Don’t Let Grinch-Worthy Holiday Scams Get You Down

By Laura Bruck in Personal Protection 0 Comment
Holiday Scams

The holidays are a time for family, friends and the inevitable rush of snagging a great holiday deal. But don’t think you’re the only one excited for the holiday shopping season — scammers have created their own “season of scams” and your name is definitely on their list. 

A shocking 40 percent of online fraud happens during the last three months of the year, according to Trustev. This spike in fraud and related scams intersects the holiday season as consumers get lost in the hustle and bustle of shopping, traveling and prepping for the upcoming celebrations. Continue reading

2013 in the Rearview, and the Security Lessons We’ve Learned

By Neal O'Farrell in Personal Protection 0 Comment
2013 Year in Review
Infographic: Security Lessions Learned in 2013

Infographic: Security Lessions Learned in 2013

To say that 2013 wasn’t a very good year for security is an understatement. From endless NSA leaks to major data breaches at LivingSocial, Adobe, and Target, it’s a year that I hope you won’t forget too quickly. Otherwise you may learn nothing from the security failures, leaving you more vulnerable to becoming a fraud victim yourself. If you want a head start on security for 2014, but the security headlines from 2013 already seem blurry, here are brief reminders of some of the bigger fraud-related news stories, events and failures.

January – The New York Times confirms that it was the victim of a sophisticated attack by Chinese hackers using advanced malware. The hackers used at least 45 different types of malware, only one of which was detected by the firm’s security systems. Continue reading

Security Lessons We’ve Learned in 2013 [Infographic]

By Laura Bruck in Infographics 0 Comment

As we move forward into a new year, it’s important to continue improving our security measures to protect our personal information. This year had its share of security slip-ups, from leaks of NSA information to major data breaches at nationwide companies like LivingSocial, Adobe and Target. Let’s take a look at this infographic to see how we can improve our security strategies to prevent from becoming a fraud victim ourselves. Let’s take a look back at 2013 to see what lessons we can learn.

Read the full article here.

EZShield Infographic Security Lessons Learned In 2013

EZShield Infographic Security Lessons Learned In 2013

 

Is Identity Theft as Inevitable as Taxes?

By Laura Bruck in Personal Protection 0 Comment

The benefits of filing early

Do you file your taxes as soon as you receive your tax information? Or are you among the more than 20 percent* who wait until the deadline? For that matter, maybe you even file for an extension. The relevance of when you file has far greater implications than whether or not you’re a timely taxpayer. Considering the prevalence of tax identity theft — a 66 percent increase in 2012 alone — the longer you wait to file, the more time you give thieves the opportunity to file as you. Early in this case means as close to January 31 as possible, though not before that date (per IRS guidelines). Continue reading