COVID Student Loan Scams

Scammers are doing their best to create new ways to get your money using some aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The newest one involves student loans.

Governments are announcing programs to help individuals with their student loans.  In response, there are offers appearing to come from companies offering to consolidate loans at a very low interest rate.  They may suggest that in some cases they may even be able to forgive the loan with money coming from the government.

They are offering to speak to your lender on your behalf if you simply complete a form.  They tell you they want to represent you and thousands of other students in negotiating with lenders.  What they want is the personal information you’re going to provide on that form.  If you need help with loans, contact your lender or your college or university.  The other source will be government representatives who can access information about available programs

Don’t be too quick to participate in such offers and never provide information when they come to you.  Apply directly to legitimate organizations.  And please tell everyone you know that criminals  are using these tactics.

Please copy and paste this onto your browser search line: lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.ca  for more information on how you can protect yourself and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

COVID-19 3

It seems appropriate to write another post on COVID-19 scams, since they continue to evolve.  So here’s a list, along with one simple rule to keep yourself safe.

1. Fraudulent websites, inviting you to click on malicious links so they can steal your information.

2. Links and websites that, if you click, install malicious programs on your computer.

3. E-mail messages of any kind inviting you to click on  a link, attachment or another website; all could be looking for your information and /or your money.

4. E-mails claiming to be from WHO, offering another link to get masks or sanitizers.

5. Fraudulent e-mails or websites made to look like a local church or other religious organization; even mimicking the pastor to solicit contributions or offer gift cards for COVID-19 victims.

Don’t be a victim!  Never provide information, money, or access to money (Bank or credit card information) when they contact you – by mail, in person, phone, text, e-mail, pop-up window or fraudulent website!  Only consider doing so after you verify their legitimacy.  If you’re a victim, call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.  1-888-495-8501

Please tell everyone you know that these activities are scams.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect yourself and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

COVID-19 2

In the last post, we talked about scams involving e-mails, bogus prevention, treatment and cures, as well as fake websites.

Another scam to watch for now is this text message;

            In response to the recent shortage of surgical mask, the Red Cross will be giving one free box     per household.  Visit  http://RedCross-facemask.ca  to get yours.

First, the Red Cross does not have boxes of face masks to give away for free

Second, going to that site, which is fraudulent, will result in you being asked to make a donation (which goes to the scammer) or for you to pay for shipping and handling (of a product you won’t receive.)

The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says you should immediately delete such text messages.

One more scam now going around is a phone call claiming to be from a public health agency.  In this call, the fraudster says the person has tested positive for the coronavirus and, to get a prescription, must provide the scammer with their credit card and health card numbers.  Hang up on these calls.  This scam reported by Nicole Brockbank, CBC, Toronto

  Please tell everyone you know that these activities are scams.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect yourself and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

COVID-19 Scams

Any major news story will attract the attention of criminals.  In March, 2020, nothing makes more headlines that the COVID-19 pandemic, so now is the time to watch for scammers.  Here are some of the scams already appearing, or you can expect to see.

1.  E-mails.  Usually in the form of phishing e-mails, where scammers impersonate various health agencies, insurers and other legitimate, government agencies.  They want your personal information.

2.  Prevention, treatment and cures.  These will be fraudulent products and services appealing to your sense of urgency to prevent or cure your illness.  They want your information and your money.

3.  Websites.  Here they create a new domain name that makes you think it’s part of a legitimate one.  An example might be walmart-deals.com.  You think it’s a department of Walmart, when in fact it is a fraudulent website.  They also want your personal information and your money.

Never fall for their “urgent” appeal – they want you to make a quick decision; do your homework.  For products, check with the legitimate supplier to see if the product and price are legitimate.  There are many approaches which will encourage you to open on an attachment, click on a link, provide information through a phone call or e-mail, or log into a website.

Legitimate health departments and agencies will not use those approaches and won’t ask for payments or Social Insurance Numbers.  Be careful – don’t be a victim!

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect yourself and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Information In Vehicles

Many of us spend a considerable amount of time in our vehicles.  That likely contributes to a certain “comfort level’, which may then lead to leaving information, or access to it, in the vehicle.  There are several opportunities there for criminals!

First, the vehicle itself – stolen, then shipped overseas, or stripped down in a “chop shop” somewhere.  Always lock your vehicle and in urban centres, use the button, not your remote lock.  (We’ will look at that situation in another issue in this series of articles.)

