Protect your Business phone systems from FRAUD!

Size: px
Start display at page:

Download "Protect your Business phone systems from FRAUD!"

Transcription

1 Protect your Business phone systems from FRAUD! Detailed hereafter are two examples of businesses whose telephone systems have been subject of fraud, also included is an extract from the Action Fraud website. Within is advice concerning preventative measures that can be adopted. In particular you may want to consider doing the following Change the default settings on your system, schedule further changes on a regular basis. Have your system engineer prevent dialling out to premium rate numbers & all calls during the hours that you are closed. Dale Bradley came into the office of Whirlwind WS, the company he runs in Ramsgate, Kent, at 7.30 one morning to find the red lights on the internal phone exchange were flashing. That meant someone was making calls through it. There was just one problem: he was the only person in the office. "I could not understand who was making the calls because I was the only one in and I could not break in to the conversations," Bradley explains. He reported the problem to BT, which told him it must be a fault on his equipment - a modern Panasonic digital business exchange installed in November A month later, BT returned: an investigation unit had tracked unusual activity on Whirlwind's lines, probably fraud. Someone had cracked the 16-digit alphanumeric password set up on the exchange and used it to make international calls to the Philippines, Dubai, US and Italy, ringing up costs of 1,000 in the process. Whirlwind had been hit by one of the longest-running problems to plague businesses running modern internal digital exchanges: "dialthrough fraud", so called because it exploits a facility offered on many exchanges that lets company employees ring in to the switchboard, and then by keying certain dialling codes, get an outside line to anywhere in the world. Because it's meant for employees, the company picks up the bill for the outgoing call. But anyone who cracks the protection around those codes can make unlimited calls at the company's expense. Bradley expected that the criminals could be traced back to the phones from which they had called in to his switchboard - a relatively simple process, given modern computerised exchanges. But he was to discover that provisions put in by this government, ostensibly intended to help the detection of computer-based crime, would actually work against him - by making it too expensive to track down the perpetrators. First, though, since BT had identified the calls as fraud, surely it could forgive the bill, suggested Bradley. Not at all; Whirlwind was liable for calls made from its system, BT said. Insult turned to injury on the discovery that the company's insurance policy has a standard clause exempting "electronic losses". Whirlwind picked up the tab. Intercept data But since BT had discovered it was fraud, could the police investigate, using the information BT had discovered? No. The police said it would not be "cost effective" to investigate: BT would charge 1,500 for the "intercept data" that would reveal where the calls coming into the exchange had come from on that morning. 1

2 Modern digital exchanges, especially those in small companies and organisations, are particularly vulnerable to dial-through fraud, says Gus Hauptfleisch, a freelance telecommunications consultant based in London. "The security is often weaker in small organisations. Typically, the thieves will phone out of hours and wait to be switched through to the digital voice mail," he explains. "They then use a digital tone generator to activate the remote diagnostic facilities built into the digital exchange." Such hacking, which is used to make calls across the world, is estimated to cost British businesses millions of pounds annually. "All of the telecoms companies are aware of the problem, but it is notoriously difficult to get them to acknowledge its size or take responsibility," says Hauptfleisch. There is evidence that in the UK the situation has deteriorated in the past year. The Metropolitan police says fraud from inner-city shops offering cheap international calls is increasing; yet individual police forces are more reluctant than ever to mount investigations because of substantially increased charges that the communications companies now demand to help police enquiries. And it's allbecause of a little-known provision of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (Ripa). "As far as the involvement of the police are concerned, there are frequent requests for BT to disclose information, and in this case the request was for the incoming call records," BT's spokesman says. "It is not very widely known, but in all such cases there is a cost incurred." That is the 1,500 BT wanted to supply the records to police. So how does BT justify such a high cost for what must be an automated retrieval process? "That is the cost of providing the information," said the BT spokesman. "It is a matter for Kent police if they choose not to pay." A spokesman for Kent police confirmed that this was why the investigation was dropped. "With crimes of this sort we have to take a decision about which to investigate. Each case is looked at on its merits and in the light of policy guidelines. In this case the losses just did not justify the cost of the investigation." But where did that 1,500 figure come from? According to Kent police, the detective in charge of the investigation filed a "Ripa request", asking BT to provide the originating call data under a mechanism laid out in the act. "Some communications companies only charge us 40 for data released under the act, but as we understand it they are allowed to charge up to 1,500, and that is what BT did," said the Kent police spokesman. A spokesman for the Home Office confirmed that the wide discrepancy in charges to the police for exactly the same information from different communications companies was possible under the act. "The communications companies are not allowed to profit from the charges they levy but they are entitled to recover their costs," he said. Some communications companies, like BT, employ large numbers of staff and state-of-the-art equipment capable of tracing calls almost instantly, said the Home Office spokesman; others employ just one person and can take much longer to retrieve call data. In both cases the companies are allowed to recover the costs of staff and equipment, so the bills vary widely. The Home Office says there is no scale as charges as such, but neither is there a mechanism for police forces to appeal if they think they have been overcharged. BT controls the majority of the network so it is the major supplier under RIPA of both incoming call records and intercept data to the 2

