Identity theft is a growing problem in Honolulu and the rest of the United States. Thieves steal personal information; many use it for their personal gain and others simply sell it to other criminals. Typically, they use others’ personal information to obtain cash and credit cards. In Part 1 of this series, we’ll discuss the thieves’ extensive use of the internet and other ploys they use to steal your private information. In Parts 2 and 3, we’ll cover some preventive measures you can take to protect your personal information.
Phishing – This is accomplished by sending an email to you claiming to be from your bank, PayPal or eBay, or another online service. The email asks you to click on a link and enter your personal information.
Spoofing and Pharming – Thieves redirect legitimate website traffic to an imposter site, where they ask unwitting victims to enter personal information.
Spyware – It is very common for people to mistakenly download illicit software and accidentally click on a pop-up. This opens the door for thieves to steal your credit card numbers and passwords by accessing information on your computer hard drive.
Vishing - ”Voice phishing” is facilitated by using Voice over IP to gain access to your personal and financial information.
Bank card skimming – Thieves add a fake ATM slot and camera to a legitimate cash machine so they can copy your account information. Servers at restaurants can also be armed with a portable card reader.
If you are concerned that you are an identity theft victim, go to the Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft website for more information.
