Entries Tagged 'Identity Theft'

The State of Utah has a huge data security problem. They’ve somehow allowed the social security numbers of up to 20,000 children to be stolen by illegal immigrants who use them to get jobs in the United States and obtain credit cards. Kirk Torgensen, the Utah Attorney General’s Office Chief Investigator, seems to be at a loss on how to stop the practice.

Torgensen said the high number of illegal immigrants coming into Utah helped create a lucrative underground counterfeiting business where crooks can sell a fake Social Security card for $150 each.

“It’s hard to catch them, they move around a lot, as soon as you get some information on they move,” Torgensen said. “There are more of them than you probably think.”

Of course you know that the Social Security number was never intended to be a personal identifier, but we’re well down the road on that issue. Most of these kids won’t know they’re screwed until they are 18, and try to get a loan or a job. Parents should consider keeping an eye on their child’s accounts by going to the Social Security Administration web page at www.ssa.gov.

You already know that identity theft can wreck your life.

But what if someone stole your identity and killed you off? Could you prove you were still alive?

October 29, 2006, Gary Gagnon died. Or did he?

“There is a death certificate out there with my name on it, and I am not dead,” Gagnon told WTOC Friday morning. “No. I am not dead.”

Gagnon found out about his death when he was pulled over by the police. He thought it was a joke. It wasn’t. Social security papers listed him as deceased, along with his bank, the Department of Motor Vehicles, and his insurance companies.

Someone got a hold of Gagnon’s identity, and reported him dead.

Gagnon believes an ex flame virtually did him in, and he’s having a heck of a time proving otherwise to countless databases and authorities. Meanwhile he’s gone deeply in debt and cannot get credit of any kind.

All it took was his social security number in the wrong hands.

Via WTOC TV.

Add SMiShing to your list of concerns when it comes to identity theft phishing schemes.

SMiShing, a term coined by researchers for the McAfee security software firm, describes a form of phishing in which the bad guys send an SMS (short message service) message to a person’s mobile phone. The first such messages purported to come from dating-service Web sites. Victims would receive a message announcing that the site intended to charge them $2 a day unless they visited the URL listed in the message and followed the steps outlined there to unsubscribe from the service. Upon browsing to the URL (via computer), victims would get hit with drive-by downloads that installed Trojan horse software that subsequently would steal passwords and do other nasty things to the victims’ PC.

Most people don’t expect scams via text message, so these new cell phone phishing schemes are likely having some success. The rule remains the same as it is with email… companies can’t arbitrarily charge you for things without your express consent. So if you didn’t sign up for a service, assume these types of messages are scams aimed at hitting you with nasty Trojan horses, worms and viruses.

Via PC World.