The Leak in Your (Information) Boat:

Presented by Mark Phillips

The latest press on John McAfee not withstanding (and no he is no longer affiliated with the data security firm that bears his name), the newest on-line scams seem to simply be more sophisticated versions of older scams. Tailored for the Christmas shopping season, tailored to look like the real deal – beware! The linked article: The 12 Cyber Scams of Christmas, by McAfee is a good guide to avoiding reindeer road apples this season.

3 Scams You Need to Know About

Presented By Mark Phillips

It’s one o’clock in the morning and your sleep is interrupted by a phone call. Startled, you answer the phone and hear what sounds like your grandson on the other end, saying he’s been in a bad car accident while on vacation in a foreign country. While waiting for a tow company to come, he was mugged. Now, he’s hurt and has no money. He desperately needs you to wire him a few thousand dollars to get back home safely. He also asks you not to tell his mom and dad, as he doesn’t want them to know about his dilemma.

This story is just one of many similar tales that phone scammers use to target senior citizens. In what’s known as the “grandparent scam,” crooks scare their elderly suspects with a call in the middle of the night, catching them off guard with a heartbreaking story about someone they care about. The “grandchild” is always in need of cash, which he or she instructs the victim to wire through a money-transfer service, and repeatedly asks the victim not to tell anyone.

A real and growing threat

As the number of aging Americans continues to grow, more and more scams are targeting people 60 and older, who are often perceived as more trusting and polite. Based on their success with seniors, many con artists are now attempting to defraud people of all ages with similar schemes. In 2010, the Federal Trade Commission received 60,000 complaints about the grandparent scam and related frauds; in 2011, the number of complaints increased by 22 percent, to 73,281.

Besides the grandparent scam, those who prey on the elderly have plenty of other tricks up their sleeves. For example: 

1.  Scammers posing as telemarketers ask for donations to civic causes, attempting to appeal to the older generation’s patriotism and respect for authority.

2.  Imposters pretend to be with a government agency, such as the Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service, or another trusted source, trying to convince their targets that, in order to comply with new regulations, they must pay exorbitant sums for unneeded products and services.

3.  Claiming to represent Wal-Mart or another well-known company, scammers inform their targets that they’ve won a sweepstakes and need to make a payment to obtain the supposed prize. They may even send fake prize-money checks to their victims’ homes. But before the checks bounce, the criminals collect money for “fees.”

How can you protect yourself and older family members?

To safeguard your identity and finances from con artists, keep these tips in mind:

• Never wire or send money to someone you don’t know, no matter what the circumstances may be or how convincing the person is. As with sending cash, once you wire money, you cannot get it back. Also remember that legal sweepstakes don’t require you to pay taxes or other fees in order to claim your winnings.

• Don’t forget your common sense, especially in the middle of the night. Fraudsters call at times when they think they can catch you off guard, shock you, and cause you to panic. They also create a sense of urgency, pressuring you to send them money before you find out who they really are. As disturbing as the call may be, remember to keep calm and rely on your common sense.

• Question the caller. If someone contacts you claiming to be a family member, friend, or someone else you know, ask the caller questions to confirm his or her identity. You could quiz him or her on the date of a family’s member birthday, the name of a pet, or the restaurant you last went to together.

• Confirm the emergency situation. To determine if the story is real, call sources who can verify where the person in question is. If someone calls claiming to be your grandchild, contact your actual grandchild’s parents immediately, no matter how many times the caller asks you not to say anything to anyone.

• Be wary of strange messages. Usually, these scams don’t involve meeting anyone personally; rather, the scammers will keep their distance, contacting you by phone, letter, fax, e-mail, or even text message.

• Know that scammers don’t always ask for sizable amounts of cash. In most cases, it’s between $500 and $5,000. If you wire money once, the scammer may continue to contact you in the hope that you’ll keep sending money, upping the requested amounts until the total takeaway is far greater.

• Protect your computer, tablet, and smartphone information. Don’t let crooks get their hands on your e-mail account, phone contacts, or passwords stored on your electronic devices. To protect yourself, label the phone numbers of family members by their first name, rather than “Mom,” “Grandpa,” and so on.

• Contact your local law enforcement department if you’re concerned that a con artist is targeting you.

Remember, scams are ever-changing, and fraudsters are constantly coming up with new ways to take advantage of unsuspecting victims. To stay up to date on the latest scam alerts, visit the FTC’s website at www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/phonefraud/index.shtml.

