SAFETY & SECURITY

What you need to protect yourself and why.

A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO
THE DELPHOS HERALD
FEBRUARY 2011
2 – The Herald • Safety & Security • February 2011
‘Low-tech’ ID thieves - how to stop them
Identity theft rose to a record
11.1 million victims, resulting
in nearly $54 billion in fraud
during 2009 – an average of
$4,864 per victim! It’s one of
the country’s most common
non-violent crimes.
Interestingly, one of the big-
gest privacy security holes
found in the Internet age is
actually very simple and low-
tech.
Postal mail theft is a continu-
ing reality
Nationwide, the U.S. Postal
Inspectors (the law enforce-
ment arm of the U.S. Postal
Service), “break more iden-
tity theft cases than any other
single law enforcement group,”
according to the Identity Theft
Center.
In fact, Postal Inspectors
arrested over 3,500 suspects
for crimes related to mail theft.
Mail theft is so prevalent that
many jurisdictions are looking
to change laws and make it
a more serious offense. For
instance, the Attorney General
in Washington State recom-
mends new legislation to define
mail theft and possession of
stolen mail as Class C felonies.
If you think about it, using
the Internet, electronic devices
or online methods to steal your
identity requires at least a basic
level of technical skill. Postal
theft, on the hand, is very easy.
Anyone can do it with almost
no training – just walk up to a
mailbox and take the mail.
That’s how the vast major-
ity of mail is stolen. Although,
some very aggressive methods
exist too:
— Using a screwdriver to pry
open a flimsy mailbox lock.
— Break into a bank of mail-
boxes (like you’d find in an
apartment building).
— Rip out a freestanding Blue
Postal Mail Box from the street
and drive away with it.
— Steal racks of mail right
from the back of a postal deliv-
ery truck while it’s parked and
the letter carrier is doing rounds
on foot.
— Even robbing a letter car-
rier by gunpoint.
What do criminals want with
your love letters?
Naturally, they’re not after
your love letters or birthday
cards. But they DO want your
private information so they can
use it to create a fake ID,
fraudulently open a credit card
or loan, or open a bank account
in your name.
Surprisingly, these types of
identity theft are actually rare,
although they are more danger-
ous and costly to the victim.
Most “low-tech” mailbox
thieves are after the easy pick-
ings:
— Grabbing your newly
issued credit card or debit card
and spending all your money
before you notice anything is
wrong;
— Using unsolicited credit
card applications to apply for
the new card and have it mailed
to their addresses, not yours;
— Forging your newly issued
checks;
— “Washing” checks written
to your name (such as social
security, stock dividends, etc),
write in their names and cash
it; and
— Even stealing mail-order
prescription medications to sell
on the street.
Protect yourself from falling
victim
First, I want to touch on
paper shredding.
Shredding sensitive docu-
ments you receive by mail,
the ones that contain personal
information, account numbers,
medical records and the like, is
a quick and inexpensive meth-
od to help shield yourself from
identity thieves. You can pick
up a crosscut or confetti shred-
der online or at any nation-
al office supply store for well
under $100.
But, the danger most peo-
ple overlook – shredding only
works on the mail you actually
receive.
Here are some tips to help you
protect the mail you receive,
and help the mail you send
avoid getting hijacked by an
opportunistic identity thief:
— Use a high-quality locking
mailbox. Preferably, one made
of high gauge steel. This type
ring Your
World Home
Home in on the information
you need. Read your
newspaper.
of mailbox is more difficult to
break into with simple tools,
like a screwdriver, and acts as
a deterrent. The “Mail Boss,”
for example, is made of heavy-
duty galvanized steel and allows
incoming mail to slide down
into a securely locked compart-
ment. It’s at hardware stores
for under $200.
— When you’re on vacation,
request that the post office hold
your mail or have a trustwor-
thy neighbor retrieve it for you
daily.
— Decrease your potential
exposure to mail theft. Pick up
your mail quickly; don’t let it sit
in your mailbox any longer than
it needs to.
— Drop outgoing mail directly
at the post office (this may be
better than dropping the mail in
an isolated Blue Postal Mail Box
since they tend to be attractive
targets).
— Use a P.O. Box or other
mail accepting service like
PostalNet. Because your box
is found inside a post office
or busy retail location it adds
another level of security. And
as a bonus, it adds to your ano-
nymity.
Don’t let your guard down
against “Low-Tech” identi-
ty theft in the Internet age.
Eliminate the soft underbelly
by maintaining a heightened
vigilance on your private postal
mail and protect your family,
identity and wealth.
Keep up to date on the
worlds of foreign affairs,
local events, fashion,
sports, finance, and many
other subjects with your
newspaper. You’ll also
find entertaining features,
like cartoons, columns,
puzzles, reviews, and lots
more.
The Delphos Herald
419-695-0015
www.delphosherald.com
 The Herald • Safety & Security • February 2011 – 3

