12-7-09 | Katie | No Comments
Sophos, the internet security company decided to run a test on just how secure your information is, and the results were not promising. They sent out two fake identities, 21-year-old “Daisy Feletin” and 56-year-old “Dinette Stonily”
Each had a non-human photo posted on their profile (in Daisys case a rubber duck, and in Dinette’s two cats), and sent out 100 random friend requests. The average acceptance rate: 95 people. What kind of information did they share?
- Date of Birth (Full)
- Personal information about friends and family.
Add that to some of the data in your profile, like your home state, occupation and wesites you visit, and Facebook is an identity theft banquet.
Be careful who you friend.
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06-19-09 | Katie | No Comments
We are all having some trouble in these harsh economic times. For some of us staying afloat means getting some professional help. Service like credit counseling and debt reduction are popping up everywhere. The problem is that not all of these services are legitimate. Some are scams that take your money, and your data, then disappear into the night. Given the kind of information a credit counseling company may request your address, employer, salary, full list of debts, and social security. It is a very scary process to get caught up in a scam.
How do you tell a legit service from scammers? These guidelines can help.
(Image Credit)
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06-1-09 | Katie | No Comments
There are any number of scams that rely on bait and switch. It has been a common staple for year. When criminals went cyber they brought this classic into the modern era with them.
The digital bait and switch comes in many forms, but few are less sinister then the bait and switch with checks. The most familiar web incarnation of this is the Nigerian Prince. For those of you unfamiliar with this scam here is a play by play.
* You get an email informing you that you are the only heir.
* There is a problem with your considerable inheritance.
* You can clear it up if you depost the whole of this check and forward on a portion to the lawyer.
The only problem is that the check is a dud, and you are going to be out the cost.
Why, you might ask?
Simple. Banks give customers access to check funds before they clear. Once you send out the cash your money is gone. The check fails to deposit and you are out the funds.
Not to mention that depending on where you live you can get in legal trouble. Beware of any that work this way. They take a variety of guises. Most newer ones target job searchers.
(Image Credit)
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