Download the PDF: Stolen Unemployment Benefits: How to detect and resolve this form of identity theft Download the PDF of state resources: State Unemployment Insurance Fraud Resources and Links Fraudsters are taking advantage of the COVID-19 crisis to file false unemployment claims using stolen identity information. It is a particularly ...
The Marriott data breach announced on Nov. 30, 2018 is a significant breach, reaching across multiple countries and affecting an estimated 500 million people. The breach includes an array of data that does create the potential for meaningful identity theft risk. Who does the breach affect? The breach affected guests ...
At WPF, we get a range of calls and emails from consumers. Usually, it’s me who is assisting a consumer, helping them work through a privacy issue or in some cases, a scam that has rattled them. But today, it is me who has gotten a phone call from a ...
Today we took the new PriBot privacy policy analyzer and chat bot tool out for a test run. The PriBot chat bot uses AI to analyze privacy policies -- many of which are verbally and legally complex -- and returns bite-size nuggets of information to those interested. The overall impact ...
We have updated our tips for immediate steps victims (or potential victims) of the Equifax data breach can take. In this updated version of our tips, we have added information for individuals in the UK who want to check and see if they have been affected by the breach, and ...
We have updated a popular page at World Privacy Forum, our Top Ten Opt Outs . This page has been in publication since 2007. Today, we treat the Top Ten Opt Outs as a living document, and update it frequently. If you have questions about any of the opt outs, ...
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a rare alert to parents about "smart toys," that is, those that connect to WiFi, and may contain microphones, sensors, and other information-gathering capacities. The alert states that these kinds of toys could pose risks to childrens' privacy and safety. The alert, ...
Our Top Ten Opt Outs is one of our most popular consumer guides. In it, you can see a short list of the most important privacy opt outs available to you today; we've curated the opt-outs and made things simple so you don't have to wander through a list of ...
We have updated our popular Top Ten Opt Outs page for consumers. All of the links are fresh, and we have updated the text where it had gotten stale. I am frequently asked which of the opt outs is the most important. Really, that will depend on what is important ...
Elder financial abuse is a terrible crime, and it has not gotten nearly the attention it deserves. Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a important report to financial institutions about what they can do to spot this issue. The World Privacy Forum has testified about senior identity theft ...
At the World Privacy Forum, consumers frequently approach us and ask us where they can complain about privacy and security issues. It is not unusual for us to hear about issues like online scams and phishing schemes that cross country borders. The Econsumer.gov website is designed to help consumers with ...
Many people have told us that they think opting out is confusing. We agree. Opting out can range from the not-too-difficult (the FTC’s Do Not Call list is a fairly simple opt out) to the challenging (the National Advertising Initiative opt out can be tricky). Our hope is that this list will clarify which opt out does what, and how to go about opting out.
Key Consumer Tips for Anthem Breach Victims: Be alert for the key areas of attack post-breach, including Medical ID theft Victims of the Anthem data breach should be aware of three potential areas for risk after the breach: Medical identity theft Financial forms of identity theft Spear phishing and phishing ...
Facebook has a "privacy shortcut" menu that gives you quick access to key privacy settings. You may have missed this feature, because it is behind an icon, and not everyone clicks through every icon. It's worth finding the Privacy Shortcuts, though, because you can quickly check the privacy of your status posts, view how your page looks to the public, see what you're tagged in, block users, and other things. Here are some tips on where you can find the privacy shortcuts on desktop and mobile.
Health Information Exchanges are in the news right now. Here is a quick list of our HIE information for consumers: See WPF's HIE Category Page for privacy tips and resources all in one place WPF has a FAQ sheet on Health Information Exchanges for consumers here. WPF also has a ...
Today, the FTC announced a court order against a credit repair company that charged consumers advance fees for credit repair services. This has reminded us that credit repair scams are alive and well. The FTC publishes several good consumer guides around credit repair, so does the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. ...
We have updated our popular Top Ten Opt Out list with new links and additional information. From key data brokers to credit cards, If you are wondering where to start to get off of lists and whisk your sensitive information out of circulation, we have distilled the most important opt outs to a manageable size. We have included the key opt outs that we ourselves practice with links and tips.
Mobile messaging app Snapchat, which promised its users ephemeral, disappearing picture and video messages, has settled FTC charges that pics and videos sent through its app weren't as ephemeral as the company promised. According to the FTC, Snapchat transmitted users' location data, and collected users' address books without notice or ...
January 2, 2014 -- WPF Executive Director Pam Dixon was a guest on CBS KNX 1070 in Los Angeles this morning talking about the Snapchat data breach, the Target data breach, and what to do to prevent privacy snafus.
FAQ: I am new to Facebook. What do I need to know about posting to someone else's Timeline? When you first join Facebook, you can discover many old friends, acquaintances and relatives you may have lost touch with and want to recontact. It can be exhilarating to find so many ...
It is important to use SSL, or encrypted connections when you use web-based email. Yahoo does not automatically set SSL or secure mail connections by default. You have to set it manually until January 2014. These tips walk you through how to set Yahoo Mail to use secure connections.
The Washington Post published new revelations from Edward Snowden’s leaked documents that revealed that the NSA is scooping up millions of email and IM address books globally. This is a serious piece of snooping business, and it deserves immediate attention on a policy level. For people who are reading this and wondering what you can do today, right now, here are some immediate steps to take.
Facebook gives you the option to use use secure browsing when a secure connection is available. This is a security option that all Facebook users should use. It is a no-brainer to say yes to. Facebook has turned this option on by default, but the rollout for this option may not have reached your area. Also, there may be some country-level differences. It is worth taking a few steps to make sure turn this option is on. It is well worth it, and we highly recommend it for all users.
We have updated our much-visited Search Engine Privacy Tips in light of recent events surrounding online privacy. First, search engine encryption has become much more important for a number of reasons, which we discuss in the revised tips. Several search engines are now using encryption by default, including Google, DuckDuckGo and others. Additionally, WPF has been receiving reports from consumers about "fake" search engines containing viruses. Our new tipsheet has been refreshed to reflect these recent trends and issues.
Seniors, scams, and sweepstakes -- The FTC busted an international sweepstakes scam that spanned 156 countries and raked in $11 million from consumers, primarily those over 65 years of age. "We are pleased the FTC has ended this scam," said Pam Dixon, WPF's executive director. "We are consistently seeing that ...