Buyer Beware: Tips for Safe Online Shopping

Presented by Mark Phillips

 

Looking for power tools? A vintage Chanel purse? A living-room sofa? Millions of shoppers are bypassing brick-and-mortar stores, as well as their respective websites, in favor of purchasing such items from individual online sellers. For many people, sites like Craigslist and eBay offer a chance to save on everyday items and luxury products, both new and used—all from the comfort of their own homes.

Yet, while online shopping may be a convenient way to find deals and one-of-a-kind items, it’s important to protect your identity and financial information, particularly when dealing with individual sellers. Before you purchase anything listed on an online classified ad, auction, or marketplace site, keep the following precautions in mind.

 

Read the full article...Click here.

Tax Scams for 2015

Presented by Mark Phillips

As part of our ongoing efforts to help keep your personal information as safe as possible, we want to remind you to stay on the lookout for the many e-mail, text message, and voicemail scams making the rounds in cyberspace today.

Tax return scammers are starting their season early! Recent fraudulent activity has involved e-mails and phone calls claiming to come from the IRS regarding tax refunds. Some fraudsters have been asking for sensitive refund information over the phone or using e-mails stating that someone has filed for the recipient’s refund and that he or she needs to click a (malicious) link if he or she did not file for it. Common characteristics of the scams include:

· The criminal may use a fake or common name and make up taxpayer identification information.

· The scammer may know certain information about the recipient, such as the last four digits of the recipient’s social security number or personal e-mail address.

· The scammer may spoof his or her phone number so that appears to be the IRS’s toll-free number and mimics actual IRS calls—complete with phone conversations going on in the background.

· The criminal may follow up phone calls with e-mails to appear legitimate.

· The scammer may threaten the recipient and scare him or her into falling for the scheme. Such threats may include driver license revocation, pretending to be a police officer, and so on.

Any phone calls or e-mails regarding your tax refund or that contain the characteristics listed above should automatically raise a red flag. Do not provide any information to the caller, click on any links, or open any attachments.

What to do if you receive a suspicious e-mail or phone call
If you receive an e-mail or phone call asking for information regarding your tax refund, please delete it from your inbox immediately—or hang up on the caller—and don’t click on any links, open any attachments, provide any information, or reply to the sender. Links and attachments could potentially install malicious software onto your computer, and the sender or caller could use your personal sensitive information to steal your identity or actual tax refund.

Protect yourself
Keep in mind the following if you receive any suspicious phone calls or e-mails regarding your tax return:

1. As noted above, don’t click on any links or attachments within an e-mail.
2. Do not provide any information to the sender or caller if it is asked for. Immediately hang up or delete the e-mail.

3. Call the IRS at 866.562.5227 if you are unsure of the legitimacy of an e-mail or phone call.

4. Prepare and file your tax returns as early as possible. This will take away the scammer’s ability to file and steal your return. This will also help you in detecting whether a call or e-mail is fraudulent or not. If someone claims you need to provide him or her with information to file your return, and you have already filed your return, you will know that the request is fraudulent!

5. If you access a dangerous attachment or link, and believe a password-stealer is running on your computer, get in touch with a technology specialist.
6. All unsolicited e-mails concerning password or account changes to any of your online accounts—especially unsolicited e-mails that contain attachments—should be considered scams until verified. Open a new browser and log in directly to the account in question to check the situation.

7. Refer to the IRS’s “Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2015” to get the 12 most common scam types that have seen going around.

Rest assured that we are always concerned about information security. If you have any questions, please contact us at 949.333.6394

Enhanced Web Security Features You Should Activate Today

Presented by Mark Phillips

Are your e-mail and other online accounts as secure as they should be?

 As hackers continue to develop more elaborate tactics, a password alone is no longer enough to protect your accounts. Fortunately, a number of web-based e-mail providers and other online services now offer multifactor authentication—one of the simplest and most effective ways to secure your data.

What is multifactor authentication?

Rather than relying on a password alone, multifactor authentication asks users to provide two forms of identification in order to log in. When you enable multifactor authentication, the website typically sends a passcode to your mobile device; you must enter that code, along with your password, in order to verify your identity. The code helps ensure that only you—and not an imposter who has stolen your login information—can sign in to your account.

Updating your accounts

Here’s an overview of the multifactor authentication features offered by several major websites. You can learn more about each system and get specific instructions by visiting the sites.

