by Consumer Reports
Friday, May 13, 2011
provided by
What cops and crooks say you're doing wrong.
You're
an easy target. That's what we heard when we talked to police, experts,
and especially people who have spent time on the other side of the law.
As vacation season begins, and crime doesn't take a holiday, these
security missteps may surprise you -- or at least remind you what police
dramas taught: Be careful out there. Here are the mistakes to avoid at
home, with your electronics, and for your personal finances:
At Home
Making a break-in too easy
"About
half of all break-ins aren't break-ins but walk-ins," says Bob
Portenier, consultant, lecturer, and former burglar. "Families get in a
hurry in the morning -- kids going to school, running late for work,
doctors' appointments, what have you -- and forget to take that one or
two minutes to check the doors and locks, usually on the back side. You
have a pet, you let it out to do its business -- and then forget the
security French door or sliding glass door."
Remember, don't
forget to turn on your home alarm. In a security survey of 1,038 U.S.
homeowners we conducted in February, 43 percent of people in our survey
who had an alarm said they at least occasionally don't turn it on when
they're not at home. Some other troubling numbers. Nineteen percent of
people in our survey said they at least occasionally leave doors at home
unlocked when they're out, and 26 percent of survey respondents said
they at least occasionally leave windows unlocked when they're not at
home.
Photo illustration: Stephen Webster |
Leaving your garage door open
In
addition to providing access to everything in the garage, the door most
likely leads to an interior door and access to your house. That
interior door probably isn't as strong as an exterior door. And once a
burglar's in your garage, the neighbors can't see him.
Obscuring your house
Tall
hedges and fences hide windows and doors, giving thieves cover to work,
says Walter T. Shaw, former burglar and co-author of "A License to
Steal."
Leaving valuables in sight
"When we targeted a
house, we would approach the door and look in -- the quality of
furniture, whatever there was -- to give us an idea of how these people
spend their money," says Portenier. "So with mirror-tinted windows, it
eliminates that."
Advertising a vacation
People often
don't do anything to make the house look occupied, says Maj. Kurt
Philipps of the Memphis police department. Lt. John Dzwlewicz of the New
York City police department suggests this trick: Put some inexpensive
kids' toys on the lawn. On Facebook, share news of your trip only after
you return.
Photo illustration: Stephen Webster |
Being carefree with keys
Leaving
keys under the doormat or elsewhere outside the home is a risk that 12
percent of people in our survey say they often take. Another 7 percent
say they do it occasionally. And 66 percent say they have given a key to
someone other than a resident of their home.
And avoid hiding
your car keys inside or outside the car. That just makes it easier for
thieves to engage in a spur-of-the-moment theft, authorities say. Many
of today's cars make it difficult to lock your keys inside. If you're
concerned about that anyway, keep a spare in your wallet or purse.
Eleven percent of people in our survey said they at least occasionally
leave car keys in the ignition when parked. And 52 percent of people
from non-metro areas in our survey said they at least occasionally leave
their car unlocked outside.
Tossing prescription bottles
Prescription
labels on pill bottles can contain important information such as phone
numbers, doctors, and prescription numbers. Remove the labels and shred
them. Also be careful with medical records. And also treat your benefit
claims forms, insurance reimbursements, and even medical tests as
confidential information and destroy them before discarding.
Thinking a gun is your best defense
Gun
ownership is a controversial topic, but research has shown that
homeowners with guns increase the risks in their home. Homeowners might
make the mistake of not getting proper training and not securing their
firearms. Thirty-two percent reported having a gun as a security
measure. And 73 percent of gun owners thought it was very good or
excellent for protection.
With Your Electronics
Using lazy passwords
It
pays to make the passwords you use tougher to guess. Don't make it easy
for hackers. That means never using passwords such as "welcome" or
"password." Instead mix up letters and numbers to make for tougher
encryption.
Photo illustration: Stephen Webster |
Falling for phishing
The
e-mail that contains what looks like a link to your financial
institution might be phony; cyber thieves will record your keystrokes as
you enter passwords, giving them access to your accounts. Don't click
on such links; type the correct Web address into the browser.
Running outdated software
Always
run the latest version of your browser, which will probably include
better security features, says Kevin Mitnick, a former infamous computer
hacker and now CEO of Mitnick Security Consulting, a computer-security
business. And Mitnick says that when a software company such as Adobe
tells you there's an update for your software, pay attention and run the
update. Programs such as Flash and Adobe Acrobat are among the most
exploited by cyber criminals.
