Identity Fraud, Inc. Launches Comprehensive Data Theft Risk Management and Insurance Program for Small Business

Posted on June 24, 2012 by admin

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) April 17, 2012

2012 ETA Annual Meeting & Expo Identity Fraud, Inc. (IFI) (http://www.IdentityFraud.com) announces the availability of SB Core Protector, a combination of the Top 10 small business data theft risk management solutions for prevention, resolution and insurance resources. It provides five proactive layered security risk prevention components, three types of data theft insurance and two incident response services. Now small businesses nationwide have the ability to affordably secure the optimal solution for their various data risks. As criminals shift their attention to the SMB sector; data breach protection and insurance, business security, payment card compliance and small business identity theft solutions provided by companies such as Identity Fraud, Inc.will become essential for most small and medium sized businesses in the near future.

We are pleased to announce the release of our SB Core Protector programs at the ETA conference. The companies attending work with sensitive payment information and touch millions of merchants. Every business has a business identity, sensitive customer data, employees and compliance obligations. With the value of data being high and attracting thieves worldwide, protecting against data risks and identity crimes has become essential states Tom Widman, president and CEO of Identity Fraud, Inc.

Many companies keep sensitive personal information about customers or employees in their files. Having a sound security plan in place can help you meet your legal requirements to protect that sensitive information

While much of our focus here in Las Vegas remains on the risks and responses to the theft of payment card data, we are excited to broaden the discussion beyond PCI related obligations and underscore the need and opportunity to provide additional value. Our solutions complement and simply add more value to the industrys existing PCI compliance efforts, where we are able to provide more remedies to the various data risks we all have, whether or not we are PCI compliant. This includes broader protection for breach liabilities and the nations only comprehensive business identity fraud protection says Widman.

Dr. Larry Ponemon of the Ponemon Institute, states We recently conducted a Small Business Data Theft Risk Management study and the results were very telling. In summary, it indicated that over 20% of small businesses had already suffered a data breach. A general conclusion from the study was that small businesses do not have adequate measures or remedies in place to protect themselves. Small businesses generally lack the resources and expertise to fend off attacks as compared to larger firms. Additionally, an SMB having an attack or negligent error will experience problems that could prove catastrophic.

Every business has significant and real exposures to business identity fraud and separately, to data breach incidents involving customer information, trade secrets or other data assets. Although each involves a breach to data, to clarify the difference, a data breach is typically defined as the loss or theft of sensitive customer information, like an individuals name plus their Social Security Number (SSN), drivers license number, medical record or financial record/credit/debit card, which exposes the information to unauthorized use/fraud. An extract of notable data breach industry reports and statistics includes:

NextAdvisor.com Launches Student Identity Theft Protection Guide

Posted on March 31, 2012 by admin

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) October 7, 2009

NextAdvisor.com, the trusted, independent source for comparing the most valuable new services, has launched a free guide designed to help college students avoid becoming victims of identity theft.

“While identity theft is a serious risk for any individual, college students are particularly susceptible,” said NextAdvisor.com Associate Editor Caitlin Podiak. “The lifestyle of a typical college student creates additional risks, but many students are completely unaware of this issue.”

NextAdvisor.com’s student identity theft protection guide strives to raise students’ awareness of the risks and consequences of identity theft. It explains how certain habits common among college students can lead to identity theft and provides clear and straightforward advice on how to mitigate the danger. NextAdvisor.com emphasizes the importance of safeguarding sensitive personal information, and breaks down what that entails. The guide also encourages young adults to give some consideration to their credit history and to take responsibility for their finances.

“For most students, these things are not even on their radar,” says Podiak. “But it’s essential that they become more informed as they strike out on their own.”

Another issue addressed by this guide is the false sense of security that students may feel within the confines of a college campus, as well as on the Internet, and social networking websites in particular.

NextAdvisor.com’s student identity theft protection guide is available for free by visiting:

http://www.nextadvisor.com/blog/2009/10/06/student-identity-theft-protection-guide/

About NextAdvisor.com:

NextAdvisor.com is the trusted, independent source for comparing the most valuable new services. The company’s mission is to help consumers save money and improve their lives by presenting them with useful comparisons and reviews of service providers and a clear explanation of each service and how it works. The company currently reviews, compares and explains many different types of services including credit report monitoring, identity theft protection, voice over IP, diet plans, Internet security software, remote desktop access, savings accounts, DVD rental and movie download, online education, online tax preparation and online backup. Learn more at http://www.nextadvisor.com.

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NationalCreditReport.com Reminds Consumers That Taking Precautions Against Identity Theft Can Also Defend Against Credit Report Damage

Posted on February 24, 2012 by admin

Delray Beach, FL (PRWEB) October 8, 2010

October 8, 2010 – In commemoration of October being the seventh annual National Cybersecurity Awareness Month sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security, NationalCreditReport.com, a leader in credit report, credit score and credit monitoring services, reminds consumers that being wise about cybersecurity can guard their identity and credit score by preventing identity theft.