• Gmail. When you activate Gmail’s 2-Step Verification, you’ll be prompted to enter a six-digit code that Gmail sends to your cell phone, as well as your username and password, at login. You can elect to have the computer you’re using remember the code for 30 days. (Whenever you use a different computer or device, you’ll have to type in the code.) Once the 30 days are up, you will receive a new code.
• Yahoo! Mail. Yahoo! Mail’s Second Sign-In Verification adds another layer of protection to your account by authenticating suspicious login attempts. For instance, if you try to sign in from a computer you don’t normally use, you’ll either have to answer an account security question or enter a code sent to your mobile device.
• Facebook. When you enable Facebook’s Login Approvals, the site will ask you to enter a verification code if you try to access your account from a new computer or mobile device. Once you log in, you can save that computer or phone as a recognized device, so you won’t have to enter a code the next time you log in.
• LinkedIn. LinkedIn recently began offering Two-Step Verification, which requires you to enter a security code sent to your phone when logging in from an unrecognized device for the first time.
• Twitter. Another newcomer to the multifactor authentication bandwagon, Twitter unveiled Login Verification this spring. When you enroll, the site will ask you to enter a six-digit passcode sent to your phone each time you log in.
• PayPal/eBay. PayPal’s Security Key, which also works on eBay, protects your accounts by generating temporary security codes that you use to log in. You can either register your mobile phone to receive the security codes by text message or, for $30, order a credit-card-sized hardware token that creates security codes on the go.
• LastPass. If you use LastPass to keep track of all your passwords, it’s especially important to enable the Google Authenticator option to protect your account.
• Outlook/Hotmail. Microsoft is currently working on a multifactor authentication feature for Outlook/Hotmail accounts. In the meantime, it’s a good idea to request a single-use code when accessing your account from a public or shared computer.

 

Upgrade your online security today!

Considering how easy these security features are to activate, we encourage you to enable them as soon as possible for the sites you use.

Of course, multifactor authentication doesn’t replace commonsense e-mail security practices—it’s still essential to be proactive in protecting your cyber safety. Never open suspicious e-mails, and never provide personal information online unless you’re sure of the recipient. If you haven’t updated your passwords or password recovery options recently, take some time to do so.

As always, helping you keep your sensitive information secure is one of our top priorities. If you have any questions about the information presented here, please don’t hesitate to contact our office.

 

Protecting Your Small Business from Data Theft

Presented by Mark Phillips

Data breaches at high-profile companies have been in the news lately, but big businesses aren't the only ones at risk. Any company that collects and stores sensitive information—including credit card numbers, social security numbers, and general contact information—may be a target for hackers. In fact, in a survey conducted by the Ponemon Institute, more than half of small businesses reported falling victim to a data breach.

In the full article you will find a review of:

·         Sensible safeguards to take in your business, and 

·         Insurance options you may consider

Be Smart with Your Smartphone!

Presented by Eric Figarsky

 As more and more people use their mobile devices for data storage and business transactions, smartphones are fast becoming a prime target of cybercriminals. We recommend taking the steps outlined here to protect yourself and your phone against data thieves.

Guarding against bad apps

Many cyber crooks attempt to trick victims into downloading apps that infect their phones with viruses and malware. To help ensure that you don’t download a malicious app:

1. Check the app’s rating and comments from previous users before you download it. If an app doesn’t have a great rating, there’s probably a substitute that does. And don’t forget to review comments from previous downloaders; if there are only a few comments and they’re all extremely positive, it’s best to be wary.
2. Check the information the app requires. Before you buy or download an app, you’ll be informed about the kind of information the app needs to function properly. This is where common sense comes into play. If you’re downloading a game of Scrabble, for example, and the app asks to view your contacts, it may not be wise to continue. Read the permissions carefully to ensure that nothing in the document raises a red flag.
3. Check out the app developer’s website. This can be a good indication of quality and security. If the developer is legitimate, it most likely will have a professional-looking website.

 Beefing up your phone’s protection

Mobile phone companies are fighting cybercriminals by creating new security updates and applications. Be sure to:

1.       Keep current. Don’t wait to install security updates or patches that your phone company provides.

2.       Set up a screen-lock passcode. Almost all smartphones let you lock the screen after a certain amount of time or, if you prefer, every time the phone turns off or goes to sleep. It may take you a few seconds to type in a passcode, but this is a key security feature if the phone is ever lost or stolen.

3.       Look for a mobile security app. Would you leave your computer unencrypted or without an antivirus tool to protect it? Of course not. So be sure to take the same precautions with your smartphone. Many companies package these security features together in a mobile security app.

 Getting wise to smishing and vishing

Smishing and vishing are fraudulent schemes carried out via cell phone. Smishing attacks attempt to collect your personal financial information through SMS texts sent to your phone, while vishing scams use prerecorded messages asking victims to respond with their sensitive information. To stay safe:

 

1. Never respond to suspicious, unsolicited e-mails, texts, phone calls, or voicemails that request personal information. If you are unsure of the validity of the message or call, go to the company’s website directly.
2. Do not click on any link or attachment within a suspicious text or e-mail message.
3. Do not respond to text messages or automated voice messages from unknown or blocked numbers on your mobile phone.
4. Don’t download anything unless you trust the source.
5. Delete text messages and voicemails from “5000.” Many smishing and vishing attempts come from this number, indicating that the message was sent from an e-mail address rather than another cell phone. 

