credit card crook comes clean
Posted by Michelle Moquin on April 27th, 2011
Good morning!
Once again forewarned in forearmed. Another good one to be aware of….and this warning comes straight from the horse’s mouth. Check it out…
Credit Card Security Tips — from a Credit Card Thief
Inside information from a reformed credit card thief shows how crooks get their information by harvesting email addresses and buying stolen numbers to use on forged cards.
He told the online credit card news and information site CreditCards.com how he did it and provides useful information on what he himself now does to safeguard his own cards.
Fortunately for him (and us!), he got caught, changed sides to help the Secret Service, repaid his victims and, as this week’s report demonstrates, agreed to help others avoid falling victim to the crime.
Credit Card Security Tips — from a Credit Card Thief!
A former credit card thief has confessed online that the crime, which rakes in more than $500m a year in the US, is “ridiculously easy” to commit.
Using stolen numbers that cost $10 to $50 apiece, Dan DeFelippi manufactured genuine-looking credit cards from blanks, programming their magnetic stripes, and used them to buy hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise at stores, which he then sold online.
He was part of a loose network of crooks who, according to recent research by leading ID theft surveyors Javelin Strategy, account for around 4.5 million credit card fraud victims in the US alone every year.
Since being convicted in 2004, the ex-credit card thief has spilled the beans on the murky world of credit card fraud, even working with the US Secret Service to train agents and expose the workings of online hackers and fraudsters.
Now a website developer in New York, he recently told his story to the online credit card comparison and news site CreditCards.com.
Starting out as a teenage hacker, DeFelippi progressed to selling bogus IDs at college, realizing how easy it was to discover individuals’ personal and confidential information.
He used software that harvested email addresses from specific age groups and locales, then bombarded them with messages pretending to be from the likes of AOL and PayPal, saying their credit card details had expired.
Inevitably, these phishing messages contained a link to a bogus page asking victims to re-enter their details.
“It’s kind of scary how much information I could get,” DeFelippi tells CreditCards.com.
But he admits it’s more difficult these days for a credit card thief to get information this way because many card users have wised up to this spoof.
It was simpler and quicker to buy credit card numbers from crooks who hack computers, set up bogus online stores selling non-existent goods at bargain prices, “skim” the numbers from ATMs, or simply steal them at restaurants or from documents.
We covered the “art” of skimming in a recent Scambusters report, Gas Pumps Targeted in Latest Card Skimming Scam.
To give some idea of the scale of this crime, in March this year a British teenager was sentenced to five years behind bars after being convicted of setting up an online forum that bought and sold hundreds of thousands of credit card numbers.
The site even offered software and tutorials on how to steal and use the information.
Armed with such numbers, DeFelippi says, it was a cinch for him to produce cards. Anyone with $100 and a computer could do it, he claims.
So, what’s his advice to the rest of us to help cut the risk of becoming victim of a credit card thief?
Well, here at Scambusters we’re previously provided some useful tips that are worth checking out again.
What to Do if Your Credit Card or Wallet is Stolen
Credit Card Fraud
DeFelippi thinks the most important credit card security action is to frequently check your online accounts.
Once a month just isn’t enough because, if your number was stolen early in the billing cycle, the account could be maxed out before you even look at it.
If you have teens-and-twenties in your household, make particularly certain they do the same. According to the Javelin research mentioned earlier, this is the age group least likely to check their online accounts.
The former credit card thief says he now uses the free services of Mint.com, which is owned by the financial software company Intuit (producers of TurboTax, Quicken and QuickBooks), to monitor his accounts for credit card fraud every day.
The Mint site pulls together all your online financial information into a single location, making it easier to review and spot signs of credit card theft.
If you visit the site, you’ll see that Mint, which claims to have 5 million users, stresses it can’t be used for transactions, only monitoring, and that it uses bank-level data security to protect your information.
We have no information, one way or the other, on the reliability of this site.
DeFelippi also advises:
• Checking your credit report at least a couple of times a year to make sure you’re not a victim of ID theft. You can do this for free, once a year, for each of the three credit reporting agencies. See this Scambusters issue, Can You Really Get a Free Credit Report — Without Getting Scammed? for the scam-proof and free way of doing this.