Consumers should follow a few simple rules of cybersecurity regarding the way they use technology, in turn securing their own identity and stopping credit fraud and credit report damage before it happens, said Samuel S. Ambrose, Vice President of Marketing and Operations of NationalCreditReport.com. National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is an appropriate time for companies like ours, that both conduct business on the web and also provide consumers with their personal credit report information, to remind people how they can keep themselves and their identities safe.

Cybersecurity tips for preventing identity theft:

Always ensure that computers and any other devices that are connected to the web are secured by the most updated programs to defend against spyware and viruses.

Only make online purchases from companies that guarantee a 100% safe and secure online shopping experience. An indication that the page is secure is if the address in the browsers address bar starts with https://. The “s” that is displayed after “http” indicates that Web site is secure. For example, the address of the page where consumers place their order with NationalCreditReport.com begins with https://www.nationalcreditreport.com. Trust logos are also a sign that the site is secure.

Do not offer too much information on social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace. Full birthdates, favorite movies, mothers maiden names, etc., are all information points that other institutions use to help verify your identity. Posting this information online can allow you to fall victim of someone committing ID theft from social networking.

Set strict privacy settings on social networking sites and make sure that your friends are people you actually know to thwart ID theft from social networking.

Consumers are warned not to fall victim to suspicious e-mail communication from people asking them to go to another site where they need to enter credit card, financial or other personal information.

Participate in a credit monitoring service to be aware of any changes in your credit report.

Identity theft and credit fraud are the fastest growing crimes in America, noted Ambrose. Paying attention to cybersecurity is a smart step in securing not only ones own safety, but preventing the headaches of dealing with an identity theft situation, especially one that goes unnoticed long enough to create credit report damage.

About NationalCreditReport.com

Since 2004, NationalCreditReport.com has specialized in providing credit information and credit monitoring services to consumers to help them understand their credit report and score. NationalCreditReport.com encourages consumers to check their credit report from the 3 major credit bureaus on a regular basis.

Contact:

Allison Tomek

NationalCreditReport.com

561-805-8000

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Get Identity Theft Protection with gotoBilling’s eDoc Secure, Encrypted Document Storage

Posted on February 5, 2012 by admin

Bozeman, MT (PRWEB) August 4, 2009

Looking for identity theft protection and a way to store private information? Check out gotoBilling at http://www.gotobilling.com. Today, the software solution for a complete, paperless office announced their eDoc Secure system for encrypted, document storage at http://bit.ly/identitytheftprotection.

“The Federal Trade Commission estimates that as many as nine million Americans experience identity theft each year, http://bit.ly/uESBk, and we want to help customers avoid being victims with secure and encrypted documents,” says Steve Roderick, gotoBilling.com CEO. “Rather than having private documents stored locally with the risk of being stolen, our eDoc Secure service maintains all records in an encrypted, digital vault where access is limited and recorded.”

With gotoBilling’s eDoc Secure, users can experience identity theft protection and:

Store sensitive, corporate and customer documents, admin usernames, passwords, blueprints, and more in a secure environment;

Upload any number of documents, organized by project, time frame, subject, etc.;

Invite people to review documents, quotes and information securely online without sending sensitive data via e-mail;

Save time and paper by simply uploading documents in their native format like MS Word, MS Excel, Adobe PDF, and others to a secure, online site; and

Save money by using the eDoc vaulted secure facilities instead of hiring an IT specialist. Simply pay once per document envelope and it’s done.
“I finally have peace of mind,” says Bill DeBoskey of Daily Business Chatter. “With gotoBilling.com’s eDoc Secure, we have identity theft protection and have eliminated the risk of having our personal documents stolen. Not only have we saved time, money and the stress of having to deal with document security issues, we can now market to our customers that we maintain all records securely in an encrypted, digital vault with limited and recorded access.”

To get identity theft protection for sensitive documents and start a free, 30-day trial, visit http://www.gotobilling.com/Corporate/index.php/The-DIY-Plan.html. Then, simply upload documents and invite participants to the secure area. For more information, visit http://www.gotobilling.com.