A smart future
With smartphone use on the rise, it’s increasingly important to be proactive in thwarting mobile-based cyber attacks. If you have any questions about the information presented here, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Tax Refund Scammers Are Starting Early This Season

As part of our ongoing efforts to help keep your personal information as safe as possible, we want to remind you to stay on the lookout for the many e-mail, text message, and voicemail scams making the rounds in cyberspace today.

Tax return scammers are starting their season early! Recent fraudulent activity has involved e-mails and phone calls claiming to come from the IRS regarding tax refunds. Some fraudsters have been asking for sensitive refund information over the phone or using e-mails stating that someone has filed for the recipient’s refund and that he or she needs to click a (malicious) link if he or she did not file for it. Common characteristics of the scams include:

· The criminal may use a fake or common name and make up taxpayer identification information.
· The scammer may know certain information about the recipient, such as the last four digits of the recipient’s social security number or personal e-mail address.
· The scammer may spoof his or her phone number so that appears to be the IRS’s toll-free number and mimics actual IRS calls—complete with phone conversations going on in the background.
· The criminal may follow up phone calls with e-mails to appear legitimate.
· The scammer may threaten the recipient and scare him or her into falling for the scheme. Such threats may include driver license revocation, pretending to be a police officer, and so on.

Any phone calls or e-mails regarding your tax refund or that contain the characteristics listed above should automatically raise a red flag. Do not provide any information to the caller, click on any links, or open any attachments.

What to do if you receive a suspicious e-mail or phone call
If you receive an e-mail or phone call asking for information regarding your tax refund, please delete it from your inbox immediately—or hang up on the caller—and don’t click on any links, open any attachments, provide any information, or reply to the sender. Links and attachments could potentially install malicious software onto your computer, and the sender or caller could use your personal sensitive information to steal your identity or actual tax refund.

Protect yourself
Keep in mind the following if you receive any suspicious phone calls or e-mails regarding your tax return:

1. As noted above, don’t click on any links or attachments within an e-mail.
2. Do not provide any information to the sender or caller if it is asked for. Immediately hang up or delete the e-mail.
3. Call the IRS at 866.562.5227 if you are unsure of the legitimacy of an e-mail or phone call.
4. Prepare and file your tax returns as early as possible. This will take away the scammer’s ability to file and steal your return. This will also help you in detecting whether a call or e-mail is fraudulent or not. If someone claims you need to provide him or her with information to file your return, and you have already filed your return, you will know that the request is fraudulent!
5. If you access a dangerous attachment or link, and believe a password-stealer is running on your computer, get in touch with a technology specialist.
6. All unsolicited e-mails concerning password or account changes to any of your online accounts—especially unsolicited e-mails that contain attachments—should be considered scams until verified. Open a new browser and log in directly to the account in question to check the situation.
7. Refer to the IRS’s “Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2013” to get the 12 most common scam types that have seen going around.


Rest assured that we are always concerned about information security. If you have any questions, please contact us at 949.333.6394

Not Another Password

Presented by:  Nick Bautista

Think you have a strong enough password? Think again. Research shows that the most popular passwords are 123456 and password. Although these may be easy to remember, it makes it extremely easy for criminals to hack into your accounts.

Remembering your log in is hard enough with every website requiring them. So what can you do to create a strong password? Here is a link to some of the best practices to take.

Click here for the article

Buyer Beware: Tips for Safe Online Shopping

Presented by Mark Phillips

Looking for power tools? A vintage Chanel purse? A living-room sofa? Millions of shoppers are bypassing brick-and-mortar stores, as well as their respective websites, in favor of purchasing such items from individual online sellers. For many people, sites like Craigslist and eBay offer a chance to save on everyday items and luxury products, both new and used—all from the comfort of their own homes.

Yet, while online shopping may be a convenient way to find deals and one-of-a-kind items, it’s important to protect your identity and financial information, particularly when dealing with individual sellers. Before you purchase anything listed on an online classified ad, auction, or marketplace site, keep the following precautions in mind.

Read the full article...Click here.

The Great Switch to Paperless Benefits

Presented by Mark Phillips

Besides the April 15^th deadline, Uncle Sam has another deadline for recipients of Social Security payments, Veterans Affairs and other government programs. The government has been making a push for almost three years and encouraging recipients to sign up by March 1, 2013, to receive their benefits electronically (read: direct deposit) versus paper check. 