• Do your online shopping with reputable established sites. Otherwise, thoroughly check out companies you don’t know or haven’t dealt with, looking for others’ comments on their experiences.
In particular, don’t be tempted to buy merchandise from an email that came from a person or company you don’t know, no matter how much of a bargain it seems.
• Double check that any page on which you’re about to give your card details is secure — that it has “https” at the start of the address (the “s” is the security indicator).
Remember that when you’re online, you’re moving data backwards and forwards. If you’re using an open wireless network, assume it’s not secure and that you could be vulnerable to credit card fraud.
• Invent your own answers to the security questions many financial sites now use. Don’t use the real information. That way, nobody will be able to guess or research it.
(Of course, you’ll have to make sure you can remember the answers you gave!)
• Use the same ATM for all your cash withdrawals. You’ll get to know the machine and therefore more likely will spot if anyone has tampered with it.
Bank locations are less likely to be vulnerable than convenience stores or clubs, he suggests.
Like us, you might be wondering how DeFelippi got caught. It happened at a Best Buy store he visited with a friend. The accomplice presented a phony driver’s license, bearing his real photo, as proof of ID.
When the store manager swiped the bogus credit card, he got a “Call For Authorization” message back from the card company, which had become concerned about activity on the account.
Realizing something was wrong, the pair made a hasty retreat — leaving the license with its incriminating photo behind.
It’s probably the best thing that could have happened to DeFelippi. Realizing the error of his ways, he struck a plea deal to pay $200,000 restitution to his victims and to do community service, instead of going to jail.
You can read his full interview: Secrets of a former credit card thief.
He’s also done us all a big favor by agreeing to tell his story. For once, we might say, it’s good to encounter a credit card thief!
That’s all we have for today, but we’ll be back next week with another issue. See you then!
*******
Zen Lill: Hey, how goes it? I was going to call you on our way to SF yesterday but it was so nice just being quiet in the car on the way, and admiring the city. It was a glorious day! I’ll try you this eve or this weekend.
Irene: Men who are homophobic in my opinion, are trying to hide their own feelings of possibly being gay themselves. Look at some of the men that speak outright against gays…the ones who practically devote their lives to try and convince others that being gay is “wrong”. We later then find out that they are having homosexual affairs and are themselves gay. A man who accepts gay people and is comfortable in the company of gays, is most likely not questioning his own sexual preferences, and therefore is not going to be putting down gays or speaking badly of them.
Doug: Thank you for posting the information about the elephant that needs help. That story and so many other animal stories are so tragic.
Readers: I know that times are tough for many. We all have our personal matters to deal with daily. And sometimes the worries of the world are overwhelming when we try to address all of our concerns. I find that when one has so many things to care about, one can sometimes get frozen and do nothing.
I’m asking you to do something. I ask that you find a place in your heart to focus on one thing outside of your own personal needs, and then devote some part of your day, your week, or even just once a month to do something for someone else, or some cause that pulls at your heart. And then be consistent with that one thing if possible.
It could be helping a friend who is at a low point in their life. Or helping to clean up a nearby beach or park. Or making a monthly donation. Or volunteering some time at an animal shelter. Sometimes when money is tight and you have time on your hands, volunteering a few hours of your time a week or a month not only helps the person or business you are assissting, but it can be so rewarding too. Some people find that when they give a little of themselves, their once a week volunteering turns into a lifetime passion, and is the impetus for doing something even greater. Do it.
& 
“Live it, Give it“
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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April 27th, 2011 at 9:11 am
Meditation for People Who Don’t Like to Meditate
Roger Walsh, MD, PhD
We have heard all about the benefits of meditating. For decades, studies have shown that meditation helps with depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, pain, high blood pressure, self-esteem, self-control, concentration and creativity.
Yet for many people, meditation seems daunting. Maybe you find it hard to sit still… to clear your mind… to make the time…or to stick with it long enough to experience the effects.
Key to success: Choose a technique that suits your personality, schedule and level of experience, then do it consistently.
Twenty minutes or more daily is a good goal, but even five minutes is helpful if you do it every day — and some techniques take almost no time at all.
IF YOU ARE A BEGINNER…
The methods below are effective yet simple enough for a novice. Start with just a few minutes, and work your way up.
