safety-selfdefense.com » Safety http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog Blog Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:00:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Articles concerning identity theft http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/articles-concerning-identity-theft/ http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/articles-concerning-identity-theft/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:40:34 +0000 Lee http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/?p=317 Identity theft is when someone else assumes your personal information and poses as you. Therefore it’s not only just a question of stealing credit card numbers. There are several ways and places where your personal information can be stolen by the identity thieves. There are four different categories of identity theft; they include business or [...]]]> Identity theft is when someone else assumes your personal information and poses as you. Therefore it’s not only just a question of stealing credit card numbers. There are several ways and places where your personal information can be stolen by the identity thieves. There are four different categories of identity theft; they include business or commercial identity theft, identity cloning, criminal identity theft, and financial identity theft.
People use identity theft for different reasons. There are those who can use identity theft to blackmail someone, use it for terrorist activities, or illegal immigration. Identity cloning is mostly used for online credit card processing. Those who use identity theft for nonfinancial purposes could use them to get attention for the victim’s achievement, which is also referred to as media identity theft.
Financial identity theft is mostly used for bank fraud whereby the identity thief is able to impersonate someone else and manage to obtain a loan from a financial institution by presenting all the accurate information of the victim to the bank, especially if the transaction is carried out online. This type of crime is referred to as non-self-revealing and it’s quite common since the perpetrator doesn’t have to show his face. However, if the funds are released, the authorities can still be able to track down the criminal. Once the money is given, the financial institution is never paid back whereas the criminal keeps the money while the victim is accused of defaulting on a loan that was never authorized by the victim.
In cases of identity concealment and cloning, the criminal impersonates the victim by acquiring the victim’s personal identifiers for the sole reason of concealing himself from the authorities. This is mostly done by people working in foreign countries, a person who wants to avoid arrest or someone who wants to avoid other individuals or creditors. This kind of identity theft crime is known to go on for a long period of time, and the perpetrator may go on to obtain fraudulent IDs that go as far as making the criminal more authentic .
Most of these criminals get the personal identifiers of their victims from dumpster diving, shoulder surfing, smart cards, or by infiltration of organizations that keep large amounts of personal information. Even social online network services that happen to expose the personal details of users can be an easy target for identity thieves.
When there is a serious breach of privacy, the possibility of a criminal getting your personal identifiers becomes much easier. As much as some of the personal identifiers are got through burglary or theft, the best strategy for potential victims is to protect themselves from such thieves by whatever means possible by ensuring that their personal information is safe and secure at all times. ?

]]> http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/articles-concerning-identity-theft/feed/ 0 Increasing the punishment for identity theft http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/increasing-the-punishment-for-identity-theft-2/ http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/increasing-the-punishment-for-identity-theft-2/#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:35:04 +0000 Lee http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/?p=316 What punishment should identity a theft criminal’s face? A good one may be for them to pay all the bills that they have passed over to their victims. There have been calls for the punishment of identity theft offenders to be increased in the country. Identity thieves now face multiple charges when they are arrested. In [...]]]> What punishment should identity a theft criminal’s face? A good one may be for them to pay all the bills that they have passed over to their victims. There have been calls for the punishment of identity theft offenders to be increased in the country.
Identity thieves now face multiple charges when they are arrested. In addition to stealing personal information, the offenders have a string of charges that may be tied to them. Some of them include email fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, spamming and money laundering.
Prosecutors across the States have also been agitating for an increase in the punishment of identity thieves. For example, in Oklahoma prosecutors have proposed the punishment to be revised to a minimum of 2 years up to a maximum of 10 years. The existing legislation provides for a fine of up to $100,000.
The laws, which were signed in 2004, say that identity theft has been regarded as a serious crime and sentencing guidelines have been adopted to aid the prosecution of offenders. The Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act outlines different prison terms and compulsory penalties for thieves who have been convicted of different crimes, like terrorism and mail fraud.
Some of the increased punishments that the law has brought into place include:
The maximum penalty for identity theft under the Federal law has been increased from 3 to 5 years
Anyone who carries out identity theft with the aim of undertaking terrorism will have his penalties increased by 5 years.
Clarification of the maximum sentence of 25 years for persons who want to aid terrorism applies both to domestic and international terrorism.
A person who has in his possession identity documents with the intention of carrying out criminal activities is also now targeted by this Law.
The Law also directs the Sentencing Commission to overhaul its guidelines in order to be able to punish insider offences which involve “abuse of trust” of the person who has committed the crime.
The department of Justice has also been allocated $2 million every year from 2005 to 2009 to be used in investigating and prosecuting identity theft cases and other related fraud cases.

