Gone Phishing

Show of hands- how many of you reading this blog post have ever purchased something online using a credit card? We suspect quite a few. If not, have you ever used your credit card to purchase gas or rent a movie? Or here is another question for you; have you received a phone call or email encouraging you to download an app or visit a website because of ‘suspicious activity’ or ‘security issues’? You might not even be aware that you are being spammed!
Sadly, we are all at risk of having our identity stolen or falling victim of a phishing scam because of the digital world we now live in. Within minutes, thousands of dollars, your dollars, can be spent without you even being aware of the situation. Not only does it take time, money, and patience to resolve, but it can also wreck your finances, reputation, and even credit history.
So what is identity theft and what is phishing and what can you do to protect yourself from falling victim to these malicious acts?
Identity theft happens when someone steals your personal information, credit card number, social security number, ATM pin number, without your permission. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that 9 million Americans suffer identity theft annually. For prevention,

• Check your bank accounts regularly.
• Do not give out personal information unless you are confident you are speaking with the legitimate company.
•  Clear your passwords and logins regularly, especially if you use a public computer.
• If you notice there has been fraudulent activity, place a Fraud Alert or Credit Freeze. While neither are foolproof, it will spare you time to resolve the issue before more money is spent.
• You can also protect yourself by purchasing Identify Theft Protection.

Phishing is the act of attempting to obtain personal information from you (such as bank number, credit card info, passwords, etc.) by pretending to be an established and trustworthy source. Con artists are getting smarter and it can be very tricky to determine if you are being fooled. Keep these things in mind to help prevent being spoofed.

• Don’t click on links from your bank or credit card company that warn you of something has gone wrong.
• Never verify your account information through a link either. If your bank, the IRS, or credit card company notices something wrong, they call you.
• If you worry there might be a problem, go to a new browser and go directly to the companies website. If this site doesn’t list any problems, you know you were almost the victim of a phish scam.
• Get security.

Phishing and identity theft are no joke. Don’t become a victim, but be smart and protect yourself from any circumstance as best you can.

                                        Contact us for all your Insurance needs! (321)725-1620

Bob Lancaster Insurance

Serving Florida since 1964

Business Identity Theft is on the Rise

There is a new form of identity theft in Florida, and it is affecting businesses and the information they have on file with the State of Florida. You need to be aware of this latest scam and how to prevent it from happening to you.

All business entities in the state (like corporations and limited liability companies) must register with the state’s Division of Corporations, who is the keeper of the official records for all business entities in the State of Florida. The information kept on file by the Division of Corporations, which includes a company’s name, address, and names and addresses of owners/directors, is public and available to anyone who logs into the Division of Corporations’ website at www.sunbiz.org.

Because this information is available to the general public, identity thieves are logging into www.sunbiz.org and changing an individual company’s information as well as their contact email address (email is the only way the Division of Corporations corresponds with businesses.) The thieves then use these altered records to open new bank accounts, redirect a company’s mail to a new address, or fraudulently obtain lines of credit. In some cases, thieves have even used the altered information to get contracts and collect cash for work performed, leaving the original company with the tax burden.

Right now, a company’s information on file with the Division of Corporations at www.sunbiz.org is not password-protected, and the system cannot prevent an unauthorized user from going online and changing the information on file for any given company, leaving businesses vulnerable. However, the Division of Corporations has instituted an email alert process, where they will send an email notice to any business entity if that entity’s mailing address or FEIN is changed on www.sunbiz.org. If the change was not authorized, the business can then notify the state right away by using a link provided in the email. However, this only works if the email address on file with the state is the correct and authorized one.

We are advising our policyholders who are registered with the Division of Corporations to periodically check and verify the data on file for them with the state, to make sure no unauthorized changes have been made. At www.sunbiz.org, a business can click on “Search our Records” then “Inquire by Name” and enter their business name. When they click on their company’s name, all the company’s information currently on file with the state will come up. A business needs to check it over carefully and make sure the information on file is accurate, especially the business mailing address, FEIN and authorized contact email address.


Call (321)725-1620 or email us at BobBlogsInsurance@gmail.com

Bob Lancaster Insurance, serving Florida since 1964.