An
ineffective
lock.

A good
deadbolt.

2035190
How to burglarproof your home This safety awaren

Having your home burglarized is a wrenching experience.

Take these precautions to help prevent a burglary.
1. Keep windows closed and doors locked — don’t take
chances for even a few minutes. Use a 1-inch dead bolt for
each exterior door. Secure sliding glass doors by inserting a
broomstick or dowel in the inside track.
2. Consider installing an alarm system or motion-detecting
lights.
3. Suggest that someone is home by using electric tim-
ers to turn on the radio and house lights at certain hours.
Vary the lights that you turn on. Turn on second-story light
so burglars can’t see if anyone is home or in the room with
lighting.
4. Make sure that outside doors are made of metal or a
sturdy wood.
5. Check to ensure that doors fit tightly in their frames. If
they don’t, install weather-stripping around them.
6. Etch valuables with your driver’s license number and
state abbreviation in visible places. If you don’t want to ruin
valuables by marking them, photograph them instead. Keep
an inventory of your property.
7. Keep jewelry and other valuables in a safe.
8. Consider getting a dog — many kinds of dogs will make
enough noise to discourage burglars.
9. Leave spare keys with a neighbor rather than hidden
2035190

outside your house.

10. Keep shrubs and bushes trimmed so they can’t conceal
2035190

prowlers.
This safety awareness message is brought to you by the natural gas member companies of the Ohio Gas Association.

This safety awareness message is brought to you by the natural gas member companies of the Ohio Gas Association.
4 – The Herald • Safety & Security • February 2011

