But how? You have the card right there in your wallet. If you ever use unsecured Wi-Fi or send unencrypted data, you may have been the victim of a sniffing attack. Sniffing is the process of monitoring and capturing data that is passing through different networks. Confused? No Problem. We will explain exactly how this works and how you can protect yourself against a possible attack.

What is a Sniffing Attack?

Sniffing is basically the web equivalent of wiretapping a phone to get someone’s personal information. The hacker will use a program to collect this information, like your credit cards, or social security number. There are two types of sniffing attacks, active sniffing and passive sniffing:

• Active Sniffing

  This type of sniffing is conducted on a switched network. The switch is what connects two network devices together. They use the MAC address (A MAC address is given to a network adapter when it is manufactured. It is hardwired or hard-coded onto your computer’s network interface card (NIC) and is unique to it.) to forward that stolen information to their own destination.

• Passive Sniffing

  This type of sniffing uses hubs (a network hardware device for connecting multiple Ethernet devices together) instead of switches to use your MAC address and get data. All a hacker has to do is to connect to LAN, and they can send sniff data traffic in that network.

This sounds extremely scary, however sniffer programs aren’t just used by hackers. They actually started out as a program to analyze and detect possible issues with a network’s traffic and diagnose problems.

How Can Someone Perform a Sniffer Attack?

The worst part of a sniffer attack is that they happen under the radar. You still order online as usual, the business collects your funds, only now a hacker has your credit card details.

This can happen very easily. Say you take your laptop to get some work done out of the house. You sit down at a café and connect to an open Wi-Fi called “Café Free Wi-Fi.” You do your work, and some online shopping, but unbeknownst to you, it’s a hacker’s network. The hacker can now monitor and view any unencrypted data passing between you and the internet.

These hackers are usually looking for your important information. Credit cards, social security numbers, passwords, and banking information are just some of the things they are looking to steal.

How Can You Protect Yourself?

It is always important to stay vigilant about your data and your actions online. Being proactive will help you protect yourself from sniffing and other online attacks. Here are some of our tips to help you and your information stay safe:

• Don’t use untrusted networks

  you should avoid connecting to unsecured networks, including free public Wi-Fi. Hackers can either sniff an entire legitimate unsecured network or create their own fake public Wi-Fi for you to connect to.

• Encryption

  This is the process of converting data into gibberish in order to protect the message from attackers. You can do this by using a VPN.

• Network monitoring

  Network administrator should always take a look at their networks and see if they find any suspicious traffic. They can do this by device auditing or bandwidth monitoring.

• Updates

  Make sure your software and computer are always up to date. As annoying as it may be, don’t ignore the pop up telling you to update and restart your computer.

• No public computers

  It’s not always easy but try to avoid using public computers when dealing with sensitive information. Browsing articles at the library is fine, just don’t make any purchases or go to sites where you have to login with a username and password.

• Common Sense

  This one is fairly obvious, but sometimes we forget. Only use legitimate websites for purchases, and never click on suspicious links. If you feel uneasy in general, follow your instincts and get off of that site asap.

Luckily, these types of attacks aren’t as common as they once were. However, it is always a good idea to stay alert and protect yourself.

The post What Exactly is a Sniffing Attack and How Can You Protect Yourself Against it appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

Staying safe in today’s digital environments can really be as easy as adding just one extra step when you log into your favorite websites or service provider apps. Two-factor authentication (2FA) provides that extra step and layer to security by requiring you to include a secondary pin code.

How It Works

The pin code is typically sent to the phone number you have on your account in the form of an SMS message. Then you enter that secondary code into the login process as directed. Some even more secure 2FA processes require an actual USB key (you’ve probably seen similar in Hollywood CIA/Spy movies).

Some services require sensitivity because of the nature of the information held within. Whether it be a credit card number, social security numbers, birthdates, streaming security cameras, etc. These services typically don’t just offer 2FA, but require it.

Why Is 2FA Important?

Data breaches are something we have almost become accustomed to seeing in our headlines. In fact, you could say it’s almost commonplace. In 2005 there were less than 200 cases of data breaches in the United States, while in 2017, they recorded more than 1,500 according to the Identity Theft Resource Center. What does this mean? Well it translates to more than a billion personal records hit the dark web.

This is particularly troubling when you also take into account that Eighty percent of website users are using the same passwords throughout multiple services and websites. So when hackers get a hold of one of your logins, they are likely to try it all over the common web opening doors to your most personal data.

Once this information is gotten you are wide open for identity theft. They have access to your financials and can even harm your credit rating by opening fraudulent accounts and maxing them out. The extra layer of protection that the 2FA process provides makes it a lot harder for hackers to gain access to what is important.

But When Should I Use 2FA?

If you are looking for a rule to follow than it’s this: If a service offers 2FA, use 2FA. But if you want to be picky about it, then we suggest any service that has to do with financials or social media.

