• 888-966-4827
Menu

Blog

Home / Blog
Fraud Trend Alert: End-of-life IT Gear

Fraud Trend Alert: End-of-life IT Gear

There is a new fraud trend we are seeing that almost victimized a client of ours who is a very large, well-known employer in the Cincinnati, Ohio tri-state region. We highly suggest that you share this blog to your company IT contact or a company team member whose duties include data security – IT security – technology security and/or IT gear and infrastructure protection.

 

One of our Guard Well product offerings is Enterprise Data Risk Mitigation. It is a program we developed to help organizations by purchasing their end-of-life IT gear, wipe and certify the drives … at no cost … then repurpose the gear. Essentially we turn a data risk and pending expense into a liability shift and a profit. It’s a very effective … and popular program.

 

Last week we were preparing to pull a large lot of gear from one of our clients when two individuals, claiming to be hired by a third party, showed up on the campus insisting they needed to pick up any used IT gear for “processing.” Luckily our client sensed something was incorrect and reached out to Guard Well asking us if we had sent two men to pick up the gear. We informed them that we did not send these individuals and by the time our phone call ended both men had left the campus.

 

What these men were attempting to do is steal the IT gear, most likely to harvest the sensitive company data and sell it to hackers or hold it for ransom until the company paid them to return the data. Due to the large security concerns, we highly suggest that your organization verifies steps taken to protect the sensitive data stored in end-of-life IT gear. Guard Well will partner with any organization looking for a safe, reliable way to manage the proper decommissioning of this gear and turn a profit from its remaining, but depreciating, value.

 

We can work anywhere in the USA, so please let us know how we can help. Be vigilant. Be strong. If you have any concerns or think you have been a victim of fraud, please contact our Member Services immediately so we can fully resolve the issue for you. We are always available 24/7/365 at 888.966.GUARD (4827).

 

Photo credit: Malachi Brooks via unsplash.com

Stolen Data of 533 Million Facebook Users Leaked Online

Stolen Data of 533 Million Facebook Users Leaked Online

Facebook, the most popular social media platform worldwide, has experienced another leak. This weekend we learned that the phone numbers and personal data of 533 million users were published for free.

 

Business Insider reported that “the exposed data includes the personal information of over 533 million Facebook users from 106 countries, including over 32 million records on users in the US, 11 million on users in the UK, and 6 million on users in India. It includes their phone numbers, Facebook IDs, full names, locations, birthdays, bios, and, in some cases, email addresses.”

 

For more information, click HERE.

 

Be vigilant. Be strong. If you have any concerns or think you have been a victim, please contact our Member Services immediately. We are always available for you 24/7/365 at 888.966.GUARD (4827).

 

Photo credit: Tim Bennett on Unsplash

Bogus COVID Vaccine Survey

Bogus COVID Vaccine Survey

As millions of Americans are being vaccinated against COVID-19, scammers are working hard to steal their money and personal information through bogus COVID vaccination surveys. This can be confusing especially since there is a ‘v-safe’ after vaccination health checker that you are asked to download at the vaccination site after your first dose. V-safe is a legitimate app, which is a smart-phone based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after you receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Literature from v-safe says, “Through v-safe, you can quickly tell CDC if you have any side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Depending on your answers, someone from CDC may call to check on you. And v-safe will remind you to get your second vaccine dose if you need one.” For more information, visit https://vsafe.cdc.gov/en/.

 

Although v-safe is safe and legitimate, scammers have developed a new trick to steal. It doesn’t matter if the vaccine received was Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca, people all across the country are being asked to complete a one-time survey in exchange for a free reward but one that requires the victim to pay shipping fees. According to the Federal Trade Commission, “No legitimate surveys ask for your credit card or bank account number to pay for a ‘free’ reward.”

 

What should you do if you receive an email or text you’re not sure about?

– In order to prevent malware that steals your personal information, don’t click on any links or open attachments.

