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Condo, Apartment Neighborhood Watch Safety Is Key to Peace of Mind

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In New Jersey, a condo board president was instrumental in launching a neighbor watch program which has received the attention of city officials.

The condo association has taken the extra steps of installing home security cameras too. The local police approved on the idea of using camera security and agree that every layer of protection is a good one.

“A neighborhood block watch, which residents can initiate through local police, bands together an educated public to work with police on safe neighborhoods. But it is just one of many ways an apartment or condo resident can help to improve security. Other protections run the gamut from doormen to alarms and surveillance cameras.”

A home surveillance system is effective in 2 ways. The best way is for it to be monitored by a human who can call the authorities if they detect something suspicious. The second best way is to incorporate a digital video recorder that records around the clock. Each method should include software that detects motion and sends an alert. This alert can trigger a human to interact with a non-monitored system and allow for a call to the authorities when necessary.  The recording by itself is a reactive way to catch the bad guy or to at least keep tabs on what goes on around the property.

Recently my own home security system caught an altercation between two neighbors. One neighbor was clearly the aggressor which helped the other neighbor build a case against him.

Sometimes you never know what those cameras will pick up. My neighbor who was assaulted is now making his own investment in home security cameras. Sometimes adverse situations can help people learn to proactively more forward.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

5 Tips to Help Prevent a Home Invasion

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Imagine you’ve lived at your home for a number of years, but it doesn’t feel like home anymore. Home invasions change all that. It used to be a place that was comforting and soothing; a place of security where you didn’t have to “worry.” Not anymore.

There are few crimes as horrific as a home invasion. When a bad guy forces their way into your home and uses violence on you and your family to get what they want, all sense of security is gone. This is a crime that can be combated with common sense and a home security plan.

Posing as a health inspector, police officer or even a secret service agent is commonly used with success. I once posed as a “water inspector” and gained access to people’s homes by saying I needed to “check the colorization of their water”, as I demonstrated on The Montel Williams Show here. A fake badge and a uniform of any kind can do wonders.

Here are 5 tips to help keep you safe and prevent a home invasion:
1. Never talk to strangers via an open or screen door. Always talk to them through a locked door.

2. NEVER let children open the doors. Always require and adult to do it.

3. Install a home burglar alarm and keep it on 24/7/365. With a home alarm system on, when someone knocks on the door, a conscious decision has to be made to turn off the alarm. Most people will keep it on.

4. Not all home invaders knock, some break in without warning.  Just another reason to have that alarm on.

5. Install a 24-hour camera surveillance system. Cameras are a great deterrent.  Have them pointed to every door and access point.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing home invasions on the Gordon Elliot Show. Disclosures

Scummy Scammers and Targeted Attacks

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I make a portion of my living speaking professionally. That means I get on a platform and present in front of an audience on issues revolving around personal security and identity theft.

So when I got this email, I was so happy to see I was being invited to England to speak to the esteemed Middlesex University in England.

I had to shorten the dialog to keep in tune with your attention span.

______________

8:09am

SCAMMER: From: Professor Wayne Erickson <middlesexuniversityconference@gmail.com>
Company: MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY.


To: Respected Robert Siciliano, (I am ‘Respected”, NICE!)

Am Professor Wayne Erickson from the Middlesex University
Here in London UK. We want you to be our guest speaker at this
Year Middlesex University Seminar which will take place here in
UK.

We are taking care of your traveling and hotel accommodation expenses including your speaking fee. If you will be available for our event, include your speaking fees in your email so it can be included in your CONTRACT AGREEMENT.

Stay Blessed
Professor Wayne

________________

8:10am

ME: Wonderful. Fee is $10,000. What are the next steps?

________________

8:38am

SCAMMER: It is really nice hearing back from you; we are over delighted to have
you honor our invitation. I will have loved to give you a call
so as to deliberate more on arrangements, but am out of office on an
official duty and will not be back until WEDNESDAY morning, we can only
communicate through emails at the moment.