3 police, MI5, MI6 and Defence Intelligence. But the different groups have different needs. The intelligence community wants information quickly, regardless of cost. BT has responded by setting up a fast but expensive surveillance service whose costs are recouped piecemeal. The police, with much higher volumes of simple inquiries, are far more cost conscious. BT's call investigation charges may thus subsidise complex intelligence operations by penalising run-of-themill police operations. Consequently, police forces are turning away legitimate complaints from people like Bradley because they can no longer afford the cost of the investigations - even though arguably someone who hacks into one phone exchange to make fraudulent calls is likely to do it many times. Catching them, even at an apparent 500 "loss", results in bigger savings for everyone else. Galling exploit What made the exploit particularly galling to Bradley and the telecommunications maintenance company that installed the exchange - one of the KX TDA range from Panasonic, the market leader in providing internal exchanges of fewer than 100 lines to small businesses - is that they thought it was secured. They had replaced the default passwords (which are often "admin" and "0000" or "1234") with a 16-character passcode. But another weakness remained. Modern digital exchanges are designed to be maintained remotely so engineers can alter configurations or set up new lines without making a site visit. Anyone with the appropriate maintenance software who has cracked the 16-character code can take command of an entire system without its users' knowledge. The engineer who maintained the Whirlwind WS system was stunned. "It never occurred to me that a small office in Ramsgate would not be secure behind a 16-digit access code," he said. But even a 16-character code isn't safe against modern crackers, explains Paul White, product development manager for business telephone systems at Panasonic UK. "There are plenty of free utilities off the internet that will do that for you," he says. "Most passwords are cracked by software that literally tries 1 through to 9 and then a1, a2, a3 and so on. If they have something that does that, then it is only a matter of time until the system is compromised." The only sure way to secure a modern digital exchange is to lock it down so that it can only be maintained remotely by an engineer calling from a single phone number that the host system has already been told about, says White. "If somebody is determined enough, then they can crack passwords because [engineers] do not secure anything completely." Many maintenance engineers do not seem to know how to properly secure exchanges, and their customers do not know about the potential vulnerability. If you have a maintenance contract with a company, then it should specify which party will foot the bill if the security is cracked. And the tools abound. Digital code crackers can be found with an internet search; so can the Panasonic PBX remote management software. It is perfectly legal to download either; a crime is only committed when someone tries to make a fraudulent call. BT says that it regularly monitors suspicious call patterns, and reported those it spotted on the Whirlwind system."mr Bradley owns the equipment which is not a BT supplied switch and it is, therefore, his responsibility to ensure its security," a spokesman added. 3

4 As for Bradley, the experience has left a sour taste. "It feels as though BT is withholding evidence and the police are more interested in balancing their books than preventing crimes. It stinks." By Michelle McCallum of the Remark Group Published on Tuesday 6 September :42 The on-going phone hacking scandal has made me nervous about the vulnerability of my own business what steps can I take to protect it? WE VE all seen the escalation of the phone hacking scandal in recent weeks with the revelation that it s not just the rich and famous who have been affected. Even those out of the headlines are at risk of falling foul of the fraudsters, and none more so than local businesses. You may be familiar with a recent news story about a company in Essex that had its automated switchboard hacked into through its answer phone message. The result of the hackers actions in using the phone line to make worldwide calls was a phone bill sent to the company for 3,000! However, there are a few simple but effective steps you can take to protect your business against this kind of fraud. So, how do they do it? Well, phone hackers know exactly what they are doing, and look for weaknesses in a company s telephone system to enable them to hack into it and use it for their own gain. As you would expect, this normally happens during the night or at a time when it is less likely the telephones will be answered. When the phone rings through to a voic , they then hack into the password and use that line. The general advice we offer to businesses trying to protect themselves would be never to use the default password on a voic and to change your password regularly, this applies to individual and group mail boxes. As an IT and telecommunications company, we work very closely with some of the top name communication providers who are able to pass on the very latest know-how to ourselves, and we in turn are able to advise the customers. Businesses can further protect themselves by asking their engineer or a company like ourselves to programme their voic to disable the dial out function. Next week Clare Eager from People HR looks at how working as a team can improve your performance. If you have got a business issue you would like addressing by one of our panel, send it to john.kralevich@peterboroughtoday.co.uk Read via the internet... PREMIUM RATE PHONE LINE SCAMS Non-investment fraud Protect Yourself Fixed line or premium rate fraud is when fraud is committed against telephone companies. Fixed line fraud can be done in a number of ways. In some cases, fraudsters gain access to a switchboard and sell other people the 4

5 ability to make calls through the switchboard. This is known as Dial Through Draft (DTF) or Direct Inward System Access Fraud (DISA). Fixed line fraud can include Premium Rate Service fraud, which is when fraudsters significantly increase the number of calls to a premium number so they can increase the revenue they receive from it. Call selling fraud is another form of fixed line fraud. This is when fraudsters take out a phone service and sell other people the ability to make calls through it. The fraudster has no intention of paying the bill. The final form of fixed line fraud involves fraudulent applications. In this type of fraud, the fraudster takes out a phone service in a false name and leaves a bad debt. If fraud has been committed, report it to Action Fraud. 5

