The Identity Theft Warriors

Nick Paras joined us to explains how to protect your Android phone/tablet. Hackers/identity thieves never sleep. We keep all sorts of valuable information on our phones and it's very scary to think that all of your data that you keep near and dear to you could be stolen in an instant. If things go really bad you need a current back-up so you can restore them and get your phone running quickly and properly. 

The fraudsters are out there trying to get your password info so they can uncover other sites where you're using the same password. Heather says that you should use a different password for every site you subscribe to. That's truly the only way you can stay safe. Remember human psychology is always in play, you're either avoiding pain or you're seeking pleasure. The fraudsters capitalize on this by threatening dire consequences if you don't click that button or make that call or give out your credit card number. Fear is a much better motivator than pleasure because it taps into the survival instinct. 

Heather Wagenhals has always had a particular revulsion against scammers who exploit the elderly and the ignorant and steal their money, often their life's savings. Now Heather is compiling a list of scams around the country. She's put herself onto so-called "Sucker Lists," and is being voluntarily inundated with scammers. She records their calls and the phone number they're calling from, along with any suspect websites. Then she pushes them out on the web as warning to the unsuspecting. Scammers beware, there's a new sheriff in town!

Heather Wagenhals has always had a particular revulsion against scammers who exploit the elderly and the ignorant and steal their money, often their life's savings. Now Heather is compiling a list of scams around the country. She's put herself onto so-called "Sucker Lists," and is being voluntarily inundated with scammers. She records their calls and the phone number they're calling from, along with any suspect websites. Then she pushes them out on the web as warning to the unsuspecting. Scammers beware, there's a new sheriff in town!

Ransomware seems to be springing up all over. Imagine you're working on your computer one and find out that someone has encrypted your data and is demanding a Bitcoin payment to give you the key to unlock it. It's not just businesses that it's happening to, individuals are getting hit now too. Your best bet is to backup early and often. Then you should be able to get out of it with your data intact. Remember, backup early and often! Two backups minimum, local and a cloud backup service. 

Imagine an 18 year old posing as a doctor and he actually makes house calls. Luckily he was just posing as a holistic doctor. He was enterprising, and while he was visiting a "patient's" home and help himself to her credit cards and check book and borrowed over $35,000. A case of impersonation and identity theft. The perpetrator of this crime is now under psychiatric observation as this was not his first offense. Remember, just because someone has a white jacket and calls himself doctor doesn't make it so!

Just when you thought it was safe to boot your hard drive here comes ransomware. Hackers have figured out how to use encryption to lock up your computer and make the contents inaccessible without a password and then hold your data ransom until you make an extortion payment. This recently happened to a hospital in South Florida and they were shut down for weeks and had to revert back to paper records until they finally gave in and made the payment. Be certain there are no back doors on your computer, change your passwords regularly and be sure not to click any links you're not sure of. And don't open any suspicious email, ever!

James Munton, noted author and authority on Cons, both online and personal, says that you need to be careful about your children's identity. Besides the usual assortment of predators, identity thieves have recently taken to getting children's social security numbers, establishing credit profiles and then ripping off banks and credit grantors. The problem is that you and your children won't find out until it's too late. Often the victim only discovers the identity theft after applying for a student loan or auto financing. And then it's too late! James gives some common sense tips to avoid this outcome. 

Just when you thought it was safe to eat your Big Mac, we find out that identity thieves have been breaching fast food company credit card systems. The new chip card reading systems aren't working in many stores. As a result identity theft is continuing unabated. Heather said that the effort to be backward compatible, rather than simply replacing the existing system has been at the root of these problems. 

Morgan Wright is an internationally recognized authority on cyberterrorism, cybersecurity, identity theft and US law enforcement. He has trained over 2,000 law enforcement officers in the investigation of computer crime, including one year training the FBI on internet investigations. Morgan taught behavioral analysis interviewing at the National Security Agency, and is a contributing author to the 4th Edition Computer Security Handbook. He gives you sound advice to avoid becoming an identity theft victim. 

Kasrten Nohl has a PHD in cryptography and is a worldwide acknowledged expert in digital security. He's extremely concerned about the potential vulnerabilities of the emerging global digital payment systems. As we transfer from magnetic credit card strips to purely digital systems, the potential for fraud and the profits from it are going up exponentially. In the end the consumer really doesn't have any control over the situation and must rely on business and government to be protected. 

