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Articles from Robert Siciliano | Selfgrowth.com
- Are You Taking Responsibility for Your Personal Safety? - by Submitted on Jul 18, 2018 from Robert SicilianoFor the most part, the local police department does not prevent most assaults or burglaries. That would require a cop to be everywhere all at once. Not happening. However, they do their best to capture and arrest those who commit these crimes. And, preventing crimes goes way beyond getting a ...
Views: 676 - Ransomware Hackers provide Customer Service Dept. to Victims - by Submitted on May 28, 2016 from Robert SicilianoYes, believe it or not, ransomware has become such a booming business for thieves, that these cyber thugs even provide bona fide customer service departments to guide their victims! When ransomware infects your computer, it holds your files hostage; you can’t access them—until you ...
Views: 676 - Phone Account of FTC Chief Technologist hijacked - by Submitted on Jul 14, 2016 from Robert SicilianoAn impostor posed as Lorrie Cranor at a mobile phone store (in Ohio, nowhere near Cranor’s home) and obtained her number. She is the Federal Trade Commission’s chief technologist. Her impostor’s con netted two new iPhones (the priciest models—and the charges went to ...
Views: 674 - Should you take active Shooter Training? - by Submitted on May 24, 2016 from Robert SicilianoGunman Storms Building, Shot Dead by Receptionist Wouldn’t it be great to see a headline like this for once? More than ever, employees are being trained to react tactically should a gunman go on a rampage. There has to be a better way, for instance, to protect children in a classroom ...
Views: 674 - DNA Tech is Catching Bad Guys and its Great and Scary - by Submitted on Oct 10, 2018 from Robert SicilianoIn 1996, a 12-year-old Washington state girl was raped and murdered. However, it wasn’t until June 2018, that an arrest was made in the case. How did this happen? DNA technology. The man arrested is Gary Hartman, and he is accused of killing and raping 12-year old Michella Welch. Donald ...
Views: 673 - Fake Real Estate Agent Caught Stealing $30K in Jewelry - by Submitted on Jul 02, 2019 from Robert SicilianoRecently, a man was accused of pretending to be a real estate agent just to steal some jewelry from an open house. According to Toronto police, he has been arrested. The victims are a couple (their identity isn’t being listed for their safety). They had an open house in a small city ...
Views: 670 - Why You Should Take a Woman's Self-Defense Class - by Submitted on Jan 02, 2018 from Robert SicilianoMany crimes against women are categorized as “crimes of opportunity.” The attacker doesn’t seem to care if the chance to attack comes in a large, busy city or in a small, sleepy town. If he sees a woman and he has intentions of attacking, he’s going to ...
Views: 669 - Hackers Hacking Airport USB Ports - by Submitted on Jun 27, 2019 from Robert SicilianoHave you ever wondered if it’s a good idea to surf the internet using a public WiFi network at the airport? It’s heavily trafficked, so it’s more likely that your information could get stolen, right? In some cases, it is safe to use public WiFi; your information isn’t ...
Views: 664 - Should You Fight or Take a Flight When Being Attacked? - by Submitted on Mar 06, 2018 from Robert SicilianoI am a big believer that people should run away from an attacker. If a bad guy gets into your home and he often wants to cause you pain, RUN as quickly as you can to the nearest door. If you are in a corner or you have to protect a loved one, you might have to fight him. Most of us are taught ...
Views: 662 - Understanding and Stopping Criminal Identity Theft - by Submitted on Feb 23, 2018 from Robert SicilianoThe definition of criminal identity theft is a crime where the criminal impersonates the victim in order to protect their innocence. This can lead to victims getting fines or even getting arrested and charged for crimes they did not commit. How Does This Happen? There are a number of ways ...
Views: 662 - Want to be a Cybercriminal? Try Facebook - by Submitted on May 03, 2019 from Robert SicilianoWhen you think of a cybercriminal, you probably picture someone in a black hoodie in a dark room on the dark web, but most cybercriminals are out there in plain sight, including on Facebook. Talos, a cybersecurity firm, found that people can easily join Facebook groups, and then participate ...
Views: 662 - Young Kids Getting Sexually Exploited Online More Than Ever Before - by Submitted on Jun 18, 2019 from Robert SicilianoAn alarming new study is out, and if you are a parent, you should take note…children as young as 8-years old are being sexually exploited via social media. This is a definite downturn from past research, and it seems like one thing is to blame: live streaming. YouTube serves up videos ...
