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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24. February 2008 by admin.

Click here to continue reading this article.

Source: IRS.Gov

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4. December 2007 by admin.

The 18-year-old New Zealander’s screenname is “AKILL,” and he is the alleged head “of an international cyber crime network accused of infiltrating 1.3 million computers” and stealing $20+ million from victims’ bank accounts, the Associated Press reports. “Working with the FBI and police in the Netherlands, New Zealand police raided” his house in Hamilton and took him and several computers in custody. His arrest was part of an international crackdown on criminal hackers who hack or social-engineer their way into large numbers of computers, install malicious software, and take control of the machines, turning them into “zombies.” The zombie computers become part of large networks (or “botnets”) of computers that can launch denial-of-service attacks on large Web commercial Web sites, extort, manipulate stocks, etc. “Eight people have been indicted, pleaded guilty or have been convicted since the investigation started in June.”

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31. October 2007 by admin.

Federal Trade Commission Spoofed Email

added October 30, 2007 at 11:18 am | updated October 31, 2007 at 08:09 am
US-CERT is aware of fraudulent email messages purporting to be from the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) “Fraud Department”. These messages refer to a complaint filed against the email’s recipient and appear to be from “frauddep@ftc.gov”. The email messages contain a link to malicious software and should not be followed. Please see the Federal Trade Commission website for additional information.

More information can also be found in the US-CERT Cyber Security Alert SA07-303A.

US-CERT encourages users to take the following preventative measures to help mitigate this risk:

• Do not follow unsolicited links in email messages.
• Install anti-virus software, and keep its virus signature files up-to-date.
• Review the Reducing Spam Cyber Security Tip.
• Review the Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks Cyber Security Tip.

Source: produced by US-CERT

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26. October 2007 by admin.

California Wildfires Spawn Phishing Sites
added October 26, 2007 at 03:15 pmUS-CERT has received reports of multiple phishing sites that attempt to trick users into donating funds to fraudulent foundations in the aftermath of the California Wildfires. US-CERT warns users to expect an increase in targeted phishing emails due to the recent events in California.Phishing emails may appear as requests from a charitable organization asking the users to click on a link that will then take them to a fraudulent site that appears to be a legitimate charity. The users are then asked to provide personal information that can further expose them to future compromises.Users are encouraged to take the following measures to protect themselves from this type of phishing attack:1. Do not follow unsolicited web links received in email messages.
2. Contact your financial institution immediately if you believe your account/and or financial information has been compromised.

For additional information regarding phishing, US-CERT recommends reading the Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks document.

Source: produced by US-CERT

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25. October 2007 by admin.

This is not a new e-mail scam, but it has resurfaced and we have received a few complaints recently from residents receiving the same or a similar e-mail.

==========================================================

—– Original Message —–
From: john frank
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2007 6:09 AM
Subject: get back to me immediately

This is the only way I could contact you for now,I want you to be
very careful about this and keep this secret with you until I make
out space for us to see. You have no need of knowing who I am or
where I am from.I know this may sound very surprising to you but
it’s the situation.i have been paid some ransom in advance to
terminate you with some reasons listed to me by my employer.It’s
someone I believe you call a friend, I have followed you closely for
a while now and have seen that you are innocent of the accusations
he leveled against you. Do not contact the police or try to send a
copy of this to them,because if you do, I will know,and might be
pushed to do what I have been paid to this is the 1st time I turn
out to be a betrayer in my job. I took pity on you,that is why I
have made up my mind to help you if you are willing to help yourself.
Now listen,I will arrange for us to see face to face,but before
that, I need $6000. I will come to your home or you determine where
you wish we meet;I repeat, do not arrange for the cops and if you
play hard to get, it will be extended to your family.Do not set
any camera to cover us or set up any tape to record our
conversation, my employer is in my
control now.
Payment details will be provided for you to make a part payment of
$3000 first,which will serve as guarantee that you are ready to
co-operate,then one of my boys will deliver a copy of the video
tape to you that contains his request for me to terminate you(I
tape recorded our conversation),which will be enough evidence for
you to take any
legal action against him.i advice you be fast about this before he
employs another person for the job. You will pay the balance of
$3000 once you receive the tape.
Warning; do not contact the police, make sure you stay indoors
once it is 7.30pm until this whole thing is sorted out,if you
neglect any of these warnings, you will have yourself to blame.
You do not have much time,so get back to me immediately Note:I
will advise you keep this to yourself alone, not even a friend or
a family member should know about it because it could be one of
them.
contact me for now on this e mail: xxxxx@hotmail.com
Good Luck.

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