We have agreed to buy your flight ticket and to pay your hotel
accommodation expenses. Also your Speaking fee is amounted to
10,000 USD 7,000 (SEVEN THOUSAND USD) deposit is to be paid as
soon as you procure all relevant travel documents so as to avoid any
disappointment. You are informed to get across your Work Permit to us
so your deposit can be approved according to our mandated rules and
regulation.

You are advised by the Event Organizing committee to immediately
contact our BRITISH EMBASSY here in the UK to procure your UK Work
Permit as soon as possible

This will enable us to proceed with all arrangements to welcome you
here in London. Contact the British Embassy official
information below.

BRITISH EMBASSY.  Name: Dr Owen Loren Email:britishembassycustomerservice@gmail.com

______________

8:40am

ME: Dr. Owen Loren, need work permits.

______________

9:11AM

SCAMMER: I acknowledged the receipt of your mail. I understood all the
contents. Without any waste of time and due to short time we have left
to proceed with the issuance of these important documents .Fortunately
for you I will be processing some files today at the UK BORDER AGENCY.
You are advised to immediately provide me with the listed
requirements.

View attachment below and immediately get back to me with all
requirements so I can proceed on the procurement of your PERMIT.

In your service,
Dr Owen Loren,
British Embassy Official.

In the attached document, the scammer requests for 550 pounds (837.277 USD)

____________

9:21am

SCAMMER: As soon as you get the PERMIT procured send me a copy of it so I can forward it to our FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT for your DEPOSIT to be sent
over to you, I will also begin with all reservations ASAP.

We also await the signed copy of your CONTRACT AGREEMENT.

Note: The UNIVERSITY has promised to reimburse all the expenses spent
on your PERMIT alongside your DEPOSIT.

We await meeting you in LONDON,

Stay Blessed,
Professor Wayne
Bye.

________________

9:30am

ME: This is such a fantastic opportunity. Please send photos of yourselves of your highest dress attire in your most coiffed hair with the attached document printed out. I will post them on my website to promote my esteemed engagement. I will get on my motorbike shortly after I received these wonderful photographs of your handsomeness and go directly to western-union to pay the fabulous fee to work. I need these photographs ASAP. Please include a handheld printable version of my name (as attached) in your hands (both hands) with the photograph to show my American colleagues how lucky I am to work with such incredible official as yourself. I look forward to these photographs ASAP and will provide to my webmaster then I will go on my motorbike to pay the fee. I am ready and awaiting your quickest timeliest response.

Your Esteemed Colleague and Most Wonderful Speaker

Robert Siciliano

NEW Demo Video http://YouTube.com/watch?v=mrcvMg1UDro
Robert Siciliano
http://IDTheftSecurity.com

_________________

All they need is one person each month to respond to this scam and they make bank. $850.00 is enough money for them to feed themselves all month. This isn’t such a sophisticated scam. However, speakers I know have fallen for it. The documentation and the targeted attack make it an effective ruse. Lawyers are getting scammed in a similar way. What makes this “spear phish” (a targeted scam) so scary is they sought ME out, they know my profession and who I am. But, apparently they don’t really know what I do, which is exposing their scumminess to the world. I feel dirty just communicating with them.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing home security and identity theft on TBS Movie and a Makeover. Disclosures

Stalkers Exploiting Mobile Phones

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Mobile phone GPS (global positioning system) is often accurate in less than 100 feet. Many mobile apps work with GPS to inform you of local restaurants, banks, gas stations and attractions. Mobile phone GPS is also being used for driving navigation too, but I don’t find it as effective.

In this amazing age of progressive technology the uses seem unlimited. The good guy often finds out what he can do to improve his life with technology and the bad guy uses it to ruin others.

A U.S. Justice Department report last year estimated that more than 25,000 adults in the U.S. are victims of GPS stalking annually, including by cell phone.

