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Thursday, July 10, 2008
Bank Worker Charged With Identity Theft
A state grand jury has indicted a former employee of the Commerce Bank branch in Mount Laurel on charges she provided personal information of bank customers to individuals who then stole the customers' identities.
Jennifer Mullner, 22, of Hammonton, a former loan services representative at the bank branch; her boyfriend, William Roman, 21, of Galloway; and Anthony Wood, also known as Anthony Bickerstaff, 44, of Philadelphia, were each charged with conspiracy, computer criminal activity and identity theft, which are second-degree offenses.
The indictment alleges that between March 1 and Oct. 30, 2007, Mullner accessed at least 240 bank documents containing customer information, including loan information and account numbers, and unlawfully provided the information to Wood.
Mullner is also accused of providing documents to Roman on two occasions, who then forwarded the information to Wood, according to the indictment. Authorities say Roman was paid $250 for his involvement.
The indictment said the defendants stole the identities of at least five victims and obtained more than $100,000 in merchandise and services.
New Jersey State Police arrested Wood on Feb. 26. He was released from Burlington County Jail on $100,000 bail.
By MELISSA HAYES (Burlington County Times)
Jennifer Mullner, 22, of Hammonton, a former loan services representative at the bank branch; her boyfriend, William Roman, 21, of Galloway; and Anthony Wood, also known as Anthony Bickerstaff, 44, of Philadelphia, were each charged with conspiracy, computer criminal activity and identity theft, which are second-degree offenses.
The indictment alleges that between March 1 and Oct. 30, 2007, Mullner accessed at least 240 bank documents containing customer information, including loan information and account numbers, and unlawfully provided the information to Wood.
Mullner is also accused of providing documents to Roman on two occasions, who then forwarded the information to Wood, according to the indictment. Authorities say Roman was paid $250 for his involvement.
The indictment said the defendants stole the identities of at least five victims and obtained more than $100,000 in merchandise and services.
New Jersey State Police arrested Wood on Feb. 26. He was released from Burlington County Jail on $100,000 bail.
By MELISSA HAYES (Burlington County Times)
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Not Shredding Can Be Costly
Texas Insurance Claims Services in Richardson is the latest business to make the news for what is in their dumpster. The company had boxes of customers' personal information sitting out for anyone to see. They story was reported to WFAA after a man was taking pictures of the dumpsters contents. The man claimed he was just looking for boxes but it is unclear why he was taking pictures. The business owner said the files were five years old and he was no longer required to save them. The cost of the fines will easily exceed the cost of the paper shredding.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Identity Theft Suspect Accused Of Stealing More
Jocelyn S. Kirsch can't seem to break the habit.
Already described as a poster child for identity theft by Philadelphia's top federal prosecutor, a handcuffed Kirsch ended up in court yesterday after prosecutors said she stole another credit card in California last week.
She wasn't charged in the theft, but U.S. Magistrate Judge Lynne A. Sitarski set federal bail at $50,000 and ordered Kirsch, 22, held under house arrest until another court hearing next week.
Kirsch is expected to plead guilty June 5 in U.S. District Court in Center City to a six-count complaint charging her and boyfriend Edward K. Anderton with using the good names and credit of others to finance a yearlong, $119,000 spending spree. Anderton, 25, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, has a court date Monday and also is expected to plead guilty.
U.S. Attorney Patrick L. Meehan has said he would seek five-year terms for both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Lappen said Kirsch took the credit card of an acquaintance and used it.
Earlier this month, Meehan called Kirsch and Anderton - dubbed a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde by police - the "poster children for identity theft."
No one was immune from their greed, Meehan said. They allegedly preyed on coworkers, neighbors and friends. The list also included another couple from whom the pair took information, first when they were guests and later when they burgled their hosts' home.
Officials said the duo's elaborate scheme involved at least 16 victims before they were arrested in December.
Their actions ranged from simply stealing purses at a Center City bar to establishing multiple accounts under different names and wearing disguises to withdraw money from some of those bank accounts, prosecutors said.
Already described as a poster child for identity theft by Philadelphia's top federal prosecutor, a handcuffed Kirsch ended up in court yesterday after prosecutors said she stole another credit card in California last week.
She wasn't charged in the theft, but U.S. Magistrate Judge Lynne A. Sitarski set federal bail at $50,000 and ordered Kirsch, 22, held under house arrest until another court hearing next week.
Kirsch is expected to plead guilty June 5 in U.S. District Court in Center City to a six-count complaint charging her and boyfriend Edward K. Anderton with using the good names and credit of others to finance a yearlong, $119,000 spending spree. Anderton, 25, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, has a court date Monday and also is expected to plead guilty.
U.S. Attorney Patrick L. Meehan has said he would seek five-year terms for both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Lappen said Kirsch took the credit card of an acquaintance and used it.
Earlier this month, Meehan called Kirsch and Anderton - dubbed a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde by police - the "poster children for identity theft."
No one was immune from their greed, Meehan said. They allegedly preyed on coworkers, neighbors and friends. The list also included another couple from whom the pair took information, first when they were guests and later when they burgled their hosts' home.
Officials said the duo's elaborate scheme involved at least 16 victims before they were arrested in December.
Their actions ranged from simply stealing purses at a Center City bar to establishing multiple accounts under different names and wearing disguises to withdraw money from some of those bank accounts, prosecutors said.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Identity Theft Through A Lifetime
Identity thieves discriminate to some degree. Anyone -- young or old, rich or poor -- can be a victim, but fraudsters generally prefer the easiest targets.
While most Americans are doing more to protect themselves from identity theft, others allow themselves to be more vulnerable. The greatest risk is to the 25- to 34-year-old age group. The good news is that as we get older, we're less likely to become a victim.
"What we're finding is that once somebody gets past the age of 44, the numbers start going down," says Keith Anderson, a spokesman for the Federal Trade Commission.
Still, 8.1 million adult Americans last year discovered that ID thieves had breached their personal data and committed one or more crimes against them, according to a February report by Pleasanton, Calif.-based Javelin Strategy & Research.
Children - In February, the FTC reported about 5 percent of all identity theft complaints involved victims under 18.
Teens and young adults - Most of the time, parents don't even think to check their child's credit report. But by the time the child graduates from high school, it could be too late. To complicate matters, teens and young adults are among the least likely to take steps to prevent identity theft. College students are notorious for leaving doors unlocked, computers unsecured and credit card bills in plain sight of potential thieves -- behaviors that invite trouble. If you have roommates, you should always keep paper statements under lock and key. Paper is a risky financial document. Six percent of all ID fraud comes from paper documents.
Young families - Newlyweds just starting out generally have positive outlooks, believing that the best days are ahead of them. But if their credit card or bank account information were filched somehow, they may face tough times ahead instead. If an ID thief gets a person's checks or debit card and drains his bank account, he generally has 48 hours to report the fraud. After that brief window, the person's on the hook for $500. If he doesn't report fraud within 60 days, his liability is unlimited.
Seniors - 89 percent of consumers age 50 to 64 said they regularly shred unnecessary documents containing sensitive information. Some 69 percent said they would consider initiating a credit freeze to protect their information. In the 65-plus age category, nearly 79 percent shred documents, and 53 percent would consider initiating a freeze.
Read the full article here : http://biz.yahoo.com/brn/080527/25449.html?.v=1
While most Americans are doing more to protect themselves from identity theft, others allow themselves to be more vulnerable. The greatest risk is to the 25- to 34-year-old age group. The good news is that as we get older, we're less likely to become a victim.
"What we're finding is that once somebody gets past the age of 44, the numbers start going down," says Keith Anderson, a spokesman for the Federal Trade Commission.
Still, 8.1 million adult Americans last year discovered that ID thieves had breached their personal data and committed one or more crimes against them, according to a February report by Pleasanton, Calif.-based Javelin Strategy & Research.
Children - In February, the FTC reported about 5 percent of all identity theft complaints involved victims under 18.
Teens and young adults - Most of the time, parents don't even think to check their child's credit report. But by the time the child graduates from high school, it could be too late. To complicate matters, teens and young adults are among the least likely to take steps to prevent identity theft. College students are notorious for leaving doors unlocked, computers unsecured and credit card bills in plain sight of potential thieves -- behaviors that invite trouble. If you have roommates, you should always keep paper statements under lock and key. Paper is a risky financial document. Six percent of all ID fraud comes from paper documents.
Young families - Newlyweds just starting out generally have positive outlooks, believing that the best days are ahead of them. But if their credit card or bank account information were filched somehow, they may face tough times ahead instead. If an ID thief gets a person's checks or debit card and drains his bank account, he generally has 48 hours to report the fraud. After that brief window, the person's on the hook for $500. If he doesn't report fraud within 60 days, his liability is unlimited.
