Identity Theft Risk Increases Dramatically if Data Breach Letter Received
If you get a letter from your financial institution or another company you do business with saying that your account was compromised due to a data breach, first call the company to ensure the letter is legitimate. Then, watch your back if it is. According to a study by Javelin Strategy and Research, if you receive one of these letters your chances of becoming an identity theft victim increase by 400% over persons who did not receive one.
Javelin’s survey of about 5,000 American consumers found that 19.5% of those who got a letter were later victimized, compared to 4.3% who were victimized but did not get such a letter. Robert Vamosi, an analyst at Javelin, told SCMagazineUS.com that it was not a fluke. The company has seen similar numbers in 2006 and 2007.
One of the reasons why this could be the case is because companies may only send letters to persons most severely impacted by data breaches, such as people whose ATM card personal identification numbers or Social Security numbers got out. P
Three Dead and One Shot in Home Invasion
Not all home invaders invade to steal. Some are simply mentally ill and violent and seek a victim or in this case, victims. Here is an unfortunate example of why you should have a home alarm system and security cameras.
Imagine living into your 80’s only to be taken down by the neighbor from down the street in a fit of rage. With no signs of forced entry the 27 year old with a history of mental illness committed a random act of violence by stabbing a husband, wife and their son before being shot and killed by the son.
Apparently the son had come home to his parent’s home and walked in on the stabbing. He quickly ran upstairs and grabbed a gun and shot the suspect a bunch of times.
There were no signs of forced entry where the attack occurred. Investigators found one unlocked door between the garage entry and main house.
I’ve seen studies published declaring as much as 50% of all people suffer some form of mental illness. Not a
Where can I write to and have free credit reports mailed back to me?
Q: Where can I write to and have free credit reports mailed back to me?
A: Everyone is entitled to request their free credit reports once a year from each of the 3 credit bureaus; Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You can request your reports online, by phone or by mail at annualcreditreport. However, in order to mail in your request you’ll need to go online and download the request form. You can download this form and get directions on how to request your credit report click here.
Although getting your free credit reports every 12 months is a smart idea, getting them more frequently is better. You can get your credit reports for $1 when you sign up for PrivacyGuard’s 30-day trial, a top credit monitoring service we review on our site. Not only that, but you’ll get updated credit scores and reports every month! You’ll also be alerted to any changes in your credit reports, helping you stay on top of your credit reports day and night. Overa
Preparing a Mobile or PC for Resale or Donation
You may have read my last post where I talked about “Clean the Clutter” out of your life and sell all the stuff you don’t absolutely need. In my Clean the Clutter process I sold 1 Windows XP laptop computer , 2 Windows XP desktops and 5 mobile phones all on Craigslist.
Prior to selling my electronics I wiped all the data off of each device. Cleaning all the data off your salable electronics is absolutely essential in our
Data Breach at Massachusetts Unemployment Agency Effects 210,000
The personal information of around 210,000 unemployed Massachusetts residents may have been stolen in a data breach caused by a virus. Officials say the breach was discovered in state labor department computers.
Personal information included names, addresses, and Social Security numbers, and other data, said John Glennon, chief information officer for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development.
The infection was detected on April 20, raising questions about why it took so long for officials to notify the public. A state law requires businesses to report data breaches “as soon as practicable and without unreasonable delay” to the attorney general’s office.
The state is sending notification letters to every possible victim as a precaution. “We don’t know what may have been compromised,” John Glennon said.
Joanne Goldstein, the secretary of labor and workforce development, said that possible victims of the breach should act immediately to protect themselves by putting a credit freeze or a security alert on their credit reports. Such actions