Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Effects of Social Networking

Question: Write an essay on Effects of Social Networking? Answer: Introduction: There is no doubt left to the fact that the element of social networking sites and media channels has really revolutionized the picture of socialising in the current times. In fact one could day that the social media or the networking sites are considered to be the most potent mediums through which communication could be established and maintained between people living in the distant parts of the world(Rennie and Morrison). In the present times we find that millions of people are using this medium for the purpose of staying touch with their loved and dear ones. Rationale of the Research: A good ratio of these users happens to be the young crowd that consists of the teenagers and the preteens. The effect of this extensive use on the psyche and the overall development of the global youth is an agenda that has been receiving a lot of attention lately. In fact we see that a good many number of psychological evaluations and researches have also been conducted in order to find out the actual effect of this practise on the young and impressionable mind. Thesis Statement: The current discussion makes an endeavour to ascertain the effect of this practise and point out whether social networking is a trend that comes with considerable benefits or greater but hidden troubles. Positive Effect of Social Networking amongst Youth: Social networking is a trend that is the gift of the modern internet age. Through this trend we see that the people of the world have learned to establish contact with people in the distant parts of the world. The teenagers who have been engrossed in this trend have shown a definite opening up of their characters and nature. As a result we see that a number of introverts have turned out to be quite social extroverts. This has also worked wonders for their confidence(Laroche, Habibi and Richard). Once again the social networking media channels also acts as a platform that acts as a stage where opinions are expressed, ideas are expressed and a kind of public opinion is formed and crystallized. This not only helps to create a kind of awareness but also gets the youth of the globe more involved in the daily current affairs. The social networking sites have contributed significantly in transpiring of information and creation of a kind of edge of public and popular opinion. Negative effects: Psychologists in the recent times through their researches have once again pointed out at the good number of psychological adverse effects that have once again bee studied in the people, especially the teenagers who make an extensive use of this media. A child who uses these sites for long often develops psychological and physical problems such as depressions, becoming social recluses, arrogant and also obese. They become more susceptible towards physical ailments in the future. Once again the virtual world becomes all the more important as compared to the real world(Brandtzg). Once again we find that youngsters often falls victim to a internet stalking and also peer domination(Forest and Wood). Summation: Nevertheless we see that the social media sites or the social networking sites are being extensively used in the recent times. Even the adults are making a wholesome use of such sites. Apart from communication establishment or personal constant such sites are also being sued for business communication and expansion and also academic purposes. References: Brandtzg, PB. Social networking sites: Their users and social implicationsA longitudinal study. Journal of Computerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ Mediated Communication, 17(4); https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2012.01580.x/pdf (2012). Forest, AL and JV Wood. When social networking is not working individuals with low self-esteem recognize but do not reap the benefits of self-disclosure on facebook. Psychological science; https://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/02/07/0956797611429709.abstract (2012). Laroche, M, MR Habibi and MO Richard. To be or not to be in social media: How brand loyalty is affected by social media? International Journal of Information Management, 33(1); https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0268401212000916 (2013): 76 - 82. Rennie, F and TM Morrison. E-learning and social networking handbook: Resources for higher education; https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=enlr=id=zV00tQB-EYkCoi=fndpg=PP2dq=social+networking+effectsots=ROFA4wcp2psig=nE6-FI5GZeFVrRiA4J9l_jhfGBY. 2013.

