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Update – Ticketmaster/Live Nation Breach Alert: 560 Million Fans Impacted

Update – Ticketmaster/Live Nation Breach Alert: 560 Million Fans Impacted

Ticketmaster Entertainment, LLC is an American ticket sales and distribution company based in Beverly Hills, California with operations in many countries around the world. In 2010, it merged with Live Nation under the name Live Nation Entertainment. Ticketing giant Live Nation confirmed this summer that it has been the victim of a cyber attack. We have just learned that the breach origin date is May 20, 2024. Personal data from over half a billion users have been exposed. Data stolen can include full names, addresses, email addresses, birth dates, credit card type, the last four digits and credit card expiration dates used for ticket sales. Learn More

We suggest that you protect yourself by doing the following if you have a Ticketmaster account:

– Change your password immediately and frequently. Although it might be easier to remember, try to resist the urge to use the same password across multiple accounts.

– Utilize two-factor authentication when it is available.

– If solicited online, never share any personal identifying information or financial account numbers. Only give out information to an individual you know or a company that you are 100% certain about.

This is definitely not the first time Ticketmaster has made the news. If you have a Swiftie in the household, you likely already know the debacle surrounding Ticketmaster and Taylor Swift’s Eras tour that started in 2022. If you are interested in the timeline of the chaos, check out People’s article of events. Learn More

Now is not the time to let your guard down. Knowledge is power. Being informed of what steps you may need to take can help ease the potential damage (and your stress level) if your identity has been compromised. Guard Well Identity Theft Solutions exists to provide you, your family and your employees from the damages of identity theft. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help or have any questions or concerns. We are available for you 24/7/365 at 888.966.4827 (GUARD) and [email protected].

Image courtesy credit: Erfan Parhizi via unsplash.com

UPDATE from Ticketmaster – July 3, 2024: Ticketmaster has contacted those who may be affected. They state via email that they “take the protection of personal information very seriously.” They explain that an unauthorized third party obtained information from a cloud database hosted by a third-party data services provider. Based on their investigation, they determined that the unauthorized activity occurred on May 27, 2024. They note that they are working to mitigate risk to their users and the company, and have notified and are cooperating with law enforcement and regulatory authorities.

Memorial Day Hacks and Hamburgers

Memorial Day Hacks and Hamburgers

Memorial Day is a special time of year to honor the men and women who have died while serving in the U. S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Visit History.com for more information.

Always the last Monday in May, this holiday also marks the unofficial beginning of summer fun … pool season, popsicles, and plenty of barbeques. Americans have traditionally observed Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings, and participating in parades. This year the weekend activities may still look a bit different if social distancing, but we will continue to reflect on the sacrifices our soldiers made for us while lighting up our grills. Speaking of, take a visit to Chowhound.com for some amazing tips for the most perfect hamburger ever (80/20 lean to fat ratio ground chuck always!) and clever grilling hacks. Did you know you can use a spare cooler as an insulated warmer to keep food hot and juicy right off the grill? One tip you won’t see there is a favorite of mine … folding a dollop of mayo into each burger patty for optimal juiciness before they even go on the grill. Try it. You’ll love it!

Unfortunately during this time of year crooks might pop up who feed on our gratitude. Watch out for Memorial Day scams where hackers use a patriotic or military approach when contacting service members for money. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) suggests to be on the lookout for five specific scams during this time of remembrance:

– Fake military charities. Scammers will send out emails, phone calls, direct mailers and send texts using the same outreach practices as well-known legitimate nonprofits. Be wary of messages that contain words like “disabled,” “heroes,” and “warriors” and always double-check the exact name and spelling of the charity.

– Fake rental properties. Scammers take out classified ads and will use photos from legitimate rental properties that promise military discounts or other incentives.

– High-priced military loans. No legitimate lender will guarantee a loan as being instantly approved. Watch for ads that may also say no credit check is required. If this is the case, the loan will likely come with hidden fees as well as outrageously high interest rates.

– Veteran benefit buyout plans. These plans offer an attractive cash payment in exchange for a disabled veteran’s future benefits or pension payments. The cash payment is typically only 30-40% of what the veteran is entitled to receive.

– Misleading car sales. Some websites post ads that contain false discounts for those in the military. There is also an increase of ads that claim to be from soldiers who need to sell their autos quickly due to deployment.

Stay safe this weekend and please reach out to us if needed. Guard Well Identity Theft Solutions exists to provide you, your family and your employees from the damages of identity theft. We are available for you 24/7/365 at 888.966.GUARD (4827) and [email protected].