About gotoBilling

Founded in January 2006, gotoBilling, http://www.gotobilling.com, is the only software solution that provides a complete, paperless office to help small business owners save time and hassle. Business users can manage all of their invoicing, documents, accounting, payroll, credit card payments, electronic billing, online marketing, and gift cards from one simple location. There is no need to load software, and you can access the mobile application anywhere with an Internet connection. Enjoy a 100% guarantee, user-friendly videos and a 30-day free trial on all services including: ACH processing, accounting, i-Doc Secure, payroll processing, credit card processing, CRM plugins, e-mail marketing newsletters, eSignature contracts, gift cards, merchant accounts, monthly invoices, newsletters, online bill payment, paperless invoicing, payment gateway, PCI compliance, plugin compatible, POS transactions, recurring and remote payments, shopping cart/Web transactions, single bill payments, sync to Intuit QuickBooks

Identity Theft 911 Chief Executive Officer Receives Communitas Award for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility

Posted on January 31, 2012 by admin

(PRWEB) January 11, 2012

Identity Theft 911, the nations premier identity management and data risk management services provider, today announced that chief executive officer, Matt Cullina, has been named winner of a Communitas award for his work in helping to protect foster teens from becoming victims of identity theft. Cullina is fully entrenched in foster youth identity theft issues through his professional experience with a leading provider of identity management services, as well as his personal experience as a foster parent and adoptive parent. An ongoing effort among subject matter experts at Identity Theft 911, the win demonstrates the companys commitment to working together to create an impactful and rewarding philanthropy program.

Communitas Awards recognize exceptional businesses, organizations and individuals for excellence in community service and corporate social responsibility. The Award is an international effort to recognize the spirit of communitas people helping people. Communitas winners generously give of themselves and their resources, and are changing the way they do business to benefit their communities.

Matt and his team exemplify the true meaning of the Communitas Award; they unselfishly give of themselves and they are forever-changing their surrounding community, said Ed Dalheim, executive director, Communitas Awards. Matts involvement and passion for protecting and helping foster youth is shown through his teams commitment to foster youth issues and demonstrated through Identity Theft 911s pledge to corporate social responsibility.

Cullina has been an active contributor on the legislative front by working with U.S. Representative Jim Langevin of Rhode Island on a bill to protect foster youth from financial abuse. The bill was signed into law on October 11, 2011, and contains provisions that shield foster youth from identity theft, as well as provide resolution and support services should identity theft occur. On July 11, Cullina donated his time to serve as a panelist at the FTC forum Stolen Futures for child identity theft, which highlighted issues in the foster care system.

Matt has been a tremendous partner in efforts to give foster youth the opportunities they deserve, providing invaluable leadership to help address the unique challenges faced by an underserved community, said Langevin. This recognition for corporate social responsibility is certainly well-earned.

As one of Cullinas main efforts, Identity Theft 911 united with First Star, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of America’s abused and neglected children. First Star Founder Peter Samuelson and Cullina delivered a series of educational seminars to ninth grade foster children in Los Angeles County in a program called the First Star UCLA Bruin Academy. Cullinas team of fraud specialists donated their time and training during the five week course. Identity Theft 911 and First Star will replicate this academy at universities and colleges throughout the country in 2012.

We are in a unique position to create a positive impact on the lives of foster youth, especially in helping them achieve financial stability and start with a clean identity profile, said Matt Cullina. It is tremendously rewarding to have my teams efforts recognized by the Communitas Awards committee.

About Identity Theft 911

Founded in 2003, Identity Theft 911 is the nations premier consultative provider of identity and data risk management, resolution and education services. The company serves 13 million households across the country and provides fraud solutions for a range of organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, the countrys largest insurance companies, corporate benefit providers, banks and credit unions and membership organizations. Since 2005, the company has helped more than 150,000 businesses manage data breaches. For more information, please visit http://www.idt911.com.

About Communitas Awards

Communitas Awards is an outgrowth of the pro bono recognition program of the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (http://www.amcpros.com), a several thousand member group that honors creative achievement and fosters partnerships with charities and community organizations. As part of its mission, AMCP gives grants to community organizations and underwrites a large portion of Communitas expenses.

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Survey: Intellectual Property Theft Now Accounts for 31% of Global Counterfeiting.

Posted on January 24, 2012 by admin

Calgary, Canada (PRWEB) February 17, 2005

Based on the past month of worldwide counterfeit enforcement activity (investigations, raids, seizures, arrests, charges, convictions, sentences, civil litigation, public announcements), as reported through the DOPIP Security Counterfeit Intelligence Report, more than 256 incidents were analyzed from 42 countries.

