Beware of Phishing Scams: An Abney Associates Tech Blog

For the second week in a row, local bank customers have been being targeted by “phishing” scams designed to separate them from the cash in their accounts.

Phishing is a term used to describe various scams that use automated phone calls, texts or email messages, sent by criminals, to trick you into divulging personal information. Thieves use this information to access your bank account, steal your identity or take over your computer.

These types of cyber scams are on the rise across the country, according to the FBI and the Internet Crime Complaint Center. They also are getting more sophisticated.

The recent scam being perpetuated in this area involves automated telephone calls to bank customers who are told their bank debit cards have been deactivated. The phone calls sound legitimate and use the bank’s name in a prerecorded message. The calls seek customer debit information to reactivate the cards. Some calls requested the 16-digit bank card number while others requested personal identification numbers (PIN) or Social Security numbers.

Variations of this phone scam have been reported at a number of local banks over the past two weeks. Officials say hundreds of fraudulent calls were made and several people who divulged account information were victims of the scam.

Meanwhile, bank officials say they were overwhelmed with calls from customers wanting to know if the phone calls are legitimate. One bank representative described the situation as chaotic.

The best defense to this illegal activity is simply not to respond. The same goes for a suspicious text or email. If you receive one of these bogus telephone calls, hang up immediately.

Remember, community banks never make these types of calls asking for confidential card numbers, PIN or account numbers.

In fact, most financial institutions go out of their way to inform customers that they will never ask for personal information via phone or email.

Giving out your account or card information jeopardizes your account and could lead to you becoming the victim of identity theft as well. Those who feel they may have provided confidential information to the scammers should call their bank immediately. They can help monitor your account and prevent further fraud.

Federal investigators say cyber-criminals often strike late in the day or on a Friday in hopes that a sense of urgency prevails. Unfortunately, much of this crime originates overseas and is difficult to track. The FBI is investigating the phishing schemes in this area but that doesn’t mean it will stop.

Simple phishing scams are easy to spot. But the more sophisticated ones require vigilance by consumers. Businesses and even school districts are now being targeted in elaborate phishing schemes. Law enforcement officials warn that the problem is likely to get worse.

The best protection to avoid being a victim in a phishing scam is to never divulge any confidential bank information to anyone but a bank representative you know in person.

Article Source: emissourian.com

Big 'win' became $5000 loss: An Abney Associates Tech Blog

RIP OFF: ‘‘Micheal Reagan’’ purported to be from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the United States.

A Christchurch woman lost $5000 in a scam after hackers cloned her best friend's Facebook account.

Maria, not her real name, was last week convinced to send the money - her only savings - by "Halbert Colb" after an online conversation with scammers posing as Kay Snee.

INTERNET SCAM: Maria* in Christchurch was duped out of $5000
 in an internet scam involving a clone of her best friend’s Facebook profile.

Instead, hackers, likely to be from overseas, had cloned Snee's profile, re-friended Maria, in her 70s, and started chatting to her.

The scammers, posing as her trusted friend, convinced Maria she had won $500,000 in a Facebook lottery. They said she would receive it after paying a $5000 deposit to a man in the United States.

Internet watchdog NetSafe has since issued a warning about the increasing number of internet scams in Christchurch, where many are still vulnerable after the city's earthquake.

NetSafe digital project manager Chris Hails said one scam, where cold-callers claimed to be from Microsoft, had been around for years "but we have certainly seen a pattern of calling targeting Christchurch".

Research showed those already in difficult or vulnerable positions especially financially, were more likely to fall victim to scams, he said.

The cloned profile Facebook scam to which Maria fell victim was new to New Zealand, but NetSafe had received reports of six similar incidents in New Zealand in the past couple of months.

One victim was fleeced of $1000, and in Maria's case, $5000 was "a big sum of cash to lose".

"These social networks are built on the basis of trusted friendships in the offline world and as far as [Maria] was concerned she had received a genuine message from Kay's account and took it to be truthful," Hails said.

"If you are accepting friend requests you need to be taking steps to make sure that it really is the friend that your are talking to."

Maria was too embarrassed to be identified by The Press, but wanted to share her story to prevent it happening to anyone else.

"My poor husband. He has been amazing . . . I was just so gullible," she said.

Snee, in her 50s, believes hackers got access to her account when she clicked on a Facebook video link on her mobile phone.

NetSafe's helpline is 0508 NETSAFE and people can also report incidents online via theorb.org.nz.

