies, doctors' offices, hospitals and pharmacies to obtain ...

Stolen identities bought cycling gear
Salisbury Post
Walter Darnell Austin, 45, returns to the Rowan County Detention Center Sunday after authorities charged him with four additional counts of identity theft. He is escorted by Dep. JT Hodges of the Rowan County Sheriff's Office.

Salisbury Post

Henderson couple faces identity theft charges
WRAL.com
Raleigh, NC — Federal authorities said Monday that they have charged a Henderson couple in an identity theft scheme. Mark Anthony Davis, 41, and Lawanda Joyce Ragland, 33, were each charged with conspiring to commit offenses against the US, ...

University of Maryland student information vulnerable to ID theft, audit finds
Washington Examiner
The student data that was found on the server "is commonly sought for use in identity theft," according to the audit.The university system's own guidelines require such nonpublic information be deleted or encrypted to prevent security breaches.

Identity Theft Laws - Mon Jan 30, 2012

MPs Call for Tighter Metal Theft Laws
Car Rentals
A group of MPs has said that anyone attempting to sell scrap metal should be made to prove their identity, while the Transport Select Committee has called for the government to test a ban on cash payments for scrap in a move to fight the metal theft...

Investment Fraud Identity Theft - Mon Jan 30, 2012

How to help polish up your credit
The Newark Advocate
Those can be symptoms of fraud or identity theft. » Go elsewhere. If you're unhappy with your bank's fees, consider transferring to a credit union.

Identity-Theft-Answers.com providing comprehensive answers for you and your family on issues regarding Identity Theft.

Website: http://www.identity-theft-answers.com

Follow us on Twitter: idtheftanswers

Dumpster Diving Identity Theft - Mon Jan 30, 2012

Mower County Senior Center: Protect your identity
Post-Bulletin
Identity theft continues to be one of the fastest-growing crimes in the United States. ... Be careful of "Dumpster diving." Make sure that you do not throw ...

Identity-Theft-Answers.com providing comprehensive answers for you and your family on issues regarding Identity Theft.

Website: http://www.identity-theft-answers.com

Follow us on Twitter: idtheftanswers

Child Identity Theft - Mon Jan 30, 2012

Teachers, parents urged to focus on Internet Security for children
Demerara Waves
Brooks spoke with parents about how they can protect their children from risks such as identity theft, piracy, and solicitation. Although most social networking sites used by children are legal and positive, there are individuals who attempt to exploit ...

Business Identity Theft - Mon Jan 30, 2012

Alpharetta Business Shredding Documents, Hard Drives for Free
Patch.com
Ed Gillman said that according to the US Department of Justice Statistics, identity theft is now surpassing drug trafficking as the number one crime in the nation. Costs associated with a data breach can be expensive from a business standpoint, ...

Your Data Has Probably Already Been Stolen
MainStreet
In a release Tuesday, Symantec confirmed that users of pcAnywhere should disable the software until the company has a chance to release an update. The other security products involved in the theft are updated more frequently than pcAnywhere, ...

McAfee Mobile Security 2.0 Combines Powerful New Security Features for ...
Business Wire (press release)
(BUSINESS WIRE)--McAfee today announced the next generation of McAfee® Mobile Security software, providing smartphone and tablet owners with more controls to preserve their privacy and protection against financial fraud, identity theft and viruses.

On the record with David Smitherman, president of Better Business Bureau of ...
The Birmingham News - al.com (blog)
Identity theft scams. Charity scams. We don't call these people scam artists for nothing. They are very skilled at separating consumers from their money or identity. What is the process like for insuring businesses meet service standards set by the BBB ...

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Identity Theft Laws - Sun Jan 29, 2012

4 arrested in Boone County meth lab bust
KRCG
Jade Lewis, 19, was arrested for Manufacturing a Controlled Substance, and assault on a LawEnforcement and Resisting Arrest. Michael Robinson, 20, was arrested for Manufacturing a Controlled Substance and Identity Theft. Robinson also had two warrants ...

Identity-Theft-Answers.com providing comprehensive answers for you and your family on issues regarding Identity Theft.

Website: http://www.identity-theft-answers.com

Follow us on Twitter: idtheftanswers

Dumpster Diving - Sun Jan 29, 2012

Protect yourself from identity theft
Austin Herald
Identity theft continues to be one of the fastest growing crimes in the United ... or paper documents thrown out by you or a business (dumpster diving).

Identity-Theft-Answers.com providing comprehensive answers for you and your family on issues regarding Identity Theft.

Website: http://www.identity-theft-answers.com

Follow us on Twitter: idtheftanswers

Social Security Identity Theft - Sun Jan 29, 2012

Stolen ID used for 30 years nets Covington man 5 years' prison
The Seattle Times
Curtis Tyrone Wudtee, 62, was sentenced by Chief US District Judge Marsha Pechman to 57 months in prison for misuse of a Social Security number, aggravated identity theft and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Wudtee pleaded guilty to those ...

Man who lived, committed crimes under stolen ID for 30 years sentenced
Seattle Post Intelligencer
He pleaded guilty last year to misue of a Social Security number, aggravated identity theft and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Wudtee lived under a stolen name -- described by prosecutors as "MLS" -- since 1977. And he didn't live well.

Enid man charged with identity theft and filing false tax returns
Enid News & Eagle
According to the indictment, Martin used the Social Security numbers of other individuals on three occasions to submit false tax returns to the Internal Revenue Service. He was charged with three counts of identity fraud and three counts of filing ...

