Me and Me

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Good Me: The Lone Star State Gives ID Theft Freezer Burn
2007-09-12 18:24:00
A big ME&ME thumbs up to the state of Texas for enacting laws that give residents more options when it comes to protecting themselves from identity theft. Texas joins 34 states in allowing residents to issue freezes on their credit reports and is the first state to allow for a ?fast thaw? feature, which gives consumers the opportunity to unfreeze their credit report in a matter of minutes. Also, popular job search site CareerBuilder.com launched a new search function that allows users to control who sees their resume and how many times it was viewed. With the recent data breach from Monster.com, it?s good to see a site take steps to help protect the sensitive information of online job seekers.
More About: Daily News , Lone Star , Star , State , Theft

Don’t Blame the Plane
2007-09-12 17:55:00
You drink plenty of water, squeeze some Visine in both eyes, and short of donning a surgical mask, you’re making all possible efforts to not get the standard headache and dry eyes on your flight. After all that, it turns out that it’s not the plane that is making you sick. According to a new study by the American Chemical Society, what causes these symptoms is the interaction between your oily body and ozone in the upper atmosphere. Check out the findings and what the Society thinks airlines can do in the future to make flying a lot more pleasant for us all. Now if only they could find a solution for quieting 17B’s snoring.
More About: Plane , Blame , Lame

Good Me: Medical ID Theft Tips
2007-09-10 17:05:00
Imagine walking into a hospital with a broken arm only to be denied service because you owe over $25,000 in medical bills. What?s worse, you?ve never been to that hospital before let alone racked up all those charges. Medical identity theft is a growing problem, causing victims to be denied insurance coverage, making it difficult to obtain medical services, and wreaking havoc on your credit report. Check out these tips for protecting yourself from medical identity theft. That?s what we call preventative healthcare. And finally, before donating that old computer, make sure to shelter yourself from ID theft by discarding all files and documents containing sensitive information by following these useful tips.
More About: Daily News , Tips , Theft , Good

Good Me: Americans Raise Eyebrows When it Comes to Divulging Social Securit
2007-09-07 17:47:00
It?s no secret that the misuse of Social Security numbers are can lead to identity theft. A survey by Consumer Reports reveals that the majority of Americans are concerned about sharing this sensitive information with businesses with no clear need for the information, such as cell phone providers and retailers, and nearly 90% of respondents believe that by giving away the number to such businesses makes them more likely to become victims of ID theft. The survey also found the majority of Americans would support federal and state action to restrict the use of Social Security numbers by businesses. Let?s hope lawmakers hear this call to action loud and clear... (Read More)
More About: Daily News , Good , Eyebrows

Bad Me: The Third Time is Not Always a Charm
2007-09-05 20:40:00
Bad things always seem to happen in threes. Just ask Pfizer. The company recently disclosed a new data breach, the third incident in the last three months, that exposed as many as 34,000 employees to potential ID fraud. The breach included the names, Social Security numbers, home addresses, credit card numbers, as well as other sensitive information of Pfizer employees. The incident occurred late last year, but Pfizer didn?t discover it until July. Employees were finally notified of the breach in late August, a whole 6 weeks after the problem was first uncovered. Stri-i-i-ike three!
More About: Daily News , Time , Charm , Char , Always

Good Me: Laborious Tasks
2007-08-31 18:00:00
We never like to see people work too hard over Labor Day weekend, but when it comes to protecting consumers from ID theft, we welcome the diligence. Two U.S. senators are calling on the IRS to toughen existing procedures when it comes to ID theft and tax fraud, as well as take further steps to help victims. Also, new law in the state of Indiana that allows residents to issue a freeze on their credit report goes into effect this weekend. In other news, check out this opinion piece in the Buffalo News about how the federal government needs to take immediate action to make ID theft a priority.
More About: Daily News , Good , Tasks , Task

Daniel Hurtado Joins Europ Assistance USA!
2007-08-29 23:59:00
Two things we love most here at ME&ME are good news about ID theft and expanding our great team. So, when we heard that Dani el Hurtado joined Europ Assist ance USA as Vice President of Operations we couldn?t help but do a little (virtual) jump for joy! Click to learn more about Daniel Hurtado, our new VP of Operations ? (Read More)
More About: Daily News