HOW MARIA LOST $5000

A "gutted" Maria* received a Facebook message from a "very, very close friend" informing her she had just won half a million dollars in an online lottery.

A person calling herself Kay Snee told Maria to get in touch with a man called "Halbert Colb" on Facebook.

She was instructed to pay $5000 by Western Union - a 1 per cent commission on her $500,000 prizemoney - before she could get her prize money.

She deposited the money via eftpos at post shops in New Brighton, Parklands and in Hills Rd.

The next day she heard from "Micheal Reagan", purporting to be from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the United States.

Reagan said Maria's name was on an IRS certificate and "they needed $8950 for tax on the winnings".

That night, Maria finally got in touch with her friend, who had just returned from a week-long holiday and was shocked.

(*Maria is not her real name)

1 in 5 Australians have been victims of identity crime with computer hacking, online banking and shopping to blame: An Abney Associates Tech Blog

People need to be wary about how much of their personal information is shared online. Source: News Corp Australia

SO you think you’re safe online and take all the necessary steps to protect your information? Think again — your details may not be as private as you think.

More Australians than ever are falling victim to identity crime and the victims aren’t signing up to dodgy scams and being careless either.

They’re using internet banking, shopping online and sending email, actions that millions of Australians do each day without a second thought.

A startling new survey by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) shows 1 in 5 Australians have had their personal information misused and 10 per cent have experienced in the past year.

That’s higher than similar research in the United Kingdom and the United States.

The amounts lost ranged from a few dollars to a staggering $310,000. The first indication anything was wrong usually was when they received their bank account statement.

More Australians are falling victim to identity theft. Source: News Corp Australia

Dr Clare Sullivan, an identity crime expert and law lecturer at the University of South Australia, said the survey showed that no system was “impenetrable”, even banking systems.

“I can tell you I don’t use online banking. I don’t think it’s secure,’’ Dr Sullivan told news.com.au.

She expected there would be more public attention on that issue if banks didn’t bail out people who lost money through fraud that wasn’t directly their fault.

Internet banking was cost effective for the banks and popular with consumers — because it was convenient — but Dr Sullivan said no system “anywhere in the world” was fail safe.

“I don’t think they can be, [the security] is not sufficient.”

Online shopping was another area that has become part of everyone’s daily life. But it is as vulnerable, if not more so, as having your wallet snatched from trolley at your local store.

The problem is the level of detail many people provide, much of it unnecessary.

“One of the things in this survey is [the victims] are saying they are less trusting and more careful. That’s the lesson learned.’’

When buying something online, it was important to ask why all the information you were being prompted for was necessary, she said.

Fraud from using an ATM or Eftpos transaction also featured and has been a popular way for international gangs to rip unsuspecting people off.

It was one of a number of areas that people could be lulled into a false sense of security even when there are disclaimers, the assurances of top security and promises your information won’t be on sold.

The people who had fallen victim to identity crime in Australia believed their info was accessed by computer hacking, online banking, email and online shopping. Source: News Corp Australia

And then there was social media.

“People put everything out there on social media. All you need [to steal someone’s identity] is their full name, their date of birth, sometimes their place of birth and an account number.

“With that information all over the internet then its is very easy to piece together.”

The report also revealed which Australians could be at most risk. Affluent, English speaking people outside of capital cities were significantly more likely to be a victim of cyber-crime than anyone else.

She believed that was an indication they were more reliant on online shoppers than perhaps city based.

”You’re a lot more vulnerable if you can’t just walk down the road.”

Dr Sullivan said people got upset about the loss of money, but that usually temporary, and was actually the least of their worries.

“It’s the loss of identity. Once that has been compromised it’s compromised forever. People don’t realise how important that is and it could come up in six months or a year’s time or five years’ time.’’

Australians living away from capital cities appear to being targeted by scammers as they are more reliant on the internet for online shopping and communication Source: News Corp Australia

For her there was “no question” the problem would get worse as more of our daily lives were spent online.

AIC principal criminologist Dr Russell Smith told news.com.au it was significant the number of Australians reporting misuse was higher than similar international surveys.

“It needs exploring ... But it could well mean the percentage of people suffering identity crime is higher in Australia.”

Something the research did show was the growing concern of Australians who worried their personal information being misused.

The survey was commissioned by the Federal Government to determine the extent of identity crime in Australia.

Dr Smith noted “ordinary transactions” were being used by cyber criminals but said more traditional ways of deceiving were still in use.

