Our kids spend more time online than we like to think. Some nearly eight hours a day according to the CDC. The more time that is spent online, the more data that is collected so it’s easy to see why childhood Identity theft is a growing problem. According to this report by  Javelin, one out of every fifty children has been exposed to identity fraud this past year.

Why would children be the target of identity thieves?

Number one reason, children have a spotless credit record. Parents don’t check their kid’s credit records and kids sure don’t so fraud can go undetected for years. Victims of childhood identity theft normally don’t know there is a problem until they apply for their first line of credit, usually a student loan or auto loan.

Just think about taking your child to purchase their first car before they head off to college, only to find our they have a collection agency after them for an unpaid loan they never took out.

How is children’s information stolen?

Due to the exorbitant amount of time spent on the internet by our kids, their information is out there being collected by websites, games, entertainment media, etc. Even data from our schools can be exposed by targeted by ransomware attacks.

Parents need to be informed that childhood identity theft is on the rise and the personal information stolen from their children can be used to open bank accounts, credit cards, obtain drivers’ licenses, apply for jobs, and purchase homes or vehicles. Scammers may either use a child’s full identity or create a synthetic identity by blending real data with made-up details.

What’s a parent to do?

Start by protecting your entire family with and identity protection service. Forest offers a family plan for only $7.99/monthly for up to 1M in coverage. You won’t find a better price for this amount of protection anywhere and it is powered by Allstate, a company that’s been around for quite a while – See more here: Identity Protection | Forest Security

Use this checklist

Make sure you’re getting the most out of your account and learn more steps you can take to help kids stay safe from fraud.

1. Use Forest’s RapID by Allstate identity protection service.

Up to five family members are covered in Forest’s RapID Plan powered by Allstate. Start here: Identity Protection | Forest Security

Next add your child to your account and activate features on your child’s behalf so you know if suspicious activity is detected. If anything happens, you can take quick action to minimize the risk of identity theft.

If fraud does happen to your family, your covered. Our U.S.-based Identity Specialists are will provide you with assistance until everything is straightened out.

2. Parents can put a security freeze on their child’s credit file.

If you place a security freeze on your child’s credit, it becomes harder for someone else to open a line of credit in their name.

Each credit bureaus has a different process to enable this, but in general, parents or guardians must mail a written request along with copies of identifying documents directly to each bureau to request a freeze on a minor’s behalf.

You can find more specific instructions for how to do this with each bureau by following the links below:

• Equifax
• Experian
• TransUnion

3. Be leery about sharing personal information.

When you sign up your kids for extracurricular activities, you may be asked to reveal their Social Security number and other identifying data. Don’t be afraid to leave these fields blank and ask why this information is required, especially if it doesn’t seem necessary.

4. Keep an eye on online activity.

Learn and use your browser or computer systems parental controls. Also adjust your security settings for additional peace of mind. Any site or service geared toward children under the age of 13 is required to send parents a consent notification before any data is collected as outlined in the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

5. Limit what you share about your child online.

Expectant parents are excited and share the good news with friend and relatives online starting with baby bump pics and even ultrasound photos — which means some kids have an internet presence before they’re even born.

Before you post something, consider if the information you’re sharing could make your child vulnerable to fraud later on. For example, a celebratory birthday post or a front-porch snapshot with your house address visible in the background may unintentionally reveal personal identifiable information.

6. Teach your children how to protect themselves.

We already teach our children about “stranger danger.” We need to have the same conversations with kids about online strangers.  A good rule can be, only chat with someone on social media if we all know them in real life.

It’s also important to make sure kids understand the hallmarks of phishing — such as blurry images, frequent typos, or urgent requests to “Act now!”. The more kids know what scammers are up to, the better prepared they’ll be to protect themselves.

Parenting in the digital age has its challenges — but we’re here to help. With this checklist, you can take action to reduce the risk of fraud in your family. Plus, once you’re a member of Forest’s Identity Protection Plan and identity theft does occur, your Allstate certified specialists are only a phone call away.

See more here: Identity Protection | Forest Security or call us at 708-452-2000

Source: Allstate Identity Protection

From Chicago (CBS)

Northwest side residents, please stay alert as there has been a string of burglaries reported all targeted towards senior citizens.

