I've Been Mugged

7 Tips To Avoid A Rejected Credit Card During Vacation Travel

2013-05-06T08:58:00-04:00

Today, banks are more vigilant than ever about spotting potential fraud. One way banks spot potential fraud includes charges outside of the cardholder's normal usage pattern -- the area where you live, work, and use your credit card. Often, when consumers go on vacation you intentionally travel outside of your...

Search The Web's Nooks And Crannies To Find Connected Devices

2013-05-02T08:58:00-04:00

Most people believe that when they use one of the popular search engines (e.g., Bing, Google, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo), that they have effectively searched the entire Internet. That belief is erroneous for a couple reasons. CNN Money has a good report about the Shodan search engine, which was developed specifically to...

Visa Survey Claims Consumers Lose $1 A Day In Cash

2013-04-30T08:58:00-04:00

While surfing the web recently, I ran across a news item at Talking Payments, a website for people and companies (e.g., banks, retailers, card issuers, payment processors, etc.) interested in digital payments. The TP news item mentioned a study by Visa that consumers lose, on average, about $1.00 a day....

Chicago Theft Ring Received Sentences For Card Skimming Crimes

2013-04-29T08:58:00-04:00

In a Chicago court, several defendants were sentenced for card skimming thefts and fraud. The sentences ranged from six years of prison time for the ringleader to two years of probation for other members of the theft ring. The thieves, working with employees at several fast-food restaurants in Chicago, had...

Former Employee At Web Hosting Service Arrested And Charged With Felony Computer Breaches

2013-04-25T08:58:00-04:00

Ars Technica reported that Eric Gunnar Gisse, a former Hostgator employee, has been arrested and charged with felony computer breaches. Gisse allegedly used his position to install secret code that allowed him unauthorized, "back door" access to more than 2,700 Internet-connected computer servers. Gisse, of San Antonio, Texas is being...

ACLU Files FTC Complaint Against Mobile Carriers About Smartphone Security Failures

2013-04-23T08:58:00-04:00

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a complaint via the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against several mobile carriers for: "... failing to warn their customers about unpatched security flaws in the software running on their phones... running versions of Google’s Android operating system. Unfortunately, the vast majority...

Hacker Sentenced To Prison For Sony Data Breach

2013-04-22T08:58:00-04:00

You may remember a series of data breaches during 2011 at Sony Online Entertainment and the Sony Playstation Network. ComputerWorld reported that 25-year-old Cody Andrew Kretzinger was sentenced to one year plus one day in prison for his role in the May 2011 hack into Sony Picture's systems and databases....

April 20 Is 'Secure Your ID Day'

2013-04-19T09:58:00-04:00

April 20, 2013 is "Secure Your ID Day." To learn more about how you can protect yourself and your sensitive personal information, visit the Better Business Bureau website. The site lists participating BBB groups in various states. If you can't attend a local event, then browse these tips and suggestions...

Update: Schnucks Data Breach Exposed 2.4 Million Cards

2013-04-17T08:58:00-04:00

Back in March 2013, this blog reported about the Schnucks supermarket data breach. On Monday, the St. Louis Business Journal reported: "Over a three-month period, up to 2.4 million credit and debit cards used at 79 Schnucks stores may have been compromised..." Two civiil lawsuits have been filed against the...

How To Help After Yesterday's Boston Marathon Bombing

2013-04-16T12:58:00-04:00

I live and work in Boston, Massachusetts. So the horrible event on Monday has hit close to home. I live in the same area of the city as the 8-year-old victim and his family. For me, it feels like 9-11 and the Challenger disaster all rolled up together. A few...

Consumers Advised To Be Wary Of Prepaid Card Protections

2013-04-15T08:58:00-04:00

If you haven't read it, there is an article by Sheila Blair in USA Today. Blair is a chairwoman at the FDIC and also a senior adviser to the Pew Charitable Trusts. If you use a prepaid card, then this article is a must-read. If you are considering a prepaid...

The CFPB Accepts Complaints From Consumers About Money Transfers

2013-04-11T08:58:00-04:00

If you are like most people these days, your transfer or "wire" money to people or companies. It's a fast, easy way to send money to somebody in another state or country. Sometimes, consumers encounter problems when transferring money. The company involved performing the transfer may have made a mistake,...