It is important that consumers know how to protect themselves from falling victim to identity fraud. There are many good resources that are available online with good materials concerning privacy and identity protection. Companies should increase identity theft awareness to their employees in order to protect them and the companies from losses that come about as a result of identity theft.
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]]> http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/increasing-the-punishment-for-identity-theft-2/feed/ 0 Identity theft and fraud http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-and-fraud/ http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-and-fraud/#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:46:21 +0000 Lee http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/?p=312 A crime by definition is an act or an omission that contradicts or goes contrary to the laid down provisions of the law. This in essence means a crime could be as a result of an act that contravenes the law, or failure to act in a certain manner as required by the law. There [...]]]> A crime by definition is an act or an omission that contradicts or goes contrary to the laid down provisions of the law. This in essence means a crime could be as a result of an act that contravenes the law, or failure to act in a certain manner as required by the law. There are many types of crime and identity theft and fraud is a perfect example. Recent statistics by the Federal Bureau of Investigation reveals that more than ever before, the rate of identity theft and fraud has gone considerably high. Perhaps before going further in to our discussion, it would be best to first establish what exactly is identity theft and fraud. Identity theft and fraud basically is obtaining by wrongful means another person’s information or data, and consequently using that information to commit crimes of fraud or deception.
The information referred to herein above normally is personal information. A good example of such information includes the number of your driving licence, bank cards, and date of birth among others. The great danger involved in identity fraud is that this information is then used at your expense and to the benefit of those who obtain such information.
Identity theft and fraud is committed in a number of ways. The first and the most common way is dumpster diving. This is where the impostors go through trash from your office or area of operation and they are able to obtain some vital information from the trash. Shoulder surfing is yet another way in which identity theft and fraud may be committed. This is where an impostor stands behind a person in a queue and is able to peep through their documents and obtain vital information. Skimming is also a common method of identity theft and fraud where a person is able to get the card details of another person when the card is being processed at a pay point like a restaurant. This is usually done using a device known as a skimmer.
Other methods through which identity theft and fraud may be committed include an impostor posing as an employer and demanding to obtain particular details of a person which are then used fraudulently. Theft of records is also a means of identity theft and fraud where one steals the records of the company for instance files and obtains the information which he then uses to commit fraud. Other methods though commonly used in the past to commit identity fraud and theft include stealing purses and wallets that contain documents with personal information.
Identity theft and fraud is a serious crime and can attract a heavy penalty if one is found guilty of the same.

]]> http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-and-fraud/feed/ 0 Identity theft resource center http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-resource-center/ http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-resource-center/#comments Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:56:26 +0000 Lee http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/?p=313 Identity theft involves obtaining personal details of another person by wrongful means, and using such details at the expense of the owner of the details and to the benefit of the fraudster. Some of the details that fraudsters are interested in include security card numbers, bank details, insurance details and such other personal information. Identity [...]]]> Identity theft involves obtaining personal details of another person by wrongful means, and using such details at the expense of the owner of the details and to the benefit of the fraudster. Some of the details that fraudsters are interested in include security card numbers, bank details, insurance details and such other personal information. Identity theft has been on the rise in the recent past, and people have lost huge sums of money through this crime.
It is for this reason that there has been established a resource centre that deals with this crime. Being a non profit making organization, the main goal for which the identity theft resource centre was established is to prevent identity theft and also help victims of identity theft. Among some of the activities that the organization engage in include creating awareness to the general public on the various ways in which they can avoid this crime which has been on the rise.
The organization has also come up with various programs to find out the new ways that fraudsters are using to commit this particular crime. In addition, they have devised new ways to be able to track fraudsters involved in identity theft.
Identity theft is not easily detected. One may go for years without realizing that he has fallen victim of this crime. However, upon realizing the true state of facts, the identity resources centre advise that it is important to alert the relevant authorities immediately. This helps prevent any further damage that may have been done by the fraudster. For instance, if it is in regard to bank cards, alerting the bank management would be wise so that they may freeze the accounts and prevent any further transactions by the fraudsters.
Since its establishment, the identity theft research centre has played a significant role, not only in reducing the cases of identity theft but also ensuring that any possible way through which identity theft is carried out is blocked. Among the various ways in which the organization does this is through research, and also review of research done by other organizations regarding identity theft. Information gathered from the research enables the identity theft resource centre to come up with ways of preventing this crime.
Any person who believes he is a victim of identity theft is advised to contact any identity theft resource centre nearby. They will be assisted in the best way possible. It is thus correct to state that since its establishment, there has been a considerable decrease in the number of identity theft crimes reported.
