At HV Shred, the majority of our clients are commercial. Nevertheless, we like to use our blog for public service type announcements. We came across this good advice in one of our trade journals so wanted to pass it along.

It’s the season where we experience the bittersweet send off of our “not so young anymore adults” to college.

In reality, most students are not required to take any personal finance classes in high school. When they head off to college they have to not only learn how to get to their classes but how to take care of their own budget. Please remember to talk to your kids about identity theft before they head off to college. Some basic things to remind them:
• Lock up your personal information. Too many people are coming and going in a dorm room.
• Shred everything with personal information before you toss it.
• Learn how to check your credit score. This should be done at least once a year or better yet once a semester.

For more practical advice on best practices related to identity theft prevention, please visit www.hvshred.com

Despite all the worries about on-line hacking, paper based identity theft is still appears to be the most prevalent. Criminals do what is easiest—there’s nothing much easier than going through the garbage at likely targets.

Along those lines, in a recent article in FCW: The Business of Federal Technology, Stephen Warren, Acting Assistant Secretary for Information and Technology at the Department for Veterans Affairs cited paper based compromises as the leading cause of data breaches at the VA.

Warren briefed reporters Aug. 8 on the data breach reports his agency submitted to Congress for April, May and June, and stated that while theft of electronic devices containing patient information is rare and “holding steady,” upwards of 98 percent of data breaches continue to involve “physical paper.”

Problematic paper records include documentation misplaced, mishandled or improperly mailed by agency employees – VA’s data breach report over the three-month period suggests such mistakes happen hundreds of times per month. In many such cases, a veteran’s claim – containing Social Security numbers, address, compensation and pension claim ratings – is exposed publicly or sent to the wrong veteran.

Warren offered the reassurance that patients that experience privacy issues are frequently offered credit protection services from VA.

Over the three-month period, no data breaches were classified as high risk, and most were rated as low risk.
Taking a lesson from the VA, whether it’s a government entity, a private business, or personal paperwork, best practices recommend it’s always a good idea to have systems in place to properly handle confidential paperwork. When discarding, shredding and recycling is often the simplest and most secure.

For more on secure document destruction please visit www.hvshred.com

The Federal Trade Commission is the government office most involved with helping Americans avoid as well as make it through identity theft issues. Their website is a good source for information when it comes to best practices in identity theft prevention.

In a recent blog called “Hacked Email”, the Federal Trade Commission listed several new tips to help people deal with email and social networking hacks, whether it’s lessening the chances of a hack in the first place, or recovering from a hack once it happens. http://www.onguardonline.gov/articles/0376-hacked-email

The FTC identifies signs an account may have been hacked such as friends and family members receiving messages the user didn’t send, a sent folder emptied, social media posts the user didn’t create, or email or other accounts the user can’t open.
If consumers think they have been hacked, the FTC encourages them to take the following actions:
• Make sure security software is up-to-date and delete malware;
• Change passwords;
• Check with their email provider or social networking site for information about restoring the account;
• Check account settings; and
• Tell your friends

Using unique passwords for important sites like banking and email and safeguarding user names and passwords can help users protect themselves from hackers. The FTC recommends users turn on two-factor authentication if a service provider offers it; not click on links or open attachments from unknown users; and only download free software from sites a user knows and trusts. When using a public computer, do not let web browsers remember passwords, and log out of all accounts when finished.

For more information on best practices for identity theft prevent, please visit www.hvshred.com

Primarily, HV Shred services businesses. Nevertheless, our goal is to help educate our community on best practices when it comes to identity theft. Education of our youth is key to a future of savvy adults who are in many ways already stewards for protecting private information.

In this case, a new summer movie is a great conversation starter. The Bling Ring, starring Emma Watson and directed by Sofia Coppola, is based on the true story of a group of teenagers who used social media to identify celebrities who weren’t at home – and then rob them.

The plot combines many elements that appeal to teens: Hollywood, celebrities, luxury, fashion, and naïve recklessness. Parents can find a takeaway, too – the opportunity to speak with their teens about the information they share online and the risks involved. As The Bling Ring demonstrated, what is posted online can lead to unintended consequences (such as, in Paris Hilton’s case, the theft of $2 million in jewelry).

