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  • Geebo 8:00 am on August 19, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: data breach, , National Public Data,   

    Massive Data Breach: What You Need to Know 

    Massive Data Breach: What You Need to Know

    By Greg Collier

    In a chilling reminder of the ever-growing threat to personal data, National Public Data (NPD), a well-known background check service, has confirmed that hackers breached its systems. This disclosure follows the leak of a stolen database containing millions of Social Security numbers (SSNs) and other sensitive personal information.

    The leaked data, which began surfacing earlier this year, includes a vast array of personal details. A staggering number of records were offered for sale, and more recently, a comprehensive version was shared freely online. This information, though extensive, is riddled with inaccuracies and outdated data, adding further complexity to the situation. Some individuals are associated with incorrect details, and in some cases, even deceased persons are listed.

    For those affected, the breach is a cause for concern. The exposure of SSNs and other personal information heightens the risk of fraudulent activity, while the release of contact information opens the door to potential phishing attempts. Monitoring financial accounts and staying alert to suspicious communications are essential steps in protecting oneself from further harm.

    If you suspect that you or a loved one may be affected by the NPD breach, consider the following steps:

    • Monitor your financial accounts for any signs of fraudulent activity.
    • Report suspicious activity to credit bureaus immediately.
    • Be cautious of unsolicited emails, texts, or phone calls that may be phishing attempts.
    • Consider freezing your credit to prevent unauthorized access.

    This breach serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding your personal information. As we await further developments, staying informed and proactive is the best defense against potential identity theft and fraud.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on March 19, 2024 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: data breach, , , , , unitedhealth   

    Scammers take advantage of UnitedHealth hack 

    Scammers take advantage of UnitedHealth hack

    By Greg Collier

    In recent events, it has come to light that a major health insurance provider in our country fell victim to a severe cyberattack and subsequent data breach. Towards the end of February, Change Healthcare, a subsidiary specializing in pharmacy insurance under UnitedHealth, experienced a crippling intrusion into its systems. Regrettably, this breach led to the exposure of personal data belonging to Change’s customers. Reports on the repercussions of this breach for the affected customers have begun to emerge this week.

    Scammers are now impersonating healthcare representatives in attempts to obtain financial information. Reports have surfaced of individuals receiving calls from imposters claiming to represent hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies. These scammers offer fake refunds or demand immediate payments, often requesting credit card numbers or other sensitive financial details.

    To combat these scams, UnitedHealth advises recipients of suspicious solicitations to refrain from responding and instead contact their healthcare provider directly. It’s not common practice for hospitals and medical facilities to request patient credit card numbers over the phone, even in cases where a patient is owed a refund. Typically, when a patient is due a credit, that amount is either refunded directly to the credit card the office has on file or issued to the patient in the form of a check.

    If you find yourself receiving such a phone call, regardless of whether you’re insured by UnitedHealth or not, it’s advisable to politely terminate the call and directly contact your doctor’s office or the hospital involved. In many cases, these healthcare providers already possess your personal information and wouldn’t require you to provide it again over the phone. Additionally, it’s essential to remember that caller ID can be manipulated by scammers to falsely appear as if the call is originating from a legitimate medical provider, so it’s unwise to rely solely on caller ID information.

    If someone suspects that their personal information has been exposed, it’s crucial to take immediate action to mitigate potential damage. Contact major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit report. This extra layer of security can help prevent unauthorized accounts from being opened in your name.

    Consult with legal professionals, especially if the exposure of personal information results in financial losses or other significant consequences. They can offer guidance on potential legal recourse.

    And lastly, alert banks and credit card companies about the potential exposure of personal information. Request to monitor accounts for any suspicious activity and consider placing fraud alerts or freezes on accounts to prevent unauthorized access.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on October 23, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: data breach, , , ,   

    New scam targets new iPhone users 

    New scam targets new iPhone users

    By Greg Collier

    Apple recently released the newest iteration of the iPhone, the iPhone 15. While it’s only an incremental upgrade from the iPhone 14, the most newsworthy feature of the new iPhone is it can now be charged by USB-C. Previously, Apple used its proprietary Lightning connector, even though USB-C charges and transfers data faster. However, the iPhone 15 has been very popular among the Apple faithful, and when something is that popular, scammers are bound to follow.

