Froot Loops are not a smart choice
September 16th, 2009 - Posted by Caitlin
The new Smart Choices program places a green check mark label on packaged foods in order to indicate that the item is considered a "better for you" product. And yet many of the foods that have earned a green check mark are sugary cereals or heavily salted packaged meals. An unhealthy food can earn the label as long as nutrients are artificially added. The FDA is concerned that this new system will mislead consumers and discourage them from reading the nutrition label, and is considering the possibility of creating a standardized label for the front of packages.
If you are on a diet, or simply want to make an effort to choose healthy foods, do not be convinced by the sight of a Smart Choices label. If you are truly concerned about making smart choices at the grocery store, consider an online diet service. Many of the DIY diet services reviewed on NextAdvisor.com offer grocery list planning assistance. To learn more, see our reviews and comparison chart.
ATM skimmer caught on camera
September 16th, 2009 - Posted by Caitlin
A man installing a skimming device on the face of an ATM was caught by a security camera.
[flv]http://www.nextadvisor.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/video/caught_redhanded.flv[/flv]
When using an ATM, be on the lookout for anything suspicious, such as loose wires, tape, or any type of electronic device that isn't firmly attached to the machine. And for extra protection against skimming and similar scams, consider investing in an identity theft prevention and detection service.
Women meets her ID thief face-to-face
September 15th, 2009 - Posted by Kent
According to the Seattle Times, a sales associate at a JC Penny store in Seattle, Washington came face-to-face with a woman who stole her identity. Michelle Cambridge, an employee at the department store, knew her identity had been stolen, and she'd even seen a surveillance photo of the thief, but it wasn't until the thief tried to open a credit card with Cambridge that the investigation really got going. When Cambridge recognized the women standing at her counter from the photo she'd already seen, she had security train their cameras on the thief. While the thief wasn't arrested then or there, Cambridge knew she'd met the woman who'd been ruining her credit for six months. Cambridge said:
"Out of how many customer-service desks, out of how many registers she could have gone to, and she had to come to me?"
Clearly Cambridge was lucky. But she was also smart. She knew something was up when she began receiving statements from store credit cards that she never applied for.
Over 9 million Americans face identity theft every year. Most will not be 'fortunate' enough to meet their identity thief face-to-face, and identity theft protection can help protect you before it gets that far. For more information about identity theft protection, check out our comprehensive reviews and comparisons.
Symantec wants you to know your worth (to online criminals)
September 15th, 2009 - Posted by Kent
We've posted stories before about the black market for stolen identities. Internet security service provider Symantec has launched an online tool that calculates how much you could be worth to a cybercriminal. A quick questionnaire will reveal your dollar amount. It may scare you. It may disappoint you. Personally, I wanted to be worth more. But answering the questions is a great reminder of how much data we have "out there" and how much we're at risk when someone gets access to our data. The tool is designed to sell you on the importance of Internet security software, particularly theirs.
We recently reviewed Symantec's Norton Internet Security package and really liked the way it analyzed threats, both known and possible. It's intelligent threat assessment that we actually enjoyed using. Of the 2010 crop of Internet security software, it's one of our favorites, running neck-and-neck with Trend Micro.
See how these stack up with our Internet security software reviews.
Couple's online bank account hacked, leads to identity theft
September 15th, 2009 - Posted by Robert Siciliano
Robert Siciliano is a NextAdvisor.com Expert Guest Blogger
In 2007, a U.S. couple fell victim to identity theft when a criminal accessed their online bank account and stole $26,500 from a home equity credit line. The money was transferred to an Austrian bank that refused to return the funds to Citizens Financial Bank. So Citizens Financial informed the couple that they were liable for the loss. When the couple refused to pay, the bank notified the credit bureaus that their account was delinquent and threatened to foreclose on their home. So the couple sued the bank, claiming violations of the Electronic Funds Transfer Act and the Fair Credit Reporting Act, as well as accusing the bank of negligence.
Who should be held responsible? Well, the jury's out. Literally.
Did the couple accidentally give their data to a phisher? Were they dumb, or was it just bad luck? Was their Internet security software up to date? Does that matter? Should the bank activate their zero liability policies and simply chalk it up to a loss? I'm a big believer in personal responsibility. However, if the bank offered a system that can be easily defeated then maybe they should take some responsibility.
