Identity Theft - Ricky Gil

            Identity theft is a common problem around the world. It can be defined as the fraudulent act and use of a person's private identifying information. An identity can be stolen in many ways through hacking computer systems, ATM and credit card machines, etc. It can be as simple as throwing a medical bill in the garbage that can cause a person to become a victim of identity theft. You can also become a victim by using insecure websites while shopping online. Identity theft is so common that in 2012 alone, 12.6 million US adults were victims of identity theft crimes. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) receives more complaints about identity theft than anything else. With the growing technology in today's society, it makes it easier for identity thieves to commit these crimes. Recently, Target had a problem with their computer data base being hacked and many credit cards were stolen from their system. This caused a lot of issues for customers that had used their credit cards to purchase items at Target during the hacking. Stealing a person's credit card information is one of the first steps in receiving someone's full identity. Not only do identities get stolen for financial purposes but for other reasons too. For example, criminal identity theft is when someone poses as a different person in order to avoid getting convicted of a crime. There is also something known as identity cloning where a person will steal an identity and act as if they are that person in normal daily activities. This type is common among illegal immigrants. Another form of identity theft is synthetic, which is when you take more than one person's identity and put them together to form a completely made-up identity. Medical theft is when an identity is used to receive medical care or drugs, which may be used by those that don't have medical insurance. The last type of identity theft is called ghosting. This is where an identity of the deceased is stolen.

            Though there are many types of identity theft and various ways it can occur, there are still some ways to protect yourself. First, always make sure you monitor you bank accounts to ensure there is no abnormal activity. Changing passwords often is another common way to prevent identity theft because it makes it harder for hackers to receive your information from the internet. Also make sure to never give out personal information over the phone and always shred any receipts, bank statements, and other personal papers. There are also companies, such as LifeLock, that provide you with protection of identity theft. They protect you by monitoring your credit card and other information so you don't have to. These are some many ways to ensure you are not a victim of identity theft. 

Come to the Dark Side...

As a class, we have talked about the anonymity associated with the use of the Internet in both a positive light at in a negative one. I believe that that anonymity is the root of some of the issues such as trolling, flaming, cyber-bulling, surveillance, stalking, obscene relational intrusion, and other aspects of the Internet’s dark side.  The Internet is an outstanding tool for providing information to billions of users in the blink of an eye. However, that information is not always used for good purposes. Quite sadly there are numerous online “supportive communities” that encourage people with bulimia, anorexia, and other eating disorders. They provide the user with negative encouragement and attempt to make the user “better” at their disorder.  Similarly there is no shortage of how-to guides for creating everything from pipe bombs, homemade explosives, and drugs, all the way up to radicalization propaganda used by extremist militant groups trying to recruit people to fight in their religious war. All of these things are made possible by the fact that these accounts do not require real names or any sort of identification. All of this information can be posted without any regulations or regard for the affect that it will have. Humanity has shown that it is far more willing to lie if there is no reason that others have no idea who you actually are. Confrontations and arguments are far more common online compared to face-to-face interactions.

There have been numerous attempts to combat the problem using legislation and other technology based solutions. There have been several pieces of legislation proposed, but seldom few have passed. Additionally, the ones that have been passed did not last more than a few months.  One of the only successful ones was Statute 2257 that passed in 1988. This statute stated that all adult filmmakers had to keep records of their actors and by default, make sure that they were over eighteen years of age. The industry has had several very large problems in their attempts to regulate the dark side. The first issue is figuring out whose responsibility the Internet is. We have no current legal precedents that can identify an agency or law enforcement body that is obligated to step up.  The second major issue is that legislation runs into is the violation of the Right to Free Speech. It becomes exceedingly difficult for any agency to determine what is acceptable and what is not. Again, we have had many cases go to court and the findings are wildly inconsistent. There is no clear precedent that puts clear support to one side or the other.

Officials have also proposed technological solutions such as disenvowlment and putting restrictions on pseudonymity. Disenvowlment is simply a process in which the governing body identifies inappropriate content at removes all of the vowels the message contains. While it does not make the message unreadable, it makes the message less clear and less readily understood. They have tried to place restrictions on the amount of “pen names” someone can have also. However, this is exceedingly difficult because these names are only registered to a single email address. Despite several failed attempts, lawmakers are still trying to put together some solutions. As the technology evolves and advances, I think we will surely see new and innovative ways to police and regulate online content.