Social Security Fraud - Sun Jan 29, 2012

Brothers arrested in check fraud case
TheReporter.com
According to Lopez, Anderson-Lacy was on probation after being previously convicted of passing fraudulent checks. During their search, officers found several counterfeit checks and numerous names and social security numbers in Anderson-Lacy's ...

Avon Park man charged with $988000 in land swindles
News-Sun
The report also claims that Williams attempted to gain bank routing numbers for a Lake Placid woman and the Social Security numbers of other unidentified victims. In addition to the allegations of fraudulent contract signatures, witnesses claimed that ..
York man faces Social Security fraud charges
Yorkdispatch.com
The US Attorney's Office for the state's Middle District announced Friday it's filing charges against York County resident Kenneth Horn, 47, for allegedly stealing benefits from the Social Security Administration. US Attorney Peter J. Smith said the ..
Yonkers tax preparer charged
Westfair Online
A tax preparer at a Yonkers agency faces multiple felony charges for allegedly filing fraudulent income tax returns, stealing a client's tax refund and trafficking in Social Security numbers used on clients' false returns.

MY VIEW: Social Security, Medicare lack sustainability
YourWestValley.com
Then there is Social Security. There have been lots of people in the past 60 or 70 years who were helped by this program. Many sing the praises of the ingenious Mr. Roosevelt, who devised such a beneficial system for them. Unfortunately, the system is ...
Two North Jersey women indicted in large-scale fraud ring
NorthJersey.com
Ringleader Sang-Hyun “Jimmy” Park confessed earlier this month to running an operation in Bergen County that fraudulently obtained and sold driver's licenses, Social Security cards, credit cards and other identifications. The customers, primarily of ...
Retiree says he has forgone medical treatment after losing life savings to ...
Washington Post
Currently our expenses are $2500 more than income we receive from Social Security and disability.” Flynn, who had open heart surgery in 2009, said his doctors last year wanted to treat him with a new drug. But he said he can't afford the $2500 it would ...
Will Gingrich SuperPac's and DNC's Latest Medicare Fraud Attack Draw Romney's ...
Big Government
The DNC has deliberately connected the dots to Governor Rick Scott, the unpopular Republican governor who was once called the “Madoff of Medicare” after he was forced to resign as CEO of a company involved in what became the largest Medicare fraud to ...
ICE arrests previously deported criminal alien on fraud and re-entry charges
KTSM News Channel 9
By Bianca Delilah Cervantes - Web/Social Media Producer EL PASO – A man remains in federal custody after his Jan. 24 arrest by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) HomelandSecurity Investigations (HSI) special agents.

Birmingham man sentenced in mortgage fraud scheme
al.com (blog)
... according to a press statement issued today by US Attorney Joyce White Vance, FBI Special Agent in Charge Patrick Maley and the inspectors general of the departments of Housing and Urban Development and the Social Security Administration.

Phishing Scam Identity Theft - Sun Jan 29, 2012

BBB Tip of the Week
The Spokesman Review
• Top phishing scam: The most pernicious phishing scam last year disguised itself as official communication from NACHA – the National Automated Clearing House Association – which transfers billions of dollars electronically each year.

'Halo 4' fake beta domain sparks Microsoft complaint
Digital Spy
The website halo4beta.net issued fake beta invites for the upcoming sequel to scores of users in what was later revealed to be a phishing scam. Developer 343 Industries' creative director David Ellis was swift to publicly debunk the fraud, ...

Better Business Bureau warns against computer virus scam
News 10NBC
If you get an email or phone call from a representative of the Better Business Bureau about removing a computer virus, you might be the victim of a new phishing scam. The BBB is warning the public about the scam, where someone claiming to be a BBB ...
Ask Andy: Tax-time Phishing Scams
WMC-TV
"It's tax season, so expect tax scams," said IRS spokesperson Dan Boone. "The scammers have taken it one step further: last summer, there were phishing e-mails circulating that were not about taxpayer account information. They were about IRS seminars ...
Dangerous E-Mail Scam Claims To Be From The Better Business Bureau
33 KDAF-TV
The danger in this phishing scam was the e-mail appeared to readers as coming from the Better Business Bureau. Scott Anderson's JWB Services in Forney, Texas handles new and repair plumbing. “Commercial, residential, service work, all of the above,” .
Email scam targets business community
Bradenton Herald
Federal authorities are investigating a phishing scam circulating company email accounts throughout the country that preys on that vulnerable relationship. Businesses across the Manatee-Sarasota area have been receiving the fraudulent emails, ...
A New Angle on Phishing
BankInfoSecurity.com
Nearly half of all phishing attacks waged during the first half of 2011 targeted the financial sector. Just weeks earlier, the Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a warning about a new Zeus malware attack targeting commercial bank accounts, ...
Scammers claim to be with the BBB
Minneapolis Star Tribune (blog)
Scammers are going to new lengths to infect your computer with a virus by claiming to be the Better Business Bureau. In a news release on Thursday, the BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota warned consumers not to take the bait in the phishing scam, ...
Don't fall victim to tax scams, learn how to protect yourself
ConnectAmarillo.com powered by KVII
"Phishing scams happen to the largest and most trustworthy websites," said Kiehl. She also says to be wary of RAL's or Refund Anticipation Loans. A business will offer the loan upfront for doing your taxes, meaning you'll get money that day.

Athens-Clarke County Police Warn of Possible Income Tax Scam
Patch.com
“These are referred to as "phishing scams," as they are phishing for personal information.” We are reminded that taxpayers are not required to fill out a separate form to get a stimulus payment, “all they have to do is file a tax return.