Every incident involves an offender approaching the homeowner or resident with a conversation about problems with their water or home repairs. While they are distracted, the other offender enters and burglarizes the home. Most of what has been stolen is jewelry and money.

These offenders are described as one Hispanic man, approximately 5’ 4” and 150 to 160 pounds between 30 to 40 years of age and the other as a white man 5’ 8” about 200 pounds, 45 to 55 years of age. The offenders are traveling in a gray SUV.

To help protect yourself, please remember to:

Always keep your doors locked, even when you are home

Do not invite any unknown person into your home

Make sure your video cameras and burglar alarm are on and working properly (If you need assistance with this, Call Forest Security at 708-452-2000)

Notify your neighbors about the burglaries so they can also stay alert

Watch out for any suspicious strangers lingering in the area. If spotted, call 911 with their descriptions and license plate.

If you have any information, please call the Bureau of Detectives – Area Five at 312-746-7394.

Remember these important tips so that you can identify scams and keep your account and information safe:

Never give out information

• Never give information (such as your credit card number or account password) over the phone, especially if the call was unexpected. Scammers use calls, texts, and emails to impersonate account customer service. If you receive a call claiming to be from one of your accounts asking you for information, it’s safest to hang up, then contact your account directly through your app or website login, or phone call and report the incident.

Don’t give information to inbound callers

• Don’t pay over the phone unless you initiated the call and are placing an order. Online shopping sites like Amazon, will never ask you to provide payment information, including gift cards (or “verification cards”, as some scammers call them) for products or services over the phone.

Trust known websites

• Trust known website channels. Always use your mobile app or log into website when seeking customer support or when looking to make changes to your account.

False Urgency equals Red Flag

• Be wary of false urgency. Scammers may try to create a sense of urgency to persuade you to do what they’re asking. Be wary any time someone tries to convince you that you must act now which is the first sign of a scam.

Sign up for Forest’s Identity Protection Plan – See More Here: Identity Protection | Forest Security

Factors to consider

When it comes to protecting your home and family, you want the best security system possible. A key component of any security system is video cameras. But not all video cameras are created equal. There are a variety of things you need to consider.

Let’s take a look at some of the important factors to consider when choosing the right video cameras for your home security system.

Indoor Cameras

One of the most important factors to consider when choosing indoor video cameras is the location area you want to protect. Some cameras can focus on a specific area, like the front and back door or a stairwell. Others can offer a wider area view to keep an eye on the entire room.

So, what size lens do I need? The size of the lens will dictate how much area the camera can cover and how clear the image will be. For most indoor applications, a 2.8mm or 4mm lens will suffice. A 2.8mm lens gives you a field of view that is about 92 degrees, while a 4mm lens gives you about 73 degrees. That means that a 4mm or 8mm lens will give you a narrower field of view, but the image will be somewhat clearer at a longer distance. See some of our camera options here: Residential Video Options | Forest Security

We also have an option with digital pan, tilt, and zoom so you can keep an eye on an entire area while you are away. The sleek bookshelf/table-top model V622 also includes two-way-audio so you can speak to those at home, or even talk to your pet while you are away. An added feature is its built-in blue tooth speaker that delivers rich clear sound. Let Forest show you all your options and help you choose which is best for your unique application.  See more here: Residential Video Options | Forest Security

Outdoor Cameras

Outdoor cameras are a bit more complicated. To start with, the require a power, most likely in a location where there is no power source. They need to stand up to extreme weather conditions such as rain and snow, as well as heat and cold. The lens needs to be able to focus on longer distances than indoor cameras and adapt to sun and shadow conditions. You want to actually be able to clearly see if something is entering onto your property, even the way back corner of your yard should be clearly visible on camera and not just a blurry shadow.  We start with the correct lens for the area you want to protect, just like an indoor camera and then we determine which factors need to be dealt with the select the camera that will give you the best result for your application.  Sounds like a lot, but Forest has many options to cover any extreme condition you may have. See some of our outdoor options here: Residential Video Options | Forest Security

Video Analytics (Smart AI Intelligence)

A Smart Camera System includes Video Analytics which can tell the difference between a person or animal which helps avoid receiving nuisance notifications – See more about Video Analytics Here: Video Analytics | Forest Security

Proactive Defense with Perimeter Guard

Stop intruders in their tracks with Perimeter Guard™ proactive defense. This new feature uses Video Analytics to sound an alert and flash a camera’s LED when unwanted visitors are detected.