The most profitable items to counterfeit (based on seizures and losses) include:

1. Financial Instruments, $ 571 Million, 96 incidents, (currency, checks, money orders, treasury bonds, credit/debit cards)

2. Other Goods, $ 122 Million, 1 incident (building materials)

3. Clothing & Accessories, $ 23.5 Million, 17 incidents.

4. Identification, $ 8.5 Million, 65 incidents (passports, visas, drivers licenses, ID cards, birth certificates).

5. Entertainment & Software, $ 8 Million, 34 incidents (CDs, DVDs, software)

6. Cigarettes, $ 5 Million, 4 incidents.

7. Industrial Goods & Supplies, $ 1.5 Million, 4 incidents (adhesives, ball bearings, insecticides).

8. Drugs, Jewelry & Watches, Computer Equipment & Supplies, Food & Alcohol, Other Documents, Electronic Equipment & Supplies, Perfume & Cosmetics, and Toys, $ 0.5 Million, 34 incidents

For more information: http://www.goldsec.com/Security_Research.htm

The most popular of 73 brands and trademarks to counterfeited:

Microsoft (7.5% of all incidents), Sony (4.3%), Adobe (3%), Louis Vuitton (3%), Viagra (3%), Autodesk (2%), Christian Dior (2%), CSA (2%), Gucci (2%), and Nike (2%).

Less popular were: Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, ASICS, Bond All, Canon, Converse, Diesel, Fendi, Harley-Davidson, HP, Montblanc, Oki, Puma, Rolex, Timberland, and Tommy Hilfiger.

In summarizing the months activity, Glen Gieschen, Managing Director of Gieschen Consultancy stated “In January, the trend of counterfeit activity related to intellectual property such as copyright or trademark infringement continues. Counterfeit goods previously unknown to the buyer are now being sought out by consumers as a means to increase disposable income and show disapproval over perceived inflated prices.

To combat this activity brand owners are focusing on multiple strategies to protect consumers and minimize their losses. Brand protection technologies, once used exclusively to prevent and detect counterfeit passports and currency, are now being applied to packaging, products and production techniques. Controversial in nature, brand owners lead the way in implementing radio frequency identification (RFID), nanotechnology, DNA coding, and digital watermarks to allow their investigators, law enforcement, customs, distributors and ultimately consumers verify the authenticity of items.

Brand enforcement has become another tool to fight counterfeiters. Armed with dozens of lawyers and hundreds of investigators, companies such as Pfizer and Philip Morris are tracking down both criminals and terrorists who are funding their organizations through the manufacturing, distribution and sales of counterfeit items.

Brand owners are also pressuring governments directly and through anti-counterfeiting organizations to enact legislation and better enforce existing laws which provide stiff penalties and deterrence. Recently, a number of these organizations banded together to call on the US government to penalize China for failing to meet is obligations to protect brand owners from counterfeiting under WTO intellectual property protection guidelines.

A number of other counterfeit activities should be of concern to consumers, companies and governments. In January, 11% of counterfeiters expanded into multiple forms of counterfeiting. The most popular combination is imitation financial instruments combined with false identification, fake drugs, and breeder documents which accounts for 55% of this activity. It is also common to see other combinations such as industrial goods with electronic equipment and clothing, or jewelry and watches with clothing.

Most countries are genuinely concerned about counterfeiting, however the most active in reporting incidents are the Philippines ($ 289 Million), Jordan ($ 280 Million), Russia ($ 122 Million), France ($ 21 Million), India ($ 7.5 Million), Indonesia ($ 5.5 Million), UK ($ 4.9 Million), USA ($ 3.3 Million), and South Africa ($ 3.1 Million). In more than 40% of incidents, China was cited as the country of origin for counterfeit goods, yet ranked 18th ($ 1.0 Million) for counterfeit activity.

Counterfeiting is also becoming a hobby and career for younger, less educated individuals. The average age of a counterfeiter is 34 (Clothing & Accessories), 36 (Entertainment & Software), 33 (Financial Instruments), 31 (Identification), 47 (Other Documents). In 20% of the cases simple methods are used to duplicate the items. 12% of entertainment and software is reproduced with standard computers, CD and DVD burning equipment. 34% of financial instruments are duplicated using computers, printers, encoder/decoders, copiers, scanners, and offset presses. 25% of counterfeit food and alcohol products are manufactured by purchasing expired stock and repacking as new items. 19% of fake identification is created using computers, scanners, printers, laminators, embossing equipment, typewriters, and digital cameras.

False identification is another significant activity accounting for more than 27% of all counterfeit incidents. 13% of criminals and terrorists use fake identification to conceal their identity when they are involved in counterfeiting financial instruments. The most common forms of fake ID are drivers licenses (23%), passports (21%), other government issues ID (18%), identity cards (7%), social security cards (5%), birth certificates (4%), visas (3.7%), and alien registration cards (2.5%). Other less common forms are military ID, international driving permits, re-entry permits, residency permits, and work permits.

Counterfeiting is increasingly becoming a primary means of funding criminal and terrorist organizations. In 11% of the incidents reported, the names of 35 entities alleged to be involved in this illegal activity were release to the public, the most common being Al-Qaeda.”

For more information: http://www.goldsec.com/Alleged_Counterfeit_Suspects_Entities.htm

42 Countries reported counterfeit activity in January which Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Canada, China, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK, USA, Venezuela, Vietnam, and Yemen.