“Identity crime has been around for a long time. There are the tried and true methods of stealing information, like from a tombstone or taking letters out of mailboxes. So the old ways still exist.”

Experts warn internet crime is here to stay as more of our daily lives are spent online. Source: News Corp Australia

PROTECT YOURSELF

• Secure your mailbox with a lock and make sure mail is cleared regularly
• Shred or destroy your personal and financial papers before you throw them away, or keep them in a secure place if you wish to retain them
• Always cover the keypad at ATMs or on EFTPOS terminals when entering your PIN, and be aware of your surroundings — is anyone trying to observe or watch you, are there any strange or loose fixtures attached to the machine or terminal?
• Ensure that the virus and security software on your computers and mobile devices is up-to-date and current
• Don’t use public computers (for instance, at an internet cafe), or unsecured wireless ‘hot spots’, to do your internet banking or payments
• Be cautious of who you provide your personal and financial information to — ensure that there is a legitimate reason to supply your details. Don’t be reluctant to ask who will have access to your information and which third parties it may be supplied or sold to. Ask to see a copy of the Privacy Policy of the business before you supply your details
• Only use trusted online payment websites for items won at online auctions or purchased online. Never make payments outside of trusted systems — particularly for goods which you have not yet received
• If responding to an online employment or rental advertisement, be wary of transmitting personal information and copies of documents via email or electronically
• Take extreme care if placing personal details such as date of birth, address, phone contacts or educational details on your profile, and do not accept unsolicited ‘friend’ requests

Source: news.com.au

Where Australia Is Still Going Wrong With Cyber-Security, An Abney Associates Tech Blog

 

The recently released Commission of Audit report recommends that the Australian government needs to become “digital by default“. The continued shift to digital service delivery is intended to reduce costs, improve quality of service and provide greater transparency. But it will also open up new vulnerabilities to cyber attacks that could be used to access secure and confidential data compromise the integrity of trusted authorities and disrupt critical services.

In a report launched last week at the CeBIT cybersecurity conference in Sydney, we outline cybercrime trends which could feasibly shut down critical utility infrastructure such as energy grids and defraud the healthcare system to the tune of $16 billion by 2023.

The recent Heartbleed security bug is a telling example of the evolving nature of cyber threats, with the vulnerability impacting many popular websites and going undetected for almost two years.

Technology trends

The shift towards digital commercial services will continue to play a key role in driving the economy and society forward, as these services become increasingly embedded into business operations across a wide range of industries.

The healthcare industry is looking to digitisation to reduce spiralling costs while meeting changing patient needs and improving the care experience. The adoption of electronic health records will allow physicians to easily create and share medical records and other important patient data.

Investment in cloud computing will drive efficiencies and allow interoperability between provider systems. And new diagnostic and non-invasive sensor technologies will improve remote monitoring and telehealth solutions.

Similarly, digital infrastructure will transform the energy industry. Smart grids and smart meters will allow providers to better forecast and adjust to peak demand, driving improved pricing models and optimised production. And in-home energy management devices will connect with smart appliances and allow consumers to monitor, control and optimise consumption automatically.

Alongside critical industries, consumers are also becoming more digitised, with a growing number of devices connected to the network. This goes beyond personal computers, smartphones and tablets to include wearable devices, sensors and interactive displays such as in-home energy monitors. The number of devices connected to the internet is expected to increase to as many as 50 billion by 2020.

Evolving cyber threats

This increased dependence on technology, combined with the evolving complexity of cybersecurity threats will increase our level of vulnerability – at a national, organisational and individual level.

The Department of Defence estimates that 5.4 million Australians were victims of cybercrime in 2012 and independent estimates put the cost of cybercrime in Australia as high as A$2 billion per year.

Left unchecked, these figures will continue to rise in coming years as cyber attacks become more sophisticated and harder to detect.

As more data and processing continues to move to public networks and the cloud, traditional network boundaries are dissolving, leading to new challenges in how we secure data and infrastructure across virtual locations.

The tools needed to carry out a cyber attack are becoming more widely available, opening up attack opportunities to a wide range of would-be attackers, from disgruntled corporate insiders seeking retribution, to “hacktivists” promoting a cause, to corporate espionage and criminal syndicates using cyber breaches as a means for financial gain.

Navigating the threat

An April report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) ranked Australia second in cybersecurity capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region. But Australia cannot remain complacent in its approach to cybersecurity. Our strategies and tools need to evolve and keep pace with rapidly advancing cyber challenges.