The Wall Street Journal reports “The Federal Communications Commission required U.S. cellular providers to make at least 95% of the phones in their networks traceable by satellite or other technologies by the end of 2005. The agency’s intention was to make it easier for people in emergencies to get help. GPS chips send signals to satellites that enable police and rescue workers to locate a person.”

Mobile phone GPS can generally be activated in 2 ways. First, phone carriers offer a service to track the phone for a monthly fee. The service acts to find the phone if it’s lost or to be used by parent or a spouse to keep tabs on their families. Employers often activate GPS to locate employees. Once activated the carrier sends a text message to the phone alerting the person they are being tracked via the phones GPS. The person paying the bill who is responsible for the contract is usually the person who can turn on tracking.

Second, mobile phone spyware. Software is installed on the phone that allows for another level of “keeping tabs”. The software will locate the phone via GPS and also keep track of all the text messages and phone calls too. In this scenario spyware is most often installed manually by someone who has access to the device. Otherwise in rare instances it can be installed remotely.

“Stalkers” who use the phones GPS are usually someone close to the victim like a family member or ex- boyfriend/girlfriend that has the capability of turning on tracking.

If you suspect your phone’s GPS has been activated by the carrier then call to find out. If you don’t’ like the feature turned on, request it be turned off or get another phone under your own name. If you believe the phone has been compromised by spyware then call your carrier and request they walk you through the process of reinstalling the phones operating system. This will wipe away any spyware that tracks via GPS.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing mobile phone spyware on Good Morning America. Disclosures.

Daytime Burglaries on the Rise, Police Say

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Many studies show burglaries actually happen more in the daytime than in the evening. Depending on whom you ask, the hours of 7-10 a.m. seem to be the most attractive times for burglars.

This is a time of the day when people are leaving for work. The bad guy may see you leave and take the opportunity to check if you locked your doors. First, he rings the bell and knocks on the door to see if you are home. If there is no answer, he jiggles the handle, if you didn’t lock your doors, he is in. If you locked the door, he may use a screwdriver or crowbar to force it open. If you don’t have a home security system, then, he is in with relatively little resistance.

In Downey California the local police sent out this message:

“In recent months the city of Downey has experienced a rise in the number of daytime residential burglaries reported to the police department. Many of these incidents have occurred in the same fashion and the police department is asking for your help in the prevention of such occurrences.

The following is a scenario often used by suspects looking to burglarize homes in your neighborhoods:

A suspect may simply walk to the front door of a residence and knock on the door. If someone answers, the suspect will make an excuse for being at the wrong house and walk away. If there is no answer, the suspect will either leave the location before returning a short time later, or make his way into the back or side yard to find a way into the house.

Once out of view of the street, he will look for open windows or doors to gain entry into the residence. If the house is locked, the burglar will oftentimes force entry by breaking a window or forcing a door open.

A car with additional suspects will oftentimes wait a short distance away for the suspect to return with stolen property. The suspect may also call them to respond to the house to assist in the actual burglary of the location.

Because the actions of the burglars are usually not visible from the street, it is difficult for police to discover the crime in progress. Because of this, it’s imperative that residents in the area pay close attention to suspicious subjects in their neighborhood. This is especially true if you see someone knock on a door of a residence, then go to the back of the house when they fail to get an answer.

If you see people in your neighborhood – whether they are walking or sitting in a vehicle – that you feel may be looking for an opportunity to commit a crime, please call the Downey Police Department”

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing Home Security on NBC Boston. Disclosures.

Police After Con-man Impersonating Cops

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Our unending fascination with “Cops” must be due to the edgy dangerousness of their jobs. After all they are law enforcement officers who are often public bouncers and deal with the craziest of crazy situations. There’s also the whole “power of the badge” and the flickering blue lights that gives them authority over civilians.

It’s no wonder they have their own TV shows, movies and many dramas that depict them as both hero and villain.