Single-tasking. A time-crunched society encourages multitasking — so you sort mail while on the phone and listen to audiobooks while driving. What you may not know:
The simple act of focusing fully on a single task is a meditative exercise. It improves your powers of concentration, alleviates stress and boosts mood by enhancing your appreciation of the here-and-now.
Try: Once or twice each day, give your complete attention to just one activity. Example: When you fold the laundry, don’t turn on the TV — just enjoy the softness of the fabrics and the soothing rhythm of your hand motions.
Focused breathing. Sit in a quiet place, on the floor or in a chair, keeping your back straight so your lungs can expand.
Pay attention to your breathing. Feel the air moving through your nostrils as you slowly inhale and exhale… feel your abdomen rise and fall. Then choose either of these sites (nostrils or abdomen) and focus fully on the sensations there. Soon you may notice that your mind has wandered. Don’t berate yourself — this happens even to experienced meditators. Simply return your attention to the breath.
Centering prayer. Choose a phrase or a word that is spiritually meaningful for you, such as God is love or shalom. With each breath, repeat it silently to yourself. Again, if your thoughts start to stray, just calmly return to your prayer.
IF YOU HATE TO SIT STILL…
Some people can’t stop squirming when they try to meditate. Solution: Moving meditation.
Qigong, tai chi or yoga. These practices combine specific movements with a contemplative focus on the body, so you exercise while you meditate.
Many health clubs, adult-education centers and hospitals offer classes in these techniques. Referrals: National Qigong Association (888-815-1893, http://www.nqa.org)… American Tai Chi Association (703-477-8878, http://www.americantaichi.net)… Yoga Alliance (877-964-2255, http://www.yogaalliance.org).
Mindful eating. Eat a meal alone, in silence, savoring the experience. When you first sit down, spend a moment enjoying the colors and aromas of the food. Take a bite and chew slowly.
How do the taste and texture change as you chew? What sensations do you perceive as you swallow? Surprise: You are meditating. Continue to eat each bite as consciously as you can, never rushing.
IF YOU CAN’T FIND THE TIME…
Some days you may not have even five minutes to meditate — but you can take just a moment.
Three breaths. Whenever you feel tense, take three long, deep breaths. Even a few conscious inhalations and exhalations will calm you. Also use cues in your environment as regular reminders to focus and breathe deeply.
Example: Take three slow breaths every time you hang up the phone… walk through a doorway… or get into your car.
Beauty in the moment. Three times a day, look around you and notice something lovely — the scent of someone’s perfume, the happy sound of children playing. Explore the experience with your full attention.
Example: A light breeze is blowing. Watch the graceful way it makes the grass sway… listen to it whisper as it moves through the trees… feel its gentle touch on your cheeks. Notice your emotions of pleasure and appreciation — and carry them with you as you continue through your day.
IF YOU ALREADY LOVE TO MEDITATE…
If you are an accomplished meditator and want to enrich your experience, try these more advanced techniques…
Contemplative reading. Select a brief passage — two or three sentences — from a philosophy book, religious text or other writing that is meaningful to you. Read it slowly and reflectively, over and over. If your reading brings up insights, ponder them. If your mind drifts to unrelated thoughts, return to reading.
Inquiry. Sit and focus on your breathing. When a thought, feeling, sound or other sensation enters your aware ness, instead of turning your attention back to the breath, explore the experience. Does it seem to have a shape or image associated with it? Does it change or fade away as you examine it? Examples…
You notice a tickle in your shoulder. As you study it, you note that it feels diffuse… then localizes in one spot… then moves to a different area and prickles… then disappears.
You are feeling anxious. Rather than trying to figure out what is causing this, note where the anxiety manifests in your body (a fluttery stomach, a tight muscle)… any images and thoughts associated with it… and how those images and thoughts change as you observe them.
When a particular sensation passes, return your attention to your breath until the next sensation enters your awareness… then explore this new one. Over time, this enhances awareness and acceptance.
Women’s Health interviewed Roger Walsh, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry and human behavior in the School of Medicine, and of anthropology and philosophy in the School of Humanities, both at University of California, Irvine.
He has done extensive research on Asian philosophies, religion and the effects of meditation and has received more than 20 national and international awards.
He is author of Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind (Wiley), which contains a foreword by the Dalai Lama.