– Don’t call or use the number in the email or text. The first thing you can do is run a search of the company that supposedly sent the message by looking up their phone number online.

– Don’t give out any bank information, credit card or other personal information to any organization that contacts you out of the blue.

– Consider adding a filter to prevent unwanted text messages on your phone by contacting your wireless provider and/or utilizing a call-blocking app.

 

Be vigilant. Be strong. If you have any concerns or think you have been a victim of a COVID vaccination scam, please contact our Member Services immediately. We are always available for you 24/7/365 at 888.966.GUARD (4827).

 

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash.com

RedDorz and Foxtons: Dark Web Fraud Alert

RedDorz and Foxtons: Dark Web Fraud Alert

Our teams have discovered extremely large sets of compromised data on the Dark Web. The latest two websites involved are RedDorz.com and Foxtons.com.

 

RedDoorz.com is a Singapore-based hotel management and booking platform. Their breach size involves 5.8 million records: first name, last name, email address, password, gender, phone number, and date of birth. The origin date was September 2020.

 

Foxtons.co.uk is a British estate agency company dealing with both listings and sales. Alexander Hall is a subsidiary of Foxtons and provides mortgage services and advice since 1992. Their breach size involves 2.9 million records: first name, last name, email address, userid, and password. The origin date of this breach is unknown.

 

Be vigilant. Be strong. If you have visited these websites in the past or have done business with them, please contact our Member Services immediately. We are always available for you 24/7/365 at 888.966.GUARD (4827).

 

Photo credit by https://unsplash.com – Erfan Parhizi

 

Dramatic Spike in Unemployment Fraud: What You Need to Know

We have seen a dramatic spike in unemployment fraud, PPP fraud and SBA loan fraud.

 

Some of you may have received or will be receiving unemployment benefits. Or, maybe you are an employer and have received notice that an employee of yours applied for unemployment benefits. The thieves simply apply for benefits or loans using your PII or confidential business information.

 

Your state’s Department of Jobs & Services is aware that many of these applications are fraudulent. Several states, such as Ohio, are in process of launching an online option for employers to report potential fraud on behalf of multiple current or former employees. For information about Ohio, please click HERE.

 

Be vigilant. Be strong. If you are concerned that you or an employee has been a victim of unemployment fraud, please reach out to Member Services. We are available for you 24/7/365 at 888.966.GUARD (4827).

ClientTether.com Breach Alert

ClientTether.com Breach Alert

Our security teams have recently discovered several large sets of compromised data on the Dark Web. The website, ClientTether.com has been affected.

 

ClientTether is an automated CRM and lead engagement sales automation platform. Users can send personalized text messages, receive a phone call, and send an email within seconds. Entrepreneur Magazine has recognized this popular website as a Top Franchise Supplier for 2020. Over 750,000 users have been impacted since the November 2020 breach origination date. The type of data exposed includes email, phone, name, address and gender.

 

If you have visited ClientTether.com or have engaged in business activity with this company, please call us at 888.966.GUARD (4827) to speak with a fraud resolution specialist. Likewise, if you have questions or concerns feel free to call anytime. We are available for you 24/7/365.

Romwe.com Breach Impacting 23 Million

Romwe.com Breach Impacting 23 Million

Our security teams have recently discovered several large sets of compromised data on the Dark Web. The website, Romwe.com, has been affected.

 

Romwe is a Chinese fashion retailer founded in 2008. Headquartere in Nanjing, China, Romwe deals with a wide range of trending fashion items for men, women and children. The breach date was July 2020 and impacts 23 million people. The type of data exposed includes email, password and telephone number.

 

If you have visited the romwe.com website or have engaged in business activity with this company, please call us at 888.966.GUARD (4827) to speak with a fraud resolution specialist. Likewise, if you have questions or concerns feel free to call anytime. We are available for you 24/7/365.

