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Technology Exposes Americans To Data Breaches

Commonly used technological devices such as laptops, USB devices, and credit card point-of-sale machines pose great risks to unsuspecting consumers.

Author: Steve Gildner
Date: Feb 29, 2012 - 12:16:31 AM

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For Immediate Release:

Miami, FL (February 29, 2012) – Technology has improved and enhanced our lives in countless ways. Unfortunately, it has also opened up new avenues for consumer fraud. Many widely used technological devices are vulnerable to data breaches, which can leave Americans at risk of identity theft.

According to the identity theft protection specialists at Credit Protection Pro, the same portable high tech gear that makes it so convenient for us to conduct our business from anywhere is also extremely vulnerable to data breaches. There are numerous news stories every year about laptops being stolen from cars or offices. In some cases, the laptops are loaded with sensitive personal data about customers, patients, or recipients of government services.

There have been situations where the stolen computers contained names, addresses, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and private health information. Whether or not the thieves originally stole the laptops with the intention of stealing identities or they just happened to get a lot more than they bargained for, every time that personal information falls into the wrong hands, people are at risk for credit fraud.

Credit monitoring services also report that portable USB devices can pose a risk for identity theft. They do not even have to be stolen; as USB flash drives get smaller and smaller, it is easy for them to become lost. Some businesses use USB drives as a convenient back up system for important data – often the very type of sensitive information that unscrupulous individuals can use to steal someone's identity.

Despite the high value of personally identifiable details, there are still plenty of companies and offices which do not encrypt the data stored on their USB drives or store the drives in a secure location.  There was a recent case in which patients of a medical practice were advised to obtain identity theft protection after a USB drive went missing from a doctor's office. It is unsettling for patients or customers to wonder who may be looking at their names and Social Security numbers, and to what end.

There are also cases where clever thieves use technology to directly steal personal data. An all-too-common example of this is the skimming devices which have been found on credit card point of sale machines around the country. It is an incredibly easy scheme: the crooks simply attach a tiny reader to credit card machines at gas stations, restaurants, grocery stores, retail stores, or anywhere else customers routinely swipe their own credit or debit cards for purchases.

Every time that a customer uses the affected POS machine, their credit card number is captured and transmitted remotely to the thieves. Although skimmers can be very miniscule and hard to detect, there are a few ways in which consumers can help to protect themselves. Identity theft protection experts recommend that customers cast a critical eye on any POS machine before using it to see if anything looks odd or feels loose. When in doubt, avoid poorly monitored credit card machines like those on gas pumps or the self checkout lanes at supermarkets in favor of POS machines installed near cashiers. Use zero liability credit cards in case of data breaches, and consider signing up for quality credit monitoring services as a backup.

For more information on the best credit monitoring services, visit www.creditprotectionpro.com. They are a service dedicated to helping to prevent identity theft and credit fraud. Credit Protection Pro has information on all the latest identity theft scams and data breaches on their website so that consumers can learn how to protect themselves. In addition, they offer independent professional reviews of credit monitoring services like Identity Guard. Contact Credit Protection Pro at info@creditprotectionpro.com for more information on how to protect your credit and identity.

Dean Richards
Credit Protection Pro
Miami, FL
800-769-2104
info@creditprotectionpro.com
http://www.creditprotectionpro.com/

View all articles by Steve Gildner

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