Smartphone increases identity theft cases

There's no question smartphones have streamlined our daily lives, but this in turn has given hackers an easier route to gain a plethora of personal information. The news source recently discovered that hackers are using a recording program to gain identity and credit card information from users. The malware records a user's voice during a conversation with their personal bank, for instance, and that recording is sent to the hacker. With this information, con artists can perform a number of transactions without the victim's knowledge. According to Javelin & Strategy research, the cost per incident of identity fraud increased from $387 in 2009 to $631 in 2010. This means that for every case of identity fraud reported in 2010, the hacker spent $631 at the victim's expense. "As technology advances, banking becomes less personal. Services like cell phone check deposits and online bill pay open the door for thieves to virtually steal your identity, and with it, important personal financial information," said Howard Dvorkin, Founder of Consolidated Counseling Services Inc.