Seniors - 89 percent of consumers age 50 to 64 said they regularly shred unnecessary documents containing sensitive information. Some 69 percent said they would consider initiating a credit freeze to protect their information. In the 65-plus age category, nearly 79 percent shred documents, and 53 percent would consider initiating a freeze.
Read the full article here : http://biz.yahoo.com/brn/080527/25449.html?.v=1
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Two Defendants Sentenced for Identity Theft Conspiracy
John F. Wood, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that two defendants were sentenced in federal court Tuesday for participating in an identity theft conspiracy.
Tarik I. Liwaru, 34, of Kansas City, Kan., and Michelle Rene Williams, 40, of Kansas City, Mo., were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Ortrie D. Smith. Liwaru was sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole, which is the statutory maximum penalty. The court also ordered Liwaru to pay $160,272 in restitution. Williams was sentenced to 30 months federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Williams to pay $114,283 in restitution.
Approximately 116 victims suffered a total loss of more than $400,000 as a result of two separate fraud schemes that were perpetrated using stolen identity information. Among 16 co-defendants charged in an Aug. 10, 2006, federal indictment and a later superseding indictment, four co-defendants have been convicted at trial and 12 co-defendants have pleaded guilty.
On Oct. 26, 2007, Liwaru, along with co-defendants Carlton Strother, 39, and Arlester E. Scott, Jr., 42, both of Kansas City, and Chandra L. Jenkins, 28, of Plano, Texas, were convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit identity theft and access device fraud. The defendants used stolen identity information to open credit accounts and make purchases at stores like Sam's Club, Target, Old Navy, Home Depot and others. They also used the stolen identity information to finance an automobile purchase and to apply for cellular telephone service.
Strother and Jenkins were also convicted of participating in a separate conspiracy, a mortgage fraud scheme that involved the use of stolen identity information to obtain more than $2 million in mortgages. Conspirators obtained three separate mortgages to purchase homes in Lee's Summit and Kansas City, as well as lines of credit and credit cards at a bank in Texas. Strother and Jenkins are scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday, May 21, 2008. A sentencing hearing for Scott has not been scheduled.
Liwaru, Scott and Strother were found guilty of participating in the conspiracy to commit identity theft from March 3, 2005, to Sept. 26, 2005. They obtained personal identification information of persons together with their personal credit information. They used a computer to create counterfeit driver's licenses in the names of the identity theft victims for the purpose of making unauthorized applications for credit. Personal identity information of the identity theft victims was stolen from two Kansas City-area businesses - Jeremy Franklin Suzuki and Hearthside Lending, a real estate loan brokerage - that kept large volumes of credit information of their customers, including credit bureau reports that reflected the creditworthiness of each identity theft victim.
Liwaru provided Strother with stolen credit bureau reports from Hearthside Lending. Evidence presented during the trial indicates that 76 victims (who had been customers of Hearthside Lending) suffered a total loss of more than $160,272 as a result of the first conspiracy.
Scott, a former employee of Jeremy Franklin Suzuki, stole credit bureau reports obtained by the car dealership in connection with the financing of automobile sales, then sold them to Strother. Evidence presented during the trial indicates that 40 victims (who had been customers of Jeremy Franklin Suzuki) suffered a total loss of more than $67,837 as a result of the first conspiracy.
Conspirators who managed the scheme recruited others to the conspiracy by promising them a share of the proceeds. The identity theft victims' financial information was used by the conspirators to make computer-generated counterfeit Kansas driver's licenses, which contained the information of the identity theft victims, but with the photo of one of the recruited conspirators, or shoppers. The shoppers used the stolen identities and counterfeit driver's licenses to make instant credit applications at retail stores while posing as the identity theft victims. Once the instant credit applications were approved, they made credit purchases at the stores.
On Oct. 5, 2007, Williams pleaded guilty to her role in the identity theft conspiracy. Williams admitted that she used the stolen identity information of at least eight different victims to make instant credit applications and more than $85,884 in purchases over a period of about five months during the summer of 2005.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Cowles. It was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service Financial Crimes Task Force, including officers from the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department, the Johnson County, Kan., Sheriff's Department, the U. S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS-Criminal Investigation
Tarik I. Liwaru, 34, of Kansas City, Kan., and Michelle Rene Williams, 40, of Kansas City, Mo., were sentenced in separate appearances before U.S. District Judge Ortrie D. Smith. Liwaru was sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole, which is the statutory maximum penalty. The court also ordered Liwaru to pay $160,272 in restitution. Williams was sentenced to 30 months federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Williams to pay $114,283 in restitution.
Approximately 116 victims suffered a total loss of more than $400,000 as a result of two separate fraud schemes that were perpetrated using stolen identity information. Among 16 co-defendants charged in an Aug. 10, 2006, federal indictment and a later superseding indictment, four co-defendants have been convicted at trial and 12 co-defendants have pleaded guilty.
On Oct. 26, 2007, Liwaru, along with co-defendants Carlton Strother, 39, and Arlester E. Scott, Jr., 42, both of Kansas City, and Chandra L. Jenkins, 28, of Plano, Texas, were convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit identity theft and access device fraud. The defendants used stolen identity information to open credit accounts and make purchases at stores like Sam's Club, Target, Old Navy, Home Depot and others. They also used the stolen identity information to finance an automobile purchase and to apply for cellular telephone service.
Strother and Jenkins were also convicted of participating in a separate conspiracy, a mortgage fraud scheme that involved the use of stolen identity information to obtain more than $2 million in mortgages. Conspirators obtained three separate mortgages to purchase homes in Lee's Summit and Kansas City, as well as lines of credit and credit cards at a bank in Texas. Strother and Jenkins are scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday, May 21, 2008. A sentencing hearing for Scott has not been scheduled.
Liwaru, Scott and Strother were found guilty of participating in the conspiracy to commit identity theft from March 3, 2005, to Sept. 26, 2005. They obtained personal identification information of persons together with their personal credit information. They used a computer to create counterfeit driver's licenses in the names of the identity theft victims for the purpose of making unauthorized applications for credit. Personal identity information of the identity theft victims was stolen from two Kansas City-area businesses - Jeremy Franklin Suzuki and Hearthside Lending, a real estate loan brokerage - that kept large volumes of credit information of their customers, including credit bureau reports that reflected the creditworthiness of each identity theft victim.
Liwaru provided Strother with stolen credit bureau reports from Hearthside Lending. Evidence presented during the trial indicates that 76 victims (who had been customers of Hearthside Lending) suffered a total loss of more than $160,272 as a result of the first conspiracy.
Scott, a former employee of Jeremy Franklin Suzuki, stole credit bureau reports obtained by the car dealership in connection with the financing of automobile sales, then sold them to Strother. Evidence presented during the trial indicates that 40 victims (who had been customers of Jeremy Franklin Suzuki) suffered a total loss of more than $67,837 as a result of the first conspiracy.
Conspirators who managed the scheme recruited others to the conspiracy by promising them a share of the proceeds. The identity theft victims' financial information was used by the conspirators to make computer-generated counterfeit Kansas driver's licenses, which contained the information of the identity theft victims, but with the photo of one of the recruited conspirators, or shoppers. The shoppers used the stolen identities and counterfeit driver's licenses to make instant credit applications at retail stores while posing as the identity theft victims. Once the instant credit applications were approved, they made credit purchases at the stores.
On Oct. 5, 2007, Williams pleaded guilty to her role in the identity theft conspiracy. Williams admitted that she used the stolen identity information of at least eight different victims to make instant credit applications and more than $85,884 in purchases over a period of about five months during the summer of 2005.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John E. Cowles. It was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service Financial Crimes Task Force, including officers from the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department, the Johnson County, Kan., Sheriff's Department, the U. S. Postal Inspection Service, and IRS-Criminal Investigation
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
ID Theft Seminar Includes Document Shredding Service
Identity theft continues to be an increasing crime, and a free seminar is designed to help you avoid being the next victim.
The seminar, called "Stop Identity Theft," will be Thursday morning at the Florence-Lauderdale Coliseum.
A document shredding service will be available in conjunction with the seminar.
The seminar is presented by the Better Business Bureau of the Shoals, Listerhill Credit Union and University of North Alabama Small Business Development Center.
Christy Yeiser, regional vice president over the bureau in the Shoals, said each person can bring up to two bags or boxes of documents, checkbooks and files that have sensitive information. Those will be shredded by a professional shredding company in the area. She said it is not necessary to remove staples and paper clips.
You can go through the line more than once, if you have additional items.
Paul Davis, an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission, will conduct a seminar from 9-11 a.m.
Registration for the seminar begins at 8:30 a.m. Those who register will receive information on detecting and preventing identification theft. Refreshments and door prizes also will be available.
Yeiser said there were more than 8.1 million cases of ID theft nationwide in 2007. That resulted in some $45 billion in losses.
