How to steal an identity in seven easy steps
 

How to steal an identity in seven easy steps

http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/thin...asy-steps/9487

Nothing that I didn't know before and yet people think I'm crazy for not posting
certain info.

They think "I'm hiding something". I sure am....I hiding from fucking crooks.

That's why I use lifelock.

.

Who's the blame? Her!

People dump all kind of personal data into facebook, linkedin, twitter.

You don't need criminal motivations to find such personal info, imagine you work with clients and you want to know a little bit more about who you are really working for, then google is really really your friend. With just an email address your can find a ton of info, full name, phone number, address, employer and much more. :2 cents:

That's why I never had much sympathy with social networks, I see people without a clue exposing their life to the world eyes.

Their new CEOs identity was stolen. Their original founder/CEO was convicted of STEALING HIS FATHER'S identity.

Yeah...I'd give them my info/money. :1orglaugh

Yeah, that is a very very obscure example. Thread title should read "How to steal an identity if someone has an email account where the password recovery asks for common information".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LifeLock#Controversy

Works so good his identity was stolen 13 times! :1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

"I have nothing to hide and therefore aren't worried".

Now lets see him steal the identity of someone who doesn't have a personal blog.

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh seriously? thats fucked up

same thing here, some people thought that i'm paranoid.
(in fact i'm, but not for that :p )

No shit... My favorite piece of info he got from the blog was her father´s middle name (how do you work that into a post not knowing you are giving out too much info)

so what did we learn, dont make personal blogs., :D

The original article is from 2008....

These days kids post the same amount of info or more on their facebook page.

thats why i hate to throw away utility bills and bank statements :o
but i have no place to store them, so i have to throw them away :(

Burn them :2 cents:

i live in a tower building :) wooden floor.. so this is a GREAT idea :D

so much work, if they are willing to work like that why don't they just a get a real job.

Would a simple password give you access in any bank?

I was a ID theft victim last year. One thing I learned that I now tell everybody to do is call your bank and credit card companies and set up a verbal password that only you know. If anyone calls in and does not know the password they can't do anything. And for bank accounts, set up an alert so you get a text message or phone call whenever any changes happen to your account.

not today, maybe then, now most of them have better security, even A/4 or C/7 blocks (same as paxum ask when sending from wallet to mc) of code will protect you account now days, if you have that data on paper given by bank...

Anyone smart enough can have your identity if they want it.

Once you've been unlucky enough to fall into their crosshairs for whatever reason, there's not much you can do about it.

All the family tree research sites help with things like the father´s middle name too and also the way people tend to re-use names within families. I had someone tell me there was no way I would be able to work out what his middle name is as it is too obscure - turned out to be his great granddads name.

People don't help themself either with having the same password everywhere. Get it right for one site and you're into anywhere they have an account.

Last person that stole my identity, I found him and broke his knee with a wrench and he turned himself in for an unrelated crime in Indiana since he was scared of me and he's still there..

True in the case of most banks. Paypal etc still have to catch up.

IMO, the biggest problem illustrated in OP is the 'cascade effect'. One account get compromised and all others that were built on top of that crumble as well.

I use a unique email address for every service, affiliate account, news letter etc. Works also great to identify those programs that spam their affiliates.

This was 2008. Doubt any bank would be pass around that time. 1998 perhaps...?

I guess you are right, but how many of you have a paper shredder?


Btw Damian, i 've been reading your blog, and found some good tips :)

I do :)

All right, 3 more i do's and i'm gonna buy one too :D

for added security: don't put the shredded pieces of paper all in the same bin, box, bag, whatever you use to dispose of paper...

Are you housebound?

Spy stuff :1orglaugh

Absolutely have one. Everything with my name on it, including junk mail goes in there.

great hacker book about all the recent stuff is Fatal System Error. by joseph menn. that book scared the crap out of me about how bad it really is and how the corp and gov hide a lot of the info from us.