Second, the information in your vehicle.  Vehicle Registration and related documents can be used by criminals to identify information specifically about you.  If they steal your vehicle and in it you have documents which identify your home, they now know of a possible “break and enter” opportunity.  If you leave the garage door opener in the vehicle, they now have a convenient way to get inside at least some of your property.

Third, technology, the most common type involved is a laptop.  A significant portion of data breaches, second only to hacking into data files, is the theft of laptop computers, often from vehicles.  Some of those laptops contain vast quantities of personal information.

Fourth, and one of the newest risks, is GPS technology.  Many GPS owners leave the devices in their vehicle at all times – just waiting for a vehicle thief.  The biggest risk is for those who program their home address into the GPS device.  Now the vehicle thieves can be guided directly to the owner’s home.  A thief would feel especially fortunate if a vehicle contained both the GPS device programmed for the owner’s home, plus the garage door opener to let them in upon arrival!

Reduce the risk of losing your own personal information and that of those individuals who have information on your equipment, by not leaving the information or the devices containing that information, in unattended vehicles.  That is particularly important in long-term parking situations.  At an airport for example, a vehicle thief would have your vehicle, equipment and even the knowledge that there is likely no one in your home!

Remove that information and equipment from your vehicles- reduce your risk!

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield. Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Search Line

It will be surprising to many, but there are still a significant number of people browsing the internet and even doing some business by using only the “Search Line” on the monitor screen.

In our seminars, we use the Royal Bank as an example and demonstrate the result of keying an actual Royal Bank website address on the Search Line.  We get multiple website options and show that screen shot on a slide.  And that is only the first of many pages of website options, some of which are likely fraudulent, duplicated Royal Bank sites.  We then go back and show what happens when we key the same address on the “Address Line”.  That’s the line at the top of the screen that turns blue when you click on it before keying the desired website .  We show the screen shot of that result – only the real Royal Bank Home Page, with no other alternatives.

We keep mentioning how important it is to be pro-active in securing our personal information whenever we do have control over it.  This is a perfect example of control.  Imagine the damage that could be done if someone clicked on a site they thought was their bank and entered banking information and later finding it was criminals receiving and using that information.  The result may be the same as when clicking on a pop-up window.  We should never click on a pop-up window and then provide personal information of any kind.

Rarely will you find an easier way to take control and protect your personal information than by simple making a habit of verifying, by phone if necessary, the exact website address of your intended target organization.  Then keying that exact address on the “Address Line” at the top of the screen.  This is another situation where you should only provide information when you go to the desired website; never provide information when they come to you!

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect yourself  and your family through IDShield and LegalShield. Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca

Property Titles

Criminals stealing property by taking over land titles without the original owner’s knowledge is nothing new.  It often starts with  Identity Theft and for several years it has been more common in  hot real estate markets.  That happens when financial institutions don’t have the manpower to verify buyers adequately and the criminals use stolen personal information at the Land Titles Office, to impersonate the original owner.  And the property theft is much easier if the owner has a clear title to the property.  People have been known to apply for a new mortgage as the first step to downsizing, only to find they don’t own the home they are living in.  In fact, the new owner, a criminal, has already taken out a mortgage on the property and disappeared with the money.

So the question becomes, what can you do as a property owner, to prevent such activities?  First, once every 6 to 12 months, simply go to a Registry Office, spend the $25.00 or so, and order a copy of your title, so you can see if there are details listed that aren’t legitimate. 

Second, set up a large Line Of Credit, using the property as collateral.  The financial institution will register that on the title.  If you don’t use the Line of Credit, it doesn’t cost anything for interest.  But someone attempting to take over the title will have to obtain clearance of the Line Of Credit first, which will raise red flags.  If you presently have a mortgage, you could set up the Line Of Credit quite easily when you renew your mortgage.  The Line Of Credit could be viewed as a type of “poison pill” against would-be property thieves.

Title Theft – another Identity Theft risk  and  another example of a crime for which we can take some simple steps to significantly reduce our risk.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield. Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Capital One Breach

Capital One Financial Corporation announced on July 29, 2019, they had determined that there was unauthorized access to the personal information of Capital One credit card customers.

The perpetrator has been caught, but the event affected approximately 100 million individuals in the United States and 6 million in Canada. 

