Cybercriminals Hacked 15 Financial Firms for $15 Million
A group of hackers and identity thieves illegally obtained log-in credentials for customers of 15 financial firms and payment services, stealing millions, authorities say.
identity theft
The Year's Most Outrageous Tax Cheats
From a restauranteur who hid cash receipts in octopus boxes to a self-proclaimed governor who buried his gold, here are some of the oddest tax frauds the IRS caught last year.
Why Your Facebook Account Is More Secure Than Your Bank Account
Facebook and Google use an extra line of defense to keep intruders out of your account. Why don't banks do the same?
What Hacked LivingSocial Users Actually Need to Worry About
Living Social just suffered a data breach, but smart users don't have much to fear. Here's what the thieves can do with the data they got, and how you can protect yourself.
Why Your Bank Thinks Someone Stole Your Credit Card
Banks issue fraud alerts and freeze accounts if they think a credit card has been stolen -- which can be annoying when they're wrong. But what sets off their warning bells?
5 Practical Money Tips for New Grads
Beyond the usual platitudes and cliches, commencement speakers should consider giving their audiences of eager graduates these five crucial pieces of advice.
Is That Charity Street Canvasser Legit?
Most people wouldn't give their wallet to a stranger, but many people give charity street canvassers their personal and financial information. And that's not always wise.
The Top 10 Consumer Complaints of 2012
An online database compiled more than 2 million consumer complaints in 2012: identity theft, debt collection, tax fraud and more. Here are the top 10 biggest offenders.
Looking for Your Tax Refund? So Are Scammers
Tax refund fraud has skyrocketed in recent years. Don't let scammers get their hands on your refund check. Here's how to protect yourself.
Parents, Beware: Identity Thieves Are After Your Children
Parents, beware: Your offspring are in the crosshairs of financial scammers. According to AllClear ID, an identity-theft protection company, children are 35 times more likely than adults to be identity theft victims.
9 Ways to Teach Teenagers About Money
While some school systems have added financial literacy to their curricula, many have not, and in the end, responsibility for ensuring your offspring are ready for adult financial life is on your shoulders. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can add to your teens' practical knowledge.
4 Things Identity Thieves Don't Want You To Know
More than 11.6 million people in the U.S. reported having their identity stolen in 2011, 13 percent more than in 2010, and those numbers are likely to rise further. But you can avoid being a victim: Here are four things identity thieves don't want you to know.
When You've Passed On, Who Inherits Your Credit Card Debt?
When we die, we leave all kinds of things behind, including our debts. And it's not always clear what exactly happens to those obligations. Consider your credit card debt, for example.
Scammers Hacking Computers by Calling Victims on the Phone
It's the latest scam: A con artist calls your phone posing as a tech from a big computer company, and claims to have detected a virus on your computer. He (or she!) then asks for access to it in order to "help" you. Agree, and your troubles are just beginning.
Family Fraud: When Mom Steals Your Identity
Identity theft is bad enough when it's a stranger committing the crime. But it gets even more complicated when the perpetrator is a relative. And that scenario is far more common than you might guess.
Identity Theft's Taxing New Trend: Scammers Are After Your Refund
Beware the hottest trend in identity theft: tax identity theft. This year, the IRS expects upwards of 1 million fraudulent tax returns will be filed by scammers stealing refunds. And while the IRS can't protect you, you can protect yourself.
Phony $1,000 Target Gift Card is the Scam of the Year
A fake contest for a $1,000 Target gift card has been declared 2012's "Scam of the Year" by online complaint resolution platform Scambook. Most victims of this "smishing" con haven't lost any money - yet. But the bad news for those who fell for it is, the trouble has only just begun.
New Year, New You: 5 Cheap Products for Reorganizing Your Life
When it comes to upgrading your life for a new year, dispelling the clutter around you is a great place to start -- and it doesn't have to be an expensive process. If you're looking to face 2013 on a stronger financial and organizational footing, these five products are hard to beat for value.
Meet the 'Voice of the Taxpayer': Nina Olson Speaks for You
Think you're on your own if you want your tax-related concerns heard in Washington? Well, you're not. Since 1979 there's been an official advocate who has the ear of Congress, regularly making a stink on taxpayers' behalf, aiming for a fairer, simpler, system.
Identity Thief Accidentally Sends Victims His Loot
A tip for identity thieves: When you buy a bunch of pricey merchandise with a stolen card number, make sure you don't ship the loot to your victims. That's evidently what happened to one Alaska couple. First their debit card was hacked to the tune of $5,000. Then, the packages began arriving.
12 Holiday Cyber Scams to Watch Out For
As more consumers pick up their smartphones and tablets to go holiday shopping, cyber crooks are trying just about everything to dupe them out of their hard-earned money. To keep you protected, we asked an online security expert to list the season's hottest scams and how to avoid them.
IRS Internet Scams: If the Tax Man Emails You, It's Fraud
When the IRS sends you an email that it owes you some cash, and all you need to do to collect it is click through to their website, it's naturally tempting. Don't bite: No matter how convincing that email is, you can rest assured that it's a scam.
Identity Theft: How to Protect Yourself from the Fraudsters
In the past five years, 27.3 million Americans were victims of identity theft, says author and identity theft expert Steve Weisman. Here are his tips for keeping your identity protected from the con men, criminals and fraud artists.
Online Shopping (and Fraud) Likely to Soar This Holiday Season
When it comes to holiday shopping, there's one trend you can count on every year: Online sales will grow like gangbusters. But whether you're on a laptop, a tablet or a smartphone, it's important to remember that buying online carries extra risks of identity theft and fraud.
Where Does Your Spouse's Credit Card Debt Go When They Die?
When a husband or wife dies, it's not just the emotional issues that can be overwhelming; the financial issues can be, too. Here are three important financial actions no widow or widower should delay taking -- and the answer to the pressing question in the headline above.
Why Your Credit Card Needs an International Upgrade: The EMV Chip
When you're traveling abroad, the last thing you might be worried about is whether your credit card will speak the native language, but because U.S. cards lack a certain key bit of technology, many times, they won't. But in some cases, that will soon be changing.
Buy a Dead Person's Identity from Social Security for $10
For $10, identity thieves can access the full name, Social Security number and other personal information of a dead person through a list of millions of deceased Americans, known as the Death Master File.
Why Smartphone Banking Is Safer Than Using Your PC
It's easy to feel like accessing your bank accounts via a smartphone must be risky. It could be stolen! Or hacked! But IT security experts say mobile banking is actually more secure than online banking from your computer.
Thousands Fall Victim to Utility Payment Scam
As much as President Barack Obama wants your vote, he won't pay your electric bill. But thousands of Americans have been persuaded otherwise, falling victim to a scam that claims to be part of an federal program to help pay utility bills in the midst of this scorching summer.
8 Things to Never Keep in Your Wallet
That overstuffed wallet of yours is more than just a chore to lug around. If it's lost or stolen, all those extra cards, receipts and bank slips in it will make it much easier for a fraudster to hijack your identity. Here's what to purge: