Category: Security Tips

HELP. SOMEONE STOLE MY IDENTITY!!!

4/12/2022

From 2018 - 2020 there were 1.66 million cases of identity fraud reported to authorities. Who knows how many went unreported because the victim was too ashamed or embarrassed to admit they had been a victim of identity fraud. What can the average person do to keep their identities from being stolen? Here's a couple of ideas that we recommend to clients as well as friends and family:

Initiate a freeze on your credit. It's very easy to do and makes it much more of a challenge for a cybercriminal to steal your identity. Each of the three main credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion have information on their main website page that explains how you can place a freeze on your credit. Make sure to place a freeze on your kid's accounts as well as cybercriminals know those accounts are very rarely reviewed by the owners or their parents.

Place fraud alerts on your credit accounts. Anyone can place a fraud alert with the three aforementioned credit bureaus. You only have to place the alert with one of the three and then that credit bureau will instruct the other two to do the same. This will require a business to verify your identity before opening a new line of credit in your name.

Enroll in two-factor authentication. We know this can be a pain, but it's something you should enable on all your accounts when it's presented as an option. With this option, you'll have to enter your credentials and then follow up with a code, usually, that's texted or emailed to your known telephone number or email address.

Review your accounts closely. Even with all of the above in place, you should monitor your credit reports and account statements closely. Don't just throw those unopened statements in a drawer thinking everything is fine and be sure to review your credit reports at least once a year, I recommend quarterly, to make sure nothing is amiss.

With a little precaution you can help ensure that you don't become a victim of identity theft. If you feel like you may have become a victim of identify theft, please give one of our Colorado-based private investigators a call for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Lee Walters
President
EXCALIBUR - Private Investigation

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EQUIPMENT REVIEW: SECURITY CAMERAS

2/15/2022

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Security Cameras used by Colorado Springs Private Investigator

As this is the first product we've recommended on any of our blog posts, we just want to point out that any product, such as the Reolink system pictured above, that we write about is a product we have used for some period of time and can honestly recommend. In the case of the Reolink security camera systems, we've used them in our office and home for almost 2 years now and have nothing but great things to say about these security camera systems. They are just packed with so many features. What features you ask? Well these to name a few:

SMOOTH 4K ULTRA HD resolution with real-time 25fps recording.

ALL-NIGHT COLOR NIGHT VISION which features 4pcs spotlights that provide full-color all night long which is unheard of for a security camera at this price point.

SMART HUMAN/VEHICLE DETECTION that can be set to alert you via email, text, FTP or siren.

TWO-WAY TALK where you can talk from wherever you are through any of the cameras set up in the system. See someone lurking around your garage or back door, you can now yell at them or tell them the police are on the way directly through the camera.

DEDICATED APP where you can log in and view your cameras while also listening to crystal clear sound. We eavesdrop on our office on occasion, don't tell staff, and it's interesting to listen to the interaction between staff and customers.

2-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY:Reolink provides a two-year warranty and lifetime technical support for their customers and we've found that customer support is excellent.

Having used security cameras for many years, some good and some not so good, I'm truly impressed with how reliable these cameras are. In the two years we've had the two systems in place, we've yet to have any downtime due to system malfunction. In today's society I truly believe that a camera system is a must for any business or residence. Not only do they act as a deterrent, but they can also capture evidence that can be used to help solve crime. Criminals are still not the brightest bulbs in the box, that's why they're criminals, and often forget about the potential of a security camera catching them in the act. The Reolink systems, they offer numerous models, do a great job of doing what they're supposed to do and we can't recommend them enough for that extra peace of mind they provide.

EXCALIBUR Private Investigation is a participant in the Amazon Services, LLC Associates Program and may earn a small commission on products sold through links in this article.

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SECURITY TIP #3: BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THESE BEHAVIORS

2/13/2022

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Dating App Scam Investigator in Colorado Springs

Today's Security tip involves those of you who are on the various dating apps. It's an area we written about before, but we're revisiting it because there are so many victims of dating app scams that we want to make sure you don't have to contact one of our Colorado Springs private investigators after you've lost money. Statistics show that hundreds of people have recently lost $32 million in romance scams with 200 of those living in Colorado and Wyoming. The people most victimized are women over 40, the elderly, widowed, divorced or disabled people due to perceived, and real, vulnerabilities.

Some of the things you should look out for when getting involved with anyone you meet on a dating app:

1. The individual presses you to leave the dating app and turn solely to message or email and somewhat soon.

2. The individual uses a photo that appears to be a glamour shot or looks like it has been professionally done. We've seen scammers download photos of unknown professionals, usually men, that have been professionally done. At EXCALIBUR Legal Support - Private Investigation we use proprietary software to scan the internet and dark web to find if a photo has ever been used before. In one case we were able to show our client that the photos of a guy claiming to live in northern California and working on an oil rig, were actually photos of the CEO of Coca-Cola Europe.