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]]> http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-resource-center/feed/ 0 Computer identity theft cases http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/computer-identity-theft-cases/ http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/computer-identity-theft-cases/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 05:52:38 +0000 Lee http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/?p=308 Computer identity theft cases normally take various forms. They mostly target people who are most vulnerable, for example senior citizens and children. Computer identity theft cases may for example take the form of an individual who pretends to be an agent of the federal tax authority. He identifies himself as a tax agent and requests [...]]]> Computer identity theft cases normally take various forms. They mostly target people who are most vulnerable, for example senior citizens and children. Computer identity theft cases may for example take the form of an individual who pretends to be an agent of the federal tax authority. He identifies himself as a tax agent and requests you to send your social security number to him.
Such messages are normally sent to people’s inboxes. Some people do not think that they can be victims of online identity theft thus they do not normally take the necessary precautions. If you respond to such messages that are supposedly from online tax agents, your details will be used to operate several credit cards and sometimes withdrawing money from your bank account.
These activities may make you bankrupt. Computer identity theft cases are normally planned and executed by highly ingenious individuals. They sometimes design websites that look exactly like other original company websites. The only difference is that they provide a link to another web page which will usually require you to upload your personal data.
It is the personal data that they use to carry out computer identity theft. Computer identity theft cases have increased over the years according to a report from the Federal Trade Commission. The number of computer identity theft cases is doubling each year. A research carried out two years ago showed that approximately fifteen million Americans were victims of computer identity theft cases in a year.
The computer identity theft victims lose more money than they are getting. The effects of the computer identity theft cases on the economy are enormous because they run into billions of dollars. The computer identity thieves are very fast in their act and it is thus very difficult to catch up with them. The only option therefore is to try as much as possible to minimize its chances.
One of the most effective ways of preventing computer identity theft cases is by using LifeLock. LifeLock takes a proactive approach to computer identity theft. It is thus a sure way of minimizing computer identity theft cases. The advantage of LifeLock is that it can be used across the board by either individuals or companies that may suffer from computer identity theft cases.
Individuals who would like to prevent themselves from suffering huge loses through computer identity theft have to register as members. The benefits that will accrue to you might leave you wondering why this system was not discovered earlier.
It is always good to guarantee your name through safe and tested methods. Otherwise, the costs of trying to redeem it after being a victim of computer identity theft might be very costly.

]]> http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/computer-identity-theft-cases/feed/ 0 Penalties of identity theft http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/penalties-of-identity-theft/ http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/penalties-of-identity-theft/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:31:39 +0000 Lee http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/?p=309 Personal or private information as the name suggests is that information whose accessibility is reserved exclusively to the owner. However, sometimes this information falls into the wrong hands and is used at the expense of the owner. Normally this happens when a person without exclusive authority of the owner obtains personal information of another and [...]]]> Personal or private information as the name suggests is that information whose accessibility is reserved exclusively to the owner. However, sometimes this information falls into the wrong hands and is used at the expense of the owner. Normally this happens when a person without exclusive authority of the owner obtains personal information of another and uses it to his benefit. This is commonly referred to as identity theft and is punishable in many countries as a criminal offence.
In 2004, the United States of America’s President passed a bill that required extremely tough measures be taken on all identity theft offenders. The previous law was made more severe as a way of ensuring that these criminal acts are curbed. The first Act on identity theft prevention was enacted in 2001. It was however repealed in 2004, making the punishments already provided more severe. According to the 2004 enactment, the already provided penalties were to be increased by two years and five years respectively for all identity theft offenders and grave identity theft offenders respectively.
Being the most rapidly growing crime, the only way and means of ensuring that the growth rate of this crime goes down is by imposing heavy penalties on the offenders. According to the prevailing Act on identity theft, any person found guilty of this crime is to be sentenced to a jail imprisonment or incarceration for not less than a period of five years. According to the relevant authorities, such stern measurers will contribute significantly to the reduction of the crime. In addition, the heavy and stern measures are also attributed to the heavy loss in terms of finances and otherwise that a victim of identity theft suffers.
It is believed that identity theft is one crime that plays a contributory role in undermining the economy of any given country. The economy stagnates due to such criminal activities and thus heavy penalties are important to ensure that the vice is eliminated completely.
Identity theft has now been classified as an aggravated crime and this goes a long way to show how serious this crime is perceived. Governments of various countries have, in addition to providing stiffer penalties for identity offenders, put up advanced technology methods to be able to detect easily various cases of identity fraud and theft.
Although the prison terms vary depending on the type of identity theft committed, there are some mandatory punishments and penalties for anyone found guilty of an identity theft crime. It is believed that with identity theft penalties having been made stiffer, the rate of this crime is likely to decrease.