• Online and mobile pay services should have a 2FA enabled login. Services such as Apple Pay, Venmo, PayPal etc.
• Shopping Accounts where you have your payment information saved. Amazon is probably the most popular service for shopping.
• Online Subscription services.
• Password Management Services
• Any government account that involves the use of your personal data should be 2FA authenticated.

Enable 2FA on iOS Devices

1. Open Settings > [your name ] > Password & Security
2. Tap “Turn on Two-Factor Authentication”
3. Tap “Continue”
4. Enter and verify the phone number where you want to receive verification codes.
5. Tap “Next”
6. Enter the verification code sent to your device.
7. Turn on the authentication.

Enable 2FA on Your Google Account

1. Open your Google Account
2. In the navigation panel, select “Security”
3. Under “Signing in to Google”, select 2-step Verification > Get Started
4. Follow the on-screen steps
5. A verification code will be sent to your phone.
6. For further security, you can also set up Google Prompts which notifies you whenever someone signs in.

Now that you have a better idea of the what, where, and why, of 2FA you should really consider using it to keep your information safe and secure and in the right hands. And for goodness sakes folks, use different passwords for your different accounts.

The post Two Factor Authentication and Why You Should Use It appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

Zoom has really been a life line for many during this time. Enabling many of us to do business from the safety of our homes by creating virtual teams that can be scaled easily and efficiently. But just a few months ago you hadn’t even heard of Zoom before, and now that you’ve been using it, you’ve also been hearing about recent security concerns and that has you worried that this lifeline of yours might be cut at any moment.

What Makes Zoom So Great?

Zoom has done for video chats what hotdogs have done for baseball games. Given us an affordable solution to an otherwise expensive alternative. Zoom even offers a way to start free with a software that is feature-rich and includes:

• Intuitive interface with accessibility on any device.
• Easy Screen Sharing
• Up to 1000 participants in a call!
• The Calendar interfaces with outlook and google calendars easily.
• Built in recording options
• Transcription capabilities
• One-on-one messaging.

Zoom is known for it’s easy user interface. Much like apple they pride themselves on being accessible even to the most technophobic amongst us.

But as the pandemic hit, Zoom wasn’t ready for the sudden surge in popularity for it’s service. With more users comes more attention from hackers and scammers and the company was simply not prepared for the security problems that ensued.

What Makes Zoom a Potential Issue?

The ease of use that is the pride of their service also comes with a price. Zooms growing pains have created a plethora of situations that previously were not an issue. Here are some of the issues people have with Zoom.

• Zoombombing – This is when an uninvited caller joins a zoom meting and contaminates the situation with inappropriate behavior, language or even sometimes pornographic material.
• There is a Zoom feature that when enabled turns any users computer into a local server (not good if you value your relationship with your ISP).
• Routing data to Facebook even when users weren’t logged into their accounts.
• Zoom’s apparent confusion over what really constitutes end-to-end encryption.
• An undisclosed number of video meetings have been “mistakenly” routed through China, where they inadvertently landed on Chinese servers.

Many of these problems that have been discussed have since been fixed since coming to light however, it’s not what they know about that is the problem, it’s what they don’t know about.

There are alternatives to Zoom you could explore. Skype is probably the biggest amongst the competitors, along with Facetime and Webex. While Skype has its issues like Zoom, both Facetime and Webex are pretty secure solutions, however capabilities and participant counts are often what you lose in the trade.

In conclusion, every software has its pluses and minuses. You need to examine how much security you need, and whether or not the software meets your feature requirements.

One thing is for sure as we meet this pandemic head on, is that video conferencing is here to stay. As it is it’s next to impossible to meet face to face. But with a little effort and the right software platform for your needs, you can keep video conferencing safe and efficient.

The post Are My Zoom Video Chats Secure? appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

What is a SIM Swap Attack?

Alright so think of your SIM card like your cell service social security number. If you are someone who has had your identity stolen you know just how much of a pain in the butt it can be. But really in the end you can be made whole via protections from the FDIC and other government agencies. But stolen personal information is another thing entirely. It’s one thing to know my name and my social security number. You can open credit lines and get money, but you cannot get my personal text messages, emails, photos etc. Once that information is retrieved, it is out there forever. It’s like they say; “You can’t un-ring a bell.”

And if you are one of those who think, “this won’t happen to me”, just know this happens, even to the best amongst us in the tech world. Jack Dorsey, the founder of Twitter and Rob Ross a former Apple engineer have both been victim of SIM Swap Attacks.

How SIM Swap Attacks Work and What You Can Do To Protect Yourself

It’s the middle of the night, you’re in bed deep asleep. Your phone; just 2 feet from your head on your nightstand. You are probably at your most vulnerable. Suddenly, without warning, a strange man you’ve never knowingly laid eyes on attempts a SIM Swap. The good news first… no, that man is not in your room with you (PHEW!). But what does that mean exactly? Well it means that you can be the victim of a SIM Swap anytime, anywhere and they never have to touch your phone. Instead the attacker will convince your carrier that they are, in fact, you… and ask to have your phone number ported to a SIM card that the attacker owns. Attackers can then use it to receive your texts, reset passwords with two step authentication and even do a phone “restore” and get all your resent backed up data.

