How to hide your Cash at Home

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It’s good to have a stash of cash for emergencies. If the grid goes down and the power goes out, an ATM or bank does you no good. But there are security issues too. Where do you put it? A safe is certainly a smart idea. You can get creative too.

1SWhat burglar would not think to look under a mattress for money? The mattress isn’t exactly a most ingenious place to stash money. However, if you have lots to stash, and put just a little under the mattress, this decoy could trick a burglar into thinking that there’s no other hidden money to search for.

At any rate, whether you want to go the decoy route or avoid the mattress altogether, here are some great locations for hiding cash in an envelope.

  • Inside an old sock (roll up the envelope)
  • Taped to the bottom of a low shelf or drawer (e.g., bottom of sock drawer)
  • Think of other places to tape the envelope: back of refrigerator, bottom of crib, bottom of sofa, top of sink cabinet, top of interior of the credenza, etc.
  • Inside a Tupperware container in the freezer
  • Beneath the passenger seat of your car
  • Inside a Band-Aid container or empty vitamin bottle (tightly roll up a wad of cash)
  • Inside a bible. There’s that saying, “A person who would steal would never open a bible, and a person who’d open a bible would never steal.”
  • Inside a picture frame between the support and the photo
  • In an empty cereal box, rice box or canister that once contained oatmeal flakes, protein powder, ground coffee or whatever
  • Inside a muddy pair of boots that you never wear
  • Underneath a heavy potted artificial plant (a real plant, since it gets watered, would require a saucer to separate the envelope from the bottom of the pot).
  • Between the stack of paper in your printer (but when you use the machine, remove that stack and insert a second stack for actual use, then when done, replace it with the stack that contains the envelope).
  • Taped to the inside of the door to the electrical cabinet
  • Inside a photo album
  • Inside a fake electric wall socket (these can be purchased)

Ask your kids to come up with additional ideas; you never know just what “crazy” but clever idea a child will come up with.

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

Cyberbullying: Its Uniqueness & Prevention

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Unfortunately, cyberbullying is prevalent, and a growing threat in today’s always-connected world. Cyberbullying refers to bullying done via computers, or similar technologies, such as cell phones. This kind of bullying usually includes mean or threatening comments, or public posts through texts, emails, voice mails, social media posts, all intended to embarrass the victim.

11DCyberbullying can happen to both adults and kids, but since it’s so common among youths, it’s good to know how to help your children deal with the problem.

One important idea to keep in mind is that unlike the kind of face-to-face bullying that many of us witnessed in school years ago, cyberbullying doesn’t end when the bully is out of sight.

These days, a bully can virtually follow his or her victim everywhere using technology. The bullying can take place without the victim’s immediate awareness, and because of the broad reach of social media, the audience is often much larger than at the school yard.

Since it can be difficult to get a cyberbully to stop their harassment, your best bet is to teach your kids safe online habits to try to prevent a bullying situation in the first place.

Cyberbullying Prevention Tips:

  • Let your kids know that you will be monitoring their online activities using parental control software. Explain how it works and how it can benefit everyone. This policy should be well-established long before your kids get their own cell phone and computer.
  • Make a point of discussing cyberbullying with your kids, and help them understand exactly what it is and how it happens. These discussions should take place before kids get their devices.
  • Set a condition before a child gets his or her very own smartphone and computer they must give their passwords to you. You can, of course, reassure them that you won’t use the passwords unless there’s a crisis.
  • Another condition for device ownership is that your kids will sit through instruction on smart online habits, and most importantly, they should understand that once you post something in cyberspace, it’s there forever.
  • Once your kids get their devices, role-play with them. This gives you a chance to play the part of a bully, and teach your kids appropriate responses.
  • Warn your kids not to freely give out their cell phone number and email address, and tell them that they should never reveal their passwords, even to close friends.
  • Stay aware of your children’s online activities and reassure them that they will never get in trouble if they report cyberbullying to you.

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

Tax Return Basics: What You must know!

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Tax ID Theft

1SThree things in life are guaranteed: death, taxes and tax-related identity theft. Michael Kasper would agree. Someone registered Kasper’s IRS.gov account, requested the document for his 2013 tax return, then filed a 2014 tax return.

The crook used a middleman—an innocent woman who answered his Craigslist ad for a moneymaking opportunity. He sent the money to her bank account, then she wired it to Nigeria, not knowing she was helping the crook.

Kasper’s account got busted into when the crook guessed some information about him, maybe stuff he got off of social media. Go to IRS.gov to secure your account to make it nearly unhackable.