You can choose between a loud whistle, a beep, and flashing red lights to drive away potential intruders.

See more here: Residential Video Options | Forest Security

Other things to consider

• Storage – Onboard, Cloud, NVR
• Remote Viewing
• Video History and Extraction
• Video Analytics (Smarter AI Enhanced Video)
• 2-Way Voice
• Notifications
• Installation

With so many options to choose from on the marketplace today, it is easy to get confused. You don’t want an under-powered option which will result in you not being able to clearly see what you wanted to or to narrow a field of view so you are missing an important area. Let the experts at Forest help you get the perfect video protection for your home or business.

Call us today for your free Video Camera Quote 708-452-2000

Keep your accounts and personal information safe.  Here’s some info about recent scams that have been circulating:

Can you deposit this for me?

A fraudster asks you to deposit a check into your bank account with the promise you can keep a portion of the funds. These checks are either counterfeit or sourced from illegal activity (money laundering) You could easily lose money if you cash the check for them or even become unknowingly involved in a crime.

Donations Please

Especially during times of crisis or political events, scammers increase their efforts to take advantage of people’s interest to support a cause. It’s not just the funds they are after, it’s also the personal information you give out when you make a donation which puts your account information at risk. Check with FTC.gov before you hand out any money or giver personal information and make sure your contributions reach their intended cause.

Confirm your Account

Fraudsters may pose as your bank or other account holder and ask for information which allows them to access your account — they may email, text, or call you and it may look legitimate. Remember the first rule, your account holders will never ask you for private information this way – Always log into your account on a secure website to check any messages or initiate account assistance.

I’ll take gift card payments

Some Scammers pretend to be someone they’re not to convince you to pay with a gift card (money that can’t be traced). Legitimate companies or government agencies would not make this request.

keep your accounts safe

• If you receive a one-time pass-code you didn’t request… delete it, check your account and change your password! Never give the code to anyone who contacts you for it.

• Don’t open or use a personal bank account to deposit or transfer funds for someone else.

• Offers such as “get rich quick” or “easy money” tactics are schemes… If it’s too good to be true, it’s a scam – steer clear.

• Only use known websites addresses to access businesses online. When checking out a new online shop, do a search for the stores name + reviews to see how much business they have done in the past and if they are legit.

• Always verify any phone, text or email contacts are legitimate before sharing information especially if you need to share information such as an account number, security word, PIN, User ID or password.

Make sure you and your family’s ID is protected 24/7 with Forest’s RapID Protection Plan. It’s only $7.99/month for a family plan with up to 1M in coverage. See more Here: Identity Protection | Forest Security

We all know life is full of little surprises, especially when you have kids. Some are wonderful while others we wish we could be forewarned about. For all of those, Forest has the answer.

Keep your kids safe with Forest’s Unexpected Activity Alerts. They’re a new type of proactive, intelligent protection powered by our Insights Engine that looks out for everyone in your household by learning their everyday behavior patterns. It knows when something is off-kilter in the household so they can let parents like yourself know before it becomes too late!

See more in the video below:

Once activated, you don’t need to do anything else in order for this new smart home feature to work its magic as it is part of the Forest Smart Home Security platform. Over time, you can offer feedback to let it learn what information is useful and what information should be ignored. You can even pause it if there is a change to your normal schedule, like a vacation day or sick day, so it doesn’t send you unnecessary alerts.

Triggering the Unusual Activity Alert can be learned by all kinds of sensors in your homes security system including motion detectors, and door contacts, window contacts. Here are some ways that the Forest Unexpected Activity Report can save the day:

Door Contact:

Monday through Friday, that front door is opened and closed numerous times early in the morning with kids off to school, taking the dogs our for a walk, leaving for work, and so on. But then there is Saturday, when all is quiet early in the morning. So why did the door just open at 7am? It could be your little 4-year-old explorer is out playing in the yard while you are just starting to open your eyes. This Unexpected Activity Alert will notify you before that curious little one makes it past the yard.

Laundry:

Why are toddlers so interested in the laundry room while teenagers barely know where it is? Keeping little ones out of the laundry room is a concern but with the assistance of a motion detector, you can receive notifications if there is activity in the room that is not on the usual laundry day.