When it comes to Identity Theft, Carrie Kerskie literally wrote the book. Your Identity, Because Nothing Is Private Anymore has become a classic on preventing identity theft. Carrie also advises you to immediately set up your online account at the Social Security Administration, because if you don't, an identity thief can do it instead. Always set up your online banking accounts, even if you never intend to use them, because failure to do so allows an identity thief to set it up in your place and start stealing your funds. And always be wary when using debit cards. Credit cards are much safer. 

With the annual ritual of tax filing comes a stern reminder that identity thieves are lying in wait. Through various sources, they're able to obtain your social security number and date of birth. Then they electronically file a tax return and get the tax money that you've paid in. When you try to file a legitimate return, it gets rejected as a duplicate filing. This is a nearly $6 billion dollar problem. Finally, the IRS and the States are taking action and working with the online tax preparers to minimize the risk. But no doubt, just when they think the problem is solved, these thieves will come up with new ways to defraud the system. Patrick discusses several ways that you can minimize the risk. Go to keepMyId.org and get started now. Use the code FSN2 for the best value.

In 2015 Starbucks was hacked! Their mobile user accounts were breached by hackers. I'm a Starbucks account holder and was never notified. So many hacks, so little time. There were so many breaches last year that we could cover pages and pages describing them. In 2016 Rob expects medical record hacking to take center stage. So get ready and start thinking ahead because it will probably happen to you and to me. 

Noted cyber security expert Nick Piras was on with us again. There were so many questions about Cloud Security that we felt obligated to devote another show to it. Nick gives you the 3 three things you must absolutely do now to protect your data and your life and your identity. He also gives you the inside scoop on security, Apple vs. PC and what to do about that Smart Phone that can absolutely destroy your life. 

No sooner that you've rung in the new year and the scammers descend. Happy New Year! You can't build a Great Digital Wall of China/Trump, it's just not practical. Restrict your social network access and you can keep things a little more private. Be wary of friend requests. Keep your phone numbers hidden and unlisted. Pay attention to click for support sites, fake charities and fake sites that appear real. Watch out for chip credit card scams and part time job scams. The list is endless. So be vigilant!

No sooner that you've rung in the new year and the scammers descend. Happy New Year! You can't build a Great Digital Wall of China/Trump, it's just not practical. Restrict your social network access and you can keep things a little more private. Be wary of friend requests. Keep your phone numbers hidden and unlisted. Pay attention to click for support sites, fake charities and fake sites that appear real. Watch out for chip credit card scams and part time job scams. The list is endless. So be vigilant!

Noted identity theft expert and bestselling author Robert Siciliano joined us to discuss the Identity Theft Epidemic. Christmas Time is notorious for all sorts of scams. With the advent of chipped credit and debit cards, new scams have been created to take advantage of the consumer confusion created by this technology. Beware of banks calling you to discuss your new card. It's an opening to get your private info. Also beware of phony websites for charities and retailers, created just for the purpose of stealing your data. Awareness is the key to keeping you and your data safe this holiday season. 

While internet scams are certainly proliferating, conventional tried and true scams are still being conducted every day of the week. They appear to be exceptionally effective during the holiday season. Thieves understand that you're more focused on getting through the holidays and that therefore your guard may be down. Heather talks about the home based work scams where the scammer works on your confidence to get you to send them money, while you're waiting for their wire or check to clear, which it never does. So be on your look out for scams this holiday season. 

James Munton is a magician and expert in helping you avoid scams, cons and identity theft. His new book, The Con: How Scams Work, Why You're Vulnerable & How to Protect Yourself. If you're worried about becoming a victim James can be an invaluable source. Beware of the latest scam, which is really an old one, Rocks In The Box, where someone in a parking lot offers you an iPad for an incredibly cheap deal, only to find out it's an empty box with a floor tile in it. So beware!  To keep you identity safe go to KeepMyId.Org and use the code FSN2!

Former NYPD Detective Thomas Ruskin joined us today for an update on identity theft trends. Chipped credit and debit cards were supposed to be the cure all to credit card skimmers and scanners that have become rampant. However, my brand new chipped card was cloned and used in a grocery store in Illinois. To my bank's credit they caught it after two relatively small charges. I was sitting in a restaurant in New Orleans when the crime struck and I received a text informing me of the deed. Hopefully more secure measures will be implemented soon.  And most importantly go to KeepMyID.org and use the value code FSN2.     