Child Poverty in Demographic Structure †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Child Poverty in Demographic Structure. Answer: Introduction: The problem of child poverty is most prevalent among OECD countries with Israel has the highest rate of poverty. In Israel, the child poverty rate is approximated as 28.5%, which in the highest in world (jpost.com, 2018). Israel was officially declared as an independent state in 1948. Immediately after the independence, the country faced an economic crisis resulting in high unemployment, scarce r reserves of foreign currency and other economic obstacles. With passes of time, the economy gradually overcome the crisis and has now become one of the technologically advanced nation of world (Rivlin, 2015). Industrial manufacturing and high technology are the two major sectors of the economy. The economy is mostly dependent on the service sector with share of service sector in total output being 64.7 percent. Along with economic prosperity, Israel is now facing some major challenges. One such problem is low participation among the labor force worsening the poverty status. As per latest statistics out of every three children in Israel, one is found to live below the poverty line (jpost.com, 2018). Despite several child welfare allowances. The incidence of child poverty is increasing overtime. The root cause of child poverty in the demographic structure of Israel. A major share of Israel population is Ultra-orthodox Jews (Tasher et al., 2016). This group has a very low participation in the labor market. The percentage of men and women in Ultra-orthodox group are 48 and 28 respectively. Children born in these families suffer from poverty from very early age of their lives. Another factor responsible of child poverty in Israel is the presence of single parent household in the state. In Israel, the child poverty rate among single parent household is 21.8%. The same for all families with children is 17.0% (macro.org.il, 2018). References Laufer, Y. (2018).WATCH: International exhibition showcases Israeli whisky distilleries.The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 4 April 2018, from https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/WATCH-International-exhibition-showcases-Israeli-whisky-distilleries-545124 OECD. (2018).Oecd.org. Retrieved 4 April 2018, from https://www.oecd.org/els/soc/CO2_2_ChildPoverty_Jan2014.pdf Rivlin, P. (2015).The Israeli Economy(pp. 571-585). John Wiley Sons, Ltd. Single-Parent Families in Israel. (2018).Macro.org.il. Retrieved 4 April 2018, from https://www.macro.org.il/en/publications/?id=146 Tasher, D., Rubin, L., Grossman, Z., Grotto, I., Dahan, D., Berlowitz, Y., Somekh, E. (2016). Child health care in Israel.The Journal of pediatrics,177, S107-S115. The Central Bureau of Statistics (Israel)-SocietyPopulation-Population Demography. (2016).Cbs.gov.il. Retrieved 4 April 2018, from https://www.cbs.gov.il/reader/?MIval=cw_usr_view_SHTMLID=705

Thursday, April 23, 2020

The Awakening Essays - The Awakening, Edna, Awakening, Literature

The Awakening The Awakening Kate Chopin's The Awakening is a work of fiction that tells the story of Edna Pontellier, Southern wife and mother. This book presents the reader with many tough questions and few answers. It is not hard to imagine why this book was banished for decades not long after its initial publication in 1899. At that time in history, women did just what they were expected to do. They were expected to be good daughters, good wives, and good mothers. A woman was expected to move from the protection of her father's roof to the protection of her husband. Edna didn't fit this mold, and that eventually leads her husband to send for a doctor. It is here that Edna Pontellier says words that define The Awakening, "I don't want anything but my own way. That is wanting a good deal, of course, when you have to trample upon the lives, the hearts, the prejudices of others - but no matter..." As the book begins, Edna is a married woman who seems vaguely satisfied with her life. However, she cannot find true happiness. Her "awakening" begins when a persistent young man named Robert begins courting her. Edna begins to respond to him with a passion she hasn't felt before. She begins to realize that she can play roles other than wife and mother. Throughout the book Edna takes many steps to increase her independence. She sends her children away, she refuses to stay at home on Tuesdays (as was the social convention of the time), she frequents races and parties. Unfortunately, her independence proves to be her downfall. Edna stays married because divorce was unheard of in those days. She wants to marry Robert, but he will not because it will disgrace her to leave her husband. No matter how much Edna exceeds social boundaries, she is held down by the will of others, despite what she wants. In today's world divorce, sadly, is almost commonplace, but in her time she would have been an outcast of her society. By the end of The Awakening, Edna feels like a possession - of her husband, of her children, and of her society. The only solution she sees is to end her life, which she does by swimming out into the sea until her strength gives out. This is a very symbolic death. I feel the theme of The Awakening is deeper than the obvious themes of independence and women's rights. The Awakening presents suicide as a valid solution to problems that do not offer many choices. Why do people commit suicide? Some common reasons are isolation and loneliness, disruption of one's social life, and suicide for the common good. It's easy to connect these with Edna's life: the isolation of her small house, the disruption caused by Adele's death, and the common good of the children. However, her suicide had nothing to do with any lack of personal freedom. She was, for the most part, doing whatever she wanted and there were no signs that she intended to stop. Rather, it was the lack of good, healthy alternatives that led to her demise. Robert had left her in an attempt to protect her, himself, or possibly both. This left Edna to pursue a minor romance with Alcee Arobin. Or stay in a marriage that held no hope of fulfillment. Or she could pursue other third-rate affairs, while being discreet enough not to hurt her children. None of these options satisfied her longing for the one who had "awakened" her. Edna chose suicide. The only shortcoming I found in The Awakening was its lack of dialogue. The book is filled with page after page of descriptive phrases, thoughts and actions. This doesn't leave much to the imagination, and in spots, the book seems to drag. The merits of The Awakening far outweigh its few faults. It tells a story of independence, freedom and will power unheard of during the times of its publication. It's a stirring book that forces you to confront tough issues. It paints a picture of what goes through the mind of a person who loses hope. Like Dee Brown's Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, Chopin's The Awakening tells us a story from the perspective of the oppressed. It is far more than another romance novel with a tragic ending. It is a book about the choices one will makes to protect one's freedom, and Chopin wonderful job presenting them in The Awakening.