The primary breach involved credit card application information; the perpetrator also obtained portions of credit card customer data, including:           

  –  Customer status data, e.g., credit scores, credit limits, balances, payment history, contact information                                        
  –  Fragments of transaction data from a total of 23 days during 2016, 2017 and 2018.

No bank account numbers or Social Security numbers were compromised, other than:                              
–  About 140,000 Social Security numbers of credit card customers                                                   
–  About 80,000 linked bank account numbers of secured credit card customers

For Canadian credit card customers, approximately 1 million Social Insurance Numbers were compromised in this incident.

They will notify affected individuals through a variety of channels and will make free credit monitoring and identity protection available to everyone affected.

The investigation is ongoing and analysis is subject to change.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how to protect yourself and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Texting

There is no doubt that texting has a number of advantages – speed, convenience and visible text are some important features.  However, there is one huge issue in that all is fine until the smart phone is lost or stolen.

Let’s look at a real life story.  A woman had her purse stolen while shopping. Her purse contained her bank card and her cell phone and the cell phone had “Hubby” listed under “Contacts”.  That would be handy whenever she needed to text her husband about something.  In the case of her lost purse, she had to quit shopping and subsequently went home.  When she got home she called her husband to tell him her purse had been stolen at a store.  He was surprised, because he thought she was at the bank.  He had received a text from her saying she was at the bank and had forgotten their PIN.  He had texted the PIN back to her.

By now you already know what happened!  The Thief had texted “Hubby” for the PIN using the phone in the stolen purse and hubby texted the PIN as requested.  The couple went directly to the bank, but found the maximum withdrawal had already been made.

Once again, a simple step would reduce the risk of such losses significantly; NEVER exchange such information without first verifying the need with a direct phone call first.  In the story we shared here, the husband wouldn’t have provided the PIN because his wife did not confirm the need in a phone call.

You can probably think of many situations where there would be considerable risk to personal information if texting was the only form of communication being used.  Please share this tip with others!

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Cheque Fraud

Cheque fraud isn’t a topic that makes news headlines often, but it does represent a lot of business for identity thieves. The National Check Fraud Center now estimates Check Fraud in North America exceeds $1 Billion per year.  Again, it can be only an estimate because not all such fraud gets reported.  Several types of crime are all related to Cheque Fraud: Counterfeit Cheques – Forgery – Cheque Alteration – Bank Fraud and White Collar Crimes.  As individuals, we have more control over some of those crimes than we do over others.

Our blank cheques can be used by criminals in their forgery activities.  They can access those in stolen wallets and purses, burglary and stolen mail.  We recommend that when ordering new cheques, have them come to your financial institution rather than directly in your mail.

Cheque “washing” occurs when criminals use various chemicals to erase the “Payee” name and /or the dollar amount, then enter their own name and increase the dollar value.  You can prevent that by writing cheques using gel pens formulated to penetrate the fibers of the paper and prevent “washing”.  We recommend the Unibal207 and the Zebra Z-Grip Max Gel.

From The National Check Fraud Center

  • FORGED SIGNATURES–legitimate blank checks with an imitation of the payer signature;
  • FORGED ENDORSEMENTS–often involves the use of a stolen check, which is then endorsed and cashed or deposited by someone other than the payee;
  • COUNTERFEIT CHECKS–due to the advancement in color copying and desktop publishing capabilities, this is the fastest-growing source of fraudulent checks today;
  • ALTERED CHECKS–information on a legitimate check, such as payee or check amount, changed to benefit the perpetrator;
  • CHECK KITING–the process of depositing a check in one bank account into a second bank account without the sufficient funds to cover it.

DON’T GIVE OUT BANK OR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION OVER THE PHONE
NEVER PAY ANY MONEY FOR ANY PRIZE YOU HAVE WON
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND CREDIT CARD COMPANIES DO NOT SEND E-MAILS REQUESTING UPDATED PERSONAL INFORMATION.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield. Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Social Media

We have talked about the fact that much of our personal information is in places over which we have no control.  We’ve also pointed out some steps we can take to keep that information safe where we do have control.  In this technological world, the area that appears to be the biggest problem for us – and a great source of information for the criminals, is Social Media.  Many criminals view social media as a primary source for #Identity Theft.  In the June, 2016 issue of MoneySense magazine, an article discusses data compiled by Equifax Canada and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.  “Canadians between the ages of 19 and 35 now account for a whopping 50% of the more than $10 billion annually defrauded through identity theft scams.”