The drumbeat of Identity Theft goes on and on. In this episode we examine the massive breach of JP Morgan Chase. Over 100 million customer's data was breached. How can it be stopped or slowed down. Are we all just sitting ducks waiting for our identities to be stolen. There must be something that can be done. It looks like companies and governments will start coming together to actually handle the problem.    For more info on how to protect your identity go to KeepMyId.Org and us the code FSN2

Noted security expert Nick Paras believes that it's time to get an adblocker for your smartphone. It will stop your phone from becoming a mobile electronic billboard and it could even stop your phone from getting hacked. Unwanted ads present another means for hackers to get a hold of your data. Spend a few bucks and get a high quality adblocker and you'll be happy you did. 

Hackers have stolen personal information belonging to about 15 million T-Mobile wireless customers and potential customers in the U.S., including Social Security numbers, home addresses, birthdates and other personal information.  Why do criminals keep getting their hands on sensitive information so easily? Will there ever be a stop to this activity?

Ashley Madison could be one of the biggest internet scams of all time. While billing itself as the site to go to have an affair, a data breach has proven that it was anything but. Most of the "women" on the site, were actually fake. User names and passwords, along with all emails sent and received and other data became an open secret. It just proves the need to be extremely careful with your data and to be very judicious when signing up on any website. You should always be on your best behavior, but even seemingly innocent sites can become a treasure trove of data to hackers. 

Nick Para, computer security expert addresses the concerns about the Cloud. Can you trust it with your data, your business or your finances? While data breaches have become a part of life, if you take the right steps and are always vigilant, then the Cloud can be very valuable. But you can never let your guard down or you could suffer the consequences.  And most importantly go to KeepMyID.org and use the value code FSN2. 

Another day, another data breach. Yet another health insurance company has been breached. Where will your data wind up? But there are ways to prevent or inhibit data thieves and hackers. Always be certain to review all of your statements monthly. You never know when the ID Thieves start out slow with a few small charges and then they slam you with massive fraudulent charges.  And most importantly go to KeepMyID.org and use the value code FSN2. 

September is National Preparedness Month. It's a great time to create your Digital Disaster Recovery Plan, if you haven't already. Remember Hurricane Katrina? People still haven't learned the lessons of that disaster. Be certain to backup your devices early and often. Also, use a remote backup service so you can restore vital files if your devices are destroyed, lost or stolen. The key is to learn from the past tragedies so you're covered if and when the inevitable should occur. Often the investments are small and even when they're more costly, just think about the cost of losing all your vital data and the decision will be easy. 

Just when you thought it was safe to remotely unlock your car, hackers can now clone your fob and steal your car. They're able to extend the range of your fob and and with keyless entry, they can just take it. Also, now with autos being internet-enabled, hackers can be anywhere in the world and take control, flashing your lights, shutting down your engine, turning up the heat to 100 degrees or just killing your all systems when you're cruising down the freeway at 70 miles per hour. Hopefully, automakers will recognize the threat now and take appropriate counter-measures. 

John Sileo lost everything as a result of identity theft. Over $300,000 and a flourishing software business and he faced criminal prosscution as well. This led him on a quest to fight identity theft and cyber crime. John's story has a happy ending,  he's now a worldwide authority and travels the globe as an Honrary Identity Theft Warrior. 

Rob Douglas is a nationally recognized identity theft expert and information security consultant specializing in the investigation and prevention of identity theft.  He is one of the nation's leading authorities on the use of social engineering and pretext to steal personal information.  Rob has been designated a Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist (CITRMS) by the Institute of Consumer Financial Education. Rob has provided consultation and expert testimony for civil and criminal investigations involving identity theft brought by private parties, state and federal law enforcement agencies.  He served as a consultant and expert witness for the Federal Trade Commission in the design and execution of Operation Detect Pretext – a sting operation to catch and prosecute information thieves working in the underground information industry.  Rob served as an expert witness to the Florida Statewide Grand Jury on Identity Theft and as a consultant and expert witness in Remsburg v. Docusearch, Inc., a federal suit involving the murder of Amy Boyer by a stalker who purchased her personal information from an Internet information broker.

Pat Crow of KeepMyId.org joined us to discuss the latest Android Platform vulnerability that was just discovered. Hundreds of millions of phones and tablets face hijacking from malware laced apps. The later your operating system upgrade, the higher your chances of being hacked and having your data stolen. That's why we recommend only keeping personal data on your main device and checking all of your apps to insure they don't contain malware. Also be certain to get a wifi shield to help prevent potential attacks. 

