Identity Theft

Understanding Fair Isaac and the Fair Credit Reporting Act

Thumbnail image for Understanding Fair Isaac and the Fair Credit Reporting Act by Karen Stewart February 3, 2012

Back in grade school, teachers routinely terrorized misbehaving students with the threat that their misconduct would “go down on your permanent record.”  I envisioned my “permanent record” as something of a huge book, where entries were printed neatly by vindictive teachers wielding their bloody red fountain pens, later to be pored over by some Big [...]

Click to Continue →

Convenience Checks – The ‘Inconvenient Truth’

Thumbnail image for Convenience Checks – The ‘Inconvenient Truth’ by Kasey Steinbrinck January 27, 2012

No, credit cards and the junk mail with so-called convenience checks inside are not melting the polar ice caps. So those of you who stuck your credit cards in the freezer to avoid irresponsible spending can relax. However, convenience checks are a major threat to your personal finances for more than one reason, and they [...]

Click to Continue →

Preventing Identity Theft at Your Small Business

Thumbnail image for Preventing Identity Theft at Your Small Business by Kasey Steinbrinck November 21, 2011

Identity theft isn’t just for consumers to worry about. It can happen to your business too. The financial security of customers, clients, employees as well as company assets falls on the shoulders of the small business owner, and protection should be a top priority. Developing a solid security policy and taking the right steps towards [...]

Click to Continue →

Cyber Security Threats on the Rise – Social Media Sites and Mobile Devices Most Vulnerable

Thumbnail image for Cyber Security Threats on the Rise – Social Media Sites and Mobile Devices Most Vulnerable by Kasey Steinbrinck April 7, 2011

This week, the computer security firm Symantec released some startling numbers. 286-million new cyber threats were discovered in 2010! That led to a 93% increase in web-based attacks. The information in Symantec’s Internet Security Report makes the recent Epsilon email breach look like an April Fool’s joke. Cyber criminals are focusing their dirty work on [...]

Click to Continue →

Epsilon Email Scams – What to Watch Out For

Thumbnail image for Epsilon Email Scams – What to Watch Out For by Kasey Steinbrinck April 5, 2011

Millions and millions of people are very likely new targets of email phishing scams. By now…you’ve probably heard about the security breach at the Dallas, Texas-based online marketing company Epsilon. Epsilon announced yesterday that customer names and emails were accidentally exposed and are most likely in the hands of some shady characters. That alone is [...]

Click to Continue →

Japan’s Earthquake – Beware of Charity Scams

Thumbnail image for Japan’s Earthquake – Beware of Charity Scams by Kasey Steinbrinck March 14, 2011

The 8.9 magnitude earthquake and massive tsunami that hit Japan last week has rattled the entire world. People everywhere want to do whatever they can to help. For many, that means opening up their wallet and writing checks to charities and aid organizations. But if you really want your money to go towards those who [...]

Click to Continue →

Imposter Scams – Concern Over a Growing Crime

Thumbnail image for Imposter Scams – Concern Over a Growing Crime by Kasey Steinbrinck March 11, 2011

There is a newcomer on the Federal Trade Commission’s list of the top ten consumer complaints. Landing on the list for the first time in 2010 was the imposter scam. It took the number six spot. The con artists who try to pull of these types of scams are among some of the sneakiest and [...]

Click to Continue →

Top Consumer Complaint – Identity Theft

Thumbnail image for Top Consumer Complaint – Identity Theft by Kasey Steinbrinck March 9, 2011

The Federal Trade Commission has released it’s list of top complaints from consumers in 2010. For the 11th year in a row, the No. 1 concern was identity theft. Out of the 1.3-million complaints filed with the FTC last year, 19% had something to do with identity theft. That’s more than 250,000 people who actually [...]

Click to Continue →

How to Stop Electronic Pickpockets

Thumbnail image for How to Stop Electronic Pickpockets by Kasey Steinbrinck February 16, 2011

We can try to protect ourselves. But the bad guys almost always find a way to get ya! That’s why it’s important to stay on top of things and understand the best ways to protect yourself. The last few months, there’s been a story circulating around the Internet about how thieves can use a small [...]

Click to Continue →

← Previous Entries