IDENTITY THEFT IN THE NEWSModern Day Bonnie & ClydeThe Seattle Times reports a story that ends with a young couple in jail, accused of numerous ID theft scams costing victims hundreds of thousands of dollars. The most victimized group was their very own neighbors who ended up paying for lavish trips and trendy electronics for the couple, without knowing. Click here to read more.
12/3/2007 12:09:43 PM
Massachusetts Seniors Victims of Identity TheftPC World reports a state-run program that offers drug insurance to seniors in Massachusetts could have been infiltrated by an identity thief. 150,000 people who could have possibly been affected by the breach. Click here to read more.
12/3/2007 12:02:31 PM
Identity Theft Victims Feel FrustrationThe Washington Post writes of the sudden realization victims of identity theft feel when they first discover their identity has been compromised. Also, the lack of support in place to catch these criminals can be frustrating. Click here to read more.
11/29/2007 10:37:47 AM
Four Scores and Seven Years AgoUSA Today reports how the "Big Three" credit bureaus have used "creative marketing" and consumer confusion purposely to cash in on direct-to-consumer sales for the past seven years. The credit bureaus use sites that indicate free credit reports to bring in online shoppers and cash in on add-on services such as credit bureau monitoring. Click here to read more.
11/28/2007 11:39:40 AM
Senate Passes Bill Making Cybercrime a FelonyThe Washington Post reports the new bill closes "loopholes" that current U.S. laws have regarding cyber crimes. In addition, previous misdemeanors would now be considered felonies so victims (not just big businesses) can seek restitution. Click here to read more.
11/28/2007 11:11:33 AM
FTC Releases Identity Theft StudyThe Federal Trade Commission released a study showing that 8.3 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2005. One-quarter of victims did not know their identity had been compromised for at least 6 months after misuse and 10% of victims spent over 55 hours or over $1,200 restoring their good name. However, 37% of victims experienced problems such as debt collector harassment, credit or loan denial, or even civil suit. Click here to read more.
11/21/2007 11:36:48 AM
American Dream Cause for Identity TheftThe Washington post reports a woman used the identity from a lost wallet to obtain two mortgages and was able to purchase a house in her own name. The extra accounts the victim faced caused a high debt-to-income ratio on his credit record which caused him to sell his business at a loss. Click here to read more.
11/14/2007 1:35:41 PM
Identity Theft Through File SharingThe U.S. Department of Justice reports a Seattle man used Limewire, a P2P file sharing platform, to illegal search and obtain personal information from unsuspecting users. The thief searched for credit reports, tax returns and financial aid applications and used that stolen information to open fraudulent credit lines and make over $80,000 in online purchases. Click here to read more.
11/14/2007 10:54:33 AM
California Wildfire Victims Identity Theft ScamThe IRS warns of a new scam that has emerged using a bogus email with a fake link to what appears to be a legitimate IRS Web site. The fake site urges donations, requests personal information and installs malware on the victim's computer set to steal passwords and other account information. Click here to learn more.
11/12/2007 10:07:37 AM
17 Member Identity Theft Ring Gets ExposedKPTV reports the Western Express Cybercrime Group out of Manhattan, New York has one less member. Eduard Kholstinin, booked by the Clackamus County Jail in Oregon, was part of the 17 person group and stole over 95,000 credit card numbers and made over $4 million in fraudulent charges. 6 members are still at large. Click here to read more.
11/12/2007 9:58:47 AM
Botnet Hacker Pleads GuiltyThe Xinhua News Agency reports a Los Angeles hacker used "botnets", infecting thousands of computers with spyware, to steal identities. The spyware sent back personal information including passwords and bank account numbers to the hacker which he distributed to others. This is the first time the federal wiretap statute for conduct related to botnets in the United States. Click here to read more.
11/7/2007 9:01:17 AM
ID Theft: Seniors BewareNJ.com reports on police efforts in Salem County, NJ to educate Seniors on their particular risks to identity theft and how to best protect themselves. Read full story.
11/7/2007 8:56:15 AM
Synthetic Identity TheftWNYT in Albany reports on the new wave of identity theft - synthetic id theft - where crooks steal your social security number but tie it to a different name. This kind of crime can take years to uncover and can be even more difficult to clear. Read full story.