The current months counterfeit activity: http://www.goldsec.com/

The full report for January can be purchased from Gieschen Consultancy.

About DOPIP SCI Reports

DOPIP is a powerful source of information regarding illegal activities such as counterfeiting, forgery, product tampering and diversion. It provides breaking news reports and analysis relating to document, product and intellectual product security. Security technology providers, enforcement agencies, trade organizations, and brand owners will find this information indispensable for detection, deterrence and prevention. Standard or Premium Sources DOPIP SCI Reports are available as an annual subscription for $ 295 USD and $ 835 respectively.

For more information visit http://www.goldsec.com/Security_Updates.htm.

About Gieschen Consultancy

Gieschen Consultancy, provides counterfeit intelligence analysis and security research relating to documents, products and intellectual property. Gieschen Consultancy educates clients regarding counterfeiting issues, and assists in developing anti-counterfeiting, brand protection and enforcement solutions. Providing the knowledge of the criminal Modus Operandi (methods of operation), legal and political issues, security technology, industry reports and statistical information, effective strategies can then be developed, implemented and monitored.

For more information visit http://www.gieschen.com/.

Contacts:

Glen Gieschen

Counterfeit Intelligence Analyst

Gieschen Consultancy

Glen@Gieschen.com

Phone 403-256-5680

Calgary, Alberta Canada

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Identity Theft At ChoicePoint Inc. Threatens National Security, According To Robert Siciliano Of IDTheftSecurity.com

Posted on January 24, 2012 by admin

Boston, MA (PRWEB) February 24, 2005

idtheftsecurity.com Identity theft is growing in scale and sophistication. Its perpetrators are becoming more organized and affiliating with terrorist groups. Names, addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, and dates of birth have been up for grabs for hackers who have penetrated as many as a dozen college databases in the past six months. Thieves have even gained access to huge corporationsÂ’ databases such as the one at ChoicePoint Inc. Government and the business world are struggling to respond and controversy defines the efforts to develop regulations that would properly protect consumers.

Â“The system of identification is fundamentally flawed,Â” said Robert Siciliano, author of Â“The Safety Minute: 01.Â” Â“The confluence of everyday cyber crime and terrorism further demonstrates the need for across-the-board countermeasures and changes in the way in which we identify people,Â” Siciliano noted. Siciliano is a nationally televised and quoted personal security and identity theft expert.

Large databases are vulnerable

In October 2004, hackers infiltrated a University of California, Berkley database to render the identities of 1.4 million low-income healthcare recipients and the people who provide the care vulnerable. A recently passed California law, SB1386, requires companies and state agencies to inform Californians of any security breach potentially jeopardizing the identities of 500,000 or more people. The university complied.

Â“I applaud laws that require officials who suspect wide-scale identity theft to alert those who may be victims,Â” said Siciliano.

More regulation is necessary

According to Siciliano, CaliforniaÂ’s law may have prompted ChoicePoint, the large Georgia-based data mining company, to alert Californians to their possibly compromised identity information earlier this month. Only later, after facing pressure from 38 state attorneys general, did ChoicePoint admit that the crimeÂ’s scope was far greater, The Globe and Mail and others report. Two U.S. senators have called for hearings and stepped-up regulations to protect consumers.

Â“Criminals easily gained access through the front door of ChoicePointÂ’s database,Â” said Siciliano. According to ABC News, ChoicePoint is now informing approximately 145,000 people nationwide that thieves who fraudulently signed up with ChoicePoint may have stolen personal information. The Associated Press reports that victims could be from all 50 states.

Â“Nobody should be surprised,” Siciliano said. Â“What is disconcerting is how long ChoicePoint took to admit the crimeÂ’s full scale. Clearly, we cannot count on these companies, who have access to so much of our personal information, to alert the public in a timely manner when security is breached. Tougher legislation is necessary. ChoicePoint may have revealed the situationÂ’s full gravity to all those affectedÂ—and soonerÂ—had laws similar to CaliforniaÂ’s compelled the company to do so elsewhere,Â” he added.

Â“Security failures such as what weÂ’ve witnessed with ChoicePoint will happen again. It is up to business leaders and government officials to clamp down on identity thieves and develop a strategy to let consumers know when their identities have been stolen,Â” Siciliano said.

Databases are consolidating into fewer and fewer hands

The data mining industry is consolidating and expanding control over peopleÂ’s identities, ChoicePoint is one example. Credit records, legal records, information on consumer habits and even the minutest details about peopleÂ’s lives are all filing into a dwindling number of databases of increasing sizes that are becoming more susceptible to theft.

Â“This is not simply a question of consumersÂ’ rights,Â” said Siciliano. Â“ItÂ’s a matter of national security. Although these databases can help crime fighting, when they are compromised, national security is at risk,Â” he said.