6 SUPPLIER ACCOUNT TAKE OVER FRAUD An account takeover happens when a fraudster poses as a genuine customer, or supplier, gains control of an account and then makes unauthorized transactions. Any account could be taken over by fraudsters, including bank, credit card, and other service providers. This activity has now extended to supplier accounts. Organised criminals purport to be representatives of a genuine supplier company. The fraudsters send letters, facsimiles and/or s to accounts payable staff and request that the current bank details for genuine supplier companies are changed to bank accounts which the fraudsters have access to. Following that change, genuine business payments to that supplier are diverted to the fraudsters. The genuine supplier companies are unaware and it is only after they make contact with businesses in relation to nonreceipt of payment, that the fraud becomes apparent. Often by that time, the fraudsters have emptied the bank accounts that the monies were redirected to. The fraudsters target better known supplier companies, this is possibly as a result of tender documents or publicised creditor lists. Often addresses on letters submitted use domain extensions similar to that of the genuine companies, but which are in fact operated by the fraudsters. The fraudsters have called telephone switchboards of target companies asking for contact names responsible for authorising payments in order that correspondence is directed to the relevant staff members. Supplier details such as telephone numbers have been requested, presumably to be added to the fictitious requests to add authenticity. There are examples of the fraudsters telephoning target companies to chase payment, in the hope that some checks might not be carried out. Company Secretary, Finance Directors and other authorized contact details (including signatures) are generally correct almost certainly having been scanned from published information available from various sources including the Internet. What can you do? (P.I.E) PREVENT customers from falling victim to these scams, keep them apprised of the fact that you will not be changing your account details; should the need occur you will correspond with them in writing and in person. Identify lead staff members 6

7 with whom they can confer and confirm any new information. Inform your staff of the Supplier Account Take Over modus operandi; tell them to be alert to unusual s or telephone calls; where necessary ask them to make a timely record of the event where they consider it to be suspicious. Publicly identify the nature of your business and where appropriate, the fact that you do not deal in certain goods. INTELLIGENCE Scan the Internet, particularly websites that are used to sell goods or services your business provides. Ebay, Gumtree and Alibaba.com being examples. Actively pursue any information that a customer may pass on concerning correspondence they have received & are anxious about. where they purport to be your Company and carry on a business without your knowing; something that can undermine your hard earned reputation. MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR THEM AND THEY WILL LOOK ELSEWHERE. Web addresses Action Fraud Gumtree Ebay Alibaba ENFORCEMENT Insist on your staff / team adhering to these guidelines. Where you have been the victim of either an attempt or full scam take IMMEDIATE action to limit the effect. Apprise customers, put out a message on websites where they exist, utilise the Action Fraud reporting mechanism and / or report the matter to the most appropriate Law Enforcement Agency. The perpetrators of such crimes can have a very immediate effect on your business where payments are diverted from your legitimate accounts. More difficult to deal with is the scenario 7

White Paper Voice Fraud Monitoring

White Paper Voice Fraud Monitoring White Paper Voice Fraud Monitoring Executive Summary Voice Fraud is a growing concern in this country, with 98% of businesses which have experienced hacking also victims of Voice Fraud. The cost of the

More information

Protecting your business from some of the current fraud threats

Protecting your business from some of the current fraud threats Protecting your business from some of the current fraud threats This literature provides guidance on fraud prevention and is provided for information purposes only. Where noted the guidance provided has

More information

Preventing Telephone Fraud

Preventing Telephone Fraud We can help you to detect, and then prevent, many different types of Telephone Fraud More than 200 types of telecom fraud exist, and the methods of intrusion and theft of services are becoming ever-more

More information

PBX Fraud Information

PBX Fraud Information PBX Fraud Information Increasingly, hackers are gaining access to corporate phone and/or voice mail systems. These individuals place long distance and international calls through major telecom networks

More information

WHAT THE FRAUD? A Look at Telecommunications Fraud and Its Impacts

WHAT THE FRAUD? A Look at Telecommunications Fraud and Its Impacts WHAT THE FRAUD? A Look at Telecommunications Fraud and Its Impacts OUTLINE Overview...3 What is Telecom Fraud...4 Different Types of Fraud...5 A Look at the Top 5...6 What is a PBX... 10 PBX Hacking A

More information

PBX Security in the VoIP environment

PBX Security in the VoIP environment PBX Security in the VoIP environment Defending against telephony fraud Executive Summary In today s communications environment a voice network is just as likely to come under attack as a data network.

More information

Protecting your business against External Fraud

Protecting your business against External Fraud Monthly ebrief August 2012 Protecting your business against External Fraud Welcome to another edition of our monthly ebriefs, brought to you by Aquila Advisory, the boutique forensic accounting company.

More information

Protect Your Personal Information. Tips and tools to help safeguard you against identity theft

Protect Your Personal Information. Tips and tools to help safeguard you against identity theft Protect Your Personal Information Tips and tools to help safeguard you against identity theft Trademark of Visa International Service Association; Visa Canada Association is a licensed user. What is Identity

More information

Concept Note. powering the ROC. PBX Hacking. www.subex.com

Concept Note. powering the ROC. PBX Hacking. www.subex.com Concept Note powering the ROC PBX Hacking Introduction A PABX/PBX (Private (Automatic) Branch exchange) is telephone equipment that is installed on corporate premises to provide a number of telephone extensions

More information

CCT Telecomm offers the following tips to ensure your protection from phone fraud at your home or business:

CCT Telecomm offers the following tips to ensure your protection from phone fraud at your home or business: Fraud FAQs Telephone and Internet fraud happens every day. It rings up billions in fraudulent phone charges and victimizes millions of people a year. It can happen in public, in your home, at your business

More information

Protect Your Personal Information. Tips and tools to help safeguard you against identity theft

Protect Your Personal Information. Tips and tools to help safeguard you against identity theft Protect Your Personal Information Tips and tools to help safeguard you against identity theft Trademark of Visa International Service Association; Visa Canada Association is a licensed user. WHAT IS IDENTITY

More information

Fraud. Your guide to protecting yourself from fraud

Fraud. Your guide to protecting yourself from fraud Fraud Your guide to protecting yourself from fraud Kent Police is committed to protecting people from career criminals and fraudsters. This booklet has been designed to give you advice on how to protect

More information

Learn to protect yourself from Identity Theft. First National Bank can help.