Photo courtesy Justin Casey via unsplash.com

 

Keeping Kids Safe from Recruitment Scams

Keeping Kids Safe from Recruitment Scams

More than half of all workers worldwide are actively searching for another job or watching for openings. Are you one of them? Although it can be an exciting time to find a new career or income stream, the job search process can be very stressful, time-consuming and possibly full of disappointment. Scammers are taking advantage of these confusing feelings and are continuously creating recruitment scams. Unfortunately, they aren’t just targeting adults.

If you have children, they may be looking for their first ideal job, especially with summer approaching. In 2023, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the youth labor force grew by 2.2 million (10.4%) over the previous year with a labor force participation rate for all youth being 60.2% in July, 2023. The number of individuals in the youth labor force, defined as 16-24 year olds, who are actively looking for work grows sharply between April and July each year when large numbers of high school and college students search for summer jobs and many graduates enter the labor market for permanent employment. LEARN MORE

As with all scams, the best weapon against recruitment scams is awareness and education. Scammers advertise jobs the same way honest employers do: online on job boards, social media, ads, radio and TV. Teens and adults are being targeted with work-from-home scams that include reshipping and/or reselling merchandise, mystery shopping and being a nanny. Adult caregiver and personal virtual assistant job scams are plentiful as well.

If you or a loved one is job searching, the Federal Trade Commission suggests to start with reliable resources:

– Search online for the name of the company or person who’s trying to hire you with the words “scam” “review” or “complaint.”

– Talk to someone you trust. Describe the offer and ask for their opinion.

– Never pay for the promise of a job. Honest placement firms do not typically charge a fee to job candidates. It is the hiring company that pays them a fee to find qualified candidates.

– USAJobs.gov is the federal government’s official site with job openings nationwide.

– CareerOneStop is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor and lists hundreds of thousands of jobs and links to employment and training programs in each state.

– USA.gov is a website that finds local government websites which lists any open positions they may have.

Recruitment scams are now a global concern that span across all industries. Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) has been targeted by scammers and has repeatedly been the victim of recruitment scams. The only official and legitimate domain for KIND is @supportkind.org. If you receive any communication concerning employment opportunities with the organization but it comes from an email domain other than @supportkind.org, the communication is not authorized by the KIND organization. LEARN MORE

Guard Well Identity Theft Solutions exists to provide you, your family, and your employees from the damages of identity theft. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Member Services team immediately. We are always available for you 24/7/365 at 888.966.4827 (GUARD).

Image courtesy credit: Brooke Cagle via unsplash.

How to Spot a Scam with Children’s Health Insurance

How to Spot a Scam with Children’s Health Insurance

The cost of health care has skyrocketed in the United States. The very topic is as stressful as it is expensive. Did you know that the United States is the highest spending country on healthcare worldwide? In 2021, total health expenditure exceeded four trillion dollars with per capita health expenditure at $12,555.30. Statista Research recently reported that expenditure as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is projected to increase to approximately 20% by 2030.

During the pandemic, each state’s Medicaid Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) helped millions of families with the cost of healthcare. With the end of the pandemic, states are reaching out to update Medicaid enrollments and scammers are already taking advantage of the situation. CHIP won’t ask you to pay to renew … but scammers will.

Here is what you need to know:

– CHIP won’t charge you to renew or enroll. They may reach out to you via email, phone or text but they will NOT ask you to pay, for any of your personal financial information and especially your credit card number or bank account information.

– Do NOT click! Even if it looks like a message is from your state’s Medicaid agency, if there is anything clickable in a message, assume it is scam and visit medicaid.gov to get contact information for your state’s Medicaid agency.

– Utilize healthcare.gov to complete insurance plans, find coverage and see if you are eligible. The website will ask you for your monthly income and age to give you a quote.

– Understand that medical discount plans are NOT insurance plans. Scammers will pitch discount plans to entice you and make you think they are the same as insurance.

Guard Well Identity Theft Solutions exists to provide you, your family, and your employees from the damages of identity theft. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Member Services team immediately. We are always available for you 24/7/365 at 888.966.4827 (GUARD).

Source: Federal Trade Commission

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Charles Deluvio via unsplash.com

Keeping Your Holidays Happy and Fraud-free

Keeping Your Holidays Happy and Fraud-free

Yes, it’s that wonderful time of year. The holidays are quickly approaching … and at lightning speed! Will you be traveling to see family in the next few weeks? Or, maybe you’ll be skipping off to a great vacation instead of decking the halls? Whatever your plans are, having time off of work, fun with friends and family, and hopefully a few days of laziness … are wonderful to look forward to. But, when we are caught up in the excitement about buying those last-minute gifts (or sunscreen and new flip-flops), we need to remember that there are some other ‘things to do’ on our checklist to help keep our family and identities safe during this special time of year.

 

In addition to stopping the mail, finding that special neighbor with a green thumb to water your plants, and arranging for pet care for your fur babies, there are some ‘before your trip’ actions you can take to help prevent identity theft from becoming a huge holiday memory. Just some small preventative measures, such as updating the operating system and antivirus software on your mobile devices, can go a long way toward fending off a few identity thieves. Below are some tips for what you can do before you leave home, as well as while you’re away and after your return.

 

Before you leave home:

– Password protect your devices and update operating systems

– Alert your bank(s) about your travel plans

– Visit your post office and put your mail on a vacation hold

– Keep the number of credit cards you travel with to a minimum and have copies of your driver’s license, medical id cards, passports and travel confirmation numbers at home in a safe place

– Turn off auto-connect Wifi and Bluetooth connections

– Consider adjusting your social media account settings so posts aren’t tagged with GPS data

 

While out of town:

– Avoid using public Wifi and even your hotel’s Wifi if at all possible

– Do not use public computers

– Keep your travel documents in the hotel room safe

– Log out of websites on your smart phone and any websites if you bring a laptop or other device with you on your trip

 

Upon your return home:

– Consider changing passwords for your major accounts

– Thoroughly go through your account statements for any irregularities

– Check your credit report to make sure no new accounts were opened in your name while you were away

 

We hope you have a wonderful holiday vacation. If you suspect identity theft or fraud, please contact us immediately at 888.966.GUARD (4827) or email [email protected]. Day or night, we’ve got your back and will always be open for you.

How to Avoid Disaster-Related Scams

How to Avoid Disaster-Related Scams

Dealing with the aftermath of a disaster is always difficult. Unfortunately, scammers will jump at the chance to take advantage of those who are trying to assess and recover from the tremendous damage that weather-related events, such as hurricanes, floods, wildfires, tornados, along with pandemic-related COVID-19 can cause.

 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) suggests a few ways to help avoid common post-disaster scams:

 

– Be skeptical of anyone promising immediate clean-up and debris removal. Some fake vendors will quote sky-high prices and demand payment up-front.

 

– Do a background check on them. Before you pay anything, ask for identification, licenses along with proof of insurance in writing.

 

– Never pay in cryptocurrency, wire transfer, cash or via a gift card. Only make the final payment until the work is completed satisfactorily.

 

– Always guard your personal identifying information (PII). “Only scammers will say they’re a government official and then demand money or your credit card, bank account or social security number.”

 

– Understand that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will never ask for an application fee. FEMA has provided over $1 billion to more than 165,000 people to assist with COVID-19-related funeral costs for deaths occurring on or after January. “If someone wants money to help you qualify for FEMA funds, that’s probably a scam.”

 

– Spot and report disaster-related charity scams. If you are fortunate enough to be able to help others, visit this link for advice on how to donate wisely and avoid charity scams.

 

For more information and other tips, visit https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/dealing-weather-emergencies

 

Be vigilant. Be strong. Stay in the know. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Member Services immediately. We are always available for you 24/7/365 at 888.966.GUARD (4827).

 

Photo courtesy credit to Kelly Sikkema via unsplash.com.

The Quick Rise of Phishing Scams – Do Not Click!

The Quick Rise of Phishing Scams – Do Not Click!

Many of us have been experiencing much more free time on our hands, which is great if you enjoy the sport of fishing, have a pile of books to read or Netflix shows to catch up on. Unless you are on the front line, life, as we know it during this pandemic, has forced the majority of us to slow down.

 

Our ‘new normal’ environment is a breeding ground for scammers to take advantage of you and your identity. Last month we wrote several blogs that specifically discussed the various types of coronavirus scams we had been witnessing. Check out Coronavirus Scams Are on the Rise, And More Coronavirus Scams, and Working From Home Cybersecurity Tips if interested in a quick refresher course or two.

 

Over the last two weeks we have seen a 70% increase in email phishing scams during this pandemic, which has undoubtedly touched every facet of our lives. These phishing scams may come across as emails and/or posts promoting coronavirus awareness. These messages will often offer prevention tips on how to stay well, what the symptoms of the virus may include and what to do in case you or a family member feel ill. Some are even creating fake “cases” of COVID-19 in your neighborhood so you feel more inclined to help out. They also may be asking you to donate to victims, offering advice on unproven treatments, or contain malicious email attachments. Don’t fall for any of it … but, in case you do, we suggest that you read our blog from October 2019 Accidentally Clicked on a Phishing Link – Now What?.

