Phishing, Identity Theft and Scams

The Internal Revenue Service has issued several consumer warnings on the fraudulent use of the IRS name or logo by scamsters trying to gain access to consumers' financial data in order to steal their assets. Fraudsters may use the IRS name because most consumers recognize it, have had prior communication with or from the IRS (such as receiving annual tax form and instruction packages) and have previously provided the IRS some financial data (such as that contained on tax returns).

As a general rule, the IRS does not send out unsolicited e-mails or ask for detailed personal information. Additionally, the IRS does not ask people for the PIN numbers, passwords or similar secret access information for their credit card, bank or other financial accounts.

Tricking consumers into disclosing their personal and financial data, such as secret access data or credit card or bank account numbers, is identity theft. Such schemes perpetrated through the Internet are called "phishing" for information.

The information fraudulently obtained is then used to steal the taxpayer's identity and financial assets. Typically, identity thieves use someone's personal data to steal his or her financial accounts, run up charges on the victim's existing credit cards, apply for new loans, credit cards, services or benefits in the victim's name and even file fraudulent tax returns.

Identity theft usually causes immediate financial losses for the victims, who may also encounter lingering credit and other problems as a result of the identity theft.

Identity theft schemes take numerous forms. Identity theft may be conducted by e-mail (phishing), standard mail, telephone or fax. Thieves may also go through trash looking for discarded tax returns, bank records, credit card receipts or other records that contain personal and financial information.

When the IRS learns about schemes involving use of the IRS name, it tries to alert consumers as well as authorities that can shut down the scheme, if possible.

The following are examples of recent schemes:

1. e-Mails claiming to come from tax-refunds@irs.gov, admin@irs.gov or other variations on the irs.gov theme told the recipients that they were eligible to receive a tax refund for a given amount. It directed recipients to claim the refund by using a link contained in the e-mail which sent the recipient to a Web site. The site, a clone of the IRS Web site, displayed an interactive page similar to a genuine IRS one; however, it had been modified to ask for personal and financial information that the genuine IRS interactive page does not require.

The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) has reported that it found 12 separate Web sites in 11 different countries hosting variations on this scheme.

2. A bogus IRS letter and Form W-8BEN (Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding) asked non-residents to provide personal information such as account numbers, PINs, mother's maiden name and passport number. The legitimate IRS Form W-8BEN, which is used by financial institutions to establish appropriate tax withholding for foreign individuals, does not ask for any of this information.

To protect against potential identity thieves, take the following steps:

1. Be skeptical of communications you receive from sources you are not expecting. Verify the authenticity of phone calls, standard mail, faxes or e-mails of questionable origin before responding.

2. Do not reveal secret passwords, PINs or other security-based data to third parties; genuine organizations or institutions do not need your secret data for ordinary business transactions.

3. Do not click on links contained in possibly questionable e-mails; instead, go directly to the site already know to be genuine. For example, the only address for the IRS Web site is www.irs.gov -- any other variations on this will not lead to the legitimate IRS Web site.

4. Do not open attachments to e-mails of possibly questionable origin, since they may contain viruses that will infect your computer.

5. Shred paper documents containing private financial information before discarding.

To report the fraudulent misuse of the IRS name, logo, forms or other IRS property, you may contact the TIGTA toll-free hotline at 1-800-366-4484 or visit the TIGTA Web site.

Those who think their identity has been stolen should visit the Federal Trade Commission's Web site for information about how to handle the aftermath of identity theft.

Cal Golden is a volunteer tax preparer and webmaster of Tax Help Super Tips For up to the minute information on how to get the most from your federal and state tax returns, visit his site now.

Identity Theft - the 1 most important thing you can do now!

Identity Theft - The one most important thing you can do to protect yourself!

If your credit card is ever stolen, don't panic. Immediately call the 3 national credit reporting organizations to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. The alert tells every company that checks your credit (as the thief trys to use your credit card) knows your information was stolen, and they will contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

Why is this so important? By the time most people do this, days after the theft, all the damage had been done. Notifying these 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately, stops thieves dead in their tracks! Now, here are the critical numbers you will need to contact if your purse or wallet is stolen: (Print these phones numbers now and keep a copy in your coat pocket, suitcase or another safe place that you can find easily if your purse or wallet is stolen.) a.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 b.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742 c.) Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289 d.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271

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How To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft With Your Purse

Identity theft is the fastest growing criminal activity in the 20th Century, replacing illegal drug sales.

How BIG is this Problem?