Learn to protect yourself from Identity Theft. First National Bank can help. Learn to protect yourself from Identity Theft. First National Bank can help. Your identity is one of the most valuable things you own. It s important to keep your identity from being stolen by someone

More information

PBX Fraud Educational Information for PBX Customers

PBX Fraud Educational Information for PBX Customers PBX Fraud Educational Information for PBX Customers Telephone Hackers Hit Where It Hurts: Your Wallet Telephone hacking is unauthorized or fraudulent activities that can affect your telephone system, and

More information

Deception scams drive increase in financial fraud

Deception scams drive increase in financial fraud ADDRESS 2 Thomas More Square London E1W 1YN WEBSITE www.financialfraudaction.org.uk DIRECT LINE 020 3217 8436 NEWS RELEASE EMAIL press@ukcards-ffauk.org.uk Deception scams drive increase in financial fraud

More information

Driving License. National Insurance Number

Driving License. National Insurance Number STAR has teamed up with Prevention of Fraud in Travel (PROFiT) and the Fraud Intelligence Network (FIN) to offer our members the best advice about fraud prevention. We recognise the increasing threat of

More information

Protect yourself online

Protect yourself online Protect yourself online Advice from Nottinghamshire Police s Pre Crime Unit Get daily updates: www.nottinghamshire.police.uk www.twitter.com/nottspolice www.facebook.com/nottspolice www.youtube.com/nottinghampolice

More information

Identity Theft Protection

Identity Theft Protection Identity Theft Protection Email Home EDUCATION on DANGER ZONES Internet Payments Telephone ID theft occurs when someone uses your personal information with out your knowledge to commit fraud. Some terms

More information

Public Advisory: Special Report on COUNTERFEIT CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS

Public Advisory: Special Report on COUNTERFEIT CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS Public Advisory: Special Report on COUNTERFEIT CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS Summary In recent years, law enforcement and regulatory authorities in Canada and the United States have seen a substantial increase

More information

Preventing identity theft

Preventing identity theft Preventing identity theft About ENISA The European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) is an EU agency created to advance the functioning of the internal market. ENISA is a centre of excellence

More information

City of Geneva. Draft Under Review Approved Obsolete. Policy Number: 1.0. April 27, 2009. Effective Date: Last Revised Date: Responsible Office:

City of Geneva. Draft Under Review Approved Obsolete. Policy Number: 1.0. April 27, 2009. Effective Date: Last Revised Date: Responsible Office: 2009 1 City of Geneva Policy Number: Effective Date: Last Revised Date: Responsible Office: 1.0 April 28, 2009 April 27, 2009 Tammy Shuttleworth Status: Draft Under Review Approved Obsolete IDENTITY THEFT

More information

1. Any email requesting personal information, or asking you to verify an account, is usually a scam... even if it looks authentic.

1. Any email requesting personal information, or asking you to verify an account, is usually a scam... even if it looks authentic. Your identity is one of the most valuable things you own. It s important to keep your identity from being stolen by someone who can potentially harm your good name and financial well-being. Identity theft

More information

Business Email Compromise Scam

Business Email Compromise Scam Business Email Compromise Scam The FBI has issued a warning about a significant spike in victims and dollar losses stemming from an increasingly common scam in which crooks spoof communications from executives

More information

YOUR BANKING RELATIONSHIP WITH US. Personal Banking terms and conditions

YOUR BANKING RELATIONSHIP WITH US. Personal Banking terms and conditions YOUR BANKING RELATIONSHIP WITH US Personal Banking terms and conditions July 2015 Changes to your Bank Account or Savings Account Conditions We are making some changes to the conditions that apply to our

More information

INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF FRAUD CRIMES SCHERTZ POLICE DEPARTMENT

INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF FRAUD CRIMES SCHERTZ POLICE DEPARTMENT INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF FRAUD CRIMES SCHERTZ POLICE DEPARTMENT The following information is being provided to you as the result of you being the victim of a fraud crime. This information will provide

More information

CORPORATE IDENTITY FRAUD: A PRIMER

CORPORATE IDENTITY FRAUD: A PRIMER CORPORATE IDENTITY FRAUD: A PRIMER Hanim Norza Baba, Head of Graduate Studies Center, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Melaka, Malaysia. drhanimnorzababa@gmail.com ABSTRACT Corporate identity fraud occurs when

More information

Featurenet Embark. How to use your new service To make an external call press 9 followed by the telephone number. More power to you.

Featurenet Embark. How to use your new service To make an external call press 9 followed by the telephone number. More power to you. Featurenet Embark How to use your new service To make an external call press 9 followed by the telephone number Offices Worldwide The telecommunications services described in this publication are subject

More information

IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION PROGRAM

IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION PROGRAM IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION PROGRAM Contents Welcome... 3 Overview... 4 Definitions... 5 Red Flags... 6 Red Flag 1 Alerts, Notifications or Warnings from a Consumer Reporting Agency... 7 Red Flag 2 Suspicious

More information

Fraudulent accounts in collections: improve detection and reduce collector workload. An Experian briefing paper

Fraudulent accounts in collections: improve detection and reduce collector workload. An Experian briefing paper Fraudulent accounts in collections: improve detection and reduce collector workload An Experian briefing paper September 2010 1. The inter-relationship of fraud and collections The fraud and collections

More information

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CYBER SECURITY

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CYBER SECURITY SMALL BUSINESSES WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CYBER SECURITY ONE CLICK CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING SMALL BUSINESSES My reputation was ruined by malicious emails ONE CLICK CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING Cybercrime comes