 

Today our advice is very simple: If you are not 100% certain of the origin of the email and/or link that you are being asked to click on … DO NOT CLICK. If for some reason you accidentally do click, there are some imperative steps to take to alleviate harm to you and/or the network you may be connected with:

 

– Try not to panic. This happens to everyone. Antivirus and anti-malware will come into play and you will need to have a full system scan. But first …

 

– End the session immediately by turning off Wi-Fi, unplugging from an ethernet cable or completely shutting down all of your devices.

 

– Initiate a back up of your files. Since you won’t be connected to the internet at this point, you won’t be able to accomplish this to the cloud. Having an external drive, DVD or thumb drive are always nice to have on hand during times like these.

 

– Change your login/password to email account(s) and enable two-factor authentication if this hasn’t already occurred.

 

– If you are employed by a company or organization, reference your manual and let your network administrator know of the potential issue.

 

– After all is said and done, check your antivirus/anti-malware software and run a full scan.

 

Being informed of what steps you may need to take before a slip up happens can help ease the potential damage (and your stress level) if it does. Be smart. Be vigilant. Be strong. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help. We are available 24/7/365 for you and your family members at 1.888.966.GUARD (4827) and [email protected].

New Year Scam 2020 Style

New Year Scam 2020 Style

It’s not just a new year … it’s a new decade. Not quite the ‘Age of Aquarius’ type of timestamp, but a new decade brings hope and positivity for our families and futures. It’s around this time in mid-January that many of us realize, “Hey, that exercise plan I agreed to do on January 1st at 12:06 am, that was just an example, not something I actually have to do on a daily or weekly basis and certainly not for the next ten years!” By the way, the same goes for those clean eating goals, too. If you can eat clean four or even five out of seven days, you’re likely in the bonus.

 

On average it takes about two months for a new behavior to become a habit (or if you are a supporter of the 21/90 rule, it may take a bit longer). Why is this a topic in our blog? Because how we write the year out today is going to have to break an old habit of abbreviating it, as many of us have done for the last nine years. The simple truth is that scammers are trying to forge our documents when we just write ’20’ instead of ‘2020.’

 

As reported by CNN’s Harmeet Kaur, “When the year 2020 is abbreviated on official forms and documents, those looking to exploit unsuspecting people can easily manipulate those numbers and leave people potentially vulnerable to fraud.” Auditors and police departments around the country have been notifying the public that when you write a date on a document, to not shorthand the year 2020 to just ’20.’ A document dated 1/4/20 can easily be changed to 1/4/2021 by adding two numbers at the end. Or, it could go the opposite way … a creditor could say you owed money from 2019 just by adding ’19’ after the ’20.’

 

Just putting forth a little effort in writing 2020 out in full, which will eventually become habit if done often enough, is a small step toward protecting you and your family from check or document fraud.

 

From the entire team at Guard Well, we wish you a wonderful, happy and prosperous 2020. If you suspect that fraud has happened to you, we are available 24/7/365 at 888.966.GUARD (4827) and [email protected].

 

How to Detect a Fraudulent eCommerce Site

How to Detect a Fraudulent eCommerce Site

The Washington Post just reported that U.S. consumers are expected to shell out a record $9.4 billion today on Cyber Monday, a 19% increase from last year. While Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Amazon are many holiday shopping ‘go-to’ websites, there are many others that you may visit, especially when looking for that perfect personalized gift. Unfortunately, fake eCommerce websites and scams during the holiday season are on the rise.

 

How do you decipher a legitimate website from a fake one? Yes, it is confusing … and that is by design. It’s not easy. There are some detailed things to watch out for:

 

– Scammers’ tactics include manipulation and will urge you to purchase. If you’re trying to make a purchase online and are offered help with the checkout process, do not give any personal identifying information (PII) in a chat room. If you are asked to do so, exit immediately.

 

– Hover over hyperlinks to make sure they’re going to a legitimate website. If there isn’t a padlock symbol and an ‘https’ in the address bar, exit immediately.

 

– A legitimate retailer will have full contact details, including address, email and phone number, on the website. If any of those are missing, exit immediately.

 

– Check out the website’s customer reviews. While many are legit, if you read beyond the star rating and check the reviewer’s history (especially if it is a very positive post), you may find that the reviewer uses the same phrases for other products and companies. Red flag! Also, if their reviews are not specific about the product, they have reviewed the same product before or they do not give useful feedback, recognize that they may not be legitimate and … guess what? … exit immediately. There are online tools such as Fakespot that can help you determine a customer’s review reliability.

 

– Don’t use a debit card for online purchases. Credit card companies won’t insure your purchase if you use a debit card. Dedicate one credit card for all online purchases and check the statement often. If you see any unusual activity, dispute the transaction immediately.

 

If you suspect identity theft or fraud, please contact us day or night at 888.966.GUARD (4827) or email [email protected]. We’ve got your back and are always open for you.