You probably know of situations where individuals have shared personal information unnecessarily on social media.  Each of us has control over that in our own use of social media – let’s use that control!  We may think we’re sharing something with our friends, but technology may be allowing our friends’ friends to also receive that same information.  MoneySense simply says, “Don’t over share personal information (like your home or e-mail address) on social networks.”

This use of social media is now starting long before the age of 19.  Parents should be discussing these dangers with children when the child first starts using social media, insisting that if the child isn’t sure about something, check with a parent before sharing information.  But in many cases, the information may not seem dangerous to the child, which means constant communication and monitoring by parents.  Just one more task added to your “To Do” list!

It has been stated that in the U.S., more than 140,000 children are having their identities stolen each year.  Unfortunately, the theft may not be recognized for many years – until the child is old enough to apply for other documents or cards.

Reduce your risk and that of other people you know, by limiting the personal information you provide through social media.  Prevent #IdentityTheft!

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield. Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Internet of Things 2

Last month we published the first article on “Internet of Things” and since indications are that there is significant growth in this crime, more information may be useful.   You may recall that Internet of Things simply refers to all devices in your home which are accessed in any way via an internet connection.  While some statistics are from the U. S. Federal Trade Commission, it’s safe to assume Canadians have the same kind of risk.

The primary targets of criminals seem to be routers and connected cameras – those representing 90% of the attacks.  Many families have routers in their residences and Home Automation systems frequently include connected cameras.  ConsumerAffairs reported that there were an average of 5233 attacks on such devices each month in 2018, with an increase of 12% in the attacks on cameras alone.

Symantec has reported that criminals have frequently used the following passwords to access systems: 123456, [BLANK}, system, sh, shell, admin, 1234, password, enable and 12345.  Those passwords are obviously very common, since cybercriminals have been successful at gaining access to systems so often.    

Based on this information and whether or not you have routers and /or cameras, make sure you have secure passwords and keep all security systems updated.                             

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Internet of Things

Smart phones and tablets are used for a multitude of activities, including “Apps” which are downloaded for various purposes.  Home automation is becoming popular – allowing you to remotely control various equipment items in your home; everything from your refrigerator to your security system.

Internet of Things is when you pair, or connect, your smart phone or tablet with all those consumer products, including your car.  Since you are using the internet to access those products or pieces of equipment, you are also  creating an opportunity for hackers to steal all your data and personal information.

If you feel you have been a victim of this type of criminal activity, report it to the police and get a copy of the police report.  Depending on what you have added to your network, you may also need to contact your insurance company, health care providers, the Credit Bureaus and certainly the Canadian Ant-Fraud Centre.

Having all the convenience of remote control can be very beneficial – just recognize that there are added risks.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Photocopying

In the last issue, we suggested photocopying the contents of your wallet or purse, in case they are lost or stolen and become #IdentityTheft.  Having copies of everything makes restoring your identity much easier.  However, you must be sure to use a secure photocopier when doing so.  This topic draws a lot of attention in our #IdentityTheft Seminars.

Virtually every photocopier made since 2002 has  a hard drive which captures and stores all documents ever scanned on it.  That means when the machine is sold or traded in on a newer model, all of that scanned material may go with it.  It’s common for us to ask a business or organization to make a copy of a document for us, without realizing that the document is likely to go with the copier some day. 

We understand that Sharp now makes a copy machine with a built-in program to delete scanned documents, but check with your machine’s manufacturer.  There are two possible solutions, at least for your copy machine.  First, when yours is worn out or obsolete, remove the hard drive and drill some holes through it.  Second, hire a technician with high grade software to over-write everything on the hard drive.  That may be expensive, but not nearly as bad as being a victim of #IdentiyTheft through information you gave away.  That takes care of documents on your machine.

Copy machines owned by someone else is another story; many businesses and institutions now lease copy machines rather than buying them outright.  Unfortunately, at least for security reasons, many lease contracts require that when the lease ends, the copy machine must be in working condition.  Of course that means the hard drive couldn’t be removed, so the over-write option is the only one available to most lessees.  But check with the maunufacturer.

