The benefits of using Cross Cut Shredders

Today we have a guest blog post to share with you from Chris at http://www.shreddingmachines.co.uk/


The benefits of using Cross Cut Shredders 

Identity Theft is a buzz word in today’s World with endless mailings and adverts telling you to shred sensitive information that you don’t need (remembering to keep documents required by the tax man) and to take out an ID Theft insurance policy. Doing these, they lead you to believe, will protect you from ID Theft and let you lead a happy scam-free life.

However what they don’t tell you is that not all shredders will keep your information secure. When purchasing a shredder you need to choose between a “Strip” or “Cross” cut model. Strip Cut (or Ribbon Cut) models shred your documents into long strips of a certain width (depending on the model). If someone had the time and patience they could piece together your document and read the contents. Cross Cut (or Confetti/Particle/Crypto Cut) models shred your documents both length and widthways leaving you with small particles that look like confetti. Depending on the security level of the machine you could end up with between 300 and 1500 tiny pieces of confetti from each piece of paper that you shred. This makes the final information much harder to piece together for a potential criminal. Can you imagine trying to join together pieces of confetti only a few millimetres in width and length to recreate a document, particularly if that document has been shredded along with others?

Any shredder owners out there will tell you how annoying it is to constantly empty the bin of your shredder. Fortunately Cross Cut shredders will cause the shredded waste to compact into the waste bin more than Strip Cut models meaning that the bin has to be emptied less frequently. This all seems to mean that Cross Cut shredders are the best thing since sliced bread, however, as with everything; they do have some disadvantages as well.

The first of these (and probably the most important) is that due to higher manufacturing costs, these machines are usually more expensive than the equivalent strip cut models and in some cases can be over double the price. Another drawback is that the higher the security level of the machine (and therefore the more shredded pieces you get from each piece of paper), the fewer sheets can be shredded at one time. An office level Strip Cut machine may be able to handle 30 sheets at once, but an equivalent Cross Cut model may only be able to handle half as many, meaning more time spent standing at the shredder and less time doing something constructive!

Unfortunately the downsides don’t end there. Due to the special nature of their cutting blades, Cross Cut shredders need to be oiled with special lubrication oil on a regular basis to prevent the machine from jamming or shredding even fewer sheets per pass. A busy office would find it necessary to oil at the start of every day, although occasional home users can get away with only doing so once every month. The final downside can be found out by trying to empty a Cross Cut shredder into an outside bin whilst it’s windy outside. Having done this myself I can confirm that the result is a disaster! Waste sacks can also be purchased but this will further increase the cost.

Fortunately there is help with these costs as UK users can visit ShreddingMachines.co.uk where you will find various special offers that give you Free Shredder Oil and Free Waste Sacks (on certain models) so that the cost of switching to a Cross Cut shredder is reduced. They have some of the lowest prices in the UK around and a unique Shredder Wizard will help narrow down the machine that would meet your individual needs.

Non-uk users looking to buy a shredder could check out the wizard to choose your model (as most models are available across the world) then do some research in your home country to find the best price.

Santa and ID Theft

I just got done reading a blog post called Is Santa A Victim of Identity Theft, and I had to share it with you.  The author makes a good point.

This time of year you see people dressed as Santa every where . . . one person's identity replicated over and over and then put out into the masses.  In some cases it is easy to see that it is an impostor, but in some cases you cannot really tell from first glance.  And then to add to it there are places that are selling all of the "supplies" so that even more people can assume this identity.  So how do you stop it?  Do you go after the person who it using the false identity?  Do you go after the people selling the identity?

The same thing holds true with actual cases of identity theft, and that is part of the reason that it is a growing problem.

5 Rules to Keep Your Identity and Credit Safe during the Holiday Shopping Season

Today we have a guest blog from Jon Ryan of ProtectIdentity.com

Your own shopping compulsions versus a limited budget isn’t the only threat during the holiday shopping season.  Use of your credit cards can really increase during this time of year. Without thinking you could be falling into habits that put your entire financial persona in jeopardy.