Views: 662 - Boy Scouts of America 12,000 Sex Abuse Victims is Normal - by Submitted on Jul 23, 2019 from Robert SicilianoThe Boy Scouts of American is no stranger to controversy, and now new information is shedding light on how many leaders were actually involved in a sex abuse scandal. According to official records of the Boy Scouts, more than 12,000 children were sexually assaulted while in the scout program. ...
Views: 657 - 5 Digital Security Tips That You Should Always Beware Of - by Submitted on Jul 25, 2018 from Robert SicilianoHackers are out there, and they have their eyes on YOU! So, you are the first line of defense against them. Do you know how to make your smart phone or computer more difficult for hackers to access? Here’s five tips to help: Password Information You would think that these days, ...
Views: 654 - Are Password Managers as Safe as You Think They Are? - by Submitted on Jun 13, 2019 from Robert SicilianoYou have probably heard of password managers, and you probably think they are pretty safe, right? Well, there is new research out there that may might make you think twice, especially if you use password managers like KeePass, 1Password, Lastpass, or Dashlane. Frankly, I’m not worried ...
Views: 653 - 2017 Was the Worst Year for Identity Theft EVER! - by Submitted on Sep 27, 2018 from Robert SicilianoJavelin Strategy & Research recently released its Identity Fraud Study, and it revealed that the number of identity theft victims rose by 8% in 2017 when compared to 2016. That’s almost 17 million people, which is a record high. Despite more information and industry efforts to make ...
Views: 652 - Protect Yourself From Gift Card Scams - by Submitted on Dec 06, 2018 from Robert SicilianoSo maybe Christmas now means the very predictable gift card swap, but hey, who can’t use a gift card? But beware, there are a ton of scams. This includes physical, not just digital, gift cards. Regardless of who gave you the card, you should always practice security measures. Below are ...
Views: 651 - Craigslist Rental Scams in Your Town - by Submitted on May 10, 2016 from Robert SicilianoCraigslist is one of my favorite sites on the Internet, though I admittedly have a love/hate relationship with it. One reason I love it is because of the deals and variety of items and services available, but I hate it because some of the people who use it are scammers and the site has some ...
Views: 649 - How to Protect Your identity When Buying or Selling a Home - by Submitted on May 24, 2019 from Robert SicilianoIf you are in the process of buying or selling a home, at some point, you are going to have to disclose personal information when you go through the process. Because of this, a home buyer, especially, is much more likely to become a victim of identity theft. Here are some ways to protect your ...
Views: 649 - Anyone Can Scam You, Even Your Folks - by Submitted on Jun 11, 2019 from Robert SicilianoYou might feel pretty safe with your parents, but more and more stories are coming out about scammer parents—especially when it comes to getting into college. By now, we have all heard of the famous faces who have gotten caught up in the college admission scandal, but they are not the ...
Views: 648 - The Top Cyber Security Threats to Real Estate Companies - by Submitted on Feb 13, 2019 from Robert SicilianoGone are the days when hackers would only target retailers. These days, the bad guys an target businesses in any industry, especially those that aren’t quite up on cyber security. The real estate industry is one such group, and according to a recent survey, about half of businesses in ...
Views: 645 - How to Block Spammy Scammy Telemarketing Calls - by Submitted on Jan 24, 2019 from Robert SicilianoAre you getting a lot of scammy, spammy telemarketing calls? If you are, you know how annoying they can here. Fortunately, there are some apps out there that can help. Here are a few worth looking into: CallApp You can use CallApp to lookup numbers, and then decide if you want to answer it ...
Views: 640 - How To Determine a Fake Website - by Submitted on Jan 22, 2019 from Robert SicilianoThere are a lot of scammers out there, and one of the things they do is create fake websites to try to trick you into giving them personal information. Here are some ways that you can determine if a website is fake or not: How Did I Get Here? Ask yourself how you got to the site. Did you ...
Views: 638 - Youra Sheethed: My Dalliance Scambaiting a Nigerian Con - by Submitted on May 14, 2019 from Robert SicilianoI put an ad on Craigslist to sell a refrigerator that I no longer need. Within a few minutes I’m happy to report Micheal responded to buy it! SCAMMER: Hi am Micheal I like to ask if this item is till available for sale and what the present condition it. ME: Still for sale, someone is ...
Views: 636 - Should You Use Near-Field Communications? - by Submitted on Dec 26, 2014 from Robert SicilianoHave you ever wondered what kind of superpower you’d have? I’ve always wanted to send messages and ideas with my mind to others. My dream can sort of come true with near-field communications (NFC). You’ve might not have heard of NFC, but if you have a smartphone, ...
