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online identity fraud


Fraud Facts: FTC Video, Insurance Infographic Help Identity Theft Victims

Are  you a social worker, attorney, or someone who likes helping others work to help resolve the issues identity theft causes?

If so, check out a new video from the Federal Trade Commission. The video is designed to help facilitators who assist consumers in repairing their identity.  Entitled Helping Victims of Identity Theft, it’s the latest addition to the FTC’s library of resources that explain not only how to recognize identity theft, but also how to report it and repair the damage it can cause.

The FTC says it gets more complaints about identity theft each year than any other consumer issue, and estimates that nine million consumers become identity theft victims each year.

Other studies say that every three seconds, someone becomes a victim of identity theft. Click to check out this infographic made by insurance provider Protect Your Bubble. Read More

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IRS Battling Identity Theft in 2013

Identity theft related tax fraud remains a significant problem, despite the IRS preventing an alarming $20 billion of fraudulent refunds in 2012. This is a large increase in protection of refunds, $6 billion more than in 2011.

Click to find out more about what the IRS is doing for both fraud prevention and victim assistance.

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‘Identity Thief’ Movie Official Trailer: Prepare to Laugh

Funnywoman Melissa McCarthy, hilarious Jason Bateman, and a movie focused on raising awareness of identity theft? Bring on the popcorn!

The Identity Thief comedy, which premieres February 8, will hopefully raise awareness in a comical way. Click below to check out the trailer and prepare to laugh! Read More

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Trends and Predictions For Identity Theft in 2013

With 2013 stretching out in front of us, we asked our friends at the ITRC to share their predictions about the big security issues we may expect to see. Click to find out their surprising predictions and how to protect yourself this year. Read More

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The 3 Riskiest Online Mistakes Travelers Make Every Holiday Season

Skim any travel website this holiday season and you’re bound to find an article or two about online security and traveling.  The articles certainly raise awareness of the precarious security situation while in airports and hotels, but they also generally fall short in a few ways.

Read more to learn three tips that supplement any on-the-road security plan to safeguard your sensitive personal information and avoid having your identity (or credit card number) stolen this month. Read More

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Online Identity Theft Still a Worry, Despite Study’s Claims That ‘Old-Fashioned’ Fraud Bigger Concern

With all due respect to insurance company Travelers, its latest study on identity theft isn’t entirely accurate.

The results — based on what the company calls a “comprehensive study of 2011 Travelers claim data” — shows that even in the digital era, burglary, stolen wallets, and pilfered identifications account for 73% of all cases.

Is most identity fraud really happening the “old-fashioned way” or not? Read more to separate fact from fiction.

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Lax State Online Filing Systems Are Fueling Business Identity Theft

It’s no secret that identity theft is the Number One cause of consumer fraud complaints in the U.S. But it’s not widely known that businesses are increasingly being targeted for identity theft. According to Dun and Bradstreet, inadequate data-quality checks have enabled criminals to use government websites to steal the identities of legitimate businesses to perpetrate crimes.

Find out why your company could be the next ID theft victim and what you can do to prevent it.

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ID Analytics Study: More Than 10,000 ‘Identity Fraud Rings’ In United States

If you live in the southeast U.S. and/or have a wireless cell plan, this may not be the news you were hoping to read today.

A new study says there are more than 10,000 identity fraud rings in the United States, with some found in Detroit but the highest concentration of fraud mostly in the southeast, specifically Washington D.C.;  Tampa, FL; Greenville, MS, Macon, GA; and Montgomery, AL.

So what will you do today to prevent becoming a victim tomorrow? Read on for more information and tips.

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Growing Threat: Medical Identity Fraud Runs Wild Via Online Black Markets

We’ve reported extensively on medical data breaches, but a new ABC News investigation has revealed startling information that our “private” medical records are, data breach or no data breach, just not private.

How can this be? Read More

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Semper Fi? Woman Sentenced in Online Tax Fraud Targeting U.S. Marines

A 29-year-old Florida woman was sentenced to more than five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with an identity theft tax-fraud scheme targeting the names and personal data of 44 U.S. Marines.

Convicted of wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, prosecutors say Dorothy Boulin expected to be paid 20% of the money obtained from filing phony tax returns. Prosecutors say she had more than 100 photocopies of stolen driver’s license identification cards, Social Security cards, and printouts of more than 200 names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers. Read More

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