www.delphosherald.com Make a
home
Safety Matters

Can you tell when all your power is completely off and safe?
inventory
If your home was damaged by fire
or a burglar made off with your valu-
Do you know how to properly “de-energize” a circuit breaker? ables, would you remember the details
of your possessions? If asked, could
Is your business safe from hidden electrical hazards? you recall your TV’s screen size and
brand name? How about your camera
or video camera? Do you remember
when and where you bought these
items and how much they cost?
If your belongings are stolen or
destroyed, your insurance company
will ask you to provide a record of
them. Without an inventory, important
details are sure to escape you. Add
the trauma and stress a major loss
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To answer questions like these... turn to our professional staff. and frustration by planning ahead and
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• Confirm that you have adequate
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6 – The Herald • Safety & Security • February 2011
Inventory
your home and contents
• Current appraisals
It’s easy to get started
Prepare your inventory
by hand or on a computer.
Several software packages
are available just for this pur-
pose, or design your own form
with a spreadsheet program.
Keep in mind, a computerized
inventory is easy to update
and store.
If you design your own
form, include columns for the
name and description of each
item, the quantity, model and
serial number, purchase date,
where you bought it, original
cost and estimated current
value. You may want to add
a column to indicate if you
have a receipt or photo of the
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article.
Cover one room at a
time
One way to complete your
inventory is to tackle a differ-
ent room of your home each
week until everything’s list-
ed. Record your high-valued
items, such as jewelry, sil-
verware, special collections,
antiques, paintings and art-
work.
Then list furniture, carpet-
ing, electronics like TVs, ste-
reo equipment and computers.
Remember clothing, draper-
ies, wall hangings, rugs, CDs,
tapes, pots and pans, linens,
tools, lamps and appliances
that weren’t included in the
purchase of your home.
Open drawers, cupboards
and closets, and record what’s
inside. Open toolboxes, china
cabinets and storage bins and
include their contents.
Use a camera or video
camera
Supplement your inventory
with photos or a videotape of
your belongings. These will
provide further proof of own-
ership and add detail to your
written descriptions. They also
help document each item’s
condition and size.
Videotape or take wide-
angle photos of entire rooms,
which will help show the
magnitude of a loss. If you
use a video camera, you can
record audio descriptions and
make special comments. Take
individual, close-up shots of
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expensive items and group
shots of lower-value items.
Zoom in on labels and special
features, like signatures on
artwork or serial numbers on
appliances and electronics. Be
sure to date each photo or
use the date imprint function
on your video camera.
When you inventory out-
door items, include bicycles,
sporting goods, yard equip-
ment and any other articles
kept outside. While you’re
outside, it’s also a good idea
to photograph each side of
your home’s exterior. Include
your carport and other struc-
tures like a storage shed.
Capture rare trees or shrubs
and unusual landscaping.
These things aren’t consid-
ered personal property, but
it will be helpful to have a
record of their appearance in
case of a loss.
After you’ve completed
your inventory
Once you’ve completed your
inventory, copy everything,
including lists, appraisals,
receipts, videotapes, disks
and computer printouts, and
have an extra set of photos
developed. Store one inven-
tory packet off premises. A
safe deposit box is the most
secure location, or ask a friend
or relative to keep a copy.
Be sure to update your
inventory packet every four
to six months. In the mean-
time, save receipts for any
new items you’ll need to add.
If you make a major pur-
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chase, update your inven-
tory as soon as possible. And
remember to delete items you
no longer have.
Is your insurance what
you want?
Too many people find out
after a loss that they should
have increased their cover-
age amounts or purchased
replacement cost coverage.
Use your inventory to help
you avoid this common mis-
take.
Add up all of your cur-
rent estimated values to find
out how much it will cost to
replace everything, then com-
pare this figure with your pol-
icy’s personal property limit.
This will be a good indicator
of whether or not you need to
increase your coverage.
Special limits on high-value
items
Insurance policies place
special limits on valuable per-
sonal property, such as jewel-
ry, silverware, artwork, tools,
special collections like stamps
and coins, and firearms. If you
own these items, check the
limits in your policy. If they’re
not high enough, you may
need to purchase a scheduled
personal property endorse-
ment. This is an addition to
your policy that will increase
your insurance limits on these
items.
It’s a good idea to have
valuable items appraised on a
regular basis and to keep your
appraisals with your inven-
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How online identity theft works
Internet id theft statistics reveal
online id theft is the fastest grow-
ing id crime.
It can occur even on web sites
we trust and is often underes-
timated and misunderstood by
many people who take the most
stringent precautions to guard
privacy and safety on the Net.
Although statistically this type
of identity theft occurs less fre-
quently than other types, it is
perhaps the type of ID fraud that
we should be most aware of.