More information

Post Office Personal Loans Terms & Conditions

Post Office Personal Loans Terms & Conditions Post Office Personal Loans Terms & Conditions 1. INTRODUCTION Post Office Personal Loans are provided by Bank of Ireland Personal Finance Limited. In this Agreement, we, Bank of Ireland Personal Finance

More information

Identity Theft Assistance Kit A self-help guide to protecting yourself and your identity

Identity Theft Assistance Kit A self-help guide to protecting yourself and your identity Identity Theft Assistance Kit A self-help guide to protecting yourself and your identity Stillman Bank works hard to serve and protect our customers identities and ensure their safety. That s why we have

More information

Welcome to your British Gas Business guide. Everything you need to know. Contract terms and conditions enclosed

Welcome to your British Gas Business guide. Everything you need to know. Contract terms and conditions enclosed Welcome to your British Gas Business guide Everything you need to know Contract terms and conditions enclosed Contents Welcome to your British Gas Business terms and conditions 1 Dedicated to you 1 Meanings

More information

Bacstel-IP. Customer Agreement for the Bacstel-IP Direct Service

Bacstel-IP. Customer Agreement for the Bacstel-IP Direct Service Bacstel-IP Customer Agreement for the Bacstel-IP Direct Service Customer Agreement for the Bacstel-IP Direct Service 1. INTRODUCTION This agreement relates to the provision of the Bacstel-IP Service (

More information

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. Identity Theft and You

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. Identity Theft and You Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada Identity Theft and You There have always been scammers who pose as somebody else to carry out fraudulent activities. With today s proliferation of technology,

More information

YOUR BANKING RELATIONSHIP WITH US. Personal Banking terms and conditions

YOUR BANKING RELATIONSHIP WITH US. Personal Banking terms and conditions YOUR BANKING RELATIONSHIP WITH US Personal Banking terms and conditions April 2014 This booklet contains the general conditions that apply to our personal bank accounts and some related services. Please

More information

Quick Reference User Guide

Quick Reference User Guide Quick Reference User Guide Introduction to your Featurephone Welcome The BT Versatility system is a very powerful business communication system that provides a comprehensive solution for both voice and

More information

1 Billion Individual records that were hacked in 2014 3.

1 Billion Individual records that were hacked in 2014 3. 783 Major data breaches in 204 up 27% from 203 2. Billion Individual records that were hacked in 204 3. 3 Fraud has changed The way we live and manage our finances today has changed radically from just

More information

Citi Identity Theft Solutions

Citi Identity Theft Solutions Identity Theft what you need to know Citi Identity Theft Solutions At Citi, we want to keep you informed about all of the issues that can affect your financial life. We re bringing you helpful information

More information

Tax Fraud and Identity Theft Frequently Asked Questions [Updated February 10, 2015] 4. WHAT CAN I DO TO PROTECT MYSELF FROM TAX FRAUD IN THE FUTURE?

Tax Fraud and Identity Theft Frequently Asked Questions [Updated February 10, 2015] 4. WHAT CAN I DO TO PROTECT MYSELF FROM TAX FRAUD IN THE FUTURE? 1. WHAT HAPPENED (2015 UPDATE)? Tax Fraud and Identity Theft Frequently Asked Questions [Updated February 10, 2015] 2. WHAT IS THE ARCHDIOCESE DOING ABOUT THIS? 3. WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATIONS?

More information

Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft

Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft Protecting Yourself from Identity Theft Guide 4 Because you don t have to be the next victim Desert Schools Money Matters Series Guiding you toward financial success Table of Contents How ID theft happens.............................

More information

Fraud Trends. HSBCnet Online Security Controls PUBLIC

Fraud Trends. HSBCnet Online Security Controls PUBLIC Fraud Trends HSBCnet Online Security Controls العربیة 文 En français En Español 繁 體 中 文 简 体 中 Contents Types of Fraud Malware Attacks Business E-mail Compromise Voice Phishing ( Vishing ) Short Message

More information

Giving us a meter reading when we begin supplying you is important. This reading lets us bill you accurately from the start.

Giving us a meter reading when we begin supplying you is important. This reading lets us bill you accurately from the start. Your contract will fixed be for either 12 or 24 months, depending on the contract length you sign up to, which means the standing charge and the price you pay for each unit of electricity you use will

More information

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM IDENTITY THEFT. The Office of the Attorney General of Maryland Identity Theft Unit

PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM IDENTITY THEFT. The Office of the Attorney General of Maryland Identity Theft Unit PROTECTING YOURSELF FROM IDENTITY THEFT The Office of the Attorney General of Maryland Identity Theft Unit CONTENTS 1) What is Identity Theft? 2) How to Protect Yourself From ID Theft. 3) How to Tell If

More information

Guide to credit card security

Guide to credit card security Contents Click on a title below to jump straight to that section. What is credit card fraud? Types of credit card fraud Current scams Keeping your card and card details safe Banking and shopping securely

More information

Small businesses: What you need to know about cyber security

Small businesses: What you need to know about cyber security Small businesses: What you need to know about cyber security March 2015 Contents page What you need to know about cyber security... 3 Why you need to know about cyber security... 4 Getting the basics right...