3. The individual professes love quickly, much more quickly than if you met in person somewhere.

4. The individual attempts to isolate you from friends and family. These scammers don't want any other party to be able to point out inconsistencies in their stories.

5. The individual claims to live or work far away. We've seen numerous scammers claim to be working on oil rigs or in the Middle East in the oil or gold business. Not sure why these two professions are chosen by scammers, but they are.

6. The individual makes plans to meet in person, but always cancels because of some emergency. Along with this, the scammer will always have an excuse why they can't get on a Skype or other video call. If you want to test early on if a person is who they claim they are, demand they get on a video call. A scammer will never agree to that. Or if they provide an excuse why they can't get on a video call, their computer doesn't have a camera, etc., etc., then have them take a photo of themselves holding a sign with your name and current date handwritten on it. A scammer will also never agree to this as you'd then see the photos on their profile are fake.

7. The individual asks you for money. That's all of these scammer's ultimate goal. To separate you from your money. Sometimes they will wait 6 to 8 months before asking to "borrow" money or they will claim their account is frozen and they can't pay for the ticket to come and see you in person. Believe me, we've heard it all.

Think you're talking with someone legitimate on ____________ fill-in-the-blank dating app, but your spidey senses are tingling? Contact us and let us vet the person you're in contact with. You've got nothing to lose and will gain peace of mind knowing if they are who they say they are.

Lee Walters
President
EXCALIBUR Private Investigation
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Serving all of Colorado and beyond

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SECURITY TIP #2: WATCH FOR SMISHING

2/8/2022

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Security tips on Smishing by Colorado Springs Professional Investigator

Today's security tip involves "smishing". Smishing you say? What's that? Although it may seem like a strange word it's used to describe something very serious. Where "phishing" involves a bad guy sending an email with a malicious link, "smishing" involves send a malicious link via a Short Message Service (SMS) text that we all get numerous times a day. In our case sometimes a hundred or more!

It all begins when the person receiving the text clicks on the link. According to Aaron Rouse, SAC, Las Vegas FBI, “You'll have a loss of access to your device, sometimes. You'll have afforded somebody access to your device, and you'll possibly lose personally identifiable information. So it's something that we just like we say with email. If you didn't ask for it, don't click on it." Rouse also described a couple of ways "smishing" is being used at this very moment. Individuals receive a text claiming to be from AT&T saying their bill has been paid, followed by a link to claim a prize, or a text claiming to be Netflix telling the target they need to click on the attached link if they want to "keep watching." Both of these give the bad guy control over your phone in most instances.

Lisa Mesa, a smartphone user who has received numerous "smishing" texts says, “I get pre-approved for certain things, or really weird texts. They actually get kind of personal. They make it sound like they're a friend reaching out to you sometimes too. It says your appointment is ready - click on this link.”

SAC Rouse further states, “They can be anywhere. It really does depend on the scheme that's being perpetrated, and the amount of effort behind it. Sometimes we see very widespread scams. It'll go out and we quickly become aware of it because people will do the right thing, they report it to IC3.gov.”

Reporting to IC3.gov is definitely the first step if you receive one of these "smishing" texts. And it should become a habit to never click on a link you receive in an unexpected text, even if it seems to be legitimate. If you have any doubts at all contact the person who supposedly sent it and see if they actually did. If not, delete it immediately.

If you think you may have become a victim of "smishing" contact one of our Colorado Springs professional private investigators who can discuss different options you pursue.

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SECURITY TIP #1: REBOOT YOUR PHONE

2/5/2022

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Security tips from a Colorado Springs Private Investigator

In a continuing effort to get useful information out to our clients, potential clients and the general public at large, today we're starting our series of Security Tips that everyone should be aware of.

REBOOT YOUR PHONE EVERY WEEK

According to the National Security Agency's (NSA) "best practices" guide for mobile device security, everyone should reboot (totally shut down your phone and restart it) their phones at least once a week. Neil Ziring, technical director of the NSA's cybersecurity directorate, was quoted in the AP as saying, "This is all about imposing cost on these malicious hackers." While it won't stop a sophisticated hacker, it will make them work harder to maintain access and steal data from your phone. The reason is that the latest malicious software typically targets your phone's root file system. But the newest phones can detect and block such malware during a reboot.

Make it a weekly habit, maybe even set a calendar reminder to do so, to turn your phone off and on.

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HELP. SOMEONE STOLE MY IDENTITY!!!

EQUIPMENT REVIEW: SECURITY CAMERAS

SECURITY TIP #3: BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THESE BEHAVIORS

SECURITY TIP #2: WATCH FOR SMISHING

SECURITY TIP #1: REBOOT YOUR PHONE

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