As reported in The Washington Post and elsewhere, ChoicePoint and companies like it are beginning to operate as private intelligence services for national security and law enforcement tasks. In this capacity, these companies can circumvent privacy and information laws that constrain government bodies. By getting around these, they support Homeland Security activities.

Thefts trace to organized crime

A Nigerian man has been sentenced to 16 months in jail for his involvement in the crime against ChoicePoint. Authorities suspect he was part of a larger criminal network. Organized crimeÂ’s link to identity theft has precedent. This past October, law enforcement officials suspected Russian mobsters to be behind a major identity theft racket in Brighton, Mass. Over the past year high-profile phishing attacks and e-mail scams have originated from Nigeria.

Â“Organized international crime rings could easily collude with terrorist networks,Â” said Siciliano. Â“A clever and properly equipped computer hacker could bring nations and monetary systems to their knees. A dirty bomb could detonate in a crowded city street and kill thousands – all courtesy of the terrorists who, through identity theft, could easily forge identities, enter the country illegally and -in someone elseÂ’s name – fund the entire operation,Â” he said.

Siciliano is available to discuss identity theft. A speaker who leads seminars nationwide, he has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, “ABC News with Sam Donaldson,” “The Montel Williams Show,” “Maury Povich,” “Sally Jesse Raphael” and “The Howard Stern Show.” He has been featured by Reuters, RealtyTimes.com, Woman’s Day, Good Housekeeping, Mademoiselle, The New York Post, The New York Times and The Washington Times.

Siciliano can be reached at 1-888-SICILIANO (742-4542). The following URLs will take readers to his Web site and information about his work:

Main Web site: http://www.IDTheftSecurity.com

Siciliano’s biography: http://www.idtheftsecurity.com/PDF/11x17_1wc.pdf

Testimonials: http://www.idtheftsecurity.com/PDF/11x17_3wc.pdf

Siciliano’s contact information follows:

Robert L. Siciliano

Personal Security Expert

phone: 888-SICILIANO (742-4542)

fax: 877-2-FAX-NOW (232-9669)

Robert@SafetyMinute.com

The media are encouraged to get in touch with Siciliano directly. They may also contact:

STETrevisions, strategic communications

Brent W. Skinner, President

cell: 617-875-4859

fax: 866-663-6557

BrentSkinner@STETrevisions.com

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Related Nigeria Press Releases

Report: IP Theft Surges to 36% of Global Counterfeiting

Posted on January 24, 2012 by admin

Calgary, Canada (PRWEB) March 17, 2005

The most profitable counterfeits (based on seizures and losses):

1. Clothing & Accessories, $ 38 Million, 21 incidents, average age of the counterfeiter 33.

2. Entertainment & Software, $ 18.1 Million, 50 incidents, average age 32. (CDs, DVDs, software, games)

3. Drugs, $ 12.9 Million, 8 incidents, average age 29. (medicine)

4. Financial Instruments, $ 4.3 Million, 96 incidents, average age 29. (currency, checks, money orders, treasury bonds, credit/debit cards)

5. Other Goods, $ 1.1 Million, 4 incident, average age 38. (golf equipment, pottery, gambling equipment)

6. Cigarettes, $ 0.9 Million, 3 incidents, average age 33.

7. Industrial Goods & Supplies (average age 25), Electrical Equipment & Supplies, Food & Alcohol, Other Documents (average age 38), Identification (average age 36), Computer Equipment & Supplies, $ 1 Million, 86 incidents.

For more information: http://www.goldsec.com/Security_Research.htm

The 82 most popular brands, brand owners and trademarks to counterfeit:

Louis Vuitton (7.3% of all incidents), Nike (7.3%), Burberry (6.1%), Coach (6.1%), Gucci (6.1%), Microsoft (6.1%), Chanel (3.7%), NFL (3.7%), Viagra (3.7%), Autodesk (2.4%), Christian Dior (2.4%), FCUK (2.4%), Fendi (2.4%), Hugo Boss (2.4%), NBA (2.4%), Pfizer (2.4%), Prada (2.4%).

Less popular were: Callaway Golf, Canon, Cartier, Chicago bulls, Cleveland Golf, Corel, Duracell, Gillette, Giorgia Armani, Honda, HP, Kaizer Chiefs, Kate Spade, Lacoste, Lance Armstrong, Major League Basebal, Manchester United, Nissan, Oakley, Oki, Oracle, Orlando Pirates, Oxford, Patriots, Ping, Pokeman, Rado, Rangers, Real Madrid, Red Sox, Rockport, Rolex, Starter, Symantec, Tommy Hilfiger, Toyota, Underwriters Laboratories, Yankees, and Zig-Zag.

