Identity Theft Information Page 37

Presentation made on identity theft
By SCOTT WHIPPLE

PLAINVILLE -- The Plainville Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce got a lesson about identity theft Monday.

"I want to educate as many people as I can," said Baker, a former law enforcement official, who spent 20 years with the Wallingford Police Department. "Problem is, the bad guys are a step-and-a-half ahead of most of us."

Baker said most scams have been around for 20 years or more; the scammers have changed with the times and are using more sophisticated methods.

"Once, they used first-class mail," he said. "Then, they went to faxes; now they’re saving postage using E-mails."

Baker detailed the Nigerian scam and phishing.

The Nigerian scam operates as follows: the target receives an unsolicited fax or E-mail often from Nigeria or another African nation. The E-mail contains a money laundering or some other illegal proposal. Or, the person may receive a legal and legitimate business proposal having to with crude oil or commodity deals, a bequest left to them in a will; "money cleaning" where the bad guy has a lot of currency that needs to be "chemically cleaned" before it can be used and needs the cost of chemicals; "spoof banks" where there is supposedly money already in your name on deposit; paying for a purchase with a check larger than the amount required and asking for change to be advanced. Or, ordering items and commodities off "trading" sites on the web, then cheating the seller.

At some point, the victim is asked to pay an "advance fee," "transfer tax" or "performance bond," up front or to extend credit. Once the victim pays the fee, other "complications" arise requiring more advance payments.

Baker’s advice: delete the E-mail from your server. He said victims run the gamut from teenagers to senior citizens; not long ago, the CEO of a Connecticut utility was duped.

Phishing is sending out fraudulent E-mails masquerading as a legitimate bank or business. The E-mail asks for account information, such as Social Security number, credit card numbers, etc. Baker advises recipients to read the E-mail carefully. Usually it will contain typos that expose it as a fake. For example, a "Banknorth E-mail" asking for financial information spelled Banknorth "BankNorth."

"The E-mail address is phony," saidBaker. "Banknorth or any other bank would never send out E-mails asking for this kind of information."

Baker warned against E-mails using words such as "confidential" and "urgent".

One E-mail asks the recipient not to access his online banking account for the next 48 hours until the verification process ends.

"Scammers want you to keep this transaction quiet," he said, "and they want you to respond as quickly as possible."

Baker’s advice: Don’t do it. Instead, report the fraudulent E-mail to your bank.

Scott Whipple can be reachedat swhipple@newbritainherald.com or by calling (860) 225-4601, ext. 224.