White hat hackers are struggling to stay one step ahead of the criminals. There are more ways to compromise data today than ever before. Viruses quadrupled in one year, from just over 15,000 in 2007 to nearly 60,000 in 2008. Black hat hackers are out in full force.
In 2000, the white hats were supposedly about a year ahead of the black hats in technology, meaning that it should take about a year for the black hats to hack the white hats. Other research shows that by 2004, the black hats were about two weeks behind the white hats. And now here we are in 2009. In many cases, the black hats are years ahead of the white hats. The good guys are losing.
Many new viruses may already be on your hard drive, dormant, waiting for a signal to activate. They may be Trojans, waiting to strike when you log on to your online bank account.
We tend to have numerous viruses in our own bodies, which take control once our immune system is weak, or when they come into contact with one another. Similarly, your PC may have viruses lurking within. It's easy for a PC to catch a virus when we simply visit a website, click on a link or download a program that we believe to be safe.
The technology of the criminal hacker has evolved, and is continuing to evolve faster than that of the white hats. This means you have to be on your game. Stay informed, and don't let your guard down.
Get a credit freeze at ConsumersUnion.org. This is an absolutely necessary tool to secure your credit. In most cases, it prevents new accounts from being opened in your name. Invest in identity theft protection. Not all forms of identity theft protection can be prevented, but identity theft protection services can dramatically reduce your risk. Make sure that your Internet security software is up to date and set to run automatically. Keep your web browser updated, since out of date browsers are often riddled with holes that worms can sneak through. And check your online bank statements often, at least once a week, for suspicious transactions.
Robert Siciliano, identity theft speaker, discusses online banking insecurity.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idZFgvMRN78[/youtube]
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 two 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.
How does Weight Watchers' lifetime membership work?
September 14th, 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'm a lifetime [Weight Watchers] member but I have not attended for a long time. I would like to join again. How does the lifetime membership work, are you charged for not attending a meeting or are you charged only for the meetings that you attend?
A: Weight Watchers meetings members who reach their goal weight and maintain that goal weight within two pounds for six consecutive weeks are awarded lifetime memberships. Lifetime members may attend Weight Watchers meetings at no charge, as long as they remain no more than two pounds above their goal weight.
Once you have reached lifetime member status, you will always be a lifetime member and will never have to pay another registration fee. You must weigh in at your first meeting of every month, and if you weigh more than two pounds more than your goal weight, you'll be charged the weekly fee. You will not be expected to pay for missed meeting unless you have not weighed in within a one month period. You are always eligible for lifetime benefits, and depending on your location, you may be eligible for discounted fees.
If you have misplaced your lifetime member number, you can call Weight Watchers at 800-651-6000, or by filling out a request form at WeightWatchers.com.
To learn more about Weight Watchers or other diet services, see our reviews and comparison chart.
Malware pop-ups plague New York Times
September 14th, 2009 - Posted by Caitlin
Pop-up advertisements that warn you about a virus and attempt to hawk anti-virus software are a particularly sneaky way to trick you into downloading malware. Generally, these types of pop-ups tend to infiltrate less reputable websites, such as those that provide pornography or illegal downloads. But yesterday, NYTimes.com fell victim to this classic hack. New York Times readers have been encountering these pop-up boxes, which the Times believes were caused by an unauthorized advertisement. Readers who encounter the virus warning and security software advertisement are advised to quit and restart their browsers immediately, but some users report being redirected to outside websites without having clicked on the pop-up box.
Be on the lookout for these types of pop-ups, even on reputable websites. Certainly do not click on them. Random pop-up boxes are not the ideal place to find Internet security software, anyway. If you are looking for trustworthy security software, you can find helpful information by checking out our reviews and comparison chart.
Child Identity Theft Protection Guide
September 13th, 2009 - Posted by Joe
Eight simple tips to prevent your children from becoming victims of America's fastest growing crime
You may already know that identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States, but you probably didn't realize that the fastest growing segment of identity theft victims are children.
The FTC reports that 5% of the 255,000 victims of identity theft in 2005, the most recent year in which data on the subject was available, were under the age of 18. The number of victims is up 40% from 3% in 2003. Most of these cases take place very early on with over half occurring prior to the age of 6 according to the Identity Theft Resource Center.
Awareness seems to be the biggest problem in helping to prevent child identity theft. A recent Experian-Gallup poll found that 68% of respondents had heard little or nothing about identity theft crimes against children. But, that doesn't mean that children aren't falling victim to identity thieves at a rapid rate. That same poll found that 7% of respondents knew a child that had been victimized by identity theft.
