LifeLock Blog

With so many smartphones on the market today there is no wonder they are a portable security threat. Smartphones can do just about anything now-a-days which make them blessing and well as a threat.  People are saying that they are going to replace computers for a lot of things which they have in a lot of ways. So why aren’t people just as security conscious when dealing with their smartphone as they are with their computer? You wouldn’t leave your computer without a password on your account so why do you leave your smartphone unlocked for all to see.

Because smartphones are getting more and more useful and feature applications from businesses like Bank of America and Paypal, the security of the device becomes even more necessary. Many smartphones have locking features that will prevent people from getting into your phone without the password. You would be surprised however how many people don’t use this feature or make their password easy to guess.

If you have an iPhone and MobileMe you can remotely lock, track on a map, and even wipe the phone remotely. This is the kind of security that you need for a smartphone to prevent a thief from using your phone to steal money and information from you.

For other devices like the Android, Symbian, Windows Mobile, and Blackberry and eventually the iphone you might start to see InnoPath’s Activecare system being implemented by different companies to ensure the company data isn’t released or compromised by a loss or stolen phone.

The Activecare system is an “Over-the Air” customer care system that can remotely lock and wipe a phone to keep it’s information secure. This would be great for companies that need to keep their information safe but still want the freedom of mobility with their smartphones.

If you are a smartphone user try and keep a passcode lock on your phone at all times. Also keep an eye out for solutions like Activecare that can keep your phone and identity safe from theft.

Erika Morales, an ironic name considering she doesn’t seem to have any morals, was charged with 25 counts of identity theft on March 2. She stole the identities of customers of the Jupiter-based Diabetes Direct company.  She worked there part time for 6 months while she compiled a list of customers Social Security numbers and birth dates. Even more victims surfaced this past Thursday as 16 more charges were added.

Morales used the information to open bank accounts and with the help of her boyfriend they cash fraudulent checks. The identities were also used to defraud utility and credit card companies. Morales had accrued more than $10,000 in damages.

Morales even tried to steal the identity of the woman who ran the daycare where her daughter went. Morales tried to forge her signature in an attempt to collect a tax return checks. Morales also stole the identity of her child’s father and used it open a bank account.

The crazy part about this story is that she had 10 prier convictions on fraud-related charges. She had also been in jail on drug charges. Now why would a company that deals with people’s Social Security Numbers hire someone who has convictions for fraud? I assume the company didn’t run a background check or she stole someone’s identity and hide the convictions from them.

This is just another example of people doing anything and everything to steal someone’s identity and take advantage of them. You can’t trust anyone with your information so be aware of the threats and know what to look for. Monitor your credit and bank accounts for anything suspicious.

People who visit a gym regularly should be cautious about leaving their personal belongings in their gym locker. I know that is what they are there for, but I have read too many theft and identity theft stories that start with “the criminals stole belonging from gym lockers…” to believe it’s a good idea.

Think about it, what do you take into the gym? Only the essentials a change of clothes, towel, keys, and wallet. What does the thief want? Your wallet and maybe your keys. A gym locker is perfect, because  most of them only store wallets and keys and most people put a combination lock on them which can be picked in seconds with a simple shim.

From what I have read online about padlocks and combination locks there’s no such thing as a really secure lock. Most of them can be defeated with little to no problem. Some locks are stronger than others when it comes cutting them off with bolt cutters, breaking them, or shooting them off but I doubt a thief is going to bring big bolt cutter or a gun into the locker room.

So I guess I would just say be carful and only store what you really need in the locker. Perhaps just take your license and keys because you need those to get to the gym in the first place. Perhaps replace that old combination lock with something that leaves little room for a shim to be inserted. Don’t put your  Social Security Card in your wallet and most definitely don’t leave it in your gym locker.

LifeLock, the leader identity theft protection, has teamed up with the United States Census Bureau to educate the public about the Census and help protect people from identity theft. The Census is an important form consisting of 10 questions that helps give the government an accurate idea of the demographic and population of the US as a country.

Partners with the United States Census Bureau are government, non-profit, corporate or community organizations that have formally agreed to help share the message of the Census and will actively peruse the Census Bureau’s goal of achieving a complete count. In LifeLocks case they have agreed to inform people of the identity theft risks that could be related to the Census, because of fraud and scams that are sure to surface after the Census goes out.