Get Your Tax Transcripts

You can request information via online about your tax returns and transactions for a given year. If you’re not registered yet, you’ll need your Social Security number and instant access to your e-mail account. The step after that is to answer private questions to confirm your identity. Otherwise just log in with your password and user ID.

To receive the information by snail mail, you’ll need your SSN or individual tax ID number, address from your latest tax return, plus birthdate.

Suspiciously Filed Returns

The IRS has been contacting people who are associated with suspiciously filed returns, requesting that they confirm their identity. This is the result of criminals using TurboTax to process returns. The IRS will always make such a request with snail mail, never a phone call, text or e-mail.

If you get in the mail a Letter 5071C from the IRS, there’s only two ways to confirm you are you: 1) Visit idverifty.irs.gov and answer some questions, or call the 800 number on the letter itself.

For this verification process, you should have on hand your previous year tax return, the current one, and any supporting paperwork like Forms 1099 and W-2. You’ll then need to verify you filed the suspect return.

And remember, if you’re on this list and the IRS wants to contact you, it will be by snail mail. Anything else is a scam.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com discussing identity theft prevention.

What is Shoulder Surfing?

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The next time you’re in a public place and glued to your smartphone or tablet — whether it’s at the gym, a coffee house, the airport, or just a park bench— know that someone might be peering over your shoulder to see what you’re doing. The snooper could just be curious, or they could be trying to capture your login information so they can use it to access your accounts impersonating you later on.

4DThis behavior is called “shoulder surfing”, but it doesn’t always mean that someone is literally looking over your shoulder. It can also be done from far away, using binoculars or even a small telescope.

That’s why you should always work with your back tightly against a wall. If that’s not possible, be aware of who’s around you, or behind you, and try to shield your screen. Of course, shoulder surfing can also occur at the workplace where giant computer screens are facing outward for anyone walking by to see.

And it isn’t just the screen contents that the thief wants. A skilled thief can watch the user’s finger movements to pick up on passwords and login information.

Shoulder surfing can be completely concealed in settings where people are normally packed together, such as on public transportation, airplanes, concert halls, or even a busy emergency room.

Think of how easy it would be for you to watch what the person next to you is typing, especially if they’re wearing a headset and oblivious to their surroundings.

The fact that this is an easy way to steal information is what makes it so common. A study of commuters in the UK found that 72 percent shoulder surfed—mostly out of boredom rather than for fraudulent intent, but that just goes to show how easy it really is.

Here’s some simple ways to protect yourself from should surfing when entering or accessing personal data on your devices:

  • Look for an area where your back is against a wall.
  • Be aware of your surroundings at all times, not just people but also video cameras.
  • Consider using a screen protector to obscure the visibility of the display.
  • Save your personal, business and financial matters for when you are in the privacy of your own home.

So whether you’re just surfing social media sites at a coffeehouse, or an executive trying to catch up on work on a plane, make sure that you keep an eye out for anyone whose eyes are glued to your screen.

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

Time to check your Facebook Privacy settings

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Did you know that, once again, Facebook has changed its privacy policies? At the top of the FB page is a lock icon. Click it for more privacy settings.

14DWhat do visitors see? To view how visitors see your Facebook page, go to “Timeline and Tagging,” then hit “Review what other people see on your timeline/View As.”

Posts by friends. Click “Timeline and Tagging” to prevent a visitor’s unwanted post from showing. Then click “Enabled,” as this will allow you to “review posts friends tag you in before they appear.” Designate who can post on your timeline, ideally just “Only Me.”

Unauthorized logins. To prevent someone from logging onto your FB account, go to “Security” and click “Login Approvals,” and proceed from there. This way if someone tries to login from a computer other than your own, they’ll need to see the security code that FB sends to your mobile phone.

Search engine access. If you don’t want everyone finding your Facebook page by simply entering your name into a search engine, click “Privacy,” then “No” to “Do you want other search engines to link to your timeline?”

Old posts. In the “Privacy” setting is an option for limiting old images. You may not want everyone to see all of your timeline. You can also set up things so that you can review new posts by others as they come in.

Liked businesses. Where it says “Ads and Friends” click “Ads,” then “Edit.” Next click “No One” where it says “Pair my social actions with ads.” This will prevent you from becoming associated with a particular business.

Apps. Go to “Apps” if you don’t want everyone seeing what apps you use on Facebook. Change the “App Visibility” to “Only Me.” In “Apps Settings” are more options.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com discussing identity theft prevention.