]]> http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/penalties-of-identity-theft/feed/ 0 Identity theft in america http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-in-america/ http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-in-america/#comments Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:25:12 +0000 Lee http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/?p=281 Identity theft is a criminal activity whereby an individual knowingly uses or transfers another person’s personal identification information without lawful authority, for the purposes of committing or abetting a crime. ID theft is the fastest rising crime in America. About 10 million Americans were victims of ID theft last year. They roughly lost $5 billion due [...]]]> Identity theft is a criminal activity whereby an individual knowingly uses or transfers another person’s personal identification information without lawful authority, for the purposes of committing or abetting a crime.
ID theft is the fastest rising crime in America. About 10 million Americans were victims of ID theft last year. They roughly lost $5 billion due to this crime. It is difficult to pin out the exact number of ID theft cases that occur since police departments usually classify them as different crimes, like mail theft, credit card fraud, internet fraud and other crimes.
Some of the tips that you should follow in order to minimize the risk of your identity being stolen include promptly collecting your mail in the mail box. Do not leave it overnight or during the weekends. Take a review of your consumer reports from time to time to ensure that they reflect your purchases during a period. Any unwanted documents that contain personal information should be shred and destroyed. Be cautious when giving out your personal information. Do not give out your personal details over the phone or the internet unless you are the one who started the conversation or the website uses SSL. Also, avoid carrying your birth certificate or social security number. Have them placed at a secure location.
Other things you can do to minimize identity theft include memorizing your passwords. Do not write them on papers or on other materials that you carry along. Also, it is good not to have common facts about you like your birth date, middle name, etc as your password as one can easily find these out. Another caution is to ensure that you do not leave your receipts at the gas station or shopping mall after paying for the services. Make sure you immediately report any lost or stolen credit card
If you have fallen victim to a mail theft, report this immediately to the US Postal Inspection office in your area. If you are a victim of credit card fraud, call your credit card fraud office and request an “alert” to be placed on your credit card. Ask for copies of your credit card statements to check whether any purchases or accounts have been fraudulently opened in your name without your knowledge. Contact your creditors and bank in writing and by phone and report the fraud. Have a “flag” placed on your account by your bank and ask them to alert you in case there is any unusual activity going on.

]]> http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-in-america/feed/ 0 Identity theft and the elderly http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-and-the-elderly/ http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-and-the-elderly/#comments Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:35:26 +0000 Lee http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/?p=254 As people get busy buying gifts, identity thieves are also on the lookout for the perfect victims who are mostly elderly, consumer advocates are now warning. An old woman lost her 63000 dollars in a fortnight, from a care giver she had hired. This was done after forging her signature. A social worker looking after an [...]]]> As people get busy buying gifts, identity thieves are also on the lookout for the perfect victims who are mostly elderly, consumer advocates are now warning. An old woman lost her 63000 dollars in a fortnight, from a care giver she had hired. This was done after forging her signature.
A social worker looking after an elderly woman used his position to access her mail, bank accounts and house, then proceeded to write himself checks from her account, lying to her and saying that he was paying all her bills.
In another area, some elderly people have been getting phone calls from “the Federal Government Assistance” being promised they are going to add $100 in assistance money to their credit card. Then the caller takes the credit card information and charges $100 to the card.
That is not the end. The elderly trusting attitude is also another reason why that exposes them to theft. The story goes on and on, and the elderly suffer quietly with very few reported cases of identity theft.
The number of elderly ID theft is increasing every year and at a greater percentage. For example, from 2002 to 2004, the number of people over 50 filing complaints grew by 95 percent, to 145,895.
The problem is they don’t believe they have been defrauded. Also, they’re embarrassed and fear losing face because they weren’t guarding information closely enough. Thus it is paramount for the elderly and seniors to know that identity theft is not a black marker and something to be embarrassed about.
They need pragmatic and proper assistance so that they can have it dealt with once it occurs. Consumer and elderly advocates say that seniors make very lucrative and sometimes quite easy targets. In some cases having substantial assets including homes, large savings accounts and generally being at home during the day exposes them to this scam.
But all is not lost; the elderly seem to be taking precautions of their own. A recent study by the Identity Theft Resource Center in San Diego concluded that 43 percent of victims are of the belief that they know their impostor. They have greatly learned not to easily fall for telephone scams or e-mails promising things beyond the yolk of truth.
These are heartless criminals attacking the fragile and most vulnerable and innocent victims. Now, at least, there is a new initiative to keep the elderly from being targets. The effort comes after a series of brutal attacks on the elderly. Authorities have warned against an increasing voter registration scam, saying phone calls and e-mails that are asking for their social security and other financial information are inclined to steal from them. ? ?As for violent muggers on the street who are preying on the elderly, the reward is going up from $12,000 to $14,000 for any kind of information to their arrest.