"Over half of that was traced to some type of paper trail," Yeiser said.
That includes items that could be taken from your mailbox or garbage, or even from your own possession, she said.
"Only one-third of ID thefts occurred online or through some other electronic means," Yeiser said.
"It is extremely important for businesses to safely destroy personal information of their customers and employees and it is equally important for all residents to shred their sensitive documents."
She said identity theft can result in a long nightmare of problems, depending on how much damage the thief did with your identification, and how many places he or she purchased items from while using your identification.
The seminar, called "Stop Identity Theft," will be Thursday morning at the Florence-Lauderdale Coliseum.
A document shredding service will be available in conjunction with the seminar.
The seminar is presented by the Better Business Bureau of the Shoals, Listerhill Credit Union and University of North Alabama Small Business Development Center.
Christy Yeiser, regional vice president over the bureau in the Shoals, said each person can bring up to two bags or boxes of documents, checkbooks and files that have sensitive information. Those will be shredded by a professional shredding company in the area. She said it is not necessary to remove staples and paper clips.
You can go through the line more than once, if you have additional items.
Paul Davis, an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission, will conduct a seminar from 9-11 a.m.
Registration for the seminar begins at 8:30 a.m. Those who register will receive information on detecting and preventing identification theft. Refreshments and door prizes also will be available.
Yeiser said there were more than 8.1 million cases of ID theft nationwide in 2007. That resulted in some $45 billion in losses.
"Over half of that was traced to some type of paper trail," Yeiser said.
That includes items that could be taken from your mailbox or garbage, or even from your own possession, she said.
"Only one-third of ID thefts occurred online or through some other electronic means," Yeiser said.
"It is extremely important for businesses to safely destroy personal information of their customers and employees and it is equally important for all residents to shred their sensitive documents."
She said identity theft can result in a long nightmare of problems, depending on how much damage the thief did with your identification, and how many places he or she purchased items from while using your identification.
Friday, June 13, 2008
The Environmental Benefits of Shredding Paper
Shredding paper is not only a safe and secure way of preventing valuable information from getting into the hands of the wrong people. It is also a great way to contribute to helping the environment.
Shredding companies will recycle whatever paper they’ve shredded, allowing your garbage to be used again instead of wasting space in a landfill. Also, by recycling the shredded paper, you help prevent the destruction of more virgin forest normally used to produce more, non-eco-friendly paper.
And if you don’t use a shredding company, shredded paper can still be put to better use than un-shredded paper. Enough shredded paper can be used as a substitute for Styrofoam peanuts when packing products. Not only is this cost-effective, but the shredded paper is less harmful to the environment than the Styrofoam. Shredded paper can also be composted rather than thrown into a landfill. Composting helps break the paper down naturally. And, of course, you can always still recycle the paper yourself.
By shredding paper instead of throwing it out, you open up numerous environmentally healthy alternatives to disposing of it rather than simply throwing it in the dumpster.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Northwest Airlines Takes off with LifeLock to Protect WorldPerks Members from Identity Theft
TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a strategic alliance to further safeguard the personal information of consumers, LifeLock® CEO Todd Davis has announced today a partnership with Northwest Airlines (NYSE: NWA - News) to offer LifeLock’s industry leading identity theft protection services to the airline’s WorldPerks® members. WorldPerks members will receive a discount on LifeLock’s service as well as 1,500 WorldPerks miles upon an annual enrollment with LifeLock. Members will be required to provide their WorldPerks number upon subscribing to LifeLock to receive the bonus miles.
“Security plays an integral role in airports throughout America and the security of personal information and individual identities is just as important,” said Davis. “We applaud the efforts that Northwest Airlines is making to protect their WorldPerks members from identity theft.”
As the industry leader in identity theft protection, LifeLock requests on behalf of its clients that the national credit bureaus place fraud alerts on its members’ credit files, and requests that members’ names be removed from pre-approved credit card offer and junk mail lists. It is backed by a $1 million service guarantee. In addition to the proactive identity theft protection measures provided by LifeLock, members are also entitled to LifeLock’s WalletLock™, eRecon™ and TrueAddress™ services. WalletLock works to cancel and replace all documents and personal identifying information inside a wallet if it is lost or stolen. eRecon is a regular patrol of the Internet in search of social security numbers, credit card numbers, driver’s license numbers and email addresses of LifeLock members to protect against the information being illegally traded or sold online. LifeLock’s TrueAddress service searches to see if members have had a change of address form filed and alert them if there are changes made that they may be unaware of.
In February 2008, the Federal Trade Commission released its annual report continuing with the annual trend that identity theft tops the list of consumer complaints. In 2007, identity theft cost Americans $1.2 billion dollars, the highest amount ever. A multi-billion dollar crime, identity theft is non-discriminatory, hitting Americans in every age range from infants to seniors. Already this year, more than 448 organizations – from financial institutions to healthcare providers – have lost client information affecting more than 127.6 million Americans.
“We are proud to partner with LifeLock to offer their proven identity theft protection service to our WorldPerks members,” said Bob Soukup, managing director of WorldPerks marketing.
We believe strongly that it our responsibility to protect the safety of our WorldPerks members to the best of our ability,” said EXECUTIVE NAME, EXECUTIVE TITLE with Northwest Airlines. “Helping to safeguard the identities of our members is paramount and we are proud to partner with LifeLock to offer their simple, proven identity theft protection service to our WorldPerks members.”
More than 70 different businesses offer WorldPerks members the opportunity to earn WorldPerks miles, just by doing business with companies they do business with every day. Mileage partners encompass car, hotel, financial services, dining and retail and will soon include grocery, energy and dry cleaning businesses. For a complete list of WorldPerks partner business, or to enroll as a WorldPerks member, log on to www.nwa.com/worldperks/.
About LifeLock®
Famous for its CEO giving out his Social Security Number in advertising and national press, the company is experiencing strong growth. Located in a secure facility in Tempe, Arizona, LifeLock® (www.lifelock.com) is a private company backed by Goldman Sachs, Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, as well as Bessemer Venture Partners. Winner of the 2007 American Business Award for the Best Radio Advertising Campaign, LifeLock was a finalist for 10 other ABA awards, including Best New Company and Best New Product/Service. Recently the company was named recipient of the Red Herring 100 Global Award as one of the Top 100 start-up’s in the world.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
MetLife Enhances Travel Assistance with Identity Theft Solutions
"MetLife, the largest U.S. life insurer and a leading provider of employee benefits, today announced the enhancement of its Travel Assistance offering by adding Identity Theft Solutions as a standard benefit. Offered in partnership with, and administered by, AXA Assistance USA, Inc. Travel Assistance is an optional feature available with MetLife's Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) products and Business Travel Accident (BTA) insurance - all part of MetLife's comprehensive portfolio of group life products.
The Federal Trade Commission estimates that more than 8 million adults have their identities stolen each year. "Restoring one's good name after an identity theft can be a stressful and complicated process," notes Graham Cox, vice president, Life Product Management, MetLife. "That's why access to educational resources to help prevent identity theft is so important. Should it occur, having personal assistance during this challenging time can help employees expedite a resolution. Identity Theft Solutions can help employers optimize the value of their group life benefits, while providing a living benefit that employees can use today."
Identity Theft Solutions provides tips and education on how to prevent identity theft and personal guidance in the event that it takes place."
If you want to read more of this article, click here http://www.centredaily.com/business/story/606275.html
The Federal Trade Commission estimates that more than 8 million adults have their identities stolen each year. "Restoring one's good name after an identity theft can be a stressful and complicated process," notes Graham Cox, vice president, Life Product Management, MetLife. "That's why access to educational resources to help prevent identity theft is so important. Should it occur, having personal assistance during this challenging time can help employees expedite a resolution. Identity Theft Solutions can help employers optimize the value of their group life benefits, while providing a living benefit that employees can use today."
Identity Theft Solutions provides tips and education on how to prevent identity theft and personal guidance in the event that it takes place."
If you want to read more of this article, click here http://www.centredaily.com/business/story/606275.html
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Why Use Shredding Services?
Shredding documents has become a normal routine in business. It destroys important and confidential information in a way that eliminates any opportunity of identity theft. However, as a business grows, so does the amount of confidential documents it needs to dispose of, and doing it on your own can take up too much time and require too much personal equipment. So shredding services can help.
Using shredding services are an easy and effective way to help your business get rid of old documents, while keeping the information on them confidential and secure. With the inclusion of a shredding service, a burden can be lifted from you and your employees’ backs. Rather than having to go through the time-wasting and expensive process of owning and maintaining your own shredding equipment, a shredding service uses its own equipment, does the shredding for you, and disposes of the shredded materials under your supervision.
Shredding services are affordable too. Most companies let you choose whichever payment works best for you (frequency of service vs. time the service takes), so that you can make sure to get the best deal. On top of that, a pound of paper costs mere pennies to be disposed of.
