Identity Theft: Increasing in Numbers in 2023

In 2021, AARP found that identify theft had affected more than 42 million U.S. consumers. This resulted in a loss of $52 billion. The Aite Group predicts that damages from this threat vector could reach a staggering $625.4 billion by 2023. The explosive growth of this crime will continue to increase as we spend more of our lives online. Each day people post a plethora of information to social…

Identity Theft and the Student

Think you’re safe because you’re an upstanding citizen and don’t engage in risky online behaviors? Think again. Two identity thieves recently attempted to cheat  over one hundred Emory University graduates after stealing their identities and obtaining loans using the stolen information. Authorities believe that Maario Coleman and Angela Russell selected their victims after viewing students…

Identity Thieves – Phishing and Pilfering Your PII

Identity thieves are phishing and pilfering your personally identifiable information (PII). In fact, identity fraud reached a record high in 2017 with 16.7 million U.S. victims (an increase of 8 percent over 2016) and $16.8 billion dollars stolen. In view of this, what can you do to safeguard your PII in 2018?  Let’s take a look at three methods criminals are using to steal identities. Read…

Identity Thieves

Sometimes people use the phrase identity theft and identity fraud interchangeably. However, two different processes are involved with these phrases. Identity theft is when identity thieves steal Personally Identifiable Information (PII).  PII includes such things as your name, address, Social Security number and email address. Whereas identity fraud is the unauthorized use of stolen PII to…

How To Prevent Social Engineering Attacks by Choosing the Right Security Auditor

It is logical that with all the information we release on prevention of social engineering attacks, employee deception, fraud and identity theft we would receive questions on how to choose a good auditor. Requests have been coming in to have us perform social engineering audits and how to choose a good auditor. I think what we need to discuss first is the different types of social engineering…

The US 2010 Census may lead to increase in Social Engineer Attacks

The time has been upon us here in the USA where the US Government sent out census form. More than 100 million were mailed out to many households in the USA. Seems innocent enough? Social Engineering Attacks may become more prevalent due to this. These census forms are designed in a way that all of us should be aware: * There are only 10 questions on this form * The form does not request ANY…

Watch Out for These Summer Break Scams

As the temperatures rise and summer approaches, so do the schemes of cybercriminals looking to exploit unsuspecting individuals. Whether you're planning a vacation, gearing up for outdoor activities, or simply enjoying some downtime, it's crucial to remain vigilant against the wide array of scams that tend to surge during this time of the year. In this article, we'll uncover three of these common…