    In previous years, an iPhone scam would consist of scammers claiming to sell a brand-new iPhone online for well under market value. From there, a number of scams could take place, most likely just to take the buyer’s money without giving them an iPhone. This new scam, is trying to get the iPhone 15 out of the hands of people who already own one.

    According to tech news site Tom’s Guide, one of their own reporters was approached by a scammer after they purchased an iPhone 15. The scammer called the reporter, posing as a representative from Verizon. The scammer said that due to overheating issues, the reporter needed to return their iPhone 15 because it was dangerous. While the iPhone 15 did have an overheating issue, it was never dangerous and has since been fixed with an update.

    The reporter called Verizon and verified this was a scam, but the scammer had already sent FedEx to pick up their phone. When the reporter spoke with the FedEx driver, the address the phone was going to be sent to was not to Verizon.

    What’s concerning about this scam is the scammers had enough of the reporter’s personal information to initiate this scam. If this had happened to someone who was less informed about scams, there’s a good chance they would have fallen victim. It’s believed scammers got this information from a Verizon data breach which happened earlier this year.

    When a product is defective and poses a danger to users, companies will not call customers. Instead, a recall will be issued by releasing statements to the media. At best, a customer may receive a post card in the mail letting them know about the recall. If you’ll think back to the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 debacle when the batteries were catching fire, no one was calling Note users asking for their phones.

    If you’ve purchased an iPhone through Verizon in the past few years, you probably want to be on the lookout for this type of phone call. If you receive this type of call, hang up and whatever you do, don’t send the phone to the scammers. Odds are, if you do, you’ll never see it again.

     

  • Geebo 9:01 am on March 10, 2023 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: data breach, , payday loans,   

    Payday loan scams target the already vulnerable 

    By Greg Collier

    Payday loan companies are already a shady type of business. They target low-income neighborhoods and hope to keep their customers on a never-ending cycle of dependence through their predatory practices. The high-interest rates and fees make it difficult for borrowers to repay the loan and can result in a cycle of debt. Several states have banned the practice of payday loans, but some lenders have gotten around these bans by opening storefronts on Native-American reservations. However, payday lenders are not the scammers we’re talking about today. We’re talking about scammers who take advantage of the borrowers, even after they’ve paid the loans back.

    According to lifestyle blog Lifehacker, there are many scams that try to take advantage of borrowers. Most of these scams start when the payday lenders have a security breach. We can’t imagine such upstanding businesses having the best security practices when it comes to their customers. In one scam, the scammers will pose as the lending company and try to get the personal and financial information from the borrower under the promise of depositing the loan into the borrower’s bank accounts.

    Another scam is where the scammers pose as debt collectors, hoping the borrower has maybe lost track of some debts owed to a payday lender. Since they typically have the borrower’s personal information, they can make the scam seem more legitimate. Considering how much information payday lenders collect from their customers, this can be an extensive amount of the borrower’s personal history.

    There are also scams where the scammers will pose as payday lenders online and over the phone who either just want the victim’s information, or will ask for money upfront in exchange for a loan that never comes through.

    The best way to avoid these scams is to avoid payday lenders altogether. However, we also understand that not everyone has that luxury. If you’re contacted by someone claiming to collect a debt on behalf of a payday lender, ask them for a written explanation of the debt. Debt collectors are required by law to provide that to debtors.

    Also, if a lender asks for a fee in advance, they are a scammer. This is one of the variations of the advance fee scam is illegal for lenders to do.

    Lastly, even payday lenders will not reach out to prospective customers by phone, email, or text. If someone is offering you a loan through this method, the odds are almost certain they’re a scammer.

     

  • Geebo 9:01 am on December 30, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: data breach, , , ,   

    Phone hacking rises out of data breach 

    Phone hacking rises out of data breach

    By Greg Collier

    This past August, it was reported that major cell phone carrier T-Mobile had a massive data breach. That breach is said exposed the information of up to 40 million customers. Now, it seems we’re starting to see the fallout from that breach. Tech experts are saying that cases of SIM-swapping are on the rise. By its name, you might think that SIM-swapping involves a scammer having physical possession of your phone so they can steal your phone’s SIM card. However, that’s not the case. SIM-swapping can happen without you even noticing.

