I've Been Mugged

Lawsuit Alledges Netflix Violated The Video Protection Privacy Act

2009-12-23T08:58:00-05:00

I like the Netflix service. It's a convenient, inexpensive method to watch movies. I have been a happy customer for several years. I was distressed to read this in the MediaPost Daily Examiner: "When Netflix released a trove of "anonymized" information about consumers as part of a contest for a...

Heartland To Pay American Express $3.6 Million For Breach

2009-12-22T08:58:00-05:00

Last week, PC World reported: "Heartland Payment Systems will pay American Express US$3.6 million to settle charges relating to the 2008 hacking of its payment system network. This is the first settlement Heartland has reached with a card brand since disclosing the incident in January of this year." Heartland processes...

ID Watchdog and InComm To Jointly Produce New Identity Theft Products For Consumers

2009-12-21T08:58:00-05:00

I found this video interesting: After watching the video, I visited the ID Watchdog web site to learn more about their service. My first interaction with the site was a positive one. I found it easy to read and easy to understand the identity protection services it provides. ID Watchdog...

Credit Smart Consumers

2009-12-17T08:58:00-05:00

11 Reasons Why Data Security Is Good For Profits

2009-12-14T08:58:00-05:00

At Law Technology News, David Bender has compiled a good list of reasons why it is profitable for companies to focus on good data security and privacy during tough economic times: Reduced customer churn Reduced risk of damage from contractor malfeasance Avoidance of the monetary cost associated with a data...

Understanding Corporate Executives' Double-Speak

2009-12-13T11:58:00-05:00

I've worked in Corporate America for more than 30 years. That has included both large, multinational Fortune 500 corporations to small 40-person firms. I have found that the language in the video below is consistent throughout. And, you'll find much of the same language in corporate breach notification letters. Enjoy!

Good News For Bloggers!

2009-12-12T11:58:00-05:00

eMarketer summarized the results of a recent study by Technorati of bloggers worldwide. I found these results particularly interesting: "... most are men, ages 18 to 44, affluent and well-educated. About one-quarter work for a traditional media outlet in addition to blogging, and most still don’t make any money from...

Mugged By The Health Care System

2009-12-11T08:58:00-05:00

This is one of those times when I must deviate from the usual identity-theft content and discuss something more important. I encourage you to read the Matter of Life, Death article in the St. Petersburg Times newspaper. The author is a close friend of mine who I have known since...

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit About Express Scripts Breach

2009-12-10T08:58:00-05:00

Last week, SC Magazine reported: "A federal judge has dismissed a Missouri man's lawsuit against pharmacy benefit management firm Express Scripts, which suffered a data breach that exposed sensitive customer data. John Amburgy alleged that Express Scripts was negligent because it did not secure its database, leaving the system vulnerable...

Update On The Health Net Breach

2009-12-09T08:58:00-05:00

The Arizona Attorney General acted first after 1.5 million consumer records were exposed or stolen during this data breach. Earlier this week, the Hartford Business Journal reported: "Attorney General Richard Blumenthal says a missing disk containing confidential data on almost 450,000 Health Net patients in Connecticut may have been stolen,...

Beware Of Phishing Emails About Fake CDC Flu Vaccination Registrations

2009-12-08T08:58:00-05:00

An important notice for consumers so you do not get "mugged" during the flu season. The Centers For Disease Control published an advisory for consumers: "CDC has received reports of fraudulent emails (phishing) referencing a CDC sponsored State Vaccination Program. The messages request that users must create a personal H1N1...

In-Flight WiFi Service Presents Usability Problem During Sign-Up

2009-12-07T08:58:00-05:00

While flying between Boston and Los Angeles last week on business, I had the opportunity to use the in-flight WiFi service offered on Virgin America. The WiFi service is GoGo, which turns the entire plane into a flying hot-spot. The WiFi service is free on Virgin America until January 15,...