01/21/2016
I just read a great article that was provided to me by my computer antivirus program company, Vipre Security (works well for me). The article is cut/pasted below and is about cyber theft, which is a growing problem leading to identity theft and use of your credit cards...and more. If you need identity theft protection, I can provide a plan for you that is serviced by Kroll, the leading risk manager for cyber matters in the entire world. Please PM if you are interested. Thank you. Enjoy the read!
Security Tips
How to Stay A Step Ahead of the Cybercrooks
Online scam artists work around the clock devising ways to steal our identities, empty our bank accounts, and max out our credit cards. Depressed? Don’t be. You can stay a step or two ahead of the bad guys if you are vigilant and informed.
Here is some information that might help:
Smart Scammers Don’t Waste Time With Random Spam Anymore
Sending out random spam is not only time-consuming for cyber criminals, it is no longer very productive. Smart criminals now create targeted emails by impersonating legitimate companies we do business with — to trap us into revealing bank information, log-in credentials, and personal details such as birth dates and Social Security numbers.
A recent example of such targeting was LinkedIn users, who were sent an email (with an attachment) advising them to update their security details. People who opened the attachment unwittingly sent their information to identity thieves.
Make Sure Nobody has Opened a Credit Card Account in Your Name
The easiest way to find out is to order a free credit report annually from each of the three credit agencies—Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax—at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Another good idea is to check your credit status on your credit card/s. Many credit card issuers, including American Express, Discover, and Citi offer free monthly FICO or similar credit scores. If you notice a big change in your score from one month to the next, chances are someone used your card. While you investigate, place a (free) 90-day fraud alert with one credit agency, which will alert the other two.
Don’t Give Information to Anybody Unless You Initiated the Contact
If you get a call or email from anybody seeking personal information, don’t give it. The source of the scams is endless but popular ones are people pretending to be from your bank, a store where you bought something, the IRS, a social media site, and so on.
If you get an email asking for personal information, click on nothing and close it. Similarly if you get a call, hang up. Only give information when you make a call or log into a site you trust.