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Benefits and drawbacks SAP in an Enterprise The WritePass Journal

Benefits and drawbacks SAP in an Enterprise Introduction Benefits and drawbacks SAP in an Enterprise IntroductionDefinition of ERP and SAPBackground of Siemens Power CorporationUsing SWOT to analyses Siemens Power CorporationAdvantages and disadvantages of implementing SAPSAP has high integration of business moduleSAP can reduce maintain costConclusionReference Related Introduction As world economy is increasing step by step, a lot of enterprises are looking for a system to help enterprise integrate resource, enhance efficiency of operation of enterprise and reduce cost. Although there are some relative systems in the market, Enterprise resource planning system(ERP) as one of the most popular system has been used in most enterprises. In addition, there is a report come from Klaus etc. in 2000, it showed that ERP could effectively integrate enterprise resource and improve competition of enterprise. It aims to analyses enterprise information in each department and present some rational recommendations to management (Klaus H. etc., 2000). Meanwhile, it is known to all that ERP is a kind of software of management. There are many different software belong to ERP in the market, such as SAP, Oracle and so on. Therefore, in this report, combining SWOT method, one of business strategies, and SAP to analyses this case study. At the same time, a significance of SAP will b e proved in an enterprise. Definition of ERP and SAP Background of Siemens Power Corporation Siemens Power Corporation is a globally operating manufacturer of both fossil fuel and nuclear power generation systems. It mainly provides both Boiling Water Reactors (BWR) and Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR) and related services. In the market, it had many customers at the beginning. However, after few years, some customers hope manufacturer can offer safer and cheaper energy sources. Meanwhile, in the same market, some competitors sized market. It caused that Siemens Power Corporation lost advantages in the competition and reduce some customers. Using SWOT to analyses Siemens Power Corporation A SOWT analysis is adopted to estimate the Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats involved in a project (Hay Castilla, unknown). It can be separated into internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and threats). Thus, in this report, SWOT will be adopted to evaluate problems in order to carry out relative measures to solve them. Internal factors   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strengths:   Siemens can offer fossil fuel to each country in the whole world. Siemens has enough finance to support enterprise operation. Siemens has great reputation in the world. At the beginning of operating enterprise, Siemens had a number of customers. Weakness: Inside of enterprise, because of AMAPS system did not fulfill the requirement of business modules. It still had many overhaul of legacy system. Management had to drop it. In the other word, Siemens implements old system, such as AMAPS system and PERMAC system. It did not have a formal and efficiency system. Otherwise, during operating old system, most of data collection had been done by telephone. External factors Opportunities: During US started to close many fossil fuel manufactures, Siemens can be saved. It means Siemens’ products are safe and approbated. It can occupy more market share. Threats: Although Siemens can offer both Boiling Water Reactors (BWR) and Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR), its competitors trend to more specialize in one type reactors of them. Under this case, competitors probably shrink market share step by step with Siemens. Following a clear SWOT analyses, it obliviously displayed that it is necessary to bring in a new enterprise resource planning system to help Siemens improve their competition in order to expand its advantages of competition in the market. Advantages and disadvantages of implementing SAP In the ERP market, there are many vendors can be selected, special SAP and Oracle. They are all famous ERP systems. However, after Siemens management compared SAP with Oracle or another ERP system, management believed that SAP could provide the best â€Å"client/server† architecture. At the same time, SAP also reduced interface problems. SAP has high integration of business module Despite SAP owned business modules over eighty and was saw a little complex, SAP is most smart and comprehensive integrated modules of business configuration. In the case study, it still mentioned that SAP software modules are designed according to â€Å"best business/industry†. SAP could be configured easily than before so that SAP could reflect whole enterprise structure more detail, even reflect precise pricing discount. There was a report from Hejazi etc. in 2003. They also point out that SAP could more effectively integrate various resources during they pay more attention on working SAP (Hejazi etc., 2003). In addition, in 2002, Mandal and Gunasekaran all argued that the organization of SAP owned whole view of the process. This structure could help enterprise effectively manage enterprise-wide project. Therefore, it is confirmed that SAP could help enterprise improve efficiency of integrating resource. SAP can reduce