Information Security Tips from Westfield Insurance

Fake check scams

Earn millions! Help a damsel in distress! Win the lottery! Work at home! Whoops, I overpaid – please send back the overpayment!

These are just a few of the scams out there. The average adult American receives 4½ emails, phone calls or pieces of mail per week attempting one of these scams. Thirty percent say they receive 10 or more a week and 18% admit that they or a family member have fallen for one of them.

The National Consumers League (NCL) recently launched a website fakechecks.org to help educate consumers about check-fraud scams like these. The website includes a "fraud test" and some great videos that show exactly how these six scams work and how to recognize them when they come in . Take a few minutes at home to see how many of these you would fall for. And remember, this is what these scammers to for a living. Some of them are very good at building a rapport and sounding trustworthy. They play on our inherent trust and desire to be helpful and courteous.

Remember also that in a check fraud scheme, the victim is responsible for the lost money and any overdraft or returned check fees. The fraudster ought to be responsible but given the odds of catching him/her, that is dangerous wishful thinking. The bank has no responsibility if you fall victim to check fraud like the ones above.

If you are a victim who recently wired money to fraudsters, report the incident immediately to the security department of the business that handled the wire transfer. If the payment hasn't been processed yet, they might be able to get your money back. If it's an older scam, report it at fakechecks.org.

Protect your computer from Spyware

Spyware is Internet jargon for advertising-supported software. This type of software often automatically installs itself on your computer without your knowledge in order to collect your personal information and provide it to a website or advertiser. Spyware is hidden in the background and keeps track of your web browsing, what information you enter into forms and even the configuration of your hardware and software. The company receiving this information may use it directly or, more likely, will sell this information about you. Based on this information, you may begin to see incessant pop-up ads, giving the false impression that the Web page being viewed is responsible for the constant annoyances.

Spyware usually is usually hidden in or behind an application that you want to use (such as a music player). When you install the software, the spyware application also installs itself.

In addition to the annoyances of increased spam and advertising, the spyware application ties up valuable computing power and can eventually make it run slower. It can create conflicts with other software on your machine causing programs to lock up or causing your machine to crash. It can even be abused by hackers to steal your password or to take control of your computer.

If you load software from the Internet, read the license agreement carefully. Some companies actually disclose that they will install an application on to your computer and may allow you the option to "opt-out". For example, RealJukebox has the ability to track how you used the program including the number of recorded songs on the computer, the format that songs are recorded in, the user's musical preferences, the quality level of the recordings, and the type of portable player connected to the computer.

You can use specialized software to find and disable spyware applications and to protect your computer. Two of the better-known free-ware applications are SpyBot Search and Destroy and Ad-Aware. Whatever anti-spyware solution you pick, be sure to keep it updated and run it regularly.

Be sure to read all "End User License Agreements" very carefully and make sure you understand what is actually going to be installed on your home computer.

How not to look like a phish

Phishing is an increasing and serious problem. Luckily, consumers and even some tools are getting better at identifying and deleting them. Unluckily, many legitimate messages get thrown away because they look too much like phishing messages. TRUSTe and Ernst & Young recently published a white paper on "How Not to Look Like a Phish". Here are a few thoughts that can help you keep your messages from looking too much like a phish:

• Don't request personal information from customers via a hyperlink in an email. If you need information (such as an updated address), tell the customer to go to your company's website and log in. Don't provide a "convenient" link.
• Personalize the email whenever possible. This proves that you know your customer's name. For example, use "Dear John" instead of "Dear Sir".
• Don't get your customers in the habit of linking through someone else to get to you. For example, if you are going to provide a link in the email, if should look like www.yourdomain.com, not www.somebodyelse.com?redirect=www.yourdomain.com;. Never use the IP address in the link. http://12.168.68.50 will still take you to westfieldgrp.com but customers can't be expected to know that or to recognize when the address has been tampered.
• Be very cautious about using click here links. You may think they read better but customers should rightly be suspicious of any attempt to obscure the destination of a link. Written-out addresses are better.
• Use simple and intuitive domain names and directory paths. The longer the address line, the more likely it is for something to be spoofed and the harder it will be for your customers to recognize the falsification.
• Proofread and spell-check all your communications. While more phishers are improving their English, many users still rightly assume that a grammar or spelling mistake is evidence of a possible phish by someone whose native language is not English.
• Avoid messages with an urgent, threatening or time-sensitive tone. (I had an example in here but it made this message look too much like a phish and got blocked. Don't say anything about passwords and account cancellation.)

For the full report, go to truste.org.

Annual credit report review

This Tip was first run in March 2007. This "encore tip" is an annual reminder to check your credit report.

This is your annual reminder to request your credit report. Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), every consumer is eligible for a free copy of his/her credit report every 12 months. Follow the instructions at www.annualcreditreport.com to request your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies.

When reviewing the credit reports, look for:

• adverse actions on your accounts that might indicate that you have been a victim of identity theft
• accounts that have been opened in your name without your knowledge. Even if the identity thief is making the payments regularly, the account could still be in use for illegal activities.

If you find a discrepancy, follow the specific instructions on the website to dispute any incorrect information.

Don’t forget to check the credit reports of your immediate family members, especially minor children and dependent elders. Both of those groups are at elevated risk of identity theft.

Remember that you are also eligible for a report every 12 months from any of the specialty agencies which have information about you.

If you want more frequent feedback on your credit history, consider asking for your free copy from only one of the major credit reporting agencies at a time. Space the requests for the other two agencies out every four months. For example, you could ask for your free copy from Experian in March, your free copy from TransUnion in July and your free copy from Equifax in November. Once you start, you will have to keep the same rotating pattern. Schedule the requests on your calendar.