To address these emerging threats, Australia will need a change in perspective, recognising that cybersecurity is not solely a technology challenge. It is also a cultural challenge; one that extends beyond traditional information security practises.

Because attackers frequently exploit the weakest link, cybersecurity will need to be viewed as a shared responsibility with everyone having a role to play in ensuring the security of the entire digital ecosystem.

This will need:

• a commitment to improved education and training to make users aware of the risks and consequences of their actions
• improved software and system design that integrates effective security as naturally and invisibly as possible
• New technologies to prevent and respond to future cyber threats.

We are working on these challenges, through improved digital identity systems that will make it easier to verify identities and establish trust in collaborative environments and through researching new homomorphic cryptography techniques that allow processing secure data without needing to decrypt it.

CSIRO’s research in data analytics and machine learning could also contribute to new innovations that make it easier to detect and quickly respond to network anomalies.

Future attacks will likely be beyond the response capabilities of any one organisation. Successfully navigating the road ahead will require a whole-of-nation effort, harnessing the full range of resources available across our economy.

Alongside existing national and defence-related strategies, the research community in partnership with industry and government has a vital role to play, through applying innovation and cutting-edge technology to the people, process and technology solutions needed going forward.

Through the integration of knowledge, ideas and resources, we can ensure strong cybersecurity capability is at the core of the digitally-enabled future of Australia.

PC Speak: Abney Associates Tech Blog, Peter Hoss: Skritt å ta for å bo trygt på Internett

Det blir stadig vanskeligere å leve uten Internett. Vi oppfordres til å kjøpe produkter, betale regninger, lagre og hente informasjon på nettet. Telefonkataloger blir foreldet. Flere eldre kjøper og bruker en rekke hånd gjennomført produkter kan ikke bare ta telefonsamtaler, men også å lagre en mengde av privat personlig informasjon.

Vi seniorer vokser ikke med Internett og ofte er ikke dyktigere i å bruke den. Vi søker ofte veiledning fra våre barnebarn. Vi må lære et nytt språk på datamaskinen snakke. Denne voksende trenden av Internett-bruk er trolig fortsette raskere enn vi seniorer kan holde tritt med den. Avslår å bruke Internett på alle er ikke anbefalt, selv om noen prøver den. Vi er også sannsynlig å bli igjen i en raskt skiftende kultur.

Svindlere har tatt full nytte av Internett. Pensjonister er en ettertraktet mål vokste opp i en mer tillitsfullt alder, som de fleste forretninger var utført av mennesker snakker med mennesker, i stedet for fremmede starter kontakter over Internett. Svindlere har holdt opp med teknologien, og har blitt jevnere og mer kreative.

Den gode nyheten for vi seniorer er imidlertid at nesten alle Internett-svindel kan unngås av sunn fornuft, reagerer rasjonelt i stedet for følelsesmessig, og følge noen enkle regler. Ved å leve et langt liv har vi forhåpentligvis perfeksjonert disse trekkene.

Nylig kom jeg over 2010 Reader's Digest artikkelen oppsummerer noen vanlige svindel og hvordan unngå dem. Jeg ble truffet av bemerker at disse svindel fortsatt vanligvis brukes. Folk må fortsatt falle for dem. Reglene for å unngå dem er ikke endret.

Her er noen eksempler:

Barnebarn i problemer eller turist ranet i utlandet. Vinne et lotteri som du ikke kjøpe en billett. En "gratis prøveversjon tilbud" som forplikter deg til å signere en kontrakt. Et tilbud om å lindre en av interesse på kredittkort. En utlending, ofte nigerianske, som eiendeler er frosset av en korrupt regjering eller banken som trenger en amerikansk partner. Falske veldedige organisasjoner. En falsk elsker ofte fra utlandet som trenger penger til å bli utsatt. Falske byråer. Falske hjemmet reparasjoner. En e-post som inviterer en til å sjekke noe eller kunngjør en salgsmulighet ved å klikke på en kobling, angivelig være fra en kjent person med e-postadressen er piratkopiert. Et tilbud for noe for ingenting eller en høy økonomisk avkastning for ingen risiko.