Banks, credit card companies and businesses that house servers storing passwords or other sensitive information all report ?break-ins?through Trojan viruses or other online hacking methods ? resulting in the loss of millions of pieces of information. Instances of lost information are employees selling it and other lax security measures resulting in thieves having access to your identity.

Thieves Want

- Your Name
- Date of Birth
- Home Address
- Phone Numbers
- Social Security Number
- Driver?s License Number
- Credit Card Numbers
- CW2 Security Code (the number on the back of your credit card)
- Your Credit Report
- ATM Cards
- Telephone Calling Cards
- Mortgage Details

Where Are They Getting Your Information?

- Banks
- Credit-Reference Agencies
- Retailers
- Credit Card Networks
- Data-Brokerage Companies
- Payment Processing Companies
- Phone Companies
- Schools
- Your Employer
- Doctors, Clinics and Health Departments
- Government Agencies

There are other effective methods:

- Dumpster Diving
- Mail Theft
- Retail Theft
- ?Phishing?/pretexting/pretending
- Purse/Wallet Theft

What are Thieves Using Your Information For?

- Making charges to your existing credit cards
- Opening new credit cards in your name
- Having phone or utilities turned on
- Withdrawing money from your existing bank accounts
- Employment purposes
- Driver?s Licenses
- Tax Fraud
- Social Service benefits
- Student loans
- Business or Personal loans
- Health care
- Mortgage loans/leases
- Auto loans
- Using your ID when caught committing a crime

How Can You Protect Yourself?

- Keep a photocopy of your credit cards, bank account numbers and investment account numbers in a safe
place
- Keep your credit card receipts
- Put a ?fraud alert? on all your credit reports
- If you apply for credit and the card doesn?t arrive on time, call the card issuer
- Choose difficult PIN numbers or passwords. (Don?t use birth dates, your mother?s maiden name, etc.)
- Never give personal information to anyone who sends you an email, a letter or calls you asking for it
- Shred personal information
- Don?t use the ATM machine if someone is watching you
- Pay attention to what?s going on around you ? cell phones often have cameras in them. If someone is standing by you with a cell phone while you're entering a PIN number, block their view
- Review your bills each month. If there?s something you don?t remember, call the creditor.
- Check your credit report at least once a year
- Store your cancelled checks safely.
- Don?t leave your purse in plain sight when driving
- Keep your valuables locked in the trunk or glove box when driving
- Make all personal information on your computer password protected
- Don?t carry information about your PIN numbers, passwords and account numbers in your purse or wallet

Warning Signs that Your Identity Has Been Stolen:

- A loan application is denied, or you?re refused extended credit requests
- You are contacted by a debt-collection agency
- Your purse or wallet has been stolen, or your house broken into
- Unfamiliar activity on your credit report

What to do if it Happens to You:

- If your purse or wallet is stolen, call the police
- Contact your bank, credit card and other credit extending companies and report the theft
- Close accounts
- Contact the credit-reporting companies
- Have fraudulent activity removed immediately and monitor your credit report every 90 days for the next year
- Put everything in writing
- File a report with the Federal Trade Commission
- Change passwords on your existing accounts and create new ones for new accounts

Identity theft is real. There are no guarantees you can keep your information safe, by taking proactive steps to protect yourself, you can minimize your chances of having an ?identity crisis?. Host, Sintilia Miecevole offers resources for purses with designs influenced by the latest trends at http://www.trendipurses.com. Be sure to visit http://www.trendipurses.com to find information from designer handbags, fashion, trends and accessories to vintage, replica, wholesale and much more.

Home Loans Identity Theft Protection Could Hurt Home Sales

Identity theft has been a hot topic in the news during the last few years. Just a month or so ago, forty million credit card numbers were compromised due to a computer attack on a credit card processor. Consumers are rightly concerned, as it can take years to unravel the problems created when someones identity is stolen. New legislation in Texas and California, also proposed elsewhere, is designed to protect consumers by letting them put a freeze on their credit reports. Those in the real estate industry are worried, however, that doing so may make it difficult for some people to buy homes.

The concept of freezing credit reports is a simple one. Every time someone applies for credit, the lender contacts on of the three main credit bureaus and requests a copy of his or her credit report, which contains the applicants FICO score. The score, a number ranging from 300 to 850, indicates how worthy the applicant is to qualify for the loan or credit. The new laws allow consumers to freeze their credit reports, effectively blocking any attempts by anyone to view his or her credit score. If the score cant be viewed, then credit cant be issued, thus protecting the consumer from fraudulent activity.

