8 Tips to Credit Card Security

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Despite the fact that tens of millions of consumers were hit by the numerous big breaches, and tens of millions more by less sensationalized breaches, you can still take the reins and yield some protection for your credit cards.2C

  1. Make online payments with single-use or prepaid cards. What a great idea!
  2. If you have multiple recurring payments for ongoing services, use only one credit card for those.
  3. For shopping, use a one-time or prepaid card. Though the single-use credit card number is linked to your real card number, it will prevent the real number from becoming exposed should the site get hacked. Discover, Citibank and Bank of America offer single-use (disposable) card numbers.
  4. A prepaid card is different, in that it’s independent of your real card number. If the prepaid card gets stolen, you can replace it without this affecting your primary credit card account.
  5. If you have a debit card…don’t shop with it. Use it only to take funds out of a bank ATM. If a crook gets ahold of your debit card…the money will instantly be stolen from your bank account. If a thief gets your credit card, however, and makes unauthorized purchases, there’s a time lapse between when the purchases are made and when the money is actually withdrawn—enough time for you to file a dispute (if you regularly monitor your statements).
  6. Though you’ll get reimbursed for fraud that occurs with a debit card, this will happen after your bank account has been sucked dry. So avoid using a debit card at gas stations, casino machines and other such places where it’s easy for a crook to tamper with the card reader.
  7. Better yet, just limit its use to the bank ATM. Think of your debit card as an ATM card. This doesn’t mean that an ATM can’t be tampered with; be on the lookout for signs of tampering such as tiny cameras to capture PINs, or something odd about the card reader.
  8. Set up email or text notifications via your bank or credit card companies website to alert you to all charges. This way, whenever a charge comes in, you’ll know about it.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com discussing  identity theft prevention. For Roberts FREE ebook text- SECURE Your@emailaddress -to 411247. Disclosures.

Tonight’s Special Guest: McAfee’s Most Dangerous Celebrity of 2014

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After a long day of hard work, there’s nothing like coming home, throwing on some PJs, and watching some good old late night television. I love catching up on all the latest news and watching celebrities like Kaley Cuoco-Sweetin discuss the celebrity photo hack (what can I say? I’m a security junkie).

Dangerous Celebrity of 2014It seems like we’ve always had a fascination with the lives of the rich and famous. In the 1700s, people gathered to watch the every move of the King of France, from getting out of bed to changing his underwear. Page Six, the gossip column, used to be the must-read page in the New York Post. Now, in the age of social media, following our favorite celebrities’ comings and goings is even easier. All we have to do is go on Twitter to get the latest about Jayoncé.

Unfortunately, our obsession with celebrities can get us into trouble on the Web. Cybercriminals love to take advantage of our interest in celebrities for malicious means. They use hot celebrity news, like updates on Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes’ baby, along with the offer of free content to lure you to malicious sites that could steal your money or personal information or install malware.

There are some celebrities who are more likely to lead you to bad stuff than others. Today McAfee announced that Jimmy Kimmel, the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, is the 2014 Most Dangerous Celebrity™. McAfee found that searching for the latest Jimmy Kimmel videos and downloads yields more than a 19.4% chance of landing on a website that tested positive for online threats.

Here are the rest of the celebrities that round out this year’s Top 10 Most Dangerous Celebrities list.

 

History tells us we probably aren’t going to get over our fascination with celebrities anytime soon. But there are some things you can do now to stay safe online while you’re reading about your favorite personalities.

  • Be suspicious. If a search turns up a link to free content or too-good-to-be-true offers, be wary
  • Check the web address. Look for misspellings or other clues that the site you are going to may not be safe (for more on this, read my blog on typosquatting)
  • Search safely.Use a Web safety advisor, such as McAfee® SiteAdvisor® that displays a red, yellow, or green ratings in search results, alerting you to potential risky sites before you click on them
  • Protect yourself. Use comprehensive security software on all your devices, like McAfee LiveSafe™ service, to protect yourself against the latest threats

Help Spread the Word!
In order to continue to promote safe celebrity searching, McAfee will be running a sharing sweepstakes. Help others stay educated about staying safe online by sharing Most Dangerous Celebrities content and you could  win a Red Carpet Swag Bag that includes a Dell Venue™ 7 tablet, Beats Solo 2.0 HD headphones, a subscription to McAfee LiveSafe service along with other goodies. You must be 18 or older and reside in the United States in order to participate. Learn more here.

While it’s fine to get your fix of celebrity gossip , remember to be safe when doing so.

To learn more about Most Dangerous Celebrities, click here or read the press release, use the hashtag #RiskyCeleb on Twitter, follow @McAfeeConsumer or like McAfee on Facebook.

Robert Siciliano is an Online Security Expert to McAfee. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked!  Disclosures.

Burglar Leaves Porn in Kid’s Bedroom

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Maybe you’ve heard of burglars stealing porn…but leaving it at the victim’s house? A man in Salem, Oregon, broke into a woman’s apartment, leaving behind a porn video in a seven-year-old girl’s bedroom. Police think the man broke in earlier and hid in the girl’s closet, then made his move soon after midnight, replacing the cartoon film in the DVD with a porn film. Three miles away another break-in occurred, but the man fled after the female resident screamed. Sounds like this could have been the same perpetrator.

2BIf you think putting porn in a little girl’s DVD player is low, you can’t sink lower than the roach who stole Pepper, a little poodle mix, during a robbery in New Jersey. Why didn’t this low life (or two?) leave the dog be and just steal the typical things? The thief got in, apparently, through an unlocked back door. Nevertheless, Pepper was soon after returned to the homeowner, Barbara August, and her husband.

