Tony Ferguson on sun 25 may 08
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Folks, what do you think anytime you give a vendor your cc information they are using--a computer (we all know this)--it doesn't matter if you type it in or they do (even this makes me uncomfortable typing in passwords on someone else's computer which from my perspective would be unprofessional if that were the only option presented to me to make a purchase--using a strangers computer????). How odd.
Whether the vendor is at a show or in some warehouse taking your cc info so you can make a purchase online, at a store, etc., its all computers thus all are vulnerable. Well, we don't have to use cc cards at all and don't accept them. And that is not going to happen. We have to take risks but we can be smart about it too;
1. Get new cc numbers, pins,etc, every year and destroy the old documentation. If you are really worried about it, every 3-6 months. If you stay a head of the garbage diggers and disgruntled employees you could be saving yourself a lot of hassle and head aches. Think of how much time and hassle it takes to change everything so often. Now think about how much time it takes to replace everything stolen.
2. Check with your bank, credit union, etc. You should be or can get coverage for illegal purchases, identity fraud, etc.
3. Be smart, check your statements on a weekly basis to see if anything is fishy.
4. Put a daily cash with drawl limit and cc purchase limit on your card (we have both). If you know you are going to make a large purchase, have your bank contact number and authentication process handy so you can make the call if you need to. This also limits the amount anyone can rip you off daily. Yes it requires planning, but better to have to coordinate a big purchase or have someone making big purchases for you.
5. Know that most identity fraud is an in house job--just like Lois said--and there is nothing you can do to protect against that except lobby cc companies to have stricter hiring and accountability measures. And yes, these thievs sell your info to the Russian mafia and who knows what other mafias.
My buddy had his identity stolen and they tracked it and there was a story that came out in the news--all confirming what their investigation found, who was doing the stealing and who they were selling it too (it was really the Russian mafia in his case). So this means, yes, if you make a purchase at a vendor/seller, etc., and in that particular call bank/data bank where they processed or 3rd partied out your info if there happens to be a disgruntled or planted employee, it could happen to you...crackers (hackers are actually the good guys) could also be picking your info up off the web using sophisticated software which leads me to:
---Make sure you have a router with encryption, fire wall, spy detect or intrusion detection software, etc. at home and for your business. If you don't want to, pick up intrusion programs to see how many attempts are made at breaching your router and fire wall.
---Consider using Mozilla Firebox--its much better than IE explore for security and privacy and has numerous free add on's.
---I am sure I am forgetting things and may not be completely up to date so Google protecting yourself from cc scams, identity theft, etc., so anyone feel free to chime in with newer update intrusion software examples, etc.
If you are smart and prepared as you can be, there is no need to be paranoid. A lot of it is out of our control unless we want to go back to the barter system (which, you never know, may happen!)
Tony Ferguson
Tony Ferguson
315 N. Lake Ave. Apt 312
Duluth, MN 55806
...where the sky meets the lake...
Artist, Educator, Photographer, Film Maker, Web Meister
fergyart@yahoo.com
(218) 727-6339
http://www.tonyferguson.net
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Folks, what do you think anytime you give a vendor your cc information they are using--a computer (we all know this)--it doesn't matter if you type it in or they do (even this makes me uncomfortable typing in passwords on someone else's computer which from my perspective would be unprofessional if that were the only option presented to me to make a purchase--using a strangers computer????). How odd.
Whether the vendor is at a show or in some warehouse taking your cc info so you can make a purchase online, at a store, etc., its all computers thus all are vulnerable. Well, we don't have to use cc cards at all and don't accept them. And that is not going to happen. We have to take risks but we can be smart about it too;
1. Get new cc numbers, pins,etc, every year and destroy the old documentation. If you are really worried about it, every 3-6 months. If you stay a head of the garbage diggers and disgruntled employees you
could be saving yourself a lot of hassle and head aches. Think of how much time and hassle it takes to change everything so often. Now think about how much time it takes to replace everything stolen.
2. Check with your bank, credit union, etc. You should be or can get coverage for illegal purchases, identity fraud, etc.
3. Be smart, check your statements on a weekly basis to see if anything is fishy.
4. Put a daily cash with drawl limit and cc purchase limit on your card (we have both). If you know you are going to make a large purchase, have your bank contact number and authentication process handy so you can make the call if you need to. This also limits the amount anyone can rip you off daily. Yes it requires planning, but better to have to coordinate a big purchase or have someone making big purchases for you.
5. Know that most identity fraud is an in house job--just like Lois
said--and there is nothing you can do to protect against that except lobby cc companies to have stricter hiring and accountability measures. And yes, these thievs sell your info to the Russian mafia and who knows what other mafias.
My buddy had his identity stolen and they tracked it and there was a story that came out in the news--all confirming what their investigation found, who was doing the stealing and who they were selling it too (it was really the Russian mafia in his case). So this means, yes, if you make a purchase at a vendor/seller, etc., and in that particular call bank/data bank where they processed or 3rd partied out your info if there happens to be a disgruntled or planted employee, it could happen to you...crackers (hackers are actually the good guys) could also be picking your info up off the web using sophisticated software which leads me to:
---Make sure you have a router with encryption, fire wall, spy detect or
intrusion detection software, etc. at home and for your business. If you don't want to, pick up intrusion programs to see how many attempts are made at breaching your router and fire wall.
---Consider using Mozilla Firebox--its much better than IE explore for security and privacy and has numerous free add on's.
---I am sure I am forgetting things and may not be completely up to date so Google protecting yourself from cc scams, identity theft, etc., so anyone feel free to chime in with newer update intrusion software examples, etc.
If you are smart and prepared as you can be, there is no need to be paranoid. A lot of it is out of our control unless we want to go back to the barter system (which, you never know, may happen!)
Tony Ferguson
Tony Ferguson 315 N. Lake Ave. Apt 312 Duluth, MN 55806 ...where the sky meets the lake... Artist, Educator, Photographer,
Film Maker, Web Meister fergyart@yahoo.com(218) 727-6339
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