by Brian Thompson | Jun 15, 2022 | Uncategorized
All identity theft is illegal, YES, but what do they mean when they say Employee Criminal identity theft? Unfortunately, it is not just some fictional story played out in the movie “Identity Thief”. If you have not seen this movie, I highly recommend it. Jason Bateman has his identity stolen by Melissa McCarthy and as you can imagine the comedic duo battle throughout the movie…very funny!
What is employee criminal identity theft?
Employee Criminal identity Theft typically occurs when an identity thief gives an employee’s name or personal information during an arrest or investigation. They may use a stolen driver’s license or other identification in the employee’s name or simply use the name and information of a friend or relative without showing any identification. The employee’s data is then added to the state’s criminal database and potentially the national database.
Most victims don’t even know about it until much later until something else happens. Most will find out when a job or loan applications involves a background check, or they get pulled over and find out they have a bench warrant.
Unfortunately it is difficult to prevent and difficult to fix. As an employee, it is their responsibility to clear their name. Employees will need to with law enforcement and court personnel to correct the false reporting on the local, state, and federal level.
Warning signs
An employee may be a victim of criminal identity theft if:
- They get arrested and don’t know why
- Are denied for promotion after background check
- Get fired after background check
- They don’t get hired after background check
- Receive a ticket for a car or property they don’t own or in unfamiliar places
What if it happens to you as an employee?
Here are three tips to follow if it happens to you:
- Talk to law enforcement. If any of the above warning signs apply to you it is time to contact the authorities. You should ask your employer or loan officer about the areas of concern and where they occurred. You can file a report about the incident and offer any personal information that would help clear your name/identity in comparison to the criminal.
- Keep Documentation. Once you have proven your innocence, ask law enforcement to provide you with a “certificate of release”. Keep this letter with you in the event you need it in the future. Not all databases are updated immediately and this will help to clear you in any unfortunate future situations.
- States Attorney General. Contact your state and determine if they offer special help for identity theft. This can be useful if your state has addressed identity theft in the court system.
Although criminal identity theft is less prevalent than other types of fraud it is certainly something we all need to be aware of. So next time someone asks, What is Criminal Identity Theft, we can help explain.
Lower employee risk of Criminal Identity Theft with our defend-id services – and get a dedicated recovery expert if your identity ever becomes compromised. defend-id monitors criminal data records for employee reporting and will alert your employee as soon as it is detected.
Stay safe, click carefully and protect your data!
by Brian Thompson | Jun 1, 2022 | Uncategorized
Do not let your guard down. Always be cautious in revealing information about yourself or your employer. “Stop, look and think” about emails, texts, and phone calls. Slow down, be aware, be safe, and don’t be the weak link to identity theft.
Nearly eight years ago I wrote a December 2014 article for the Arizona Republic titled Read the fine print when buying ID-theft protection services.
The premise of my article was that the core product offered to most identity theft protection service providers is credit bureau monitoring and that credit bureau monitoring offers a false sense of security.
Credit bureau monitoring cannot monitor non-financial identity theft events. Events like:
- taxpayer ID theft and refund fraud,
- unemployment ID theft, benefits fraud,
- medical ID theft and fraud,
- or credential (e.g. driver’s license and passport) ID theft and fraud.
The identity theft protection community is largely reputable and trustworthy. It is not uncommon, however, for identity theft marketing campaigns to include deception, exaggerated threats, and flawed offers.
In addition, I encourage consumers to read the fine print for hidden “exclusions” when selecting an identity theft service provider. Hidden exclusions are commonly found in the “terms and conditions,” where marketing meets reality.
Marketing versus reality.
I find it interesting how more consumers are paying for ID theft protection services than ever before and yet there are more victims of ID theft than ever before. (The bad guys getting better? Are there more PII records our there? The ID Theft Protection Providers Failing or are they just marketing beyond their ability?)
For example and according to the March 2022 Javelin Strategy Annual Identity Fraud Study, identity theft and fraud losses totaled $52 billion affecting 42 million U.S. adults in 2021.
Here are a few ways consumers lower their risk of being a weak link to identity theft.
- First, consumers need to stay up to date on the most recent data breach and identity theft trends such as Phishing (fraudulent emails), Vishing (fraudulent phone calls and voice mail messages) and Smishing (fraudulent text messages) tactics.
- Second, consumers should be taking advantage of risk mitigation tools such as fraud alerts, credit freezes, credit/debit card alerts, and yes – even credit bureau monitoring – as long as you understand the limitations of credit bureau monitoring.
- Third, consumers should consider using new and strong passwords every 90 days or use a password manager that can help create new and strong passwords along with scanning existing passwords to flag reused and weak passwords.
