Keep Private Information Private

Posted on by HV Shred

Every week, our goal is to use this space to help our community deter, detect, and defend again ID Theft.  Here a 3 more tips to keep private information private!

(1) Give Personal Information Over Encrypted Websites Only

If you’re shopping or banking online, stick to sites that use encryption to protect your information as it travels from your computer to their server.  To determine if a website is encrypted, look for https at the beginning of the web address (the “s” is for secure). 

Some websites use encryption only on the sign-in page, but if any part of your session isn’t encrypted, the entire account could be vulnerable. Look for https on every page of the site you’re on, not just where you sign in.

(2) Protect Your Passwords

Here are a few principles for creating strong passwords and keeping them safe:

  • The longer the password, the tougher it is to crack.  Use at least 10 characters; 12 is ideal for most home users.
  • Mix letters, numbers, and special characters.  Try to be unpredictable – don’t use your name, birthdate, or common words. 
  • Don’t use the same password for many accounts.  If it’s stolen from you – or from one of the companies with which you do business – it can be used to take over all your accounts.
  • Don’t share passwords on the phone, in texts or by email.  Legitimate companies will not send you messages asking for your password.  If you get such a message, it’s probably a scam.
  • Keep your passwords in a secure place, out of plain sight.

(3) Back up Your Files

No system is completely secure.  Copy important files onto a removable disc or an external hard drive, and store it in a safe place.  If your computer is compromised, you’ll still have access to your files.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us (845) 705-7279.  For more on id theft protection, visit www.hvshred.com

Best practices to protect your identity

Posted on by HV Shred

Keeping to our education theme, here are some more tips to protecting your identity-particularly as you operate on-line.
(1) Use Security Software That Updates Automatically The bad guys constantly develop new ways to attack your computer, so your security software must be up-to-date to protect against the latest threats. Most security software can update automatically; set yours to do so. You can find free security software from well-known companies. Also, set your operating system and web browser to update automatically.

Don’t buy security software in response to unexpected pop-up messages or emails, especially messages that claim to have scanned your computer and found malware. Scammers send messages like these to try to get you to buy worthless software, or worse, to “break and enter” your computer.

(2) Treat Your Personal Information Like Cash Don’t hand it out to just anyone. Your Social Security number, credit card numbers, and bank and utility account numbers can be used to steal your money or open new accounts in your name. So every time you are asked for your personal information – whether in a web form, an email, a text, or a phone message – think about whether you can really trust the request. In an effort to steal your information, scammers will do everything they can to appear trustworthy.
(3) Check Out Companies to Find out Who You’re Really Dealing With When you’re online, a little research can save you a lot of money. If you see an ad or an offer that looks good to you, take a moment to check out the company behind it. Type the company or product name into your favorite search engine with terms like “review,” “complaint,” or “scam.” If you find bad reviews, you’ll have to decide if the offer is worth the risk. If you can’t find contact information for the company, take your business elsewhere.

Don’t assume that an ad you see on a reputable site is trustworthy.

For more tips and information about securely destroying your confidential data, please visit www.hvshred.com

More guidance on safe practices from the IRS

Posted on by HV Shred

Again, we can’t emphasize enough how important it is to stay vigilant during tax season. Thieves who steal taxpayers’ personal tax-related information can use it to steal identities as well. To help prevent these crimes, the IRS offers the following suggestions.

1. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information or to announce an audit or refund. If you get a notice like this, it’s a fraud.
2. If you receive a scam e-mail claiming to be from the IRS, forward it to the IRS atphishing@irs.gov. IRS impersonation schemes flourish during tax season and can take the form of e-mail, phone, websites—even tweets. If you receive a paper letter or notice via mail claiming to be the IRS but you suspect it is a scam, contact the IRS.
3. Be aware of the ways identity thieves can get your personal information, such as by stealing your wallet or purse, posing as someone who needs information about you through a phone call or e-mail, looking through your trash, accessing information you provide to an unsecured Internet site.
4. If you discover a website that claims to be the IRS but does not begin with “www.irs.gov,” forward that link to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov.
5. If your Social Security number is stolen, another individual may use it to get a job. That person’s employer may report income earned by them to the IRS using your Social Security number, thus making it appear that you did not report all of your income. When this occurs, contact the IRS to show that the income is not yours. Your record will be updated to reflect only your information. You will also be asked to submit substantiating documentation to authenticate yourself, thus minimizing the chance this will occur again.
6. Show your Social Security card to your employer when you start a job or to your financial institution for tax reporting purposes, but do not routinely carry your card or other documents that display your Social Security number.
7. While preparing your tax return for electronic filing, make sure to use a strong password to protect the data file. Once your return has been e-filed, burn the file to a CD or flash drive and remove the personal information from your hard drive. Store the CD or flash drive in a lock box or safe. If working with an accountant, you should ask them what measures they take to protect your information.
9. If you have information about the identity thief that impacted your personal information negatively, file an online complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The IC3 gives victims of cyber crime a convenient and easy-to-use reporting mechanism that alerts authorities of suspected criminal or civil violations. IC3 sends every complaint to law enforcement or regulatory agencies that have jurisdiction over the matter.