Prevent Home Burglaries

  • Have an alarm system, and one that sounds an alert when doors and windows are opened, including when you’re home.
  • To avoid an empty look about your house, keep its exterior well-lit. When you’re gone, have indoor lights come on and off with timers.
  • Your security system should include surveillance cameras. The price has come down on them, and today’s cameras are easier than ever to install.
  • No matter how solid your security system, always keep your doors and windows locked, even if your family is always going out and in. Inspect all the windows and doors to make sure nothing is broken. Most burglars simply come into a house via unlocked entries.
  • Consider having wooden dowels installed on top of windows for extra protection. Special films can be put over the glass to prevent penetration. Install glass-break sensors.
  • Install heavy deadbolts on your doors, ones with 3-4 inch screws.
  • Waste no time putting in your security system or checking to make sure all the locks work, etc. Don’t delay!

Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

Robert Siciliano Joins Identity Theft Resource Center Board of Directors

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(San Diego, CA:  October 1, 2014) The Identity Theft Resource Center, a nationally recognized organization dedicated to the understanding of identity theft and related issues, announced today that Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, will serve on its Board of Directors.  Siciliano, with more than 30 years of experience in this field, will bring his vast knowledge to the ITRC Board and will help to heighten awareness on current trends and pro-active measures consumers and victims can take to protect themselves.

ITRCThe ITRC, founded in 1999, is a non-profit organization established to support victims of identity theft in resolving their cases, and to broaden public education and awareness in the understanding of identity theft.  It is the on-going mission of the ITRC to assist victims, educate consumers, research identity theft and increase public and corporate awareness about this problem and related issues.

“The ITRC is the single most comprehensive resource for victims dealing with identity theft,” said Siciliano. “For the past 15 years victims have been coming to me for help and my immediate response is to point them right to ITRC. There isn’t another non-profit on the planet that has as much experience in dealing with this horrible crime,” Siciliano added.

As an identity theft expert and frequent speaker, Siciliano is fiercely committed to informing, educating, and empowering Americans so they can be protected from violence and crime in the physical and virtual worlds. His “tell it like it is” style is sought after by major media outlets, executives in the C-Suite of leading corporations, meeting planners, and community leaders to get the straight talk they need to stay safe in a world in which physical and virtual crime is commonplace.

“Robert’s expansive expertise in the areas of data security and online safety will help the ITRC in serving the thousands of consumers who reach out to the ITRC call center year after year,” said Julie Fergerson, ITRC Board Chair.  “His research efforts in these areas have allowed him to forge ahead as a nationally renowned industry leader in identity theft, internet best practices and technological advances being made in this space every day,” Fergerson added.

About the ITRC

Founded in 1999, the Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC) is a nationally recognized non-profit organization which provides victim assistance and consumer education through its toll-free call center, website and highly visible social media efforts. It is the mission of the ITRC to: provide best-in-class victim assistance at no charge to consumers throughout the United States; educate consumers, corporations, government agencies, and other organizations on best practices for fraud and identity theft detection, reduction and mitigation; and, serve as a relevant national resource on consumer issues related to cybersecurity, data breaches, social media, fraud, scams, and other issues.

Contact:  Cristy Koebler
Communications & Media Manager 
Identity Theft Resource Center
Cristy@idtheftcenter.org|858-444-3287 (D)

How to see and boot off Someone using your WiFi

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You were taught to share your toys as a young child, but this doesn’t apply to letting others use your Wi-Fi. The difference between sharing the plastic shovel and sharing the wireless connection is that with the latter, who’s to say that the “thief” won’t eventually crash in on your private information? And don’t forget that not only will this sharing possibly slow down your connection, but there could be legal repercussions if this moocher uses your connection for bad deeds.

2WHow can you spot a moocher?

  • Log into your computer’s router’s administrative console: Type its IP address straight into the browser address bar. Don’t know the router’s default address? Go to (Start > Run/Search for cmd) and then enter ipconfig.
  • The address you want will be next to Default Gateway, under Local Area Connection.
  • Mac users can locate the address by going to System Preferences, then beneath that, Network. If you’re using Ethernet it’ll be next to “Router:” and if you’re using Wi-Fi, click on “Advanced…” and go to “TCP/IP.”
  • Point browser to the address; enter your login details. If you’ve never changed the default settings, the login should be a combination of “password” and “admin” or blank fields.
  • Locate a section for wireless status or connected devices. Here you’ll find a table with details including the IP and MAC address of all devices currently connected to the router.
  • To find moochers, check that list against your gear.
  • To find the MAC/IP address of your computer, go to the Command Prompt and enter ipconfig /all. The MAC address will show as the physical address.

How to Help Prevent Mooching

  • Implement a strong password; use WPA2 or WPA, not WEP.
  • Turn off the SSID broadcast.
  • An alternative to the prior point is to set a filter up for blocked or allowed devices by MAC address.
  • Whenever on free public WiFi use Hotspot Shield to mask and encrypt all your data as it fly’s through the air.

If you want to find out just who is getting a free ride on your wireless, use MoocherHunter. This tool will locate the source within two meters of accuracy. Tracking down the culprit will prove handy if the moocher has been getting you in trouble by using your network for illegal activities.

On the other hand, if the lectures about sharing your toys still ring loud in your head, why not make lemonade out of this lemon by using a third-party firmware alternative to run a public hotspot? You can then offer for-pay Internet access points that come from your consumer router. Another option is to get a Fonera router. If you share some of your home WiFi, the Fonera router will grant you free roaming at Fon Spots all over the world.

Robert Siciliano is an Identity Theft Expert to Hotspot Shield. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen See him discussing internet and wireless security on Good Morning America. Disclosures.