Ensuring you use good passwords and pins for your mobile account that are not shared anywhere else. Keep them a secret, and change them every few months. This will make it way more difficult for someone to convince your carrier they are you.

You can also do your best to avoid using SMS as your two-factor authentication. There are a few apps out there that provide this service.

Always double check any unknown number that comes to your cell phone by doing a reverse phone lookup. This can help verify the identity of everyone who tries to come in contact with you. Members can easily keep track of all those who they search as part of the service and accessible any time. Click here to get started!

The post Cell Phone SIM Swapping Attacks appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

They say that they are a lost family member, or a company offering to reduce your credit card debt, or a sales rep saying that you won a free trip to the Bahamas … that is after you send some money their way to cover the processing fee.

Facebook scams aren’t much different.

Although they won’t be calling you on the phone, Facebook scammers use plenty of deception tactics that can easily snag your sensitive information if you aren’t careful. Scammers will reach out to you through fake or compromised accounts in an effort to get access to your money and personal info.

In a world where scams are becoming commonplace, it is more important than ever to be careful about your security on social media.

How Scammers Can Get Your Information Via  Facebook

There are two main ways that scammers may try to gain access to your information, and ultimately get their hands on your hard-earned money.

Fake Facebook Profiles

The first method that scammers use involves creating a fake Facebook profile and pretending to be other people.

Since many Facebook profiles contain personal information posted by the real user, these fake profiles can be easily mistaken for someone you know when they contain information such as that person’s job titles, personal interests, and mutual friends.

How to Spot a Fake Facebook Profile

• Before accepting a suspicious friend request, take a look around the profile to see how recently the account was created. If it was made yesterday, that’s probably a good sign that this profile is the work of a scammer.
• Check the grammar on their posts. Are there any sentences that don’t make sense, or words that are capitalized but shouldn’t be?
• Sometimes scammers will use stock photos for their profile pictures. A simple way to test and see where they got their photo is to save their profile picture to your desktop, then drag and drop it to Google Images. Google will return with an exact or similar match to the photo, along with the information associated with it.

Fake Facebook Ads

The second most common method used by scammers gets your attention via fake ads on Facebook. Clicking on these ads will take you to a scam website that could potentially download a malware virus onto your computer.

What is malware?

Malware is a type of computer software that is designed to damage or gain unauthorized access to an account, computer system, or network. In the case of Facebook scams, malware is most often used to gain access to personal information such as name and social security number, email, passwords, and banking information.

You may have malware on your computer if you notice it is running slower than usual, starts running programs that you don’t recognize, or if pop-up messages keep appearing on your screen that you can’t get rid of.

There a few different ways to get rid of a malware virus, so don’t give up if you discover that you already have one on your computer. Also, check to make sure that you have a good virus protection software, and that it is updated to the latest version.

Common scams on Facebook

Clickbait Scam

Clickbait is a type of content intended to attract attention and encourage you to click its link to a particular webpage.

Facebook is a popular website for scammers to post clickbait. This can be as harmless as taking you to a website with a bunch of ads, or as dangerous as directly downloading malware which in turn can instantly hack your computer and gain access to your information.

A popular recent clickbait scam has been through hacking accounts on Facebook Messenger. You may get a message from one of your Facebook friends with the message, “It’s you?” with your name and an emoji following. When you click the link below the message, you will be taken to a malware site.

Malicious Tagging

This is basically the clickbait scam with a different face. Malicious tagging begins when you are tagged in a post with a few of your other Facebook friends. Because other people that you know and trust have been tagged in the post as well, you might at first assume the link is safe.

The link opens a new window, often to a video, which asks you to download the latest version of Flash Player in order to watch. Clicking the link downloads a malware program which scans your system for your personal banking info.

Fake Profile Scams

This is the online version of a common telephone scam. Scammers will pretend to be someone with an already-existing account, stealing their name, pictures, and personal information. Then they will send friend requests to that person’s friends and family, telling them that an emergency has happened and that they need money.

Because most people naturally want to help their loved one, you will likely be willing to send money in a crisis. The fake profile looks real because of personal details such as your workplace, nicknames, and interests, making it hard to recognize it as a scam at first sight.

Lottery Scams

Much like the fake profile scams, lottery scams impersonate someone you know or a page that you follow. They claim that you have won an online lottery and you can have your money shipped to you for a small upfront fee. They may ask for your banking information or personal address.

Job Scams

Another variation of these lottery scams are job scams, where scammers create a fake job posting that asks for your personal information or asks you to pay upfront.

Loan Scams

These scammers reach out to you through a personal message or public post. For a small advanced fee, they will offer you an instant loan at a very low rate. They often impersonate government organizations in order to look more official.