Views: 633 - Deepfakes and the Impact on Cybersecurity Now and in the Future - by Submitted on Jun 25, 2019 from Robert SicilianoCan you believe what you see in a video? Most people say ‘yes,’ but the truth is, you no longer can. We all know that photos can be altered, but videos? Thanks to artificial intelligence, these, too, are being altered at a very quick rate. These videos, known as ...
Views: 631 - Police Say Scammers Are Stealing Deposits from Homeowners - by Submitted on Jul 04, 2019 from Robert SicilianoThe police in Port St. Lucie Florida have claimed that scammers are now posting homes as available for rent or purchase. You rent/purchase the home by putting a deposit down on the house, but you’re never given any keys. The scammers are getting their victims to the property and even a ...
Views: 631 - WARNING: You or Your Members Could be Targets of List Scams - by Submitted on May 24, 2019 from Robert SicilianoThere are scammers out there targeting conference exhibitors and attendee. What are they looking for? Credit card numbers, money wires and personal information that they can use to steal identities. One of the ways that scammers get this information is by using invitation or list scams. ...
Views: 631 - Protect your USPS Mail from Getting Stolen - by Submitted on Dec 20, 2018 from Robert SicilianoUSPSID stands for U.S. Postal Service Informed Delivery. It is a good thing to sign up for because it informs you of your expected deliveries. But there’s a problem: Someone ELSE could pose as you and sign up for this service, getting your mail before you have a chance to. In fact, it ...
Views: 628 - How Criminals Prey on the Art World and Real Estate - by Submitted on Mar 16, 2019 from Robert SicilianoAny industry involving wiring transfers of large sums of money is vulnerable to this new type of hack. Purchasing a car, home or piece of art are large transactions and are not usually done in cash. In well-established industries like real estate, there are some checks and balances, but while ...
Views: 624 - Should You Use Facebook to Login to Websites? - by Submitted on Oct 23, 2018 from Robert SicilianoHave you ever used Facebook to sign onto another site? Many of us do this pretty blindly simply because it is very convenient. But, this convenience could come at a cost. You know the drill. You go to a website and it says “Log In With Facebook.” or Google. Usually, it just takes ...
Views: 616 - Be aware of all these Confidence Crimes - by Submitted on Jul 27, 2018 from Robert SicilianoCriminals have a reliance on tricking victims to get access to account information, like passwords. This is known as social engineering, and is also called a “confidence crime.” These come in many forms: Do Not Take the Bait of These Phishermen A phishing email that targets a ...
Views: 611 - How to be a Grandma Identity Thief Murderer - by Submitted on Oct 31, 2018 from Robert SicilianoLois Riess is a woman from Minnesota who police say shot her husband, went on the run, and then killed a woman in order to take on her identity. Here are some shocking facts about her: Riess Looked Like her Victim The woman Lois Riess killed, Pamela Hutchinson, looked like her. This is why ...
Views: 609 - What's the best Antivirus for You? - by Submitted on Apr 25, 2016 from Robert SicilianoThere are so many things to consider when it’s time to purchase antivirus software, but don’t let all the options overwhelm you. Take your time and don’t get too fixated on every little detail. Some systems will definitely conform more to your needs than others. But many people ...
Views: 602 - Financial Preparedness in a Disaster - by Submitted on Nov 06, 2018 from Robert SicilianoYou have probably heard that it’s important to be prepared for a disaster. You might have a first aid kit set aside, food and water, or a battery-operated radio. But, are you financially prepared? Creating an Emergency Fund It might be tough but try to set aside some money a little at ...
Views: 600 - Do Not take that Stupid Facebook Quiz - by Submitted on Oct 11, 2018 from Robert SicilianoWhere should you live in the world? What Game of Thrones family are you in? What is the food that best describes your personality? All of these answers are given and found by doing quizzes on Facebook. You have surely seen them if you use Facebook, and have may have taken these quizzes, but you ...
Views: 597 - Make Your Mobile a Tough Target for Thieves - by Submitted on Feb 22, 2019 from Robert SicilianoYou should definitely pay attention to your mobile phone security. Most of us don’t, which makes it easy for hackers and ID thieves to target us. Here are some tips to protect yourself from becoming a target for thieves. Use a Passcode One of the easiest ways to ensure that you are not ...