The process is a simple one, and can be initiated or canceled with a simple transaction on the Internet. The problem, according to those in the real estate industry, is that this simple security precaution may make it difficult for a consumer who has blocked their credit to buy a home. In many markets, homes put up for sale sell in a few hours or days, and the process of unfreezing a credit report can take longer than that. If a home seller or lender cannot assess a potential buyers credit rating, then the home sale may be lost to another buyer. True, it is a simple process to unfreeze a credit report, but some consumers may forget that they froze their reports in the first place, or they may forget or misplace their username or password for the Website that allows them to unfreeze their report.

On the surface, the new laws to protect consumers seem to be a good idea, and those in the real estate industry who are concerned may find that their worries are unjustified. This is a case where all parties would benefit from taking the time to see if the laws are effective, and whether or not they actually hurt the real estate industry. In the meantime, anyone considering purchasing a home should be made aware of the ramifications of freezing their credit, as doing so may make it more difficult to purchase the house of his or her dreams.

debt consolidation and credit counseling information and HomeEquityHelp.net, a site devoted to information on mortgages and home equity loans.

Identity Theft Article A Phisher Is Trying To Steal Your Identity!

Sooner or later everyone with an email account will receive a phishing attempt from some internet scammer. What is phishing? How can you protect yourself? These are some of the questions this identity theft article will provide, along with some free resources and practical advice on how to protect your online identity.

The Anti-Phishing Working Group estimates that 75 million to 150 million phishing emails are sent every day on the internet. Phishing (pronounced fishing), is online identity theft that uses spoof emails, fraudulent websites and crimeware to trick unsuspecting internet users into providing financial data, credit card numbers, social security numbers, account logins and passwords, etc.

A spoofed email looks like it is from a legitimate company, usually banks, credit card companies, paypal, ebay, etc. These fraudulent emails look like they are from the real company, and generally try to get you to log into your account through the links in the email. The spoof email may state that there is a problem with your account and if you do not log in and update your information your account may be suspended, restricted, closed, etc. Generally these emails try to convey a sense of urgency; if you dont correct this problem your account will be suspended.

Trojans are increasingly being used as a phishing technique according to Sophos, a security firm. The Brizilian police recently arrested a phishing gang of 18 people who stole $37M from online banking accounts. This phishing gang would send out emails that included Trojans. Once a Trojan infects your computer, all internet activity can be monitored and transferred to the phisher. This is a serious threat as you probably wont know that you are infected with a Trojan.

According to David Jevans, Chairman of APWG, Attacks can, and are, coming in a variety of other flavors. Instant Messaging, exploited websites, P2P networks, and search engines are all being used to download and run key logging malcode and/or be directed to websites which may contain malcode or be fraudulent. Attackers are also not just interested in username and password access to bank accounts. Social security numbers, credit cards and other identity information are also being stolen.

Protecting yourself against phishing scams.

• Do not give out personal or financial information through an email request.
• Always log on to your sensitive accounts by opening a new browser and typing the actual URL directly into the address bar. For example, if you receive a suspected phishing email from ebay, open a new browser and type www.ebay.com in the browser bar.
• Do not click on any link in a suspected phishing email.
• Only use a secure website to submit sensitive data. A secure sites address will begin with https:// instead of http://
• Check the activity of your online accounts regularly.
• Make sure your browser is up to date and all security patches are installed.
• Report phishing and spoof email to: reportphishing@antiphishing.com, spam@uce.gov, and forward the email to the company that is being spoofed.
• Keep your pc protected with updated anti-virus software, anti-spyware software, and a firewall.
• You may also want to install anti-phishing software.
  • Earthlink ScamBlocker is a free browser toolbar that alerts you to known phishing sites. Its free and can be downloaded at www.earthlink.net/earthlinktoolbar.
  • Webroot has a beta version of PhishNet which you can download at www.webroot.com/products/phishnet/
  • PC Tools Spyware Doctor offers protection against known phishing sites, spyware and blocks popups.

With the consequences being identity theft, it is imperative that you learn to protect your pc and your identity by exercising caution and installing the proper tools. Hopefully, this identity theft article has given you the information you need to avoid being the next phishing victim. Remember, legitimate companies dont ask for personal or financial information in an email so dont give it to them!

Lisa Smith is the webmaster of 1stSpywareRemoval.com. This website offers information on spyware, adware, internet safety, as well as indepth reviews and news. http://www.1stspywareremoval.com/Identity_Theft_Article.html.