Author: Dave Stuart

As tax season shifts into high gear, many criminals are also stepping up their efforts to rob you of your resources. These schemes & scams seek access to your information for fraudulent purposes. Additionally, people can seek to falsely collect amounts you might owe to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and pursue other tactics, such as: · Citing IRS form 1099 as proof that individuals can access secret accounts the federal government maintains for every U.S. citizen · Using false tax-preparing Web sites to secure filers’ personal data · Pretending to be IRS agents with a phony badge number and…

National experts estimate that only eight percent of us kept our annual resolutions last year. However, there is one goal you can successfully achieve in 2016 and beyond -- having a safe online presence. Here are two simple & reliable steps you can take for higher virtual confidence: Public Wi-Fi is indeed Public -- Free public Wi-Fi is often where fraud perpetrators can pounce on your personal data once you connect to an open server. These networks aren’t secure, which means that anyone could potentially see what you are doing on your device. Vow to limit your activities on public Wi-Fi…

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is reminding consumers to remain vigilant when browsing or shopping online this time of year. Officials note that the season presents numerous opportunities for criminals to commit fraud. Some examples are electronic Christmas cards from unknown senders containing malicious software; fake ads or shipping notifications delivering viruses; and spoofed emails and posts on social networking sites requesting support for phony causes. To avoid security lapses, please consider the following actions: • Avoid following unsolicited links or attachments from sources with which you’re not familiar. • Visit the Federal Trade Commission's site for scam alerts. • Assess your…