100+ arrested for identity theft, piracy, hacking, counterfeiting in Web Snare

[Edward Taguba]

<b>U.S. wraps up Net crime sweep</b>

53 people convicted of identity theft, piracy, hacking, counterfeiting in Operation Web Snare.
August 26, 2004: 3:46 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Top federal law enforcement officials Thursday announced the conclusion of an operation that brought 53 convictions involving a series of cyber crimes that targeted 150,000 victims.

Operation Web Snare, which began June 1, wrapped up Thursday with several arrests at locations across the country. Justice Department officials said victims lost more than $215 million.

They said there were 160 investigations against the various schemes aimed at 350 subjects resulting in 117 criminal complaints or indictments and 140 search warrants.
Attorney General John Ashcroft announced the results of the initiative, which he said was targeted at a variety of online economic crimes, including identity theft, fraud, counterfeit software, computer intrusions and intellectual property theft.

"Operation Web Snare is the largest and most successful collaborative law-enforcement operation ever conducted to prosecute online fraud, stop identity theft, and prevent other computer-related crimes," Ashcroft said.

One of the major schemes officials said was targeted as part of the operation is phishing, the sending of e-mails designed to look like they are from legitimate financial institutions or other senders requesting financial or other confidential personal information.

Another major problem and the fastest growing type of computer-related crime is identity theft. The Federal Trade Commission says 10 million Americans had their identities stolen last year. The Justice Department says identity theft costs the nation's businesses nearly $50 billion a year in fraudulent transactions.

Ashcroft gave one example of a worker in Kansas City charged with conspiring with five of her co-workers to steal several pages listing their co-workers' Social Security numbers. They allegedly took the information to Chicago and used it to fraudulently apply for credit cards.

Authorities also said they are seeing more use of the Internet to commit crime against rival businesses, bringing a substantial loss of revenue last year and the disruption of many Web sites.

Resources: http://money.cnn.com/2004/08/26/technology/cybercrime/index.htm?cnn=yes

[Brenda Templin]

Thanks for sharing that Ed. I knew that idenity theft was widespread, but had no idea that there were 10 million in one year. :(

Brenda Templin

[LaToya M Gaddy]

Thanks for sharing the article, because just last week several people in the office received a phishing email. Our IT department informed everyone of the new wave of internet fraud and if it looks supicious then it probably is. I say great that's one for the people. Internet fraud is a growing industry and thanks to law enforcement such as this, I can turn on my computer and feel a little safer.


LaToya M Gaddy

[Edward Taguba]

I can turn on my computer and feel a little safer.

LaToya,

I hear you on this one. More and more investigations is going on so more and more we can do more trust. :)

[April Rank]

Let's say I receive a phishing e-mail. Can I copy it and bring it to this forum? I'd like to see what one looks like and some of the other newcomers probably would too.

[Brenda Templin]

Hello April,

The site below has a list of recent phishing attacks. Click on each to get details about it, and to see an example of the email. :)

http://www.antiphishing.org/

Brenda Templin

[April Rank]

Thank you Brenda, I'll check that out right now... I thought I was the only one up this late in the forums!

[April Rank]

Originally posted by Brenda Templin...
The site below has a list of recent phishing attacks. Click on ... to see an example of the email. :)

http://www.antiphishing.org/

Brenda and All, I went to this site last night and the criminals are SLICK. I would have been fooled by such a polished and professional communication.
Everyone should see this if they haven't already. And show it to their friends.

We must remember no matter what messages on line or by phone we get, to always verify it by calling the number on our credit card statement.

And just because some people don't have to pay the high prices of the theft (since the company absorbs the loss) doesn't mean that it won't be a major headache to sort out.

Thanks Brenda,

[Kimberly Cox]

Thanks for sharing Ed. Recently on our local news, a gentleman was interviewed as a victim of "phishing" apparently from "EBAY"... whomever sent the email form out was computer savvy enough to make the email seem like something EBAY sends out, but when the man got to the point where they asked for his mother's maiden name and bank account information, he KNEW it was bogus... sure helps to keep up to date on the scammers!