Not only are shredding services a great way to help your business get rid of documents, they can also be good for the environment. The waste produced by shredding services is recycled and helps prevent deforestation.
Recruiting a shredding service for your business is a step in the right direction for working in a safer and more efficient environment.
Using shredding services are an easy and effective way to help your business get rid of old documents, while keeping the information on them confidential and secure. With the inclusion of a shredding service, a burden can be lifted from you and your employees’ backs. Rather than having to go through the time-wasting and expensive process of owning and maintaining your own shredding equipment, a shredding service uses its own equipment, does the shredding for you, and disposes of the shredded materials under your supervision.
Shredding services are affordable too. Most companies let you choose whichever payment works best for you (frequency of service vs. time the service takes), so that you can make sure to get the best deal. On top of that, a pound of paper costs mere pennies to be disposed of.
Not only are shredding services a great way to help your business get rid of documents, they can also be good for the environment. The waste produced by shredding services is recycled and helps prevent deforestation.
Recruiting a shredding service for your business is a step in the right direction for working in a safer and more efficient environment.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Medical Records, Identity Theft, and the Proper Disposal
Identity theft is an all too common problem in the Internet age. With the growth of online shopping and buying, all it takes is for someone to find your credit card number and purchase products from websites with complete anonymity. It’s important to keep your private information private and out of reach of identity thieves.
But your credit card isn’t the only thing that can fall victim to identity theft. Medical records with your health insurance information listed can be used by identity thieves to receive health services under your name. Though congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in 1996, encouraging the transactions of health services to be performed electronically, hard-copy records can still be received. And if they are not disposed of properly, anyone can get their hands on them.
This is why it is good idea to implement shredding services when you no longer need your medical records. These services will properly and confidentially destroy any medical records you have, allowing you to dispose of them without having to worry about them getting into the wrong hands.
When choosing a shredding service, make sure that it is one you can trust. Have the employees undergone background checks? Work with a service that can come to you, allowing you to supervise the destruction of your documents to your satisfaction and confirm that everything was done correctly. And to be sure your shredded documents are being used in a practical and environmental manner, choose a shredding service that recycles the papers you’ve shredded.
It is important to keep yourself safe from identity theft, but it’s also important that if you need help, you do it with a company you trust. A reliable shredding service can be one you keep going back to, developing a strong and secure relationship. So choose wisely.
But your credit card isn’t the only thing that can fall victim to identity theft. Medical records with your health insurance information listed can be used by identity thieves to receive health services under your name. Though congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act in 1996, encouraging the transactions of health services to be performed electronically, hard-copy records can still be received. And if they are not disposed of properly, anyone can get their hands on them.
This is why it is good idea to implement shredding services when you no longer need your medical records. These services will properly and confidentially destroy any medical records you have, allowing you to dispose of them without having to worry about them getting into the wrong hands.
When choosing a shredding service, make sure that it is one you can trust. Have the employees undergone background checks? Work with a service that can come to you, allowing you to supervise the destruction of your documents to your satisfaction and confirm that everything was done correctly. And to be sure your shredded documents are being used in a practical and environmental manner, choose a shredding service that recycles the papers you’ve shredded.
It is important to keep yourself safe from identity theft, but it’s also important that if you need help, you do it with a company you trust. A reliable shredding service can be one you keep going back to, developing a strong and secure relationship. So choose wisely.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Stimulus Payments Scams
IRS Warns of New E-Mail and Telephone Scams Using the IRS Name ; Advance Payment Scams Starting
Updated April 21, 2008
Some people have received phone calls about the economic stimulus payments, in which the caller impersonates an IRS employee. The caller asks the taxpayer for their Social Security and bank account numbers, claiming that the IRS needs the information to complete the processing of the taxayer's payment. In reality, the IRS uses the information contained on the taxpayer's tax return to process stimulus payments, rather than contacting taxpayers by phone or e-mail.
An e-mail claiming to come from the IRS about the "2008 Economic Stimulus Refund" tells recipients to click on a link to fill out a form, apparently for direct deposit of the payment into their bank account. This appears to be an identity theft scheme to obtain recipients' personal and financial information so the scammers can clean out their victims' financial accounts. In reality, taxpayers do not have to fill out a separate form to get a stimulus payment or have it directly deposited; all they had to do was file a tax return and provide direct deposit information on the return.
IR-2008-11, Jan. 30, 2008
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today warned taxpayers to beware of several current e-mail and telephone scams that use the IRS name as a lure. The IRS expects such scams to continue through the end of tax return filing season and beyond.
The IRS cautioned taxpayers to be on the lookout for scams involving proposed advance payment checks. Although the government has not yet enacted an economic stimulus package in which the IRS would provide advance payments, known informally as rebates to many Americans, a scam which uses the proposed rebates as bait has already cropped up.
The goal of the scams is to trick people into revealing personal and financial information, such as Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers, which the scammers can use to commit identity theft.
Typically, identity thieves use a victim’s personal and financial data to empty the victim’s financial accounts, run up charges on the victim’s existing credit cards, apply for new loans, credit cards, services or benefits in the victim’s name, file fraudulent tax returns or even commit crimes. Most of these fraudulent activities can be committed electronically from a remote location, including overseas. Committing these activities in cyberspace allows scamsters to act quickly and cover their tracks before the victim becomes aware of the theft.
People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years — and their hard-earned money — cleaning up the mess thieves have made of their reputations and credit records. In the meantime, victims may lose job opportunities, may be refused loans, education, housing or cars, or even get arrested for crimes they didn't commit.
The most recent scams brought to IRS attention are described below.
Rebate Phone Call
At least one scheme using the word “rebate” as part of the lure has been identified. In that scam, consumers receive a phone call from someone identifying himself as an IRS employee. The caller tells the targeted victim that he is eligible for a sizable rebate for filing his taxes early. The caller then states that he needs the target’s bank account information for the direct deposit of the rebate. If the target refuses, he is told that he cannot receive the rebate.
This phone call is a scam. No legislation has yet been enacted that would allow the IRS to provide advance payments to taxpayers or that determines the details of those payments. Moreover, the IRS does not force taxpayers to use direct deposit. Those who opt for direct deposit do so by completing the appropriate section of their tax return, with bank routing and account information, when they file; the IRS does not gather the information by telephone.
Refund e-Mail
The IRS has seen several variations of a refund-related bogus e-mail which falsely claims to come from the IRS, tells the recipient that he or she is eligible for a tax refund for a specific amount, and instructs the recipient to click on a link in the e-mail to access a refund claim form. The form asks the recipient to enter personal information that the scamsters can then use to access the e-mail recipient’s bank or credit card account.
In a new wrinkle, the current version of the refund scam includes two paragraphs that appear to be directed toward tax-exempt organizations that distribute funds to other organizations or individuals. The e-mail contains the name and supposed signature of the Director of the IRS’s Exempt Organizations business division.
This e-mail is a phony. The IRS does not send unsolicited e-mail about tax account matters to individual, business, tax-exempt or other taxpayers.
Filing a tax return is the only way to apply for a tax refund; there is no separate application form. Taxpayers who wish to find out if they are due a refund from their last annual tax return filing may use the “Where’s My Refund?” interactive application on this Web site, IRS.gov. The only official IRS Web site is located here at http://www.irs.gov/.
Audit e-Mail
Another new scam brought to IRS attention contains features not seen before by the IRS. Using a technique calculated to get almost anyone’s attention, the e-mail notifies the recipient that his or her tax return will be audited. This is the first scam of which the IRS is aware that uses this to get the victim to respond.
Unusual for a scam e-mail, it may contain a salutation in the body addressed to the specific recipient by name. Most scam e-mails seen by the IRS are sent using the same technique used by spammers, in which hundreds of thousands of messages are sent to potential victims based on Internet address. Because of the volume, the typical scam e-mail is not personalized.
This e-mail instructs the recipient to click on links to complete forms with personal and account information, which the scammers will use to commit identity theft.
This e-mail is a phony. The IRS does not send unsolicited, tax-account related e-mails to taxpayers.
Changes to Tax Law e-Mail
This bogus e-mail is addressed to businesses, accountants and “Treasury” managers. It instructs them to download information on tax law changes by clicking on a series of links to publications on businesses, estate taxes, excise taxes, exempt organizations and IRAs and other retirement plans. The IRS believes that clicking on a link downloads malware onto the recipient’s computer. Malware is malicious code that can take over the victim’s computer hard drive, giving someone remote access to the computer, or it could look for passwords and other information and send them to the scamster. There are other types of malware, as well.
The urls contained in the link are not legitimate IRS Web addresses. All IRS.gov Web page addresses begin with http://www.irs.gov/.
