The Federal Trade Commission released a report this week that says ID Theft is on the rise. The report, “Consumer Sentinel Network (CSN) Data Book for January-December 2008,” looks at all of the complaints registered with the FTC for the year and breaks down the numbers. What this report cannot account for is the number [...]
Posts from ‘February, 2009’
Small Business Owners Beware Of Stimulus Scam
Officials recently warned small businesses owners not to respond to letters appearing to have been sent by the Small Business Administration, asking for banking information in order to qualify for tax rebates.
The warning, issued on Feb 18, cites that the fraudulent letters were sent out with what appears to be an SBA letterhead to small [...]
Identity Theft Protection Is Important To Have These Days
Most victims are overwhelmed by the complexity of procedures necessary to undo the damage of identity theft. The average person who does not have identity theft protection can spend weeks, months, even years of their own personal time recovering from identity theft. Not to mention the out of pocket expenses and lost wages for time [...]
Beware of Loan Scams
The number of fraudulent loan scams targeting small business owners is increasing as more people are seeking alternative financing sources. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and Better Business Bureau (BBB) have issued warnings about advance-fee loan scams. “Business owners receive unsolicited emails or phone calls from individuals promising to help secure financing in exchange [...]
Some “Work at Home” Jobs May Be a Scam
The FBI and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) continue to receive numerous complaints from individuals who have fallen victim to work-at-home scams and remind consumers to be vigilant when seeking employment online.
These work-at-home schemes are designed by criminals to gain the trust of job seekers in order to take advantage of working relationships to [...]
Identity Theft Increased By 22 Percent In 2008
The number of identity theft victims rose 22% to a record 9.9 million in 2008 from 8.1 million a year earlier, with about one in 23 U.S. adults becoming victims, according to the fifth annual study by Javelin Strategy & Research, released Monday.
One reason for the spike in cases is likely the worsening economy. A [...]
Tips to Follow This Tax Season
Identity thieves will be looking to take full advantage during the tax season. Regardless on how you prepare and file your taxes, you should be very cautious when dealing with your most personal information. By following some simple tips you can prevent yourself from becoming another victim of identity theft.
Regularly check the mailbox for W-2 forms and [...]
Cybercrime Getting Worse
The number of malicious programs circulating on the Internet tripled to more than 31,000 a day in mid-September, coinciding with the sudden collapse of the U.S. financial sector, according to Panda Security, an Internet security firm.
Organized cybercrime groups have become increasingly efficient at assembling massive networks of infected computers and deploying them to amass large [...]