- Lastly, consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) as VPN software scrambles your IP address, encrypts data sent between your computer and the websites you visit, and masks your true location and service provider. Masking your data is very important while using public WIFI
To conclude, I would like to reference Kevin Mitnick, the Chief Hacking Officer and part owner of security awareness training company KnowBe4 and convicted hacker turned paid security consultant, public speaker, and author.
Mr. Mitnick is best known for his high-profile 1995 arrest and five years in prison for various computer and communications-related crimes. He has said many times that “the weakest link in the security chain is the human element.”
To add to Mr. Mitnick’s comments about the human element, I always say that hackers, social engineers and ID theft criminals depend on human nature, psychology and “trusting” consumers to let their guards down.
Do not let your guard down. Always be cautious in revealing information about yourself or your employer. “Stop, look and think” about emails, texts, and phone calls. Slow down, be aware, be safe, and don’t be the weak link to identity theft.
Sincerely,
Mark
by Brian Thompson | Mar 17, 2022 | Uncategorized
Whether working at our local coffee shop or checking sports scores on a plane, most of us use public WiFi all the time. Indeed, because public WiFi networks have become so ubiquitous, we no longer associate them with risky behavior. They’re a normal part of our daily lives. BUT is public wifi safe in 2022?
But failing to understand the risks that are inherent to public WiFi networks, and not taking steps to protect ourselves when we use it is like leaving our front door unlocked when we go to sleep. Sure, if we do it once or twice, we probably won’t get robbed, but why would we take that risk?
The simple truth is that most of us use public WiFi networks all the time. Only a few of us understand the risks, and even fewer are taking steps to adequately protect ourselves.
The Risks of Public WiFi Networks
We’ve said this for years, but it bears repeating: all public WiFi networks are inherently insecure. If a WiFi network is public, that means anything you do online can be tracked and captured. We should never assume that any network is safe, especially it’s safe just because you paid for access to it.
Not everyone understands the difference in risk between secured networks (like you probably have in your home and workplace), and insecure networks like you get at the local Starbucks or at the airport.
Many of us assume that if we have nothing to hide, or are just checking stock prices, we don’t have to be careful.
And wouldn’t the providers of the WiFi network let us know if there were security issues?
People Love to Use Public WiFi
One thing that is very apparent is that we love to connect to public WiFi networks. According to a recent survey by DecisionData.org, nearly 82% of us will connect to any freely available WiFi network when out in public.
But the bigger problem is that most of us who connect to public WiFi networks don’t understand the danger. 71% of those who connect to these networks are not concerned at all, while 16% are a little concerned. Less than 1 in 10 people are very concerned.
Said one respondent: “I had no idea that public WiFi could even be dangerous.” Said another “Who cares. All our data is out there floating around anyways.
How WiFi Hacks Occur
by Brian Thompson | Feb 9, 2022 | Breach, Identity Theft, Uncategorized
Two years ago I wrote an article asking the question Is Your Digital Identity Safe? Two days ago I read an Infosecurity Magazine article stating Identity Theft Will Get Worse. It appears that Hackers are coming after you in 2022!
Specific to your digital identity and today’s threat landscape for consumers and small businesses, cyber thieves and ID theft criminals have evolved to the point where hacking and data breaches will happen at any time and can affect anyone.
As for the statement “identity theft will get worse,” the fact is that 2021 surpassed the all-time record for data breaches exposing the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of millions of Americans.
As a reminder, examples of PII include:
- Name: full name, maiden name, mother’s maiden name, or alias
- Personal identification numbers: social security number (SSN), passport number, driver’s license number, taxpayer identification number, patient identification number, employee or student identification number, financial account, or credit card number
- Address information: street address, or email address
- Telephone numbers
- Personal characteristics: photographic images (particularly of face or other identifying characteristics), fingerprints, or handwriting
- Biometric data: retina scans, voice signatures, or facial geometry
- Information identifying personally owned property: VIN number or title number
- Asset information: Internet Protocol (IP) or Media Access Control (MAC) addresses that consistently link to a particular person
And now our digital world, combined with a two-year pandemic, has consumers and small businesses worried. There is so much uncertainty in our world and cybercriminals, and their new scams are adding to the challenge.
Consumer?
If you are a consumer, recent digital risk examples making today’s headline news include How to avoid buying fake Covid tests online and BBB warns consumers of hackers posing as apps like Paypal and Venmo to steal your money.
Cyber thieves and ID theft criminals depend on human nature and emotion such as an individual’s tendency to trust others (e.g. phishing and vishing) and desperation (e.g. the chaos of supply chain shortages such as Covid-19 tests). These phishing and vishing tactics and fake websites have gained attention in recent weeks over the increasing number of identity theft victims.