Paper Check Phone Call
In a current telephone scam, a caller claims to be an IRS employee who is calling because the IRS sent a check to the individual being called. The caller states that because the check has not been cashed, the IRS wants to verify the individual’s bank account number. The caller may have a foreign accent.
In reality, the IRS leaves it entirely up to the individual to choose to cash or not cash a paper check. The IRS has no business need to know, and does not ask for, bank account or similar information, except when taxpayers indicate on their tax return that they are opting for the direct electronic deposit of their refund. In that case, however, it is the individual’s responsibility to provide the IRS with the correct bank routing and account numbers on the tax return; the IRS does not contact taxpayers to verify the information.
What to Do
Anyone wishing to access the IRS Web site should initiate contact by typing the IRS.gov address into their Internet address window, rather than clicking on a link in an e-mail or opening an attachment.
Those who have received a questionable e-mail claiming to come from the IRS may forward it to a mailbox the IRS has established to receive such e-mails, phishing@irs.gov, using instructions contained in an article titled “How to Protect Yourself from Suspicious E-Mails or Phishing Schemes.” Following the instructions will help the IRS track the suspicious e-mail to its origins and shut down the scam. Find the article by visiting IRS.gov and entering the words “suspicious e-mails” into the search box in the upper right corner of the front page.
Those who have received a questionable telephone call that claims to come from the IRS may also use the phishing@irs.gov mailbox to notify the IRS of the scam.
The IRS has issued previous warnings on scams that use the IRS to lure victims into believing the scam is legitimate. More information on identity theft, phishing and telephone scams using the IRS name, logo or spoofed (copied) Web site is available on this Web site. Enter the terms “phishing,” “identity theft” or “e-mail scams” into the search box in the upper right corner of the front page.
Updated April 21, 2008
Some people have received phone calls about the economic stimulus payments, in which the caller impersonates an IRS employee. The caller asks the taxpayer for their Social Security and bank account numbers, claiming that the IRS needs the information to complete the processing of the taxayer's payment. In reality, the IRS uses the information contained on the taxpayer's tax return to process stimulus payments, rather than contacting taxpayers by phone or e-mail.
An e-mail claiming to come from the IRS about the "2008 Economic Stimulus Refund" tells recipients to click on a link to fill out a form, apparently for direct deposit of the payment into their bank account. This appears to be an identity theft scheme to obtain recipients' personal and financial information so the scammers can clean out their victims' financial accounts. In reality, taxpayers do not have to fill out a separate form to get a stimulus payment or have it directly deposited; all they had to do was file a tax return and provide direct deposit information on the return.
IR-2008-11, Jan. 30, 2008
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today warned taxpayers to beware of several current e-mail and telephone scams that use the IRS name as a lure. The IRS expects such scams to continue through the end of tax return filing season and beyond.
The IRS cautioned taxpayers to be on the lookout for scams involving proposed advance payment checks. Although the government has not yet enacted an economic stimulus package in which the IRS would provide advance payments, known informally as rebates to many Americans, a scam which uses the proposed rebates as bait has already cropped up.
The goal of the scams is to trick people into revealing personal and financial information, such as Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers, which the scammers can use to commit identity theft.
Typically, identity thieves use a victim’s personal and financial data to empty the victim’s financial accounts, run up charges on the victim’s existing credit cards, apply for new loans, credit cards, services or benefits in the victim’s name, file fraudulent tax returns or even commit crimes. Most of these fraudulent activities can be committed electronically from a remote location, including overseas. Committing these activities in cyberspace allows scamsters to act quickly and cover their tracks before the victim becomes aware of the theft.
People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years — and their hard-earned money — cleaning up the mess thieves have made of their reputations and credit records. In the meantime, victims may lose job opportunities, may be refused loans, education, housing or cars, or even get arrested for crimes they didn't commit.
The most recent scams brought to IRS attention are described below.
Rebate Phone Call
At least one scheme using the word “rebate” as part of the lure has been identified. In that scam, consumers receive a phone call from someone identifying himself as an IRS employee. The caller tells the targeted victim that he is eligible for a sizable rebate for filing his taxes early. The caller then states that he needs the target’s bank account information for the direct deposit of the rebate. If the target refuses, he is told that he cannot receive the rebate.
This phone call is a scam. No legislation has yet been enacted that would allow the IRS to provide advance payments to taxpayers or that determines the details of those payments. Moreover, the IRS does not force taxpayers to use direct deposit. Those who opt for direct deposit do so by completing the appropriate section of their tax return, with bank routing and account information, when they file; the IRS does not gather the information by telephone.
Refund e-Mail
The IRS has seen several variations of a refund-related bogus e-mail which falsely claims to come from the IRS, tells the recipient that he or she is eligible for a tax refund for a specific amount, and instructs the recipient to click on a link in the e-mail to access a refund claim form. The form asks the recipient to enter personal information that the scamsters can then use to access the e-mail recipient’s bank or credit card account.
In a new wrinkle, the current version of the refund scam includes two paragraphs that appear to be directed toward tax-exempt organizations that distribute funds to other organizations or individuals. The e-mail contains the name and supposed signature of the Director of the IRS’s Exempt Organizations business division.
This e-mail is a phony. The IRS does not send unsolicited e-mail about tax account matters to individual, business, tax-exempt or other taxpayers.
Filing a tax return is the only way to apply for a tax refund; there is no separate application form. Taxpayers who wish to find out if they are due a refund from their last annual tax return filing may use the “Where’s My Refund?” interactive application on this Web site, IRS.gov. The only official IRS Web site is located here at http://www.irs.gov/.
Audit e-Mail
Another new scam brought to IRS attention contains features not seen before by the IRS. Using a technique calculated to get almost anyone’s attention, the e-mail notifies the recipient that his or her tax return will be audited. This is the first scam of which the IRS is aware that uses this to get the victim to respond.
Unusual for a scam e-mail, it may contain a salutation in the body addressed to the specific recipient by name. Most scam e-mails seen by the IRS are sent using the same technique used by spammers, in which hundreds of thousands of messages are sent to potential victims based on Internet address. Because of the volume, the typical scam e-mail is not personalized.
This e-mail instructs the recipient to click on links to complete forms with personal and account information, which the scammers will use to commit identity theft.
This e-mail is a phony. The IRS does not send unsolicited, tax-account related e-mails to taxpayers.
Changes to Tax Law e-Mail
This bogus e-mail is addressed to businesses, accountants and “Treasury” managers. It instructs them to download information on tax law changes by clicking on a series of links to publications on businesses, estate taxes, excise taxes, exempt organizations and IRAs and other retirement plans. The IRS believes that clicking on a link downloads malware onto the recipient’s computer. Malware is malicious code that can take over the victim’s computer hard drive, giving someone remote access to the computer, or it could look for passwords and other information and send them to the scamster. There are other types of malware, as well.
The urls contained in the link are not legitimate IRS Web addresses. All IRS.gov Web page addresses begin with http://www.irs.gov/.
Paper Check Phone Call
In a current telephone scam, a caller claims to be an IRS employee who is calling because the IRS sent a check to the individual being called. The caller states that because the check has not been cashed, the IRS wants to verify the individual’s bank account number. The caller may have a foreign accent.
In reality, the IRS leaves it entirely up to the individual to choose to cash or not cash a paper check. The IRS has no business need to know, and does not ask for, bank account or similar information, except when taxpayers indicate on their tax return that they are opting for the direct electronic deposit of their refund. In that case, however, it is the individual’s responsibility to provide the IRS with the correct bank routing and account numbers on the tax return; the IRS does not contact taxpayers to verify the information.
What to Do
Anyone wishing to access the IRS Web site should initiate contact by typing the IRS.gov address into their Internet address window, rather than clicking on a link in an e-mail or opening an attachment.
Those who have received a questionable e-mail claiming to come from the IRS may forward it to a mailbox the IRS has established to receive such e-mails, phishing@irs.gov, using instructions contained in an article titled “How to Protect Yourself from Suspicious E-Mails or Phishing Schemes.” Following the instructions will help the IRS track the suspicious e-mail to its origins and shut down the scam. Find the article by visiting IRS.gov and entering the words “suspicious e-mails” into the search box in the upper right corner of the front page.
Those who have received a questionable telephone call that claims to come from the IRS may also use the phishing@irs.gov mailbox to notify the IRS of the scam.
The IRS has issued previous warnings on scams that use the IRS to lure victims into believing the scam is legitimate. More information on identity theft, phishing and telephone scams using the IRS name, logo or spoofed (copied) Web site is available on this Web site. Enter the terms “phishing,” “identity theft” or “e-mail scams” into the search box in the upper right corner of the front page.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Financial Companies Underestimate ID Fraud
LONDON (Reuters) - Financial services companies must change their attitude to security to curb the rise in identity fraud, the Financial Services Authority says.