maintain cost For an enterprise, cost is a big issue. Most enterprises try to look for a method to decrease cost in order to gain higher profit. Thus, in a condition of ensuring qualified product, enterprise brings in a new system which it can reduce cost can greatly enhance competition. SAP as a kind of software for demanding, it promised that SAP system can decrease cost by all kinds of effective methods, such as reengineered business processes, maintain cost and so on. This viewpoint also is proved by Gattiker and Goodhue in 2000. In their report, they clearly believed that ERP system could cut down maintaining cost. At the same time, ERP also could enhance ability to deploy new functionally (Gattiker F. Goodhue L., 2000). There is a conclusion in the paragraph, SAP could decreased enterprise maintain cost so that it can become a part of helping enterprise improve competition. Drawback It is hard to configured SAP It is known to all that SAP is one of the most popular software in the world. To implement SAP in enterprise, enterprise could gain huge benefits from SAP application software. However, it still cannot avoid some disadvantage in SAP system. One of the hardest drawbacks is how to set configuration during implementing SAP. SAP only accepted own interface. It means that enterprise have to change old business interface into new â€Å"SAP-way† interface in order to operate SAP system. in the case study, it can be seen that even if enterprise have some professional recommendations from consultant, it is still hard to configure the SAP. An article from Gattiker and Goodhue in 2000, they also presented that it is difficult to configure SAP. Once SAP configuration unreasonable, to run SAP easily lost accuracy of tracking data. Therefore, it is clear to recognize that SAP weakness is configuration. Recommendations for configuring SAP To implement SAP on relational database such as Informix, Oracle, SAP database. Because few current SAP systems create own database base on Oracle. Enterprise can seek a professional consultant or experienced staff to configure SAP. the reason is that they can give some recommendations to deal with problem during configuring SAP. At the beginning of configuring SAP, all business modules are defined by software as soon as possible. In this case, it is useful to reduce some mistake such as matching the name of variety of business modules. Conclusion In a conclusion, SAP as a kind of ERP system, when an enterprise implements SAP, they will suffer from some uncertain troubles such as hard to configure system. However, some problem will be solved by relevant solutions. At the same time, it definitely gets a conclusion that SAP has more benefits than disadvantages. Otherwise, in the report, it also presented that enterprise bring in SAP system can help management fully use variety of resources. Through rationally integrate resource and cost reduction to help enterprise enhance competition in the market. Reference 1. Klaus H., Rosemann M. and Gable G..G..(2000). what is ERP?. Accessed 05/04/2011 http://eprints.qut.edu.au/40347/1/c40347.pdf 2. Hay G.J. and Castilla G.(unknown). OBJECT-BASED IMAGE ANALYSIS:The Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats involved in a project. Accessed 05/04/2011 isprs.org/proceedings/XXXVI/4-C42/Papers/01_Opening%20Session/OBIA2006_Hay_Castilla.pdf 3. Hejazi S.S., Halpin L.A. and Biggs D.W. (2003). USING SAP ERP TECHNOLOGY TO INTEGRATE THE UNDERGRADUATE BUSINESS CURRICULUM. Accessed 06/04/2011 http://sbaweb.wayne.edu/~absel/bkl/.%5Cvol30%5C30an.pdf 4. Gattiker F.T. Goodhue L.D. (2000). Understanding the Plant Level Costs and Benefits of ERP: Will the Ugly Duckling Always Turn Into a Swan?. Accessed 06/04/2011 computer.org/portal/web/csdl/doi/10.1109/HICSS.2000.926907 5.   Mandal P. and Gunasekaran A. (April, 2002). Issues in implementing ERP: A case study. European Journal of Operational Research. 146,(2)274-2

Saturday, February 29, 2020

Social Security Warns of ID Theft Scams

Social Security Warns of ID Theft Scams Almost 70 million Americans depend  on Social Security benefits. Sadly, whether you are already receiving benefits or not, your Social Security account is a tempting target for scammers. The sheer complexity of this mainline federal assistance program makes Social Security accounts particularly vulnerable to hacking by cyber attackers. As a result, the Social Security Administration has identified some particularly dangerous scams you should be aware of whether you are already receiving benefits or plan to in the future. Online Social Security Account Scam The Social Security Administration (SSA) strongly urges all current and future beneficiaries to set up a personal â€Å"My Social Security† account on its website. Opening a My Social Security account allows you to check the size of your current or future benefits and change your bank account direct deposit information or mailing address without having to visit your local Social Security office or wait on hold to speak to an agent. The bad news is that scammers also take advantage of many My Social Security accounts. In this bit of awful, scammers set up My Social Security accounts in the names of people who do not already have them, thus allowing them to transfer the victims’ current or future benefits to their own bank accounts or debit cards. While Social Security will reimburse