As I was writing the other day there are a couple ways to spot a scam when it come to the Census. A real Census taker will have a badge and photo ID, which scammers could possible duplicate. A real Census taker will never ask for personal identifying information like a Social Security Number, or banking information. They will never ask for money or claim that you own them money. They will never harass you or try and intimidate you. They will never contact you by email, only by Phone, Mail, or in person. You can not fill out the Census online so don’t be fouled by fake Census websites.

Keep these things in mind as you deal with the Census in the next couple of months. Remember never give out sensitive information to a Census taker they don’t need it and should never ask for it. Keep your eye’s open for scams and know what to look for and how to spot a scam when you see one.

Albert Jose Gonzalez, 39, of Lancaster, Josue Gustavo Albizuras, 42, of Los Angeles, and Cesar Vasquez Echeverria, 28, of Santa Clarita were all arrested after a three year investigation by the L.A. County Sheriff’s and the FBI. They all face several counts of conspiracy, identity theft, grand theft and computer access fraud. If they are convicted on all counts they could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison each.

The three were caught in a very sophisticated scheme that involved placing card skimmers on gas station pumps. The card skimming device is usually place over the existing card reader built into the pump and will record your cards information into its internal memory. The criminals would them show back up to download the information from the skimmers. The people using the pumps would be none the wiser and the criminals would be free to place charges on their credit and debit cards.

At the time of the arrest the police recovered 10,000 credit and debit card numbers from the accused. They also confiscated computers, cellphones, digital storage devices, and equipment they used to make fake credit and debit cards. $40,000 in cash and high end vehicles including a new Porsche and a Ferrari were also recovered. The criminals stole an estimated $2 million from their victims.

This is just another example on how careful you need to be when using your credit and debit cards. You should always inspect the card reader to make sure nothing is placed over it. Also make sure the card reader doesn’t wobble or move when you push on it. If it does you should just go to a different gas station just to be sure. Scams like this are happening all over the country and you don’t want to be a victim so be smart and know what to look for.

Every time there is some kind of major news or event happening in the US identity thieves and other criminals use it to their advantage to scam people, like the Obama video scam that had a virus in it. With the 2010 census just around the corner I thought it would be a good thing to discuss what to expect from the census and how not to get scammed.

The 2010 census in the US is going out in about two weeks and is set to be mailed on March 16th. They are due to be mailed back by April 15th. If you fill out the census and mail it by the due date there will be no reason for you to be visited by a census worker. If you are visited by a census worker after having filled out the form you should be suspicious.

Things to lookout for!

When the census takes place residences will receive a letter telling them they will receive a form in the mail, a phone call, or a visit from a Census Bureau representative. Most importantly the Census Bureau will not never ask for your social security number or any other sensitive financial information like bank account numbers. So if you are asked to provide such information don’t and contact the authorities.

You will not be able to complete the form online so don’t fall for a fake census website that are trying to steal your information. Census employees will carry a official badge that has on it an expiration date and the Department of Commerce watermark. The census workers also will conduct their business right at the door and will never ask to come inside. You should be suspicious if the census taker insists on coming inside.

So know what to look for and don’t give away any sensitive information like your Social Security Number or bank account information. If you filled out a form and mail it by the due date be cautious if visited by a census taker, or called on the phone. All and all the census is a good thing for your city and state, but don’t let it be a means of identity theft for you.

Florida is no stranger to identity theft. Florida is currently ranked number 6 in identity theft on a per-capita basis ranking up 16,062 victims of identity theft. So it’s no surprise that a lot of identity theft stories come out of Florida these days. Florida is close to my heart because I lived there for several years so these stories always grab my attention.

Erika Morales, 35, has been charged with 25 counts of identity theft and is currently being held at the Palm Beach County Jail.

According to the sheriff’s press release, detectives became aware of the identity theft when Florida Power and Light Co. managers figured out that she was using compromised or stolen identities to open accounts. She is being charged with intellectual properties, organized scheme to defraud, criminal use of personnel identification information and grand and petit theft. She is currently being held without bail.

I enjoy stories like these because it proves that some identity thieves aren’t that smart. If you are going to steal someone’s identity don’t allow the discovery of the theft to lead back to you. I mean come on, if someone discovered that you were not the person you said you were they know where you live because they are supplying your home with power, cable, or what have you.

I am not sure if utility or cable companies in Florida have a identity theft programs or not but if they don’t they should. I hear a lot stories about identity thieves defrauding the cable and utility companies and if they had a robust system for detecting this kind of fraud it could catch a lot of identity thieves in my opinion. They are taking big steps to prevent identity theft at the DMV so why not utilities and cable.