Internet id theft statistics also
uncover how our online identities
are made up and how our identi-
ties are stolen.
1. What is our digital iden-
tity?
On the Internet, our identity is
made up of...
— IP (Internet Protocol)
address
— address where we live
— usernames
— passwords
— personal identification num-
bers (PINs)
— social security numbers
— birth dates
— account numbers
— mother’s maiden name, etc
These digital identities work
on the basis that we’re the only
individuals who know this infor-
mation.
However, because we use the
Internet for all sorts of financial
transactions, criminals are devel-
oping sophisticated techniques
to steal these digital identities.
Internet ID theft statistics show
their aim is to use our identities
to open credit card accounts,
bank loans, mortgages... in fact,
any transaction that will make
money.
There is one main difference
between internet identity theft
and other types of ID theft...
With internet identity theft we
don’t have to wait for a thief to
physically steal our information.
Instead, we may unwittingly hand
over the information ourselves.
Information about us can be
stolen by computer criminals from
the databases of banks, retailers,
ISPs and data clearinghouses.
However, there is an easier
way for the thief... and that is
to steal the information from us
or to trick us into providing the
information.
As there is not a lot we can
do about theft of our information
from third parties, let’s now con-
centrate on what Internet ID theft
statistics show as the three main
ways Internet identity thieves
acquire our personal informa-
tion...
2. The phishing lure
Just like fishing, phishing —
sometimes called spoofing — also
uses a lure to catch its victims.
This lure often comes in the
form of a spam e-mail or pop-
up warning that looks like it has
been sent from a company we
trust. Often the companies are
ones that we use regularly, like
our bank, credit card company
or some other online payment
system.
Thanks to the press, most peo-
ple are now aware that e-mails
purporting to be from a bank and
asking for their online details are
a phishing fraud.
Sometimes, however, the
e-mail may be from a company
we haven’t heard of, but notifying
us we are being invoiced for, say,
$700 for an order. It’s under-
standable that many people will
be concerned and will click on the
link to investigate further.
The purpose of phishing lures
The purpose behind phishing
e-mails is to cause us to:
— click on a link to verify/can-
cel a purchase
— update our personal infor-
mation
— validate our account to pre-
vent it from being cancelled etc.
If we click on the link indicated,
we are directed to a web site that
is designed to look exactly like
the official site of the company
being misrepresented.
Under the assumption that
they are at an official site, vic-
tims enter specific personal infor-
mation, such as social security
number, credit card number or
password.
A study by Gartner, a security
company, found that as much as
3 percent of phishing scams may
The Herald • Safety & Security • February 2011 – 7
be successful, with Internet users
divulging sensitive information to
the scam artists.
Based on Internet ID theft sta-
tistics from a survey of 5000
U.S. adult Internet users, Gartner
estimated that:
— 57 million adults have expe-
rienced a phishing attack
— 1.78 million adults could
have fallen victim to the scams
— The cost of phishing —1.2
billion dollars!
The truth is that legitimate
companies will never ask for our
personal information in this man-
ner. But, many people take the
lure because the e-mails and
pop-ups look like they really come
from the company indicated.
3. Pharming
Internet identity theft through
pharming is a great deal different
than phishing. It is of increasing
concern to business and web site
owners as well as consumers.
In pharming, a cyber criminal
cracks a vulnerability in an ISP’s
(Internet Service Provider) DNS
server and hijacks the domain
name of a commercial site.
Anyone going to the genuine
site is then redirected to an iden-
tical but bogus site.
Once redirected, unsuspect-
ing site users will enter personal
information, such as a password,
PIN number or account number,
which the pharmers immediately
use at the genuine web site
The personal information
gained can be used to pur-
chase merchandise, clean out
bank accounts, open new ones
and commit other identity theft
crimes. The information can even
be sold to other criminal groups
and used again and again.
Since pharming is so techni-
cally sophisticated, it is virtually
impossible to detect or prevent.
And since it is almost impossible
to measure, there are no Internet
id theft statistics to show how
prevalent it has become.
However, there are a number
of detected instances which illus-
trate that even well-known and
trusted sites can be affected:
— In January 2005, the domain
name for a large New York ISP,
Panix, was hijacked to a site in
Australia.
— In 2004 a German teenag-
er hijacked the eBay.de domain
name.
— Secure e-mail provider
Hushmail was also caught, when
the attacker rang up the domain
registrar and gained enough
information to redirect users to a
bogus web page.
As you’d suspect, this type of
internet identity theft is extreme-
ly difficult for consumers to pro-
tect themselves against. It is,
therefore, up to the companies
themselves to engineer web sites
that cannot be tampered with.
As a result, more and more
companies are taking steps
against pharming.
Such sites are known as pharm-
ing-conscious, or “PC”. They have
taken the steps necessary to keep
our private information secure.
They also use domain names that
cannot be hijacked and scramble
our personal information while it
is being transmitted.
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8 – The Herald • Safety & Security • February 2011
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