1.  Be assertive. Don’t be afraid to disagree, say no, or ask questions. If you are in a shop and the clerk want to take your plastic into the back room, speak up. You shouldn’t let that little piece of plastic out of your sight. If you have to keep other people waiting do so. They also know you are in a rush too. Fraudsters use crowds to mask their efforts and human emotions to force their efforts.

2.  Watch where you swipe. ATMs are extreme risky during the holidays. Fraudsters use a device called a skimmer to grab account numbers and PINs from a single card swipe. The skimmer can be placed on top of or within the original reader, thereby intercepting the digits or it can be placed in a separate location on the ATM in hopes a customer accidentally swipes there instead. If you need cash, the best practice is to avoid mall ATMs and go inside your bank to get the funds.


3.   Avoid giving. At lease right then and there. Any charity that wants your info and donation right then and there should be avoided. Don’t listen to the pleas. Any time you are going to give money away, there should be some research on the organization and where your money is going to actually go. The last thing you want to do is get surprised because you claimed a “fake” charitable donation on your taxes.

4.  Delve down when buying online. Think like a criminal here. Lines of encryption and a few bounces around to different IP addresses and then they are home free. There’s no face to attribute to the crime. Many people will avoid the crowds this year by taking their shopping lists to the web. If you choose to do so, don’t ever shop with your debit card. That is a direct line to your bank account. Under the federal laws, the credit card company can only hold you liable for $50 of any fraudulent transactions. The debit card could put you into overdraft fees and pose much more hassle and threat, so shop with your credit card or an alternative payment method like a prepaid check card or PayPal. Only buy on sites that have a secure server and a privacy policy and/or show the padlock icon in your browser’s bottom right hand corner. You can know your info is encrypted if the url goes from “http:\\” to “https:\\”. No email or search engine “shot-in-the dark” shopping. This will give you merchant’s with no researchable reputation.

5.  Beware of your surroundings & destroy everything. The two go hand in hand. Shoulder surfing and dumpster diving are still threats. People around you at the mall can probably heard you opening that new line of credit to cover your holiday expenses. Protect vital information from wandering eyes and ears. Write it down instead of verbally exchanging it. Afterwards take the slip with you and destroy it. Dumpster diving is still the easiest way for a low tech criminal to get hands on your personal info and steal your identity. Destroy/shred all these documents, especially those pre-approved lines of credit apps that come in the mail.

Follow these rules, and hopefully you will not become one of the 10 million who fall victim to identity theft every year. Also, remember less is more. Don’t leave the house with more cards or information than you absolutely need. It’s very important to watch your statements year-round, but this time of year you will be doing more spending than usual. So it stands to reason that more attention should be paid.

By Jon Ryan of ProtectIdentity.com, a blog hoping to spread awareness and provide identity theft protection tips.

Victims - Tell your story!

I will OFTEN get requests from media people for victims to share their story (on radio, tv or in print).  If you are a victim who would be willing to share your story, please contact me via email with your name, state you live in, and the type of scam you were a victim of (counterfeit check, romance, roommate, credit card fraud, 419, ID theft, etc.)


This can be a wonderful way for you to share your story and help to warn and educate other people about scams!

You can also find me at http://www.retaggr.com/page/ShawnMosch

LifeLock Receives Top 10 Ranking on Inc. Magazine’s Inc. 500 List

I think that it is wonderful to see a company that is doing something to help protect people get awarded and recognized for the things they are doing.  That is why I was happy to see this press release.

Identity Theft Protection Leader Ranks 8^th As One of Nation’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies

TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Inc. magazine today ranked LifeLock (www.lifelock.com), an industry leader in proactive identity theft protection, eighth on its 29^th Annual Inc. 500 List, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. In addition, LifeLock is recognized as No. 1 in the Inc. 500’s Security category. The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy—America’s independent-minded entrepreneurs. Companies such as Microsoft, Visa, Zappos, Go Daddy, Under Armour, Jamba Juice, American Apparel, Oracle and hundreds of other powerhouses gained early exposure as members of the Inc. 500.

