Can you imagine receiving a credit card statement for 15 cases of raspberry Jell-O, a rented mule, and a video camera?  Chances are you’ve been a victim of identity theft and never received notification that a new credit card had been opened in your name. This form of identity theft occurs when a fraudster uses [...]

The other day I was having dinner with a friend I have not seen in a while.  We chatted about life’s events when the conversation transitioned to how our parents are doing.  My friend was happy to announce that both his parents are retired and they are excited to be retiring at a high-end retirement [...]

Rex Davis, director of operations, Identity Theft Resource Center Since the announcement of the Red Flag Rules was first made in January 2008, the projected enforcement date has been postponed multiple times.  In the case of each postponement, there has been resistance to being included in the population subject to these rules by one group [...]

The purpose of this fraud case story series is to educate people about the real-life ways that identities are stolen without revealing confidential information or the names of the people who have been affected. Keep in mind, these stories are true (although I have omitted specific details for our members’ protection) and are described by [...]

In this entry, we will examine the top 5 current Internet scams and what you should do to avoid becoming an identity theft victim. Top 5 Internet Scams: • Hotmail Scams – Usernames, passwords, and account information are surreptitiously stolen when keyloggers are downloaded after you have opened a malicious email that appeared harmless, like those [...]

The other day, my grandfather friended me on Facebook. That’s right, this man who fought in World War II is now social networking with all of his grandkids – sharing photos updates and participating in online polls and games.  When looking through my granddad’s profile, I was surprised at the amount of personal information he [...]

As Valentine’s Day approaches, many singles may find themselves turning to dating websites in an effort to find true love.  Sadly, what a few may find is anything but because scam artists are turning to dating websites for identity theft purposes.  How this scam works is a fraudster will create a fake profile designed to [...]

This upcoming Valentine’s Day, be extra cautious when opening up those E-cards you will receive in your email inbox.   Be wary of any e-mails you receive from unknown senders and do not open any unsolicited e-mails or click on any links provided. This week, I received an E-card directing me to click on a link [...]

The purpose of this fraud case story series is to educate people about the real-life ways that identities are stolen without revealing confidential information or the names of the people who have been affected.  Keep in mind, these stories are true (although I have omitted specific details for our members’ protection) and are described by [...]

If you’re a concerned parent sending your children off to college, you may be advising them to stay out of dark corners, to lock their doors at night, and to travel in groups. While these measures might help them from staying out of dangerous situations, it cannot protect them from one of the worst kinds [...]