April 27th, 2011 at 9:12 am
Doug, TMD;
I donated to the cause.
April 27th, 2011 at 9:13 am
When you re-enter my heart finds its center
When I hear you’ll return my energy starts to churn
I long for your hold and your kisses of gold
My life begins again every time you step in
April 27th, 2011 at 10:27 am
We are in the year 1869;
Will Bill (formerly Duck Bill) Hickok is back in the news. He has been using his guns in various parts of America’s western territories, and successfully killed his friend Dave Tutt at a distance of 75 yards, in a quarrel over a woman. Bill’s Falstaffian powers are undiminished, and Tutt is now “a savage outlaw!”
Early this year, Hickok was (remarkably) elected sheriff of Ellis County, Nebraska, and killed a genuine criminal. A drunken troublemaker called Sam Strawan took over a saloon, pitching most of the owner’s glasses out on the street. Hickok mildly carried some back in, remarking: “Boys, you hadn’t ought to treat a poor old man in this way.”
As the sheriff turned to the bar, Strawan started to draw his gun on Hickok’s unguarded back. But Wild Bill spotted the move in the mirror, and shot Strawan before his gun was clear of its holster. Despite this achievement, he was voted out of office again in November. The brave sheriff was intolerably extortionate in the bribes he extracted from the brothels and gambling halls.
April 27th, 2011 at 11:13 am
Keep the western stuff AH. Love it!
April 27th, 2011 at 11:14 am
Howie and Social Butterfly where are You?
April 27th, 2011 at 11:42 am
W63453e, welcome back.
April 27th, 2011 at 11:47 am
For those of you off Island interested in whose making Miss Earth Guam 2011 check this out.
http://www.guampdn.com/article/20110401/ENTERTAINMENT07/104010308
Hafa Adai
April 27th, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Hi Mischa, oh I understand the quiet drive thing very well, sometimes I just want to enjoy the scenery and my own private moments. I’m around so call anytime, and I’ll try to catch the call. How goes it? I’m a tad frustrated with just day to day affairs of life and the amount of tech savvy that goes into generating what I want to do on the internet. I’ve got the energy, and the patience, but I’m in need of someone with know how to pull all my bits together with some consistency : ) my computer guy got arrested last Friday night. I’ve got little details on that occurence except his GF said ‘you don’t want to know’ – That’s all I can say…it’ll get better.
Good advice re: tough times and hanging tough for yourself…do something for another. or a cause. I like that.
Good advice above. I don’t give out details on the phone or at any public wifi anymore.
Anna of Guam, all of them are striking, how do you pick ‘the best’????
Luv, Zen Lill
April 27th, 2011 at 12:06 pm
forgot: ‘Organic skin care recipes’ at my site today…save your skin and money at the same time : ) – ZL
April 27th, 2011 at 12:17 pm
The Chinese government has another reason to increase the bounty “DEAD OR ALIVE” on Anonz.
It seems that he bought and sent to the US government documents that show that the Island of Guam is no longer out of reach of our ballistic missiles. They show the location of China’s silos that contain the missiles aimed at the U.S. airfields and other facilities on Guam.
My country is very aware of the value of Guam’s location in the Pacific to the U. S. They are turning the secret facility into a torture chamber trying to locate the people who gave Anonz the information.
My cousin lost his nose to the interrogation techniques they are using. Some have lost limbs and even lives. It is rumored that my government has raised the reward to one $billion U.S. on Anonz.
Good luck Mr. Paladin.
Caelyn
April 27th, 2011 at 1:18 pm
It is interesting that your news comes out while the flights from Hong Kong to Guam have picked up.
=======================
Fly Micronesia targets 3 planes by June 2011′
Fly Guam now has 3 weekly roundtrip flights to NMI
By Moneth Deposa
Reporter
The Marianas Visitors Authority expects some additional flights to the CNMI within the year after Fly Micronesia informed the agency of its plan to bring in three new planes by June 2011.
MVA managing director Perry Tenorio also told Saipan Tribune that Fly Micronesia’s first plane-Fly Guam-has increased its air service for its weekly Saipan-Guam-Hong Kong routes.
From the initial two roundtrip weekly schedule, the new airline is now servicing the Saipan route with three regular roundtrip services, excluding one-way trips on some days.
