By Robert McMillan
As investigators work to assess who hacked Marriott International Inc. MAR -0.70% and the extent of the damage, one place they are hunting is the shadowy digital bazaars where thieves and spies trade stolen personal data.
A seemingly endless string of breaches have hit big companies and their users in recent years: 500 million potential victims at Marriott’s Starwood properties; 117 million users in the 2012 hack of LinkedIn; three billion at Yahoo in 2013. Often, these attacks fuel a black market awash in pilfered data bought, sold and repackaged for criminal uses.
So much stolen data is available on the dark web, people shouldn’t worry whether their information has been swiped, said Elvis Chan, a supervisory special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation who investigates cyber intrusions. “Every American person should assume all of their data is out there,” he said.
The pipeline for personal information has made it cheap and easy to get. The asking price for a single piece of data, such as a credit-card number, webmail password or Social Security number can be just a few dollars.
“If someone wants to find my Social Security number, it will take them exactly $3 and five minutes,” said Andrei Barysevich, who works for the online investigation firm Recorded Future Inc.
Data thieves historically have focused on passwords and payment-card information. But the Marriott breach and an attack on Equifax Inc. threw a spotlight on other kinds of vital information—Social Security and passport numbers—that can be used in identity theft. New sellers of stolen data are “popping up on a weekly basis,” Mr. Barysevich said.
The stolen information is spread across a dizzying array of black-market websites and discussion forums, where it is packaged, processed and sold in bulk for hard-to-trace digital currencies such as bitcoin. Many sellers aren’t trustworthy and prices can range wildly, but the marketplace is growing, fed by abundant supply. The security firm Risk Based Security Inc. estimates more than 24 billion credentials all told have been stolen or exposed.
Not everyone whose data is swiped in a breach ends up an identity-theft victim. Still, Javelin Strategy & Research pegs losses from identity theft at $16.8 billion last year. The average victim loses $776 and spends 20 hours setting things straight, Javelin estimated.
This content has been reproduced from its original source.
SHARE:Five charged with deed fraud involving North and West Philly properties
Five people who city prosecutors said Monday had been arrested on charges that they used forged deeds to steal houses. They face counts of fraud, conspiracy, and other offenses in the alleged theft of 11 properties, all but two in North Philadelphia. Most of the allegedly fraudulent transactions were certified by notary Demeshia Harris-Bey, 42, who is also among those charged. Also charged was Harris-Bey’s husband, Robert Harris-Bey, 58; he and his wife are accused in the theft of nine of the properties.
Is home title theft a real thing? You bet it is, and here’s how to protect your property
The Watchdog surveyed the county clerks in Dallas, Denton, Collin and Tarrant counties. I also talked to the company that bombards us with advertising. I have experience covering this. A decade ago, I told the story of Norris Fisher, who stole 170 homes in Tarrant County (some kind of record) before he was shipped off to prison. So yeah, it’s real. Crooks can forge names and use fake notary public seals and change the ownership of your house without you knowing it.
Retired Teacher Evicted from Her Home
Domestic and international thieves scour online records for homes with equity. It could be the home you live in, your vacation home, a home of an elderly relative, or rental property you own.
Once they change your home's ownership from YOU to THEM, they re-file the Quitclaim Deed for your home with the proper authorities so it appears your home has been legally sold.
They take out personal loans through banks and online lenders using all your home's equity. You likely won't know you're a victim until you start receiving late payments or foreclosure notices.
Click to see if your home's title has been compromised.
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Everything is stored online these days - including your home's title. Domestic and international cyber-thieves target U.S. homeowners equity in their homes. Removing you from your home's title takes just minutes. Then they forge their name on the title document and refile it. Next, they take out loans using your home's equity and stick you with the payments. You likely won't know until you get a late payment or foreclosure notice from several banks.
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