Internet Safety on Public Computers
By Holly Hunter | August 21, 2008
It is safe to say that I travel a great deal and am well acquainted with amenities that make getting through airports easier. One of the things that I have come to rely on is the use of hotel computer for early airport check in.
I stayed at a three star hotel this week on the west coast. As I was checking in I noticed a user at the computer doing exactly what I was going to do next: check in for his next flight. The hotel computer was situated where I could even see the website which he was logged in on: Delta, the same one I was fixing to visit. I heard the printer and watched the user retrieve his boarding pass. What convenience. The travel-powers-that-be have actually done something helpful for us. There he goes; now it’s my turn.
Within five seconds I was at the Delta website and the first thing I noticed was the previous user – the guy who just left with his boarding pass in hand – had not logged out. Wow, it’s all right here staring me in the face: his name Roger – I’ll leave out the last name, his sky miles number 203… and the miles in his account with more than 628,000. Roger hasn’t got a clue that he’s left me, a total stranger, access to his flyer account. What did I do? I logged out of the airline website for Roger and signed out of the session.
But here’s is what could have happened:
With these miles a person could book a flight to Hawaii, stay on Waikiki, get a rent car, tour the island and go whale watching all on Roger. While still in his account they may even send flowers to Aunt Martha who is in the hospital recuperating from surgery. Don’t want a vacation? No problem, with just a few clicks they could stoke up on gift cards to your favorite restaurant, movie theatre or retail store. It’s all right there on Delta.com you can find some way to spend the miles you have earned. Some vendors have no conversion fees, you just pay with miles and give them an address where to send the cards – or better yet go to the vendor’s website, download the gift card and print it. Either way in a few clicks of the mouse all of the miles Roger is saving to surprise his wife with a European vacation for their anniversary are gone.
Chances are good that Roger’s not going to even go to the airline website until he’s ready to check in for his next flight – which may be days, or weeks away. By then when he actually notices his flyer miles account is empty there is not much that can be done.
If you’re thinking: that can’t happen because when it comes time to present a credit card to pay for the junk fees the card won’t match Roger and the transaction won’t go through. Wrong. Believe it or not some airlines allow you to store your credit card information on their website for your convenience. If no credit card data is stored, the airlines only ask for: the credit card number, a billing address and the security code that match the card you have presented. From there the vacation is on Roger.
So why did this happen?
More than likely Roger just went up to the box in the top right corner of the window and clicked the X. This only closed the window – his personal session on Delta.com remained active until it timed out. It takes approximately twelve minutes of inactivity for the average airline, banking or retail website to automatically log out due to inactivity. In the mean time, when Delta.com was pulled up from the same computer before the automatic log out was activated Rogers session reappeared.
Still don’t get it?
It’s about internet security. Most people do not realize that when you log in to a website your personal session remains active until you log out or until the website times you out. If you X out of your session you are relying on the website to automatically time you out before a thief finds your unprotected, active session. That’s right, the thief does not have to be at the hotel using the same computer you were.
Roger did not log out, and he, like many of you, did not even consider that someone could come along before the website automatically times out your session and actively use your account. Thieves have computer programs that search cyberspace for unprotected active sessions on random websites; often times that is how internet accounts become compromised. Once they have stolen your active session it’s only a matter of time before they decode your password, enter your account at their leisure and wreak what ever kind of havoc they desire.
So what do you do, quit using the hotel computers?
Using the hotel computer is fine as long as you are smart about it. The most important thing to remember when you are using any public computer is to:
1. Log out of your personal session from which ever website you are visiting;
2. Sign Out from your session on the public computer; and
3. Reverse the process to check and make certain your session is not still active.
Roger? You are welcome.
Topics: Fraud, Internet | No Comments »
SafePassage News Release
By Holly Hunter | July 9, 2008
NEWS RELEASE
KAREN TISDELL JOINS THE SAFEPASSAGE TEAM AS THE COMPANY ACQUIRES NEW OFFICES
SafePassage Adolescent Services ® announces the opening of new offices in Tampa, Florida and Huntsville, Alabama.
Karen Tisdell, formerly a front line counselor with Three Springs Paint Rock Valley Girls Program has joined SafePassage as a transport agent. Tisdell is also joining the parent company, Hunter Investigations LLC, as a private investigator.
"I'm very excited to be part of the SafePassage family and I'm looking forward to be, once again, working with at-risk adolescents," Tisdell said.
“SafePassage is fortunate to have Karen on board, said Holly D. Hunter, Owner of SafePassage, adding, "Karen has been serving families in crisis through her work with Three Springs for more than twelve years. She will be an integral part of our work in serving the needs of families with at-risk teens.”
SafePassage has continued steady growth since Hunter acquired the company in 2007.