[Daniel K Grubbs]

The rule of thumb for ANY email from a company: If it asks for any personal information whether through a link or a response, it is probably bogus. Companies such as Ebay, PayPal, or credit card companies will always instruct you to go through their main site or their toll-free line to verify or edit information. Hope this is helpful.
Daniel K Grubbs

[Michael Harris]

To All:

Sometimes the bad guys can direct the unwary to a fake site that looks like the real one. I know that this is another thing to worry about, but it is out there.

Another issue is ambushing - thinking you are going to one site and ending up at one that you would never access (a problem for teenagers).

[Jeanette J Santana -]

This is a huge problem right now. We also have to be aware of personal or financial information that is shared during "IM" conversations such has MSN Messenger and AIM. These conversations are not guaranteed to be safe either.

[Jeanette J Santana -]

A friend of the family has been going for years with someone using his SS#. I looked into there paperwork to see what I could do to help. I got a list of places where the "offender" has been working. I know for a fact that the friend of the family has not worked because he is disabled. I visited the places of employment and received letters with copies of the Id of the individual that worked there. I took the proof and my friend to the local SS office. They still have not cleared up the mess. The person continue to work, file for unemployment, amoungst other things and my friend is taking the fall for everything. My friend has recently started working again and now the IRS is after him and so is unemployment.

Does anyone know what else we could do?

[Reginald W Zephyrin]

Do we also get involved in identity theft assignments???? If we did that would be excellent.

[Larry Schlack]

Thanks for the article on Identity theft. I have known for several years that someone has been using my SSN for id purposes, when I confronted the SSA with the info they were very unhelpful at the time.

Hopefully soon I will be able to get to the bottom of this ans rectify it with the assistance of this board, training info from the IPIU etc.

The additional phishing articles and info were also very insightful. Being trained as a network engineer and web developer I have always warned my family to never respond to anything that asks for personal info in an email or open attachments.

It seems tha tthis phishing is way more common than I was aware of.

Thanks again all for the info.

regards,
Larry

[John D Sheuring -]

What a great article....

I have a dear friend who is a victim of Identity theft and was for $15,000 and just feels that he does not have the time to go after this person.

I heard from a talk radio head that to plan on a part time job in getting your identity back.

1. Why is it so hard to get your Identity back?
2. Why is there not a service that caters to Recovering Identity theft?
3. Is there a web that will at least show who can help at this time?

Thanks
Elwood

[Eric J Kekeis*--]

More people need to be aware of Idenity Theft. I have had many emails, and phising 00000 in my inbox. Not to mention, a Citibank email, that routed me to a fake Citibank site that wanted my information. Some people might not be aware of it is a real or fake site.

[W Kotz]

Thank you all for this great information. The more I read the more I learn. Keep up the good work. The forum really is a great source for information.

[Adam R Pierce]

Brenda, This type of deception is awful!! Thank you for putting the link on your post, it was very educational!! I will pass it on to my friends at my local law enforcement office.

[Geoffrey T Wallace]

Originally posted by Brenda Templin...
The site below has a list of recent phishing attacks. Click on ... to see an example of the email. :)

http://www.antiphishing.org/

Brenda and All, I went to this site last night and the criminals are SLICK. I would have been fooled by such a polished and professional communication.
Everyone should see this if they haven't already. And show it to their friends.

We must remember no matter what messages on line or by phone we get, to always verify it by calling the number on our credit card statement.

And just because some people don't have to pay the high prices of the theft (since the company absorbs the loss) doesn't mean that it won't be a major headache to sort out.

Thanks Brenda,
Brenda, this is really scarey. I thought I would be able to spot a "phishing" e-mail with no problems, but the quality of these e-mails is fantastic, I would probably have been fooled by them. That link is an eye-opener for sure, thanks for sharing.

