Accused of stealing over 130 million credit cards ... Albert Gonzalez.
A computer hacker who helped orchestrate the theft of tens of millions of credit and debit card numbers from major retailers in one of the largest such thefts in US history pleaded guilty Tuesday in the last of three cases brought by federal prosecutors.
Read More Now!!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
It's Holiday Time Again
Well the year is almost coming to a close and the holiday season is upon us. During this time it pays to be extra vigilant while using your personal info. CBS News has had and excellent expose on Identity Theft in it's many forms if you missed it there links are a must see.
Your Id being sold online
Stolen Pictures
Medical Id Theft
Your Id being sold online
Stolen Pictures
Medical Id Theft
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Woman Wanted for Major Mail Theft Ring in Upstate
Hi Again,
Even we mostly hear about the big credit card heists there are still local operators that do a lot of damage.
Upstate Mail Teft Ring
Even we mostly hear about the big credit card heists there are still local operators that do a lot of damage.
Upstate Mail Teft Ring
Monday, August 24, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Feds charge man in largest U.S. case of identity theft
U.S Secret Service | Albert Gonzalez is a computer hacker who was involved in a major credit card fraud scheme, according to the U.S. Secret Service.
Feds charge man in largest U.S. case of identity theft
Feds charge man in largest U.S. case of identity theft
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Man Spends 35 Years Trying To Clear His name
Hi Everyone,
I've been saying for years that becoming a victim of identity theft is like falling into a black hole. Many think it's just all hype but here is a real life example.
Read 35 yr.Identity Theft Story here
I've been saying for years that becoming a victim of identity theft is like falling into a black hole. Many think it's just all hype but here is a real life example.
Read 35 yr.Identity Theft Story here
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Promises, promises-Work at home scams
How to avoid getting scammed
Tips on counterfeit checks, fraudulent e-mail addresses, and more
Always be suspicious if you receive a check, money order or bank transfer along with a request to return (or forward) part of the funds to someone else. Experts say there’s no legitimate reason why anyone would give you a check and ask you to wire money in return.
Scammers often create sophisticated counterfeit checks resembling those from financial institutions and large companies. These phony checks and money orders are so realistic-looking that even bank tellers are fooled. Just because you can withdraw the money doesn’t mean the check or money order is good. It can take weeks, even months, for counterfeits to be discovered. But you can still be held responsible.
Before you make a deposit in your account, check it out. Western Union, MoneyGram, and the U.S. Postal Service all have toll-free numbers you can call to help verify whether a money order you receive is authentic. If you receive a check, call the company named on the check directly and ask to verify it.
When contacting companies to verify a check, don’t trust the phone numbers or addresses listed in the job offer. Scammers often create their own phone numbers – and try to fool you if you call them. Go to the phone listings and look up the number for the real company.
Pay attention to e-mail addresses. Major companies generally have their own e-mails. So, if the e-mail is bigcompanyname@yahoo.com or bigcompanyname@gmail.com, for example, it’s likely a scam.
More tips: Read the FBI's recent warning about job scams here, see examples of common counterfeit check schemes here, and go to the FBI's Web site for reporting Internet scams, the Internet Crimes Complaint Center, here.
Work at home scam video
How to avoid work at home scams video
Tips on counterfeit checks, fraudulent e-mail addresses, and more
Always be suspicious if you receive a check, money order or bank transfer along with a request to return (or forward) part of the funds to someone else. Experts say there’s no legitimate reason why anyone would give you a check and ask you to wire money in return.
Scammers often create sophisticated counterfeit checks resembling those from financial institutions and large companies. These phony checks and money orders are so realistic-looking that even bank tellers are fooled. Just because you can withdraw the money doesn’t mean the check or money order is good. It can take weeks, even months, for counterfeits to be discovered. But you can still be held responsible.
Before you make a deposit in your account, check it out. Western Union, MoneyGram, and the U.S. Postal Service all have toll-free numbers you can call to help verify whether a money order you receive is authentic. If you receive a check, call the company named on the check directly and ask to verify it.
When contacting companies to verify a check, don’t trust the phone numbers or addresses listed in the job offer. Scammers often create their own phone numbers – and try to fool you if you call them. Go to the phone listings and look up the number for the real company.
Pay attention to e-mail addresses. Major companies generally have their own e-mails. So, if the e-mail is bigcompanyname@yahoo.com or bigcompanyname@gmail.com, for example, it’s likely a scam.
More tips: Read the FBI's recent warning about job scams here, see examples of common counterfeit check schemes here, and go to the FBI's Web site for reporting Internet scams, the Internet Crimes Complaint Center, here.
Work at home scam video
How to avoid work at home scams video
Monday, January 26, 2009
Major Data Breach Puts Millions At Risk
If the market meltdown, housing and bank crises weren't enough, U.S. consumers can now add the potential of massive credit and debit card fraud to the list financial concerns. A major processor of credit card transactions just disclosed its system had been hacked, putting millions of consumers at risk.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The cyber-thieves went straight to the heart of one of the biggest and most respected credit and debit card processing companies in the country, Heartland Payment Systems of Princeton, N.J.