Fake Ad Scams

Fake ads are posted by scammers to encourage you to purchase fake products online. Instead of sending you the purchased product, the scammers can steal your financial information or send a malware program to your computer to get it.

Scammers can also create fake ads that ask for your personal information and use it to steal your identity.

Romance Scams

If you are the target of a romance scam, you may get a message from someone you don’t know who will tell you that they are stuck in an unhealthy relationship, going through a divorce, or recently widowed. They will try to tell you that they are lonely and looking for a new relationship and hoping to connect with you online.

The goal of romance scammers is to create a relationship with you over time and establish trust. They may pose as someone of authority to the public, and ask you for money or visas after the conversation has carried on for some weeks.

Grants Scam

Another popular way that scammers try to get you is through the grants scam. Through Facebook Messenger, they will tell you that you have been approved for the Facebook Government Grant or another similar business grant.

Similar to loan and lottery scams, you will be asked to pay a small fee upfront before receiving your grant. They may also ask you to text a specific number so they can have access to your phone number.

In any case, know this: the government will never reach out to you on social media, and they will never ask you to pay before receiving a grant.

The Copy and Paste Scam

Although this has been proven not to be a real scam, it certainly has startled many a Facebook user. It is a forwarded message saying that Facebook is changing their privacy policies and that your personal information will soon be made public.

This story is false, of course, but many people believed that copying the pasting the message would make their systems vulnerable to malware.

This simply isn’t true. Pasting a message on your profile does not make it any easier for hackers to access your info.

How To Protect Yourself From Facebook scams

• Only accept friend requests from people you are sure that you know.
• Watch out for people asking for money, especially if you don’t know them.
• Avoid anyone asking you for an advance fee to receive your loan or prize winnings.
• Be wary of posts or messages with poor grammar or spelling. This is a good indicator that it might be a scam.
• Be wary of anyone asking you to move the conversation away from Facebook to another messaging service.
• If in doubt, don’t click. Especially if you can’t tell the destination link without clicking.
• Don’t post any of your private or sensitive information on Facebook or other social media.
• Set the privacy settings on your profile to high, so that your information will be invisible to anyone who is not your friend on Facebook.
• If you spot something fishy, you can report it to the Facebook team by clicking here.
• And as always, be smart. Don’t post any information on Facebook that you wouldn’t want a stranger to be able to see.

How to Easily Identify a Facebook Scam

A major strategy of scammers is to copy and paste their scam messages and send them to thousands of users, in order to up their chances of getting a bite.

Many people who have fallen victim to these types of scams often will post their stories online, either in an effort to find someone who can help get their information back or to prevent it from happening to anyone else.

One easy way to identify a message as a scam is to copy and paste it into a Google search and see if anything similar comes up.

More ways to keep your account secure

In addition to keeping an eye out for shady accounts, pages, and ads on Facebook, it’s also important to take precautions to make sure that your personal account stays secure. Here are some tips to keep scammers from hacking your account:

Password protection

• Use a password for Facebook that is different from any of your other online accounts.
• Avoid using words and numbers that are associated with you, such as phone numbers or special dates.
• Use words that would be easy for you to remember but hard for other people to guess.
• Include both upper and lower case letters.
• Try to create a password that is relatively long, as this will usually make it more secure.

Keep your login info to yourself

• Never share your Facebook username and password with others.
• Always look at the URL before logging into a website. If it isn’t facebook.com, it may be a web page designed by scammers to get your information.
• Don’t send emails from Facebook to others, as they may contain some of your accounts

Always log out of your Facebook account on public devices

• If you forget to log out before leaving a public computer or device, you can still log out remotely by following these directions from Facebook Help Center.

Steer clear of suspicious links

• Keep in mind that scam links can be on posts from your friends and family.
• Never click a link in a Facebook email asking for your email and password.

Turn on security alerts

• Facebook offers extra security options, which include notifications of logins on other devices, two-factor authentication, and much, much more.

Conclusion

The information in this article is not intended to scare you, but rather to help you be aware of existing threats and to prevent you from falling victim to them.

Identifying and avoiding scams on Facebook ultimately comes down to common sense. Don’t click on any links that look shady, and don’t give out your personal information over social media, especially to entities claiming to be famous people or organizations.

If you suspect a scam or suspicious activity, report it to Facebook, the Better Business Bureau, or the Federal Trade Commission.

If someone claiming to be a loved one contacts you requesting money, ask yourself whether they would be more likely to contact you over the phone or another form of contact. You can always use CheckPeople to run a background check on suspicious persons to see their work, education, and criminal history.

By using common sense on social media and putting a few simple security protocols in place, you can safely enjoy the connection with friends and family that Facebook provides.

The post How to Spot and Avoid Facebook Scams appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

Having your identity stolen is one of the worst things that can happen to anyone. What makes it even scarier is how easily it can occur. According to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), at least 9 million Americans have their identity stolen each year.