Views: 597 - How to Phish Google and Facebook and Make Millions - by Submitted on Apr 05, 2019 from Robert SicilianoEvaldas Rimasauskas, a Lithuanian man, became very rich. How? He is a criminal who used his lying skills to get more than $100 million from companies such as Facebook and Google between 2013 and 2015. He’s now in jail, but during his trial, Rimasauskas admitted that he was guilty of ...
Views: 591 - Robert Siciliano on FOX Nation - by Submitted on Jun 05, 2019 from Robert SicilianoI recently had the opportunity to join a panel discussion on FOX Nation. We talked about the grid, and how cyber threats could be the next medium for global warfare. I was able to share opinions with fellow experts on privacy, information security and cybersecurity. Please watch and learn why it ...
Views: 591 - How to Create Bulletproof Passwords - by Submitted on Dec 18, 2018 from Robert SicilianoIt is a hassle to keep track of all of your passwords. So, many people use the same username and password combination for all of their accounts. This, however, is a big mistake. All it takes is one hacker getting ahold of one of your accounts, and the rest of your accounts are now compromised. ...
Views: 587 - Check Your Free Credit Report Now - by Submitted on Oct 04, 2018 from Robert SicilianoWhen is the last time you checked your credit report? If it has been more than a year, you can get a free one. The issue is, however, is how to really understand it. Here’s some information about obtaining and reading your credit report. Obtaining Your Free Credit Report Based on US ...
Views: 585 - FTC Brings Office Depot Fines and a Strong Warning to Other Companies - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2019 from Robert SicilianoThe Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that Office Depot, along with a tech support firm, must come up with $35 million to settle a lawsuit over claims that both organizations were part of a computer repair service scam, which involved a fake malware scan. In the FTC complaint, it was ...
Views: 585 - Should You Worry About Contactless Credit Card NFC Skimming - by Submitted on Jan 09, 2019 from Robert SicilianoIf you have a contactless card, you might have worries about skimming. A contactless card or “frictionless” or “tap and go” is a card that has technology in it that allows payment over secure wireless like Apple Pay, Android Pay etc. Basically, this is where a criminal ...
Views: 571 - Researcher says HTTPS can track You - by Submitted on Jan 27, 2015 from Robert SicilianoPerhaps you’ve read that “HTTPS” at the start of a website address means that the site is secure, encrypted. However, a feature of the HTTPS can track you, says an article at theregister.co.uk. HTTP is not secure. Carnegie Mellon University in a Register article states ...
Views: 562 - The "Mother of All Data Breaches?" It Could Be Here… - by Submitted on May 17, 2019 from Robert SicilianoYou have probably heard of one data breach after another these days, but this is one that you should really pay attention to: more than 772 million unique emails, along with more than 21 million unique passwords, have been exposed. Troy Hunt, who runs the website “Have I Been ...
Views: 561 - “Troncast” Podcast with Tron Jordheim - by Submitted on Apr 12, 2019 from Robert SicilianoI recently had the opportunity to join Tron Jordheim on his podcast hosted on stitcher.com. We talked about digital security and how to watch out for yourself in our digital landscape. I was able to share advice on privacy, information security and why it is so important to take control of your ...
Views: 553 - Your Kids Digital Lives Are in Shambles - by Submitted on Jan 17, 2019 from Robert SicilianoIf you have a teenager, you probably have a battle in play: do you or do you not manage your teens mobile devices. Though some parents see this as an invasion of their child’s privacy,(which, frankly, is stupid) there are many reasons why you should start managing what they are doing ...
Views: 550 - Second Hand USB's Could Have Personal Info Still Inside - by Submitted on Apr 26, 2019 from Robert SicilianoAn unsurprising study was recently released that found even when a portable USB drive is erased, not all of the documents and images are always removed. That, of course, is frightening. Here’s how the research was done: Researchers went online to sites like eBay, to second-hand shops, ...
Views: 543 - Exclusive Coaching Call Webinar Recording - by Submitted on Apr 17, 2019 from Robert SicilianoMy interview with CNN has been trending all over the internet, and that makes me so happy because we talked about a very important topic–personal security. I’m so passionate about this subject that I wanted to provide some followup commentary. Use this link to view my most ...
Views: 540 - Do You Really Need Identity Theft Protection or is it a Waste of Money? - by Submitted on Dec 20, 2017 from Robert SicilianoI see a ton of articles that say identity theft protection is not something you really need. These articles have titles like “ID Theft Protection Does Not Work,” or “The Poor Man’s Guide to ID Theft Protection.” Though some of these articles have a bit of merit, ...
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