]]> http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-and-the-elderly/feed/ 0 Identity theft online http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-online/ http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-online/#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:35:41 +0000 Lee http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/?p=251 Identity theft online refers to a situation where a person impersonates your documents and uses them to commit an online fraud. Identity theft online normally uses credit cards. Identity theft online involves a situation in which an unauthorized individual gains your account details and tries to use them to make online transactions. Banks are normally very [...]]]> Identity theft online refers to a situation where a person impersonates your documents and uses them to commit an online fraud. Identity theft online normally uses credit cards. Identity theft online involves a situation in which an unauthorized individual gains your account details and tries to use them to make online transactions.
Banks are normally very vigilant when it comes to identity theft online. Most of these online thieves are normally caught up with before they make any form of withdrawals. Individuals are advised not to give the identities of their credit cards online. This is because those who normally commit identity theft online get their information online.
It is not wise to categorize identity theft online to be more common in one country than the other. Online identity thieves come from across the globe. Some might be your next door neighbours, but you will never know. It is therefore not prudent to think that online identity thieves only come from certain countries.
People who use credit cards but have never used them online should not think that they are safe either. The world has become a global village, and most of the machines that we currently use have online connections. It is therefore wise to take precautions whether you are an online credit card holder or not.
Some people avoid the internet like the plague because of the crisis that it has brought to their individual lives. However, one should not fear transacting online business for fear of identity theft online. Whether you like it or not, the kind of information that is available about you from the government departments to your former schools is enormous.
You should not engage in online theft because it is very easy to get a credit card through assumed identity. On the other hand, it is very easy for someone who would like to commit an online fraud to collect all the information they need from the internet. After that they can use the information obtained to acquire a credit card that might send you into extreme debt.
If you have received bills for purchases that you did not make, do not ignore them as mistakes from the relevant company. This might be an indication that someone might be using your name to commit online fraud. It is thus advisable to report such issues to the police. Also make sure that you inform the company involved that it is not actually you who made the purchases.
Internet has made life easy to most individuals, but it has also brought a lot of trouble. Ensure that you use all the methods available to minimize identity theft online. It cannot be stopped, but surely can be reduced.
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]]> http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-online/feed/ 0 Identity theft prevention tips http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-prevention-tips/ http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/identity-theft-prevention-tips/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:28:58 +0000 Lee http://safety-selfdefense.com/blog/?p=248 To safeguard one’s identity, there are several important proactive steps everyone can do or know about to be able to effectively not only protect themselves, but their family members as well from becoming helpless victims of identity theft. The most vital one is to change your password every month. If you do your financial transactions [...]]]> To safeguard one’s identity, there are several important proactive steps everyone can do or know about to be able to effectively not only protect themselves, but their family members as well from becoming helpless victims of identity theft. The most vital one is to change your password every month. If you do your financial transactions online or keep your personal information on your computer, make it a point to change your password at least once a month. And while you are at it, try to avoid using obvious names that will make it easy for hackers to crack. Passwords with pet names, anniversaries, birthdays, or maiden names should not be used as passwords since they are easy to crack.
Since dumpster divers are so effective in scrounging for other people’s personal information, it is advisable to buy a shredder. All your personal information should be shredded before it’s tossed in the dumpster. If you are going for a shredder, get one that shreds both widthwise as well as lengthwise since most potential identity thieves are able to piece back all the shredded pieces if shredded only lengthwise or widthwise. Make sure to shred them both ways before getting rid of them.
In case your financial data has been breached, freeze your account. This is one of the most effective ways to stop the thieves. Once your account is frozen, there is no way an identity thief will access your account or open a line of credit without access to your credit information. There is a subscription that caters for all trusted ID customers that have had their credit freeze implemented. The good thing about credit freeze is the amount of time it takes to get implemented. It’s the easiest and takes the shorted time possible to implement it, thus averting a lot of damage that would have been caused by the thief.
With so many scams on the internet, be careful about who you give your information to. They target the unsuspecting victims by posing as a government agency, or a bank or even a store. Therefore watch out for such scam bugs who will ask you to verify your personal information or password. This kind of information can never be requested in this manner if the company is legit.
If you have your valuable personal information on the computer protect it from spyware, as well as viruses by use of firewall. These spywares are able to collect all your personal information such as passwords and credit numbers. Therefore make it a point to use protection software that should be upgraded on a regular basis, and don’t fall for free software from sites you are not familiar with. ? ?

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