Keep Accountant happy and Thieves out

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Are you a shredder? I hope so. No identity thief on this planet is going to want to attempt to reconstruct cross-shredded documents.

Computer crime conceptSo what, then, should you make a habit of shredding?

  • All financial documents and information, including financial information you’ve jotted on a Post-it note.
  • Credit card receipts unless you want to file these away for end-of-month calculations, but ultimately, you have your monthly statements so you will not have use for them anyways.
  • Old property tax statements (keep the most current one). But any other tax documents you should retain.
  • Voided checks.
  • Most things with your Social Security number on it that aren’t tax related.
  • Any other piece of paper that has your or a family member’s personal information on it, including envelopes with your address. Never assume “that’s not enough” for a skilled identity thief to use.
  • Ask your accountant what they think.

Now, what kind of shredder should you get for your home or office? There are all kinds of makes and models out there.

  • Do not buy a “strip” shredder that simply slices thin strips in one direction. Identity thieves will actually take the time to reconstruct these.
  • Buy a “cross-cut” shredder. The pieces are sliced and diced too small for an identity thief to want to struggle to tape back together.
  • We can go one step further, in case you are wondering if anyone would actually take the time to lay out all those cross-cut fragments and reassemble them: Buy a micro-cut device. The pieces, as the name suggests, are tiny.
  • Read the features for that micro-shredder, as some models are more heavy-duty than others.
  • You may not want to purchase a machine online; at least you will want to see the various makes and models in person first.
  • But if you can’t locate the type of shredder that you’d like from a brick-and-mortar retailer, then of course, there are plenty online to choose from.

So get yourself a shredder on your next shopping trip; you will be so glad you did.

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

Basics on How to prepare for a Disaster

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Situations that could put your routine or an entire city on hold include:
1M

  • Tornado
  • Hurricane
  • Flood
  • Blizzard
  • Power outage
  • Contagious illness

Your house should already be equipped with supplies for staying inside the house for at least a week, but ideally for two weeks.

  • Keep a newer pair of walking footwear stored—to be used during a disaster (you may have to do a lot of walking). You never know.
  • Prepare a first aid kit.
  • Have a box just for flashlights, battery operated lights, extra batteries and a battery radio. Put a battery tester in their too.
  • A Sterno Stove will warm food (available where camping supplies are sold).
  • Designate a section of the pantry for emergency foods (canned items, chips/munchies). With this supply keep a manual can opener and a lighter.
  • If your climate includes cold, have thermal underwear, gloves, hats and scarves.
  • Designate a contact person who’s not local. Every family member should have this person’s contact information memorized.
  • Each person needs one gallon of water per day (not all to drink; clean water is needed for brushing teeth, washing hands, etc.). Store in gallon-or-less containers. Don’t store water in milk containers. Fifty five gallon drums are available too, with a hand pump.
  • Keep a section designated for the following: sanitizing wipes, synthetic gloves, N95 masks, trash bags, paper towels and plates, and plastic eating utensils.
  • Photograph or take videos of all of your important possessions for insurance purposes.
  • Make copies of all crucial documents and put in a fireproof, waterproof safe.
  • Send copies of the above to a trusted person who is not local.
  • Use a cloud service for computer data backup.
  • Know your neighborhood’s emergency plans—if they even exist. If they don’t, organize a meeting to create them.
  • Know alternate routes in your city to important destinations, since a disaster could close off one of the routes.
  • Another tool to have on hand is a bicycle—you may need to do a lot of riding if the roads are blocked off or the gas supply has stopped.
  • Backup generator with fresh gas can power small appliances or even a heating system in a pinch.

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

20 Security Tips For Overseas Travelers With Credit Cards

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Thinking of bringing a credit card with you on your travels? You can end up in a jam: You just treated your extended family to fine dining in France. Time to pay; your credit card is declined.

2CIf you try to make a purchase overseas, your credit card company might think it’s fraudulent, since it would appear anomalous, relative to your usual, U.S. purchases.