Medicine cabinet:

This is the most dangerous place in your home for children. They are curious and can move chairs and climb on just about anything before you know it. Keep medicine chests safe with contact sensors. You can be notified instantly if it is opened outside of your normal routine.

Stairwell:

Every child has those nights when they can’t sleep. Whether it’s because of a bad dream or just wanting a drink of water, your little one might get up and wander out of their room. If your bedrooms are upstairs, that could lead to a sleepy little one taking a tumble. Make sure you are alerted before this happens.

There are numerous ways you can protect your kids by using unexpected activity alerts. Even as they get older, why did that window open at 2am? Unexpected Activity Alerts help you keep an eye on your family, even when you need some shut eye.

Call us at 708-452-2000 to wee more about Unexpected Activity Alerts here: One Smart App Controls Everything | Forest Security

RapID Identity Protection from Forest Security. powered by Allstate

What Is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is a serious crime that occurs when someone uses your personal information without permission to open an account or accesses financial records. It can happen anyone and it’s important for all of us to be aware and protected.

How identity theft happens

Data sharing & tracking:

The data we share with companies we do business with may make life easier, but it’s not always safe. Companies can be breached and your private information can be stolen. The may share or sell your data to third parties for their own purposes – which means you have little control over your sensitive material once it’s out there.

Data breaches:

You may have faith in companies to store your personal information, but sometimes they fail because of weak or outdated security protocols.

Credit card skimming:

Malicious intruders are using hard-to-spot ATM skimming devices to extract credit card numbers and PINs. These criminals then sell the information on dark web markets for profit, which can have a large impact in someone’s life if they’re affected by this crime!

Phishing attacks:

Phishing emails used to be obvious. They were poorly written and looked fake. Skip forward to today and phishing emails have become clever and authentic looking. They could bait you into clicking a link or opening an attachment, and giving away sensitive information.

Social media scams:

Social media accounts connect and inspire us, but sharing too much personal data can leave you exposed to data theft or account takeover fraud.

Using public WiFi:

Coffee shops and the like are great places to work, but they also present opportunities for hackers to access unsecured devices on the same network. Never use public WiFi to transmit sensitive information.

How identity thieves can use your information

Collect your tax refund:

If someone fraudulently files your taxes before you do, they’ll get a return in your name possibly creating issues taking years to unravel.

Open accounts in your name:

Criminals can use your information to get credit cards, cell phone accounts, and personal loans and more, in your name.

Use your name if arrested:

An imposter with fake credentials can claim to be you when cited for traffic or misdemeanor violations, then fail to show up in court.

Get medical treatment:

If your healthcare information is stolen, someone can receive costly treatments in your name.

Discover a better way to help protect your data, privacy, and identity – Enroll Now: Identity Protection | Forest Security

At Forest, we are all about safety, after all, that is our only business… and it seems to be Apple’s too. Every year, more and more safety features are built in to their devices. These features won’t work unless we are prepared and know how to use them.

Emergency SOS

Did you know your iPhone could call 911 for you? No one wants to think they will ever be in a situation where they would be unable to make a phone call for help, but if ever you need to make a covert call, your iPhone can be ready.

How to make an Emergency SOS Call

• ⇒ On an iPhone 8, and later:

  Press and hold the side button and either volume button. Continue to hold the buttons when the Emergency SOS slider appears, drag the Emergency SOS slider.

• ⇒ On earlier iPhone models:

  Click the side or button or top Sleep/Wake button (depending on your model) five times, then drag the Emergency SOS slider.

Change your Emergency SOS settings

1. Go to Settings   > Emergency SOS.
2. Do any of the following:

• • ⇒ Turn Auto Call on or off:

    When Auto Call is on and you start Emergency SOS, iPhone plays a warning sound, starts a countdown, then calls the emergency services in your region.

• • ⇒ Turn the countdown sound on or off:

  • When Countdown Sound is on, iPhone plays a warning sound even in silent mode or when Do Not Disturb is turned on.

  • ⇒ Manage your emergency contacts:

    Tap Set Up Emergency Contacts in Health or Edit Emergency Contacts in Health. Create a Medical ID.