There are steps that you can take immediately if you notice you’ve been a victim of stolen identity.

Taking these steps as fast as possible helps minimize the potential damage an identity thief can wreak on your finances and life. But to take appropriate countermeasures in response to a stolen identity, you have first to be able to identify the warning signs that an identity thief has attacked you.

Signs of Stolen Identity

If you notice one or more of the following, you most likely have fallen victim to identity theft:

• The IRS or state tax agencies reject the tax returns that you electronically submitted without any errors. These rejections may occur when an identity thief files tax returns in your name to get a fraudulent refund.
• You receive tax refunds you didn’t request.
• Withdrawals from your bank account occur without your knowledge or consent.
• Delivery of bills and other mail stop coming to your home or designated postal address.
• You receive notification from the IRS that you have income from an employer you don’t work for, or a notice claiming multiple tax returns filed in your name.
• Your checks are bouncing, or debit card transactions declined.
• Your credit score is mysteriously rising.
• You receive notifications of “test charges” on your credit card. Test charges are small unaccounted for amounts withdrawn from your credit card. Identity thieves do this to see if your card works.
• Unfamiliar accounts or charges are present in your credit report.
• You receive bills for products or services you did not purchase.
• Your health plan gives you notification you’ve reached your benefit limits or, informs you of non-coverage for a condition that you don’t have.

If you notice any of these red flags, immediately start a paper trail by documenting every phone call, email, letter, and report made regarding the incident. Laws and processes are in place to protect you from identity theft, and the sooner you act, the less damage there’ll be.

Steps to Take when Stolen Identity Occurs

• 1. Contact your Banks and Creditors ASAP. Contacting your banks and creditors must be your first move after you notice signs of possible identity theft. The primary reason for contacting your credit card company is to have them freeze your credit cards. Freezing your accounts prevents the identity thief from carrying out further transactions in your name.The same applies when contacting your banks. They must be contacted as soon as possible to freeze any transactions made on your bank account or with your bank card. If you report a lost ATM or debit card fast, you will not be responsible for any fraudulent transactions afterward.Once you have a police report and an identity theft report, you can submit this as well to your bank and creditors for proper documentation.
• 2. Submit a report to the FTC. Submitting a report to the FTC is a crucial step that starts a paper trail on your case that the FBI and other relevant agencies can follow to track down the identity thief.After receiving your report, the FTC will provide you with a plan to help you recover from the damage caused by your stolen identity. You’ll also receive prefilled forms and letters for filing police reports and disputing any fraudulent wrongful charges brought against you.
• 3. Contact your Local Police. After contacting your bank and creditors, your next stop is your local police. At the police department, file an identity theft report. Getting a police report creates a paper trail that you can use to protect yourself and back up your claim of stolen identity down the line.
• 4. Change the Passwords on All your Affected Accounts. To be completely safe, endeavor to change the passwords for all your accounts, not just those infiltrated by the identity thief. Play it safe by changing passwords on all your existing accounts, including email and social media accounts.Also, make sure your new passwords are nothing like your old passwords. Ensure a much stronger password by combining lower and uppercase letters, special characters, and numbers.
• 5. Replace your Stolen Identification. Replace any stolen identity card immediately, including your passport, driver’s license, or social security cardYou can get a new social security card online by notifying the Social Security Administration. Replacement is of utmost importance if the identity thief has fraudulently been using your Social Security number.
• 6. Remove any Fraudulent Information from your Credit Report. Request for a credit report. Once you have it, carefully look through for fraudulent transactions. Once you’ve identified all of them, use the sample letter provided by the FTC to draft a request to submit to the three credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian).The purpose of the request is to have all the fraudulent information found in your credit report removed. Your identifying information, a copy of your Identity theft report and details of the fraudulent transactions found in your credit report should accompany the request letter.By doing this, the fraudulent transactions will be blocked or removed, so that you will not be accountable for them.

  It’s essential to monitor your credit report for a while afterward. You want to make sure other identity thieves aren’t still using your information for fraudulent activities.

• 7. Contact the IRS. If identity thieves used your Social Security number to file an income tax return, be sure to notify the IRS by submitting a Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit.
• 8. File an Identity Theft Insurance Claim. If you have identity theft insurance, contact your insurance provider to file a claim. Your insurance policy may entitle you to a settlement payment for your losses. Many identity theft policies cover expenses resulting from credit fraud. Coverage can include, reasonable attorney fees, documented lost wages, loan application fees to reapply for loans rejected due to credit fraud, and more.
• 9. Tighten the Security of Your Accounts. Maximize other ways to optimize the security on your accounts, besides making changes to your passwords. For instance, you could sign up for a credit monitoring service that will keep an eye on your credit reports for any future suspicious activity. If suspicious activity is detected, you’ll be alerted immediately.If disposing of any documents that contain your personal information, such as receipts, be sure to shred or burn them properly.When online, avoid clicking on links from suspicious or unknown senders. Also, delete personal information stored on your browser or public profiles.
• 10. Open new financial accounts and credit cards. If an account is compromised once by identity thieves, chances are they’ll try infiltrating that account again. To be on the safe side, close all affected credit cards and bank accounts, then open new ones.While this might seem tedious, it’s a worthwhile precaution to minimize the risk of an identity thief still having access to your accounts and finances.
• 11. Contact your Utility Companies. Identity thieves often attempt opening new bank accounts with a stolen identity, using the victim’s phone and utility bill as proof of residence.Immediately contact your utility providers and telephone carriers to notify them of the identity theft and request for the account to be closed.