“This is an enormous milestone in the history of our organization”

“This is an enormous milestone in the history of our organization,” said Todd Davis, LifeLock Chairman and CEO. “I truly see this recognition as a testament to our employees’ never ending commitment to provide consumers with the means necessary to help fight the fast growing crime of identity theft. Despite a down economy, the pressure of creating an industry and unwanted distractions, we have been able to stay focused on our overall mission and deliver the most innovative products and world-class customer service.”

The 2010 Inc. 500 measures revenue growth from 2006 through 2009; LifeLock’s growth was more than 11,474 percent. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by the first week of 2006, and therefore able to show four full calendar years of sales. Additionally, they had to be U.S. based, privately held, for profit and independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2009. The minimum revenue required for 2006 was $100,000; the minimum for 2009 was $2 million. Of the top 10 ranked companies, LifeLock’s 2009 revenue ranked third with $131.4 million.

In the 29-year history of the Inc. 500 list, there have been only two other Arizona companies ranked higher than LifeLock. In 1992, Insight Direct was ranked fifth, and in 1983, Forever Living Products was ranked sixth. The Go Daddy Group also had a ranking of eighth in 2004.

According to a study released August 12, 2010, by ID Analytics, a leader in consumer risk management, more than 20 million Americans have multiple Social Security numbers (SSNs) associated with their name in commercial records. The research shows that SSNs may not uniquely identify an individual, and organizations can expose themselves and their customers to risk if they solely rely on the SSN to verify an individual. Proactive identity theft protection can help combat the crime and protect the good name of consumers whose personal information could already be readily available to criminals. LifeLock works relentlessly to help protect its members from identity theft before it happens.

Closing the door on Child Identity Theft

Just the other day I did a blog about how children are becoming the victims of Identity Theft, and now today I find another email on this topic in my email box from the Identity Theft Resource Center.

Years ago, the Identity Theft Resource Center envisioned a simple solution to this problem.  It is called the Minors 17-10 Database and ITRC has been talking with various government entities and legislators about this concept since July 2005.  With the growing popularity of so-called “credit protection numbers”, “credit privacy numbers (CPN)”, and now “secondary credit numbers” being sold online, this issue has become more urgent.  These dormant Social Security numbers, being sold as CPNs, frequently were issued to children.  The crime, identity theft, most likely will not be discovered until the teen reaches adulthood.

I am sure that we will here more on this topic.

Could your child become a victim of Identity Theft?

One of the golden rules of the world we live in today is to protect your Social Security number in order to protect yourself from becoming a victim of Identity Theft. But what about your children's social security numbers? I know that I have them in a safe spot, and have not really even thought about them until reading this article.

Hundreds of online businesses are using computers to find dormant Social Security numbers — usually those assigned to children who don't use them — then selling those numbers under another name to help people establish phony credit and run up huge debts they will never pay off.

 Experts say the fraud will be difficult to stop because it's so easily concealed and targets such vulnerable people. Other than checking with the credit bureaus to see if there is a credit file associated with your child's Social Security number, spokesmen at FICO, the Social Security Administration and the FTC said there are no specific tools for safeguarding the number.

"This is an invisible crime, with invisible victims who don't have enough support out there to help them," said Linda Foley of the ID Theft Resource Center in San Diego.

Legislation re-introduced to protect people from identity theft and account fraud

In today's day and age, this one seems like a no-brainer to me. We NEED legislation to help protect people from Identity Theft and Account Fraud.

Senator Carper was one of the ones who introduced the legislation. The Data Security Act of 2010 would require entities such as financial establishments, retailers, and federal agencies to safeguard sensitive information, investigate security breaches, and notify people when there is a substantial risk of identity theft or account fraud.

Legislation re-introduced to protect people from identity theft and account fraud

It is changes like this that will help to protect people from becoming victims.