 

Guard Well Awarded Most Promising Solution Provider – 2020

Guard Well Awarded Most Promising Solution Provider – 2020

Enterprise Security Magazine has once again recognized Guard Well Identity Theft Solutions in their CIOReview as one of the most promising Identity Governance and Administration Solution Providers. The magazine previously featured Guard Well’s Founder and CEO in their article Protecting Your Employees and Company Bottom Line.

 

Most firms have a considerable stockpile of end-of-life IT assets that are loaded with sensitive data and are quickly depreciating. The latest article in CIOReview, Guard Well Identity Theft Solutions: Shifting a Liability and Expense Into Profit, explains how companies are reaping the rewards from trusting the Guard Well data risk mitigation process.

 

Located in Cincinnati, OH, Guard Well has disrupted the enterprise data risk mitigation space with a new solution that wipes and certifies IT hard drives at no fee, repurposes the gear (which is the greenest solution available), and then shares the profit with the client. Guard Well partners only with organizations that use data eradication software endorsed by the Department of Defense (DoD) and which are HIPAA and FDIC compliant.

 

The CIOReview states, “Having achieved a resounding success in the months prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, Guard Well looks poised to create many more success stories in the area of enterprise risk mitigation.” To learn more, visit https://guardwellid.com/enterprise-data-risk-mitigation/.

 

Guard Well is available 24/7/365 at 888.966.GUARD (4827) or via email to [email protected].

Guard Well Introduces Three Bureau Credit Report & Score Center

Guard Well Introduces Three Bureau Credit Report & Score Center

Now more than ever, having the right identity theft protection in place is critical. “Cyberattacks, especially phishing scams, are on the rise and that means that identity theft rates are increasing as well,” remarks E. Allan Hilsinger, Founder and CEO of Guard Well Identity Theft Solutions. “Although identity theft is not preventable, it is key to be proactive and identify issues swiftly. This is why we developed the Guard Well Credit Report and Score Center.”

 

In order to assist Guard Well Members and the general public in being cyber smart, Guard Well’s new ‘a la carte’ feature will help save time and identify issues before they could potentially turn into huge problems.

 

To obtain your three-bureau credit reports and score, please visit the Guard Well website and click on the red button in the upper right-hand corner that says Get My Credit Report and Score. Or, visit www.guardwellcredit.com to view your reports and scores within seconds.

 

 

You do not have to be a Guard Well member to utilize this special feature. For a one-time fee of $19.95, you have access to all of your credit reports and scores within seconds. The process is clearly explained with easy to understand instructions to walk you through the activity quickly.

 

First, you will enter your personal information and then agree to Terms and Conditions. Then you will verify your identity by accurately answering the questions provided. On the next page, you will enter your credit/debit card payment information. Once submitted, all three credit bureau reports and scores (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) will appear in seconds for you to review and print.

 

After you complete this process, reach out to us immediately if you notice anything unusual in your reports. Be smart. Be vigilant. Be strong. We are always available 24/7/365 if you ever have any questions or concerns. Call us at 888.966.GUARD (4827) or email [email protected].

 

Photo credit: Photo by Dylan Gillis via Unsplash.com.

 

 

 

 

Veteran Data Exposed in Recent Breach

Veteran Data Exposed in Recent Breach

Last month the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Financial Services Center reported that the personal identifying information (PII) of more than 46,000 veterans had been stolen. Social security numbers may have been included in the hack. The VA Financial Services Center is in process of alerting impacted individuals via mail.

 

If you are a veteran (or next of kin of a deceased veteran), we suggest that you be on the lookout for any signs of fraud.

 

– Continue to watch your credit and individual account statements for activity that you have not initiated.

 

– Do not respond to any emails, phone calls or direct messages from anyone saying that they are from the VA Financial Services Center. The VA will contact anyone impacted via mail only.

 

Please reach out to us immediately if you have any questions or concerns about this alert. Be smart. Be vigilant. Be strong. As always, we are available for you and your family members 24/7/365 at 888.966.GUARD (4827) or [email protected].

 

Photo credit: Photo by Samuel Branch on Unsplash