How Hackers use LinkedIn to Scam

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Hackers love LinkedIn because it links them in—straight through the portal of the targeted company. Geez, how much easier could this be, what with all the publically-exposed e-mail addresses of key players (and also worker bees) in big companies that someone wants to hack.

4DAn article on blog.sungardas.com was written by a white-hatter (his job is to try to hack his clients’ systems so that they know how to make them more impenetrable to the bad guys). The author says he’d make a beeline to LinkedIn if he became a black-hatter.

In addition to all of those revealed e-mail addresses, the hacker could also learn (without hacking, of course) what a business’s e-mail structure is. He can then compile a list of employees for his social engineering attacks. (Can you just see him watering at the mouth over this—like putting a sizzling steak in front of a dog.)

A phishing campaign could trick the targets into giving up crucial information—essentially handing the company key to the hacker. The crook, however, knows better than to pull this stunt on IT employees. But fertile territory includes employees in the marketing, accounting and customer service departments.

Maybe you’ve read that every professional these days absolutely should have a LinkedIn account. You can bet that every hacker agrees!

Companies need to come up with a way to prevent hackers from sneaking into their network via that bastion of essentiality known as LinkedIn.

The penetration-tester, in his article recommends that businesses do the following:

Social engineering training. Workers must be aggressively trained in how to sniff out a phishy-smelling e-mail. No corners should be cut with this training program, which should include ongoing staged attacks.

A statement clarifying communication about security information. To help prevent employees from giving out sensitive information to the wrong people, the company must figure out how communication will be conducted, then get it down on paper. For example, “E-mails from our company will never ask you to reveal your username and password.”

Definitive reporting process for suspicious activity. Employees need to have, on paper again, specific instructions in how to report suspicious activity, such as a questionable e-mail. These instructions should be simple and to the point.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to TheBestCompanys.com discussing  identity theft prevention.

How Employers or Parents Spy

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Disgruntled employees act out in lots of ways. A guy I knew who hated his boss “played” on his work computer all day. The computer was strictly for constructing company graphics. But he installed all kinds of games and wasted lots of time. His boss never knew he blew off half the day.

2WCompany computers are obviously company owned, making it legally possible for your boss to spy on you. Employers can also figure out whom you’re speaking to on your company owned or sanctioned phone and for how long—with phone monitoring software—They can also see contacts, emails, texts, media and more. All legally.

An article on forbes.com notes that some companies sell and advertise such software in a sensational way (“Find Out WHO Is Making Up Normal Personal Calls”)—software that can automatically send e-mail alerts about phone calls made by employees. These include details such as frequency and with whom.

The forbes.com article then mentions another such company, that sells spyware for cell phones and tablets that’s “100% invisible and undetectable.” They usually call it monitoring, not spying, and point out that businesses have a right to monitor to “control their business.” And, frankly, they do.

However, most of these programs are geared towards and used by parents and spouses (spouses concerned with cheating) and parents, what with kids developing all kinds of psychological disorders with the help of cyberbullying.

And again, company monitoring is legal if this activity is in the employer’s contract. The monitoring must have a business-related reason. There’s a difference between “spying” or tracking an employee’s use of the company phone during times that employee is supposed to be working, and spying on his conversations with his ex-wife over the custody fight of their kids while he’s on lunch break.

Businesses need to strike the right balance so that employees don’t feel that their trust has been violated.

Robert Siciliano is an identity theft expert to BestIDTheftCompanys.com discussing identity theft prevention.

Distracted Teen Drivers a Mess

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Worried about your teen causing a car accident from drinking too much? How about from being distracted too much? According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, distracted driving accounted for 58 percent of medium to severe wrecks involving teenagers, based on analysis of about 1,700 videos.

6WThe study involved collaboration with the University of Iowa and Lytx™, Inc., maker of the Lytx DriveCam, which recorded all of the data using state-of-the-art technology. The analysis looked at the six seconds preceding the crashes and uncovered the following distractors, in order of prevalence.

  • Passenger interaction
  • Cell phone use (includes texting)
  • Eyeing something inside the vehicle
  • Eyeing something outside
  • Singing or moving to music
  • Grooming
  • Reaching for something

Are teens learning from their parents that cell phone use while driving is crucial? (Many adults drive while yakking or texting.) The analysis revealed that when cell phone use led to an accident, the teens’ eyes were off the road for 4.1 seconds on average—out of that six seconds.

Funny, these same teens, if athletes, would never take their eyes off the ball during a game to text.

AAA wants new laws that ban cell phone use by driving teens and having more than one passenger—for the first half year of driving. Will a law be effective? How about making new teen drivers watch videos of the gruesome aftermath of fatal car accidents?