More information

Identity Theft PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION AND YOUR IDENTITY HIGHLIGHTS

Identity Theft PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION AND YOUR IDENTITY HIGHLIGHTS This publication is intended to provide general information only and is not a substitute for legal advice. HIGHLIGHTS 1 PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION AND YOUR IDENTITY 3 BE VIGILANT 3 CORRECTING INFORMATION

More information

BT Versatility Quick Reference

BT Versatility Quick Reference Quick Reference Introduction to your Featurephone Welcome The BT Versatility system is a very powerful business communication system that provides a comprehensive solution for both voice and data needs.

More information

When registering on a jobsite, first ensure that the site is reputable and has a physical address and landline phone number.

When registering on a jobsite, first ensure that the site is reputable and has a physical address and landline phone number. Job searching online has become the most popular method of finding employment. Searching for the type of job you want is fast and easy, and you can see new jobs as soon as employers / agencies post them.

More information

How To Protect Against Business Email Compromise Scams

How To Protect Against Business Email Compromise Scams Portfolio Media. Inc. 860 Broadway, 6th Floor New York, NY 10003 www.law360.com Phone: +1 646 783 7100 Fax: +1 646 783 7161 customerservice@law360.com How To Protect Against Business Email Compromise Scams

More information

Standard 9: The student will identify and explain consumer fraud and identity theft.

Standard 9: The student will identify and explain consumer fraud and identity theft. TEACHER GUIDE 9.2 FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT PAGE 1 Standard 9: The student will identify and explain consumer fraud and identity theft. Beware! Identity Theft Priority Academic Student Skills Personal Financial

More information

Bank Account Conditions.

Bank Account Conditions. Personal Banking Bank Account Conditions. Applicable from 30 July 2015. Bank Account Conditions. This booklet contains the general conditions that apply to our personal bank accounts and some related services.

More information

HOSTED VOIP. 61 Greenheys Business Centre Manchester Science Park Manchester M15 6JJ VOIP@PACK-NET.CO.UK 0845 004 4994

HOSTED VOIP. 61 Greenheys Business Centre Manchester Science Park Manchester M15 6JJ VOIP@PACK-NET.CO.UK 0845 004 4994 HOSTED VOIP 61 Greenheys Business Centre Manchester Science Park Manchester M15 6JJ // Hosted VoIP If you are looking for a fully managed telephony service to install into new premises or to replace or

More information

VOIP SECURITY: BEST PRACTICES TO SAFEGUARD YOUR NETWORK ======

VOIP SECURITY: BEST PRACTICES TO SAFEGUARD YOUR NETWORK ====== VOIP SECURITY: BEST PRACTICES TO SAFEGUARD YOUR NETWORK ====== Table of Contents Introduction to VoIP Security... 2 Meet Our Expert - Momentum Telecom... 2 BroadWorks... 2 VoIP Vulnerabilities... 3 Call

More information

Safeguard your business against fraud.

Safeguard your business against fraud. Safeguard your business against fraud. 1 Corporate fraud What is in this document? 1 Corporate fraud 3 What is in this document? How to use this document? 2 Social Engineering or CEO fraud 4 What is it?

More information

Featureline. Site User Guide To make an external call press 9 followed by the telephone number

Featureline. Site User Guide To make an external call press 9 followed by the telephone number Featureline Site User Guide To make an external call press 9 followed by the telephone number Call forwarding for when I m out and about - well that s a real bonus We find it s the best way of dealing

More information

INTRODUCTION. Identity Theft Crime Victim Assistance Kit

INTRODUCTION. Identity Theft Crime Victim Assistance Kit Identity Theft Crime Victim Assistance Kit INTRODUCTION In the course of a busy day, you may write a check at the grocery store, charge tickets to a ball game, rent a car, mail your tax returns, change

More information

Our agreement with you

Our agreement with you Our agreement with you Virgin Credit Card Terms CREDIT CARD AGREEMENT REGULATED BY THE CONSUMER CREDIT ACT 1974 You can ask us for a copy of this agreement at any time. 1. Who provides the credit card?

More information

Fraud Advice for Businesses

Fraud Advice for Businesses Fraud Advice for Businesses What is Fraud? Fraud is a crime in which some kind of deception is used for personal gain. Fraud is sometimes also referred to by other names such as a scam or con. Businesses

More information

Could you spot a scammer?

Could you spot a scammer? Could you spot a scammer? Keeping you safe and secure Fraud can affect anyone whatever your background, age or experience And attempts can come in all shapes and sizes over the phone, on the internet or

More information

Online Fraud and Identity Theft Guide. A Guide to Protecting Your Identity and Accounts

Online Fraud and Identity Theft Guide. A Guide to Protecting Your Identity and Accounts A Guide to Protecting Your Identity and Accounts As part of SunTrust s commitment to protecting your accounts and identity, we ve created the Online Fraud & Identity Theft Guide, which provides information

More information

Identity Protection Guide. The more you know, the better you can protect yourself.

Identity Protection Guide. The more you know, the better you can protect yourself. Identity Protection Guide The more you know, the better you can protect yourself. Be Aware According to a 2012 report, identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America 1 and it can have serious

More information

Beware! Identity Theft

Beware! Identity Theft STUDENT MODULE 9.2 FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT PAGE 1 Standard 9: The student will identify and explain consumer fraud and identity theft. Beware! Identity Theft Imagine getting a letter from the Internal

More information

MOTLOW STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

MOTLOW STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE Page 1 of 5 MOTLOW STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SUBJECT: FACTA Red Flag Rule and Identity Theft Prevention Program I. BACKGROUND In late 2007 the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Federal banking agencies

More information

IMPORTANT ACCOUNT INFORMATION FOR OUR CUSTOMERS from. The Roscoe State Bank 117 Cypress St. Roscoe, TX 79545 (325)766-3311

