If our identity is stolen or compromised, would LifeLock do the paperwork connected to clearing my name/credit?
April 8th, 2009 - Posted by Joe
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: If our identity is stolen or compromised, would LifeLock do the paperwork connected to clearing my name/credit?
A: If your identity is stolen or compromised during the time you are an active member of LifeLock, the paperwork connected to clearing your name and credit will be completed for you, as stated in their terms and conditions on LifeLock's website.
According to the Lifelock service guarantee, if your identity is stolen and used without your knowledge, Lifelock will pay a professional of their choosing to restore and/or recover losses up to $1 Million. The $1 Million limit is not per incident, but total for the lifetime of all incidents.
LifeLock subscribers have the obligation to notify the company within 30 days from the point in which they discovered that their identity may have been stolen in order to be fully covered by the guarantee.
To learn more about LifeLock or other identity theft protection service providers, visit our identity theft protection reviews and comparison.
Conficker's copycat evil twin
April 8th, 2009 - Posted by Robert Siciliano
Robert Siciliano is a NextAdvisor.com Expert Guest Blogger
Both Microsoft Certified Professional and Computerworld report on a variation of Conficker known as "Neeris." Neeris is a 4 year old virus that has resurfaced and is now behaving like a Conficker wannabe. It is believed that the criminal hackers who created Conficker and Neeris are either the same person or are working together, double teaming the computer security community. 
Neeris began showing up on March 31st into April 1st which, as we know, was supposed to be the launch date for the next set of Conficker updates.
Conficker and Neeris both include auto-run and remote call features that allow it to slither into external storage, including cameras, USB drives, external hard drives and other memory-based devices. Furthermore, it is feared that the "call home" feature will eventually enable either virus to update their abilities to wreak havoc and compromise data.
What's troubling is that Microsoft created a critical security update specifically for Conficker, labeled the MS08-067 patch. Now, Microsoft Certified Professional states that Neeris is able to "poke holes 
in" this patch, indicating that the patch is no match for Neeris.
However, as stated in Computerworld, "Due to the similarities to Conficker, most of the mitigations that were mentioned also apply here. Make sure to install MS08-067 if you haven't done so yet, and be careful to use only autoplay options you're familiar with, or consider disabling the Autorun altogether."
You should also be sure to update critical security patches and run the latest anti-virus definitions. To learn more about McAfee and other Internet security software, check out NextAdvisor.com's reviews and comparison chart.
Robert Siciliano, identity theft speaker, discusses viruses slithering into memory based devices.
Robert Siciliano is CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com , an identity theft expert, professional speaker, security analyst, published author and television news correspondent. Siciliano works with Fortune 1000 companies and startups as an advisor on product launches, branding, messaging, representation, SEO and media. Siciliano's thoughts and advice on all these matters appear often in both the televised and print news media including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX, Forbes and USA Today. He has 25 years of security training as a member of the American Society of Industrial Security. He is the author of 2 books, including The Safety Minute: Living on High Alert; How to take control of your personal security and prevent fraud. He's also partnered with Uni-Ball to help raise awareness about the growing threat of identity theft and to provide tips on how you can protect yourself.
Who can I count as a dependent?
April 7th, 2009 - Posted by Caitlin
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: The answer [in the FAQ] confuses me as it seems to say that the dependent cannot be over 24 years of age and then it says you can also count someone if they if they have not filed an income tax return and have earned less than $3,400 the entire year–with no mention of age.
Here is my question: I have a grandson, and his partner who are 25 years old, who have a two year old child. They have all lived with us the entire year, at no cost whatsoever. Both parents have together made less than $3,400. They will not be filing any tax return. Who can I count as dependents?
A: Sorry that the FAQ was unclear. In most cases, dependents are qualifying children under the age of 24. However, it is also possible for others who are over the age of 24 to count as dependents.
In order for a person (who is not a child under the age of 24) to qualify, he or she must be either a relative or a full-time member of your household, and a citizen or resident of the U.S. or a resident of Canada or Mexico. You must have provided over half of his or her financial support for the past year, and he or she must not have filed a joint tax return with anyone else. The person must have had less than $3,500 in income for the entire year.
In your particular situation, according to these criteria, your grandson, his partner and their child should all qualify as dependents.