For more information, view the IRS publications Protect Yourself from Identity Theft and Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft all available at www.irs.gov

There is also plenty of information on best practices for identity theft prevention at hvshred.com

Tax Time is ID Theft Season

Posted on by HV Shred

We are all vulnerable to ID theft 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. However, there are times of the year when we need to be more vigilant about our surroundings. Tax Time is one of them.

This is the time of year that all of your personal information is traveling through the mail. What makes it more tempting for identity thieves is that it is a target rich environment. Steal the mail out of all the mailboxes on a street this time of year and you are sure to get something worthwhile.

Then there is the problem of false tax returns in your name. The IRS is orking to set up systems for identifying fraud that are getting much more accurate at detecting fraud. They also have some tips to help protect yourself.

Here are some we suggest:
•The IRS doesn’t send emails. Don’t respond to them.
•Get your mail in a locked mailbox.
•Send your mail out in a locked mailbox.
•Never answer questions over the phone unless you called them.

For more information on best practices in ID Theft Protection, please visit www.hvshred.com

Why use a Professional Shredding Service?

Posted on by HV Shred

As you review ways to streamline operations, outsourcing to a professional shredding service often makes a lot of sense for businesses large and small.

Here are some reasons why using a Professional Shredding Service makes sense, and why to choose HV Shred, Inc. in particular:

· First and foremost, if your office has a paper box or more of “to be shredded” material each week, outsourcing shredding saves time, money, and aggravation
· HV Shred is locally owned: we understand the community because we’ve lived here our entire lives.
· HV Shred is fast: our On-Site Shredding Equipment is among the fastest in the area.
· HV Shred is up front: No fuel fees or site fees; conservative estimates so clients stay within budget (no low-balling just to get in the door); going on 5 years in business we still have not raised our rates on current clients
· HV Shred is personalized: our service is personalized, because we take our service personally. We’ll go up or down stairs, shred folders and redwelds, minimal if any sorting required.
· HV is active in the Hudson Valley Community: We are members of the Mid Hudson Chapter of the NYSSCPA, Poughkeepsie-Arlington Rotary, Regional Chamber of Commerce, Council of Industry, and BNI.

For more details, visit www.hvshred.com

Resolve to protect identity in 2012

Posted on by HV Shred

In the new year, it’s a good idea to add identity theft protection measures to your resolutions to make 2012 your best year ever. The following is adapted from the Identity Theft Resource Center website:
1. Lock up your social security card! Get it out of your wallet! Put this valuable card, along with all other important personal documents, in a safe, locked box or safety deposit box.

2. Don’t share your Social Security Number (SSN) unnecessarily. Ask questions: Why do you need it? What happens if I don’t give it to you? Who gets to see it? What are you going to do with it? Legitimate reasons to provide your SSN are limited including: verifying identity for employment; establishing new lines of credit; government benefit programs; and tax purposes.
3. Order your credit reports! Go to www.annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228 to obtain your free credit reports.
4. Consider investing in a locked mailbox. Additionally, make it a habit to take out-going mail to the post office and stop using your “come steal me” red flag.
5. Take the time to place passwords on all your accounts and change the old ones. This includes bank accounts, investment accounts, money markets, credit cards, etc. Be creative and use something that is not easily guessed by someone who may know you. A good verbal password is NOT the last four digits of your SSN, your mother’s maiden name, your pet’s name or kid’s birthdays. A random word, not associated with you or your life, is highly recommended.
6. Limit the amount of personal information you share online. If you don’t want it publicized – don’t put it online!
7. Be a savvy online shopper! Check out the merchant and make sure they are legit. Protect your information online by using a secure payment agent – a security product which allows a consumer to control the use of their personal identifying information whether shopping, paying bills online, or registering at websites. Install security and malware software to protect your computer and update it frequently.
8. Monitor any and all account statements carefully. Don’t wait three months to balance your check book or open your mail! React quickly if you notice any discrepancies.
9. Guard all checks and deposit slips as you would your precious jewelry. In the wrong hands, these account numbers can be even more valuable than handfuls of cash! When making out checks, use specially formulated gel ink pens, developed to defeat check washing.
10. SHRED ALL PAPERWORK WITH PERSONALLY IDENTIFYING INFORMATION–contact HV Shred for how to make that easy and cost effective