Types of Personal Information Identity Thieves Steal

Over the years, identity thieves have become more sophisticated in their approach. With just a few of your details or only fragments of it, they can do more damage than you’d expect.

Information is power. To protect yourself, you need to know what type of personal information identity thieves typically target. Knowledge of this will help you be more careful regarding how you use, store, and share such sensitive data, both online and offline.

• Social Security number/card
• Full name and address
• Date of birth
• Bank and credit card account numbers
• Credit report
• Financial statements
• Passwords for accessing online accounts
• Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) for debit and credit cards
• Debit and credit card details
• Mother’s maiden name
• Checkbook
• Birth certificate
• Passport
• Estate planning documents
• Information about your child’s benefits

Contrary to what you might think, even children are targets of identity theft. Mainly because kids have clean credit files, which make them perfect for fraudulently accessing various credit.

Such fraud can go unnoticed for years until that child is old enough and applies for credit for the first time. By then, the damage is extensive and challenging to repair.

Conclusion

The best way to avoid having your identity stolen is to be extra careful about how and where you use and store your data. If someone unknown to you requests your personal information, be sure to run a background check on them before proceeding. CheckPeople.com provides multiple Background Check services that can help.

Better yet, if you want to see what information about you is available for others to see, Background Check Yourself. Completing this task is quick and easy with CheckPeople.com. It’s a dangerous world out there, so be careful not to take unnecessary risks with any of your identity.

The post What to Do If Your Identity Is Stolen appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

*Queue Danger Music* – Imagine a scenario where an online identity thief has hacked your email, your bank account. Now imagine this person also has access to your phone as well? With access to your phone a data thief gets quite a bit on you. They can read your personal messages, your emails, access your bank, change logins you name it, it can be done. In short this is what is happening with the latest in scams called the Port-Out scam.

What is the Port-Out Scam Exactly?

Scammers have come to realize that these days most highly sensitive information is encrypted and behind a two-step authentication system. This is when you have to answer a question AND receive a text confirmation code. They know to steal your data they will also need to have access to your cell.

And get this… they absolutely CAN steal your phone number, and here is how they are doing it:

• 1. Simple Snatch and Grab.

  Your data can be sourced in many ways. Your mail, stolen online, maybe you clicked on a link you shouldn’t have and filled out a form. They are getting enough data to successfully simulate you.

• 2. Acquired On the Dark Web.

  “Dark Web” sounds like something straight out of the movies. Almost silly. But it’s very real and a LOT of identities are bought and sold on the dark web every single day.

• 3. The Thespian vs. The Phone Company!

  When the scammer has enough information on you that they can successfully impersonate you with your phone company.

• 4. This Number Has Been Disconnected.

  Often times when a person is a victim of identity theft, they will find that this is the first indication that something is wrong. This happens when your phone company believes that the identity thief is you, and cancels service to your chip.

• 5. Same Number, New Service.

  After they have often your number disconnected… you guessed it… they get a new one opened up with the same number on a different service account

• 6. NOW, it gets REAL!

  With access to a cell with your number ported to it, they can now receive and respond to identity verification texts. This will grant them access to changing logins and getting your money with very little effort.

By the time you realize it, they could have already emptied you out. That is what is scary about this particular scam. It’s very quick.

What You Can Do to Protect Yourself from The Port-Out Scam

Let’s face it, there is not much most of us can do past trusting in the very sources that have had data breaches in the past. It’s a bit daunting but then again, so is learning data security programming at a level that you could offer solutions. So… short of that there are a few things one can do to give themselves a little added level of security.

To assist in preventing a Port-Out scam happening to you. Here are a few steps you can take:

• Security Pin # – Your phone company should offer this as an option if not already make it a requirement. However, if it is optional it is wise to set up a pin. This way nothing can be changed on your account without it.
• Update. Update. Update. Update your passwords please! Do this regularly. There is no reason not to.
• When able use an alternative method for two-step authentication. Try Google Authenticator instead of SMS for example.

Have you ever been the victim of a phone port-out scam? Share your story in the comments!

The post Alarming New Phone Port-Out Scam Has Thieves Emptying Bank Accounts appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

What Exactly Was Leaked? Risk Assessment Time!