AAA recommends that parents teach safe driving practices. But HOW is open to interpretation. Dinnertime lectures aren’t enough. How about making kids view those grisly aftermath scenes?

AAA suggests a parent-teen driving agreement. This will make a teen feel more accountable. Another effective strategy is for the parents to practice what they preach.

If you’re a parent, ask yourself how often you take your eyes off the road to look at your kids while conversing. Practice “bi-tasking” (doing two things at once: keeping your eyes on the road while conversing), and your teens will less likely smash up the car as a result of passenger interaction.

In 2013 alone, says an article at newsroom.aaa.com, around 963,000 drivers 16 to 19 were in vehicular accidents. Fatalities totaled 2,865, and there were 383,000 injuries.

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

Myths Facts and Burglary Prevention

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Myth: Most burglaries occur at night when nobody can see the intruder.

1HFact: Most burglaries occur during the day because criminals know that’s the most likely time that people are away at work.

Myth: Most burglaries are random and spontaneous.

Fact: Most burglaries occur after the thief has “cased” a residence and pre-meditated an intrusion and getaway plan.

If a thief has not gotten into your house within four minutes of trying, chances are he’ll abandon further attempts. Using multiple layers of protection from intruders will make entry take well over four minutes.

If your neighborhood doesn’t have a “watch” program, get one started.

  • Get to know your neighbors; they’ll be more likely to call the police if they notice someone unfamiliar loitering on your property.
  • Post neighborhood watch signs throughout the area.

Secure the exterior of your house.

  • Install lights at all entry points including the garage; it’s best if they can detect motion.
  • Don’t allow shrubs to grow above window sill height.
  • Don’t let tree branches obscure windows.
  • Plant thorny shrubs around windows so burglars can’t hide in them.
  • Lock all gates and fences.
  • Keep all potential entry points locked, including basement wells and the door to the attached garage.
  • Make the interior always look occupied by never letting the grass get overgrown or snow unshoveled; while traveling arrange for someone to do these tasks.
  • Also when traveling put a vacation stop on mail and newspaper deliveries.
  • Never leave the garage door open.

And then there is your house’s interior:

  • Install a security system that includes loud alarms. The sirens really do scare off would-be intruders, plus alert neighbors.
  • Use timed lighting systems so that while you’re away, it’ll appear that the house is occupied. Timers can also be set for TVs.
  • If you’re gone for a while and especially for travel, set your phone’s answering system so that voice mail picks up after only a few rings.
  • Consider getting a dog.
  • Keep valuables locked in a fire proof safe.
  • Doors should have a complete security system that includes top-flight deadbolts.

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

25 Home Security Tips

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Yes, 25 tips, because that’s how we roll. No home security tip is too trite. They are all important, especially when used all at once, all the time.3B

  1. Keep shrubs and trees manicured so that burglars can’t hide near them.
  2. Do a door and lock inventory to make sure they all work.
  3. The only time a door should be unlocked is when someone is using it.
  4. The only time a window should be unlocked is when it’s open while you’re home, and even then, be extremely judicious about this, including for second-story windows that can be climbed up to.
  5. Make sure nobody can see inside your windows at night, and be choosy about which drapes to leave open during the day, especially if you have expensive items that can be viewed through windows.
  6. Have a smoke alarm and check it periodically; run fire drills for the entire family.
  7. When gone, leave a light on; better yet, use a timed lighting system. Also put the TV on.
  8. Have a carbon monoxide detector and check it periodically.
  9. Make sure your security alarm system properly works.
  10. Consider having a “secret” room, also known as a “panic” room built.
  11. Keep your phone by the bed. Mobile phone is best.
  12. Install motion detectors inside and outside.
  13. Install video surveillance and check it periodically.
  14. Never leave packages outside your door, sign up for delivery notices.
  15. Make sure that all windows have your security company’s decals stuck on them; place the company’s sign on your lawn.
  16. While traveling, have mail and newspaper delivery postponed or picked up by a friend.
  17. Never go inside your house if you think it’s been broken into while you were gone.
  18. Protect your windows with penetration-proof film.
  19. Use a peephole on all doors that can’t be reversed by an outsider.
  20. Don’t leave ladders outside unless you’re using them.
  21. Put Charlie bars on all the window tracks.
  22. When traveling for long stretches, arrange to have someone mow your lawn and park their car in your driveway.
  23. Get a beware of dog sign even if you don’t have a dog.
  24. Go to an Army/Navy store and get paid of men’s boots, put them near your front or back door.
  25. Get a big dog food bowl. Place it near your front door.

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