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How You Can Avoid Becoming A Victim Of Identity Theft Through E-Bay & Paypal

I decided to write this article after I become a victim of identity theft on November 7, 2006. Before this happened to me , I used to be one of those people that think things like this could and would never happen to me, I do not feel this way anymore. I found out the hard way that if you do not take all the necessary step to protect yourself from identity theft, that sometime in your life you could become a victim.First off, let me tell you what happened to me. On the morning of November 7, 2006 I got on my computer to check my emails and do all my usual activity related to my home businesses that I am involved in.When I opened up my email program I noticed the first 50 or so emails were from eBay saying "You have won such and such" item. I am thinking to myself that these emails must be fake emails as I had not bought anything from E-Bay recently. So I thought the next time I go onto eBay I will check and see if these emails were in my messages in my eBay account.Just then my friend called me to ask me if I could go on E-bay and look for something for her as her computer was down (That was my blessing as it would turn out) I go into my E-bay account and as I am looking for this item for her I notice I had a new feedback score, and I knew I should not have a new score as I did not purchase anything new recently.I click on my feedback to see where this came from, and to my surprise I received feedback from one of the sellers that sold an item that was in those emails I had gotten from E-bay. At this point in time I am starting to freak out here because I am now realizing that the emails I received from E-bay were not fake emails apparently. I tell my friend I will call her back.I click into my PayPal account and I see that I have 50+ transactions through eBay and as I am looking at my computer and reviewing the transactions, I realize that someone (I later found out my computer was hacked into) has purchased items through eBay totaling almost $4000.00. I am sure you can probably imagine my reaction!!I immediately called PayPal (very upset and crying) to explain to them that I did not purchase any of these items and I in no way authorized anyone to do so. The woman I talked to was very nice and understanding and calmed me down enough to walk me through the necessary steps that I needed to go through to dispute the transactions and to stop the payments from going through.She helped me with the forms I needed to file through them and after we did that, she told me to print out these forms and take them to my bank, so I would not incur any fees when these charges come through. She told me that they will further investigate and would take action.She gave me some advice that I already knew, but did not always do (or keep up with) to protect myself. It is my hope that in writing this article, I can help stop people from making the same mistakes I did, so that they do not fall prey to this Identity theft as I have.Below are ways that you can avoid becoming a victim:(1) Never open up any suspicious emails, especially if you do not recognize who they are from.These emails are called Phishing emails.What Are Phishing Emails?Phishing emails are deceptively-legitimate looking email from what appears to be a reputable company. The email asks recipients to update their credit card information or their account will be promptly terminated. Or the message offers a service to protect their credit cards from possible fraud.Often "phishing" email messages will use legitimate 'From:' email addresses, logos, and links to reputable businesses such as AOL, PayPal, Best Buy, Earthlink and eBay in the message. But the message instructs you to click on a web link that sends you to a fake website where you are asked to provide personal information to the scam artists. Such sites will ask for information such as your name, address, phone number, date of birth, Social Security number (SSN), and bank or credit card account number. Providing this kind of information can leave consumers at risk for identity theft.I found an article that has some tips that offer some tips and advice.:You can read the article below <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2003/TECH/internet/07/21/phishing.scam/index.html" rel="nofollow" target="_new">http://edition.cnn.com/2003/TECH/internet/07/21/phishing.scam/index.html</a>If you do receive any emails that say they are from E-bay (or any other suspicious ones), do not click on the link (s) inside these emails.If you do receive any emails that say they are from E-bay (or any other suspicious ones), do not click on the link (s) inside these emails. When you click on this link, you will be taken to a page that tells you to put in your username and password. This is more than likely why this happened to me. If the emails are really from eBay you will see it in your eBay account under my messages.(2) Make sure you have a reliable (Not Free) firewall installed on your computerI thought I had a good reliable firewall, but as it turned out I did not. My husband had gotten a free firewall for our computer through his AKO account through The National Guards. I will never use a free firewall on my computer again. I now have Mcafee Firewall installed on my computer. It is reasonably priced and it worth the money and then some. You can download a 30 day free full functioning trial and then pay for the firewall after 30 days. I absolutely love this firewall. This firewall has the option to completely lock down your computer when you are not on it.This is a great feature if your computer is constantly connected to the Internet due to having cable internet or any other internet provider that has broadband.You can get Mcafee below<a href="http://us.mcafee.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_new">http://us.mcafee.com/</a>(3) Make sure you have a anti-virus software installed on your computer, and keep it up to date.I had one on my computer but it was out of date and I never got around to getting a newer version. I now use Mcafee's Anti Virus software as well as their other software. I bought their Internet Security Suite. It hasA. Offers 8 in 1 protection for your identity, PC, and online experience.B. Provides online security from Identity Thieves, Spammers, and Predators.C. Protects your PC from viruses, hackers and spyware.D. Backs Up and Restores your photos, music and important files.E. Protects your online experience so you can surf the Web, shop, bank, e-mail and instant message safely and securely.F. Keeps your PC healthy and secure.G. Backs Up photos, music, videos, and other important files automatically.H. Intercepts prohibited Web sites, unwanted activity and offensive pictures to keep your family safeI. Simplifies security with the new and improved McAfee® SecurityCenter.J. Warns you about sites which send spam, install adware, or attempt online scams.K. Shields your PC around the clock: always on, always protecting, always updating. You Can check it out below<a href="http://us.mcafee.com/root/package.asp?pkgid=272" rel="nofollow" target="_new">http://us.mcafee.com/root/package.asp?pkgid=272</a>(3) Never save your passwords in your computer.Especially your Online Banking info, E-bay, PayPal, Etc. I (I should have known better) did indeed save all my passwords for every website I use frequently, including, my Online Banking info, PayPal, and eBay. Doing this leaves you vulnerable (as I have found out) to become a victim of Identity theft.I have since restored my computer (of course I lost everything...but I was taking no more chances) and have changed my usernames and passwords for everything, and did not store them to my computer. I now have each one wrote down in a notebook and kept in my desk.If you do become a victim, there are things you can do dispute these transactions. Here Is what I had to do:(1) Immediately contact PayPal.You can find their number under the help center. Explain to them that there are transactions that you did not authorize, and they will walk you through the steps you need to take to dispute them and to correct them.(2) Go right away to your bank with the forms that PayPal will have you print out.This will stop you from incurring any fees and you can make sure that no money is paid out on these disputed transactions.Finally, let me tell you that for a few days or so (up to 10 days) things will be a mess with your PayPal and Bank accounts, but rest assured things will be corrected for you.I am happy to report that things are starting to clear up for me with my PayPal and Bank accounts. My husband and I with the advice of our Bank closed our bank account and opened up a new one, just to be safe. My situation could have been a lot worse for me had it not been for my friend calling me up to ask me to go to eBay and look for something for her. I would not have caught this right away and it could have been longer before things got cleared up for me.	 	 		 			 				 					 						Tina M Barraclough Is A Wife And A Mother Of Five Beautiful Children. She Has Been A Stay At Home Home Mom Since September Of 2001. She Has Been Involved In Several Successful Home Based Businesses, And Has Been Very Successful With Them. She Is The Webmaster of <a href="http://best-home-based-business-idea.com/" target="_new">Best Home Based Business Idea.Com</a> Visit Her Website Today To Find Some Honest And Legit Work At Home Business Opportunities .