Security expert Eric Vanderburg was on with Pat and I today explaining why breaches are happening and what can be done to combat them. The problem is getting more serious by the day. It's up to all of us to be vigilant but the government and industry must start investing more resources to combat the threat. As Eric explained, there are many vulnerabilityes in every network, especially among consultants and sub-contractors. Internet security is everyone's problem!

We spoke with Pat Crow COO of KeepMyID.org about the massive breach by the Chinese Hackers of the Federal Office of Personnel Management. They've gotten millions of fingerprints, security clearances and tons of personal information. There's really no way to calculate the amount of damage that's been done to national security by this breach. The damage to the country's security will be felt for years to come.  To keep your identity safe now go to www.KeepMyId.Org and be sure to use the Code FSN2.

Just because identity theft is all the rage today, scammers have always been with us. Heather traces them back from Charles Ponzi, the grandfather of scammers to present time.  To keep your identity safe now go to www.KeepMyId.Org and be sure to use the Code FSN2.

The Casey bill is pending before Congress and appears not to stand much chance of passing this session. It's goals are modest. Patrick tells us that it would criminalize the sale of social security numbers, force Medicare to stop use social security numbers for identification purposes and force the IRS to act on tax refund fraud within 90 days. And yet Congress seems disinterested in addressing these problems. There's much more that could be done, how about going to a pin based system that would enable the elimination of ss numbers altogether. Until Congress gets tough on this issue, nothing will get done and Americans will continue to be easy marks.  

It's no secret that identity theft is out of control.Allison Spadafore, 30, was charged Monday with 45 counts of identity fraud, 15 counts of criminal tools, two counts of money laundering, two counts of misuse of credit card, one count of attempted misuse of credit card and one count of obstructing official business. Next, the IRS has started a cyber-crimes unit to fight income tax refund fraud. It's probably too little too late.  Finally, Patrick talks about the devastating effects of the recent federal data breach of the Office of Personnel Management. Is it the equivalent of a digital Pearl Harbor? It could be, the information is so extensive and invasive and could compromise thousands of agents and government employees with security clearances. 

No doubt you've heard about the recent breach of the Office of Personnel Management. Every Federal Employee's full personnel record has been hacked! The problem is that we've all been hacked. The question is what to do about it. According to Robert Siciliano, the nation's leading authority on identity theft, the best thing we can do is freeze our credit reports, lock down our computers, networks and digital devices and stay ever vigilant. Our data has been circulating for years and that's the untold truth. But if we take the necessary precautions we can limit the fallout.  To keep your identity safe now go to www.KeepMyId.Org and be sure to use the Code FSN2.

Heather Wagenhals explains that the data theft at the Federal Office of Personnel Management also included the theft of Security Clearance records or those people holding security security clearances or those seeking them. These records are incredibly detailed and extensive. If you've ever attempted to get a security clearance, you know that the government goes back and interview neighbors, teachers, etc. If you're one of those people, it's truly frightening. Therefore, it's more important than ever that you look down you credit reports.  To keep your identity safe now go to www.KeepMyId.Org and be sure to use the Code FSN2.

Paul Oster a nationally recognized credit and identity theft expert explains how virtually every current federal employee's crucial personal data is now available for sale on the dark web. This isn't just a nightmare for them, it's a national disaster. It means that no one's personal data is safe. There's only way to keep a potential data breach from becoming an identity theft nightare to you and that's KeepMyId.Org. It's the only service that actually prevents identity theft.  To keep your identity safe now go to www.KeepMyId.Org and be sure to use the Code FSN2.

Stealing data is a huge business, it's one of the fastest growing industries in the world. It's a worldwide epidemic. It's must be handled by Western Governments as part of a larger group, perhaps by the OECD. The stakes are huge and the world economy could be riding on it. Nations that harbor or encourage these criminals must be dealt with harshly. In addition, larger investments must be made to secure, individual computers, business networks and government systems. Only with a concerted effort can some semblance of order be established. Otherwise, more multi-billion dollar thefts are on the way.  To keep your identity safe now go to www.KeepMyId.Org and be sure to use the Code FSN2.

Heather Wagenhals and Pat Crow are both identity theft experts who understand exactly how exposed you are. The IRS just had a massive data theft breach. Heather's husband suffered income tax return fraud and she's still trying to straighten it out, years later. KeepMyId.Org is the only service that actually prevents identity theft. All the others simply allow you to watch as the criminals steal your identity and destroy your reputation piece by piece. And then it's your responsibility to do something about, no matter how difficult or impossible the task.  KeepMyId.Org stops identity thieves dead in their tracks. Use the Code FSN2. 