IMPORTANT ACCOUNT INFORMATION FOR OUR CUSTOMERS from. The Roscoe State Bank 117 Cypress St. Roscoe, TX 79545 (325)766-3311 IMPORTANT ACCOUNT INFORMATION FOR OUR CUSTOMERS from The Roscoe State Bank 117 Cypress St. Roscoe, TX 79545 (325)766-3311 ELECTRONIC FUND TRANSFERS YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Indicated below are

More information

Sending money abroad. Plain text guide

Sending money abroad. Plain text guide Sending money abroad Plain text guide Contents Introduction 2 Ways to make international payments 3 Commonly asked questions 5 What is the cost to me of sending money abroad? 5 What is the cost to the

More information

Identity Theft, Fraud & You. Prepare. Protect. Prevent.

Identity Theft, Fraud & You. Prepare. Protect. Prevent. Prepare. Protect. Prevent. Identity Theft, Fraud & You Fraud and identity theft incidents claimed fewer victims in 2010 than in previous years. But don t get too comfortable. Average out-of-pocket consumer

More information

PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR IDENTITY CHASE IDENTITY THEFT TOOL KIT

PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR IDENTITY CHASE IDENTITY THEFT TOOL KIT PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR IDENTITY CHASE IDENTITY THEFT TOOL KIT At Chase, we work hard to pro v help prepare you for whatever h Convenient Reference for Important Contacts: Chase Identity Theft Center

More information

TELECOM FRAUD CALL SCENARIOS

TELECOM FRAUD CALL SCENARIOS TELECOM FRAUD CALL SCENARIOS Contents Introduction to Telecom Fraud... 2 Three Major Categories of Telecom Fraud... 2 Premium Rate Numbers... 2 Traffic Pumping Schemes... 2 Call Forwarding Fraud... 3 Multiple

More information

A Guide to Information Technology Security in Trinity College Dublin

A Guide to Information Technology Security in Trinity College Dublin A Guide to Information Technology Security in Trinity College Dublin Produced by The IT Security Officer & Training and Publications 2003 Web Address: www.tcd.ie/itsecurity Email: ITSecurity@tcd.ie 1 2

More information

Guidance on data security breach management

Guidance on data security breach management Guidance on data security breach management Organisations which process personal data must take appropriate measures against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss, destruction

More information

Communication Choices

Communication Choices Communication Choices Dealing with unwanted calls on your BT line Call control Peace of mind bt.com/unwantedcalls Contents Dealing with unwanted phone calls... 3 Marketing and sales calls... 4 Silent calls...

More information

Your Optus Local Access Telephony User Guide.

Your Optus Local Access Telephony User Guide. Your Optus Local Access Telephony User Guide. Full of handy hints. P/N 202-10819-02 4114645E 04/11 4114645E 0411 166323.indd 1 Welcome It s great to have you with us and we ll certainly do all we can to

More information

Featureline and Featureline Corporate

Featureline and Featureline Corporate Featureline and Featureline Corporate Site User Guide Offices worldwide The telecommunications services described in this publication are subject to availability and may be modified from time to time.

More information

Identity Theft. Protecting Yourself and Your Identity. Course objectives learn about:

Identity Theft. Protecting Yourself and Your Identity. Course objectives learn about: financialgenius.usbank.com Course objectives learn about: Avoiding Identity Theft Recognize Phishing Attempts Getting Help for ID Theft Victims Identity Theft Protecting Yourself and Your Identity Index

More information

When visiting online banking's sign-on page, your browser establishes a secure session with our server.

When visiting online banking's sign-on page, your browser establishes a secure session with our server. The privacy of communications between you (your browser) and our servers is ensured via encryption. Encryption scrambles messages exchanged between your browser and our online banking server. How Encryption

More information

Protecting Yourself Against Identity Theft. Identity theft is a serious. What is Identity Theft?

Protecting Yourself Against Identity Theft. Identity theft is a serious. What is Identity Theft? Protecting Yourself Against Identity Theft Identity theft is a serious crime. Identity theft happens when someone steals your personal information and uses it without your permission. It is a growing threat

More information

Practical guide for secure Christmas shopping. Navid

Practical guide for secure Christmas shopping. Navid Practical guide for secure Christmas shopping Navid 1 CONTENTS 1. Introduction 3 2. Internet risks: Threats to secure transactions 3 3. What criteria should a secure e-commerce page meet?...4 4. What security

More information

Beat Bad Debt. How to tame the beast. You don t want to wrestle with your accounts receivable. You just want to tame them. Debt Recovery Service

Beat Bad Debt. How to tame the beast. You don t want to wrestle with your accounts receivable. You just want to tame them. Debt Recovery Service MYOB customers Exclusive guide for Debt Recovery Service Beat Bad Debt How to tame the beast You don t want to wrestle with your accounts receivable. You just want to tame them. Ten Rules for Minimising

More information

Conditions for Intamac Home Monitoring Service via the Internet

Conditions for Intamac Home Monitoring Service via the Internet CONTENTS 1. Interpretation 2. The Service 3. Duration 4. Our Commitment 5. Getting Started 6. Making Sure the Service is Secure 7. Things we May Have to Do 8. Repairing Faults in the Service 9. Paying

More information

Identity Theft Assistance: Information for Recovering Your Good Name

Identity Theft Assistance: Information for Recovering Your Good Name Identity Theft Assistance: Information for Recovering Your Good Name I Could Be A Victim of Identity Theft! What Do I Do Next? We understand that you may have been a victim of identity theft. Enclosed

More information

Brief on Did GCHQ Spy on You Illegally?

