Credit Card Identity Theft

Not everyone is full of goodwill during the holidays. Unfortunately, the holidays are a prime time for financial crimes like identity theft, robbery and fraud -- and seniors are often the target."Consumers are reminded to shred, sign up, suppress and be sensitive," says Steve J. Bernas, President/CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois. To safeguard against financial crimes this holiday season the Chicago Better Business Bureau offers these timely tips for seniors and those who care for them:-- Hang on to your personal information. Do not give any personal information over the phone or Internet to an unfamiliar company or caller. This includes your credit card numbers, but also the credit card expiration date, your Social Security number, driver's license number, bank account numbers, and personal information, such as your mother's maiden name.

Credit info breached at Not Your Average Joe's restaurant chain

Someone hacked into the security system of the Not Your Average Joe's restaurant chain and stole credit card information from customers of all 13 of its Massachusetts locations.

The thefts occurred in August or September and were discovered at the Hyannis store, said Diana Pisciotta, spokeswoman for the Dartmouth-based company.

While less than 1 percent of the 350,000 customers during that time period were affected, Pisciotta said, some of the victims ate at the Newburyport, Methuen and Beverly locations.

Pisciotta said customers' names, credit card numbers and expiration dates were taken, but victims were not at risk for identity theft. While purchases can be made with the information, it can't be used to obtain identification or open new accounts.

Keep Grinch at Bay During Holidays With 12 ID Theft Tips of Christmas

With the holiday shopping season in full swing, and with the growing threat of ID theft looming, consumers may not know their identities could also be for sale.

The intersection of commerce and cyber-crime could be a bumpy road for shoppers over the next month, so don't let the ID theft grinches steal your holiday cheer this year.

"Wherever there's information about a person, whether it's retained by a retailer, bank, credit bureau or database, there's someone out there who has the ability to steal it," said Dan Clements, spokesman for ID Secure, a sophisticated new tool that uses leading-edge public records, Social Security number and credit card monitoring technology to fight identity theft. "The more difficult you make it for someone to rip you off, the less chance you have of becoming a victim of identity theft.

BEAU TIE FOR SEXY 'GRIFT' GAL

Alleged identity-theft tart Jocelyn Kirsch's cheating extended into the bedroom, her former ex-boyfriend and best friend say.

The 22-year-old busty brunette, who Philadelphia police say fleeced her neighbors to finance a jet-set lifestyle, even two-timed her alleged accomplice in the phony credit-card scheme, according to friends and the boyfriend she cheated on him with.

In 2006, Kirsch met her soon-to-be alleged cohort: then-23-year-old Edward Anderton, a cocky 2005 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania who talked big and loved to show off his swimmer's physique.

She started dating him at the same time she was already seeing a fellow Drexel University junior, a music major from Saratoga County.

"Eddie was hotter. She liked how confident he was. [Her existing boyfriend] was shy and quiet.

Yuma lawmaker victim of ID theft

State Sen. Amanda Aguirre, who has made identity theft prevention one of her legislative priorities, says she became a victim of the crime earlier this month when a credit card of hers was used fraudulently. "My immediate thought was this couldn't be happening," Aguirre said. "It's a reality check that anyone can be a victim of identity theft." Aguirre said she received a call earlier this month on her cell phone from her credit card company, which wanted to confirm whether she had bought some shoes. The following day, she got another call asking whether she had bought what appeared to be clothing. Both transactions, which were made online, were done using her credit number. In total, the purchases amounted to more than $3,000. The purchases were ordered from stores in North Carolina and California and supposed to be mailed to addresses in those states.

Protecting your identity is a smart thing to do

D ecember is Identity Theft Prevention and Awareness Month. According to the February 2007 Identity Fraud Survey Report issued by Javelin Strategy & Research, identity theft affected approximately 8.4 million people. The estimated loss to business and individual victims was $43.9 billion. Often, ID theft victims don't even realize their identity was stolen. They may find out when a creditor or collection agency calls or a credit card is declined. To help consumers protect their identity, a number of credit monitoring and insurance protection programs are available. But, are these products right for you? Most experts recommend that you obtain a copy of your credit report at least once a year from each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) to ensure accuracy and to look for signs of ID theft.

The 41st Parameter Certifies Product Compliance to Address New ID Theft Regulatory Guidance for U.S. and Global Banks

The 41st Parameter today confirmed its industry leading fraud prevention solution, FraudNet, has proven effective in addressing recent ID Theft regulatory guidance (http://www.occ.gov/ftp/release/2007-122.htm). This guidance directs financial service providers to develop a program for detecting, preventing, and mitigating identity theft. In summary, a Financial Services organization must:

The 41st Parameter's FraudNet solution is an established platform, which directly addresses these requirements. FraudNet is currently implemented at several of the world's top tier banks and credit card companies, effectively identifying and combating online ID theft for both new and existing accounts.

One critical area where the new ID Theft compliance may be challenging is online instant account opening, where fraudsters can leverage compromised identities and avoid setting off traditional red-flags.