Bad Me: Housing Crunch
2007-08-29 17:35:00
As mortgage woes continue to spread across the country, it?s ironic that we came across a former broker who is continuing to make life difficult for a client. After leaving the lending firm where she worked, a mortgage broker stole the identity of one of her former clients to buy herself a $400,000 house. She was sentenced to four years in prison, so it looks like she will find herself in a big house after all. In other news, a recent bust on ID theft and illegal immigration at a slaughterhouse in North Carolina has 25 employees facing possible jail time.
More About: Daily News , Housing , Crunch

Bad Me: Marital Miss
2007-08-27 17:05:00
You found the perfect dress, shelled out thousands of dollars on a cake, and somehow convinced mom and dad the sushi bar during the cocktail hour is a necessity. What could go wrong? Plenty if you are a victim of ID theft. The New York Post has an interesting story on brides and grooms who, when trying to make their way to the altar, discovered ID thieves beat them to the punch and already obtained a marriage license in their name. A little rain on your big day doesn?t seem so bad after all.
More About: Daily News , Miss , Mari

Good Me: ID Theft Bill Introduced in California
2007-08-22 16:45:00
At ME&ME we always get excited when a U.S. state takes active steps to protect residents from ID theft. A new bill introduced in the California legislature would restrict the personal information that could be held by businesses or public agencies in addition to requiring them to notify customers when and where a breach occurs and what information might have been stolen. Also, a warning to parents and students about ID theft on college campuses as well as some tips for preventing it.
More About: Daily News , Theft , Good , Bill

Bad Me: The Times They Are A-Changin?
2007-08-20 19:52:00
Today?s news from ComputerWorld is a tad bit unnerving. Actually, it?s pretty darn scary. A recent survey says 15 million Americans were victims of identity-theft related fraud from mid-2006 to mid-2007, a 50% increase from 2003. Adding insult to injury, the average loss per incident was over $3K, more than twice the amount than the previous year. In other news, new hiring laws in Arizona may lead to an increase in ID theft.
More About: Daily News , Times , The Times , Chang , Chan

Bad Me: Online Job Seekers Subject to Possible ID Theft
2007-08-17 18:29:00
You dusted off the old resume, brushed up on your interview skills, and dove into the online job search head first. Imagine your surprise when you find out that decision may end up costing you. A security researcher discovered financial and personal data from 46,000 individuals was stolen through a computer virus on various online job search sites. The stolen data includes bank and credit card account information, social security numbers, and usernames and passwords for online accounts. Makes pouring through the classifieds seem much more attractive.
More About: Daily News , Online , Theft , Seek , Ossi

Bad Me: Don?t Talk to Strangers
2007-08-15 17:57:00
We here at ME&ME are old enough to know when we should and shouldn?t talk to strangers. When it comes to protecting your identity online, this lesson from our kindergarten days seems much more grown up. When users of online social networking site Facebook seemed to forget this important mantra, we couldn?t help but be disappointed. A recent test conducted on Facebook shows users are likely to divulge personal information to complete strangers who request their ?friendship? on the site, giving away e-mails addresses, birthdates, phone numbers and home addresses, all of which could lead to ID theft. A real friendship shouldn?t cost you a dime, or your identity.
More About: Daily News , Talk , Range , Tran , Strangers

Good Me: Illinois Increases Penalty for ID Thieves Who Target Military
2007-08-13 20:00:00
The Illinois state legislature earns a thumbs up from us here at ME&ME. A new state law will increase the penalty for ID thieves who target U.S. service members deployed overseas. Also, the San Jose Mercury News reminds us that our instincts are the first line of defense when it comes to preventing ID theft.
More About: Military , Daily News , Target , Good

Bad Me: Receipts Reveal More Than the Color of Your iPod
2007-08-10 18:52:00
It used to be that the color of your iPod said something about you. Now a Florida court claims we should be more concerned about what the receipt for that iPod has to say. A class action suit was filed against Apple claiming the company is putting consumers at risk of identity theft by revealing the customer?s name, address, phone number, e-mail and credit card expiration date on its receipts. In other news, a Penn State researcher accidentally posts the names and SSNs of over 8,000 Marines. Can I get a boo-rah? And patients at a Florida dental office discover they had more to be worried about than a shot of Novacaine and a drill when an office assistant was charged with using patients? personal information to open up credit cards and shop online.
More About: Color , Ipod , Daily News