The FSA issued the warning following a review of data security systems and controls at 39 firms including banks, building societies, insurance companies and financial advisers.
Although it found examples of good practice across the industry, it said firms underestimated the risk of data loss and fraud to their businesses -- especially to their customers.
One company has been referred to the FSA's enforcement division.
The call comes just days after Information Commissioner Richard Thomas said companies and government departments had suffered an "inexcusable number" of security breaches since the loss of millions of personal details last year.
Thomas said he had been told of 94 data breaches since November, with two-thirds from the public sector and the rest from the private sector. Half of the commercial breaches were from financial institutions.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown ordered an urgent review after HM Revenue and Customs said it had lost data on 25 million people, exposing them to the risk of identity theft and fraud.
The FSA said that, on occasions of significant data loss, firms seemed more concerned about adverse media coverage than on being open and transparent with their customers.
Speaking at the body's annual conference on financial crime, Philip Robinson, its director of financial crime and intelligence, said: "It is worrying that, despite increased public awareness of the impact that identity theft can have on customers, many firms are still not taking this risk seriously.
"Customers have a right to be confident that firms are doing everything reasonably possible to keep their personal and financial details safe."
The FSA issued the warning following a review of data security systems and controls at 39 firms including banks, building societies, insurance companies and financial advisers.
Although it found examples of good practice across the industry, it said firms underestimated the risk of data loss and fraud to their businesses -- especially to their customers.
One company has been referred to the FSA's enforcement division.
The call comes just days after Information Commissioner Richard Thomas said companies and government departments had suffered an "inexcusable number" of security breaches since the loss of millions of personal details last year.
Thomas said he had been told of 94 data breaches since November, with two-thirds from the public sector and the rest from the private sector. Half of the commercial breaches were from financial institutions.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown ordered an urgent review after HM Revenue and Customs said it had lost data on 25 million people, exposing them to the risk of identity theft and fraud.
The FSA said that, on occasions of significant data loss, firms seemed more concerned about adverse media coverage than on being open and transparent with their customers.
Speaking at the body's annual conference on financial crime, Philip Robinson, its director of financial crime and intelligence, said: "It is worrying that, despite increased public awareness of the impact that identity theft can have on customers, many firms are still not taking this risk seriously.
"Customers have a right to be confident that firms are doing everything reasonably possible to keep their personal and financial details safe."
Monday, April 28, 2008
Bonded Employees : Why They Are Beneficial
Bonding an employee is an insurance agreement guaranteeing repayment for financial loss caused to the covered organization by the act or failure to act of an employee. Bonding is used to protect the financial operations of companies and unions. This insurance policy is intended to protect businesses from losses caused by acts of fraud or dishonesty by officers, employees, or other representatives.
Why should I bond my employees?
Purchasing a bond plan keeps your employees honest. But more important than maintaining employee honesty, a bond plan protects your business. Statistics have shown that more than one-third of bankruptcies are caused by internal theft.
When should I bond my employees?
Most insurance companies have a policy of bonding employees as soon as they enter the company, hoping to prevent future theft. It is more likely that internal theft would be committed by a long-time employee, someone that has been with the company for at least 10-15 years, rather than a new employee. Seasoned employees know the ins and outs of the company’s accounting system. They know how to slowly move money without anyone noticing, and by the time the theft is noticed, it is too late to stop it from causing damage.
What kind of insurance plan can I buy?
There are three different types of bond plans :
Name Schedule or Position Schedule Fidelity Bond : In this plan, coverage is placed on specific employees or positions based on a list that you provide. If you decide to have other people covered, you need to contact your insurance company to add them to the list. In order to receive compensation, you need extensive proof that your employee committed a thievery.
Blanket Bond : This type of bond covers all employees, and new employees are added automatically. Coverage is individual, and compensation will be provided up the maximum number determined for the individual. It is not required to prove that a certain individual is responsible for the theft.
Primary Commercial Blanket Bond : This bond also covers all people in the company. Employees are not singled out; they are treated as one unit. Regardless of how many people are involved in a theft, you will be compensated the same amount.
How do I buy a bond policy?
To start using a bond plan, simply contact your insurance policy. You can have bonding added to your general business policy and your broker can help you decide which type of policy is best for you.
Why should I bond my employees?
Purchasing a bond plan keeps your employees honest. But more important than maintaining employee honesty, a bond plan protects your business. Statistics have shown that more than one-third of bankruptcies are caused by internal theft.
When should I bond my employees?
Most insurance companies have a policy of bonding employees as soon as they enter the company, hoping to prevent future theft. It is more likely that internal theft would be committed by a long-time employee, someone that has been with the company for at least 10-15 years, rather than a new employee. Seasoned employees know the ins and outs of the company’s accounting system. They know how to slowly move money without anyone noticing, and by the time the theft is noticed, it is too late to stop it from causing damage.
What kind of insurance plan can I buy?
There are three different types of bond plans :
Name Schedule or Position Schedule Fidelity Bond : In this plan, coverage is placed on specific employees or positions based on a list that you provide. If you decide to have other people covered, you need to contact your insurance company to add them to the list. In order to receive compensation, you need extensive proof that your employee committed a thievery.
Blanket Bond : This type of bond covers all employees, and new employees are added automatically. Coverage is individual, and compensation will be provided up the maximum number determined for the individual. It is not required to prove that a certain individual is responsible for the theft.
Primary Commercial Blanket Bond : This bond also covers all people in the company. Employees are not singled out; they are treated as one unit. Regardless of how many people are involved in a theft, you will be compensated the same amount.
How do I buy a bond policy?
To start using a bond plan, simply contact your insurance policy. You can have bonding added to your general business policy and your broker can help you decide which type of policy is best for you.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Put the Freeze on Identity Theft
There are plenty of common-sense things you can do to curb your risk of identity theft : shred personal documents, guard your Social Security number, and monitor your credit report. But if you really want to roll out the big guns, put a security freeze on your credit file.
A freeze bars anyone from having access to your credit report and credit score without your permission, which means identity thieves will have a tough time opening an account in your name—even if they know your name, date of birth, and Social Security number. That's because lenders generally won't issue new credit without first seeing a credit report.
To put a freeze on your file, you'll have to send a certified letter to each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. In most states, the service is free for identity-theft victims who provide a police report. Otherwise, you'll pay about $10 at each credit bureau, unless your state mandates a lower fee.
Freezes don't make sense for everyone, especially young people with a short credit history. The same goes if you're shopping for a mortgage, auto loan, insurance, or a new credit card. That's because you'll have to temporarily lift the freeze using a pin code each time you apply for a new line of credit. (Companies you already do business with can still access your report.) You may also need to suspend the freeze to get an apartment, utility service, or a job that requires a background check.
Suspending your credit file freeze isn't cheap. You'll typically pay another $10 a pop, and the process can take up to 10 business days. To check fees in your state and get instructions on how to place a credit freeze, go to consumersunion.org/securityfreeze.htm.
If you live in South Florida, call MicroShred 1.866.GO.SHRED (1.866.467.4733) and we will come to your home or work and make sure that your identity stays your identity. We use responsible, bonded service personnel to handle your confidential data. All material is shredded on-site, where you can watch if you wish. Shredding is done inside our trucks with state-of-the-art "shear shredders" that for total security, render material impossible to reconstruct. Shredded material is automatically compacted and transported to paper recycling facilities.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A SHREDDING SERVICE?
Convenience - Your company avoids the responsibility, expense, and clutter of buying, maintaining, and operating your own shredding equipment. Our service can be personalized to fit your company's needs. Whether you need a document shredding service on a monthly, weekly, or daily basis - you tell us how often, we'll be there.
Affordable cost - Utilizing a shredding service is only pennies per pound. Charges are by the frequency that the containers are serviced or by the time the service takes, whichever method is more cost effective you.
Free Storage Containers - We provide free locked security containers which are individually keyed for each client. They are equiped with a one-way slot to conveniently store and secure documents designated for shredding. Our personnel empties the containers, destroys the content in our commercial shredding trucks at your location, and takes the shredded paper to be recycled. No sorting is necessary.
A freeze bars anyone from having access to your credit report and credit score without your permission, which means identity thieves will have a tough time opening an account in your name—even if they know your name, date of birth, and Social Security number. That's because lenders generally won't issue new credit without first seeing a credit report.
To put a freeze on your file, you'll have to send a certified letter to each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. In most states, the service is free for identity-theft victims who provide a police report. Otherwise, you'll pay about $10 at each credit bureau, unless your state mandates a lower fee.
Freezes don't make sense for everyone, especially young people with a short credit history. The same goes if you're shopping for a mortgage, auto loan, insurance, or a new credit card. That's because you'll have to temporarily lift the freeze using a pin code each time you apply for a new line of credit. (Companies you already do business with can still access your report.) You may also need to suspend the freeze to get an apartment, utility service, or a job that requires a background check.