In summarizing the months activity, Glen Gieschen, Managing Director of Gieschen Consultancy stated “February is continuing the trend towards counterfeiting brands, trademarks and copyrights which increased by more than 15% from January. Given that a number of terrorist and criminal groups such as Al-Qaeda, ETA, Inagawa-kai, Sanbonsugi-ikka, and Yamaguchi-gumi were involved in counterfeit activity in February, this will continue to cause concern for governments, corporations and consumers. Typically bogus items are made of inferior or poor quality components which have caused significant harm or death to individuals. Cases involving cellular phone batteries which exploded and burned children, bootleg liquor which contained 200 times the acceptable methylated spirits killing dozens, condoms which failed to protect against sexually transmitted diseases and contraception, and fake botox and AIDS vaccines which caused deaths have become a reality. Other industries are equally concerned with the use of aircraft or automotive parts such as brake pads, ball bearings or filters which failed to work under normal conditions. Increasingly, the threat of deliberately adulterated or spurious food products is fueling concerns over agroterrorism and bioterrorism as the food supply has been shown to be vulnerable to phony baby formula which killed dozens of children in China.

A record number of incidents were uncovered by brand enforcement personnel involving copied products which used unauthorized trademarks and pirated work relating to copyright infringement. Of the 82 brands identified, 17 brand owners accounted for more than 69% of this activity indicating that those responsible for the unauthorized reproductions are targeting specific brands and IP owners which market their products globally.

In response, there is an increasing awareness of brand protection technologies and intellectual property protection strategies. The use of digital rights management, digital watermarks, document security, intelligence gathering, nanotechnology, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), and security printing are assisting in anti-counterfeit and anti-piracy efforts. Combined with intellectual property enforcement, IP owners are becoming more effective in reducing losses.

All counterfeit activity should be of concern as it fuels other crimes such as terrorism, identity theft, fraud, forgery, smuggling, parallel trade, product diversion, and a black market for a wide variety of knock off and imitation items. Countries which are most active in reporting incidents are Italy ($ 18.7 Million), USA ($ 15.5 Million), Spain ($ 14.5 Million), South Africa ($ 12.3 Million), Canada ($ 4 Million), Taiwan ($ 3.2 Million), Kenya ($ 1.7 Million), UK ($ 1.4 Million). China, reported as the single largest manufacturer of counterfeit items, ranked 9th ($ 1.0 Million).

Compounding the problem is access to simple duplication methods which allow counterfeiters to reproduce items without incurring a large expense. In some cases, equipment has been obtained using fake ID, only to be used to perpetrate other crimes such as counterfeiting checks or currency. The most common method are as follows: Entertainment & Software, using CD or DVD burners; Financial Instruments, using computers, scanners, printers, and copiers; Cigarettes, obtaining cigarette manufacturing equipment; Identification, computers, printers, scanners, cameras, and laminators.

Assisting terrorists and criminals in facilitating their crimes and avoiding detection, fake identification posses another challenge. As the sophistication and scope of the crimes increase the value of identification desired also increases from drivers licenses and birth certificates to passports, visas and national identity cards. 26% of global counterfeiting now involves the manufacturing of identification. The most common forms of fake ID are passports (27%), drivers licenses (18%), other government identification (10%), identity cards (9%), social security cards (8.5%), birth certificates (6%), visas (6%). Other less common forms are green cards, police and military identification, citizenship papers, home visit permits, immigration papers, resident alien and registration cards. In reponse, technologies such as biometrics, smart cards, RFID, identity management, and federated identity are being deployed.”

For more information: http://www.goldsec.com/Alleged_Counterfeit_Suspects_Entities.htm

48 Countries reported counterfeit activity in February: Australia, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, UAE, Uganda, UK, USA, Vietnam, Yugoslavia.

The current months counterfeit activity: http://www.goldsec.com/

The full report of counterfeit activity for the month can be purchased from Gieschen Consultancy.

About DOPIP SCI Reports

DOPIP is a powerful source of information regarding illegal activities such as counterfeiting, forgery, product tampering and diversion. It provides current news reports, information and analysis relating to document, product and intellectual product security. Security technology providers, enforcement agencies, trade organizations, and brand owners will find this information indispensable for detection, deterrence and prevention. Standard or Premium Sources DOPIP SCI Reports are available as an annual subscription for $ 295 USD and $ 835 respectively.

For more information visit http://www.goldsec.com/Security_Updates.htm.

About Gieschen Consultancy

For more information visit http://www.gieschen.com/.

