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Identity Theft News

TechRepublic , March 31, 2021

Tax refund phishing scam targets university students and staffers

The IRS is warning of a phishing scam that promises refund information but looks to capture Social Security numbers and other sensitive data.

By Lance Whitney

With tax season in bloom, cybercriminals have launched a series of phishing attacks aimed at university students and employees eager to receive potential tax refunds. ...read full article

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The National Law Review , March 31, 2021

Unemployment Insurance Fraud

U.S. Department of Labor Launches New Online Resource for Victims

Unemployment Insurance (“UI”) fraud has exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in billions of dollars’ worth of fraudulent claims being filed across the United States. ...read full article

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WJAR NBC 10 News , February 12, 2021

Consumer Alert: Experts warn pandemic will increase tax ID theft

By Emily Volz

As tax season gets underway, experts are warning that this year, we're more vulnerable than ever to tax identity theft. Fortunately, there's a new way to protect your return. ...read full article

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WWNY News Channel 7 , February 11, 2021

Parents speak out about deployed son’s suspected identity theft

By Keith Benman

It’s a suspected case of identity theft. Parents figured out something was wrong when they got unemployment documents in the mail for their son, who’s deployed with the Air Force. It just didn’t add up and soon they found out they aren’t alone. ...read full article

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New York Times , February 6, 2021

Is Your Vaccine Card Selfie a Gift for Scammers? Maybe

You finally got your vaccine, and you’re excited to share the proof. Here’s why that may not be a good idea, and what you can do instead.

By Christine Hauser

Some experts are warning that the information on your celebratory photo might make you vulnerable to identity theft or scams. ...read full article

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Better Business Bureau , November 25, 2020

BBB Scam Alert: That Zoom invite is really a phishing scam

Thanks to the global pandemic keeping people at home, the popular video conferencing platform Zoom has seen usage grow exponentially in 2020. Naturally, this has attracted the attention of hackers and scammers. With a huge user base to target, con artists are using old tricks in new scams to try to steal your information. ...read full article

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Huffpost , November 18, 2020

7 Charged With Stealing Millions In COVID Aid, Using It To Buy Lamborghini, Porsche

The suspects allegedly laundered the money by writing checks to relatives and fake employees. The checks were then cashed through a defendant’s checking company.

By Nina Golgowski

Seven people in two states have been charged with allegedly stealing millions of dollars in federal coronavirus relief funds, some of which was spent on a Porsche and Lamborghini sports car, authorities said Tuesday. ...read full article

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WBZ Boston (CBS) , November 9, 2020

BBB: Beware Of COVID Vaccine Trial Scams Offering Cash For Participation

BOSTON (CBS) — The Better Business Bureau is warning the public about scams involving coronavirus vaccine studies. The scam often starts as an unsolicited text or social media message saying that you qualify for a clinical trial, which will pay you upwards of $1,000. ...read full article

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13 ABC Action News, Toledo, OH , October 8, 2020

Scammers using e-mail to target personal information

October marks National Cybersecurity Month. With more people online than ever, the Better Business Bureau is warning users about a new kind of attack by hackers.

By Jack Bassett

The President of Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan’s Better Business Bureau is warning about a scam making its way online. ...read full article

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Reuters , October 6, 2020

UK COVID loan scheme could lose 26 billion pounds from fraud, defaults - watchdog

By Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) - Criminals may have made billions of pounds by exploiting a government loan scheme to help British businesses hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, while large losses are expected from firms unable to repay, the country’s spending watchdog has said. ...read full article

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Newsday , September 23, 2020

Thieves stole more than $1 million in 'synthetic identity' fraud scheme, Suffolk DA Timothy Sini says

13 people have been charged; the majority of the defendants are from Long Island.

By Bridget Murphy

A complex scheme that netted more than $1 million after thieves created about 20 new identities with stolen information and used them in Suffolk County to get loans and other credit began unraveling after a single phone call to police, authorities said Wednesday. ...read full article

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WTEN , September 6, 2020

Nine indicted in identity theft, bank fraud conspiracy

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WTEN) – Nine men were charged in a 13-count indictment for a bank fraud and identity theft scheme with hundreds of victims, including in Albany County. ...read full article

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Next Avenue , September 4, 2020

COVID-19 Scams: From Identity Theft to Bogus Contact Tracers

What the 'Friends Talk Money' podcast hosts advise to stay safe

By Richard Eisenberg

Americans have lost more than $106 million to COVID-19 fraud this year, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has received over 187,000 fraud reports, amounting to more than $130 million in losses. ...read full article

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Krebs on Security , August 27, 2020

Confessions of an ID Theft Kingpin, Part II

By Brian Krebs

Ngo now says he wants to use his experience to convince other cybercriminals to use their skills for good. Here’s a look at what happened after he got busted. ...read full article

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Krebs on Security , August 26, 2020

Confessions of an ID Theft Kingpin, Part I

By Brian Krebs

At the height of his cybercriminal career, the hacker known as “Hieupc” was earning $125,000 a month running a bustling identity theft service that siphoned consumer dossiers from some of the world’s top data brokers. ...read full article

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South Bend Tribune , August 21, 2020

Consumer Advocate: Watch out for scammers’ newest trick: synthetic identity theft

By Marjorie Stephens

One of the newest schemes is synthetic identity theft, where a scammer takes multiple pieces of information from different people to create a fake identity. You could be a victim without knowing. ...read full article

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ClickOnDetroit.com , May 30, 2020

UIA provides resources, adds staff to protect Michiganders against unemployment identity theft

New scam steals personal information to file false unemployment claims

The Unemployment Insurance Agency today provided Michigan consumers with resources to help protect against unemployment identity theft and steps to take if they are victim. ...read full article

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Spectrum News , May 29, 2020

Amended Lawsuit Alleges Identity Theft Related to Deloitte PUA Leak

By Orie Givens

The list of plaintiffs suing the manufacturer of the state's pandemic unemployment system grew by two this week. ...read full article

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The Seattle Times , May 28, 2020

Washington state claws back $300 million from unemployment fraud scheme as many jobless workers await benefits

By Paul Roberts

A week after acknowledging fraud losses of “hundreds of millions of dollars” in Washington’s unemployment insurance system, state officials announced Thursday they had recovered more than $300 million of the stolen funds and blocked thieves from stealing “hundreds of millions” of additional dollars in benefits. ...read full article

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bobsullivan.net , May 18, 2020

Podcast: ‘This is heartbreaking’

Unemployment ID theft victims in red tape nightmare

By Bob Sullivan

Imagine applying for unemployment benefits only to be denied because…you are already receiving them. ...read full article

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