Det er bemerkelsesverdig enkle regler for å unngå alle disse svindel:

Vis alle uønsket e-post fra en fremmed med ekstrem mistenksomhet. Sjelden eller aldri, har noen mistet noe av bare ikke svarer. Kontroller kilden uavhengig. Ikke svarer på e-post sende meldingen men kontakt påståtte avsenderen via telefon eller en annen e-post. Kjent barnebarnet problemer eller ranet i utlandet en svindel kan noen ganger unngås ved sondering oppringeren ved å spørre personlige spørsmål. Husk imidlertid at en scam artist kan få personlig informasjon ved å hacke inn i Facebook eller andre sosiale medier. Sikrere praksis er ikke å svare, kontroller kilden uavhengig. Aldri gi et kredittkort, debetkort, personnummer. eller bank rutenummeret for alle via Internett med mindre du har igangsatt forespørselen. Dette er bare en invitasjon for identitetstyveri eller rense ut de bankkonto. Aldri Klikk på en kobling sendt via e-post til kilden er bekreftet uavhengig.

Svindlere bruker ofte Western Union som en uvitende deltaker i en svindel, fordi det er en rask metode for overføring av midler. Jeg vet om tilfeller der kunnskapsrik og hjelpsom Western Union operatører har luktet en svindel og snakket en ville være offer av den.

Ikke anta at personopplysninger på Facebook eller sosiale medier vil forbli privat.

Jeg vet jeg kan høres ut som en knust rekord Gjenta dette rådet, men svindel gå og folk holder fallende for dem. Det ville være fint å leve i en idyllisk verden der alle kan klareres, men dessverre vi ikke.

Peter T. Hoss er en pensjonert advokat og rådgiver for juridiske tjenester for eldre.

PC Speak: Abney Associates Tech Blog Indisk FB brukernes havne i hacking egne kontoer

Noen Facebook-brukere i India ble lurt inn hacking sine egne kontoer av en lurendreier hevder å avsløre passord av deres venner.

Svindel kompromittert brukerkontoen ved å lure dem til å bruke noen kode som tar kontroll over kontoen og eksponerer sine venners data i prosessen.

"Hva skjer egentlig når du limer inn denne koden i nettleservinduet konsollen er at en rekke handlinger utføres med Facebook-kontoen din uten din viten.

"Bak kulissene, brukes kontoen lister og brukere og gi liker sider for å blåse tilhenger og som teller definert av svindlere," forklarte Satnam Narang, sikkerhet svar manager for Symantec i et blogginnlegg.

Svindel benytter en instruksjons-video forklare "Facebook Hacking", som lenker til et Google-dokument som inneholder noen kode.

Koden tillater brukere å se venners Facebook passord, ifølge svindlere, instruksjonene forsøker å overbevise brukeren om å lime inn koden i deres nettleser konsollvindu. Instruksjonene forklarer at koden vil ta to timer å arbeide.

I virkeligheten utfører koden handlinger i bakgrunnen ved hjelp av den potensielle hacker Facebook-konto, inkludert etter visse brukere og like sider. Ingen tvil blir svindlere betalt for å kunstig blåse tilhenger eller som teller for noen brukere og sider.

PC Speak: Abney Associates Tech Blog Være proaktiv om kreditt etter brudd

Consumers need to pay much closer attention to their statements and charges.

(Photo: Thinkstock)

(Usatoday) - Mike Rosinski, 51, vet ikke hvordan en rekke bedragerisak spenner fra så lite som $3.19 for noen merkelig antrekk i Missouri til $434.10 på en yngel er elektronikk i en annen stat havnet treffer sin Visa-kortet i midten av April.

Kanskje han spekulert at det var da en parkeringsplass dreng tok sitt kredittkort, hevdet det var ikke går gjennom og så sa han kunne parkere gratis? Kanskje det var noe relatert til får hacket i målet hendelsen sent i 2013, men det synes tvilsomt som han allerede er utstedt et nytt kort etter at en.

Uansett, Rosinski, som bor i Hartland, Mich., sa han mener forbrukere trenger å ta hensyn til deres uttalelser og kostnader. Han kontrollerer sin balanserer regelmessig, men hans kone fikk ringe fra kortutstederen om mistenkelig aktivitet. Han fulgte opp direkte med kortutsteder, som Ja, skal sende ham ennå en annen ny kredittkortnummer.

Som mange forbrukere som ikke ønsker å håndtere noen nummer flere av problemene med å få et nytt kort, Rosinski bare ønsker mer kan gjøres for å stoppe skurkene før de gjør gebyrene. Jada, han er fornøyd at utstederen hadde et system for å oppdage svindel raskt, men hva med noen lagt å sette en stopper for hacking?