First and foremost, strongly suggest your child limit how and with whom he or she shares information. Encourage your teens to set the privacy and security settings on accounts to their comfort level for information sharing.
The Bling Ring crew used publicly accessible social media posts by celebrities to determine their whereabouts and then burglarized vacant homes. While your family may not be targeted the way Hollywood celebrities are, don’t make the same mistake. A post like, “Going away with the family for Fourth of July!” or posting pictures from your hotel could serve as a helpful tip for a prowling burglar if they’re able to read it.

Protect Your Personal Information

Personal information posted online can be misused in a lot of unpleasant ways, including identity theft and stalking. According to the Center for Missing and Exploited Children, two in five missing teenagers ages 15 to 17 are abducted in connection with some kind of Internet activity.

Encourage your teen to be cautious about the personal information they share on social networking sites. Your teen should never reveal his or her address or phone number and use extra precautions to meet an online acquaintance, like going with a group of friends. Remind your teen not to accept friend requests from people they do not know.
Children and adults alike need to work together to protect personally identifying information.

For more tips on best practices in the world of identity theft prevent, please visit www.hvshred.com

It is with great pleasure we announce a Community Shred Event to benefit the Poughkeepsie Arlington Rotary hosted by LaGrange Pharmacy and Bridgeway Federal Credit  at the new plaza at the junction of Routes 82 and 55 in LaGrangeville, NY.

On-site shredding service will be provided by HV Shred, Inc from 9am-noon.  100% of the suggested $10 per box/bag donation will go to the community improvement projects run by the Poughkeepsie Arlington Rotary.

No need to worry about staples, paperclips, spiral notebooks, or even bank books.  HV Shred’s high tech shredding knives can easily shred through all that.  In addition, all the shredded paper is recycled helping to preserve and protect our local and global environment.

For more information, please contact Judith a (845) 705-7279

We’re looking forward to a big crowd so we can fully fund all the Poughkeepsie Arlington Rotary programs in the upcoming year.

Help us make it a success–and protect your identity and the earth as well!

See you Saturday, September 28th 9am-noon at 1520 Route 55 in LaGrangeville NY 12540

On the HV Shred blog, we frequently repeat  the tips for best practices regarding identity theft and it always feels like a good time for a reminder.

First of all, keep private paperwork under lock and key. At home and at work be mindful to find a safe place for your wallet or purse.

Live the simple life and limit what you carry. Take only the identification, credit, and debit cards you need. Leave your Social Security card at home. Make a copy of your Medicare card and black out all but the last four digits on the copy. Carry the copy with you  — unless you are going to use your card at the doctor’s office.

It’s YOUR personal information and it helps to demonstrate to your fiduciaries that you care what happens to it and they should too.  Before you share information at your workplace, a business, your child’s school, or a doctor’s office, ask why they need it, how they will safeguard it, and the consequences of not sharing.

Shred receipts, credit offers, credit applications, insurance forms, physician statements, checks, bank statements, expired charge cards, and similar documents when you don’t need them any longer.

Destroy the labels on prescription bottles before you throw them out. Don’t share your health plan information with anyone who offers free health services or products.

Take outgoing mail to post office collection boxes or the post office. Promptly remove mail that arrives in your mailbox. If you won’t be home for several days, request a hold on your mail.

When you order new checks, don’t have them mailed to your home, unless you have a secure mailbox with a lock.

Consider opting out of pre-screened offers of credit and insurance by mail.

Simplicity will help limit exposure–when the volume of shredding is beyond what your office shredder can handle, consider contacting us at HV Shred.  www.hvshred.com.  In addition to security, we recycle everything we shred–helping clients go green too!

June was one of our busiest months ever, and it was a win/win for everyone.  When we shred and recycle more paper, we help secure our community from identity theft and the expense of breaches plus we reduce the pressure on local landfills.  In the month of June our clients helped the Hudson Valley save over 1000 trees and over 150 cubic yards of landfill.

Summertime is an active time to throw on old clothes and do some cleaning out. If that process includes the disposal of confidential paperwork, please check out the resources available at hvshred.com.  Our service not only adds security to the project but also includes the labor of bringing the boxes/bags up from basements and down from attics.