"It could be the largest breach ever," said cyber law attorney Andrew DeVore. "It would dwarf the largest prior breach."
Sources tell CBS News that hackers cracked Heartland's computers as far back as May of last year. But it wasn't until last week, after being alerted to suspicious activity by Visa and MasterCard, that the company uncovered malicious software in its system.
Heartland, which acts as a middle man between retailers and banks, processes 100 million transactions per month at an estimated 200,000 merchants nationwide - mainly gas stations, bars and restaurants.
The company says about it has alerted about 150,000 of them, but CBS News found several that didn't learn about the breach until we told them.
"I'm disappointed from that point of view that they wouldn't be up front and proactive. Because customers trust us to protect their records and they are the keeper of the record,'' said bar owner Peter O'Connell.
I think the release of information was a bit manipulative in the timing.
Security analyst Avivah Litan of Gartner GroupNow there are concerns the public company has downplayed the danger to untold millions of consumers.
"I think the release of information was a bit manipulative in the timing," said security analyst Avivah Litan of Gartner Group. "It was released on inauguration day, but the incident was known about for days before that."
The president of Heartland originally agreed to an interview with CBS News before canceling. We wanted to ask why the company's inauguration day in which it didn't even mention that millions of credit card numbers and expiration dates - the only information needed for fraud - were stolen.
Only today did Heartland say it doesn't know how many card numbers were compromised. It's only advice was for consumers to check their own statements to make sure they're not the latest victims of financial fraud.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The cyber-thieves went straight to the heart of one of the biggest and most respected credit and debit card processing companies in the country, Heartland Payment Systems of Princeton, N.J.
"It could be the largest breach ever," said cyber law attorney Andrew DeVore. "It would dwarf the largest prior breach."
Sources tell CBS News that hackers cracked Heartland's computers as far back as May of last year. But it wasn't until last week, after being alerted to suspicious activity by Visa and MasterCard, that the company uncovered malicious software in its system.
Heartland, which acts as a middle man between retailers and banks, processes 100 million transactions per month at an estimated 200,000 merchants nationwide - mainly gas stations, bars and restaurants.
The company says about it has alerted about 150,000 of them, but CBS News found several that didn't learn about the breach until we told them.
"I'm disappointed from that point of view that they wouldn't be up front and proactive. Because customers trust us to protect their records and they are the keeper of the record,'' said bar owner Peter O'Connell.
I think the release of information was a bit manipulative in the timing.
Security analyst Avivah Litan of Gartner GroupNow there are concerns the public company has downplayed the danger to untold millions of consumers.
"I think the release of information was a bit manipulative in the timing," said security analyst Avivah Litan of Gartner Group. "It was released on inauguration day, but the incident was known about for days before that."
The president of Heartland originally agreed to an interview with CBS News before canceling. We wanted to ask why the company's inauguration day in which it didn't even mention that millions of credit card numbers and expiration dates - the only information needed for fraud - were stolen.
Only today did Heartland say it doesn't know how many card numbers were compromised. It's only advice was for consumers to check their own statements to make sure they're not the latest victims of financial fraud.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Fake Stimulus Check Scam
The government hasn’t even voted on whether you might get another economic stimulus check, but the Department of Consumer Affairs says scam stimulus checks are hitting South Carolina mail boxes.
Consumer Affairs says the scam begins with a fake rebate check for $7000 and tells you to register for a secondary stimulus check. Investigators say not only will you be out any money you spend from the fake check, but you’ll give your personal information to the scammers who could steal your identity. Add to that, if you call the phone number, a message will try to sell you information on how to make money on foreclosures for fifty bucks.
Said Charles Ellison with the Department of Consumer Affairs, “They’re trying to sell you a packet of information to tell you how to make money on foreclosed homes. Making outrageous claims, government programs to buy foreclosed homes, things of that nature that are just completely bogus.“
If you receive this stimulus check scam, you should not try to cash the check. Instead report it to Consumer Affairs at (800) 922-7594.
Consumer Affairs says the scam begins with a fake rebate check for $7000 and tells you to register for a secondary stimulus check. Investigators say not only will you be out any money you spend from the fake check, but you’ll give your personal information to the scammers who could steal your identity. Add to that, if you call the phone number, a message will try to sell you information on how to make money on foreclosures for fifty bucks.
Said Charles Ellison with the Department of Consumer Affairs, “They’re trying to sell you a packet of information to tell you how to make money on foreclosed homes. Making outrageous claims, government programs to buy foreclosed homes, things of that nature that are just completely bogus.“
If you receive this stimulus check scam, you should not try to cash the check. Instead report it to Consumer Affairs at (800) 922-7594.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