Bad Me: Nothing Gets Past the IRS
2007-08-08 20:05:00
The IRS can?t afford to lose any fans and the recent news that its employees are likely to fall for social engineering tricks definitely isn?t attracting any new ones. In a recent test by the Treasury Department?s Inspector General for Tax Administration, 60% of IRS employees surveyed gave away sensitive security information to researchers posed as computer help desk workers. The news is especially disturbing as hackers could use this information to access IRS computers and obtain taxpayers? financial and personal information. To make matters worse, this isn?t the first time IRS employees have been tested for vulnerability to these tricks. The Inspector General conducted similar phone tests on IRS workers in 2001 and 2004. Pretty big learning curve if you ask us.
More About: Daily News , Past

Good Me: Massachusetts Governor Signs ID Theft Legislation
2007-08-06 23:27:00
It takes a lot for us here at ME&ME to cheer, but when we heard that Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed legislation that allows residents to put a ?security freeze? on their credit reports as well as provides further protection for consumers, we couldn?t help but get excited. Let?s hope more states follow its lead. In other news, the state of Ohio set-up a website to help citizens affected by the theft of a data storage device taken from an intern?s car in June. Begs the question of why the storage device was in the hands of an intern, but at least the state is taking a proactive step in helping residents protect themselves from potential ID theft.
More About: Daily News , Signs , Theft

Bad Me: Book ?Em Dan-o!
2007-07-31 23:20:00
As if being arrested isn?t bad enough. In an odd turn of events, a handful of those behind bars at Baltimore?s Central Book ing found themselves to be victims of a crime. Two correction officers were arrested for stealing the identities of multiple detainees held at the booking site, using credit cards to run up charges at fast food joints and stores. Talk about a happy meal. And in an unusual case of stolen identity, a Virginia woman, unable to qualify for a loan on her own, pleads guilty to using a man?s lost wallet to purchase a $400,000 house.
More About: Daily News

Bad Me: Insert Foot Into Mouth ? CEO of LifeLock
2007-07-26 16:39:00
This story is too good to pass up. The CEO of LifeLock was so confident that his product could protect people?s Social Security numbers from being compromised that he actually posted his own SS number on the LifeLock web site. Guess what happened? He became a victim of identity theft. In other news, check out this blog posting from Wired about genetic identity theft and DNA-crime evidence. Finally, there seems to be minimal fallout from an identity thief pretending to be a nurse in Vacaville, Calif.
More About: Daily News , Mouth , Foot , Lifelock

Bad Me: New Technology & New Media Ripe for ID Theft
2007-07-23 19:34:00
Talk about your BAD ME experiences. Just imagine ? you waited in line for your iPhone, shelled out your $500, synched all your contacts . . . and now we find out all that precious, easily accessible data is ripe for ID theft. That?s the news today from the professional hackers at Independent Security Evaluators, who are now recommending that Apple offer a security patch for the problem. And some words of caution today from the BBC to be careful what personal information you publish on the Web ? especially on sites like MySpace and Facebook, where ID thieves are finding goldmines of personal details like birthdays, locations and occupations of the folks who frequent them. All that information makes the ID thieves? jobs easier, so the Beeb is recommending exercising discretion in what you decide to make public.
More About: Media , Technology , Daily News , New Media , Theft

Bad Me: Don?t Believe the Hype?
2007-07-20 17:10:00
It?s not often that we reference an old Public Enemy song, but it seems appropriate today. You may recall that the song preaches about avoiding the media hype fueled by the government and large institutions. According to Roger Grimes of InfoWorld, the GAO?s report about identity theft not being a problem could be hype. In other news, here are some tips to protect your children from becoming identity theft victims. Finally, we have more commentary on the value of full disclosure when a data breach occurs.
More About: Daily News , Hype

Good Me: Massachusetts Poised to Approve Identity Theft Bill
2007-07-18 20:40:00
We try not to get too political at ME&ME, but we can?t help but share more good news about U.S. states enacting tough identity theft laws. The Massachusetts State Senate is poised to pass a bill that protects consumers. In technology news, Oracle is getting into the fraud protection game with the acquisition of Bharosa. Also, InfoUSA just announced the findings of a survey on identity theft ? its still a major consumer concern.
More About: Daily News , Identity Theft , Theft , Good

