Author: Nikki Junker

privacy

Thought Leadership

That’s Not My Blood Type: Financial Medical Identity Theft

Consumers are usually surprised to find out how far reaching identity theft can be. It can affect many different parts of a victim’s life. One growing form is medical identity theft, which is often difficult to deal with due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and other privacy laws. Even within the category of medical identity theft, there are multiple forms of the crime. Read on for some basic information on one form of medical identity theft called financial medical identity theft, and also the process for cleaning up the mess.

mobile apps

Thought Leadership

Smartphone Safety and Tax Apps

Filing your taxes? There’s an app for that. Actually, there are a few apps for that. These days time is a precious commodity and the ability to file your taxes through your Smartphone seems like a dream come true. You are now able to snap a picture of your W-2 with your Smartphone, have the information automatically entered and then submitted to the federal government. It doesn’t get much easier than that. Convenience though, often goes hand in hand with a lower level of security and these Smartphone apps are no exception. In order to understand the risks of using these apps one must look at just what is available, what the risks of usage are, and how to protect oneself.

taxes

Thought Leadership

Protecting Yourself While Filing Your Taxes Online

There are actually four “tax times” throughout the year, but for most people April 15th is “THE tax time.” It can be a very stressful time of year and the last thing you need to worry about is identity theft. While figuring out if that new pair of shoes could be a “business expense” may have you pulling your hair out, taking some simple precautions can help you avoid having your identity stolen. Follow these precautions to help ensure that finishing your taxes is a time to celebrate, not a time to start worrying.

children

Thought Leadership

Internet Safety: Social Networking Sites for Children

It is a time-honored tradition that children want to do exactly what their older counterparts are doing. A trip into the makeup drawer or a game of paintball may not prove to be troublesome, but the new area that kids are exploring is social networking. Unfortunately, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are often not the safest places for children. Sensing a new marketing opportunity, many companies have developed social networking sites designed just for children. These new sites have applications for parental controls and age-appropriate games. And the best of these sites are Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) compliant

online safety

Thought Leadership

Keeping Your Kids Safe Online

Keeping kids safe has always been a difficult task, but with the advances in technology moving so quickly it has become even more difficult. Not only is the age-old issue of children wanting their independence and privacy present, but sometimes it seems like kids are speaking another language when they talk about the latest innovation in social networking. Parents do not need to have a degree in Computer Science to keep their children away from most danger on the internet. Keeping kids safe while online is a huge priority for most people and there are many ways parents can take advantage of pre-existing settings and tested methods to keep their young ones away from danger.

college student

Thought Leadership

College Students and Identity Theft: Ways to Help Protect Yourself

College is supposed to be fun. It is a time many look back upon with smiles and fond memories. Of course, final exams and uppity professors can put a temporary cramp in an otherwise extended party. The last thing a college student wants to worry about is their identity being stolen. However, with 24% of all identity theft complaints being in the 18-29 year old age bracket, it is a reality college students need to be prepared for. Read on to learn about simple protective measures that can make a significant difference in protecting your teen’s belongings and personal identifying information.

baby

Thought Leadership

Child Identity Theft: My Three Year Old Bought a Car?

Child identity theft occurs when a minor’s identity is used by another person for personal gain. The perpetrator may be a family member or someone known by the family. It could also be a complete stranger who purposely targets children. Because of the lengthy time between the theft of the information and the discovery of the crime, children are a primary target for identity thieves. The period between malicious use of the identity and discovery of that use can be many years, usually happening when the child reaches 18 and starts to establish their own credit file.

geotagging

Thought Leadership

The Dangers of Geotagging and What You Can Do to Protect Yourself

So you take pictures with your smartphone and post them online. What’s the worst thing that could happen? What personal information could possibly be exposed? Where’s the threat? Unfortunately, even as careful as some people may be about sharing personal information online, they may be unwittingly exposing information through a process called “geotagging.” Geotagging is the embedding of geospatial information into media files.

dislike

Thought Leadership

Is That Really Your Face…book?

Many people spend a lot of time on Facebook, often “chatting” with friends. But are you really chatting with your friends? Facebook hacking is becoming more prevalent. Here are some warning signs that friends’ accounts have been hacked, and tips to help you avoid becoming a victim too.

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