Contacts:

Glen Gieschen

Counterfeit Intelligence Analyst

Gieschen Consultancy

Glen@Gieschen.com

Phone 403-256-5680

Calgary, Alberta Canada

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Related Nigeria Press Releases

Piracy Report ‘World IP Theft Day’

Posted on January 22, 2012 by admin

Calgary, Canada (PRWEB) May 3, 2005

In support of World Intellectual Property Day, Gieschen Consultancy has released intellectual property theft figures for the first quarter of 2005 indicating the scope and depth of counterfeiting and piracy activity. Based on global counterfeit enforcement activity (investigations, raids, seizures, arrests, charges, convictions, sentences, civil litigation, public announcements), as reported through the DOPIP Security Counterfeit Intelligence Report, more than 837 incidents were analyzed from 67 countries.

The most common intellectual property to counterfeit (based on enforcement incidents):

1. Entertainment & Software, $ 59.4 Million, 125 incidents (CDs, DVDs, software, games).

2. Clothing & Accessories, $ 64.7 Million, 50 incidents.

3. Drugs & Medical Supplies, $ 13.5 Million, 22 incidents (medication, herbal remedies, vaccines, ointments).

4. Cigarettes, $ 99.1 Million, 13 incidents.

5. Food & Alcohol, $ 0.1 Million, 13 incidents (milk drinks, wine, rum, soy sauce).

6. Industrial Goods & Supplies, $ 2.2 Million, 13 incidents (ball bearings, insecticides, cards, motors, detergents, automotive parts, adhesives).

7. Electronic Equipment & Supplies, $ 25.5 Million, 11 incidents (processors, memory chips, batteries, cameras, electric razors).

8. Other Documents, $ 3.7 Million, 9 incidents (certificates of authenticity and books).

9. Computer Equipment & Supplies, $ 0.2 Million, 8 incidents (printer cartridges).

10. Other Goods, $ 123 Million, 4 incidents (mosquito coils, pottery, golf clubs, building materials).

11. Perfume & Cosmetics, $ 0.1 Million, 4 incidents (lotions, perfume, nail polish, creams)

12. Toys, $ 4.5 Million, 4 incidents. (scooters, playing cards, dolls).

13. Jewelry & Watches, $ 0.1 Million, 3 incidents. (pens, bracelets, charms).

For more information: http://www.goldsec.com/Security_Research.htm

The top seizures and losses of counterfeit trademark and pirated copyright works:

1. Marlboro, West, Superkings, Regal, $ 92 Million.

2. AMD, STMicroelectronics, $ 25 Million.

3. DirecTV, $ 21.7 Million.

4. Louis Vuitton, $ 19.1 Million.

5. Real Madrid, Barcelona, $ 14.5 Million.

6. Pfizer, $ 12.8 Million.

7. Nike, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Burberry, Alviero Martini, $ 3.9 Million.

8. Microsoft, $ 3.2 Million.

9. Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Rado, Cartier, $ 3.2 Million.

10. Yu-Gi-Oh, $ 3.0 Million.

For more information: http://www.goldsec.com/Counterfeit_Brands_Victims.htm

In summarizing the first quarter of activity, Glen Gieschen, Managing Director of Gieschen Consultancy stated “The amount of criminal, terrorist, and government efforts being directed towards counterfeiting trademarks and copyright works has increased steadily each month. Copyright infringement for the first quarter totalled $ 63 Million, while counterfeit trademarks reached $ 333 Million. In addition, more than 80 million phony items were seized which, upon further investigation, led enforcement personnel to the discovery that 800 million items had been sold.

Attempts to trace the manufacturing sources were successful in one-third of the cases which originated with 122 companies, criminal entities and terrorist organizations. The top 3 countries named as sources for multiple forms of counterfeit and pirated goods were China, India and Malaysia. In 25% of the cases, China was identified as the source for entertainment & software, cigarettes, clothing & accessories, computer equipment & supplies, electronic equipment & supplies, industrial goods & supplies, documents and toys. India was linked to 16% of the cases involving clothing & accessories, drugs & medicine, entertainment & software, food & alcohol, identification, industrial goods & supplies, documents, and perfume & cosmetics. In third spot, Malaysia was named in 5.4% of the incidents involving entertainment & software, food & alcohol and documents.

The result of this activity has been to focus efforts on developing intellectual property and brand protection measures by corporations and governments. In the past 3 months more than 50 news articles were written focusing on various preventative measures.”

For more information: http://www.goldsec.com/Alleged_Counterfeit_Suspects_Entities.htm

Â• 48 Countries reported counterfeit activity in February: Australia, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, UAE, Uganda, UK, USA, Vietnam, Yugoslavia.

The current months counterfeit activity: http://www.goldsec.com/

The full report of counterfeit activity for the month can be purchased from Gieschen Consultancy.

About DOPIP SCI Reports

For more information visit http://www.goldsec.com/Security_Updates.htm.

About Gieschen Consultancy

For more information visit http://www.gieschen.com/.

Contacts