To learn about online tax preparation services, see our reviews and comparison chart.
Identity theft phishing tops IRS “Dirty Dozen”
April 7th, 2009 - Posted by Caitlin
In 2008, the Internal Revenue Service designated "phishing" as one of its annual "Dirty Dozen" tax scams. Phishing is a form of identity theft that consists of sending fraudulent e-mails claiming to represent legitimate businesses and government entities, including the IRS, in order to steal information such as Social Security numbers, online user names and passwords, and bank account and credit card information. Phishers then use this information to make charges to your credit account, apply for credit in your name, and commit other acts which can damage your credit rating, cause you to lose access to your accounts, and cost you thousands of dollars and countless hours spent attempting to recover your losses and restore your good name.
In the past it was relatively easy to spot phishing e-mails, because they were generally filled with misspellings and other obvious errors and inconsistencies, signaling that that they did not originate from an official source. Today, however, phishing e-mails are much more sophisticated, and they can even redirect you to spoof websites which are almost identical to the real ones. The IRS is a popular phishing shield, especially at this time of year, because people fear the tax agency's broad powers and are eager to comply with its requests, in order to prevent having their tax refund payment delayed, or to avoid penalties and possible wage garnishment.
Victims of tax fraud-related phishing scams face extremely serious identity theft consequences. Scammers may use their Social Security numbers to apply for jobs, earning wages which are then reported to the IRS, making it appear that victims are underreporting their income, or that they have filed more than one tax return. Scammers who are using a stolen Social Security number in order to receive a tax refund will file as early as possible, to get their tax return in first, leaving the victim responsible for proving that fraud has occurred.
The first thing consumers should be aware of is that the IRS will never contact them via e-mail regarding tax issues, or request private information such as passwords and PIN numbers for personal financial accounts. If you receive an unsolicited e-mail claiming to be from the IRS, do not reply to it or open any attachments. Immediately forward the e-mail, including header information, to phishing@irs.gov. If you receive a letter from the IRS indicating that someone else may be using your Social Security number, you should respond at once using the contact information included in the letter. The IRS website contains additional information regarding identity theft and your tax records.
To learn about identity theft protection services, which help protect you from phishing and other scams, see our reviews and comparison chart.
Credit card fraud is Americans' top concern
April 7th, 2009 - Posted by Robert Siciliano
Robert Siciliano is a NextAdvisor.com Expert Guest Blogger
A recent study conducted by the Unisys Corporation shows that identity theft as it pertains to credit card fraud is Americans' number one concern.
When people ask me, "How do I protect myself from credit card fraud?" I tell them, "Cancel the card, or never use it." Because that's the only way.
Personal security (as it pertains to violence) and national security have always been a concern. However, this new study 
shows that people are more concerned with fraud, and the risk of having their savings depleted by scammers. Not so hard to believe, what with the number of data breaches, and the Madoffs of the world fleecing their unsuspecting investors.
75% of Americans feel that the recession has increased their chances of being victimized by criminal hackers and thieves. Most are also concerned their "private" information on a corporate or bank network may be compromised.
FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center's 2008 Annual Report determined that online fraud increased by 33.1% last year. Dollar losses resulting from online fraud increased to $265 million.
Overall, these concerns are valid, due to flaws in the system of issuing credit that facilitate new account fraud. Furthermore, account takeover requires nothing more than access to credit card numbers, which are available in hacked databases or susceptible every time you hand your card over to a gas station attendant.
Viruses in spam or phishing emails continue to plague consumers and as scammers get more sophisticated, the chances of getting hooked 
increase.
Banks and business will continue to feel the pressure as criminals target their clients' data.
Credit card skimming at ATMs and gas pumps makes it impossible to protect yourself when you could essentially be handing your digits over to a criminal.
Skimming is one of the financial industry's fastest-growing crimes, according to the U.S. Secret Service. The worldwide ATM Industry Association reports over $1 billion in annual global losses from 
credit card fraud and electronic crime associated with ATMs.
Marite Ferrero, a blogger with Finextra, adds, "In Europe, the points of compromise are everywhere: ATM, gas pumps, parking, DVD rentals, movie tickets, food kiosks, tolls, buying metro tickets, and the list goes on… Because of chip and pin implementation, the proliferation of stand-alone terminals that accept chip and pin has provided a profitable playground for fraudsters."