victims of this scam, it can take months and leave you without benefits during that period. How to Prevent It Scammers can only set up a bogus My Social Security account in your name if they already know your Social Security Number and other personal information, which in today’s data-breach-of-the-week environment is all too likely. So, the thing to do is set up your account as soon as possible. Anyone over age 18 can set up a My Social Security account. Even if you do not intend to start drawing benefits for years, a My Social Security account can be a valuable retirement planning tool. When you set up your account, be sure to choose the â€Å"Add Extra Security† option on the online signup form. This option will cause a new security code to be sent to your cell phone or email ever time you try to access your account. You will need to enter the code in order to log on. It is sort of inconvenient, but far better than having your benefits stolen. The Fake Social Security Employee Scams There exists a whole set of scams in which the perpetrator- posing as a Social Security â€Å"agent- calls victims regarding their benefits. For example, the scammer may claim the SSA needs to verify the victim’s direct deposit information. In another more complex scam, the victim is told that their Social Security benefits are being cut because they have inherited a house from a relative; an event that would not result in a reduction of their Social Security benefit. To help perpetrate the fraud, the caller then places the recipient on hold and plays the same on-hold recordings actually used by Social Security. When the scammer comes back on the line, the victim is that told proceeds from the sale of the house will be sent to them if they pay the back taxes. Of course, there are no inherited houses or back taxes. How to Prevent It The SSA recommends taking extreme precautions before giving out personal information. â€Å"You should never provide your Social Security number or other personal information over the telephone unless you initiated the contact, or are confident of the person to whom you are speaking,† says the agency. â€Å"If in doubt, do not release information without first verifying the validity of the call.† Which you can do by calling Social Security’s toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 to verify the legitimacy of the call. (If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call Social Securitys TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.) Also be aware that scammers have also perfected the black cyber crime art of â€Å"caller ID spoofing,† so even if your caller ID says, â€Å"Social Security Administration,† it is probably just another scammer. The Data Theft Scare Scam Given the number of actual government data breaches these days, this scam is particularly believable and dangerous. The scammer – again pretending to work for Social Security – tells the victim that the agency’s computers have been hacked. In order find out if the victims account has been compromised, the scammer says he needs to verify that the SSA has the victim’s correct bank account information. To set the hook, the scammer gives the victim account information he knows is incorrect. In the end, the victim is tricked into giving the scammer their correct bank account information. Bad, very bad. How to Prevent It The SSA recommends ignoring calls and emails regarding account data breaches. The agency never initiates contact with beneficiaries by phone or email.Even letters regarding data breaches can be scams as scammers have gotten very good at making envelopes and letters look â€Å"official.† If you get such a letter call the real Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 to find out if the letter is legitimate. If the letter gives any other number to call, do not call it. The No COLA For You Scam While it hasn’t happened since 2014, Social Security adds a cost of living adjustment (COLA) in most years based on the rate of inflation. But, when there is no increase in the consumer price index (CPI), as was the case in 2015 and 2016, there is no COLA for Social Security recipients. Scammers- again posing as SSA employees- take advantage of these non-COLA years by calling, emailing or sending letters to victims stating that the SSA had apparently â€Å"forgotten† to apply the COLA increase to their accounts. As with other scams, victims are given a form or link to a website where they can â€Å"claim† their COLA increase by providing their Social Security Number and bank account information. By now, you know what happens next. Tell your money goodbye. How to Prevent It Ignore the letters, calls or emails. When and if they are given, Social Security applies COLAs automatically and without fail to the accounts of all current beneficiaries. You never have to â€Å"apply† for them. The New, Improved Social Security Card Scam In this one, the scammer, again posing as an SSA employee, tells the victim that the agency is replacing all old paper Social Security cards with new high tech, â€Å"ID theft proof† computer chips embedded in them. The scammer tells the victim that they will not get any more benefits until they have gotten one of the new cards. The scammer then claims that he can â€Å"expedite† the replacement card if the victim provides their identity and bank account details. Clearly not the smart thing to do. How to Prevent