Good Me: The Government?s Move to Curb Identity Theft
2007-07-17 23:11:00
As we have always said, we applaud any national or state legislation that protects consumers from identity theft. The House Ways and Means Committee is expected to approve new rules with how the government and corporations use social security numbers. In other political news, Veterans Affairs chief Jim Nicholson resigned today. Remember the massive data breach that occurred last summer under his watch? Finally, the National Consumer Council in the U.K. is urging companies to tell customers when there?s a data breach.
More About: Government , Daily News , Identity Theft , Move , Theft

Good Me: Department of Justice Versus E-Gold
2007-07-13 17:11:00
We all know that e-commerce companies are on the front line of dealing with fraudulent customers. But did one particular company play a role in helping the Department of Justice nab an identity theft ring? Or did they facilitate criminal activity? Check out this illuminating blog post from Larry Greenemeier at InformationWeek. Here?s more information on that bust. Finally, another U.S. state is instituting a law to protect consumers from identity theft.
More About: Gold , Daily News , E-gold

Good Me: Identity Theft Raid at Car Dealership and More
2007-07-12 19:22:00
Our identity theft tip of the day is to watch out for shady car dealerships. Recently a car dealership in Orange County, Calif. was raided as part of an identity theft probe. More than 350 cardboard boxes packed with lease documents and loan applications were confiscated. In other news, a stolen lap top computer from the state of Ohio is causing quite a stir. When will we all move to a thin-client technology ? where all important data is stored in one secure (and remote) location? Any thoughts from ME&ME readers on this?
More About: Daily News , Identity Theft , Theft , Good , Identity

Bad Me: Illegal Immigration Leads to Identity Theft
2007-07-09 22:10:00
While the nation?s law makers duel over immigration reform, and more companies now check backgrounds of workers, illegal immigrants are forced to use false social security numbers to maintain their working status in the U.S. The Los Angeles Times just did an interesting story where an LA cop on the identity theft beat became a victim ? the culprit was an illegal immigrant working in a meat packing plant. In other news, the bad guys are targeting the families of soldiers. That?s pretty low.
More About: Illegal Immigration , Daily News , Immigration , Leads , Identity Theft

Decline in Identity Theft
2007-07-06 18:07:00
A report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), said only four of the 24 largest data breaches between January 2000 and June 2005 appear to have resulted in identity fraud. And, the agency recommends that making companies report data breaches to consumers may result in increased cost without benefit. Thoughts, anyone? And, according to other sources, ID theft is on the decline. Well, except for the 20-somethings. They are at the highest risk level. So, for you youn?uns..stay alert. Tags: Data Breach, Identity Fraud, ID Theft
More About: Daily News , Identity Theft

Lessons from the CEO: Protecting Against the Hidden Costs of Identity Theft
2007-07-05 23:27:00
Guillaume Deybach is the President and CEO of Worldwide Assistance the US office of Europ Assistance. Worldwide Assistance?s Identity Theft Resolution Services help financial institutions retain customers and reduce the burden on call centers by allowing current and existing customers to gain added protection and assistance around identity theft. Ensuring that a person?s monetary losses in the event of identity theft are limited is a very good thing. According to a recent insurance industry study, typical identity theft losses can be in the thousands of dollars. Read More
More About: Interviews , Hidden

Bad Me: Credit Bureaus Undermine Credit Freezes
2007-07-05 22:51:00
Happy 5th of july, y'all. For those of you who are still tuned in this week, check out this piece from USA Today. The finger is squarely pointed at the credit bureaus for undermining credit freezes ? one of the most effective tools for fighting ID theft. The op-ed claims that those who stand to make oodles of money on the issue (credit bureaus) shouldn?t be trying to kill some of the best defenses out there. Did they get it right, or wrong? Speak up if you?ve got a feeling on this one... Tags: credit freezing, credit bureaus, identity theft
More About: Credit , Daily News , Under

Good Me: To Your Retailer, Please Comply with PCI Data Security Standard
2007-06-27 20:29:00
Now you don't have to just worry about getting gouged at the pump - you have to worry about losing your identity too. A report on Yahoo! News, as reported by PC World via IDG News Service, claims that paying at a gas station with a credit card is riskier than shopping online. And, we've all heard that horror story before. The issue was raised at Gartner's Identity and Access Management Summit. The personal story? Watch where you shop. The bigger picture? Credit card companies are pressuring retailers to comply with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard , a code of best practices created by the card industry. The standard forbids the storing of magnetic stripe data on POS terminals, and Visa plans to start fining retailers in the coming months if they don't comply, according to Gartner. The take-away? Life could get safer for all of us.
More About: Data Security , Daily News