Vi ser mer svindel avgifter eller er vi bare mer klar over at svindlere jobber overtid for å få våre kredittkort eller debetkort informasjonen? Det kan være litt av begge, sier ekspertene. Svindel kan være økende delvis siste fordi det er så mange betydelige sikkerhetsbrudd sa Adam Levin, leder og medstifter av ID tyveri 911.

Et sikkerhetsbrudd fant sted i Michaels butikker og sitt datterselskap Aaron Brothers. Skjedde mellom 8 mai 2013, og Jan 27 Michaels butikker og kan ha truffet 2,6 millioner forbrukere eller 7% av transaksjoner i denne perioden. På Aaron Brothers, 26 juni 2013 og 2014, Feb. 27, og kan ha truffet 400.000 forbrukere.

Bransjeeksperter si det er mange måter noen kortinformasjon kan bli svekket, fra en rogue ansatte bruker en skimming enhet til en forbruker å phishing e-post til skadelig programvare installeres på et point-of-sale system i en butikk. Cyber-angrep kan være svært avansert og kriminelle er ofte ut av landet.

Noen andre svindel omfatte det som kalles "micropayment svindel ordninger" som belaste ditt gjentatte ganger for små beløp for rogue Internett apotek, falskt anti-virus programvare, smykker eller veske kjøpe klubber, og online gambling.

Brudd har ansporet et push for bedrageri teknologi og utvidet bruk av microchip kort som gir mer sikkerhet enn magnetstriper. Målet sa at neste år vil utstede chip og pin-kort for sin Redcard merket kredittkort og debetkort.

Akkurat nå, skjønt, forfjamset av brudd og anekdotisk informasjon på bedragerisak må alle mer forsiktige og mer villige til å bruke tid går online daglig eller ukentlig spore kostnader på en konto.

"Handlingen viktigste forbruker kan gjøre er overvåke kontoen tett," sa Teresa Thornton, senior vice president og direktør for svindel tjenester for banken Comerica.

En slektning, som leser sine regninger, fortalte meg om en $49.77 kostnad som ble gjort på sin konto i Mexico i April. Var det tilkoplet, kanskje en annen svindel en måned tidligere når han ser en falsk $11.18 kostnad fra en såkalt "BLS WebLearn" på hans kontoutskrift?

Mannen min onkel varslet umiddelbart hans kredittkortutstederen om $11.18 kostnader og han fikk beskjed om ikke å betale den. Men et nytt kort ikke var utstedt rett deretter. Kanskje skal man ha vært å hindre senere svindel kostnader. Noen ganger svindlere starter med små kostnader å sjekke om et tall er "live" og kan brukes til å foreta større innkjøp. Eller svindlerne fortsette å lage flere falske små kostnader bare for å holde svindel kommer.

Vaktbikkje området kalt "Krebs på sikkerhet" rapportert på BLS svindel i slutten av mars. En ny utslett av falske kostnader for ulike mengder, for eksempel $10.37 eller $12.96, ble rapportert av forbrukere. Tillegget kan også referere til PLI Weblearn.

Hjernen Krebs, forfatter av "Krebs på sikkerhet" har informert forbrukerne til å rapportere slik svindel umiddelbart til kortutsteder. Han sa det er også en god idé å be om et nytt kort selv om banken ikke foreslår et nytt kort på stedet. Tross alt, hvis noen har kortnummeret, er oddsen bra at flere svindel avgifter, stor eller liten, kan fortsette.

Beverly Harzog, en kredittkort ekspert og forfatter av "Confessions av en kreditt narkoman," sa forbrukerne ikke bør rettferdig vente på setninger. De bør også spore deres kort aktivitet online eller via mobile banktjenester så ofte som de kan. Ved lov, kredittkort ofre kan bare være ansvarlig for opp til $50 men mange utstedere ha ikke null ansvar i tilfelle svindel.

Bankene tilbyr også mobile varsler at forbrukerne kan konfigurere varsler dem til bestemte typer kontoaktivitet, inkludert transaksjoner.

Gitt, kan det være en hassle å faktisk gå kredittkortnummer, spesielt hvis du har strømregninga eller det gym medlemskapet automatisk trekkes fra kredittkortet. Når endringene, må du varsle selskapet som tar en automatisk utbetaling så du ikke treffer med ekstra sent avgifter eller avgifter for ubesvarte betalinger.

Likevel sa Levin noen forbrukere vil kanskje å kort nummer endre hvis de oppdager mer enn én eller to svindel kostnader.

"Det har aldri vondt for å være proaktiv og enda litt paranoid," sa Levin.