11/2/2007 10:46:09 AM
Bring Identifying Documents If Forced to EvacuateThe ITAC recommends any evacuees that may need to relocate due to a disaster should bring identifying documents. This precaution helps if the victim ever needs to reestablish their identity. Click here to read more.
11/1/2007 11:13:43 AM
ID Theft a Part of LifeThe Daily News Record reports that FBI agents are holding presentations warning people of the threats of identity theft. Click here to read more.
11/1/2007 10:15:09 AM
FTC Warns of Bogus FTC Email With VirusThe Federal Trade Commission warns of an email stating to be from the FTC that has a virus attached to it. The virus is a known "key-logger" that steals passwords and account information and sends it to criminals. Click here to learn more.
10/30/2007 12:15:50 PM
Halloween Spam Tricks More Than TreatsPortalit.com reports a spam campaign promising a $250 gift card but then dragging users through a seemingly endless barrage of questions. Some questions include very personal information. Click here for more.
10/29/2007 9:14:13 AM
Art.com Hacked - Possible ID TheftOn All Headline News, Art.com disclosed that despite multiple layers of security, hackers had accessed the accounts of customer transactions from July through September of 2007. Continue to full story.
10/25/2007 1:13:24 PM
TJX Breach Hits 94 MillionThe Washington Post reports that the extent to the TJX credit breach has doubled from over 45 million to at least 94 million customers with exposed personal information. This information will probably be sold off over a period of time so there is no telling when the breach will be contained. Click here to read more.
10/24/2007 3:34:39 PM
Identity Shoplifter Strikes 10 Years LaterNewsChannel5.com reports a woman was falsely summoned to court for shoplifting after the real shoplifter stole her identity. What's more shocking is that the thief stole it over 10 years ago. Click here to read more.
10/24/2007 2:40:05 PM
Public Transportation Worker Steals Credit Card InformationFOX reports a Chicago transit worker maybe the source to unauthorized activity on CTA customers' credit card accounts. The accused may have stolen 373 credit card numbers and is still under investigation by local police. Click here to read more.
10/22/2007 10:56:19 AM
Russian Identity Theft WorkforceIn a country where financial feats are far and few between, The New York Times reports any success story is seen as a great achievement. Even exploitation by identity theft. Russian "Whiz Kids" with a strong background in math and science are turning to a lucrative world of cyber-crime as other prospective means are slim. Click here to read more.
10/17/2007 10:29:16 AM
Mortgage Applicants at RiskThe New York Times reports a loan officer used the identities of at least six mortgage applicants to make over $30,000 in fraudulent charges. All applicants willingly provided their personal information in hopes of saving money or financing a new home. Click here to read more.
10/16/2007 11:41:37 AM
Security in Today's BusinessThe Concord Monitor reports identity theft breaches and prevention techniques have received more attention within companies. Trained protocols are implemented when data breaches are discovered, but the hardest part is finding them. Click here to read more.
10/15/2007 1:19:21 PM
Russian Crime Networks Run RampantThe Washington Post reports a Russian based Internet company known as the Russian Business Network specializes in hosting websites for criminals. An estimate of about half of last year's "phishing" scams were hosted through the company and officials can't seem to stop them. Click here to read more.
10/12/2007 10:07:21 AM
Owning Someone Else's BusinessMost people would be happy to own their own business. One man in Southwestern Florida is not happy to learn however, that the bills he's been receiving for Azul Marketing are linked to him! NBC2 Online reports an identity thief had opened a line of credit in his name and stuck him with the bills! Click here to read more.
10/11/2007 2:40:46 PM
Protecting Your HealthScienceDaily.com reports on the importance of maintaining personal health records and the growing treats of health insurance fraud now that more medical facilities move to electronic record keeping. Click here to read more.
10/10/2007 4:30:13 PM
Grand Jury May Deliberate on Identity Theft CaseThe Connection Newspapers reports that a case beginning in November of 2006 will be making its way to the Grand Jury. The accused is a Chantilly, VA woman who stole personal information from the doctors' office where she worked and attempted to open accounts in their names. Click here to read more on the possible indictment.
