27. August 2008 by admin.

There is a scam that is surfacing in southwestern Indiana involving a phone scam. Though this scam has been around for a while it has recently surfaced in our area and I think it is important for everyone to be aware of this scam.

The caller claims to be from your Visa or Mastercard Fraud Department, advising you that your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase. After verifying that you did not make the purchase indicated, the fraudster tells you that a fraud investigation will be initiated on your behalf. Before hanging up, the caller will ask you to provide the 3-digit code on the back of your card. DO NOT PROVIDE THE NUMBER or any other account information to the caller. This is another scam to steal your credit/debit card information. If you receive this type of phone call, you may want to report it to local law enforcement authorities. If you are unsure about the call, hang up and contact your financial institution at a number or website you know is valid for the institution.

If our Visa Fraud Department calls you, they will NEVER request this 3-digit code, your expiration date, or your PIN number. (Remember: Visa already has this information so why would they ask?)

Visa* recommends the following tips to protect yourself from credit card phone scams:

• When in doubt, ask for more information in writing about the organization calling or the offer being presented.
• Never feel obligated to provide your credit card number over the phone.
• Educate yourself about the cost of “900” number calls and how you can block such calls from getting through.
• Get as many details as you can – for example, ask how much of your donation will go toward the charity as opposed to paying for administrative costs. The fewer questions the caller can answer, the less likely he or she is legitimate.
• Get a call-back number, either so you can initiate the call yourself or because you may need to report it later.
• Stay informed so you’re aware of the latest trends in telephone fraud.

Your best response:

• If you get a call from someone posing as a representative from your financial institution and asking for your account or personal information, hang up immediately and call your bank to verify any claims.
• If a telemarketer offers you a get-rich-quick opportunity, the best response is to turn him or her down right away.
• Avoid offers informing you that you’ve won a prize. Respondents are often asked to pay for “shipping” or a “deposit” for a prize that never existed in the first place.
• Be wary of calls soliciting contributions to charitable causes, particularly those regarding disaster relief. Many times, these solicitors are not legitimate. You’re better off choosing a worthy cause and contacting them yourself than responding to a random telefunding request.

*Source: visa.com

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16. August 2008 by admin.

At Countrywide, One Overlooked PC Led to Loss of 2M Records: If your primary defense against portable storage devices is to seal up the USB ports on your users’ computers, you’d better be pretty darn good with a glue gun. That’s the message that’s emerged from court documents surrounding the recently revealed security breach at Countrywide Home Loans, where an employee siphoned off about 20,000 customer records a week for more than two years and sold them to a third party. [Date: 13 August 2008, Source: http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=161548&f_src=darkreading_section_296]

See also: http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=160767

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12. August 2008 by admin.

A new scam involving cell phones has emerged. Identity thieves have long used “phishing” in e-mails to obtain personal and financial information from victims. This new scams involves SMS (Short Message Service) called “smishing”. A potential victim receives a text message to their cell phone posing as a financial institution stating that their account has been compromised and links them to a fraudulent website where the thief again try to gain access to the account numbers.

If you receive a phone call asking you to verify your personal information hang up immediately. Legitimate financial institutions will never do this.

If you did not initiate the contact hang up or delete the message immediately.

Report suspicious emails, text messages, or phone calls the to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov or by calling 1-877-IDTHEFT

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10. August 2008 by admin.

We continue to see an increase in cases of residents falling victim to check schemes. The most common is where the victim has advertised a product or service online or in a print publication and the schemer (”buyer”) will contact the victim and offer to purchase (or offer an “advance”)the product or service that is being advertised. The victim provides the schemer with their mailing address and a check is issued. The scheme usually involved the victim cashing the check at a bank and sending “shipping & handling” or other costs to an address via western union. When the bank cashes the check and the victim has already sent the money to the schemer. When the bank cannot collect the funds and determines the check is fake the victim now becomes responsible for the full amount of the check that was issued and now has fallen victim in the thousands of dollars. Since the scam has surfaced a lot of banks are more alert and able to detect the check is fake before it is even cashed.

Remember if it sounds too good to be true that is usually the case. Some important things to remember:

-the “buyer” requests the money be sent to another country or the “buyer” is from another country

-”buyer” requests the money wired after you have deposited the check

-there is no legitimate reason for the”buyer” who is giving you money to request money to be wired back.

Resource: http://www.fraud.org?ref=cybercrime.gibsoncountysheriff.com

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9. August 2008 by admin.

Computer forensics (also known as digital forensics) is the practice of identifying, seizing, analyzing, and reporting computer/digital evidence including, but not limited to hard drives, removable storage devices and media, PDAs, cell phones, etc. The process follows stringent protocol to adhere to the evidentiary rule in a court of law.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_forensics

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4. August 2008 by admin.

I have neglected our blog recently and thought it was time to add some content to our blog. If you want the technical process and language for securing your wireless network try googling “securing home wireless network“. You can also visit the manufacturer’s website (i.e. Linksys, Belkin, D-Link, etc.) of your wireless router. Some important things to remember is to always set a secure password (include letters, numbers and special characters) to your router’s control panel that is accessed by visiting your local private domain usually http://192.168.1.1 (see your owner’s manual). If you do not secure your router’s control panel you are giving anyone access to create protocol and permissions on your local home network. We are living in a PDA/portable media device world and anyone can come within reach of your home’s wi-fi signal (pulling vehicle in your driveway or passing close to your home) and access your unsecured home network. Your router is a computer itself and can be used to infiltrate your home computer and other media devices.

Once you have created a secure password (IMPORTANT: REMEMBER YOUR PASSWORD) for accessing and managing your router via the control panel now comes the process of connecting your wireless devices to your home network. You can do this in several ways:

1) assign each device a MAC address (physical address) (see also MAC address filtering in your router’s manual or control panel)

2) Enable a password-protected encryption so only devices with the proper permissions (i.e. password) can access the home network.

To find your computer’s MAC address you will need to do this from Command Prompt with the “ipconfig/all” command

(Windows Users)

If you have TCP/IP installed, run   ipconfig/all   from a Command Prompt window.

(click Start, then Run, then type cmd in the text box.)

Type in ipconfig/all in the Command Prompt Windows.

The 12-digit Physical Address is the same as MAC address

WPA/WEP Encryption: encryption scrambles your WI-FI signal and helps secure your home network. Make sure your wireless password is secure. Often routers will ask the user if you want the router to generate a password for you, which is helpful in creating a unique password.

Remember to change your SSID (Service Set Identifer) name to something unique (i.e. JoHn DoE_NeTwOrK123). Most manufacturer’s ship the router by its default name on all of the units or models (i.e. linksys, default, etc.). You also want to disable SSID broadcasting. This will prevent unauthorized users from obtaining your SSID and accessing your network.

These are just a few tips for securing your home wireless network and protecting you and your family from becoming victimized. While we could write a book on this topic, these are the basics that you need to creating a good, secure relationship with your wireless router.

NOTE: ALWAYS REFER TO YOUR OWNER’S MANUAL OR CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER FOR TROUBLESHOOTING ISSUES RELATED TO A ROUTER OR WIRELESS ROUTER.

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