Geoff

[Scott Wilkins]

Thank you for the website showing examples. :)
The internet can still be a scary place to do any type of transactions. Most of the time, we take care of all our transactions the old fashioned way-USPS....however, when I do internet shopping, I am always leery about how safe it is; now I have a little ammo to help me out! :cool:
Thanks again

[Ricki Smith]

Thanks for the site and I looked at it too......really kind of scary that we can't trust anyone anymore! :cool:

[Deborah A Bujdos]

I would like to thank you too for listing that site. I just recently had someone using my address and phone number as their contact info on ebay and people were calling me asking for merchandise that was sold by a mystery person and the customers were calling me as though I sold the stuff and I did not. I notified the seller and told them I was aware of them using my info and had no reply. Then I notified Ebay and they have not informed me of any progress in contacting the other person using my info. Thanks again

Deborah Bujdos

[Cheri Beckwith -]

Thanks for the info. Ed,
This is an area I would like to work in. Great information. It still boggles my mind when I read some of the things people do.
Great material and wonderful teaching tool.
As always Ed, you are fantastic. :)
Cheri

[Victor Zacca]

Thanks for the Information Ed.

[David Lawrence]

Even if you take all the precautions you can think of, your information is still ending up in various trash dumpsters around the country. I remember seeing a television program that checked up on company policies and procedures for handling customer info that is on mailings that are put in the trash. Seems they found all kinds of non-shredded documents containing names, addresses, ssn's, financial and medical information in trash bins. Many different types of businesses have this information through legitimate channels but even though most firms dispose of it properly, there are still a few that simply think documents disappear when put in the trash can.

[George Shaw]

David, you hit it right on the head, no matter what precautions you take, your info can be stolen. We had a case where my health insurance companies offices were broken into and they stole a list of clients with ssns, addrs, phone numbers etc. Luckily they caught them before they were able to do any real damage to anyone. So, my advice is to keep all your personal info on very close hold. never give out personal information over the phone or net unless you absolutely know for sure who that person/company is that your dealing with.

[Gus Owens -]

Ed,

Thanks for sharing this story, it sheds light on the criminal events that take place daily. Unfortunately, it's uncanny the savvy criminals have, if they could only channel that into something positive! It's great to have "Investigators" on the good side of the law.:cool:

Best Regards,

Gus Owens

[Diane Adele Pitts]

Hello All, I was amazed at the "professional" look of the the phish examples they showed us. I see that the help website does know from where the actual 00000 are being sent.(The part where they mentioned that they are masked, but then they give the actual site address) Is it then difficult to trace back who originated the site?? I am new at computer skills, and was just wondering?? Diane

[Janet Normington]

I have received a few phishing e-mails and some of them do appear quite legitimate at first. But, as soon as they ask for personal information like an SSN or account number, the red flag goes up.

I have sixteen years of experience in doing information research and background checks, including running SSNs. Frequently an SSN will come back with two or more different, unrelated names. Sometimes this is due to a simple typographical error, such as transposing digits in the SSN, but other times it is due to SSN theft. I have seen an SSN come back with as many as six completely different names and addresses. I suspect that these SSNs were "sold" to various individuals.

[Diane Adele Pitts]

Janet, I can't begin to imagine the nightmare there must be in trying to fix the problem if one's ID is stolen. Six!! I don't even want to think about it!!

[Kristen Godot]

I think that's it's so sad that it is still so easy for anyone's identity to be stolen. You would think that there would be a harsh punishment for these companies that are caught not properly destroying important documents from their customer databases. It's a shame to because of how much it could actually cost a person to get out of the mess that is caused by another person, it's like we aren't being protected at all, you become a victim of identity theft, then you become a victim of all of the creditors and such that these people use your identity to set up accounts with. Pretty scary mess, is what that becomes!

[Rob Grimm -]

I checked out that antiphishing website. VERY INTERESTING!! I hope those convicted will do at least a little time in jail. I would be very interested in getting involved in some of those investigations.

[Robert G Allen]

"Another major problem and the fastest growing type of computer-related crime is identity theft. The Federal Trade Commission says 10 million Americans had their identities stolen last year. The Justice Department says identity theft costs the nation's businesses nearly $50 billion a year in fraudulent transactions."

I have heard this from a number of sources. My opinion is that this type of crime will continue to increase in coming years. That is why I want to get into that area of investigations.