Social Security numbers

While watching the movie The Blind Side, my husband and I noticed something . . . when the main character Michael Oher gets his drivers license there is a close up shot of it, and his Social Security number is listed on the driver's license!


I was shocked when I saw this, and I had no idea that some states actually did this since I have never lived in a state that did this.  Since I saw this as a HUGE risk to identity theft,  I asked a good friend of mine, Denise Richardson, who operates the website GiveMeBackMyCredit.com and is a wonderful resource on the topic of identity theft about this, and here is what she sent to me . . . 

Can a state use my Social Security number as my drivers' license number?

Not any longer. The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 prohibits states from displaying your SSN on drivers' licenses, state ID cards, or motor-vehicle registrations. The law went into effect December 17, 2005, and applies to all licenses, registrations, and identification cards issued after that date. If your license still uses your SSN as the ID number, you can request this be changed. You don’t need to wait until it expires to get one with a different number, though you may be charged a fee for the new issuance.


More information on the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 is available as follows:

• Social Security Administration, www.ssa.gov/legislation/legis_bulletin_010705.html
• Congressional Research Service, www.fas.org/irp/crs/RL32722.pdf .

Identity Theft Sends Innocent Student to Jail - Denise Richardson

Here is a great article from my good friend Denise Richardson of GiveMeBackMyCredit.com

I feel that this is very important information for every teenager to read. At this time of year when everyone is thinking about graduations and going off to college, it is important for us to remember that scams, fraud and identity theft can happen to anyone at any time, and that we need to have the right information to protect ourselves.

Darrius Whitehorn, a Loyola University criminal justice student spent a week in jail for a crime he didn't commit. Darrius learned the hard way that when it comes to identity theft, you are guilty until proven innocent. It seems his Social Security number and his birthdate matched that of a deceased, convicted robber named Kirk Davis.

To read the full article, go to
Identity Theft Sends Innocent Student to Jail - Denise Richardson

U.S. is requiring companies to defend against identity theft - latimes.com

I wanted to share an article I found about requiring companies to defend against Identity Theft.

Here is a quote from the article

The government says that businesses have the responsibility of making sure thieves don't use stolen information to buy goods or open phony accounts. And to that end, the Federal Trade Commission wants businesses that might be targets of identity thieves to develop written plans to spot "red flags" that fraud could be involved and prevent it.

Starting June 1, all businesses that extend credit to customers will have to develop plans to try to prevent identity theft.

"Once the information is in the hands of identity thieves, there's not much more the consumer can do," said Naomi Lefkovitz, senior attorney for the FTC, which will oversee enforcement of the rule as it applies to many — though not all — businesses. "Now it's in the hands of the businesses."

To read the entire article, go to

U.S. is requiring companies to defend against identity theft - latimes.com

Identity Theft

As some of you know, I am a big supporter of Denise Richardson and GiveMeBackMyCredit.com, so I want to share her triumphs with all of you.

Denise was recently interviewed for an article called No One is Safe: Identity Theft in Modern Times.

Here is a portion of the article

When Richardson went to apply for a separate loan, it became shockingly clear that Shawmut Bank, her mortgage lender, had incorrectly calculated her monthly payments and, in some instances, simply didn’t apply the payments at all. Richardson then took the initiative to review the payment records -- both her own via the coupon stubs as well as what little information that the bank had on file -- but due to Shawmut’s repeated miscalculations, it became completely hopeless to verify the remaining balance on her mortgage account.

Richardson did not, however, sit back passively and allow the Shawmut Bank to take advantage of her. In fact, she filed a federal lawsuit against the company to amend their financial faults and hinder further maltreatment from happening to others.

Richardson’s history of inaccurate credit reports does not end there. In 2001 she again became a victim of fraud, this time in the form of $9,000 worth of airline tickets charged to her credit card by an unknown identity thief. Then again in December 2009, her credit card was charged with cable billing fees from a company other than her own cable provider. In regards to all three instances, Richardson remarks, “It’s something that I didn’t even do.”

