10 Tips to Keep Identity Theft from Ruining Holiday Travel Plans

From Brian Lapidus, Chief Operating Officer for Kroll Fraud Solutions

Attention Holiday Travelers: There’s good news and bad news to report about the 2008 holiday travel season. The good news? Despite current economic challenges, Americans are still planning to travel to spend the holidays with family and friends, according to the latest Expedia Travel Trendwatch. The bad news? Data breaches and identity theft aren’t going anywhere. Given that the loss of a laptop, thumb drive, or even a wallet is all too common when traveling, Americans should keep data security top of mind before hitting the road, rails or air this winter.

As the holiday travel season heats up, Brian Lapidus, chief operating officer for Kroll Fraud Solutions, offers these important tips for a safe journey and a happy holiday season!

• Lock it up at home. If you’ve entrusted the family dog or Aunt Zoe’s twenty-year old rubber tree to a caretaker while you’re gone, put identity-rich items away before you hand over the house key. Don’t leave out tax returns, credit card statements, utility bills and the like. It’s human nature to be trusting of others, but front-line experience confirms that a significant percentage of identity theft is perpetrated by someone known to the victim.
• Lighten your laptop’s load. Remember, thieves can’t steal what you don’t have. Before you hit the road, make time to take inventory. Transfer sensitive, confidential data from your laptop to your company’s secure central server, or move it to a disk that may be stored safely until you return. Items you’ll want to remove whenever possible include personnel files with dates of birth and Social Security numbers, and customer files with identifiable bank or credit card information. Not even your online personal bill-paying programs should make the trip. If you are required to have sensitive information with you, consider purchasing an encrypted thumb drive and storing the information securely.
• Don’t tempt fate. If you must take along your laptop or PDA-berry, treat it like a cache of cash or fine jewelry. If the room safe isn’t large enough to hold a laptop, consult hotel or cruise ship management and arrange for storage in a centralized main safe or secure holding area. Locking your laptop in your personal quarters — no matter how smart a hiding place you contrive — creates needless exposure and worry.
• Block prying eyes with a privacy filter. Thanks to what’s called microlouver technology, laptop users can simply snap privacy filters on over their screens to block viewing from an angle. You can see what’s displayed from your primary user vantage point, but onlookers at your left or right are prevented from snooping. Office supply stores sell privacy filters, as do many general retailers; prices range from $65 to $150 depending on screen size.
• Short-circuit the personal broadcast. Since 2006, U.S. passports have included RFID (radio frequency identification) chips. Some credit cards use them, too. The continuous transmission of radio waves means that your personal details are being regularly aired, as well. Invest in an RFID-blocking passport case or wallet to jam unintentional reception – and any accidental disclosure of your identity. Search ‘RFID-blocking wallet’ online and find a host of sources, including familiar sites like Amazon.com and Magellan.com, where prices are comparable to similar high-quality leather goods.
• Be quiet. Cell phones have erased the boundaries between public and private space for many people. Even if you don’t intend to listen, it’s almost impossible to tune out what’s being said just a few feet away. Heighten your own awareness about what you say in public – and how loudly you say it. Whether you’re talking about a pricey souvenir you just bought or keeping tabs on a company project, your words can put you and your company at risk if a thief is within earshot.
• Beware the Wi-Fi. One of Kroll’s standard tips for businesses also holds true for the average traveler. Use of wireless networks means your data is being transmitted over open airwaves, similar to a radio transmission. If not properly secured, data can easily be picked up by an uninvited party. Earlier this spring, the FBI warned about hackers cruising wireless networks for this very reason. Set your computer default to require your authority before connecting to a new network. And when it does, be sure the address matches what you typed in.
• Keep that key. When you check out of a hotel where you were issued a card-key to unlock the door to your room, don’t leave the card-key behind. Hold on to it until you’re safely home and can shred or otherwise discard it safely. Some say it’s an urban myth that card-keys hold vital details like credit card numbers, while others report having tested and confirmed the presence of private data coded into the magnetic strip. Even if there’s no definitive answer, why risk it?
• Use public computers at your own risk. Public computers, like those found in a hotel’s business center, can contain “keylogger” spyware, which records every keystroke including passwords and account information. Keyloggers make it possible for an identity thief to steal any information entered into the computer during your session. Conducting important company (or personal) business on a public computer also increases your vulnerability to “shoulder surfers” – individuals who look over your shoulder to observe what you are doing and, more importantly, collect the sensitive data you’re entering.
• What’s in your wallet? Before you hit the road, make photocopies of the personal material in your wallet: driver’s license, credit cards, insurance cards, etc. – front and back – and store those copies in a safe place at home. Should your wallet be lost or stolen, you won’t be left wondering what was actually taken, and you’ll be able to quickly notify the appropriate agencies about what has taken place. Furthermore, someone at home can always send you the duplicate information you need to get you back to where you want to be — home.

Thank you to Kroll Fraud Solutions for these valuable tips.

A Lesson in Hawaiian Flora

Yup, I just told Mrs. Earthworm about my blog and she’s already trying to take over. *Just kidding Mom!* Anyway, she was so inspired by all the curious comments on a previous WW post – From My Parent’s Garden – that she decided to put a little something together.Please welcome my Mom in her blogging debut.

Hi, Everyone (or Bloggers?):

Kailani mentioned that some of you were curious about some of the names of the orchids in the photos listed on her blog and asked us if we would like to comment on them…so here we are. We will refer to ourselves as Mr. and Mrs. EW (short for Mr. and Mrs. Earthworm—the good kind for your gardens).