BTW, I get phishing emails almost every day from some source. :mad: Most major companies like E-Bay, PayPal, Citibank, Bank of America, etc. etc., now have fraud departments and welcome our help in trying to catch the people who send these out. Go to the company's real website, not the one on the link in the phishing email, and search for their fraud department. Or just click on the Contact Us link. Then forward your phishing email to them, explaining when you received it.

This sounds to me like an exciting area to work in. :)

Bob Allen

[Kenneth Owens -]

10 million is a big number. It is sad to think we have that many criminals in our country.

[Cheri Beckwith -]

"Another major problem and the fastest growing type of computer-related crime is identity theft. The Federal Trade Commission says 10 million Americans had their identities stolen last year. The Justice Department says identity theft costs the nation's businesses nearly $50 billion a year in fraudulent transactions."

I have heard this from a number of sources. My opinion is that this type of crime will continue to increase in coming years. That is why I want to get into that area of investigations.

BTW, I get phishing emails almost every day from some source. :mad: Most major companies like E-Bay, PayPal, Citibank, Bank of America, etc. etc., now have fraud departments and welcome our help in trying to catch the people who send these out. Go to the company's real website, not the one on the link in the phishing email, and search for their fraud department. Or just click on the Contact Us link. Then forward your phishing email to them, explaining when you received it.

This sounds to me like an exciting area to work in. :)

Bob Allen

Hi Bob,
I agree with you. It is an area I would like to work in as well.
I have been away from the forum for a few weeks because I have been trying to find full time work. I love my business but I am struggling to make it pay. I have a Mortgage Compliance Consultant business and some times people would rather take the chance of not paying a fine then pay to find out what they can do to avoid it.
One of my clients did say he wanted to know how much I would charge to do a Skip Trace. I haven't done one before - I do employment background searches- but no Skip Trace yet. Do you or does anyone know how much to charge and do I charge if I don't find the person. I need some expert details please.
Thanks

[Donna Abbondondolo]

Let's say I receive a phishing e-mail. Can I copy it and bring it to this forum? I'd like to see what one looks like and some of the other newcomers probably would too.
Hi April,
I'm a new forum member and noticed you are too! Welcome! I'm always receiving these types of emails as I used to run online auctions at a very well known site. The resolve to these dangerous emails where virtually non-existent. Maybe they (the company) should look at an outside resource to track them.
Be very careful of any attachments. If you must enter any personnel info. make sure the sight is secure...https:// (notice the "s" after http and there should also be a lock icon "closed" or "locked" in your toolbar.
Wouldn't it be rewarding to catch some of these thief's!
Keep safe,
Donna

[Joe Hassen]

Very interesting thread here. I wanted to share a little something I found out when I researched it. EBay for example: when you receive what you suspect to be a "phish", you can look at who they addressed the email to. If it says "Dear member", it most likely is a fraud. If it has your name or email, there's a good chance it's legitimate. Also, as popular as Yahoo is as an email provider, you can use the options that Yahoo has available. What I've done is changed my preferences so that I can see the IP address of the person sending the email. You can do this by opening your Yahoo email, then selecting Mail Options (upper right), then select General Preferences. Next, go down to the Messages caption. Under Headers, select show all headers on incoming messages. And now, when you get new emails, you can see additional info from the sender. Try it, maybe it'll help. Let me know if you need coaching through this.
Joe

[Ms Minta Thomson]

Just wanted to include my two cents here.....I work for a very well known org. which is another leader in the 'puter world's testing ground for their servers and software because of the size of our "house" and data we run daily.

With that being said.....I'm sure you can imagine the levels we exert to ensure we are "secure". It is amazing how sneaky, clever and gutsy these hackers are who spend their lives creating doom and gloom in the net. They thrive on identity theft, fraud, and just "messing" with the everyday data of the world.

Long story short?? There is a huge market out there for those of you wishing to get into "security".......and its very rewarding when you shut someone down or have the authorities arrest them.

Nite nite.....Minta :cool:

[Yvonne Brown]

Thanks Edward for that information on e-mail fraud. I know I will be able to use it later. While still on level one, visiting the forum often is teaching me so many things.
I say thanks again. Yvonne Brown

[Barbara E Moore -]

I would like to thank Edward for the information on e-mail fraud. I didn't realize the extent of identity fraud and how it is obtained. The amount lost in a year is unbeliveable. The web site links are also very informative. I have found a lot of information on the forum that has been very informative. I am learning so much from all of you I am sure I will be able to use later in my training. Thanks to all.