To read the article in full go to No One is Safe: Identity Theft in Modern Times.

Fraud Fighters Forum

AARP and the BBB is holding a Fraud Fighters Forum on April 20th in Golden Valley, Minnesota.

You can read the details of the event here.

Attorney General Lori Swanson will be there, along with other top officials, to show you how to spot and stop fraud.

Hear about the crimes that affect Minnesotans and what members of the law enforcement are doing to combat criminal activity. Experts will cover the topics of:

Financial schemes
Investment fraud
Health care fraud
Identity theft

With the right information, you can avoid becoming a victim of fraud

Celebrity Apprentice and LifeLock

I love it when the topic of scams, fraud and identity theft make it into popular television shows. Having this information on a news show will educate people, but the popular shows are the ones that people are watching and recording, and then talking about the next day at the office. These are the ones where we can REALLY get the message out to a lot of people at once.

This week, on the Celebrity Apprentice the task was to create an ad for LifeLock. Here is a clip of the women's ad, which ended up winning.



I wonder if Celebrity Apprentice would be interested in creating an ad for Scam Jam?

Give Me Back My Credit!

If you have not yet read the book Give Me Back My Credit! I highly recommend that you do.

This is the true story of one woman's battle with the banks to correct the errors, mistakes and problems that they created. Along the way she also finds out that she has become the victim of Identity Theft. Does she let this stop her . . . NO! She has the drive to continue on in her own personal battle, and on top of that goes on to help other consumers.

This story will inspire you.

Medium does it again - Identity Theft

Last month I shared with you that a popular CBS television show, Medium, did an episode that touched on the topic of Nigerian Scams.  Well, in Episode 14 of Season 6 they focused on the topic of Identity Theft.  The episode was called "Will the Real Fred Rovick Please Stand Up".  In this episode, after someone sent out an email with a attachment that allowed them to access your computer, everyone that Allison Dubois saw that did open that attachment looked like the person that was stealing everyone's identity to her.



Thank you, again, to the cast and staff of Medium who are choosing to take on topics that are really relevant to the times. I only wish at the end of the episode they would have posted something on where people can go to learn more about Identity Theft, like the FTC site.

Medium is based on the real life woman, Allison DeBois.  Below are some books about Allison and her life.

reBlog from givemebackmycredit.com: Cancer Patient Identity Theft Victim: "Day in Court Hangs on Supreme Court Decisions"

Here is a great article on Identity Theft that everyone should read:

Identity theft has many damaging effects, and one of the most problematic for consumers is the reporting of false or fraudulent information on their credit reports.  One would logically assume that US banks would be legally accountable to consumers for knowingly reporting false information on their credit reports, especially after notifying the banks that the information is false, a bank mistake, or the result of an identity theft.  givemebackmycredit.com, Cancer Patient Identity Theft Victim: "Day in Court Hangs on Supreme Court Decisions", Feb 2010

You should read the whole article.

Robert Siciliano’s Conversation with a Hacker : Information Security Resources

Here is a great article by Robert Siciliano of IDTheftSecurity.com about a conversation that he had with a scammer.

Robert Siciliano’s Conversation with a Hacker : Information Security Resources

Identity Theft Protection

We recently had a family member who suspected that they could be a potential ID Theft victim. After some credit report checks and talking with a few experts, we believe that all is under control. I just want to take this time to suggest that everyone check their credit reports and learn more about ID Theft and how to protect yourself. One great way is through companies like LifeLock.




LifeLock

Identity Theft: How to Beat Id Theft and What Your Legal Rights are... - Denise Richardson

I was introduced via email to a remarkable man yesterday by the name of Eric Drew.  Not only has Eric had to fight against cancer, but he has also fought against Identity Theft.  It was actually while Eric was in the hospital fighting for his life that he learned that he was a victim of ID theft and would also have to fight to recover his good name.

You can read Eric's story here
Identity Theft: How to Beat Id Theft and What Your Legal Rights are... - Denise Richardson
and you can visit his website The Eric Drew Foundation.