So before you leave for your trip:

  • Back up credit card data. It’s always important to have a backup of your card data, both online and in print. Photocopy each card and carry with you or store in your luggage. The Carbonite mobile app lets you access your backed-up data from anywhere in the world.
  • Review your auto drafts and consider these when traveling to avoid maxing out the card.
  • All your cards should be signed.
  • Get a “data plan” and make sure your credit card company’s e-mail and phone numbers actually work.
  • See if your company will issue you a chip-n-pin card, since this technology is widespread in foreign countries.
  • Memorize the PIN and make sure it’s enabled for foreign ATM withdrawals.
  • Install the credit card company’s mobile application so that you can be alerted to any suspicious issues.
  • Gift cards and debit cards should be authorized for international use.
  • Set your phone up for international use.
  • Activate the feature in your card account that alerts you every time the card is used.
  • Alert the credit card company when you’ll be overseas so they can monitor your purchases.
  • Store the company’s 800 and non-800 numbers in your phone.
  • Also make sure you have their e-mail address.
  • The card(s) numbers should be documented in hardcopy.
  • Find out if the card has a foreign transaction fee.
  • Know the to-be-visited country’s phone dialing patterns.

While on your trip:

  • Never give anybody your card for a purchase unless you can see everything they’re doing.
  • At ATMs, carefully punch in the keypad numbers; you may not get too many chances to get the PIN correct.
  • Save all receipts and inspect them. Use your computer or phone and secure Wi-Fi to monitor your account online. This can be done with Hotspot Shield, which will encrypt all transmissions.

Know that your card company will never request highly personal information such as your Social Security number. If anyone contacts you with such requests, it’s a scam.

Robert Siciliano is an expert in personal privacy, security and identity theft. Learn more about Carbonite Personal plans. See him discussing identity theft prevention. Disclosures.

How to stop Teenage Sexting

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Sexting is the act of sending images of a sexual nature via cell phone, often naked pictures. Because texting technology is so readily available and easy to understand, parents should be quite leery of telling themselves, “Oh, MY kid would never do that!” Studies showy your kid already did it. 12-17 year olds sext. And studies show 50-75 year olds do it as much as 18-25 year olds. Picture that!

bioSexting is not the same as when a teen shows a naked Polaroid photo to the crowd huddled in front of the school lockers. The eight people that where huddled is where the image stops. If a digital photo is shared via sexting, the whole world could be viewing it within 30 minutes. Kids have taken their lives as a result of this same scenario.

The bigger issue is that teens normally don’t think about the illegality of sexting images of kids under 18. In many cases this is considered child pornography. Kids have been prosecuted as perpetrators of child porn when they themselves were the victims. So parents, ask your kids, “Did you know that if you get caught sexting, you could be convicted of child porn and—for the rest of your life—be a registered sex offender?”

And why might your kid sext?

  • The same reason they might smoke or drink: peer pressure.
  • To feel grown-up or the thrill of doing something “naughty.”
  • Low self-esteem.
  • To get the recipient interested in them.
  • Coercion. Every child connected to the internet is susceptible. If your kid is unsupervised online, there is a solid chance they have connected to a predator.

A teen could end up a horrible statistic and in other cases get five years’ probation—just for sending out one nude photo.

Suppose your child never sexts. Don’t count out the possibility that they are capable of forwarding a received sext. In the eyes of the law, forwarding someone else’s sext is just as illegal as being the original sexter.

More Tips on Prevention

  • In a relaxed setting, discuss digital privacy with your kids.
  • For kids new to cell phone use or about to be, inform them you will conduct random monitoring of images. Tell this also to kids who’ve been using the phones for a while. Make sure they understand you’ll be looking at images, not reading texts.
  • Invite them to share with you what they know about classmates who sext.
  • Present yourself as their ally, not some judge or critic. Let them know that you know why teens are tempted to sext. Get them talking.
  • Inform them that you’ll be legally required to turn their phone in to the police if you find lewd images on it. Otherwise, as a parent, you are an accomplice to a crime.
  • Ask your kids how they’d manage life living with a child pornography conviction.
  • Make cell phones prohibited in their bedroom at night.
  • Keep the phone chargers in your room.

