Jul 3, 2014 By David Singer 3 min read

Hackers who once relied solely on computers’ vulnerabilities are more than ever tricking susceptible victims into forfeiting their own sensitive information. The Federal Bureau of Investigations reported it had received nearly three million internet crime complaints as of last month. In response to the increasing number of these types of attacks, State Senator Matt Smith (D-Allegheny/Washington) is hosting a free identity theft seminar for seniors and their caretakers 9-11 a.m. July 9 at the Bethel Park Community Center, where a representative from the Bethel Park Police Department will be on hand to provide information on the latest scams in the area and answer questions.

“Even the most minor scam or fraud could have dire consequences for seniors, many of whom are on fixed incomes,” Smith said. “With clear information and advice, seniors will have the tools to avoid being victimized.”

“Don’t install programs you’re not expecting to, avoid reusing the same passwords and don’t click on links in emails,” Professor of Human and Computer Interaction at Carnegie Mellon University Jason Hong said. “If you get a request in an email to update your personal information on a banking site, or for that email account, copy those links into a search engine and cross reference them to see if they’re valid.”

The phishing game hackers play, Hong says, is a “semantic attack,” or attempt to fool the person into volunteering information – or the person not realizing their last few clicks just gave away their identity. This is unlike computer hacks on corporations or computers themselves which hackers gain access to servers and raw data. Hong said there are a few agencies to reach if you realize you gave up information. “Contact the Federal Communications Commission and report a phishing or identity theft attack. And the Internet Crime Complaint Center also specializes in these types of investigations.” He added there are a few things people don’t have to worry about because the programs typically update themselves. “Video players and media centers usually self-update, or have an official release…the same with browsers. You shouldn’t have to update your browser, so especially pushy emails saying your browser is out of date is a sign of a pressure tactic from a phishing scammer,” Hong said.

The most common ploy people fall for, Hong says, is a fake anti-virus. “These often pop-up in your browser and look like a real window, but it’s an ad, malware or a phishing scam. Don’t update or run a scan on an anti-virus program unless you bought it and have it installed.”

Meantime, State Representative Brandon Neuman (D-Washington) has reintroduced legislation that would crack down on con artists that steal personal information using phising scams. “These scams are increasing in frequency and sophistication, and it’s time Pennsylvania gave victims and prosecutors the tools to fight back,” Neuman said.

H.B. 2374 would establish criminal and civil penalties when a person or entity misrepresents itself on the Internet to solicit private financial or personal information that is used to defraud victims. The bill would establish second and third-degree felonies for convictions. For civil action, it would enable injunctive relief for victims, Internet service providers and the attorney general with civil damages of up to $100,000 for each violation. Neuman said similar legislation he introduced in 2011 passed unanimously in the House but was not voted in the state Senate before the legislative session ended.