Brief on Did GCHQ Spy on You Illegally? Brief on Did GCHQ Spy on You Illegally? Privacy International on Monday launched a campaign and platform allowing people to ask the UK s surveillance court, the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, if GCHQ spied

More information

I know what is identity theft but how do I know if mine has been stolen?

I know what is identity theft but how do I know if mine has been stolen? What is identity theft? You might hear stories on the news about stolen identities, but what is identity theft? When someone uses the personal information that identifies you, like your name, credit card

More information

Cyber Security Breakout Session. Ed Rosenberg, Vice President & Chief Security Officer, BMO Financial Group Legal, Corporate & Compliance Group

Cyber Security Breakout Session. Ed Rosenberg, Vice President & Chief Security Officer, BMO Financial Group Legal, Corporate & Compliance Group Cyber Security Breakout Session Ed Rosenberg, Vice President & Chief Security Officer, BMO Financial Group Legal, Corporate & Compliance Group December 2014 Disclaimer: The material in this presentation

More information

BT Calling Features User Guide. Make more of your phone

BT Calling Features User Guide. Make more of your phone BT Calling Features User Guide Make more of your phone Index Page Never miss another call 2/3 Call Diversion Call Waiting Ring Back 1471 BT Answer 1571 Keep in control of your calls 4/5 Call Barring Anonymous

More information

FIXED SERVICE SCHEDULE LANDLINE SERVICE. The following additional terms and conditions apply to the provision of the Landline Service.

FIXED SERVICE SCHEDULE LANDLINE SERVICE. The following additional terms and conditions apply to the provision of the Landline Service. FIXED SERVICE SCHEDULE LANDLINE SERVICE The following additional terms and conditions apply to the provision of the Landline Service. 1 DEFINITIONS In this Service Schedule, in addition to those terms

More information

PCI Compliance for Healthcare

PCI Compliance for Healthcare PCI Compliance for Healthcare Best practices for securing payment card data In just five years, criminal attacks on healthcare organizations are up by a stunning 125%. 1 Why are these data breaches happening?

More information

IDENTITY THEFT VICTIMS: IMMEDIATE STEPS

IDENTITY THEFT VICTIMS: IMMEDIATE STEPS IDENTITY THEFT VICTIMS: IMMEDIATE STEPS If you are a victim of identity theft, take the following four steps as soon as possible, and keep a record with the details of your conversations and copies of

More information

Preventing identity theft

Preventing identity theft Preventing identity theft February 10 Train the trainer reference guide 2 Preventing identity theft: Train the trainer reference guide About ENISA The European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA)

More information

TOLL FRAUD POLICIES AND PREVENTION

TOLL FRAUD POLICIES AND PREVENTION TOLL FRAUD POLICIES AND PREVENTION What is Toll Fraud? Toll Fraud is the theft of long-distance service. It s the unauthorized use of phone lines, services or equipment to make long distance calls. When

More information

on behalf of the National Retail Federation before the

on behalf of the National Retail Federation before the Testimony of Amy Hanson President FACS Group, Inc. Financial, Administrative Credit Services (A Subsidiary of Federated Department Stores, Inc.) Mason, Ohio on behalf of the National Retail Federation

More information

Identity Theft Simple ways to keep your sensitive information safe.

Identity Theft Simple ways to keep your sensitive information safe. Keep yourself safe from Identity Theft Simple ways to keep your sensitive information safe. Be Aware Identity theft is the number one consumer fraud perpetrated on unsuspecting citizens. In 2011, nearly

More information

Identity Theft Prevention Program

Identity Theft Prevention Program Smyth County Policy Identity Theft Prevention Program Purpose The purpose of the program is to establish an Identity Theft Prevention Program designed to detect, prevent and mitigate identity theft in

More information

Cybercrime: risks, penalties and prevention

Cybercrime: risks, penalties and prevention Cybercrime: risks, penalties and prevention Cyber attacks have been appearing in the news with increased frequency and recent victims of cybercrime have included well-known companies such as Sony, LinkedIn,

More information

Standard 9: The student will identify and explain consumer fraud and identity theft.

Standard 9: The student will identify and explain consumer fraud and identity theft. TEACHER GUIDE 9.1 FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT PAGE 1 Standard 9: The student will identify and explain consumer fraud and identity theft. Beware! Consumer Fraud Priority Academic Student Skills Personal Financial

More information

Protect Your Identity

Protect Your Identity Protect Your Identity What Is Identity Theft? The short answer is that identity theft is a crime. Identity theft and identity fraud are terms used to refer to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully

More information

Learning and Development

Learning and Development Learning and Development OpenStage 15 Train the Trainer Training Notes Siemens Enterprise Communications Limited TELEPHONE SYSTEMS SECURITY GUIDANCE NOTES Introduction Toll fraud and Hacking is a multi-dollar

More information

incovo incovo Guide: Top 10 Phone System Features for Business September 2015 www.incovo.com communicate smarter, interact better

incovo incovo Guide: Top 10 Phone System Features for Business September 2015 www.incovo.com communicate smarter, interact better incovo Guide: September 2015 Introduction Thank you for downloading the incovo guide to The Top 10 Features for a Business Phone System where we will run through the quintessentials requirements to consider

More information

first direct credit card terms

first direct credit card terms first direct credit card terms 1 Definitions These are the definitions used in this Agreement: : a transfer to the Account of an amount you owe to another lender (who is not a member of the HSBC Group)

More information