I Was Hacked!

I Was Hacked!

by

Sue Krippner-32580

I Was Hacked and my Identity was stolen.

Now, if you knew me (mother of 4 grandmother of 8) you would know that I am an intelligent, talented, (High School teacher) and educated woman. I am not stupid, foolish or ignorant so imagine my shock when I discovered it. In this article you will learn: The difference between a burglary and a robbery – and why it makes a difference in law enforcement. How internet thieves get into your computer What they can do with the information they steal How internet identity theft can mess you your life What you can do to protect yourself So, let’s start by defining the difference between a “burglary and a robbery.” A burglar is someone who breaks into your personal world, be it a house, car, motor home, locker etc. but, does not use violence to accomplish this dirty deed. No gun, knives or weapon of any sort has been used against you or any one in the vicinity. It other words, these are the guys that take your stuff when you are out running errands or vacationing. A Robber however is someone who will not hesitate to use violent means to get whatever he wants. Remember in the movie Home Alone starring McCally Caulkin…he was, by accident, left on his own while his parents and siblings were off on a Christmas vacation? The movie is funny but the bumbling idiots stalking the place expecting to break in and grab – suddenly escalated things into a robbery situation when they discovered the kid inside. Why is this definition important? Primarily – Police officers treat their response time differently due to the fact that no one is being threatened or physically harmed. 3 Years ago, after running errands for less than 2 hours…I returned to my new home, in my new neighborhood to find the place ransacked! Everything gone – electronics, DVD’s, heirloom jewelry, loose change, even my bed spread they used to drag the stuff out with. I couldn’t understand why my frantic call to the police was greeted with a sluggish -“Ma’am we will place your call on the waiting list – You see, there are more serious situations our officers need to attend to.” 9 hours later they show up at my door step with a 2 reason explanation for their delay. What were those reasons? 1. I had moved into an area so saturated with crime they couldn’t keep up (thanks realtor). 2. I was in no physical threat. And so it goes with identity theft…unless you are a big multi-million dollar corporation in which ton’s of personal information has been dowloaded and lost there is limited concern and energy directed toward cyber crime. Why? No physical threat and it’s growing at such an enormous pace the authorities are having a difficult time keeping up. Combine the above facts with how savvy and hi-tech these identity thieves are – it’s like choosing to walk down a dark and lonely alley every time you choose to use your computer to access the internet. Jim Doyle a recognized expert on internet crime says: “The likelihood of becoming a victim of identity theft via on online attack is growing as Hackers are becoming more and more persistent and difficult to stop.” Not only are they getting smarter – as the World Wide Web expands – so does their reach. 10 years ago few families had computers in their homes…today it is a fixture and an important tool in our culture. The more we search, shop, and download on line the more information they can access. How do they do this? By latching on like a big fat parasite like tick to your most innocent online activities such as: Sharing a website Sending an Email attachment Hiding code in “free” software you download Masking code behind images/pictures in a web page you are visiting Tracking the information you enter when making puchases through the internet Not only can they get – in they can do a lot of damage – I know because it happened to me! But before I get to that…let’s look at the more common virus types: The Virus – this little guy is basically a computer prank – more popular in the 80’s but not too long ago I had one introduced to my computer. It gets into your system and can make it do spastic things like make music, strange noises or freeze your computer. The Worm – This thing just eats and destroys like something from a sci-fi horror movie. Get one of these in your system – it’s gonna slow down your hard drive and probably cost ya to repair it. The Trojan Horse – Designed to open up the security doors of your computer to let the flies in. Not known for damaging your computer – just accessing. Spyware – We’ve all heard of this one – this chick is created to gather information about how you surf the internet – then that information, is sold to marketers and advertisers..there is huge money in this. Adware – Similar to Spyware in that it also tracks your personal information but delivers it to a much boarder information base…ever wonder where all that junk email comes from? The Big Dog Of them