10/4/2007 10:09:46 AM
Identity Theft a Mouseclick AwayThe daily money tip on Marketwatch uncovers some of the latest threats to your identity - online. Cyberthieves setup fake storefronts and hack into your computer via WiFi networks to steal your identity and commit financial fraud in your name. Click here for full story.
9/27/2007 9:58:42 AM
Meet an ID ThiefComputer World blogs a story about a convicted ID thief and the creative mindset of people, like him, that are involved in identity theft rings. Click here to read more.
9/27/2007 9:41:33 AM
Two Year Old Buys CarA New York resident used his two-year-old son's social security number to finance a car he purchased reports Newsday.com. Police were investigating the man prior to the incident for possible fraud. Click here to read more.
9/26/2007 1:27:55 PM
ITAC Helps 22,000 CustomersBusiness Wire reports Identity Theft Assistance Center has helped over 22,000 customers get back on track after being victimized by identity theft. This is quite a feat considering they have only been in operation for 3 years. Click here to read more.
9/24/2007 4:46:05 PM
THR Warns Dishonest Employee Had Access to 8,000 Credit CardsThe Dallas Business Journal reports a temporary employee at Texas Health Resources was had used a patient's credit information to make fraudulent purchases. 8,000 other patients have been notified because the employee had access to their credit information as well. Click here to read more.
9/19/2007 5:18:01 PM
Hackers Are Big BusinessCNN.com reports hackers have adopted business-like strategies. First reported by Symantec Corp, the study shows behavior such as coordinated computer attacks that can activate malicious code to swarms of computers at the same time and feedback consoles designed to report the success of the viruses. These attcks are time consuming to coordinate, so some believe these hackers are making cyber crimes a profession. Click here to read more.
9/17/2007 4:39:54 PM
Hackers Access Personal Data of 6.3 Million Ameritrade CustomersThe Boston Globe recently reported that hackers had accessed the personal information of more than 6.3 million Ameritrade account holders. Reportedly, Ameritrade has known about the problem since late May, when customers first complained of receiving unwanted emails on accounts only used for Ameritrade. Click here for full story.
9/14/2007 10:28:18 AM
Medical Identity Theft Can Be a NightmarePhillyburbs.com reports the horrors and painful hurdles of repairing the name and records of a victim of medical identity theft. Part of the problem, is that there is no central agency to inform of medical breaches or allow victims to dispute incorrect items. Not only can erroneous information be financially painful, but also deadly. Click here to read more.
9/11/2007 8:32:54 PM
Father Targets Own Daughter in Identity TheftThe ABC affiliate in Wilmington Delaware reports that a 19 year-old woman was made an identity theft victim by her own father who took out a $950 loan using her Social Security Number. Click here for full story.
9/7/2007 10:18:02 AM
P-to-P ID Thief Faces 29 YearsPC World reports a Seattle man used Peer-to-Peer networks to steal sensitive information from unsuspecting users of the information sharing network. The man used the stolen information to fill out online credit card applications and purchased more than $73,000 worth of merchandise, which he would then sell for near half-price on the black market. Click here for more on this story.
9/5/2007 2:09:32 PM
Pfizer Reports Data Breach of EmployeesDarkreading.com reports Pfizer Pharmaceutical company has reported their third breach of personal information in three months. This latest breach potentially victimizes 34,000 employees of the company and many of them are angry that it took eight months to discover it. Click here to read more.
9/4/2007 10:47:50 AM
Meth Use behind Identity Theft RingThe East Valley Tribune of Phoenix reports 8 people arrested in an identity theft ring. According to police, they stole mail to obtain private information so they could write phony checks for quick cash, subsidizing their habits. Click here to read more.
9/1/2007 12:52:15 PM
Identity Theft and Tax Fraud a Big Problem for the GovernmentWebCPA reports that two senators are calling for an investigation into the impact of tax fraud due to identity theft. The IRS has sent fraudulent refunds to identity thieves, burdening victims of identity theft with delayed refunds and red tape. Click here to read more. |