Lying, Deception, and Honesty

Many people confuse the terms lying and deceiving, or they use them interchangeably, but when you think about it are they really different or are they actually the same. If you were to ask me I would say that at times they could be the same, and a lie can be a deception but a deception can not be a lie. But at times I also think that they are different because of the fact that certain deceptions are not lies. A lie is basically defined as something someone says to a person, that is exaggerated, and not the actual thing that happened. My definition of deception would have to be almost the same thing except the only difference would be that when you deceive someone you aren’t necessarily keeping all of the facts and details of a story, but instead you are telling them half the truth, or some of the truth. Also a persons reaction to being deceived is usually better then a persons reaction when they are lied to. To sum it up, the main difference is how much you tell them, because you either tell them part of the truth or none at all or you can just go with the easier solution and tell them the whole truth, because making up stories is really not an easy thing, especially when I think about it. 

Now I’m talking about all this lying and deceiving and for someone reading this it could look like I condone lying and deceiving, but, I really don’t. I feel as though the phrase “Honesty is the Best Policy” stands very true to me. Honesty is the concept of telling someone something and not leaving anything out of the story, so letting them know every detail. Even though I feel as though it is the best option it does not mean I have not lied before. I just feel as though lying is actually very pointless because in the end someone will eventually find out the truth whether it is a few days or a few years later, and sometimes the person will get more angry at you for finding out the truth about something later, then if you just told them the truth in the first place because of the fact that it almost makes them feel like they are not trusted, or that they would have judged you, and that is not how anyone wants to feel. Personally I do not remember when the last time I told a big lie was, because if I do lie, it is usually little lies, or more commonly known as white lies, (which can also be deceptions because white lies are considered telling some of the truth as well). 

In the end I feel as though no matter how much a person will ever believe in honesty, they will always be somewhat of a liar. I feel as though it is almost impossible not to tell at least one lie, especially because most of the time that you are telling it, you feel that it is going to benefit another person in the end. I have yet to meet a person hat has not told one lie in their life, and when I do I will commend them, but, I know they won’t be honest for the rest of their lives, because face it, I mean they are going to have to tell their kids that santa is not real right,and although that is not a big deal, it is still technically a lie,by definition. It all depends on the extent to which you lie and deceive people when it comes down to it. Each person has their own tolerance for people who lie and different feelings towards it, and individually we will decide when something is okay to lie about or not, or when it is we should lie or deceive a person.

Honesty is the Best Policy

People always say, “Honesty is the best policy”. Although this may be true it might not always happen face-to-face or online. Deception online has always been a problem but now that we are more tech savvy and use the Internet more often it is a lot more common. People lie online about simple things like their age on Facebook or their height on a dating website but also big things like completely fake profiles. Identity based deception is usually more common online because it is easier to add a couple inches to your height on your profile than to lie about it in person. We are also not great at picking up on deception because we want to believe what we are told. We also sometimes prefer the deception over the truth if it is more appealing to us.

Deception online can be easier than deception face-to-face because of the lack of nonverbals. Without nonverbal communication it is easier to lie and get away with it since we have no other way of determining if the matter is true or not. In face-to-face conversation it is easier to pick up on lies because we can sometimes tell that they are lying by what they do but online we only have the words on the screen. This is where trust comes in. We tend to want to trust everyone so when someone lies we want to believe it. Trust is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Once it’s broken its hard to get back. For instance if you make plans with someone and they cancel because they are sick you would obviously be disappointed. Later on you see that the person who cancelled on you posted a picture with other people on Instagram. This person lied to you and lost some, if not all of your trust. Your trust for other people could also possibly be ruined because of a bad experience. It is the same thing with “Catfishing”. When the truth comes out everything changes. Even a lie of omission (leaving something out) can cause someone to lose trust. For example, in high school I would go out with my friends and my parents would ask me where I was going and of course I told them where but I never told them if there would be alcohol there or a ton of people or if my friends parents weren’t home. One time they found out and they grounded me because they didn’t trust me being out. I had to earn back their trust. My parents didn’t trust me as much anymore so I lost my credibility with my parents. Eventually they began to trust me again.

Sami Taylor Blog Post 4

Last week we discussed 3D printing and watched the Vice video about printing guns. The video gave an extremely basic explanation about how 3D printing works but it mostly focused on a specific use: printing weapons, especially high powered, automatic guns. I am not particularly familiar with guns but it seems that 3D printing, in time, could be a more cost effective, efficient, and faster method of building weapons. The mood of the entire documentary was very foreboding and almost completely dismissed the usefulness of 3D printed weapons. 