It Ignore the claims. The SSA has no plans, desire or money to replace millions of old Social Security cards or to start issuing high-tech cards. In fact, the SSA recommends you not even carry your Social Security card with you due to the threat of identity theft. Instead, memorize your Social Security number and put the card in a safe, secret place. Report Suspected Scams The SSA’s office of inspector general asks Americans to report known or suspected incidents of scams. Reports can be submitted online at the SSA’s Report Fraud, Waste or Abuse website. Reports can also be submitted by mail to: Social Security Fraud Hotline​P.O. Box 17785Baltimore, Maryland 21235 In addition, reports can be submitted by telephone to 1-800-269-0271 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (TTY: 1-866-501-2101 for the deaf or hard of hearing.)

Social Security Warns of ID Theft Scams

Social Security Warns of ID Theft Scams Almost 70 million Americans depend  on Social Security benefits. Sadly, whether you are already receiving benefits or not, your Social Security account is a tempting target for scammers. The sheer complexity of this mainline federal assistance program makes Social Security accounts particularly vulnerable to hacking by cyber attackers. As a result, the Social Security Administration has identified some particularly dangerous scams you should be aware of whether you are already receiving benefits or plan to in the future. Online Social Security Account Scam The Social Security Administration (SSA) strongly urges all current and future beneficiaries to set up a personal â€Å"My Social Security† account on its website. Opening a My Social Security account allows you to check the size of your current or future benefits and change your bank account direct deposit information or mailing address without having to visit your local Social Security office or wait on hold to speak to an agent. The bad news is that scammers also take advantage of many My Social Security accounts. In this bit of awful, scammers set up My Social Security accounts in the names of people who do not already have them, thus allowing them to transfer the victims’ current or future benefits to their own bank accounts or debit cards. While Social Security will reimburse victims of this scam, it can take months and leave you without benefits during that period. How to Prevent It Scammers can only set up a bogus My Social Security account in your name if they already know your Social Security Number and other personal information, which in today’s data-breach-of-the-week environment is all too likely. So, the thing to do is set up your account as soon as possible. Anyone over age 18 can set up a My Social Security account. Even if you do not intend to start drawing benefits for years, a My Social Security account can be a valuable retirement planning tool. When you set up your account, be sure to choose the â€Å"Add Extra Security† option on the online signup form. This option will cause a new security code to be sent to your cell phone or email ever time you try to access your account. You will need to enter the code in order to log on. It is sort of inconvenient, but far better than having your benefits stolen. The Fake Social Security Employee Scams There exists a whole set of scams in which the perpetrator- posing as a Social Security â€Å"agent- calls victims regarding their benefits. For example, the scammer may claim the SSA needs to verify the victim’s direct deposit information. In another more complex scam, the victim is told that their Social Security benefits are being cut because they have inherited a house from a relative; an event that would not result in a reduction of their Social Security benefit. To help perpetrate the fraud, the caller then places the recipient on hold and plays the same on-hold recordings actually used by Social Security. When the scammer comes back on the line, the victim is that told proceeds from the sale of the house will be sent to them if they pay the back taxes. Of course, there are no inherited houses or back taxes. How to Prevent It The SSA recommends taking extreme precautions before giving out personal information. â€Å"You should never provide your Social Security number or other personal information over the telephone unless you initiated the contact, or are confident of the person to whom you are speaking,† says the agency. â€Å"If in doubt, do not release information without first verifying the validity of the call.† Which you can do by calling Social Security’s toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 to verify the legitimacy of the call. (If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call Social Securitys TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.) Also be aware that scammers have also perfected the black cyber crime art of â€Å"caller ID spoofing,† so even if your caller ID says, â€Å"Social Security Administration,† it is probably just another scammer. The Data Theft Scare Scam Given the number of actual government data breaches these days, this scam is particularly believable and dangerous. The scammer – again pretending to work for Social Security – tells the victim that the agency’s computers have been hacked. In order find out if the victims account has been compromised, the scammer says he needs to verify that the SSA has the victim’s correct bank account information. To set the hook, the scammer gives the victim account information he knows is incorrect. In the end, the victim is tricked into giving the scammer their correct bank account information. Bad, very bad. How to Prevent It The SSA recommends ignoring calls and emails regarding account data breaches. The agency never initiates contact with beneficiaries by phone or email.Even letters regarding data breaches can be scams as scammers have gotten very good at making envelopes and letters look â€Å"official.