[Patrick Egan]

I was a victim of identity thief,my ex-wife used my ss.# for about 2yrs
but the courts did put her behind bars,as of now I don't know where she at and don't care.

[Jerome O Isaac]

Greetings Patrick, sorry to hear about you being victimize by someone you once cared about, sometimes it helps in educating us of the dangers thats out there.

Have a great day.

[Michele R. Schibi--]

Thanks for the information. Michele

[Derek E Moore]

Thanks for the info

[David Tallia]

What I don't understand is when you apply for a credit card, the bank charges you per year to have "Idenity Theft Protection". Major banks do this. We as the consumer shouldn't have to pay for this. :(

[Michael Harris]

What I don't understand is when you apply for a credit card, the bank charges you per year to have "Idenity Theft Protection". Major banks do this. We as the consumer shouldn't have to pay for this. :(
David,

The point is that someone has to pay for the protection or the insurance.


If it is really protection against the possibility of someone stealing your identity from the bank, the bank should pay for it as a cost of doing business.
If it is an insurance program to pay for the costs that you incur in trying to recover, then you should pay for it. But, the bank is charging you far more than it costs - they make a big profit on it.

[David Tallia]

David,

The point is that someone has to pay for the protection or the insurance.


If it is really protection against the possibility of someone stealing your identity from the bank, the bank should pay for it as a cost of doing business.
If it is an insurance program to pay for the costs that you incur in trying to recover, then you should pay for it. But, the bank is charging you far more than it costs - they make a big profit on it.


Usually its a % of your cc balance per month. That can be quite expensive for some people. :eek: :o

[Michael Harris]

Usually its a % of your cc balance per month. That can be quite expensive for some people. :eek: :o
David,

I would ask them what they were actually providing. For the rich who pay their bills in full, this is not a problem, but for real people, it could be excessive.

I would suspect that you are paying for something that you may not need.

[David Tallia]

David,

I would ask them what they were actually providing. For the rich who pay their bills in full, this is not a problem, but for real people, it could be excessive.

I would suspect that you are paying for something that you may not need.


Good point, A good friend of mine approached me regarding this. He gets calls from "Discover" every day and won't stop calling him. He's also on the "Do Not Call List".

[Steven D Mahan]

edward,thanks for the update,i hope this program continues,the issue is ongoing and now i hear the postal service is also working on it.

[Jerry Hargrove -]

Thanks for this topic and information. I went to the link and became even more concerned about how easy it is to fall for these 00000. I usually think I am aware and alert, yet, how clever these people are at getting what they want.

[Hugh Goodwyn]

Thanks Edward it's good to hear that they are doing something about Idenity Theft.

[Steven Lofing]

After reading these posts, it reminds me to pull my credit history.
I haven't check for fraudulant activity for a couple years now...

[Todd Heddleson]

thanks ed for the info I as many others knew this was a problem:mad: but, I had no idea it was so wide spreed:eek: I want to get into identity theft, and anti pircy, It looks like I am going to have my hands full! thanks again for the update!!

[Joe Hassen]

I just wanted to add to this thread after reading the posts. I think this is an epidemic, however, it seems that if we want to conduct ID theft investigations in the private sector we'll have to do some thorough research. Secondly, would a victim actually seek out an investigator for help or depend solely on the police department? Perhaps they will try to handle the situation themselves, never bringing the perpetrator(s) to justice - simply trying the fix their credit and reputation. There's food for thought here - how can we enter into this equation unless we work for an agency that happens to have a few cases?

[Patrick Egan]

I had identity theft from my ex-wife police could not find her
so i did it myself,it took me two weeks but if her and sent the police to pick her up.

[Joe Hassen]

Sounds to me like you should count this incident as experience for you in the field of skip tracing. What happened to her, if you don't mind me asking?

[Joe Hassen]

I never even heard of this!!!