When an announcement is made that one of the social media platforms you used has been compromised, generally speaking, they will also outline exactly what was at risk. Maybe it was just a phone number, or an email, or maybe your photos. Maybe you provided authentication measures that have been compromised or worse yet, your login credentials. Was everyone on the platform affected by this? These are the questions you need to answer when you’ve learned about your data breach.

Also take some time to really explore what it is you have shared. Maybe you aren’t one of those overly sharing people (no, we don’t need to see every plate of food you eat…). If the information that was compromised isn’t data you have provided the platform, you are likely fine and don’t have to worry. By completing a solid risk assessment you’ll know the best way to proceed.

What Data Needs To Be Changed?

There is no question that if anything of the up most importance was leaked, then you are going to have to take steps to make some changes. For example, if your passwords, credit cards or maybe even social security number was compromised, you are in for a very long and annoying process of updating all your data. But when it all is said and done, it is worth it to maintain your safety. Your risk assessment should have helped you to determine what exactly was compromised and will dictate what needs changing. You might consider changing your phone number if that was leaked, as you will no doubt be added to spam lists and robo calls. If your email was leaked, it’s probably a good idea to not only change your passwords but also consider changing your email address all together, or just decide to be diligent about adding all new suspect emails to a spam list for a while. You will be swimming in spam by weeks-end otherwise.

Surf With One Eye Open!

It is natural that for a while you are going to be experiencing a higher level of vigilance, and will be a lot more careful. It is not usual for someone to ever suspect that data leaks can happen to them. However, it does, and afterwards you are more inclined to take your safety a little more sincerely. Accidents happen to all of us, that said, it is crucial that you make sure your online personas are void of personally identifiable information. Using a service like CheckPeople is extremely helpful.

When you are a regular user of the internet, your priority should always be to protect and safeguard your personal data. Performing regular searches of yourself can help relieve stress and make finding what needs fixing that much easier. Performing a background check on yourself every so often will help make this process easier. Knowing where your information is, helps you determine what steps you want to take moving forward. Staying ahead of the game will hep you be prepared if there ever is a data leak.

Be Prepared

When it all comes down to it, getting through a data leak, just like going on a camping trip, is all about the preparation you do. You go on that trip and forget a tent, you might have a few wet or buggy nights ahead of you that aren’t very comfortable. However if you dot your I’s and cross your T’s you’ll find that you can create a whole lot of comfort and be able to enjoy yourself a lot more. It’s all about limiting stress and having a plan. Your plans should always start with CheckPeople.

The post My Social Media Data Was Leaked. What Now? appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

While some of it may be harmless, you should remain wary that email-scamming criminals may have sent you some of those e-mails trying to obtain any personal contact information they can’t get from public records.

If you’re sitting there wondering who’s emailing you, there’s an easy way to search for the sender’s identity. Here is where you can learn who is behind all of those strange emails you’ve been receiving.

Knowing When a Stranger Shows Up in Your Inbox

Depending on our email provider’s handy filters to keep spam out of our inbox is what most of us do. However, these filters aren’t guaranteed to stop 100% of the unsolicited emails we get daily. What this means is that sometimes you need to use your better judgment to evaluate the ones that sometimes sneak through.

Some simple explanations could that a friend is using a secondary email address you don’t recognize, or even a well-meaning stranger has misspelled their intended recipients’ address.

Unfortunately, it could also be from an expert email scammer who’s managed to trick their way past your e-mails spam filter.

If you want to evaluate better on whether or not you should open it, you need to learn the sender’s identity.

How to Find Out Who’s Been Sending you E-mails

Running a reverse email lookup by merely using a people search engine is a quick way to find out more about who is sending you e-mails.

People search engines are easy to use; they provide the search by using sophisticated algorithms that look through the web for any available data on public e-mail addresses. You can also search for names and phone numbers using a peoples search engine.

Running a reverse e-mail lookup can provide you with instant access to a lot of their information. This reverse search can include their full name, photos, and public social media profiles. It will help you figure out if it’s a familiar or not so familiar sender, giving you an idea of who’s actually behind the email.

What if You Still Don’t Recognize the Sender?

After performing a reverse email search, if you are still unsure who’s contacting you, block that sender, so they can never contact you again.

If you’ve been getting multiple unwanted e-mails from this sender and others, this is when you’ll want to file a complaint. The FTC handles millions of consumer complaints each year.

Ignore and Block

A scammer is hoping that you’ll be one of the many who falls victim to their numerous scamming attempts. Ignore any unwanted, or unexpected e-mails from people you don’t know, and never share your personal information with anyone online. Be sure you don’t click on the links contained within the emails. These links can contain viruses, or bring you to websites that will compromise your computer’s security and it’s even possible to compromise your identity.

It’s never a bad idea to proceed with caution when it comes to opening e-mails; a scammer depends on their victim to let their guard down for any instant of time.

Avoid falling victim to scammers by finding out who’s really on the other end of that e-mail. You’ll be able to return friendly emails in no time.

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Browse the CheckPeople blog for more ideas about how to use people search engines more effectively in your long-last family investigations, as well as other searches.