The Internal Revenue Service is dealing with a huge data breach which has exposed the personal information of more than 100-thousand taxpayers. It's the latest cyber attack and one that is especially worrisome because of all the personal information identity thieves can cull from the standard tax return. "You'd be surprise at first how much usable information is on each tax return - and in some cases how lax IRS cyber security is",  says Tax Pro and owner of Happy Tax Mario Costanz (www.happytax.com). As the owner of a nationwide tax preparation service Mario knows intimately the potential damage of this latest breach. According to the IRS, criminals used taxpayer-specific data acquired from non-IRS sources to gain unauthorized access to information on the tax accounts. The data included Social Security information, birth dates and street addresses. To keep your identity safe now go to 

You've probably heard by now how a group of low tech hackers managed to steal at least a billion dollars from banks around the globe, in a very short time period. They did it by sending emails with infected links to banks employees. Once they were in the rest was easy. Paul Oster, noted identity theft expert and credit authority explains that virtually everyone with a dollar in the bank or an active credit card is a sitting duck. The only thing you can do is set up an idenity theft protection service and be prepared. To prevent your identity from being stolen go to KeepMyId.org and be sure to use the discount code FSN2! It's the only service that actually freezes your credit reports and prevents identity theives from openining up new accounts in your name. 

Patrick Crow is COO of KeepMyID.org, and a leading expert on identity theft, the fastest growing crime in America. He served the country in military intelligence for many years. After 9-11, it became essential for the government to authenticate and establish the identity of those serving in the military and government.

What's going on in Canada? Canadian women in their 50's and 60's  have been taken for over $10 million by virtual gigolos who provide these women with much needed love and affection and companionship. They "Catfish" these women and build up trust over time and get them to send money and other gifts. It's just another way that people are being scammed. But nothing is as horrible as identity theft, the fastest growing crime in North America. To prevent your identity from being stolen go to KeepMyId.org and be sure to use the discount code FSN2! It's the only service that actually freezes your credit reports and prevents identity theives from openining up new accounts in your name. 

Heather Wagenhals joined us today to discuss the recent bank hack/heist and the ingenious way it was executed. Never underestimate the intelligence of criminals. They spend all their time looking for weaknesses and opportunities to illegally profit. Therefore, it's very important that you're extremely wary when dealing with any emails, links, attachments or anything you're not sure of on the Internet. Also, don't store your passwords, and regularly dispose of your cookies and caches from your browser. Otherwise, you could find yourself looted as well.  To prevent your identity from being stolen go to KeepMyId.org and be sure to use the discount code FSN2! It's the only service that actually freezes your credit reports and prevents identity theives from openining up new accounts in your name. 

Heather Wagenhals talks about how millions of homeowners got burned during the Great Recession but real estate can still be the best investment available to the average American. You need to look for cashflow not windfalls! Heather's been a longtime believer in the strategy. We also talked about the Verizon and IRS scams. They're like the EveryReady Bunny. They'll keep going and going until everyone has been hit or at least attempted to be hit up.  To prevent your identity from being stolen go to KeepMyId.org and be sure to use the discount code FSN2! It's the only service that actually freezes your credit reports and prevents identity theives from openining up new accounts in your name. 

Current Eventshttp://www.blogtalkradio.com/id_theft_warriors/2015/05/20/brandon-mccarthy-ones-mans-lonely-war-against-identity-theft-episode-2/#commentshttp://www.blogtalkradio.com/id_theft_warriors/2015/05/20/brandon-mccarthy-ones-mans-lonely-war-against-identity-theft-episode-2Wed, 20 May 2015 22:14:57 GMTBrandon McCarthy--One's Man's Lonely War Against Identity Theft--Episode 200:15:00

 How can we be hacked on vacation? * How are these hackers targeting such a large volume of people? * What are some of the ways to prevent these attacks? * Why has the online world become a place full of criminals? Heather and discuss how you avoid being a victim. If you don't take proper precautions you're a sitting duck. Think of it as hackers being out there who's fulltime job is just looking for victims to steal your data and sell it for a profit or use it themselves to buy tons of stuff. So watch out! And listen to Heather, she's knows what she's talking about.  To prevent your identity from being stole