June 7, 2005
Personal Data for 3.9 Million Lost in Transit
"In one of the largest breaches of data security to date, CitiFinancial, the consumer finance subsidiary of Citigroup, announced yesterday that a box of computer tapes containing information on 3.9 million customers was lost by UPS last month, while in transit to a credit reporting agency. Executives at Citigroup said the tapes were picked up by U.P.S. early in May and had not been seen since. The tapes contained names, addresses, Social Security numbers, account numbers, payment histories and other details on small personal loans made to millions of customers through CitiFinancial's network of more than 1,800 lending branches, or through retailers whose product financing was handled by CitiFinancial's retail services division. The company said there was no indication that the tapes had been stolen or that any of the data in them had been compromised. It was, however, the latest in a series of recent data-security failures involving nearly every kind of institution that compiles personal information - ranging from data brokers like ChoicePoint and LexisNexis to financial institutions like Bank of America and Wachovia to the media giant Time Warner to universities like Boston College and the University of California, Berkeley. All these institutions have reported data breaches in the last five months, affecting millions of individuals..."

[John W Tuthill -]

Do the following immediately for financial identity theft:
1.contact the three big credit reporting agencies and alert them to the fraud.

2.Ask each of the big three credit reporting agencies for your free copy of your credit report and go over it very carefully.When you call them use the voise prompt to request that your free credit report be sent immediately.

3. Cotact all credit grantors-Department stores,utility companies,credit card issuers ect.-with when you believe your name may have been used fraudulently.

4. Report the inceident to police or sheriff in your local area and also where the crime was committed.

5. Start a log of all your contcts with authorities and financial instituations, including those you've already contacted in steps 1-3.

6.Complete a uniform ID Theft affidavit.

7.Carefully monitor your mail,credit card bills,and credit reports for evidence of new fraudulent activity.

Thats a start there is of course a lot more in a letter writting campain.

[Hugh Goodwyn]

Thanks John, for the ideas on what to do if this happens to me.

[John W Tuthill -]

Can you answer these questions about ID theft?
1. If you don't use a computer,or if you do but never use the internet,you don't have to worry about becoming a victim of id theft True or False?
2. If your credit card always stays safely in your wallet,you don't have to worry about someone abusing them? True or false?
3. The most important method to shield yourself from becoming a victim of financial id theft is to order your credit reports at least twice a year from the major credit reporting agencies. True or false?
4. It's safer to use a credit card than your personal check? True or False.
5. Your transactions are more secure when you use an ATM debit card with a Visa/Master card logo than if you use a regular credit card? True or False?

Answers
1.False
2.False
3.True
4.True
5.False
If you want to know why the answer is True or false post your question and I will answer as best i can.

[J Ginsberg -]

Hi John.

Thanks for the advice about Identity theft.

I don't want to cause undue alarm, but my financial advisory service has reported that last December, a laptop computer containing a number of names, mine among them, was stolen from an offsite location. The company has assured me that there is not any information that, by itself, could be used for identity theft. I seriously doubt I'm a target, but I still intend to take precautions, since we as investigators know that "hacking" is possible.

Also to note, the individual who was responsible for violating company security policy by not properly securing the computer has been terminated from his employment. I say this since any computer, especially those used in home business, should be properly secured so as to prevent theft and unauthorized access.

Thanks for reading.

Johnny G.

[Jerry A Goodson]

I was wondering how long it was going to take before someone figured out how to do this.

A very serious warning for suspected phishing schemes: NEVER follow a link from an email without typing it in your browser.

The newest method is to "spoof" the URL with fancy javascript and window frames to make the site your viewing look authentic. You could be at a totally different site than where you think you are not only because the site asthetically looks authentic, but the URL in the address bar appears to be the site where you think you are.

If you MUST follow a link from an email, don't just click on it anymore... copy and paste it into a NEW browser window.

[John W Tuthill -]

Johnny G It is wise to take precausions,this could be a first step in getting information. They get a little info fron there maybe a little from your mail and advertisements that you throw away. and soon thay know more about you than you know about youe self.
(It's not a matter of if you will become a victim of id theft It's a matter of when.)