Identity theft perpetrated against children can be particularly debilitating because it is often years or decades after the crime occurs that the victim becomes aware. There are hundreds of stories of adults that attempt to apply for their first line of credit only to find that their identity had been stolen years earlier while they were underage and, as a result, their credit was destroyed before they even had a chance start practicing healthy credit habits.
We have compiled eight simple steps that parents or guardians can take to help ensure that their children don't fall victim to identity thieves.
- Eliminate non-essential disclosure of your child's social security number
- Monitor your child's postal mail
- Limit the amount of personal information that is available about your child on the Internet
- Contact each of the three major credit bureaus on your child's behalf every quarter
- Contact the Social Security Administration on your child's behalf at least once per year
- Involve your local authorities if you feel your child has been victimized
- Consider a proactive identity theft solution provider for your entire family
- Help curb child identity theft by sharing these tips with other parents
Eliminate non-essential disclosure of your child's social security number
A social security number is the single most dangerous piece of information in the hands of an identity thief. With your child's social security number an identity thief potentially has the ability to open lines of credit in your child's name.
You should only provide this information when it is absolutely necessary. Anytime anyone asks you to provide your child's social security number ask the following questions:
- Why is my child's social security number required?
- How will my child's social security number be used?
- Who will have access to my child's social security number?
- Where will my child's social security number be stored?
If the requestor is not able to provide you with sufficient answers to these questions then it is best to decline to provide this information.
It is also a good idea to store your child's social security card in a safe place such as a locked file cabinet, safe or safety deposit box. You should never let your child have direct access to their social security card as it is too easy for it to be misplaced and end up in the wrong hands.
Monitor your child's postal mail
If credit card offers, late payment notices or other suspicious financial items show up addressed to your underage child don't assume they are simply mistakes by the sender. Your minor child should never receive:
- Offers of credit from lenders of any kind including credit card companies, mortgage lenders or student loans.
- Bills, past due or collections notices for any type of financial or other type of account
- Social Security Administration account statements
If you do receive these types of communications, or any other suspicious looking mail, in your child's name follow up with the company or agency that sent them to determine the reason they were sent in the first place.
If there are unauthorized financial accounts (or any type of account that was not legitimately opened) in your child's name then it is likely your child has fallen victim to identity theft. Notify the company where the account is held as well as all three of the credit bureaus (see point #4 below) and your local police department (see point #6 below).
Limit the amount of personal information that is available about your child on the Internet
The Internet is a great tool to communicate with friends and family, but it is also a great source for identity thieves to mine personal information about your child. Never post any personal information about your child, such as date of birth or address, on any website (especially not any website that is publicly available or doesn't have password protection).
If your child is old enough to access the Internet on their own, make sure you monitor their usage as well. Many websites such as MySpace, Facebook and others make it very easy for children to post vast amounts of personal information about themselves.
Also, make sure you discuss the various dangers of openly communicating personal information to strangers on the Internet with your children. They are never too young to start practicing safe Internet usage.
Contact each of the three major credit bureaus on your child's behalf every quarter
None of the three major credit bureaus, which include Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, maintain credit files on anyone under the age of 18. If your underage child has a credit file with one of the bureaus that potentially means they have been victimized.
We recommend that parents request a credit report on behalf of their child from each of the three credit bureaus once per quarter.
Here are instructions on how to contact Experian, Equifax and TransUnion on your child's behalf:
Experian
Phone Number: (888) 397-3742
Website: http://www.experian.com
Address to send inquiries about child Identity Theft:
Experian
PO Box 9532
Allen , TX 75013
How to request a review of your child's credit file from Experian:
Parents are required to mail in documentation that prooves they are the legal guardian of the child. An example of sufficient documentation is a child's birth certificate and a copy of the parent's driver's license.
If no credit file exists for the child then Experian will send written notification by mail. This is good news because it means your child's identity has not been compromised.
If a credit file does exist then Experian will send a copy of the credit file to the parent. This means that it is likely your child's identity has been stolen. The parent may then dispute any fraudulent items on their child's credit file. Experian will also place a credit lock on the child's credit file so that no additional credit may be extended to them until they turn 18 years old.
