Hackers

[tlg4942]

  I'm not sure how this happens exactly. But it happened  to me this week.

  This is a bank account that belonged to my mom( she had my name on it too) that I have just never closed. I have only had it online one year.

1. I get an e-mail from the bank. Someone has tried to access your account using ...aol.com

2. I do have an old AOL account but have literately not looked at it in two years. And have never accessed it on this computer. Nor I have accessed the bank through the AOL connection.

 So , How they managed to put that bank account together with and old e-mail account I don't know.  The bank locked the account until they reached me. Which gives them a lot of credit for paying attention.  I'm sure glad I use different passwords though....
 Even if someone found something on an old computer it would not have had a connection to both accounts. They would have had to found the AOL data on an old computer and the bank data on the computer I use for banking.
 

[teesquare]

Sorry to hear that you had a scare Terry - but it sounds like you covered yourself. I want to say a few things for the benefit of all our members. Many of you may know this, but - if we can save ONE person the frustration and fianancial loos - then it is worth it

If you search your e-mail and hard drive ( the way the hackers will )- you may  find some financial information tied to your accts. Understand that just because something is deleted - does not mean it cannot still be retrieved.

THIS is the reason that LTBBQ uses 3 levels of security in the admission of new members. We are not trying to be difficult, or "exclusive". But when someone's e-mail address has been hacked - most often - the perpetrators sell the acct. info to other crooks that will use your e-mail acct address to send out spam to everyone on your contacts list - as well as tens of thousands of folks that you do not know. If you ever get an e-mail from a friend that asks if - or why you sent him a link to cheap ladies underwear or the "little blue pill" offshore pharmacies...you have been hacked.

The danger - is that this is the 1st step in identity theft. Yet, most folks ignore it. You should IMMEDIATELY change at least your password - and maybe it is time to purge that old e-mail address and pick a new one.

Why the extreme sounding reaction? Because - once they have access to your e-mail acct. via their use of software which works like how electronic safe cracking works - they can now monitor your e-mail remotely. Or just check it from time to time, and "skim" dada that can be used to steal from you, or to create enough information for them to apply for credit in your name. Get the picture yet? 

E-mail is our most used, least secure, greatest exposure on the internet. Period.

You have to have it, but you must also manage it carefully. The crooks get smarter than the honest folks at a faster rate.....

Change your password ever 3-6 months. If you ever get hacked, consider changing your e-mail address as well. Pain? Not nearly as painful as financial damage or ruin.

[Pappymn]

I am on my 4th credit card in the past 16 months due to fraud. Bank recently sent me a new debit card with a chip .  I have had exactly one merchant who had the newest card reader that could make use of the chip. 

[drholly]

Generally, I am a luddite. However, almost 2 years ago I was a victim of identity theft. All my money was drained from my bank accounts and several credit cards were opened and maxed. - No, they didn't hack my computer - they grabbed bank and other info from my mail box. Net - net, these #%$@# are evil and we need to be careful.

[tlg4942]

I am on my 4th credit card in the past 16 months due to fraud. Bank recently sent me a new debit card with a chip .  I have had exactly one merchant who had the newest card reader that could make use of the chip. 

dont worry, these readers will be every where soon. The rumor is they have much better security. That will change as time goes by and something new will come out.  It's the world we live in now.
 I would love to go off the grid but then I wouldn't have y'all to talk to. 

[muebe]

Sorry to hear that happen. Using a third party go between like Apple pay or PayPal is more secure and I like that more places are taking them.

The cards with the chip are more secure and much more difficult to counterfeit.
Has been the standard for a long time in Europe. We seem to be behind on the times when it comes to stuff like that.

[Sailor1]

Sorry to hear that happen. Using a third party go between like Apple pay or PayPal is more secure and I like that more places are taking them.

The cards with the chip are more secure and much more difficult to counterfeit.
Has been the standard for a long time in Europe. We seem to be behind on the times when it comes to stuff like that.

It is my understanding that merchants are to have chip readers installed by the end of the year.  From what I have heard is the readers are costing $300 to $1000 depending on the card processing vendor.  Merchants are having to pony up money for the software also.  A merchant is not being "forced" to buy the new readers "cough" as the old readers will still read the magnetic tape but what the processors are saying is if they swipe a card without using a chip reader and the card comes back as fraudulent - the liability is on the merchant.  I thought that was the way it has always been in the real world anyway.   My merchant buddies pitch a bitch about the 2% to 3% that they have to fork out for card transactions to start with and now the extra expense that they are having to eat to buy the new chip readers.  I can see their point of view.