† If you get such a letter call the real Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 to find out if the letter is legitimate. If the letter gives any other number to call, do not call it. The No COLA For You Scam While it hasn’t happened since 2014, Social Security adds a cost of living adjustment (COLA) in most years based on the rate of inflation. But, when there is no increase in the consumer price index (CPI), as was the case in 2015 and 2016, there is no COLA for Social Security recipients. Scammers- again posing as SSA employees- take advantage of these non-COLA years by calling, emailing or sending letters to victims stating that the SSA had apparently â€Å"forgotten† to apply the COLA increase to their accounts. As with other scams, victims are given a form or link to a website where they can â€Å"claim† their COLA increase by providing their Social Security Number and bank account information. By now, you know what happens next. Tell your money goodbye. How to Prevent It Ignore the letters, calls or emails. When and if they are given, Social Security applies COLAs automatically and without fail to the accounts of all current beneficiaries. You never have to â€Å"apply† for them. The New, Improved Social Security Card Scam In this one, the scammer, again posing as an SSA employee, tells the victim that the agency is replacing all old paper Social Security cards with new high tech, â€Å"ID theft proof† computer chips embedded in them. The scammer tells the victim that they will not get any more benefits until they have gotten one of the new cards. The scammer then claims that he can â€Å"expedite† the replacement card if the victim provides their identity and bank account details. Clearly not the smart thing to do. How to Prevent It Ignore the claims. The SSA has no plans, desire or money to replace millions of old Social Security cards or to start issuing high-tech cards. In fact, the SSA recommends you not even carry your Social Security card with you due to the threat of identity theft. Instead, memorize your Social Security number and put the card in a safe, secret place. Report Suspected Scams The SSA’s office of inspector general asks Americans to report known or suspected incidents of scams. Reports can be submitted online at the SSA’s Report Fraud, Waste or Abuse website. Reports can also be submitted by mail to: Social Security Fraud Hotline​P.O. Box 17785Baltimore, Maryland 21235 In addition, reports can be submitted by telephone to 1-800-269-0271 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (TTY: 1-866-501-2101 for the deaf or hard of hearing.)

Social Security Warns of ID Theft Scams

Social Security Warns of ID Theft Scams Almost 70 million Americans depend  on Social Security benefits. Sadly, whether you are already receiving benefits or not, your Social Security account is a tempting target for scammers. The sheer complexity of this mainline federal assistance program makes Social Security accounts particularly vulnerable to hacking by cyber attackers. As a result, the Social Security Administration has identified some particularly dangerous scams you should be aware of whether you are already receiving benefits or plan to in the future. Online Social Security Account Scam The Social Security Administration (SSA) strongly urges all current and future beneficiaries to set up a personal â€Å"My Social Security† account on its website. Opening a My Social Security account allows you to check the size of your current or future benefits and change your bank account direct deposit information or mailing address without having to visit your local Social Security office or wait on hold to speak to an agent. The bad news is that scammers also take advantage of many My Social Security accounts. In this bit of awful, scammers set up My Social Security accounts in the names of people who do not already have them, thus allowing them to transfer the victims’ current or future benefits to their own bank accounts or debit cards. While Social Security will reimburse victims of this scam, it can take months and leave you without benefits during that period. How to Prevent It Scammers can only set up a bogus My Social Security account in your name if they already know your Social Security Number and other personal information, which in today’s data-breach-of-the-week environment is all too likely. So, the thing to do is set up your account as soon as possible. Anyone over age 18 can set up a My Social Security account. Even if you do not intend to start drawing benefits for years, a My Social Security account can be a valuable retirement planning tool. When you set up your account, be sure to choose the â€Å"Add Extra Security† option on the online signup form. This option will cause a new security code to be sent to your cell phone or email ever time you try to access your account. You