Tenorio said that, based on MVA’s initial discussion with company officials, the second plane will also carry the name Fly Guam, while the third plane will be operating under the Fly Marianas banner.
The MVA chief disclosed that these three planes will be stationed and based in the Commonwealth.
“Our understanding was that by June 2011, they will have all three planes on the ground,” said Tenorio.
On March 7, the maiden flight of Fly Guam carried 117 Hong Kong passengers to the islands. The aircraft is a Boeing 737-400 plane with 130-seat capacity. The new airline is using Freedom Air’s hangar at the Francisco C. Ada-Saipan International Airport.
Fly Guam joined Asiana Airlines and Delta Air Lines as official signatory airlines of the CNMI.
In the meantime, Tenorio said that MVA is still optimistic about the plans of Sichuan Airlines to service the CNMI.
“The airline is still very interested. It is still awaiting some federal approval and some requirements [to make it happen],” said Tenorio.
Sichuan Airlines Co. Ltd. has filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation an application to allow it to provide air services between the CNMI and China as early as February 2011.
The airline is based in Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan Province. It has been in operation since 1988 and its fleet currently consists of 57 aircraft, with 29 additional aircraft on order for delivery through 2013.
====================
It seems that Guam is becoming more popular than ever as a tourist spot for mainland China and Hong Kong. Could they be shopping for real estate?
Bituin
April 27th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
Infuriating report in the news today:
BP is getting a tax credit to the tune of $13 billion by calling Gulf clean-up efforts business expenses.
That’s right, the government played tough and forced BP to pay to clean up its own mess. But then BP stuck Uncle Sam with the tab after all.
U.S. corporate law allows companies to take credits for up to 35 percent of their losses. As a result, U.S. taxpayers are indirectly subsidizing the cost of the cleanup and the $20 billion fund BP created to compensate Gulf residents and businesses for its whoopsie-daisy last April. Heads, you’re screwed; tails, you’re screwed, too!
While taxpayer interest groups and others are denouncing BP’s move, there is apparently no legal recourse.
The company’s shareholders have significantly more leverage: Ken Kies, a top tax lobbyist, told TPM that if BP did not take the full amount of write-offs for the losses, its shareholders could sue.
April 28th, 2011 at 6:54 am
Social Butterfly thanks for keeping us informed. The corporations pay off the Senate and House to give them huge tax credits. White american continues to elect bigots who promise them they will stay America’s Affirmative Action Beneficiaries(AAAB) while taking huge brides to keep the corporations feeding off the American tax payer.
So we end up with Obama forcing the crooks to clean up their mess, then the crooks go to the republicans and the republicans stick the bill to the tax payer. The same tax payer who is electing the crooked republican because that republican promises to keep his white constituents AAAB, but, we, those that are the minority vote(OTW and white) also have to pay for the clean up.
So here we OTWs and the bottom 1/3 of the white race stand at the mercy of the 1/3 bigots and the 1/3 looking the other way as long as they get to keep their status as AAAB.
Add that to a bought and paid for supreme court FIVE (4 racists and their house nigger) and one can see that the USA suffers because it is in the grips of the white boy’s “Just-Us” justice system.
That means justice applied to them is NOT the justice applied to OTWs. Hence a black President can force a white corporation to clean up something done to all Americans but a white Senate and House will apply “Just-Us” justice principles to that act and the result is All Americans bear the burden and the white corporation gets a tax break.
Then that same white Senate and House works the media and the sound bites to make it appear this was done by the executive branch run by the black President. And those whites who know that it is the Legislative Branch of the federal government that write the laws actively encourage those that don’t know shit about how their government works to continue to believe in their stupidity that Obama gave those tax breaks to BP.
Ahhhhhhhh, it’s a white country and we OTWs just live in it.
Robert
April 28th, 2011 at 7:30 am
Our supreme court is pAthetic. Its amazing repugs get away w their actions. The only highlight is Trump is making an ass of himself and Palin already is one. If this the best they can do Obama gets a 2nd term. That won’t change racist thinking in the US but itd b a start. I’m on crackberry my computer challenges r back : ( Luv, Zen Lill
April 28th, 2011 at 7:32 am
Ruth how is Anonz??