all is known as the KEY STROKE MONITOR – this guy is a bully in the worst way. It’s designed specifically to track banking, credit card transactions, and seek out passwords for one purpose only – to steal and use your personal valuable information. Then, you also have the more overt cyber thieves – these are the ones that phishing scams like “You’ve won the Lottery” or “For Security Reasons validate your Id Now” But that’s a topic for another article. So here’s my story: Each morning after I grab that first come of fresh java I do three things religiously. Check my emails, stock standings, and the ol’ bank account. Well not too long ago, after smiling at the first two and watching the pretty finch that just landed on my deck, I casually type in my Id password, scroll down my bank accounts and… WHAT THE HECK!? A substantial amount of money has been transferred to a “CD” without any initiation from me. While I’m on the phone with the bank representative – she informs me that while we are speaking – another amount is being moved. This was identity theft – live and in person! This was just one example of what can be done once a person’s identification has been stolen – they can also: Go on spending sprees using your identity Open credit card accounts and destroy your credit Buy Cars – yes, they can and have Set up phone and wireless accounts in your name Get loans and even mortgages Crash your Hard drive out of spite Oh, and let’s not forget… Drain Your Bank Account! I was lucky – my obsessive habit caught the theft before my money was untraceable. Just as a side note – though the bank could track the transfer to a “little old ladies” inactive account in Florida – they informed me that to track the criminals was “impossible”. Which leads me back to the original point of this article – to inform and warn. If you have not taken defensive action with your computer then assuredly YOU ARE WALKING ON AN IDENTITY THEFT TIGHT ROPE! Having my identity stolen to transfer money was bad enough but I also had to clean up the mess to protect myself from further assaults. Research reveals the average time it takes to repair the damage done by cyber crime is approximately 330 hours of tracking transactions, canceling credit cards, monitoring and stopping strange charges, closing old internet accounts and creating new log in passwords. The reporting process also includes notifying the Social Security office and all credit reporting companies to alert them to further possible fraud. In other words it is a pain in the neck!! Believe me – I know! So Now – Let’s get to the Good Stuff – Solutions and Protection 101 or “What I Learned after the Fact” 1. NEVER us cyber cafe’s or local hotspots to do important internet business. NEVER! It’s like leaving your door wide open when you go on vacation. Open invitation for theft. 2. Always use An Internet Firewall – most computer manufacturers take this problem seriously and provide a free limited version of some sort of firewall — this is a good start – but not enough protection. 3. Keep your computer updated – also a limited cautionary strategy but keep in mind the older the system the easier the hacking 4. Invest in an Anti Virus software product…more specifically match the product to your use habits. One size does not fit all when it comes to computer protection. For example, if you shop a lot on the internet consider software that is designed specifically for shoppers. Other examples of software complimenting your use: gaming, information, music and video downloads all require a different type protection. Click Here for more information 5. Protect your children – this can’t be emphasized enough with the porn industry being a $12 billion industry in the United States alone – and out of that $12 Billion, $3 Billion is generated specifically through child porn – Porn predators spend millions on their recruiting campaigns targeting children by using sleazy hidden hacker type systems and weaving their way into social networking sites like MySpace and Face Book. Click Here for Free report The benefits we derive and the entertainment we enjoy from our computers and the internet has insured its value for years to come. Sadly, there will always be the scum bags that will take advantage and exploit everyone they can. Bottom line – Without Internet Virus Protection – You may Survive – But The Odds Are Stacked Against You. Ironically, I thought I was protected but discovered “The one secret Hackers Don’t Want You to Know” after my identity was stolen – and a virus was introduced into my hard drive that CRASHED my hardware needing extensive professional repairs. You can stop this from happening to you. You can keep the hackers out of your cyber space. Don’t let me be the one to say “I Told You So!” Visit my website Visit my WebsiteClick Here To Learn What Risks Children Face On The Internet

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I Was Hacked!