Please let us know if we can be of service.  Visit www.hvshred.com

It’s the tail end of June and in case you didn’t know, June is celebrated as the official month to raise awareness for Internet Safety.  Safety is a theme for this blog, and borrowing from the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) we want to use our last June blog to reinforce internet safety best practices.

As the members of our community transition through graduations from high school and college and couples start new lives together, let’s also pause to remind ourselves about Internet Safety. It goes a long way to identity theft prevention.

It’s all about a safer and more secure summer online. The NCSA encourages everyone to STOP. THINK. CONNECT.

Take security precautions, understand the consequences of your actions and behaviors and have a great summer connecting and enjoying the Internet.

Here are some easy ways to stay safer and more secure online. You should know them and share them with your family and friends:

• Keep a Clean Machine: Keep all Internet connected devices free from infection and malware by keeping all critical software—security software, web browsers, apps and operating systems—up to date.
• Protect Your Personal Information: Secure your accounts by making passwords long, strong and unique.
• Connect with Care: Limit the type of business you conduct using unsecure Wi-Fi hotspots.
• Own Your Online Presence: Set security and privacy settings to your comfort level of sharing.
• When in Doubt, Throw it Out: If an email, social network post or text message looks suspicious, even if you know the source, delete it.
• Be Web Wise: Be wary of communications that implore you to act immediately, offer something that sounds too good to be true, or ask for personal information.
• Be a Good Online Citizen: Post only about others what you would have them post about you.

Visit hvshred.com for more information on identity theft prevention.

Since we have found it a valuable resource, we are once drawing our blog from the Internet Crime Complain Center (IC3).  According to IC3, the FBI has seen an increase in cyber criminals who use online photo-sharing programs to perpetrate scams and harm victims’ computers. These criminals advertise vehicles online but will not provide pictures in the advertisement. They will send photos on request. Sometimes the photo is a single file sent as an e-mail attachment, and sometimes the victim receives a link to an online photo gallery.

The photos can/often contain malicious software that infects the victims” computer, directing them to fake websites that look nearly identical to the real site where they originally saw the advertisement. The cyber criminals run all aspects of these fake websites, including “tech support” or “live chat support,” and any “recommended” escrow services. After the victim agrees to purchase the item and makes the payment, the criminals stop responding to correspondence. The victims never receive any merchandise.

The FBI urges consumers to protect themselves when shopping online. Here are a few tips for staying safe:

• Be cautious if you are on an auction site and lose an auction and the seller contacts you later saying the original bidder fell through.
• Make sure websites are secure and authenticated before you purchase an item online. Use only well-known escrow services.
• Research to determine if a car dealership is real and how long it has been in business.
• Be wary if the price for the item you’d like to buy is severely undervalued; if it is, the item is likely fraudulent.
• Scan files before downloading them to your computer.
• Keep your computer software, including the operating system, updated with the latest patches.
• Ensure your anti-virus software and firewalls are current – they can help prevent malware infections.

For more information on how to stay safe from identity theft please visit www.hvshred.com

Those familiar with this blog know we like to share relevant information from credible organizations focused on fighting identity theft.  One such Organization is the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).  As a review of past posts, IC3 is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Since its start in 2000, IC3 has become a mainstay for victims reporting Internet crime and a way for law enforcement to be notified of such crimes. IC3’s service to the law enforcement community includes federal, state, tribal, local, and international agencies that are combating Internet crime.

In a recent release, IC3 publicized that it had received numerous reports of phishing attacks targeting various telecommunication companies’ customers. Individuals receive automated telephone calls that claim to be from the victim’s telecommunication carrier. Victims are directed to a phishing site to receive a credit, discount, or prize ranging from $300 to $500.

The phishing site is a replica of one of the telecommunication carrier’s sites and requests the victims’ log-in credentials and the last four digits of their Social Security numbers. Once victims enter their information, they are redirected to the telecommunication carrier’s actual website. The subject then makes changes to the customer’s account.

The IC3 urged the public to be cautious of unsolicited telephone calls, e-mails and text messages, especially those promising some type of compensation for supplying account information. If you receive such an offer, verify it with the business associated with your account before supplying any information. Use the information supplied on your account statement to contact the business

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