Suspending your credit file freeze isn't cheap. You'll typically pay another $10 a pop, and the process can take up to 10 business days. To check fees in your state and get instructions on how to place a credit freeze, go to consumersunion.org/securityfreeze.htm.
If you live in South Florida, call MicroShred 1.866.GO.SHRED (1.866.467.4733) and we will come to your home or work and make sure that your identity stays your identity. We use responsible, bonded service personnel to handle your confidential data. All material is shredded on-site, where you can watch if you wish. Shredding is done inside our trucks with state-of-the-art "shear shredders" that for total security, render material impossible to reconstruct. Shredded material is automatically compacted and transported to paper recycling facilities.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A SHREDDING SERVICE?
Convenience - Your company avoids the responsibility, expense, and clutter of buying, maintaining, and operating your own shredding equipment. Our service can be personalized to fit your company's needs. Whether you need a document shredding service on a monthly, weekly, or daily basis - you tell us how often, we'll be there.
Affordable cost - Utilizing a shredding service is only pennies per pound. Charges are by the frequency that the containers are serviced or by the time the service takes, whichever method is more cost effective you.
Free Storage Containers - We provide free locked security containers which are individually keyed for each client. They are equiped with a one-way slot to conveniently store and secure documents designated for shredding. Our personnel empties the containers, destroys the content in our commercial shredding trucks at your location, and takes the shredded paper to be recycled. No sorting is necessary.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Medical Identity Theft Turns Patients Into Victims
If identity thieves were to disregard your financial accounts and instead target your medical information, your first thought might well be, “Take my medical identity. Please.” What nut would want your high cholesterol, trick knee, and family history of Alzheimer’s? The answer is simple: one without health insurance who needs surgery or prescription drugs, or someone who sees a medical ID as the open sesame that will allow him or her to collect millions in false medical claims. These thieves don’t actually want your medical ailments, of course, but by pretending to be you they can get what they’re really after. Untangling the mess is hard: Unlike financial identity theft, there’s no straightforward process for challenging false medical claims or correcting inaccurate medical records. For victims, the result can be thousands in unpaid charges, damaged credit, and bogus, possibly dangerous details cluttering up their medical records for years to come.
Richard Robb of Mayo helped develop this ‘vision dome’ to immerse doctors in a scan, letting them travel through the insides of a heart.
Medical identity theft currently accounts for just 3 percent of identity theft crimes, or 249,000 of the estimated 8.3 million people who had their identities lifted in 2005, according to the Federal Trade Commission. But as the push toward electronic medical records gains momentum, privacy experts worry those numbers may grow substantially. They’re concerned that as doctors and hospitals switch from paper records to EMRs, as they’re called, it may become easier for people to gain unauthorized access to sensitive patient information on a large scale. In addition, Microsoft, Revolution Health, and, just this week, Google have announced they’re developing services that will allow consumers to store their health information online. Consumers may not even know their records have been compromised. In January, a new law took effect in California that requires providers to let consumers know if their medical information has been “breached.” But only a handful of other states spell out notification requirements regarding unauthorized release of patient medical data. In contrast, most states have so-called breach laws that address accidental disclosures of financial information; these may also apply to medical data in certain instances. This month, Democratic Reps. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, with support from several privacy groups and Microsoft, introduced a bill that would strengthen safeguards protecting access to consumers’ medical information and make it a federal requirement to notify patients if their healthcare data get exposed.
Read more of this article herehttp://health.usnews.com/articles/health/living-well-usn/2008/02/29/medical-identity-theft-turns-patients-into-victims.html?PageNr=1
Richard Robb of Mayo helped develop this ‘vision dome’ to immerse doctors in a scan, letting them travel through the insides of a heart.
Medical identity theft currently accounts for just 3 percent of identity theft crimes, or 249,000 of the estimated 8.3 million people who had their identities lifted in 2005, according to the Federal Trade Commission. But as the push toward electronic medical records gains momentum, privacy experts worry those numbers may grow substantially. They’re concerned that as doctors and hospitals switch from paper records to EMRs, as they’re called, it may become easier for people to gain unauthorized access to sensitive patient information on a large scale. In addition, Microsoft, Revolution Health, and, just this week, Google have announced they’re developing services that will allow consumers to store their health information online. Consumers may not even know their records have been compromised. In January, a new law took effect in California that requires providers to let consumers know if their medical information has been “breached.” But only a handful of other states spell out notification requirements regarding unauthorized release of patient medical data. In contrast, most states have so-called breach laws that address accidental disclosures of financial information; these may also apply to medical data in certain instances. This month, Democratic Reps. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, with support from several privacy groups and Microsoft, introduced a bill that would strengthen safeguards protecting access to consumers’ medical information and make it a federal requirement to notify patients if their healthcare data get exposed.
Read more of this article herehttp://health.usnews.com/articles/health/living-well-usn/2008/02/29/medical-identity-theft-turns-patients-into-victims.html?PageNr=1
Identity Theft News on CBS
http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=676656n
(CBS) Almost 10 million Americans were victims of identity theft last year. And the recent revelation of a major security breach at the private data broker ChoicePoint has focused even more attention on the growing problem.
Few people know more about identify theft than John Harrison. In an ironic twist, when the president of ChoicePoint wrote a book on identity theft, he went to Harrison.
The Connecticut salesman has spent over 2,000 hours trying to reclaim his life after having his identity stolen, and his home office has become a shrine to the suffering, reports CBS News Correspondent Byron Pitts.
“I had to come up with a filing system,” says Harrison of his efforts to clear his name.
Harrison was a victim nearly four years ago, when a 20-year-old stole his identity and literally went for a ride.
“Lowes, Home Depot, Sears, JC Penny, two cars from Ford, a Harley, a Kawasaki motorcycle,” says Harrison, listing off the purchases made in his name. “About $265,000 in four months.”
Police arrested and prosecuted the thief, Jerry Phillips, and he even went to prison for three years.
“Sorry. You know, I wish I could make it up to you,” Phillips said of his wrongdoing.
With an apologetic theif behind bars, Harrison thought he was lucky — but was he wrong. Despite letters from the Justice Department confirming that he was a victim, Harrison and millions of others are still being harassed by creditors. In fact, he remains nearly $140,000 in debt.
“It keeps coming,” says Harrison. “It keeps coming and you don’t have a choice but to deal with it.”
Some suggestions for victims of identity theft include :
File a police report immediately
Contact the 3 major credit bureaus — and your creditors
Keep records of all transactions
Hire an attorney
Eric Gertler, an identity theft expert, says that Harrison’s experience reflects the unfairness of the whole system.
“The problem with identity theft is that once you’re a victim you’re guilty until proven innocent,” says Gertler. “You need to go to the financial institution and prove to them that you’re not just some other deadbeat trying to get away with not paying your bills.”
John Harrison followed all the rules.
“I was in a corner. I had already done everything the law told me I should be doing. And it didn’t work,” he says.
He says the many victims whose identities were compromised by ChoicePoint can expect “the same thing.”
What angers John Harrison is that he followed all the rules and finds himself in debt because of a thief, and a bad thief at that. In fact, on one of the forged checks, Harrison’s name was spelled incorrectly.
“He didn’t have to be bright to steal your identification, but you have to be perfect to stop him?” asked Pitts.
“Absolutely, you have to be more than perfect.”
Harrison’s advice, before you ever become a victm, check your credit report frequently.
(CBS) Almost 10 million Americans were victims of identity theft last year. And the recent revelation of a major security breach at the private data broker ChoicePoint has focused even more attention on the growing problem.
Few people know more about identify theft than John Harrison. In an ironic twist, when the president of ChoicePoint wrote a book on identity theft, he went to Harrison.
The Connecticut salesman has spent over 2,000 hours trying to reclaim his life after having his identity stolen, and his home office has become a shrine to the suffering, reports CBS News Correspondent Byron Pitts.
“I had to come up with a filing system,” says Harrison of his efforts to clear his name.
Harrison was a victim nearly four years ago, when a 20-year-old stole his identity and literally went for a ride.
“Lowes, Home Depot, Sears, JC Penny, two cars from Ford, a Harley, a Kawasaki motorcycle,” says Harrison, listing off the purchases made in his name. “About $265,000 in four months.”
Police arrested and prosecuted the thief, Jerry Phillips, and he even went to prison for three years.
“Sorry. You know, I wish I could make it up to you,” Phillips said of his wrongdoing.
With an apologetic theif behind bars, Harrison thought he was lucky — but was he wrong. Despite letters from the Justice Department confirming that he was a victim, Harrison and millions of others are still being harassed by creditors. In fact, he remains nearly $140,000 in debt.
“It keeps coming,” says Harrison. “It keeps coming and you don’t have a choice but to deal with it.”
