IDENTITY THEFT Nicholas Michalak

Agenda What is Identity Theft? Background of Identity Theft Legislation Against it Different types and Examples What Information Attackers Look For Ways Attackers Can Find Sensitive Information Ways to Try to Prevent it What to do if You are Victimized Conclusion

What is Identity Theft? Identity Theft refers to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain Often Categorized with Fraud and Extortion Fraud – deceiving a victim into doing something again their financial self interest Extortion – using a threat of harm to get a victim to pay money or perform some action to avoid the harm

Background Prior to the late 1990’s Identity theft was not considered a federal crime There was little jurisdiction regarding it In many cases people could easily get away with it Factors that increased the risk: Internet boom Online shopping and electronic banking Social media Increased number of credit card transactions

Legislation Fall 1998 Congress passed the Identity Theft and Deterrence Act. Prohibits “"knowingly transfer[ring] or us[ing], without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person with the intent to commit, or to aid or abet, any unlawful activity that constitutes a violation of Federal law, or that constitutes a felony under any applicable State or local law." This includes acts such as: Credit card fraud Computer fraud Mail fraud Financial institution fraud Etc.

Types of Identity Theft Individual Identity Theft Carding – attackers steal credit card information Bank Account Theft – attackers steal information that allows them to access victims bank account Online Stock Account Theft - attackers steal information that allows them to sell, trade, and buy the victims stocks Corporate Identity Theft (less common) Attackers can illegitimately apply for and get access to company credit cards for personal use Financial and Intellectual Property Theft – attack get access to a firms intellectual property and sell this information to other criminals or corporate competitors

Information Attackers Search For Social Security Number Bank Account Number Credit Card Number Telephone or Calling Card Number Usernames and Passwords Other Personal Information Attacks are basically interested in anything that they can used in order to either steal from you directly or use to get approved for a loan or credit card in your name.

Ways Attackers Can Find Sensitive Information Using spyware and keyloggers to obtain sensitive information such as passwords and login details Recovering information that has been deleted from a hard drive Using binoculars and cameras to spy on ATM’s from far away Taking a wallet or purse that is not being supervised

Ways Attackers Can Find Sensitive Information Using offers to apply for credit under a different name and address Dumpster diving to get their hands on data Piecing together pieces of paper that have been torn or shredded Taking mail from mail boxes. Exploring social media websites

Preventing Identity Theft Be careful when shopping online Do not store information on a stores’ website Make sure the site you are using is legitimate Be conscious about what you put on social media websites Do not display sensitive information Do not post information about your location Choose good passwords and pins Do not use the same password for all accounts Never store passwords on your computer Avoid easily guessed passwords such as pet names, birth dates, phone numbers, etc.

Preventing Identity Theft Protect your computer Make sure you have a strong regularly updated firewall, anti-virus program and anti-spyware program. Beware of phishing scams Often include false lottery wins, request for money to “help” someone, etc. Before opening an link, check on the government department that is responsible for updating on regular scams. Do not accidentally give away your details Before getting rid of your computer, wipe out all of the information

Preventing Identity Theft Never answer unsolicited s Avoid opening s that do not make sense to you or are from an organization that you are unaware of. Have your virus protection turned on. Be aware of your surroundings Shade the monitor area while at an ATM Shield the keypad as you type in your pin number Shred important identification documents Use a shredder to shred important documents and then use two different trash cans to dispose of the documents.

What to do if you are victimized Act quickly Cancel cards immediately Contact the police If you fail to act quickly this can cause out of pocket expenses and tarnish your reputation It often takes much longer to recover from identity theft then it does to actually commit the crime. Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) You can contact them online, by telephone, or by mail. They provide information and refer the complaints to appropriate entities.

What to do if you are victimized Contact the Social Security Administration Call if you suspect your social security number is being fraudulently used Contact all financial institutions You may need to cancel accounts, place stop-payment orders, and change your ATM card, account, and PIN number.

Conclusion Defined Identity Theft Discussed the background and legislation Types of Identity Theft Talked about how attackers retrieve information Explained what to do if you suspect you’ve been vicitimized

Sources "USDOJ: CRM: About the Criminal Division." USDOJ: CRM: About the Criminal Division. United States Department of Justice, n.d. Web. 29 Nov "Prevent and Report Identity Theft." USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov "Identity Theft Resource Center -." Identity Theft Resource Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov Oliver, James M., Ph.D., ed. Pearson Custom Business Resources. New York: Pearson Learning Solutions, Print.