Chris Brunsman Senior Investigator Retriever Payment Systems x1183

What is identity theft? The identity thief gets hold of a piece of your personal information without your knowledge and intends to commit fraud or theft. The sky is the limit! The thief is limited only by his imagination.

Why is identity theft so appealing to the criminal mind? Armed robbery comes with stiff jail time where id theft has very short sentences (if any) Most companies will not prosecute if the loss is below $10,000 Federal agencies will not necessarily take the case unless the loss is over $25,000 Local law enforcement typically do not know how to pursue the case or they have so many cases that they cannot work them all Anonymity

What kind of information is the identity theft looking for?  Bank Account Numbers  Credit Card Numbers  Income Information  Social Security Number  Name  Address  Phone Numbers

Can you completely prevent identity theft? If someone really wants to steal your identity, they probably will. The key is to minimize your risk by managing your personal information more cautiously. A thief will likely move on to a different victim if your identity is harder to steal.

How do thieves get your information?  Theft of wallets and purses  Mail theft  Dumpster diving  Illegally obtaining a credit bureau report  Hacking  Business records theft  Medical records theft  and phone scams-419  Home burglary  The internet

How do identity thieves cash in?  Call credit card issuers and change your address  Open new credit cards  Purchase a cell phone  Open new bank accounts  Buy cars  Open merchant accounts  File bankruptcy once they have maxed out your credit  Pass counterfeit checks or use debit cards to drain your accounts  Arrest warrants in your name  Sell property that they do not own

What you can do today! Order copies of your credit report from all three credit reporting agencies Call creditors and banks and put passwords on any accounts that you can – Don’t use easily obtainable information like your mother’s maiden name, phone number, birthday, family member’s names, or the last 4 digits of your social security number Keep your personal information safe (even in your home)

Respect information security!  Order a copy of your credit bureau reports from all 3 credit reporting agencies every year  Do not give personal information out over the phone or over the internet unless you are sure that it is secure and you know who your are dealing with  Guard your mail and trash (shred anything with a number on it and drop your mail at the Post Office)  Keep your purse or wallet in a secure place at work  Beware of promotional scams

 Do not provide personal information until you verify that your information is kept secure and will not be sold  Do not carry your social security card with you – leave it in a secure place  Give your SSN out only when absolutely necessary  Carry only the cards and identifying info that you need  Pay attention to your billing cycles and follow up immediately if they do not come on time Respect information security!

Last, but not least…your computer!  Do not download files sent to you by strangers or click on hyperlinks from people you do not know  Do not download files or click on hyperlinks from friends if the content does not seem like the person you know  Use a secure browser that encrypts or scrambles information that you send over the internet  Update your virus protection software frequently  Use a firewall program

Last, but not least…your computer!  Watch for website privacy policies  Use a secure browser that encrypts or scrambles information that you send over the internet  Do not sent personal information via  Before you dispose of a computer, use a utility program to wipe the hard drive  Do not store personal or financial information on a laptop  Do not use wireless connections

Would the geeks please stand up?

Trojan Horses

Wireless and Sniffing

Internet Chat Rooms 04:55:16 COCO_JAA: !cc 04:55:23 {Chk}: 0,19(0 COCO_JAA 9)0 CC for U :4,1 Bob Johns|P. O. Box 126|Wendel, CA 25631|United States| | /05 (All This ccs update everyday From My Hacked shopping Database - You must regular come here for got all this ccs) 8*** 9(11 TraDecS Chk_Bot FoR #goldcard9) 04:55:42 COCO_JAA: !cclimit :55:46 {Chk}: 0,19(0 COCO_JAA 9)0 Limit for Ur MasterCard ( ) : $ (This Doesn't Mean Its Valid) 4*** 0(11 TraDecS Chk_bot FoR #channel) 04:56:55 COCO_JAA: !cardablesite 04:57:22 COCO_JAA: !cardable electronics 04:57:27 {Chk}: 0,19(0 COCO_JAA 9)0 Site where you can card electronics : *** 9(11 TraDecS Chk_bot FoR #goldcard9) 04:58:09 COCO_JAA: !cclimit :58:12 {Chk}: 0,19(0 COCO_JAA 9)0 Limit for Ur Visa ( ) : $ (This Doesn't Mean Its Valid) 4*** 0(11 TraDecS Chk_bot FoR #channel)

Internet Chat Rooms mocha: !cc {Chk}: (mocha) CC for U :Eileen Jones|P. O. Box 122|Wendel, PA 15691|United States| | /05 (All This ccs update everyday From My Hacked shopping Database - You must regular come here for got all this ccs) 8*** (TraDecS Chk_Bot FoR #aucard9) mocha: !cclimit {Chk}: (mocha)Limit for Ur MasterCard ( ) : $ (This Doesn't Mean Its Valid) (TraDecS Chk_bot FoR #channel) mocha: !cardablesite mocha: !cardable electronics {Chk}: (mocha) Site where you can card electronics : *** (TraDecS Chk_bot FoR #aucard9) mocha: !cclimit {Chk}: (mocha) Limit for Ur Visa ( ) : $ (This Doesn't Mean Its Valid) (TraDecS Chk_bot FoR #channel) mocha: !cclimit {Chk}: (mocha) Limit for Ur Visa ( ) : $ (This Doesn't Mean Its Valid) (TraDecS Chk_bot FoR #channel)

Insiders - Skimmers

Insiders – Keyboard Recording

Insider - USB Data Storage Devices Features: Pocket-sized for easy transportability Protective plug-in cap Plug-and-play USB technology Works on latest operating systems supporting USB (drivers are required for Windows 98) Support for File/Drive Compression on compatible operating systems

Be proactive! Opt out of pre-screened credit offers and marketing lists with all three credit reporting agencies Add consumer statements to your credit bureaus insisting on checking additional identifying information before extending credit Watch and be aware when your credit card leaves your site

If you are a victim… Contact the fraud departments for all 3 credit reporting agencies Close all accounts that you feel may have been compromised (Credit Cards, ATM Cards, Checks) File a police report Call the FTC’s ID Theft Hotline 877-IDTHEFT Keep notes on every step that you take – record names, phone numbers, etc.

Chris Brunsman Senior Investigator Retriever Payment Systems x1183