The best thing you can do if you have a photocopier, is to contact the manufacturer and determine what you can and cannot do.  If you are leasing a machine, this would be a good topic to discuss with your supplier, not only for the machine you have, but also about the next one you lease.  Avoid being a victim of #IdentityTheft!

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield. Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Necessary Documents

Many of us are in the habit of carrying various pieces of identification most of the time.  Some of that identification, and the information it contains, needs to be carried with us – an example is our Driver’s License.  And no doubt we need our credit cards on a regular basis.  Not only may we need those pieces of identification, the Driver’s License also provides Photo ID.  But two things to keep in mind:  First, criminals now have the technology to create their own forged Driver’s License using all of your information and their own picture that’s #IdentityTheft!.  Second, Credit Cards can be copied, at least to the extent that the number can be transferred to a blank card (white card with a mag stripe).  Those examples simply indicate the risks if our wallet or purse is lost or stolen.

Another issue is the fact that most of us carry information that isn’t necessary.  The two best examples are Birth Certificate and Social Insurance Card.  Police tell us that we should never  carry those documents with us unless we need them where we are going!  There are two reasons for that:  First, if you lose your wallet or purse, or have them stolen, the criminals love to have those documents to completely steal your identity; they can literally become you – that’s complete #IdentiyTheft!  Second, if you keep those pieces of identification in a safe place at home or safety deposit box, and your wallet or purse is lost or stolen, you still have those cards to re-create your identity.

Another step you can take to speed up the process of restoring your identity is to make a photocopy of all your personal information.  The only caution there is that you should use a photocopier over which you have some control.  Most copiers now capture and retain everything that is ever scanned.  This topic will be covered in more detail in the next issue.

While it’s fresh in your mind, look at all the cards and personal information you have in your wallet or purse right now.  Remove whatever you won’t need the next time you leave home.  Let’s take control of the information over which we already have the ability to control!

Prevent #IdentityTheft!

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield. Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Biometric ID Theft 2

In our last post we discussed the fact that Biometric Identification, while appearing to be a more secure system, also has its limitations since once added to a computer database it becomes digitized just like a credit card or Social Insurance Number.

Jake Stroup, in an article for “the balance”, points out that biometric identification has its own limitations.  For example, “You may be able to get a new credit card in two weeks once you have all the information to the bank or credit issuing authority, but who will issue you a new set of fingerprints to replace the stolen ones?”

He also points out that a smile can distort facial features – the reason why we’re told mot to smile and show teeth in a driver’s license or passport photo.  “But the biggest consideration is that a biometric identity system is only going to be as good as the information that’s put into it in the first place.  In other words, your fingerprint won’t tell anyone who you are, all it can do is keep you from using somebody else’s identity once you are in the system.  In fact, identity theft expert John Sileo said, ‘If we implement biometrics without doing our due diligence on protecting the identity, we are doomed to repeat history – and our thumbprint will become just another Social Security Number.'”

The message is simple – Biometric Identification has some benefits, but don’t let it give you a false sense of security.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Biometric ID Theft

You’re probably familiar with the term “Biometric Identification” – using your unique finger prints, facial recognition, voice or retinas to identify you.  They may be unique, but when installed on a computer, the information is still a string of numbers, it’s digitized.

The article, “Biometric Identification and Identity Theft”, by Jake Stroup at “the balance” states that when the information is stored on a computer, a database is a database, whether it’s a credit card number or a digital voice print. A hacker can still steal such data from a computer or network. 

“As far as security is concerned, many experts agree that maintaining “token” forms of identification are probably superior.  Token identification is a card, password, personal identification number (PIN), etc.  It is something that can be canceled or changed if it is lost, misplaced or stolen.  On the other hand, biometric identification can’t be lost, misplaced, or loaned to a friend, but it also can’t be replaced if it’s compromised either.  This reality, combined with certain privacy issues (tracking, profiling, consumer-related privacy issues, etc.), is making experts give serious consideration to whether biometrics are a viable option on a large scale.

More information on Biometric Identification in our next post.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Synthetic ID Theft

In our Identity Theft, Fraud and Scam seminars, we often mention that in 2005, at any given time, there were approximately 300 internet chat rooms on which 60,000 criminals around the world were buying and selling our personal information.  Now we see why!

Experian has reported that according to the Federal Trade Commission, Synthetic Identity Theft is now the fastest growing type of identity fraud.  It is representing 80 to 85% of all current identity fraud.