The post Who’s Emailing Me? Look Up Someone by Email appeared first on CheckPeople Blog.

Why Conduct a California Inmate Search

There are a few common reasons why someone may have cause to conduct a California inmate search. In some cases, friends and family members may not be notified of a person’s arrest. Imagine that your cousin suddenly goes missing, and you hear through the grapevine that they have been arrested. You can’t simply demand answers from the next law enforcement offer you see. The bureaucratic red tape that makes up each judicial system is complex and difficult to navigate. It can be incredibly frustrating for anyone worried about the wellbeing of someone they love.

Victims of crime may also want to know exactly where the perpetrator in their case is being held, but in a state as large and as populated as California, victims don’t always get the updated information that they deserve. There are many advocates working to make California inmate searches easier so that victims of assault, burglary or other upsetting crime may get some peace of mind from learning that the person responsible is behind bars five counties away.

What Makes the Search Difficult

In December of 2017, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reported there were 130,263 people in their custody.¹ And that’s just one department. There are more than 60 county jails, and numerous private, state, and federal prisons and correctional facilities throughout California. Nobody has the time to call every single one, but there are some online tools that can help narrow your search.

Where to Start

• The State

Most people who are incarcerated in California end up going to one of 35 state institutions. We recommend beginning your search on the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) website. You’ll be asked to enter either the person’s inmate number or their last name. You can also narrow your search by entering their first and middle names. If you happen to only know the inmate’s first name and aren’t sure if their last name is Smith or Smidt, you can enter a partial last name such as “Smi” and still receive relevant search results.

It’s important to remember that inmates are often moved and transferred between facilities, and that the search results may not be updated for several days. Still, a CDCR search will only display adult inmates who are presently incarcerated at one of their sites, so the results will be fairly current. If you would like to double check to find out whether a transfer has occurred, you can call the CDCR at (916) 445-6713.

• The Feds

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has 13 locations including high, low, medium, mixed, and administrative security facilities.

• • Low Security:
    • Dublin Federal Correctional Institution (FCI)
    • Lompoc FCI
    • Taft Correctional Institution (CI)
    • Terminal Island FCI
  • Medium Security:
    • Herlong FCI
    • Lompoc United States Penitentiary (USP)
    • Mendota FCI
    • Victorville Medium I FCI
    • Victorville Medium II FCI
  • High Security:
    • Atwater USP
    • Victorville USP
  • Administrative Security:
    • Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC)
    • San Diego Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC)

As with the state, the BOP has an online database of inmates that are currently being held in its facilities. The inmate locator shows that their records contain information about federal inmates released after 1982. If you are searching for someone’s California inmate record from before 1982, you are advised to contact the National Archives Records Administration (NARA). You will be asked to submit as much of the following information as possible:

• Inmate name
• Date of birth or approximate age at the time of incarceration
• Race
• Approximate dates in prison

Using the BOP search database won’t restrict your search to inmates in California. Their search tool scans all federal prisons across the country. You can search using one of four types of inmate numbers: BOP register number, D.C. Department of Corrections (DCDC) number, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Number, or Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS) number. If you don’t know the person’s inmate number, you can look them up by their name, and narrow your results using their age, race, and gender.

If All Else Fails

If searching the California detention facilities directly doesn’t turn up any helpful results, you can do some more digging using court records. Finding out where a case stands can help you determine which jurisdiction is handling a person’s case. The Judicial Council of California search tools include all cases being handled by the state’s Supreme Court, Appellate Courts, Trial Courts, and District Courts.

Within each search option, you have several different ways to look someone up depending on what you know about their case. You can use a case number, the person’s name, their attorney’s or representing law firm’s name, or a case caption such as “Smith v. Jones.” Each option provides a case summary that includes the start date and the dates of any actions taken, attached briefs, and dispositions.

Using Public Records

If at this point you still haven’t nailed down any specific location data about the inmate you are searching for, the information that you do have can be used to submit an information request to the California Department of Justice. This type of Public Records Act request can reveal someone’s criminal record and other data that may be helpful in your California inmate search such as legal names, prior addresses, and employment history.

Searching for someone by the random name they provide, rather than the name on their birth certificate, is a quick way to complicate your search efforts. Birth records as well as marriage and divorce records could help you discover the correct surname.

Address history could give you a better idea of which counties to search in. If an inmate is given a sentence of less than one year, inmates are most likely going to be housed in a county jail rather than a state or federal prison. While California doesn’t have an online database for county-level inmates, knowing where the person is likely to stay or visit can help minimize the list of calls needed.

California Inmate Search With CheckPeople

You can conduct a quick, reliable public arrest records search with CheckPeople. It’s an easy way to uncover the source of the arrest record, and get you closer to locating the California inmate you are searching for. Our search tool instantly scans thousands of public records so that you don’t have to conduct multiple searches and contact dozens of people. Let us make your California inmate search simple.

Try My Free Search Now

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