Habitual sexting, like any ongoing bad behavior, is a symptom of skewered family dynamics. Kids from a stable home life where they feel valued are less likely to get hooked on sexting.

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

Secure your home for the holidays

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The holiday season is ramping up. And so are burglars. Even if you don’t get very festive, burglars may still target your home. Your dark, unlit home among all the dazzling festive homes will stick out like a sore thumb. Whether you have 10,000 decorative lights on or none, here’s what to do: 3H

  • Keep all possible entrances (even the second-story window next to the big tree branches) locked at all times with high quality locks in excellent working condition.
  • Put reinforcements on your doors so that they can’t be kicked open.
  • Put security film on windows so that blunt force is less likely to penetrate the glass.
  • Don’t let deliveries accumulate outside or your mailbox.
  • Use automatically timed lighting devices to avoid a dark looking house.
  • Keep blinds/shades and curtains closed at all times. I understand you want open windows to let in the light; you’re not a vampire. But at least when the sun begins setting, close things up so that burglars casing your place can’t see your valuables or you struggling with pushups.
  • If you don’t have a big dog, put a little “evidence” on the porch or front stoop that a big dog lives inside, but don’t make it look staged. Ask a friend with a large dog if they have any toys they no longer need that that indicate a large breed, such as one of those huge tug-o-war ropes.
  • Don’t let shrubbery growth act as a hiding spot around entrances.
  • Never load or unload gifts or big purchases from your car unless you’re inside the garage with the door closed.
  • Never boast on social media about your big-ticket items.
  • Back up your data. If all else fails and your devices such as laptops or desktops are stolen, make sure you have set up cloud backup to protect your data. Whether theft or fire, having a cloud backup ensures that your information is safe offsite.
  • Get a security alarm system for the house.

Robert Siciliano is an expert in personal privacy, security and identity theft. Learn more about Carbonite Personal plans. See him discussing identity theft prevention. Disclosures.

Career Criminal goes down

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A sharp nine-year-old girl has a biting message to a 51-year-old man, according to an article on myfoxboston.com:

1G“You deserve to stay in jail because you break into peoples houses. Stop breaking into peoples houses and do something with your life.”

This advice was directed to Pedro Gomez, whom police are labeling a career criminal. According to investigators, he attempted to break into over a dozen houses—all within the span of hours.

One of the failed attempts occurred to a house where the nine-year-old was at at the time. Gomez’s floundering break-in attempts occurred in Shrewsbury, Mass. I’m not so sure he’s a true “career criminal,” because he certainly didn’t do things like a prolific burglar would. This sounds more like random, haphazard, desperate, non-calculated attempts to bust into the nearest homes.

Pedro even apparently stacked patio furniture up against windows in one of his break-in attempts.

There are different kinds of robbers, and one of them is that of the unskilled kind who breaks into homes to get whatever cash or small sellable items he could get his hands on to support his next drug fix. This could very well be the type of criminal that Gomez is.

Gomez tripped an alarm when he tried to get in through a slider type of door, continues the myfoxboston.com article. It was there that the police caught up with him. The report says that he had already broken into houses in three other towns.

Though he didn’t exactly hang his head upon being arrested, he will have plenty of time in prison to reflect upon the advice of the nine-year-old girl.

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

8 ways to avoid holiday shopping scams

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So what will you be doing this holiday season to avoid getting scammed? The scammers really come out of the woodwork during the holidays, waiting to snatch their victims. It’s easier than you think to avoid getting ripped off or getting your entire bank account sucked dry. Here’s how to avoid getting tangled in a scammer’s net: 9D