Criminals create synthetic ID theft by merging real and fake personal information of individuals to create a new identity.  The information used can be names, addresses, birthdays and Social Insurance Numbers, all bought on the Dark Web.

Be aware that if you start to receive mail or phone calls asking about new credit accounts, or you get mail addressed to a different name, it may indicate synthetic ID theft.

Note that starting in 2018, our IDShield from Kroll includes 24/7 monitoring of personal information on the Dark Web.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Travel Scams 6

In this post we’ll identify some criminal and some simply unethical activities you might encounter when travelling.

In some countries, specific products may attract your attention.  One good example is hand woven rugs and carpets available in several Middle East and North Africa countries.  While some may be top quality at reasonable prices, others may be expensive but worthless.  Do some homework so you are somewhat knowledgeable about such products and what features to watch for, before spending your money.

 Another popular tourist item is jewellery.  You may find items billed as genuine gems or pure gold, but which instead are only a “pure” scam.  Once again, try to obtain some basic knowledge before spending money on such items.

Last, but not least, may be a situation where you are offered a tour of a famous church, temple or other famous attraction.  However, you then may be informed that the attraction is closed for some holiday, but you’re taken to a souvenir shop where your host or driver is receiving a commission.  This could happen even when the tour was supposed to be in your itinerary.  Be sure the specific tour offer is in writing, if it’s pre-planned, or ask around if it’s a last minute side trip while you’re in the area.  Get some assurance before paying the host, driver or tour guide.

Travel safely!

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Travel Scams 5

We have two more scams to watch for when travelling.

First is a currency exchange scam.  Getting your currency exchanged at a reputable bank or official exchange counter is the best way to stay safe.  Criminal organizations are offering the service at convenient locations using calculators that are rigged  to deliberately miscalculate the exchange rates.  Of course the miscalculation will always be in their favour, but unless you’re familiar with rates, you may not recognize the discrepancy.

The second scam comes in the form of a taxi meter.  Drivers in many parts of the world are adept at taking you for a ride – physically and financially!  Before calling for a taxi, ask around to get an idea of approximate taxi fares to certain destinations.  And when you get in the taxi, make sure the starting number on the meter is an amount you agreed to.

You may experience unexpected costs when you’re on a trip, but don’t make the problem worse by also being scammed.   Travel safely!

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Travel Scams 4

Here are the remaining tips from ScamBusters to help keep you safe from travel scams:

7.  Make sure you get copies of all documents – examples include receipts, your itinerary and the company’s cancellation and refund policies.

8.  Don’t be a victim of the high pressure tactics used by the perpetrators of travel scams.  They will often demand that you accept the offer “today”, or advise you that this is the last day the offer is available.  They don’t want you to do your due diligence to determine that they are, in fact, a fraud.  If it’s such a good deal they should welcome your checking of details.

9.  Don’t pay anything before you get the information.  Some scammers will even demand that you pay for the information.  Legitimate businesses want you to have all the information.

10 . Ask for references and contact them.  Then be wary of references who sound like they are simply repeating what the company told you.

If you think you have been a victim, call police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Travel Scams 3

Here are 3  more tips from ScamBusters to help keep you safe from travel scams:

4.  If you are interested in a travel offer, ask yourself what is NOT included.  That could include service charges, processing fees and taxes – all of which you would be expected to pay.  Ask for details and don’t be satisfied with vague information such as “major airline”, without actually naming it.

5.  It’s a good idea to pay with a credit card because you can dispute the charge if it turns out to be a scam.  But be sure you know what the dispute window is on your credit card – is it 60 days?  In some cases the offer may be for an “available” price or discount that is more than 60 days away.

6.  Never dial a 900 number to reach a travel agency, discount club or any other offer.  No legitimate company will require you to pay for a 900 call to their customer service department.  Beware also of numbers with 809, 758 or 664 area codes.  The number may appear ordinary, but is actually like an unregulated 900 number originating in the Caribbean, charging you exorbitant per minute rates.

As we have warned in many other posts, never exchange information or money when they contact you; only when you have verified their legitimacy and you call them.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Travel Scams 2

We’re nearing a busy vacation and travel season and scammers know people are looking for bargains.  ScamBusters have some tips to keep you safe and we’ll mention 3 of them here.