Some suggestions for victims of identity theft include :
File a police report immediately
Contact the 3 major credit bureaus — and your creditors
Keep records of all transactions
Hire an attorney
Eric Gertler, an identity theft expert, says that Harrison’s experience reflects the unfairness of the whole system.
“The problem with identity theft is that once you’re a victim you’re guilty until proven innocent,” says Gertler. “You need to go to the financial institution and prove to them that you’re not just some other deadbeat trying to get away with not paying your bills.”
John Harrison followed all the rules.
“I was in a corner. I had already done everything the law told me I should be doing. And it didn’t work,” he says.
He says the many victims whose identities were compromised by ChoicePoint can expect “the same thing.”
What angers John Harrison is that he followed all the rules and finds himself in debt because of a thief, and a bad thief at that. In fact, on one of the forged checks, Harrison’s name was spelled incorrectly.
“He didn’t have to be bright to steal your identification, but you have to be perfect to stop him?” asked Pitts.
“Absolutely, you have to be more than perfect.”
Harrison’s advice, before you ever become a victm, check your credit report frequently.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Confidential Document Destruction : Top 20 Things to Shred
One of the fastest growing crimes of our time is identity theft. In recent years, identity thieves have left many people feeling uneasy and with good reason. As soon as someone steals something that can provide them with your identity, such as financial records, legal documents, or medical records, they can use everything that you have worked for to their benefit.
It is relatively easy for someone to steal your identity, especially for those who know what they are doing. Once your information has been stolen, your bank account can be emptied or the balance on your credit cards can be run up. It is hard to catch an identity thief and it’s not easy to fix what they have done. The best way to be safe from identity theft is to prevent it. In order to protect yourself, you need to know what a thief is looking for and be sure to shred such documents.
Here are the top 20 documents to shred (in no particular order) to protect yourself against identity theft :
1. Financial records are an obvious hit for identity theft. These documents contain all your financial information, possibly even your account numbers.
2. Magnetic media – tapes, disks, CD’s or anything storing electronic data.
3. Payroll records. These documents contain how much money you make, exactly what thieves want to know.
4. Legal documents. Even though these documents might not contain financial information, they most likely contain personal information that can lead to your financial info.
5. Account records – which contain personal information like your address, phone number and sometimes even your social security number.
6. Medical records
7. Class Rosters
8. Maps and blueprints
9. New product proposals. If this falls into the hands of a thief, they can propose your product before you do.
10. Inventory lists. This is like a map for a robbery. Knowing what you have makes it really easy to know what to steal.
11. Confidential correspondence – such as letters, emails, etc.
12. Customer lists and estimates
13. Tax records. Tax records contain lots of personal information. Also how high your taxes are is dependent on how much you make.
14. Outdated business records
15. Invoices
16. Cancelled checks
17. Price Lists
18. Microfilm and fiche
19. Credit and ID Cards
20. Junk Mail – this is overlooked quite often.
It is relatively easy for someone to steal your identity, especially for those who know what they are doing. Once your information has been stolen, your bank account can be emptied or the balance on your credit cards can be run up. It is hard to catch an identity thief and it’s not easy to fix what they have done. The best way to be safe from identity theft is to prevent it. In order to protect yourself, you need to know what a thief is looking for and be sure to shred such documents.
Here are the top 20 documents to shred (in no particular order) to protect yourself against identity theft :
1. Financial records are an obvious hit for identity theft. These documents contain all your financial information, possibly even your account numbers.
2. Magnetic media – tapes, disks, CD’s or anything storing electronic data.
3. Payroll records. These documents contain how much money you make, exactly what thieves want to know.
4. Legal documents. Even though these documents might not contain financial information, they most likely contain personal information that can lead to your financial info.
5. Account records – which contain personal information like your address, phone number and sometimes even your social security number.
6. Medical records
7. Class Rosters
8. Maps and blueprints
9. New product proposals. If this falls into the hands of a thief, they can propose your product before you do.
10. Inventory lists. This is like a map for a robbery. Knowing what you have makes it really easy to know what to steal.
11. Confidential correspondence – such as letters, emails, etc.
12. Customer lists and estimates
13. Tax records. Tax records contain lots of personal information. Also how high your taxes are is dependent on how much you make.
14. Outdated business records
15. Invoices
16. Cancelled checks
17. Price Lists
18. Microfilm and fiche
19. Credit and ID Cards
20. Junk Mail – this is overlooked quite often.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Recycling Paper: How It Helps Our Eco-System
Recycling paper is the process of taking waste paper, or paper that would otherwise be thrown out, and remaking it into new paper products. Paper that can be used to make recycled paper is broken down into three categories- mill broke, pre-consumer waste, and post-consumer waste. Mill broke paper is paper that becomes scrap during the manufacturing of paper and it is recycled right in the paper mill. Pre-consumer paper waste is papers that were discarded before consumer use. Post-consumer paper waste is papers that were discarded by the consumer after use. Paper that is used in recycling is called scrap paper.
What is the recycling process?
There are usually 8 steps in the process of recycling paper. The first is called pulping, which is adding water to the paper and using machines to separate the fibers. The second step is screening, where screens are used to remove contaminants that are larger than the fibers. Next is centrifugal cleaning during which the materials that are denser than fiber are released. Flotation or deinking then causes ink to collect on the surface of the paper. The fifth step is called kneading or dispersion. Here machines help remove any remaining contaminant particles. Nest washing helps remove any small particles by passing water through the fibers. If the paper is supposed to be white, it is now bleached. Finally, the recycled paper is clean and it is now made into a new paper product.
What types of paper can be recycled?
Each recycling plant accepts different kinds of paper for recycling. Some types of paper forms that are commonly accepted include:
· White and colored paper
· While and colored envelopes
· Booklets or manuals
· Fax or copy paper
· Greeting cards
· Post-it notes
· Soft covered books
· Manila folders
· Magazines
· Newspapers
· Collapsed cardboard boxes
Why recycle?
90% of paper is made from wood. Paper production uses about 43% of harvested wood. Recycling newspaper saves about 1 ton of wood and recycling print or copy paper saves about 2 tons of wood. Energy consumption is also reduced by recycling. However, the exact energy savings is still being debated. The Energy Information Administration claims that when paper is made with recycled paper, there is a 40% reduction in energy use, but the Bureau of International Recycling says that there is a 64% reduction. Regardless of which estimate is correct, both numbers represent a significant energy savings. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency has found that recycling paper causes 35% less water pollution and 74% less air pollution.
What are some of the resources saved per ton of paper recycled?
· 17 trees
· 350 pounds of limestone
· 60,000 gallons of water
· 9,000 pounds of steam
· 275 pounds of sulfur
· 225 kilowatt hours
· 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space
Recycling paper has substantial benefits on our eco-system and it is so easy to do! Many communities have a recycling pickup day just as they have garbage pickup days. Simply contact your local waste management center to find out how to begin recycling in your community!
What is the recycling process?
There are usually 8 steps in the process of recycling paper. The first is called pulping, which is adding water to the paper and using machines to separate the fibers. The second step is screening, where screens are used to remove contaminants that are larger than the fibers. Next is centrifugal cleaning during which the materials that are denser than fiber are released. Flotation or deinking then causes ink to collect on the surface of the paper. The fifth step is called kneading or dispersion. Here machines help remove any remaining contaminant particles. Nest washing helps remove any small particles by passing water through the fibers. If the paper is supposed to be white, it is now bleached. Finally, the recycled paper is clean and it is now made into a new paper product.
What types of paper can be recycled?
Each recycling plant accepts different kinds of paper for recycling. Some types of paper forms that are commonly accepted include:
· White and colored paper
· While and colored envelopes
· Booklets or manuals
· Fax or copy paper
· Greeting cards
· Post-it notes
· Soft covered books
· Manila folders
· Magazines
· Newspapers
· Collapsed cardboard boxes
Why recycle?
90% of paper is made from wood. Paper production uses about 43% of harvested wood. Recycling newspaper saves about 1 ton of wood and recycling print or copy paper saves about 2 tons of wood. Energy consumption is also reduced by recycling. However, the exact energy savings is still being debated. The Energy Information Administration claims that when paper is made with recycled paper, there is a 40% reduction in energy use, but the Bureau of International Recycling says that there is a 64% reduction. Regardless of which estimate is correct, both numbers represent a significant energy savings. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency has found that recycling paper causes 35% less water pollution and 74% less air pollution.
What are some of the resources saved per ton of paper recycled?
· 17 trees
· 350 pounds of limestone
· 60,000 gallons of water
· 9,000 pounds of steam
· 275 pounds of sulfur
· 225 kilowatt hours
· 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space
Recycling paper has substantial benefits on our eco-system and it is so easy to do! Many communities have a recycling pickup day just as they have garbage pickup days. Simply contact your local waste management center to find out how to begin recycling in your community!
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