Medical ID

In case of emergency, use iPhone to quickly call for help. With Emergency SOS, you can quickly and easily call for help and alert your emergency contacts.

If you share your Medical ID, iPhone can send your medical information to emergency services when you call or text 911 or use Emergency SOS. Medical ID stores your critical medical information for easy access if you happen to become incapacitated. The same screen that displays Emergency SOS will also display your Medical ID. You can display such information as your date of birth, weight, and height.

Additionally, you can list more medically critical information such as your blood type, whether or not you’re an organ donor, and any medical conditions, allergies, or medications you might be taking.

You can set up Medical ID on your iPhone, and even have that information display on your Apple Watch.

Dial the emergency number when iPhone is locked

What if you find yourself in an emergency situation and don’t have your phone but there is someone else’s you could use, the of course, it is locked. You still can call emergency services:

1. On the Passcode screen, tap Emergency.
2. Dial the emergency number (for example, 911 in the U.S.), then tap

You want others to know where you are

You are heading into a situation that you would be more comfortable with if others know your location – Use Find My Friends – This app is built in and keeps others constantly informed of your location.

Share your location in Find My on iPhone

Before you can use the Find My app to share your location with friends, you need to set up location sharing.

Note: If you set up location sharing and others still can’t see your location, make sure Location Services is on in Settings > Privacy > Location Services > Find My. See Control the location information you share on iPhone.

Set up location sharing

1. In the Find My app, tap Me at the bottom of the screen, then turn on Share My Location.

The device sharing your location appears below My Location.

2. If your iPhone isn’t currently sharing your location, scroll to the bottom, then tap Use This iPhone as My Location.

Note: You can share your location from an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. To share your location from another device, open Find My on the device and change your location to that device. If you share your location from an iPhone that’s paired with Apple Watch (GPS + Cellular models), your location is shared from your Apple Watch when you’re out of range of your iPhone and Apple Watch is on your wrist.

You can also change your location sharing settings in Settings  > [your name] > Find My.

Set a label for your location

You can set a label for your current location to make it more meaningful (like Home or Work). When you tap Me, you see the label in addition to your location.

1. Tap Me at the bottom of the screen, then tap Edit Location Name.
2. Select a label.

To add a new label, tap Add Custom Label, enter a name, then tap Done.

Share your location with a friend

⇒  Tap , then choose Share My Location.

⇒  In the To field, type the name of a friend you want to share your location with (or tap and select a contact).

⇒  Tap Send and choose how long you want to share your location.

You can also notify a friend or family member when your location changes.

If you’re a member of a Family Sharing group, see Share your location with family members.

Stop sharing your location

You can stop sharing your location with a specific friend or hide your location from everyone.

• Stop sharing with a friend: Tap People at the bottom of the screen, then tap the name of the person you don’t want to share your location with. Tap Stop Sharing My Location, then tap Stop Sharing Location.
• Hide your location from everyone: Tap Me at the bottom of the screen, then turn off Share My Location.

Respond to a location sharing request

1. Tap People at the bottom of the screen.
2. Tap Share below the name of the friend who sent the request and choose how long you want to share your location.

If you don’t want to share your location, tap Cancel.

Stop receiving new location sharing requests

Tap Me at the bottom of the screen, then turn off Allow Friend Requests.

Low Battery?

You need help but have been unable to contact emergency services due to weather, a down cell tower, remote location, or for some other reason. Now your battery is running low. To let others know where you are located, change your voicemail greeting to let the caller know you need help and your location, so when they call you, they have all the information to get emergency assistance to you.  To do this, open your phone app, tap voicemail on the lower right corner and then Greeting on the upper left, change your setting to custom and record your new message.

Where Am I?

It’s beautiful day for a remote walk in the countryside or an invigorating hike. It’s easy to get caught up in the day. Then you notice you’re turned around and unsure of how to get back. You pull out your iPhone and there is no service where you are at so Maps is not working. It’s time to do it the old-fashioned way – Compass. The compass app has been included in IOS for years and you don’t have to be online for it to work. It uses a magnetometer chip to sense the Earth’s magnetic field to determine magnetic north. Granted it is more accurate when online so it can determine true north but if you were online, you could just open up Maps…

Hopefully you will never find yourself in any emergency situation but if ever you do, it’s best to be prepared.