1.  If you receive a travel deal by e-mail, it’s most certainly a scam.  Most bulk e-mail travel offers or free vacations are scams.  If you receive the offer by phone, be skeptical.  If you’re not personally familiar with company, get the name, address and local telephone number.  (Scam example: Our family has received phone calls offering us a great WestJet travel bargain because we have been such loyal customers.  It’s a scam because we have never flown on WestJet.)

2.  “If it sounds too good to be true …..”   It’s likely a scam.  Listen for the details or read the fine print.  In many of these scams, the air fare may be free, but there could be a clause that states you must stay in specific accommodations.  Public contests and lotteries have rules and regulations and you usually have to “enter” to win.  Always get more details – it shouldn’t cost anything to get your prize.

3.  Never give your credit card number over the phone unless you made the call and you know the company is reputable.  You should never have to give additional information such as banking information or Social Insurance Number.

More on this topic in the next post.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Vacation Scams

Travel and vacation scams are often similar to various rental scams.  The scammer will advertise a vacation property that looks inviting with excellent terms, conditions and pricing.  It usually means that it looks like a good deal and there doesn’t appear to be anything suspicious.

Unfortunately, the pictures may have nothing to do with any real property and the property itself may, or may not, even exist.  There will likely be some pressure to act quickly to take advantage of the offer and to send a deposit.  That will be the end of any contact or transactions – the scammer simply disappears, with your deposit.

Sometimes the offer of such a property may be from someone claiming to be an agent or broker who specializes in vacation rental properties. They may suggest they represent a travel company which sounds legitimate.  A common practice is for the “agent” to claim that there are many buyers interested in the property, so to take advantage of the offer you must act quickly to send your deposit.  There may even be an added charge to facilitate fast processing of the deposit.

Never be pressured into sending money quickly.  Check with the property owner if possible, check public records and online reviews to make sure the property is as listed.  And don’t pay the fees or deposits by wire transfers or debit cards.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Jury Scams

Scammers use these approaches to create victims by keying on the general reluctance and apprehension people have for courts and jury duty.

The first one involves a phone call from someone advising that you didn’t show up for jury duty – that will create some fear of having done something illegal by not attending.  The scam is that the caller will then request that you provide personal information so they can update the file and cancel an arrest warrant.  The possible arrest warrant is another tactic to play on fears and make you inclined to provide the requested information.

A similar scam involves a caller, posing as a court employee, asking you to provide personal information for possible jury duty.  Once again, even though you may not be enthused about jury duty, you are tempted to provide the information to avoid any penalty for refusing.

Don’t provide personal information when requested to do so by telephone or text.  If it’s in writing, you can verify legitimacy by calling the sender for confirmation before responding.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Please share this information to help keep others safe.

Equifax Breach

We continue to receive questions about the Equifax breach from last year, even though it hasn’t been in the news lately.

The first thing to remember is that the breach was at Equifax US , not Equifax Canada.  We understand that only two groups of Canadians who may have had their personal information put at risk.

1.  Any Canadian residents who have U.S. Social Security cards.  We have met one individual who, although an American citizen with a U.S Social Security Card, has lived in Canada for 40 years.  At about the time of the Equifax breach, she received a letter from the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) that someone in the U.S. was attempting to use her Social Security number.  With the help of our IDShield Provider, we were able to help her get a form for submission to the IRS to confirm her own identity.

2.  Any Canadians who may have made a major purchase in the U.S., which would have triggered a credit check.  That check would have gone through Equifax.

We also understand that anyone who may have had their information compromised were to receive a letter from Equifax.  We hope that information helps. 

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield.  Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

For information on other services we have available, please visit performanceplanning.ca.

Control Data

We have discussed the issue of personal information in areas over which we have no control, however we will be coming back to it in future #IdentityTheft posts when discussing where criminals obtain that information.  This time, we’ll look at some areas where we do have control and some steps we can take to prevent the loss of that information.

Limiting the information we provide to legitimate businesses and organizations is the first step.  Next, is our outright refusal to provide personal information in other situations.  One of the most common methods used by criminal organizations is through fraudulent e-mails.  We have personally received several e-mails from “banks”, asking for us to update our Account Information.  These are banks where we have never had an account.  Even though the e-mail appears to be from a specific bank, when we call that bank to confirm the legitimacy of the request, we’re told that the e-mail address we have on our screen, is not an address used by that bank.  Assuming the criminals are sending that same e-mail to thousands of individuals, it’s logical to assume many customers of that bank may unwittingly provide the requested information – and it will be going directly to the criminals.  Never provide information when it is requested in an e-mail or phone call – provide it only when you contact the other party by phone or e-mail after verifying you’re using the correct address or phone number.  Banks don’t request information updates via e-mails, phone calls or pop-up windows.