    SIM-swapping works when a scammer or identity thief uses your information to deactivate your cell phone and transfer your service to the scammer’s phone. This is done when a bad actor calls your cell phone carrier and convinces the carrier to change service to the scammer’s phone. The reason scammers do this is that so many of us have our security safeguards routed through our phones. Many of us who use two-factor authentication do so through text messaging.

    For example, let’s say you have 2FA enabled on your bank account. No one can enter your bank account if they don’t receive the text message for your bank account’s authority. If a scammer SIM-swaps your phone, they now have access to those security measures. Not only could SIM-swappers access your accounts, but they could also lock you out of any of your accounts that you access through your phone. They could essentially take over your identity completely through the phone, and you may not notice for a while.

    If your phone stops receiving service all of a sudden, that could be a sign you’ve might have been SIM-swapped. There are ways to protect yourself, though. Sharing too much information on social media could lead scammers and identity thieves to the answers to your security questions. You can also contact your cell phone carrier and instruct them to not allow any device switching on your account. You’d be surprised how often scammers are contacting cell phone carriers for one scam or another.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on October 7, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: data breach, , , , , Twitch   

    Major social media platform experiences historic data breach 

    Data breach exposed most American families

    By Greg Collier

    If we had to hazard a guess, we’d assume that most of our readership do not use livestreaming platform Twitch. If you’re not familiar with Twitch, it’s most famous for its users who stream themselves playing video games, although it does have other content such as musicians and talk shows. Yesterday, Twitch was the victim of a massive data breach of epic proportions, which has left some of its top users vulnerable to potential cyberattacks.

    Yesterday, hackers released a veritable cornucopia of Twitch’s inside information. This was a 128 GB file that contained the platform’s source code. In layman’s terms, hackers released all the code that the platform runs on to the public. Some of this code contained information such as how much some of Twitch’s top earners make, which for some is in the millions of dollars. Twitch streamers make a lot of their money through monthly subscriptions and viewer donations.

    What’s more concerning to the average Twitch user is that it’s been alleged that usernames and passwords have been exposed. If this is true, this could lead to a rash of identity theft if Twitch users use the same password elsewhere online. While this breach may not affect the majority of our readership, it could affect your kids, as Twitch is massively popular among a younger audience.

    This data breach could be used to teach your kids a lesson in online security. Find out if they have a Twitch account and if they use their Twitch password anywhere else online. Recommend that they not only change their password to Twitch, but also to change it if they use the same password anywhere else. You should also recommend to them that they should not use the same password on multiple platforms. It’s never too early to have your children learn the value of internet security.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on September 15, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , data breach, , ,   

    Pharmacy data breach exposes millions of customers’ data 

    Pharmacy data breach exposes millions of customers' data

    By Greg Collier

    When someone entrusts a billion-dollar company with their medical information, you might assume that they take security seriously. After all, HIPAA violations are no joke. The largest HIPAA fine so far was $18 million paid by a major health insurance company after they feel for a phishing attack, exposing client data in the process. So, say you’re the largest pharmacy chain in the nation. You’ve also tested countless customers for COVID-19. You must have some kind of impenetrable security in place to keep all that information private, right? Maybe not according to security experts.

    A security consultant had his family tested for COVID-19 back in March at a local Walgreens. While getting his family’s test results, he discovered a flaw in Walgreens’ website that exposed customer information related to the COVID-19 tests. This information is said to have contained name, date of birth, phone number, address, and email along with other sensitive information. The consultant tried to get in touch with Walgreens to warn them about the flaw, but they allegedly ignored him. Tech news site, Recode, also investigated the flaw and notified Walgreens about it. Recode even gave Walgreens time to fix the vulnerability before they published their report, but according to Recode, the vulnerability still hasn’t been fixed.

    As of the time of this post, there has been no confirmation that any bad actor has come into possession of any customer information. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they haven’t. If you used Walgreens for COVID-19 testing since July 2020, you may want to keep an eye on your credit report. This breach could be a potential treasure trove for identity thieves. The information could also be used by scammers to sound more legitimate since they have some personal details of your life.

     

  • Geebo 8:04 am on August 20, 2021 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: data breach, ,   

    Millions of customers exposed in phone carrier data breach 

    By Greg Collier

    It seems like it’s been a while since we’ve heard of a massive data breach, and believe us when we say this one is massive. T-Mobile is one of the largest cell phone providers in the United States. They recently announced that a data breach took place that exposed the data of around 40 million customers. We’re talking about a lot of vital information, too.