will need to enter the code in order to log on. It is sort of inconvenient, but far better than having your benefits stolen. The Fake Social Security Employee Scams There exists a whole set of scams in which the perpetrator- posing as a Social Security â€Å"agent- calls victims regarding their benefits. For example, the scammer may claim the SSA needs to verify the victim’s direct deposit information. In another more complex scam, the victim is told that their Social Security benefits are being cut because they have inherited a house from a relative; an event that would not result in a reduction of their Social Security benefit. To help perpetrate the fraud, the caller then places the recipient on hold and plays the same on-hold recordings actually used by Social Security. When the scammer comes back on the line, the victim is that told proceeds from the sale of the house will be sent to them if they pay the back taxes. Of course, there are no inherited houses or back taxes. How to Prevent It The SSA recommends taking extreme precautions before giving out personal information. â€Å"You should never provide your Social Security number or other personal information over the telephone unless you initiated the contact, or are confident of the person to whom you are speaking,† says the agency. â€Å"If in doubt, do not release information without first verifying the validity of the call.† Which you can do by calling Social Security’s toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 to verify the legitimacy of the call. (If you are deaf or hard of hearing, call Social Securitys TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.) Also be aware that scammers have also perfected the black cyber crime art of â€Å"caller ID spoofing,† so even if your caller ID says, â€Å"Social Security Administration,† it is probably just another scammer. The Data Theft Scare Scam Given the number of actual government data breaches these days, this scam is particularly believable and dangerous. The scammer – again pretending to work for Social Security – tells the victim that the agency’s computers have been hacked. In order find out if the victims account has been compromised, the scammer says he needs to verify that the SSA has the victim’s correct bank account information. To set the hook, the scammer gives the victim account information he knows is incorrect. In the end, the victim is tricked into giving the scammer their correct bank account information. Bad, very bad. How to Prevent It The SSA recommends ignoring calls and emails regarding account data breaches. The agency never initiates contact with beneficiaries by phone or email.Even letters regarding data breaches can be scams as scammers have gotten very good at making envelopes and letters look â€Å"official.† If you get such a letter call the real Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 to find out if the letter is legitimate. If the letter gives any other number to call, do not call it. The No COLA For You Scam While it hasn’t happened since 2014, Social Security adds a cost of living adjustment (COLA) in most years based on the rate of inflation. But, when there is no increase in the consumer price index (CPI), as was the case in 2015 and 2016, there is no COLA for Social Security recipients. Scammers- again posing as SSA employees- take advantage of these non-COLA years by calling, emailing or sending letters to victims stating that the SSA had apparently â€Å"forgotten† to apply the COLA increase to their accounts. As with other scams, victims are given a form or link to a website where they can â€Å"claim† their COLA increase by providing their Social Security Number and bank account information. By now, you know what happens next. Tell your money goodbye. How to Prevent It Ignore the letters, calls or emails. When and if they are given, Social Security applies COLAs automatically and without fail to the accounts of all current beneficiaries. You never have to â€Å"apply† for them. The New, Improved Social Security Card Scam In this one, the scammer, again posing as an SSA employee, tells the victim that the agency is replacing all old paper Social Security cards with new high tech, â€Å"ID theft proof† computer chips embedded in them. The scammer tells the victim that they will not get any more benefits until they have gotten one of the new cards. The scammer then claims that he can â€Å"expedite† the replacement card if the victim provides their identity and bank account details. Clearly not the smart thing to do. How to Prevent It Ignore the claims. The SSA has no plans, desire or money to replace millions of old Social Security cards or to start issuing high-tech cards. In fact, the SSA recommends you not even carry your Social Security card with you due to the threat of identity theft. Instead, memorize your Social Security number and put the card in a safe, secret place. Report Suspected Scams The SSA’s office of inspector general asks Americans to report known or suspected incidents of scams. Reports can be submitted online at the SSA’s Report Fraud, Waste or Abuse website. Reports can also be submitted by mail to: Social Security Fraud Hotline​P.O. Box 17785Baltimore, Maryland 21235 In addition, reports can be submitted by telephone to 1-800-269-0271 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (TTY: 1-866-501-2101 for the deaf or hard of hearing.)