Instant-messaging programs and media
players are also targets. To make sure software on your computer is up
to date, Mitnick advises running a program such as the free Personal
Software Inspector.
For Your Personal Finances
Banking from a public computer
Keylogging
malware that can capture account numbers, passwords, and other vital
data is a risk that has been linked to use of open Wi-Fi connections and
public computers such as those in hotel lobbies.
Using unfamiliar ATMs
Thieves
have been known to put out-of-order signs on a legitimate ATM and set
up nearby freestanding bogus ones that "skim" data from your card. ATMs
located inside banks within view of surveillance cameras aren't
risk-free, but they pose more challenges for crooks installing skimming
equipment.
Two other important pieces of advice related to ATMs:
Separate your PIN code from your ATM or debit card. Almost 1 in 10
people carry their code with the card, says ACI Worldwide, a payment
systems company. And when typing your PIN into an ATM or card reader,
use your free hand to shield the keypad from the view of hidden cameras
or anyone nearby.
Photo illustration: Stephen Webster |
Dropping your guard at gas pumps
Card-skimming
at gas stations is likely to increase during summer months, especially
in vacation areas, so use cash or credit cards at the pumps if possible.
If you must use a debit card, select the option to have the purchase
processed as a credit-card transaction rather than typing in your PIN.
Ignoring your credit or debit cards
Monitor
your accounts at least weekly to spot and report unauthorized
transactions as soon as possible. Use services offered by your bank or
card issuer that can help protect you, such as an e-mail or text alert
if a transaction occurs for more than a certain amount.
Abandoning your receipts
Many
transactions, such as filling up your tank and making a debit-card
withdrawal, leave a paper trail. Don't toss away receipts in the ATM
lobby or leave them at the gas pump. Hold on to them until your
transactions have cleared your bank account to make sure the totals
match. Then shred the receipts if they have any information a thief
might use.
Trashing your bills
Thieves harvest
sensitive data from account statements and other financial documents
placed in the trash and use them for ID theft, says Inspector Michael
Romano of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Shred them first.
6 Ways to Stay Safer
1. Watch out for imposters
The
fastest-growing scam in the past year has been imposter fraud,
according to the latest annual report on consumer complaints from the
Federal Trade Commission. Thieves claiming to be someone they're not
(such as a friend or relative stranded overseas in need of cash to get
home, a bill collector, or an employee of a government agency) use
Facebook messages, e-mail, phone calls, and text messages to persuade
people to send money or divulge personal information such as Social
Security or account numbers. Last year, 60,000 people reported that they
were affected by this form of fraud, up from just five cases reported
in 2008.
2. Learn to parallel park
Car thieves are
becoming more professional. They're stealing new cars by putting them on
a flatbed tow truck, our expert says. Parallel parking hinders access
to the front and rear of your car, making it difficult to tow. Also, be
careful about whom you bump into at the grocery store, especially if
your car has keyless entry and a push-button ignition. A thief with an
antenna and a small kit of electronics can transmit your key's code to
another thief standing near your car, allowing him to open it, start it,
and drive it away.
3. Hide the stuff in your car
Don't
leave electronics and other valuables visible inside your car. GPS
units are less of a magnet these days; cell phones and laptops more so.
Holiday gifts are a big target, so don't stack them up in the backseat.
Is there a worse move? Yes. Leaving your stuff in the back of a pickup
truck.
4. Change your PIN
Make it a habit to
routinely change the secret code for your debit card or ATM card. That
gives you better protection against any thieves or skimming schemes.
5. Keep a financial inventory
Once
a year take out all of the cards in your wallet, make a list of the
account numbers and contact information you'll need to cancel cards if
they become lost or stolen, and hide it in a safe place, says Mark
Rasch, a former Department of Justice computer-crime prosecutor who is a
director at CSC, a business technology firm based in Falls Church, Va.
6. Change your Wi-Fi password
If
you have a home wireless network, choose the highest-security option.
That way your Web-browsing and financial transactions will be more
protected. Go a step further and create your own administrative password
rather than rely on a default password supplied by the router.
Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on Yahoo!
Copyrighted 2009, Consumers Union of U.S., Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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