We have had e-mails claiming to be from FedEx and from Canada Post, simply asking us to click on a tracking number to arrange for the pickup of a parcel.  When we call those couriers, they tell us those e-mail addresses and tracking numbers are not theirs.  Many people could be victims of that scam because  they may assume it’s a legitimate shipment that they are expecting from someone.  In fact, by clicking on the “tracking number’ you have just given the criminals access to your system.  Never click on attachments, pop-ups or links unless you verify the legitimacy first.  The same is true for telephone requests.

We do have control over information we provide as a result of a request – just don’t provide it unless the request is legal, necessary  and legitimate.  Don’t let criminals use e-mails, pop-up windows or links to make you a victim of #IdentityTheft.

Mail Security

There are many ways criminals can gain access to our personal information and making us #IdentityTheft victims, often through sources over which we have no control.  One source in particular, has both controllable and uncontrollable features.  Mail!

Mail distribution provides criminals with several access points to our personal information.  The first, and most obvious, is mail theft.  Criminals have been known to pepper spray postal employees and steal letter box keys for the sole purpose of gaining access to a large amount of mail.   That isn’t within our control; however, some of what goes into the mail is within our control.  For example, if we order cheque blanks from our bank or the bank’s supplier, a criminal would love to find all those blanks in some stolen mail,  We suggest you have those orders sent to the bank for you to pick up later.  The bank is likely to have multiple orders in one shipment that would be easier to track. 

Another example is the mailing of payments to suppliers, utility companies and various other service providers.  One of our Associates has been involved with internet security since internet service began.  He tells us that as long as we access the websites properly to pay those bills, it’s much safer to pay online than sending payments through the mail.  (We will have a future posting to discuss the issue of cheque washing.)  The key is that you access the supplier’s website – never click on a pop-up window, link or advertisement.

Criminals look for any kind of personal information in your mail.  There are many examples that can readily be used by criminals – New licenses, credit card offers, new credit cards, credit card statements, property title documents, insurance documents, driver’s licenses and anything within the realm of criminal creativity!

Criminals have been known to break into super-mailboxes and they certainly patrol residential areas to steal mail from house mail boxes.  Never leave your mail in the mailbox over night and be sure to have someone else pick up your mail if you are going to be away  for any period of time.  Where we do have some control over our personal information, let’s do whatever we can to reduce our risk of being #IdentityThefy victims.

Our “Identity Theft Issue   “Control Data”, discussed the issue of limiting the amount of information we provide to those requesting it – another area where we have control over our personal information.

Please go to lloydkenney.wearelegalshield.com for more information on how you can protect you and your family through IDShield and LegalShield. Contact us at callcraft@shaw.ca.

Identity Theft, Frauds and Scams

Identity Theft – Understanding Scope of the Problem
Our series of articles on Identity Theft, Frauds and Scams will cover a variety of issues around the topic – everything from the scope of the problem, where criminals get our information, how they use that information, how to reduce our risk of becoming a victim and the details around the growing number of frauds and scams. We do not profess to be experts on the topics of Identity Theft, Frauds or Scams – other than the criminals, the only experts are a limited number of law enforcement officers and security personnel who specialize in those activities. Based on the new tactics that criminals are continuously developing, even law enforcement and security are probably having some difficulty staying up to date.

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Features & Benefits of Performance Planning

Matching Organization and Employee Objectives

This means the program should attempt to match the employee’s career goals and aspirations with those of the company or organization. Some may wonder how that’s possible, but put another way, employees will be most productive if they see their present performance leading to increased responsibilities with possible advancement and higher pay.

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Striving for Improvements in Performance or “Killing the Golden Goose”.

Owners and Managers continuously strive for improvements in performance.  That could be the performance of individual employees, the performance of the team and/or the performance of the organization.  It could be in the manufacture of widgets, the sale of those widgets or handling the administrative duties related to those widgets.  Performance Planning is a management tool that can be used to improve productivity and efficiency in all those areas, resulting in improved overall performance.

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