While the card holder is generally only responsible for the first $50.00 in losses, which is often waived by a "zero liability policy," card holders who don't pay attention to their statements often let these charges pass and eat them.
There are many technologies available to secure credit cards, such as "smart cards" and "chip and pin." However, due to the nature of a credit card transaction, once the data leaves the card, it's up for grabs. Whatever card security their may have been is now gone.
Check your credit and banking statements carefully. Scrutinize every charge and refute any unauthorized charges within 30-60 days. Call your bank or credit card company immediately if you see any fraudulent activity.
Invest in identity theft protection. Credit freezes or fraud alerts help prevent new account fraud. Protect your PC with McAfee, or other Internet security software.
Robert Siciliano, identity theft speaker, discusses credit card fraud.
Robert Siciliano is CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com , an identity theft expert, professional speaker, security analyst, published author and television news correspondent. Siciliano works with Fortune 1000 companies and startups as an advisor on product launches, branding, messaging, representation, SEO and media. Siciliano's thoughts and advice on all these matters appear often in both the televised and print news media including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX, Forbes and USA Today. He has 25 years of security training as a member of the American Society of Industrial Security. He is the author of 2 books, including The Safety Minute: Living on High Alert; How to take control of your personal security and prevent fraud. He's also partnered with Uni-Ball to help raise awareness about the growing threat of identity theft and to provide tips on how you can protect yourself.
AnnualCreditReport.com commercial parodies poke fun at FreeCreditReport.com
April 6th, 2009 - Posted by Joe
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has just published two new commercial length web videos to publicize AnnualCreditReport.com on the web. The videos are a non-so-subtle jab at the popular FreeCreditReport.com commercials from Experian that feature a band whose lead singer frequently laments the downside of having poor credit.
While it is humorous to see the FTC lampoon Experian's commercials, it is important to note that the services provided by AnnualCreditReport.com and FreeCreditReport.com are very different. For example:
- AnnualCreditReport.com allows consumers to order one free credit report from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion each year.
- The credit reports ordered from AnnualCreditReport.com do not include credit scores.
- AnnualCreditReport.com does not provide any type of monitoring for your credit. This means that you could go a whole year without knowing about changes to your credit report if you solely rely on your free AnnualCreditReport.com credit reports.
On the other hand, FreeCreditReport.com offers:
- A free Experian credit report and Experian credit score upon sign up for a free seven day trial of three bureau credit monitoring. You do need to use a credit card to sign up for your free trial of FreeCreditReport.com but, whether you decide to stick around or not, your free credit report and score are yours to keep.
- Three bureau credit monitoring of your Experian, Equifax and TransUnion credit files with 24×7 email alerts if any changes are detected. This ensures that you know about any changes to your report at the earliest possible moment.
AnnualCreditReport.com is a valuable service, but we don't believe that consumers should solely rely on one credit report per bureau per year to gauge their credit health. A three bureau credit report monitoring service is vital to staying informed on the state of your credit.
You can learn more about FreeCreditReport.com and other credit report monitoring services by reading our reviews and comparison of credit report monitoring services.
You can see both of the FTC's new AnnualCreditReport.com commercials below:
Is TaxAct simple to use?
April 6th, 2009 - Posted by Caitlin
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: I have never prepared my taxes online before. Is [TaxAct] pretty simple to use? I have a basic return, the only thing I am concerned about is my mortgage interest.
A: I had never prepared my own taxes at all before this year, online or otherwise. I used TaxAct and found it to be surprisingly simple, straightforward and intuitive. If you're interested in reading about my experience with TaxAct, I blogged about it here. TaxAct should help calculate the impact of your mortgage interest on your tax return.
To learn more about TaxAct or other online tax preparation services, see our reviews and comparison chart.
Can you stop, save, and return later with TaxAct?
April 6th, 2009 - Posted by Caitlin
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: Can you save information on the tax returns you are submitting [with TaxAct] and go back and finish later if necessary, such as needing to find more information to complete the 1040 form. Also, if self-employment income is submitted, does the system compute the information as to what is owed?