For more information please contact Holly Hunter: 770.667.7467 or visit the website at: www.safepassagetransport.com
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
SAFEPASSAGE - MILLER BILL
By Holly Hunter | May 30, 2008
Have you been keeping up with the Miller Bill? Did you know that as of May 15 HR 5876 otherwise known as the Miller Bill has successfully emerged from mark-up and approval by the House Education and Labor Committee. In case you have not been following this is not good news.
The National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs has been working hard to keep everyone in the industry apprised of the developments of the Miller Bill and work to bring about a better legislative resolution to take to Congress. The following summary of NATSAP's position on the Miller Bill is for your review:
While NATSAP strongly supports the intent of this Bill – to prevent child abuse and neglect in residential programs – NATSAP believes the Bill is flawed and will not be effective or efficient in fulfilling this intent. The Bill is flawed because it fails to protect children in state-run programs and because it creates an entirely new federal bureaucracy that will duplicate current state-led child abuse and neglect enforcement programs and state licensing programs. The Bill sponsors litigation against programs because it has no limits on attorney’s fees and punitive damage awards, and creates strict liability for standards that have not yet been drafted.
In addition to their summation NATSAP has made a call to action throughout the industry and needs the help of everyone.
NATSAP is asking everyone to please Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: HunterPI News, SafePassage | No Comments »
PARENT ACTION CRISIS KIT
By Holly Hunter | May 15, 2008
Every Parent that is responsible for the care and well being of a minor child needs to assemble a Parent Action Crisis Kit for each adolescent in their care. The PACK, as SafePassage refers to it, is an assemblage of pertinent and vital information about each of your children. SafePassage recommends that parents prepare a PACK for each child and select a secure location to store your child’s PACK. Store it where your child will not stumble across it, but make sure you have quick access to the PACK in case of an emergency. A PACK is the tool that you grab when your child has been in an accident, has runaway or has gone missing. If you didn’t begin assembling a PACK when your child was born begin now. It doesn’t matter what kind of crisis that involves your child, if you have a PACK already assembled and updated, you don’t have to risk remembering the wrong intimate details associated with your child. A SafePassage Client shared with us that they had a medical crisis with one of their twins late one night. They explained how they argued in front of the EMTs about which twin was allergic to the medication which was about to be administered and nothing could be confirmed because the doctors office was closed. They said they wished they had known about preparing a PACK as that would have alleviated the anxiety of indecisiveness. They said that a PACK would have kept them in control during the crisis and would have enabled the EMTs to administer appropriate treatment immediately.
Topics: Missing Persons, PACK, Runaways, SafePassage | No Comments »
A Few Tips For Protecting Your Teens On “Prom Night”
By Randy Wyles | May 15, 2008
Ah, May… that special time of year, when your teens are dressing up like real adults (albeit, fashions best suited for bridesmaids and groomsmen) to take part in that annual Spring tradition – The Prom.
But don’t fool yourself – that “tradition” is most often a “right of passage”.
You remember. Think back – Prom Night. Remember? Yep! That’s right, and now your little angel is about to leave her warm, cozy and protected nest to go to the Prom with “what’s his name”.
Now are you worried? You should be. But I may have a few ideas that will ease the tension in your neck and keep you from making that white-knuckle fist when you see “what’s his name” begin to salivate at the sight of your sweet, innocent little girl playing “dress-up” in grown up ladies’ clothes.
First, be direct. You can still be polite (although, who cares at this point, right?). When the boy walks in the door, as your little angel is putting the final touches on her make up for the evening back in her room, just grip his hand like a vice and smile. Then in a low, soft tone look him directly in the eye and say, “I’m so glad you’ll be escorting my daughter tonight. She means the world to her mother and me and I would do anything to protect her. So, I can rest assured that nothing…nothing will happen to her, right?” Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Background Investigations, Criminal Investigations, PI Articles, SafePassage | No Comments »
Illegal Aliens; Terrorists Seeping Into The U.S. Unchecked
By Randy Wyles | May 7, 2008
There's no need for a criminal background check, right?
Don't kid yourself - drug smugglers, slave traffickers and international terrorists are all pouring over the border like flood waters over a collapsed dam…and they look like everyone else. They're hiding inside the wave of illegal alien workers seeking jobs, American dollars to send home to Mexico and the freebies we as a nation give them - from free healthcare to automatic citizenship for their babies born on American soil - delivered by that free healthcare. And while the hemorrhage of "giveaways" is bad enough, the growing threat of criminal activity and terrorist sleeper cells is worse. Remember, many of these people aren't from Mexico - they're from other parts of the world that we are fighting against in the war on terror.