Better safe than sorry: Shred paperwork from closed accounts

Posted on by HV Shred

In the latest issue of Consumer Reports, the experts responded with a definitve yes when asked whether fianancial records for closed accounts of parents who died several years ago pose an identity theft danger. Quoting their response, “Thieves have stolen IDs of the dead, but your biggest risk is that there might be something in those boxes about you: beneficiary information, say, from life insurance policies. Shred the documents or a pay a reputable company to do it for you.”

The fact is, any personally identifying information in the wrong hands poses an identity theft threat. HV Shred can help make the process easy and quick. Outsourcing shredding service means no hassles with sorting out staples, paper clips, bank books, check books, or even small binders.

More information at hvshred.com

New devices need to be secured

Posted on by HV Shred

Maybe you got a new piece of technology for Christmas or Hanukah—enjoy! So you can keep enjoying your new gadget in 2012 and beyond (hopefully it doesn’t become obsolete too quickly…), please take precautions to make sure you are using the device safely. Firewalls are important as well as regularly updating anti-virus, anti-spyware, and anti-phishing software. Set up strong passwords with upper- and lower-case letters, numerals, and symbols like #, &, and $. Make sure your smart phone, iPad, other mobile devices, and portable flash drives containing personal data have security applications and encryption in case they’re lost or stolen. And best wishes to make 2012 your best year ever!

More information about protectiing your identity is always available at hvshred.com

Protect your identity AND reduce junk mail

Posted on by HV Shred

We at HV Shred, Inc. love it when you can get a double benefit from a single action. Taking another page from the valuable resource that is Consumer Reports, this is a great tip to reduce your risk of identity theft AND reduce junk mail.

One way crooks steal your name is by swiping preapproved credit offers from your mailbox to open an account. They can then watch your mailbox to lift the new card you didn’t know was coming. You can stop credit bureaus from selling your name to lenders by going to www.optoutprescreen.com or calling 888-567-8688. Opting out should stop most offers, and it’s free.

Other credit offers might come from affiliates of financial services companies that already have a business relationship with you. You can stop them by paying attention to the annual privacy rights notices you get from banks, brokers, and other financial companies and exercising your right under federal law to prevent them from “sharing” (translation: “selling”) your information with affiliates and others. Do the same with retailers and websites.

For more on identity theft protection visit www.hvshred.com

Consumer Reports Weighs in on ID Theft Products

Posted on by HV Shred

According to a recent on-line article posted on The Consumer Reports website, the typically free protections still provide the most effective avenues to identity theft protection.

Banks and credit-card companies are the largest providers of identity protection services, a market with $3.5 billion in revenues for 2011, according to a recent report by Javelin Strategy and Research, a California financial services industry consulting firm. Other major providers include the credit reporting bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—and independent vendors such as Debix, LifeLock, and Trusted ID.

Consumer Reports generally doesn’t put much stock in identity theft protection services, because they tend to focus on new-account fraud, when 86 percent of ID fraud involves something else—existing accounts. And these services can cost you $120 to $300 a year for many protective measures that you can take yourself for free.

But Javelin found evidence that ID protection and credit-monitoring services are effective at reducing the amount of fraud losses. Among 439 victims of ID fraud surveyed by Javelin in an annual survey, the average amount stolen was $4,607. But victims who learned of the crime through their subscriptions to ID protection or credit monitoring services saw only $3,363 filched.

Still, the Javelin survey also found that other—typically free—protections were even more effective:

Bank safeguards. Victims who discovered the crime when their bank or credit card provider notified them of suspicious activity saw only $2,861 stolen.

Electronic self-monitoring. Victims who found the theft through their own self-monitoring of accounts via the Internet and ATMs, saw losses of $2,791.

Checking paper account statements. And people who uncovered the fraud by simply reviewing their old-fashioned paper account statements saw only $2,195 taken.

Shredding and recycling confidential paperwork is the most secure and environmentally friendly way to protect your hard copy personally identifying information. Visit hvshred.com for more information.