Equifax
Phone Number: (800) 658-1111
Website: http://www.equifax.com
Address to send inquiries about child Identity Theft:
Equifax
P.O. Box 105069
Atlanta , GA 30348
How to request a review of your child's credit file from Equifax:
Parents are required to mail in documentation that prooves they are the legal guardian of the child. An example of sufficient documentation is a child's birth certificate and a copy of the parent's driver's license. If a record is found Equifax will erase any fraudulent accounts and remove the credit file from their system and flag the child's social security number as belonging to a minor. Equifax does not provide copies of the child's credit report to parents.
TransUnion
Phone Number: (800) 916-8800
Website: http://www.transunion.com
Address to send inquiries about child Identity Theft:
Trans Union PO Box 6790
Fullerton , CA 92834
How to request a review of your child's credit file from TransUnion:
TransUnion has set up a special email address for parents to use in order to request their child's credit report. Parents can send an email to childidtheft@transunion.com. TransUnion will then send back instructions on how to request a credit report. If a credit report does exist then TransUnion will lock the child's credit file until they turn 18 years old.
It is important to remember that contacting just one of the credit bureaus is not sufficient protection because many lenders only report to one or two of the credit bureaus. So, for example, if only Experian is contacted and a lender that has extended credit to an identity thief pretending to be your child only reports that credit to Equifax and TransUnion, you would not be alerted.
Keeping up with all three bureaus each quarter, or twelve total inquiries per year, can be a lot of work but it is extremely important. It can be overwhelming and that is why we strongly suggest that parents consider protecting their families with and identity protection service such as LifeLock, which does most of the work for you (see point #7 below).
Contact the Social Security Administration on your child's behalf at least once per year
The social security administration can be reached by phone at (800) 772-1213 and will be able to provide you with any records attached to your child's social security number.
Your minor child should not have any work history associated with their social security number. If they do, it is likely that someone is fraudulently using it to gain employment. If your child has a work permit and does have a valid work history, make sure the employers match up business where your child has been employed.
Keep in mind that it is possible for identity thieves to use your child's social security number without using their name. Since the Social Security administration uses a number and name matching system their check would not catch this type of identity theft.
Involve your local authorities if you feel your child has been victimized
If you believe that your child has become a victim of identity thieves then make sure to file a report with your local police department immediately. This report will help you and your child recover from the identity theft incident.
Without a police report it may be difficult to prove that some of the fraudulent charges were no perpetrated by a third party and you may, in the worst case scenario,
be held financially liable. Additionally, based off of the police report all three major credit bureaus will amend or erase the fraudulent information on your child's credit report.
If you don't know how to contact your local police department simply dial directory assistance and ask for the non emergency telephone number for the local police.
Consider a proactive identity theft solution provider for your entire family
Protecting your children from identity theft is an extremely important but time consuming job. It is possible to keep up with all the aspects of this important task, but we strongly recommend that most parents consider using an identity theft protection service to keep their child's identity safe and secure.
We have reviewed all of the major identity theft protection services and have found that only one, LifeLock, provides extensive identity theft protection for children.
LifeLock checks your child's credit file at each of the major credit bureaus and their account with the social security administration multiple times per year. If any fraudulent activity is detected LifeLock will place fraud alerts on your child's credit report and flag them as being associated with a minor child.
The service is extremely economical at less than $2.00 per month and will save you hours of work and research. It also gives you peace of mind that a professional organization that is focused on proactive identity theft protection, and well versed in its protection, is safeguarding your children.
In order to enroll your child in LifeLock one or more parents must also be a member of the service. We strongly recommend this service for all members of your family.
Help curb child identity theft by sharing these tips with other parents
Unfortunately, child identity theft will likely be a growing risk for years to come. As a parent you have the opportunity to not only help protect your own children from being victimized, but other children as well.
To that end, please help us curb the threat of child identity theft by telling every parent you know about this guide.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Identity Theft Information
Federal Bureau of Investiagtion (FBI) Internet Fraud Complaint Center
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Identity Theft Guide for Online Brokerage Users
United States Department of Justice Identity Theft Reference Guide
Center for Identity Management Information Protection "Identity Fraud Trends and Patterns"
Washington Post Identity Theft "Protecting Your Identity"
Cybersquatting leads to identity theft
September 10th, 2009 - Posted by Robert Siciliano
Robert Siciliano is a NextAdvisor.com Expert Guest Blogger
Ever click on a link in an email or while browsing online, and something just wasn't right? The domain name in the address bar was off by a letter or two? Or a word was misspelled? Maybe there was a number tossed in for good measure? This is either cybersquatting or typosquatting, and it's a problem.
