One In Seven Social Security Numbers Are Shared

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More than 20 million Americans have multiple Social Security numbers (SSNs) associated with their name in commercial records according to a new study announced in December from ID Analytics, Inc. The study found that rather than serving as a unique identifier, more than 40 million SSNs are associated with multiple people.

6.1 percent of Americans have at least two SSNs associated with their name.  More than 100,000 Americans have five or more SSNs associated with their name.

Dr. Stephen Coggeshall, chief technology officer, at ID Analytics said. “Most of these cases of duplication are likely due to simple data entry errors as opposed to deliberate falsification. Nevertheless, organizations expose themselves and their customers to risk if they solely rely on the SSN to verify an individual.”

ID Analytics analyzed 290 million Social Security numbers, and found that 1 in 7 are associated with more than one name. Anywhere from 3-4 million names are directly used to commit fraud.

MSNBC reported the same study showed 140,000 SSNs are connected to 5 or more people and 27,000 SSNs are connected to 10 or more people.

Some of these secondary SSNs are the result of typos where an administrator may incorrectly enter a digit and then that secondary SSN is now connected to a person’s credit going forward.

In other cases it is deliberate fraud. When the same person is shown using multiple Social Security numbers on purpose then a flag is raised.

Consumers often find out their SSN is compromised as a result of being denied credit or when bill collectors call them for non payment.

Identity theft can happen to anyone. McAfee Identity Protection, offers proactive identity surveillance, lost wallet protection, and alerts when suspicious activity is detected on your accounts. McAfee Identity Protection puts victims first and provides live access to fraud resolution agents who work with the victim to help restore their identity even from past theft events. For additional tips, please visit http://www.counteridentitytheft.com.

Robert Siciliano is a McAfee Consultant and Identity Theft Expert. See him discussing how to protect yourself from identity theft on CounterIdentityTheft.com. (Disclosures)

Lost or Stolen Mobile Can Lead to Identity Theft

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We lose stuff. You put something down, you get distracted, you forget about it and it’s gone. Stuff falls out of pockets and bags all the time. I’m one of those people that’s so smart, I’m stupid and absent  minded when it comes to my stuff. Where’s my wallet, where my keys, where’s my phone? After 40+ years I have a system of where I put my stuff, but it’s far from perfect.

At Oktoberfest many smart stupid people lost stuff including 410 wallets, 4 wedding rings, 1 toaster, 1 set of dentures, 1 prosthetic leg and 320 mobile phones. I could easily be a one legged, toothless, ringless mess who lost his mobile and wallet.

That’d be me hoppin around trying to make a call worried if my wife would be more upset I lost my leg or ring. NO MORE OKTOBERFEST FOR YOU!

While wallets are problematic, phones are the biggest issue here. Number of phones left in taxis every 6 months = 3 per taxi. Number of phones stolen in London alone = 120,000 a year!!!

Your phones transmit almost 17 billion texts per day, then 52% of us store passwords on our phones, 87.5 million of us bank on our phones and I bet even more of us have naked pictures on there… of our pets.

Much of this loser-ness can lead to identity theft if that mobile falls into the wrong hands.

So what are your options for protecting your digital life extension?

Invest in a service that locates, locks, wipes and when you get a new phone, restores your data.

McAfee WaveSecure will:

# Remotely lock down your device. Wipe out important data stored on your mobile to protect your privacy

# Back up your data from your phone or remotely on the web. Access your data online from anywhere. Restore your data to a new phone

# Locate your lost phone and plot the locations on a map. Track SIM cards inserted and phone calls made to help get your lost phone back

Robert Siciliano is a McAfee Consultant and Identity Theft Expert. See him discussing how to protect yourself from identity theft on CounterIdentityTheft.com. (Disclosures)

Identity Theft Strikes Local Couple – Again

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When someone works under your name, it can cause lots of headaches and sometimes results in financial loss. One common loss is the time lost in clearing up the employment fraud, and as we know, time is money.

Lancasteronline.com reports that when a couple applied for public assistance at a local government office, they discovered that someone has used their personal information to obtain a job in Ohio.  In fact, their personal info, including Social Security Number (SSN), had been used several times between 2003 and 2009 to collect paychecks from various companies in Connecticut, New Jersey and Minnesota.