With all the fanfare that comes with being a police officer, there is also the pressure of such an often difficult and stressful job. Next time you see a cop, thank him or her. They will appreciate it.

Impersonating a police officer is sometimes committed in order to assert police-like authority in order to commit a crime. Posing as a police officer enables the offender to legitimize the appearance of an illegal act, such as: burglary, making a traffic stop, or detaining.

In New York Police are hunting a con-man who pretends to be a cop while stealing from at least seven businesses cops said. The man sports an imitation police shield and NYPD jacket as he swipes items off the shelves and then returns the goods to the cashier as though he had previously purchased them, officials said.
It is not uncommon for police impersonation to occur when someone is driving and is being pulled over by a fake cop. It’s just as distressing when the criminal knocks on your door trying to gain entry.

This is a difficult scam to protect yourself from and just as tricky to advice on due to the fact that we are trained to obey authority coupled with the fact you don’t want to resist a real officer of the law.

My best advice is to always make a phone call to your local authorities or the state police whenever or wherever you are in a situation where you have the slightest inkling the “cop” may be a fake. Never let someone into your home who holds a badge or ID until you call their superiors to confirm their arrival.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security expert to Home Security Source discussing Home Security on NBC Boston. Disclosures.

100 Million Facebook Profiles Published via P2P

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Personal information on 100 million Facebook users has been scraped from the social media site and is being shared and download as a single file via what is called a Bittorrent. BitTorrent is a peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing protocol used for distributing large amounts of data.

Facebook  takes on the issue is the data that was scraped wasn’t private at all. To a degree, I agree. The data is being shared through the site, it’s already public.

Here’s how it went down: a good guy hacker developed a program that went through all 500 million profiles and was able to skim (scrape) all the data from Facebook that wasn’t locked down via the users Facebook privacy settings. Basically if you didn’t lock your privacy settings down, it’s now available in this file. If you lock down your settings today, it’s still in this file.

What’s the point? Hackers like to tinker, and some like to make a point. It seems the hacker here wanted to make a point that your data on social media is up for grabs whether you like it or not.

What’s the risk? It seems the format and way the data was compiled is now searchable in a way that can benefit advertisers and marketers. Can it be used by thieves? It’s too early to tell. In this situation my first concern would be data that you may not want to be around in 20 years that may damage your reputation down the road.

This incident should highlight the lack of privacy and lack of security that exists in social media. Recognize that whatever information you share online, can ultimately end up in anyone’s hands, whether you like it or not.

Lock down your privacy settings and be very conscious of what you share. It may bite you someday.

Robert Siciliano personal and home security expert to Home Security Source discussing social media Facebook scammers on CNN. Disclosures.

Cops Encourage Burglary Prevention

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Let it be known and publicly stated right here and right now that I love law enforcement. Even though I’ve been pulled over for various vehicular infractions, but I’m not bitter. I’ve encountered officers of the law that may have taken themselves a bit too seriously, but I’ve meet plenty of flight attendants who fit the same profile. We are all just humans trying to get through this thing called life. It’s all good.

In Fort Wayne Indiana the local Police Department responded to a string of home burglaries that they are calling ‘crimes of opportunity’ and offer suggestions on how homeowners can prevent themselves from becoming victims of such crimes.

Some of the burglaries occur while people are sleeping in their homes.  They burglars were reported coming in through unsecured doors and windows. I don’t know where you live but in many parts of the country people don’t lock their doors because they don’t want to be “paranoid” I don’t know how lock your door can make you mentally ill. Maybe they know something I don’t.

One of the cops was quoted saying “Because they, (the homeowner), made it easier on the suspect or suspects to get into their home, it became a crime of opportunity. Whereas maybe those homes that were more secure, the suspect may have even gone to those homes and didn’t choose them because they were more secure, presenting more risk to him or her.” This is why I love law enforcement. Because of officials t like this guy who speak in common sense.