[J Ginsberg -]

Johnny G It is wise to take precausions,this could be a first step in getting information. They get a little info fron there maybe a little from your mail and advertisements that you throw away. and soon thay know more about you than you know about youe self.
(It's not a matter of if you will become a victim of id theft It's a matter of when.)

I hope these dumpster divers enjoy confetti. *Snickers 'nyah ha haaaaa' at their misfortune*. I have a major shred party going on in the new place, once I'm there. :D

[John W Tuthill -]

Johnny G
What kinda shredder do you use.single or cross shredder,in a single type strips can be put back together.
Have you read the artical by Mary K Toney (cybertool for ID Theft investigations) Outstanding artical,covers it real well.

[J Ginsberg -]

Johnny G
What kinda shredder do you use.single or cross shredder,in a single type strips can be put back together.
Have you read the artical by Mary K Toney (cybertool for ID Theft investigations) Outstanding artical,covers it real well.

Hi John T.

I have a cross cutter shredder. It makes life easier for me and more difficult for the offenders. :D

I'll read Mary's article tonight. Thanks. :)

[Jerry Hargrove -]

I have a shredder and I use it regularly. I found it interesting that identity thieves use some of the same tactics and techniques PIs use to develop evidence.

[Hugh Goodwyn]

I use a shredder also but I burn my paperwork after Iam finish.

[Jerome O Isaac]

Greetings Everyone, I do hope all is well with you all at the moment.


I found it interesting that identity thieves use some of the same tactics and techniques PIs use to develop evidence.

Yes, with the exception of the "world’s dummies criminals" :) the only one's we can laugh at.

Make no mistake about the sophistication of these individuals; just as you take precautions in securing your identity they try just as hear to steal it. I’m very confident that anywhere and everywhere there’s new technology to help protect the consumer they’re present, that’s why awareness is very important.

PS: for a couple of months now I’ve notice a lot of 24ft trucks baring the name “Mobile shredder/shredding” around my location. Hmmm.

Have a great day.

[Hugh Goodwyn]

The more we get the criminals plays the more they develop more.

[Jerome O Isaac]

Greetings Hugh, you have to understand that these inviduals spend 24hrs a day thinking about how to commit their crime, so if your days only has 8-9 hours then, you're hours behind them.

You also have to understand they can be any and everywhere so everytime you leave the privacy of your home wheter it be walking, mobile, on the net etc. you have to be on the alert. (awareness).

Have a great day.

[Hugh Goodwyn]

Thanks Jerome, I hope that with my background that it will give me a edge when doing this kind of work.

[Jerome O Isaac]

Greetings Hugh, you're most welcome Sir. I hope your studies are going well for you, 7 years in security will definately give you an edge no doubt.

The one thing these "Perps" aren't counting on is our persistance and comittment in catching them.

PS: I see you're mastering the forum software, great job!

All the best to you on your journey.

Have a great day.

[Hugh Goodwyn]

I am still trying but I have alot to learn. I have tried to use my seven years in security for jobs in PI work.

Thanks

[Rafael J Ramos]

I feel sorry for anyone trying to steal my Identity. My credit is so bad right now they can only fix it for me. LOL LOL LOL

[Jerome O Isaac]

Greetings Rafael, nice to see you and welcome to the bad credit club where I'm also a member. haha! haha! hehe!

I kinda like paying cash for everything, keeps my spending down, if I don't have the money I don't shop. This totally goes against the American Way of : Buy now, Pay Later, so I pretend to myself that I'm helping to Re-form Others :).

Have a great day.

[Hugh Goodwyn]

I like to do the samething by trying to pay cash for everything.

[Jerome O Isaac]

Greetings Hugh, I recieve about a hundred and fifty Junk Emails per day, about 75% of them are companies offering secured credit cards, 15% are stuff that they say I've won, Yeah right! :p well it could happen. :sad: then divide the rest between ads for colleges, real estate, loans etc.

I use to just delete the bulk folder until I saw the email from IPIU mixed in with the trash, It's dosen't happen alot, only when they send me promotional stuff.

Right now I feel just as confident as Rafael.

Have a great day.

[Hugh Goodwyn]

I have found posting in my bunk mailbox that was surpose to go to my inbox I very seldom look at this box.