  • Always inspect every purchase on your credit card statements to make sure you recognize them.
  • If you must go with a lesser-known seller (because the product is very unique), then first Google them for any bad reviews. Keep in mind that raving reviews may have been set up by a scammer, but the presence of bad reviews is very telling. A clue that excellent reviews were set up by a fraudster is that identical ones appear on different sites.
  • Back up your data. Why? When all else fails and your data and devices have been destroyed by malware, a cloud backup like Carbonite allows you to not only recover all your data, but it helps you sleep at night.
  • Never click a link inside an e-mail that appears to have come from a retailer, UPS, the government, etc. Even if you just purchased something from Amazon, that e-mail “from” Amazon that contains a link is –you can bet on this — the work of a scammer. Clicking on the link may download a virus, or lead you to a site that lures you into giving your credit card number, SSN and other vital data to a cyber thief.
  • Sellers can also be victims of scams. A common one is that the buyer overpays the seller with a phony check, pretends it’s an innocent mistake, and then asks you to wire back the difference.
  • If you’re buying from individuals instead of businesses (think: eBay), meet potential buyers and sellers in public locations. If you’re buying, inform the seller you’ll initially meet without cash just to inspect the item.

Robert Siciliano is an expert in personal privacy, security and identity theft. Learn more about Carbonite Personal plans. See him discussing identity theft prevention. Disclosures.

Online Shopping and Counterfeit Goods – The Facts Don’t Lie

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As the holiday season creeps upon us, research shows that an astonishing 24% people who are buying online have been duped by scammers. Whether you are buying shoes, electronics or the latest fashions and accessories, research companies are showing that you are at risk of being duped.

9DWhen you look at the overall shopping behavior of consumers, we see that about 34% do all of their shopping online, and during the holiday season, this number rises to 39% of all consumers. That is a lot of people for counterfeiters to focus on.

Mark Frost, the CEO of MarkMonitor, explains that it is crucial for customers to stay aware of the possibility of buying counterfeit goods, especially during the holidays. Most of us are looking for a bargain, and this is exactly why we tend to jump on these deals. On top of this, counterfeiters have gotten very good at making these fake goods look almost identical to the real deal, and it is near impossible, in some cases, for the untrained eye to tell them apart. Here are some more facts:

People are Exposed to Online Counterfeit Goods All of the Time

With so many counterfeit goods out there, you have likely been exposed to them, or even made a purchase. Younger people are more at risk of buying these goods, and when looking at those in the 18-34 year old range, almost 40% had purchased counterfeit goods in the past.

In addition to these goods, about 56% of people have received counterfeit emails, or those that seem as if they are coming from a certain company, such as Nike, but in reality, all of the items are fake. Fortunately, only about one in 20 consumers are likely to click on these links, but that means that about 5% of consumers are directed to these sites, too, and may get caught up in the bargains.

This is a Global Issue

Statistics also show that about 64% of global consumers are worried about online security. These same consumers report that they feel safer buying from local extensions, such as .de, .uk and .co.

Attitudes Towards Buying Counterfeit Goods

One of the most alarming facts that come up in these studies is that about 20% of consumers continue the purchase of their goods, even after finding themselves on a website with counterfeit goods.

As you continue your holiday shopping, make sure to keep these facts in mind and make sure to research any site you choose to buy from, even those that look like they may be legitimate.

Shoppers need to be cautious when searching online to spread their holiday cheer and MarkMonitor suggests checking this list twice to find out if websites are naughty or nice:

  1. Check the URL: In a practice known as “typosquatting” fraudulent sites will often be under a misspelled brandname.com, attempting to trick consumers into thinking they are on a reputable website.
  2. Check the Price: Counterfeiters have been getting very smart about pricing lately and not discounting their wares as heavily as before, but deep discounts – especially on unknown e-commerce sites – are a tip-off that consumers should do a lot more checking before buying.
  3. Check the “About” and the “FAQs” pages: Though some sites look professional at first glance, but are not always so careful about these pages. Check for spelling and grammatical errors.
  4. Check for reviews: Many fraudulent websites’ reputations proceed them. Search for what people are saying about the site and include the term ‘scam’ with the site name to see if they are known to be a risky site.  

Robert Siciliano CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, personal security and identity theft expert and speaker is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Identity Was Stolen. See him knock’em dead in this identity theft prevention video. Disclosures.

How to kick People off your Wi-Fi

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If someone is “borrowing” your Wi-Fi service, there’s more to this than just the nerve of someone secretly mooching off of you.