    According to T-Mobile themselves, the data breach included Social Security numbers, birthdates, names and driver license information. However, T-Mobile has also pointed out that the breach did not include credit card or payment information. If that’s what they’re patting themselves on the back for, they may want to rein it in for a moment.

    A lot of potential damage can be done to anyone’s identity if an identity thief has just one of the items exposed. But if they have your Social Security number, your driver’s license info, and your date of birth, that’s like having a skeleton key to your entire life.

    If you’re a T-Mobile customer, it is recommended that you change your account password and PIN. It’s also recommended that you put a freeze on your credit, which is a free service. You would need to contact each of the three major credit bureaus to do so. This would prevent any identity thieves from opening credit in your name. T-Mobile is also offering a free 2-year credit protection service as well.

    The one thing you shouldn’t do if you’re a T-Mobile customer is to ignore the problem, as it has the potential to damage not only your credit, but your personal finances as well. Don’t let someone else’s actions negatively impact your financial well-being.

     

  • Geebo 8:00 am on April 15, 2020 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , data breach, virtual classrooms, virtual meetings, Zoom   

    Half a million Zoom accounts for sale 

    Half a million Zoom accounts for sale

    With so many of us now working from home, a great many of us have had to attend virtual meetings. The most popular app to accomplish these meetings has been Zoom. While Zoom has been a blessing to help keep many businesses running, it has not been without its problems. A slew of internet pranksters have been able to gain access to live Zoom meetings. While some of the pranks have been harmless, others have seen explicit or violent imagery shared. There have even been instances of hate speech being spouted during some of these meetings. Considering that Zoom has also been used for virtual classrooms, the potential for abuse becomes even more disturbing.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaecW3jEBZk%5D

    To compound problems for Zoom, over 500,000 Zoom account credentials are being put up for sale on the dark web and in hacker forums. Hackers won’t be using them for just internet pranks as the credentials contain user email addresses and passwords. If the passwords are one a user has for multiple other accounts then that user can have their accounts on multiple platforms hacked. This could not only lead to the user’s identity being stolen but could also lead to financial losses if the user’s security isn’t stable enough.

    Thankfully, Zoom already has security measures in place that users can enable to better secure their meetings and information. A list of those features can be found here but the main ones you should enable for every meeting are the ‘waiting room’ feature and the ‘lockdown’ feature. The former will allow you to screen participants in the meeting before you allow them to enter the meeting while the latter will allow you to eject unwelcome visitors. However, the best way to keep unwanted guests out of your meetings or classrooms is to not share the meeting information publicly.

     

  • Geebo 9:00 am on March 3, 2020 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: data breach, , medical privacy,   

    Major pharmacy leaks customer data 

    Major pharmacy leaks customer data

    Out of all your personal information that could be potentially exposed, it’s probably your medical history that you would least want to be public knowledge. After all, your medical information is the most personal information you have. It’s so personal, in fact, that Congress passed a monumental law back in 1996 to better protect patient privacy. That law was the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, otherwise known as HIPAA. The government has been known to level heavy fines against medical providers when patient privacy has been. One of the nation’s leading pharmacies may now be getting ready to be on the receiving end of one of those record fines.

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKTHncn-5Vs%5D

    Walgreens recently announced that their mobile app had a flaw that could have potentially exposed customer’s names along with the medication they’re taking and other health-related information. According to Walgreens…

    The bug allowed “a small percentage of impacted customers” to view one or more personal messages containing limited health-related info of other app users “between January 9, 2020, and January 15, 2020.”

    However, they say that no customers’ financial information has been released. That’s not to say that medical information can’t be used for nefarious purposes. In the past, medical information that was made public has been used to blackmail people.

    Walgreens is said to be sending letters to those affected in the breach but they have also been quiet on the number of customers who have been affected. This isn’t the first time Walgreens has run afoul of HIPAA. In 2013, they were fined $1.4 million when a pharmacist inappropriately shared a customer’s medical data. Imagine how much the fine could potentially be now with a nationwide breach.

    Unfortunately, there’s not much a patient can do once their medical information is out in the wild. At best, they can sue the medical provider for damages but once medical information falls into the wrong hands it’s out there for good.

     

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