There are still several million retirees and other recipients who haven’t made the switch yet.  To learn more about the benefits of electronic payments (i.e. identity theft), click below to view the full article.

The Great Switch to Paperless Benefits

The Leak in Your (Information) Boat:

The latest press on John McAfee not withstanding (and no he is no longer affiliated with the data security firm that bears his name), the newest on-line scams seem to simply be more sophisticated versions of older scams. Tailored for the Christmas shopping season, tailored to look like the real deal – beware! The linked article: The 12 Cyber Scams of Christmas, by McAfee is a good guide to avoiding reindeer road apples this season.

3 Scams You Need to Know About

It’s one o’clock in the morning and your sleep is interrupted by a phone call. Startled, you answer the phone and hear what sounds like your grandson on the other end, saying he’s been in a bad car accident while on vacation in a foreign country. While waiting for a tow company to come, he was mugged. Now, he’s hurt and has no money. He desperately needs you to wire him a few thousand dollars to get back home safely. He also asks you not to tell his mom and dad, as he doesn’t want them to know about his dilemma.

This story is just one of many similar tales that phone scammers use to target senior citizens. In what’s known as the “grandparent scam,” crooks scare their elderly suspects with a call in the middle of the night, catching them off guard with a heartbreaking story about someone they care about. The “grandchild” is always in need of cash, which he or she instructs the victim to wire through a money-transfer service, and repeatedly asks the victim not to tell anyone.

A real and growing threat

As the number of aging Americans continues to grow, more and more scams are targeting people 60 and older, who are often perceived as more trusting and polite. Based on their success with seniors, many con artists are now attempting to defraud people of all ages with similar schemes. In 2010, the Federal Trade Commission received 60,000 complaints about the grandparent scam and related frauds; in 2011, the number of complaints increased by 22 percent, to 73,281.

Besides the grandparent scam, those who prey on the elderly have plenty of other tricks up their sleeves. For example: 

1.  Scammers posing as telemarketers ask for donations to civic causes, attempting to appeal to the older generation’s patriotism and respect for authority.

2.  Imposters pretend to be with a government agency, such as the Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service, or another trusted source, trying to convince their targets that, in order to comply with new regulations, they must pay exorbitant sums for unneeded products and services.

3.  Claiming to represent Wal-Mart or another well-known company, scammers inform their targets that they’ve won a sweepstakes and need to make a payment to obtain the supposed prize. They may even send fake prize-money checks to their victims’ homes. But before the checks bounce, the criminals collect money for “fees.”

How can you protect yourself and older family members?

To safeguard your identity and finances from con artists, keep these tips in mind:

• Never wire or send money to someone you don’t know, no matter what the circumstances may be or how convincing the person is. As with sending cash, once you wire money, you cannot get it back. Also remember that legal sweepstakes don’t require you to pay taxes or other fees in order to claim your winnings.

• Don’t forget your common sense, especially in the middle of the night. Fraudsters call at times when they think they can catch you off guard, shock you, and cause you to panic. They also create a sense of urgency, pressuring you to send them money before you find out who they really are. As disturbing as the call may be, remember to keep calm and rely on your common sense.

• Question the caller. If someone contacts you claiming to be a family member, friend, or someone else you know, ask the caller questions to confirm his or her identity. You could quiz him or her on the date of a family’s member birthday, the name of a pet, or the restaurant you last went to together.

• Confirm the emergency situation. To determine if the story is real, call sources who can verify where the person in question is. If someone calls claiming to be your grandchild, contact your actual grandchild’s parents immediately, no matter how many times the caller asks you not to say anything to anyone.

• Be wary of strange messages. Usually, these scams don’t involve meeting anyone personally; rather, the scammers will keep their distance, contacting you by phone, letter, fax, e-mail, or even text message.

• Know that scammers don’t always ask for sizable amounts of cash. In most cases, it’s between $500 and $5,000. If you wire money once, the scammer may continue to contact you in the hope that you’ll keep sending money, upping the requested amounts until the total takeaway is far greater.

• Protect your computer, tablet, and smartphone information. Don’t let crooks get their hands on your e-mail account, phone contacts, or passwords stored on your electronic devices. To protect yourself, label the phone numbers of family members by their first name, rather than “Mom,” “Grandpa,” and so on.

• Contact your local law enforcement department if you’re concerned that a con artist is targeting you.

Remember, scams are ever-changing, and fraudsters are constantly coming up with new ways to take advantage of unsuspecting victims. To stay up to date on the latest scam alerts, visit the FTC’s website at www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/phonefraud/index.shtml.