Why would someone work under your identity instead of their own?  They may use your SSN and identity for any number of reasons: running from the law, evading taxes, or an illegal immigrant seeking a job.

The Social Security Number is currently as our national identification card – even though it’s not supposed to be used for identification.  A 1998 NY Times article states: WASHINGTON— For many years, Social Security cards carried an admonition that they were to be used ”for Social Security and tax purposes — not for identification.” That assurance rings hollow today. Congress has authorized so many uses of the nine-digit number, and Americans use it for so many unauthorized purposes, that it has just about become a national identifier.

Today your social security number is connected to everything.

Identity theft protection will not prevent employment fraud. However having a fraud resolution agent assist in identity theft restoration is an invaluable asset. McAfee Identity Protection, offers proactive identity surveillance, lost wallet protection, and alerts when suspicious activity is detected on your accounts. For additional tips, please visit http://www.counteridentitytheft.com

Robert Siciliano is a McAfee Consultant and Identity Theft Expert. See him discussing how to protect yourself from identity theft on CounterIdentityTheft.com. (Disclosures)

School Officials Warn of Identity Theft

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In a small Maine town, local school officials buck state requirements and tell parents not to give out their child’s Social Security number.

The Bangor Daily reports “School departments across the state are required by a new state law to collect students’ Social Security numbers for all enrolled this fall. Parents, however, should know that they can decline”. Local school officials, worried about the possibility of identity theft, are encouraging parents not to provide their children’s Social Security numbers to the state so the students can be tracked as they leave school and get jobs.

“We’re required to ask but we’re encouraging parents not to tell,” Superintendent Daniel Lee said on Monday.

The SSNs are supposed to be used for a 12 year study that will track each students and their progress throughout school. This is a perfect example of “functionality creep” of the SSN.  Functionality creep occurs when an item, process, or procedure ends up serving a purpose that it was never intended to perform.  An alternative to relying on SSN to track the students, another identifier could be assigned.

It is precisely this type of expanding use of an individual’s SSN that puts their personal identity at risk. Each child who coughs up their SSN has to worry whether or not someone who has authorized or even unauthorized access to the data base may use that child’s primary identifier to open new credit.

McAfee Identity Protection includes proactive identity surveillance to monitor a child’s identity and access to live fraud resolution agents who can help subscribers work through the process of resolving identity theft issues. For additional tips, please visit http://www.counteridentitytheft.com

Robert Siciliano is a McAfee Consultant and Identity Theft Expert. See him discussing child identity theft on NBC Boston (Disclosures)

Man Arrested For Stealing 15,000 Social Security Numbers

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Now more than ever, criminal hackers are hacking into databases that contain Social Security numbers and using the numbers to open new financial accounts. Criminals use stolen Social Security numbers to obtain mobile phones, credit cards, and even bank loans. Some victims whose Social Security numbers fell into the hands of identity thieves have even had their mortgages refinanced and their equity stripped.

WTEN.com reports an arrest has been made of an individual alleged to have illegally downloaded personal information, including Social Security numbers of about 15,000 people.

Police arrested a man “for stealing the collection of Social Security numbers from computers belonging to contractors working for the Office of Disability and Temporary Assistance, which is the New York state agency that decides some initial disability claims for Social Security.”

As in most cases of data theft, the Office of Disability and Temporary Assistance will notify and provide credit monitoring services to affected individuals.

According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse’s Chronology of Data Breaches, more than 500 million sensitive records have been breached in the past five years. The Chronology of Data breaches lists specific examples of incidents in which personal data is compromised, lost, or stolen, for example “employees losing laptop computers, hackers downloading credit card numbers and sensitive personal data accidentally exposed online.”

The fact that the entire population of the United States has had their information compromised more than 1.5 times, why wait for another breach to get personal information monitoring?

McAfee Identity Protection includes proactive identity surveillance to monitor subscribers’ credit and personal information including use of Social Security number and access to live fraud resolution agents who can help subscribers work through the process of resolving identity theft issues. For additional tips, please visit http://www.counteridentitytheft.com

Robert Siciliano is a McAfee Consultant and Identity Theft Expert. See him discussing how a person becomes an identity theft victim on CounterIdentityTheft.com (Disclosures)

Military Members Face Identity Theft Threat

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Service men and women face an elevated level of identity theft due to the ubiquitous use of the Social Security number (SSN) both here and abroad.