So for this blog I am trying to focus on some of the less scary, useful, and ingenious use for 3D printing. I found articles for 3D printed makeup (woah), musical instruments, furniture, but by far the most amazing piece was about 3D printed organs. If you need a new organ, it is very likely that your situation is dire and you have limited time to wait. But the waiting lists for new organs are long and the donor list is short. For example, there are 93,000 people waiting for new kidneys. While it varies from state to state, it can take 5-10 years to get a new kidney. Most people do not survive that long.

In James O' Toole's article 3-D printed organs are on the way, he explains the printing process.

The process starts when scientists grow human cells from biopsies or stem cells. They then feed the cells into special printers that can arrange them three-dimensionally by cell type in the way that they'd appear in the human body.

A representative from Organovo (the company doing the research) stated that they can’t print a fully functioning liver but they aren’t far off and 3D organs present a unique research opportunity. If they succeed 3D printed tissues could be used “to replace small parts or organs or encourage cell regeneration”. According to the article doctors already started using 3D materials to make prosthetics and replacement bones.

In another article 3D printed organs another step closer as biofabrication enters university mainstream, the author discusses how more universities are teaching about the uses of 3D technology specific to organ regeneration. Two Australian universities are actually creating a master’s program in 3D body part printing. Both universities are especially interested in 3D printing because of it’s ability to reduce patient risk. Often times, when patients receive new organs their body will reject it and cause additional health risks. But with 3D organs they can use the cells of the patient to create the organ. This also reduces the risk of transmitting disease from the donator to the patient. This  makes the process very patient-specific, which increases the need for a whole new program.

I think if the medically community could find a way to perfect the art of 3D printing it would be amazing. It would supplement that lack of donors, decrease risk of disease transfer, and save thousands of lives. Also I imagine that it would reduce costs from the hospitals and for the patients. 

Lying and Trust

Lying is a part of almost every relationship whether it be a friendship, or a romantic relationship. Sometimes lies can be simple things that happen on an every day basis that some see has harmless, while other lies can used to cover huge secrets that could potentially end the relationship. Only 20% of people agree that one should never lie, and 60% of people believe that there is place in relationships for lying. So when is it ok to lie? Some believe that it is ok to lie when you are trying to spare the other person’s feelings. Another popular time that people lie is when they are in the wrong. For example if word comes out about a horrible idea and the source is trying to be identified one may simply deny ever having that idea. It is very common for people to justify their lies with reasons such as trying to spare hard feelings, keeping people safe or out of harms way, and keeping themselves out of trouble.

            The problem with making instances where lying is ok is that this strains the trust in the relationship. Trust is the foundation of every type of relationship, without trust relationships would no longer be important to us. The trust bias is the idea that we are more likely believe that the truth is the truth. Without the truth bias we would be constantly be doubting what others say and would be spending much more time researching things to ensure it is true. Just about every one participates in the truth bias, which sometimes makes us look gullible, but also gives people the chance to deceive is if we are not careful.

Deception is the act of misleading people by making a false appearance or statement.  It is sometimes very easy to be deceived not only because of the truth bias, but also because cues can be very difficult to detect. Some cues with significance could be, the deceiver avoiding eye contact when they are deceiving you, also they may tap their foot on the ground in a nervous manner. Lying and deceiving is a skill that some people are very good at, while others get caught in their lies very easily. Deception can happen in face-to-face communication but it is much easier to be deceived in computer-mediated communication.  Nonverbal cues such as avoiding eye contact, and nervous tapping habits are two common things that people do when they are lying. Tone of voice, body language, avoiding certain words such as “I”, also the liar may claim their honesty by saying things such as “trust me”.  

Some people are more susceptible to being deceived because they either do not pick up on nonverbal cues, or they just aren’t socially aware. Whatever the case it, everyone is much more susceptible to deception through technology. It is very easy for the deceiver to send out a lying text message than it is for them to look someone in the eyes and deceive them. Deception in technology is harmful to relationships, and one must be aware of the possibility of being deceived, while also remaining trusting in the relationship.

