An estimated 440 banks concede  their customers are possible victims of a massive data breach. according to new data from BankInfoSecurity.com. But not all of those institutions have taken action to protect their consumers, frustrating watchdogs like the New York State Consumer Protection Board.
Heartland Payment Systems, the nation’s sixth-largest processor for Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover Card transactions, […]

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1.     Writing your PIN (Personal Identification Number) on your ATM and credit cards or on another piece of paper in your wallet.  If you lose your wallet, identity thieves get instant access to your bank and credit card accounts.
2.     Keeping more than two or three ATM and credit cards in your wallet at any given […]

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Identity theft can happen to even the most careful consumers. When prevention fails, the next best thing is early detection. Fair Isaac, the company that created the FICO credit score, said there are a number of warning signs of identity theft. They include:

Unexpected phone calls from unfamiliar creditors Be suspicious if a creditor […]

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Most consumers understand the potential dangers of sharing their credit card numbers. But fewer realize they put themselves in even greater financial jeopardy when they share information about their checking accounts. It’s riskier than you think.
In the past few years, more consumers have been complaining about unauthorized debits from their checking accounts. Some were victimized […]

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Asa Aarons talks with Steve Ely, president of Personal Information Solutions for Atlanta-based Equifax, about credit reports, privacy and the company’s newest product, ID Theft Patrol.

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Simple mistakes can affect your data and identity.

Technology is no match for the carelessness of the consumers who use it. That’s the warning from Consumer Reports, which identifies seven of the most common online errors in its September issue. The Yonkers-based organization identified the worst things computer users can do, including:
1. […]

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US Fraud Incidence Rates by State, Averaged over 3 Years

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Before you insist you’re too smart to fall for a phishing scam, consider this: you’re probably not. Computer security experts say cyber thieves are increasingly sophisticated, making it hard for the average computer user to keep up with scams.
Some phishing emails now scan the browser history, identify which websites were recently visited and automatically configure […]

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Renee Smith doesn’t know why she received a $4,995 check out-of-the-blue. She’s just happy she had the good sense to question it when she did. The New York student tossed the check, along with the letter that instructed her to deposit the check at her bank and return $4,400 of it via a wire transfer […]

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Emmy Award-winning TV news personality Asa Aarons has dedicated his career to helping people solve the problems of everyday life. He’s been looking out for consumers in New York and other cities for two decades, uncovering scams and exposing the thieves who prey on the unsuspecting.
He’s widely regarded for his expertise as a problem solver, […]

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