Photo #1. This pretty pink cluster of small blossoms sits on top of a thin (but sturdy) stem that moves with the wind and are called Epidendrum orchids. They are also sometimes known as “Pink Ladies� or “Dancing Ladies.�

Photo #2. Anthuriums. These hardy and somewhat waxy flowers are in a class by themselves. They are lovely, long-lasting flowers that can last for over a month as cut flowers in clean water in a vase. They come in a variety of vibrant colors. It is truly a beautiful heart-shaped plant, although there is a misconception that the red heart-shape is the flower, but, in actuality, it is called the spathe which is a modified leaf to the heart-shaped green leaves as shown in the background in the photo. The true flowers emerge on the spadix (the narrow stem that protrudes downwards) but are seldom seen by the naked eye because they are so tiny and will eventually fall off and tiny berries will be formed.

To Tishia Lee: Your grandma was right, they are also called “little boy� flowers (isn’t that precious?). Always listen to your grandparents; especially grandmas, they are the wisest people on earth and know EVERYTHING! (LOL)

Photo #3. Pineapples. Our pineapples are grown in containers. Mr. EW brought home a pineapple and cut the crown (top) off and put it in a can of water (water needs to be changed at least every couple of days to prevent mosquitoes from breeding) and after several weeks, roots will appear and then it can be planted in a container or ground.

To Christine of Are We There Yet: This “baby� pineapple won’t be such a baby in another 6-8 months. Mr. EW says it takes about 18 months for it to grow into a full-grown pineapple. So in another 6-8 months, it should turn a golden orange color then it’s ready to harvest (yum—there’s nothing like home-grown fruits.).

I so envy those of you on the mainland who can grow apples, pears, peaches, cherries and all those wonderful fruits and flowers, like daffodils, irises and tulips that we, in Hawaii, can’t or have a difficult time growing.

Photo 4. These lovely white with purple lip orchids are called Dendrobium Nobile. Ladies of Hawaii love to wear them in their hair. They have a nice fragrance.

Photo #5. Similar description as in Photo #1, but is just another variety called an Epidendrum (banguense) orchid with clusters of red-orange blossoms.

Photo #6. These inflorescences of vibrant yellow flowers are called Doritaenopsis Sogo Manager orchids (quite a mouthful, isn’t it?).

Tips:

1. For a sweeter pineapple after slicing off the top and skinned, sprinkle a little salt and rub it around the whole pineapple, then slice into chunks and chill. It will make your pineapple taste a little sweeter (trust me).

2. Pineapples are high in acidity, so make sure you always wash your hands after eating these delicious fruits. Avoid touching your eyes while eating them or they will swell up (not a pretty sight); otherwise…ENJOY! BTW, same goes for mangoes. Of course, don’t eat any of these fruits if you have some kind of allergic reactions to them like hives or a rash.

Wow! Didn’t mean to ramble on. Hope we were able to answer your questions and thank you for letting us be part of your blog.

Mr. and Mrs. Earthworm

Spotlight Comment from Sher of Everything Moms: Wow Mrs. Earthworm…sounds like you’ve been blogging for years! Great job! Thanks for the wonderful education. I love the idea of growing a pineapple like you indicated. I think I might just have to do that. Welcome to the blogosphere! Hope to see you around a lot. Maybe you’ll even start your own blog. But be careful….it can be addicting. lol

The Cellphone Issue

Written by Guest Blogger, Grace of Sandier Pastures & The Parenting Diaries

The lady sitting beside me in the bus was shocked (probably disgusted?) to see my cellphone. We’ve been chatting to while away the time as the journey seemed to take forever because of the traffic gridlock in the evenings. She knew what my work is here. Heck, she even assumed my salary when I declined to answer that delicate question. People here just don’t stop asking for your salary even though you’ve just met them for the first time!

The current phone I have is a very simple Nokia and I think it’s the cheapest in the market. It’s black and white, with no fancy features,no music player and no camera.

“How come you don’t buy a more sophisticated phone? I am sure you can afford an N95!”

But what’s wrong with my phone? It’s been functional for years and I don’t find the reason to throw it just because of some sophisticated unit with half the features I won’t even be using. If the phone can make and receive calls and send/receive SMS, it is enough in my vocabulary.In my cellphone use history, I have only changed a couple of times and that is when the unit really broke down.

Do people really throw away cellphones just to upgrade to the latest new version? I mean there’s nothing wrong with keeping up with technology and having a sassy phone. I even love to look at iPhones and curious to try myself.

But what do you do with the old phone when you buy a new one?

The Most Disdainful Cat in the World

Written by Guest Blogger, Witchypoo of Psychicgeek

Do you know this cat?

This cat that disappears when new people enter the house?

This cat that sniffs when its potential servants are trying to

coax it over to be petted, loved, and fawned over?

This cat Always. Comes. To. Me.

Do I call this cat? Do I try to entice it?

No. No, I do not.

I sit very still, hoping this cat will not see me, smell me, wish to

rub its allergen laden self against me.

But no. Resistance is futile. This cat must mark me with its smell.

What? You think this cat rubbing against you is showing affection?

You are so very wrong. It’s all about the marking of the territory.

And this cat? This cat marks me as someone who will very soon

make a lunge for the Benedryl.

And this cat? This cat laughs at me, in the cattiest way possible.

This cat wants me on drugs.

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