Border security is a serious unilateral problem - our problem - but one the U.S. Government is too busy posturing over while the Mexican Government fuels it like gasoline on a bonfire. Democrats and Republicans alike see the 25-million illegal aliens now in the U.S. as potential new voters, while American Business salivates at the hand-wringing thought of cheap labor. All the while, criminals from third world countries are operating freely in the U.S. At the same time, Mexican President Felipe Calderón visits the U.S. and thumbs his nose at U.S. citizens by addressing groups of Mexicans living here and telling them that they are helping the U.S. economy. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Background Investigations, Criminal Investigations, Fraud | No Comments »
Hunter Investigations Establishes Divorce Analysis Team
By Holly Hunter | April 30, 2008
Hunter Investigations LLC has established a Divorce Analysis Team. From the experience gained in the many years of investigating divorce cases we have designed a methodology for gathering complete evidentiary material for presentation to our Client’s legal team. Our team of Divorce Analysts will work with you on each aspect of your concerns surrounding your divorce. Computer forensics, debugging personal vehicles and cyber stalking are just the beginning of the course of action that our team will outline. Each Divorce Analysis is based upon individual Client needs. Having an Investigator help you prepare for your divorce is no longer about a few photographs of a cheating spouse. Call us…
Topics: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Drugs, Slaves and Terrorists - Just a Border Security Problem?
By Randy Wyles | April 30, 2008
Does the border security problem really have any effect on you? Fair question. Now, try these on; Does that hispanic worker you're hiring have a "green card"? Where did he or she come from and who are his or her friends? Are you setting yourself up for organized criminal activity within your business…or worse?
Keep this in mind; brutal drug related crimes continue on both sides of the border - deep into the U.S., as well as in Mexico - as illicit drugs and smuggled slaves flow into the United States side by side with a steadily growing number of illegal aliens and terrorists - and the toll in lives and money spent to combat this problem is incredible. Last year alone, more than 300 Mexican law enforcement officials died in the line of duty in the war on drugs in Mexico, while, throughout Mexico, over 3,500 civilians have been murdered as a result of drug related activity – an average of 200 per month in the border town of Jaurez alone.
Topics: Background Investigations, Criminal Investigations, Fraud | No Comments »
Hunter Investigations
By admin | March 11, 2008
Private investigators are retained for many reasons, but there is one common thread. There are questions that need to be answered. Often tough questions involving confidential, emotional or family issues; questions that require discreet professional assistance:
Why is she spending so much time with a new best friend?
Why are his business trips suddenly so frequent?
Where is our star witness?
Attorneys rely on private investigators to gather factual information for court cases. A witness needs to be located or interviewed to help win a case. The activities of an individual may need to be documented to protect children. There are many reasons our clients rely on our services. Based in Atlanta, GA, Hunter Investigations LLC is a full service investigative and consulting agency providing services to attorneys, government agencies, insurance firms and individuals located throughout the country. We get to the heart of the matter quickly and cost-effectively - saving you time and money. To address your issues you need experienced investigators with the right tools and training. Read the rest of this entry »
Topics: Background Investigations, Criminal Investigations, Divorce, Fraud, Missing Persons, Process Service, Runaways, Witness Location | 1 Comment »
Finding a Credible and Reliable Private Investigator
By Greg Magnus | January 24, 2007
Writer and private investigator, Randy Wiles, recently wrote an article for Atlanta Life Magazine, "The Scoop on Using a Snoop, A private eye tells all." The article discusses the importance of hiring a credible private investigator. Hunter Investigations provided story information and quotes for the article. A link to the full article is provided below the following excerpts:
Have you ever wished you could spy on your spouse for a day or plant a camera in your home to watch the babysitter? You might have thought you were taking things a little too far, but private investigators use these and many other tactics to uncover secrets in people’s professional and personal lives. While PIs have been around for decades, their assistance is becoming more and more popular, as problems like fraudulence in the workplace, cheating spouses, child mistreatment and corporate corruption become increasingly common. . . . If you are curious about the work PIs do or are thinking about hiring one yourself, read on to ensure you’ll find one who is credible, reliable, experienced and honest.
When working with a private investigator, communication and honesty are of the utmost importance. “Trust is essential,” says Holly Hunter, owner of Hunter Investigations, an Alpharetta-based PI firm. . . . "If you’re seeking a divorce, you’re entrusting the most intimate details of your life to a private investigator,” she says. “You’re trusting the investigator to act lawfully. You’re also trusting the investigator to do everything he or she can to obtain the information you need and has been truthful with you about their activity. That trust can’t be broken.”
Hunter, an unassuming, blue-eyed, blonde mother of three is an Atlanta native who looks like she would spend most of her days running errands for her family and volunteering at her church – which she does, in addition to her work as a PI. Her daily schedule usually involves high-tech information gathering and low-profile surveillance.
Hunter’s quiet demeanor allows her to waltz in and out of situations and strike up conversations by either chatting up unsuspecting female interviewees or spreading a hint of “Southern charm” on male targets. Before long, she obtains the information she needs and, like a Navy Seal, has left the area without leaving so much as a footprint.
You can read the entire article at Atlanta Life Magazine.
Topics: Background Investigations, Divorce, PI Articles | No Comments »
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