Military personnel use their SSNs for a variety of reasons every day from everything including on various forms, IDs, access to facilities, and in Iraq they have it painted on their laundry bags.

A report published in the New York Times says “Service members and their families are burdened with a work environment that shows little regard for their personal information,” the report says, adding that the service members, “their units, military preparedness and combat effectiveness all will pay a price for decades to come.”

For the past 70 years, the Social Security number has become our de facto national ID. The numbers were first issued in the 1930s to track income for Social Security benefits. But functionality creep, which occurs when an item, process, or procedure ends up serving a purpose that it was never intended to perform, soon took effect.

Here we are, decades later, and the Social Security number has become the key to the kingdom. You’re forced to disclose your Social Security number regularly, and it appears in hundreds or even thousands of files, records, and databases, accessible to an untold number of people.

“Children of military personnel as young as 10 carry ID cards with Social Security numbers, as do their parents.”

Identity theft can happen to anyone. McAfee Identity Protection offers proactive identity surveillance, lost wallet protection, and alerts when suspicious activity is detected on your accounts. McAfee Identity Protection puts victims first and provides live access to fraud resolution agents who work with the victim to help restore their identity. For additional tips, please visit http://www.counteridentitytheft.com.

Robert Siciliano is a McAfee Consultant and Identity Theft Expert. See him discussing Social Security Numbers as National IDs on Fox News. (Disclosures)

11.7 Million Identity Theft Victims Occur Per Year: Are You Next?

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According to Bureau of Justice Statistics, 5% of U.S. residents over the age of 16 fell victim to identity theft within a two-year period. More than half of those affected were victims of credit card fraud.

Identity theft was defined in the survey as the attempted or successful misuse of an existing account, such as a debit or credit account, misuse of personal information to open a new account, or misuse of personal information for other fraudulent purposes, such as obtaining government benefits.

Nationwide 1 out of 4 of those victims faced out of pocket loses of an average $1,870.00. Total losses exceeded $17 billion dollars.

More and more banks and credit card companies are getting better at detecting and preventing fraud in addition to offering zero liability policies. However there is still a significant dollar loss as the public is still being victimized at a staggering rate.

People are victimized in a number of ways including run of the mill scams, advanced fee scams, dumpster diving, mail theft, email phishing and criminal computer hacking.

The study further showed ages 65 and older were least likely to be victimized while those under 35 are much bigger targets. Those with incomes of $75,000.00 are more likely targets.

  1. Invest in a locking mailbox
  2. Shred everything disposable that has personal information
  3. Protect your PC with updated anti-virus and critical operating system security patches
  4. Beware of scams and ruses trying to separate you from your money
  5. Pay close attention to bank and credit card statements and refute unauthorized charges within 60 days.
  6. To ensure peace of mind —subscribe to an identity theft protection service, such as McAfee Identity Protection, which offers proactive identity surveillance and lost wallet protection. Backed by $1 million Guarantee, if your credit or debit cards are ever lost, stolen or misused without your authorization, you can call McAfee Identity Protection and they’ll help you cancel them and order new ones. Please see Guarantee for details.

For additional tips, please visit http://www.counteridentitytheft.com

Robert Siciliano is a McAfee consultant and identity theft expert. See him explain how a person becomes an identity theft victim on CounterIdentityTheft.com (Disclosures).

McAfees 10 Tips To Secure New Devices and Guard Against Cybercrime in 2011

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Here are some practical tips from McAfee to ensure optimal Internet safety and security in 2011:

Be aware that threats aimed at mobile phones are growing – Use software that backs up smart devices and use strong discretion when storing, saving or editing personal information on your smartphone or device. Don’t keep all of your personal passwords on your device, and avoid using it to store financial information like credit card and bank account numbers.