Identity Theft Christian Farrell

As of 2014 a case of identity fraud occurs nearly every two seconds in the United States. The number of identity fraud victims in 2013 was 13.1 million people. With the increase of our use of computer mediated communication and our increasing presence online comes an increase in potential danger. Identity theft is the act of stealing ones information, identity fraud however, is using that stolen information. Due to our increase in use of the internet and social media, a plethora of our personal information can be available to almost anyone. The most common source of fraud is through data breach, or commonly referred to as hacking. Last year one in three people who were victims of identity fraud was through data breaching. Criminals are also becoming more adept and efficient and stealing personal information for identity fraud. About 46% of consumers whose card information was accessed through a data breach became victims of identity fraud. Criminals also have other ways of committing identity fraud through using PayPal or eBay accounts and other online accounts. This type of identity fraud has nearly tripled just since last year. There are many different kinds of identity fraud; financial, criminal, identity cloning, synthetic, and medical. Financial is the most common due to it having the most benefits for criminals. However, it should be noted that criminals may not just be stealing your identity to buy expensive goods and services. The most common victim of identity theft is the college student. So this information is even more pertinent to us, due to the fact that we make up the largest pool of victims.

               The question remains: What do I do if I am a victim of identity fraud? The good news is that we’re getting much better at catching and preventing fraud once it occurs. Just in one year the amount of money stolen from consumers via fraud decreased $3 billion, even though the amount of victims of identity fraud went up significantly. This can be contributed to the more aggressive actions taken by law enforcement and financial institutions to prevent and solve identity fraud. Also, it helps that people are becoming more aware of the threat of identity fraud, and are actively taking steps to keep from being a victim of identity fraud. There are many steps that can be taken to prevent identity fraud. Users should create strong passwords and lock electronic devices like computers and cell phones, so as no intruder can easily access information. Also, changing passwords frequently and using different passwords can keep criminals from figuring out your passwords. It is also helpful to monitor your banks accounts and credit card statements regularly to assure that no one is making any outlandish purchases using your hard earned money. Other recommendations include; shredding personal documents, installing security software on your computer and phone, and avoid public Wi-Fi connections. If you think anything suspicious is occurring, it is best to contact your financial institution immediately. This will increase the likelihood of getting your money back. All these steps can help prevent identity fraud.

               http://money.cnn.com/2014/02/06/pf/identity-fraud/

Identity theft is a constant threat where your emails, computer, postal mail, and even your trash are all potential ways for someone to steal your identity. We all think we know what identity theft is and how to prevent it, but the reality is most of us do not even know the difference between identity theft and identity fraud. Identity theft is unlawfully stealing someone else’s identity. Identity fraud is actually using the stolen identity. There are many different tactics used to attempt to steal your identity. They may rummage through your trash, leave a malicious cookie in your computer browser, steal mail out of your mailbox, or trick you into voluntarily giving up this information through phishing. All of these methods have the same end goal of obtaining sensitive information such as your full name, mother’s maiden name, birthplace, birth date, and your social security number. Once this information is obtained by a criminal, they now have the ability to place charges on your account, apply for credit cards, or if they are very skilled, apply for a bank loan that will be charged to your name.

               I have had a very close call with identity theft. This attack was made through email as a phishing scam. The email came from what look liked a Penn State email address and offered me a paid internship with a business consultant. Everything appeared completely legitimate and I thought I was working with a university official. They continued to explain how I would need to work for 15 hours a week with a weekly salary of $600.00. This sounded like a dream come true, and would allow me to build professional work experience while making way more than what an average college student would. I was to work as a middle-man between the company and its customers by taking and placing orders. All they needed was my name and address to send me my first week’s pay if I wanted to accept the job. Once I agreed to accept the job, they noted that they would send me an extra $3,000.00 to cover an order they were going to have me place. This is when I started to become suspicious, because they were going to use my personal checking account to run business transactions through. After congratulating me for receiving the job, they then asked me for extremely personal information such as my date of birth and social security number. Now that I was suspicious I decided I needed to research this company more before giving them any more information. I Googled the name of the company and immediately saw warning about phishing scams run under this name. Apparently the check they send you bounces, and then they continue to impersonate the FBI and accuse you of dealing with an illegal company to pry more information from you. I immediately ceased all communications, and later received the check in the mail, which had no return address on it.  I then shredded the check and reported the incident.

               This lesson shows how even what appears to be the most legitimate of companies may be a well- crafted scheme designed to steal as much from you as possible. Attached is an article with tips on how to spot phishing schemes. College-aged students are easy targets for phishing attacks because of our lack of experience in identifying attempts to steal our identity. So take these tips and be safe out there.

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10-things/10-tips-for-spotting-a-phishing-email/