Cybersquatting is the act of procuring someone else's trademarked brand name online, either as a dot com or any other U.S.-based extension. Cybersquatters squat for many reasons, including for fun, because they are hoping to resell the domain, they are using the domain to advertise competitors' wares, stalking, harassment or outright fraud. Social media identity theft, or grabbing someone else's given name on social networks, is another form of cybersquatting or, when it occurs on Twitter, Twitter squatting.
In particularly malicious cases of cybersquatting, identity thieves will use a domain similar to that of a bank in order to create a spoofed website for phishing. If the domain isn't available, typosquatting is the next best option. After Annualcreditreport.com launched, more than 200 similar domains were quickly snapped up.
This is just one more reason to actively protect yourself from identity theft.
This week, Computerworld discussed the havoc that cybersquatting can have on a brand's reputation. Sometimes, criminals copy a brand's entire website in order to collect usernames and passwords from unwitting visitors. Then, the hackers will test those names and passwords on other websites. Cybersquatting increased by 18% last year, with a documented 440,584 cybersquatting sites in the fourth quarter alone, according to MarkMonitor's annual Brandjacking Index report.
Intellectual property owners can sue cybersquatters under the federal Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, but it's expensive and damages are limited to $100,000. They can try to shut down sites containing copyrighted content under provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and in some cases, they might be able to pursue violators for trademark abuse under provisions of the Lanham (Trademark) Act.
I've written before about the time I was accused of cybersquatting. I wasn't, I swear! It was the early 90's, and I had an IBM PS1 Consultant 3.1 Microsoft operating system and a rockin' 150 MB hard drive. I bought myself some domains. I sold some, others I regrettably gave up. And there was one that will haunt me 'till the day I die.
I owned LEDZEPPELIN.com for about 5-6 years. Led Zeppelin was and is my band, and as a fan, I bought the domain as a keepsake. I would get emails from people all over the world, saying things like, "I am Paulo from Brazil, I love the Led Zep!"
Then, when Clinton passed a law later making cybersquatting illegal, I knew it was only a matter of time. I had it for five years before anyone from the band's team of lawyers approached me about it. And when they did, I didn't know how to handle it. And my lawyer at the time, even less so. Ultimately, I gave it up without a fight, but I'm sure the band's lawyers billed them for the one inch thick book of a lawsuit I was served with. Sorry, dudes. My bad.
In this case, the lawyers saw an opportunity to build a case against me, a fan who would have been happy with a stupid guitar pick from Jimmy. Instead I sat in silence for a year while they built a huge case as to why they should own the domain. When served, I freaked out and called them, yelling that they could take it, that I never wanted that.
One of few regrets. But I have a nice one inch thick souvenir all about me and the band and why I'm an idiot.
Anyway, with cybersquatting on the rise, it makes sense to claim your name, your brand name, and your kids' names on social networking sites and domain names as soon as possible. Just in case you get famous, you don't want to have to fight a twit like me.
You should also protect your identity by getting a credit freeze at ConsumersUnion.org. This is an absolutely necessary tool to secure your credit. In most cases, it prevents new accounts from being opened in your name. You should also consider investing in identity theft protection. Not all forms of identity theft protection can be prevented, but identity theft protection services can dramatically reduce your risk.
Robert Siciliano, identity theft speaker, discusses stolen domain names on Fox News.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5eoLzazsb0[/youtube]
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 two 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.
Norton Internet Security 2010 coupon and review
September 10th, 2009 - Posted by Kent
Norton Internet Security 2010 has just been released, joining the crowd of next-generation security products. Like others in the current crop, Norton is betting on more than just virus definitions. Realizing that once a virus has been discovered it's already spread, Internet security software is starting to recognized virus-like behaviors. Norton's new suite is no exception.
What impressed us about Norton Internet Security 2010 is how transparent its activities are. It really tells you what's going on. While some Internet security software just works as a kind of block against threats, Norton's suite provides analysis of new programs. In a lot of ways Norton makes you a partner in your computer's security. If all this sounds a little scary, it shouldn't. Norton gives you the information that you need to make the decisions. To find out more, check out our review.
Norton is offering 10% off of its 2010 Internet Security with coupon code: NIS2010NEW. Just follow any links to Norton from our site and enter the code at checkout. We really feel that Norton's Internet Security 2010 is one of the stand-out products of the year.
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