How You Can Avoid Becoming A Victim Of Identity Theft Through E-Bay & Paypal

I decided to write this article after I become a victim of identity theft on November 7, 2006. Before this happened to me , I used to be ...

Are You an Ongoing Victim of Identity Theft?

A person that becomes a victim of identity theft is a victim for life. This is because no matter how often the law reassures you that they are trying to fix the problem, they are lying. I was a victim of identity theft. The second time this occurred, I reported the problem to the police. Their reaction was to ask a few questions and give me a report number - no further action was taken. So I reported both this and the crime to the Federal Trade Commission (this was in 2000), but I am still waiting for a response - and the perpetrator is still committing the crimes!When I informed the credit bureaus of my dilemma, they made no attempt to remove the charges. They simply put a comment on my records to the effect that it was "resolved". I am aware of other people who have faired far worse, some of whom have been summoned to court to answer for debts that they could not possibly have incurred. These people lived on the opposite side of the world to where the perpetrator was committing the offenses. How outrageous is it that the victims of crime have to suffer again and again because so few who could make a difference decide to act.It is the case that with most instances of identity theft that is not involving a company, but rather an individual, they will receive little or no assistance at all. These individuals are denied credit because of the ramifications of the identity theft and are often placed in financial hardship. Some states place a "freeze" on credit reports. This should be the case in all states as it prevents anyone except the rightful owner of the credit to review the reports. The majority of states will place "fraud alerts" for up to three months on a credit report, but this achieves little - nothing is removed from the report. It can actually give the wrong impression.It appears then, that it is our responsibility to protect ourselves from identity theft. Thieves are finding it increasingly easy, with the advancements in technology, to "steal" a person's identity. Government data bases are protected by sophisticated "firewalls", but still this is not enough to prevent thieves from hacking into accounts.The newer credit cards available have microchips in them. These are supposed to prevent identity thieves from using them. This is not the case, as most identity thieves are already aware of the technology behind the chip and are able to bypass it.The biggest and most "convenient" place for an identity thief to work is the world wide web. Even with firewalls and anti-hacker programs, anti-virus software and spy detectors, it is still not entirely safe to use the Internet. In 2004, an estimated eleven million people fell prey to identity theft, most of which were through the Internet.It is the case that some cases of identity theft were perpetrated by friends, neighbors, family members or colleagues. One such case involved a couple, who moved from England to the States. When they arrived, they discovered that their identity had been "stolen" and they were left to answer a summons for debts they did not incur.Some creditors and financial lenders will go so far as to accuse a victim of identity theft of fabricating the story to avoid paying debts or to avoid any <a href="http://www.debtjerk.com/improving-your-credit-score.html" rel="nofollow" target="_new">poor credit rating</a>, even when it has been proven that they were not responsible.	 	 		 			 				 					 						You can't always get what you want but you can find what you need on the subject of <a href="http://www.debtjerk.com/improving-your-credit-score.html" target="_new">increase credit rating</a>. Today you too can gain from our years of experience, visit debtjerk.com.