Keep in mind that gaming and entertainment devices are now Internet-connected – Many people don’t realize that their new gaming console may represent another port of entry for cybercrooks into their household. Some Internet TV applications can expose personal information, so be sure to install anti-virus software, two-way firewalls, anti-spyware, anti-phishing, and safe search capabilities, just as you would on a PC. Block free browser access via these devices and use parental controls wherever possible to ensure the safety of children who play interactive games.

Use technologies to protect information on USBs – Secure USB sticks by encrypting information, making it unreadable to someone who has taken or found it. In addition, install security software to protect portable hard drive devices and never leave such devices unattended.

Make sure that you are using a comprehensive security software platform for your PC– Free point solutions may work well for specific concerns and known threats, but it won’t protect you against emerging threats and is usually only being offered to get you to buy more comprehensive software. Ensure that it is comprehensive – meaning it has anti-virus with cloud computing, a two-way firewall, anti-spyware, anti-phishing and safe search capabilities.

Invest in identity theft protection– Your identity is you’re your most valuable asset. And with all your information contained and transmitted on your devices you need comprehensive coverage to protect you from identity thieves.

Make sure to transfer your PC best practices to all of your Internet-connected devices – If you have an Apple device, Apple’s MobileMe service is available, providing tools for synching, backing up and securing data. Consider installing security software for new Internet connected devices such as smartphones, and make sure the device’s Wi-Fi is connected to a secure network.

Pay attention to your children’s online activities – Communicate with children about cybercrimes, monitor their web activity and consider keeping the family computer in a common space to minimize their exposure to inappropriate content. For additional advice on child safety, visit the McAfee Family Internet Safety Center at www.mcafee.com/family and 10-Step Internet Safety Plan For Your Family.

Search and shop safely – Before submitting credit card numbers or other personal information, always read the online vendor’s privacy and security policy. Consider using a trusted website safety advisor, such as McAfee® SiteAdvisor® software, included in all of McAfee consumer security suites, to determine which ecommerce sites are safe. Also, look for the McAfee SECURE™ trustmark before heading to the check-out counter.

Back up critical information – Guard against data loss by utilizing a regular back-up software program to ensure that all critical information and personal files are safe in case of emergency.

STOP. THINK. CONNECT. is the first-ever coordinated message to help all digital citizens stay safer and more secure online. The message was created by an unprecedented coalition of private companies, nonprofits and government organizations

Robert Siciliano is a McAfee Consultant and Identity Theft Expert. See him discussing how a person becomes an identity theft victim on CounterIdentityTheft.com (Disclosures)

Montana Town Sees Significant Rise in Identity Theft

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Montana is “Big Sky Country.”  With guns, beer, fishing rods, and meat are sold at gas stations, some argue that it should be called the “Don’t Mess With Me” state.  Butte, MT had Evel Knievel, and he was one tough cookie.

And Butte, like many cities and towns across the country, is facing an identity theft epidemic. The Butte police recently received a staggering 135 identity theft reports in one week!

The Montana Standard reports, “Sheriff John Walsh said the Secret Service suspects the identity thefts may have occurred earlier this year and that the charges are just starting to be made. The unauthorized purchases are common this time of year because it’s the holiday season and clerks are often too busy to check for proper identification, authorities said.”

Walsh has been a victim of credit card fraud himself, with his debit card being used to run up about $900 in fraudulent charges at grocery stores, restaurants, and other businesses.

This type of fraud generally occurs when a bank or retailer’s server is breached. Customer accounts stored on the server are then taken over and used for unauthorized transactions. Your information could be compromised today, but the identity thief might wait months before using it to make the first fraudulent charge.

It’s very important to pay attention to your statements and refute any unauthorized charges immediately. Legally, you are only protected for up to 60 days after an unauthorized charge on your credit card, and an even shorter length of time for unauthorized debit card transactions. Reconcile your online statements weekly, and shred paper statements before discarding.

McAfee Identity Protection includes proactive identity surveillance, which monitors for subscribers’ credit and personal information in online black market forums. Subscribers have access to live fraud resolution agents who can help subscribers work through the process of resolving identity theft issues. For additional tips, please visit CounterIdentityTheft.com.

Robert Siciliano is a McAfee consultant and identity theft expert. See him explain how a person becomes an identity theft victim on CounterIdentityTheft.com (Disclosures)