2WTheir use of your service could interfere with bandwidth and mess up your connection. If they’re a bad guy hacker or even a skeevy child porn peddling pedophile and get caught, it can be traced to your connection—and you will have a lot of explaining to do to the authorities when they bang on your door at 4am with a battering ram.

How can you tell if someone’s riding on your signal?

  • Log into your router to see what’s connected.
  • For less techy people, use the free Wireless Network Watcher to get the list of connected devices.
  • Do all the devices on the list belong to you? Any that don’t? Ones that don’t are thieves. You will not know, of course, how often they mooch off you unless you bring up the list regularly.
  • Make a record of this device/gadget list (or take a screenshot).

How do you figure out whom the user is?

  • Their devices name may coincide with their real name, address or other identifying information.
  • But knowing who they are isn’t important. Just encrypt your Wi-Fi network, as this will usually stop the mooching.

Encryption is key.

  • Keep in mind a savvy Wi-Fi thief can get past WEP encryption. If this is the case, change your password and make sure you are at least on WPA encryption. Then recheck the device list.

Upgrade and update.

  • Unfortunately, many routers have security flaws and hackers can still sneak in through a backdoor in your router.
  • Make a backup of your settings, take screenshots if necessary. You will need to reset the router to factory settings, update all software and firmware, and then set things up all over again.
  • Bear in mind that changing the encryption password means you will have to update the password on every one of your devices.

What if there’s no intruder but your connection is still slow?

  • Evaluate your Internet speed: Do a search for “internet speed test” and see what you are supposed to be getting.
  • Check your “throughput”. Throughput is the measurement of data speeds within your home network. You can check your throughput with numerous online tools. This will show if your Wi-Fi speed is slower than the Internet speed.
  • Determine how many devices your router will support. Some routers bog down after 5-7 devices. Many homes may have as many as 10-20 devices connected and not realize it. If so, you may have too many devices in the household. Disconnect all but one, then check the speed. If this is the cause, then you need a new router that can handle multiple connections.
  • If you only have a few devices connected, however, then you may need a modem upgrade or router upgrade. Consumers already know their devices constantly need upgrading so shouldn’t be surprised that their modem and router need to be swapped out every couple three years.

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

10 Home Security Mistakes we make

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Please, be humble and consider the possibility that you—yes you—might be committing numerous home security mistakes—that could really cost you if you don’t correct them.

5HHouse Alarm Turned Off

Some people only activate it when they are not home and others only activate it when they are sleeping. The alarm should be on at all times. Simply deactivate it when you go outside, but once back inside, switch it back on. Don’t think for a second that evidence of you being inside the house will deter a crazed intruder.

Not Locking Doors

Doors should be locked at all times, even if you keep going outside. Now I understand that maybe it wouldn’t be practical to lock the front door if you’re going in and out every two minutes to work on your front porch. But I think you know what I mean. Keep the doggone doors locked whenever you go out and while you’re inside the house.

Not Locking Windows

Many windows are easier to get through than the front door, and they’re also often hidden by shrubs. Burglars love windows. Never go to sleep with an open window that can be accessed from outside. Lock all windows whenever you go out. It’s okay to have a window open for a fresh breeze while you’re home, but don’t go overboard with “getting some air.”

Tightwad

Being a tightwad when it comes to investing in locks/security doesn’t pay off. When it comes to locks, you get what you pay for.

Hiding Keys

Use a keyless lock or give your house keys to a trusted adult; never “hide” them outside.

Ladder Outside

When finished with a ladder, put it back inside–immediately.

“Steal Me!”

Can outsiders see your valuables through your windows? If so, it’s time to do some rearranging.

Dark House

Keep the house well-lit when you’re gone, and when home, make sure there’s plenty of illumination.

“Are they on vacation?”

Your house shouldn’t trigger this question. Don’t let mail, newspapers and other deliveries accumulate. Don’t let your lawn and shrubs get overgrown. Speaking of vacations, never post on social media about your vacation until you’ve returned!

Garage Unlocked

This is bad. Keep it locked at all times.

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