Are You an Ongoing Victim of Identity Theft?

A person that becomes a victim of identity theft is a victim for life. This is because no matter how often the law reassures you that the...

Social Engineering: You Have Been A Victim

Monday morning, 6am; the electric rooster is telling you it's time to start a new work week. A shower, some coffee, and you're in the car and off. On the way to work you're thinking of all you need to accomplished this week. Then, on top of that there's the recent merger between your company and a competitor. One of your associates told you, you better be on your toes because rumors of layoffs are floating around. You arrive at the office and stop by the restroom to make sure you look your best. You straighten your tie, and turn to head to your cube when you notice, sitting on the back of the sink, is a CD-ROM. Someone must have left this behind by accident. You pick it up and notice there is a label on it. The label reads "2005 Financials & Layoff's". You get a sinking feeling in your stomach and hurry to your desk. It looks like your associate has good reasons for concern, and you're about to find out for your self. And The "Social Engineering" Game Is In Play: People Are The Easiest Target -------------------------------------------- You make it to your desk and insert the CD-ROM. You find several files on the CD, including a spreadsheet which you quickly open. The spreadsheet contains a list of employee names, start dates, salaries, and a note field that says "Release" or "Retain". You quickly search for your name but cannot find it. In fact, many of the names don't seem familiar. Why would they, this is pretty large company, you don't know everyone. Since your name is not on the list you feel a bit of relief. It's time to turn this over to your boss. Your boss thanks you and you head back to your desk. You have just become a victim of social engineering. When Did I Become a Victim of Social Engineering? -------------------------------------------- Ok, let's take a step back in time. The CD you found in the restroom, it was not left there by accident. It was strategically placed there by me, or one of my employees. You see, my firm has been hired to perform a Network Security Assessment on your company. In reality, we've been contracted to hack into your company from the Internet and have been authorized to utilize social engineering techniques. The spreadsheet you opened was not the only thing executing on your computer. The moment you open that file you caused a script to execute which installed a few files on your computer. Those files were designed to call home and make a connection to one of our servers on the Internet. Once the connection was made the software on our servers responded by pushing (or downloading) several software tools to your computer. Tools designed to give us complete control of your computer. Now we have a platform, inside your company's network, where we can continue to hack the network. And, we can do it from inside without even being there. This is what we call a 180 degree attack. Meaning, we did not have to defeat the security measures of your company's firewall from the Internet. You took care of that for us. Many organizations give their employees unfettered access (or impose limited control) to the Internet. Given this fact, we devised a method for attacking the network from within with the explicit purpose of gaining control of a computer on the private network. All we had to do is get someone inside to do it for us - Social Engineering! What would you have done if you found a CD with this type of information on it? What Does It Mean to Be "Human" -------------------------------------------- As human beings we are pretty bad at evaluating risk. Self preservation, whether it be from physical danger or any other event that could cause harm, like the loss of a job or income, is a pretty strong human trait. The odd thing is, we tend to worry about things that are not likely to happen. Many people think nothing of climbing a 12 foot ladder to replace an old ceiling fan (sometimes doing so with the electricity still on), but fear getting on a plane. You have a better chance severely inuring yourself climbing a ladder than you do taking a plane ride. This knowledge gives the social engineer the tools needed to entice another person to take a certain course of action. Because of human weaknesses, inability to properly assess certain risk, and need to believe most people are good, we are an easy target. In fact, chances are you have been a victim of social engineering many times during the course of your life. For instance, it is my opinion that peer pressure is a form of social engineering. Some of the best sales people I've known are very effective social engineers. Direct marketing can be considered a form of social engineering. How many times have you purchased something only to find out you really did not need it? Why did you purchase it? Because you were lead to believe you must. Conclusion -------------------------------------------- Defining The Term "Social Engineering": In the world of computers and technology, social engineering is a technique used to obtain or attempt to obtain secure information by tricking an individual into revealing the information. Social engineering is normally quite successful because most targets (or victims) want to trust people and provide as much help as possible. Victims of social engineering typically have no idea they have been conned out of useful information or have been tricked into performing a particular task. The main thing to remember is to rely on common sense. If some one calls you asking for your login and password information and states they are from the technical department, do not give them the information. Even if the number on your phone display seems to be from within your company. I can't tell you how many times we have successfully used that technique. A good way of reducing your risk of becoming a victim of social engineering is to ask questions. Most hackers don't have time for this and will not consider someone who asks questions an easy target.

Social Engineering: You Have Been A Victim

Monday morning, 6am; the electric rooster is telling you it's time to start a new work week. A shower, some coffee, and you're in th...