identity theft ring Pickpocket goes high-tech

identity theft ring Pickpocket goes high-tech -

Robert Siciliano is a NextAdvisor.com Expert Guest Blogger

If there was a "criminal hall of fame", a prize awarded to the "coolest" criminal, he would have to be a pickpocket. Pickpockets are sneaky evil creatures that function exactly one degree below the radar.

pickpockets whisper in society, undetected and undeterred. They are subtle and brazen at the same time. They are like a bed of insects crawling on you and inject a numbing venom that prevents you from detecting their bite until well in the end. They are not violent like crazy abuser of drugs or confrontation as a thief stick. They have a lot more sense than any criminal hacker because they do not hide in the anonymity of the Internet.

A second is all the needs of a pickpocket. A brief diversion, a fast movement, and before taking a deep breath, your wallet is gone.

Pickpocket is one of the oldest criminal professions, and is still widespread in Europe. Their target? Clueless Americans. Americans are simply not as aware of pickpockets because it is not as widespread here.

The story of one of the victims. "My wife and I were in a Paris subway station where the loudspeakers were blaring, 'WARNING THERE Pilferers PRESENTS In this position . We took the crowded subway. a woman remained half on half off, blocking the door. at the same time, another woman was banging against me, indicating that she needed to get off . she got in front of me and she and her friend left the train, allowing the door to close. as it did, I realized that my money (about $ 120) disappeared from my pocket. as we arrived there, I watched the two women at the station, smiling and waving to me. "

biggest advantage of

pickpockets is the fact that most people do not believe that this could happen. Including me.

there years, I met this cat named Gene Turner at a convention. A great guy who has the skills of a real pickpocket, but uses his ability to inform, educate and entertain people. I told him to Pickpocket.com, what he did. I should get a slice of the action! Real nice guy, very personable. He introduced himself to me by - without knowing me - taking my watch to my left wrist. Then asked me what time it was. I looked at my left wrist, a watch. He stressed my right arm, where he re-attached. I freaked.

Gene said, "Personally, I" caught "maybe one in a thousand times when I got a watch. And usually it is either a really tough watch or I take the same person for the third or fourth time. I've always said a good pickpocket could get me clean and I would never feel. Even the best multitasking can be distracted, and it only takes a distraction from split second to become a victim. I look up to and watch the watches of many magicians, people security and yes, even other pickpockets unwittingly "

Wired reports that pickpockets were raising the stakes ". Feds Swoop In the Nationwide Pickpocket, ID theft ring. "The suspects, using a novel and high-tech strategy, stole the identity and banking information of victims nationwide by pickpockets and other means. The ring would have traveled across the country at crowded events targeting sports fans in particular. Often they worked in teams, where one person distracts the victim and the other lifts the wallet of the victim.

How you protect

1. Beware of someone shouting. "There is a pickpocket in the crowd"

Gene said: "I use this trick a lot in my show. When people find out that I can pick up the bags, men check their wallets and women go check their jewelry in order of value - the most expensive. Their stock index me exactly where wallets and precious jewels are. "

A man in a business suit has four pants pockets and six to eight pockets in the jacket. His wallet, cash and credit cards could be in one of ten or more pockets. pickpockets are usually not time to look for all ten, but if they see you check your pocket when you read the sign, they now know the exact location. If you think there are pickpockets around or you see a sign, do not be obvious about checking your wallet or valuables.

2. do not print money or objects public value.

Flashing your money, you get more attention you want. Pickpockets will notice where you stash money and a bump later, you'll be left with an empty pocket.

3. be aware of your surroundings.

Especially in crowded places, bumps, shocks and aggressive people are typical use of pickpockets distractions. Sometimes a person will fall, drop something or appear to be sick, and we rush to help. It's great and I recommend it, but it can be a distraction. If you help a stranger, make sure someone you trust is to watch your valuables. Sidewalks, shopping centers, bus stations, airports, railway stations, in any type of crowd, it is extremely important to be aware of your surroundings. Pickpockets are counting on you to pay attention to everything except for your wallet or purse.

4. Do not carry valuables in a backpack or fanny.

Everyone can achieve in a backpack without you see or feel. fanny packs, if worn, should be brought to the front. Keep in mind that this will not prevent a thief to break or reduce the belt and get away. If you wear a fanny pack, make sure that the loop is near the front pocket, so a pickpocket would have a harder time getting into the lock without your knowledge. It is not uncommon for a pickpocket to use a razor blade to cut through a bag and reach in.

5. Thin your wallet.

Ultimately, they can still get your wallet. And when they do, you must be prepared to respond to impacts. The best protection is not to bring anything of value. There is no need to carry any documents containing social security numbers, passwords, account numbers, birth certificates or anything that could lead to new account fraud. I carry a driver's license, credit card and a Costco card. Think of it this way: if your wallet was lost or stolen, you feel like vomiting? If so, you have too many things in there.

6. Make copies .

For those who need to carry a lot of things for various reasons, please make a photocopy, front and back of each document in your wallet. Keep these copies in a safe place. If your wallet is missing, you will have everything you need to close the existing cards and get new ones. Moreover, it does not hurt so much when you can see a copy of the missing cards.

7. Use anti-check washing pens .

Portfolios often contain checkbooks. Check fraud is a problem of billions of dollars. Check washing occurs when criminals use nail polish to clean the amount of the beneficiary and the dollar, and rewrite checks to themselves for increased amounts. With an anti-check pen uni-ball gel wash, you can prevent your checks from being washed.

8. Protect your identity.

invest in identity theft protection. Even if your portfolio is immaculate, your data can be found in the dumpster from your bank, or piracy. That's why you should also protect your computer with an Internet security software updated.

Robert Siciliano, identity theft speaker, discusses the bust of an identity theft ring:

Robert Siciliano is CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com, an expert on identity theft, professional speaker, security analyst, published author and television news correspondent. Siciliano works with Fortune 1000 and start-up companies as a consultant on product launches, branding, messaging, representation, SEO and media. the thoughts and advice of Siciliano on all these issues often appear in both television and print media news, including CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, FOX, Forbes and USA Today. He has 25 years of safety training as a member of the American Society for Industrial Security. He is the author of two books, including The Safety Minute: Living on high alert; How to take control of your personal safety and to prevent fraud . He also established a partnership with Uni-Ball to help raise awareness of the growing threat of identity theft and provide tips on how you can protect yourself.