Small Business Owner?
If you are a small business owner – trusting others and desperation are common risk factors just like a consumer – but it gets worse as Cyber risks top worldwide business concerns in 2022.
According to the just-released 12th Annual Allianz Risk Barometer Survey, cyber incidents at the top of the list. This is only the second time cyber has been at the top of the list in the survey’s history.
Cyber incidents, ransomware attacks, data breaches, or major IT outages worry businesses more than anything else. They worry businesses even more than a business interruption, supply chain disruption, or the COVID-19 pandemic.
To conclude, cyber thieves and ID theft criminals continue to find new and innovative ways to steal your personal information.
Both consumers and small business owners need to keep security education and awareness top of mind. Protecting our digital identities is crucial because hackers are coming for you in 2022.
Mark Pribish
by Brian Thompson | May 17, 2021 | General, Identity Theft, Uncategorized
Most of you have heard of it, but what is a credit score?
The most widely used scoring model in the United States and Canada is the FICO credit score. Developed in 1956 by a company called Fair, Isaac & Company (FICO), this model is designed to determine how likely you are to become 90 days late on any payment within the next twenty-four months. The model calculates the probability of loan delinquency. It does so by comparing patterns in your credit history against the patterns of millions of other consumers.
FICO makes all these comparisons with software that uses complex equations and advanced analytics. The comparison evaluates all the data in your credit report and distills it into a standardized, three-digit score.
But, let’s back up a minute. Where does all the credit report data come from?
Each financial choice you make – how much you spend on credit, how responsibly you pay down your debts, how many credit-related accounts you have, etc. – gets reported to three credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. When a lender orders a copy of your credit report, they also usually request the accompanying FICO credit score. The report boils everything down into a single score based on that agency’s proprietary version of the FICO scoring model.
It’s important to note that while FICO works with the credit agencies, they do not control the information in your credit reports. Fico translates the data provided and returns a standardized score. So, to summarize:
- You make financial choices.
- The lending entities you interact with (banks, retailers, etc.) report your choices to the three credit reporting agencies.
- The agencies use the FICO software to turn your data into a single credit score, which is then delivered to the lender reviewing your application for credit.
It may seem like there are a lot of moving parts, but because the choices you make drive the entire process, ultimately you’re the one in control. In fact, statistics show that, given thirty days, over 80% of loan applicants have the potential to improve credit scores.
by Brian Thompson | Apr 29, 2021 | Identity Theft, Uncategorized
In August 2014, I wrote an article for the Arizona Republic titled Synthetic Identity Fraud Emerges As Growing Threat. In the article, I pointed to the fact that synthetic ID Theft & Fraud is getting worse. Stating that “synthetic identity theft and fraud often include a combination of fake and real credentials using names, Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, and employee identification numbers to create new ‘synthetic’ or fake identities.”
This Forbes article includes a brief summary of synthetic identity theft and fraud and made me think of how both small businesses and consumers need to increase their knowledge and awareness of their digital risk.
Think about it, both consumers and small businesses have entered the digital world where we are all at risk. Examples of digital risk include a phishing attack; a hacking attack; or when your personal privacy or data privacy is exposed; or when your cloud computing or cloud storage vendor is hacked.
And to be clear – digital services such as the internet, website marketing, Apple and Google apps, and more, make it possible for small businesses to deliver more new products and services. These same digital services also create more satisfying customer experiences.
However, with these great new digital services comes risk – or should I say “digital risk”. As I mentioned above, digital risk means unwanted and often unexpected outcomes. Outcomes that stem from digital business processes and digital consumer services.
So what does all this mean?
First, there was a significant increase in the number of identity theft cases in 2020. These cases are mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic with employees working from home and students studying remotely.
Second, as businesses and consumers try to mitigate their exposure to data breaches and identity theft, cybersecurity experts anticipate another significant increase in identity theft and fraud in 2021.
One of those expected trends and contributing factors in cybercrime in 2021 will be the use of synthetic identity theft and fraud.
With synthetic identity theft and fraud helping in the authentication of an unauthorized individual by combining real and fake information, ID theft criminals are creating a completely new identity that looks so real – both businesses and consumers cannot tell the difference.
So what can be done? Cybersecurity experts are working on new technologies where financial companies can know verify consumers’ identity securely.
In addition, small businesses and consumers can help manage their digital risk by:
- Using stronger passwords and passphrases
- Implementing two-factor authentication to minimize the risk of identity theft and unauthorized login.
By Mark Pribish
Vice President and ID Theft Practice Leader
April 2021