A: Yes, TaxAct automatically saves your tax return as you work. You can log out at any time, and when you sign back in, TaxAct will return you to the part of your return where you left off.
TaxAct will also help you calculate how much is owed on income from self-employment.
To learn more about TaxAct or other online tax preparation services, see our reviews and comparison chart.
Is selling security selling fear?
April 6th, 2009 - Posted by Robert Siciliano
Robert Siciliano is a NextAdvisor.com Expert Guest Blogger
Cyber crime profits are running into the trillions.
Weekly, and often daily, I remind readers of how potentially screwed they are once they boot up their PCs and access the Internet. Identity theft is a real problem that messes up people's lives. When someone's PC is hacked and their passwords are compromised, account takeover can be financially 
devastating. Even though a financial institution may resolve the errors, victims still lose money.
Most are beginning to realize that the only secure PC is one that is powered off.
Many view these rants as selling "FUD": fear, uncertainty and doubt. And selling fear is what gets people to buy your security product. Many have accused the Internet security companies of being fear mongers peddling their wares during the Conficker scare.
Fear-based selling has been going on since the beginning of time and will always be a part of the sales cycle. But am I really selling fear? Do those I work with sell fear? I don't think so. But feel free to disagree with me.
The fact remains that there are scumbags out there, trying to figure out how to get you to part with your money in thousands of different ways, every day, all day. And if reminding readers of all these scams and then selling a solution to the problem is selling fear, then so be it. The question is, is the fear real or made up? Is there a legitimate scare that needs to be brought 
to light, and a solution that will fix it? Or is this just selling snake oil and false promises, and taking advantage of people?
Information Week states, "The computer security industry has failed computer users, and the Internet has become so unsafe that average users can't protect themselves." The Internet is not a safe place for everyday folk. The online world is like Iraq and Afghanistan (dangerous), the Taliban (criminals) are everywhere. Most people do not have the capacity to secure their networks or the technical know-how to surf safely. Studies show that 40% of web surfers haven't updated their browser's security, or their Windows-based computers don't have their critical security patches updated.
The threats are real. The Washington Post reports that Senate lawmakers are advancing legislation to create mandatory computer security standards for government and private sector operators of critical infrastructure. This is legislation that will force standards in security, ensuring that we keep the lights on, the fields plowed, the water clean, and the engines running.
If there was ever a time to be "fearful" and to make an investment in identity theft protection, Internet security software such as McAfee, or any other protective hardware or software as a result, now is that time.
See Robert Siciliano, identity theft speaker, discuss online security.
Robert Siciliano is CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com , an identity theft expert, professional speaker, security analyst, published author and television news correspondent. Siciliano works with Fortune 1000 companies and startups as an advisor on product launches, branding, messaging, representation, SEO and media. Siciliano's thoughts and advice on all these matters appear often in both the televised and print news media including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX, Forbes and USA Today. He has 25 years of security training as a member of the American Society of Industrial Security. He is the author of 2 books, including The Safety Minute: Living on High Alert; How to take control of your personal security and prevent fraud. He's also partnered with Uni-Ball to help raise awareness about the growing threat of identity theft and to provide tips on how you can protect yourself.
Are there any set-up fees for VoIP.com?
April 6th, 2009 - Posted by Joe
The following post in our Reader Question series is an actual user submitted question. To maintain the integrity of the original question, we do not edit or change reader questions in any way.
Q: Are there any set up fees [for VoIP.com] your website says no start up fees but when you look futher it says total charge is about $36 dollars on the 19.99 plan it says free shipping free equipment free month so whats the $36 dollars for?
A: VoIP.com will waive any set-up fees if you sign up for the Home Unlimited annual plan which costs $199.00 per year. The Home Unlimited monthly plan does not include free set-up, but does include the first month free (a $19.95 value). So, if you were attempting to sign up for the monthly plan, you would have seen a set-up charge included in the upfront costs.
If you are looking for a monthly plan that has no upfront set-up fees, we would suggest Vonage's Unlimited plan. This plan has no set up fees, is just $9.95 per month for the first three months and then $24.99 per month thereafter.
You can learn more about Vonage, VoIP.com and other Internet phone service providers by visiting our VoIP reviews and comparison.
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