Be in charge of your home security:

  • Keep doors locked day and night and every time you leave your home.
  • Use wide-angle peepholes
  • Make sure glass is reinforced so they cannot be shattered.
  • Doors from attached garages must be solid and locked
  • Lock the overhead garage door – do not just rely on an automatic door opener.
  • Sliding glass doors should have strong locks.
  • Never leave a message on your voicemail or social media that indicates you are away.
  • Trim all shrubbery near doors and windows.
  • Use timed interior lights and outdoor timed or motion lights
  • Never leave a garage door opener inside your vehicle.
  • Install security cameras that can be remotely monitored.
  • Install a home alarm system monitored by an alarm company and the police.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.

What is that Facebook “Friends” Motivation?

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Sandra Appiah is a curvy lady who wants to friend me. She friended two of my buddies and apparently they accepted because they showed as “2 Friends in Common”. I never automatically friend anyone, so I contacted each bud and neither knew who she was. Go figure.

What got my attention besides the fact that I don’t know her was that she had photos on her page on a bed, scantily clad with belts and Playboy bunny stuff in the room. Red flag anyone? But to my buds, they didn’t seem to see it the way I did.

I sent here a note, “Hi! Where did you learn of me?”

And “her” response: “I am simply online looking for the Love of my life….someone to make my heart skip a beat…shake my whole being. A fairy tale that lasts a life time. Someone to adore and cherish….want to look at his face in the morning. That! A Man who is going to show me true love and passion. Respectful and serious intentions for a long relations and marriage. Trust is everything, honesty. Someone who I can share my day with and hold in my arms forever. THANKS HAVE A NICE DAY I HOPE YOU REPLY ME”

When she contacted me she had 12 friends. Now she has 18. All “dumb” dudes that have no idea that “she” is a scammer in an internet café in Nigeria. Why would anyone facilitate a scam by providing this scammer legitimacy by friending them?

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing social media Facebook scammers on CNN. Disclosures.

Home Invasions on the Rise During Summer

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“Home invasions are especially frightening because the robber may not care who is home or who gets hurt,” states News 12.

We’ve often discussed how the home invader lacks a certain gene that many of us have called “compassion”. A home invader thrives on the chaos, fear and panic of a home invasion and ultimately the invader doesn’t care if anyone gets hurt.  Home invaders often take their act to another level and go far beyond “theft” and escalate to physical violence that involves beatings, rape and torture often resulting in murder.

In Richmond City GA, Richmond County reports at least fifteen robberies or burglaries in the past two weeks during which the victims were at home. Sometimes it seems like the suspect intended to meet the victim; other times they were surprised to find them home. Usually, there is no way to predict a home invasion. Their Lieutenant stated “there’s two main reasons why a criminal actually would want to meet his victim: “The main motivations are drugs and money.” One of the victim also said “I was shaking. I was scared. I wasn’t crying but I had tears in my eyes…I thought, ‘Oh my God, I’m about to die.'”

Wow. Very powerful words, and all too real. Listen to me: I’m a realist. I believe I see things pretty much for what they are. I don’t think things are getting “worse’, but they are definitely getting a little out of hand here and there. There is no reason to live in fear, and you also need to put systems in place so you don’t end up in this situation.

Every family must have a plan for home security and home security alarm.

  • Get a trained German shepherd.
  • Another consideration is a home safe-room also known as a “panic room” where families can hide out in a relatively bullet proof, well stocked room equipped with wireless communications and wait for law enforcement to show up.
  • Never talk to strangers via an open or screen door. Always talk to them through a locked door.
  • NEVER let children open the doors. Always require and adult to do it.
  • Not all home invaders knock, some break in without warning.  Just another reason to have that home alarm on.
  • Install a 24-hour camera surveillance system. Security cameras are a great deterrent.  Have them pointed to every door and access point.

Robert Siciliano personal security expert to Home Security Source discussing Home Invasions on Montel Williams.Disclosures