The Check is in the Mail [more...]

Best Check Fraud Self-Defense [more...]

Follow that Car! [more...]

TV-B-Gone Zaps Second-Hand Noise [more...]

Cool Tools [more...]

Improve Workplace Security without Adding Costs [more...]

Background Checks Pay for Themselves [more...]

Paper check processing and the afternoon bank run are about to become history. Using a new technology, retailers and other businesses can now swipe a check and instantly transfer money from a customer's account into their own. Effective October 28, 2004 America's banks are allowed to exchange checks electronically instead of using paper versions. Signed into law last year, the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, better known as "Check 21," is expected help checks clear faster and eventually eliminate the need for paper checks all together. For the first time, last year, the number of electronic payments made by Americans topped the number of check and cash payments. The decline is expected to continue. The Federal Reserve, which processed some 16 billion checks last year, has begun to shutter some of its check-processing facilities around the country. For years, the check-clearing process involved the handling of paper checks and passing them from institution to institution. The labor-intensive process was expensive and time consuming, often allowing checks to "float" and check writers days to cover a check written against accounts with insufficient funds. With Check 21, banks now have the option of sending digital images of the check instead of the actual check. Businesses are keen on the idea, hoping they will no longer get stuck with bounced checks and items returned NSF (non-sufficient funds).

Security experts agree that it is only a matter of time before criminals figure out ways to find and exploit security holes in Check 21's new check processing technology. In the meantime, consumers can do more to protect themselves. Here's what we recommend:

• Never make checks payable to Cash.
• Order your checks from your bank. Mail-order checks are often less expensive but typically are easier to alter than bank checks.
• Protect deposit slips. A common scam is to deposit worthless checks into your account and get some of the deposit back as cash.
• Review all deposited checks and ensure they are still made out to and endorsed by the original intended party.
• Protect your signature. Use your real signature for checks and important documents; use another for forms, questionnaires and other routine documents.
• Report suspicious transactions to your bank immediately. The sooner the bank is aware of problem, the sooner they can investigate it and take corrective action.

Turns out that the Cadillac Escalade EXT (the large luxury pickup) and the Nissan Maxima are the nation's most stolen passenger vehicles, with theft rates seven to eight times as high as the average for all vehicles. According to the Highway Loss Data Institute for both 2002 and 2003, the Escalade EXT was the most frequently stolen car in America. The popular EXT is both stylish and rugged. However, thieves have found ways to disable the vehicle's anti-theft ignition-immobilizer system. Authorities believe these vehicles are targeted in part because of their pricy accessories and customized wheels and tires. In some instances, the upgrades add tens of thousands of dollars to the vehicle.

The most frequently stolen vehicles:

• Cadillac Escalade EXT, 2002-2003
• Nissan Maxima, 2002-2003
• Cadillac Escalade, 2002-2003
• Dodge Stratus/Chrysler Sebring, 2001-2003
• Dodge Intrepid, 2001-2003

Mitch Altman hates TV. According to the San Francisco inventor, he got the idea for TV-B-Gone ten years ago when out with friends at a restaurant and instead of talking to each other, they were glued to a perched TV. The new keychain gadget lets users zap most televisions whether in an airport, sports bar, or friend's home. The device works like a universal remote, but only turns TVs on or off. With the press of a button it runs through a string of about 200 infrared codes that controls the power of nearly 1000 standard television models. TV-B-Gone is sold through Altman's company CornfieldElectronics.com. Currently it's the firm's only product. It sells for $14.99 plus $4.95 shipping. Altman says, "I didn't know there were so many people who were into turning TV off."

While Google may be the most popular search engine, few users know how to unleash its full potential. In addition to providing easy access to more than 4 billion web pages, Google offers a variety of special features to help users find exactly what they are looking for. Here are just a few of the more useful features:

We asked our security experts to identify the top five security solutions most frequently overlooked by organizations. To our surprise, most of their ideas cost little or nothing to implement. Here's what they suggested:

1. Change computer passwords regularly, at least every thirty days. Insist employees do not share passwords or write them down.
2. Within minutes of terminating an employee, eliminate their access to the organization's computer network and cancel their access card. "Batching" such activities or waiting to process several at a time may save time, but big losses can occur in the meantime. Surveys suggest the first thing a disgruntled employee does after being fired is attempt to access his former employer's computer network.
3. Remove parking signs that identify an employee by name. Experience has shown that workplace aggressors routinely vandalize their target's vehicle when they can easily identify it. Moreover, personalized parking spaces make for perfect ambush sites.
4. Instead of firing an employee, consider allowing them the opportunity to resign instead. Doing so reduces the likelihood an angry employee will return to the premises and cause trouble after their separation.
5. Document, document, document. Employment lawyers' number one complaint when defending employers in actions brought by former employees is the lack of documentation. Keep personal files and investigative files neat and complete.

Risk managers and security professionals have long known that employers suffer greater losses from internal theft, fraud and litigation than from outsiders. According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners 2004 Report to the Nation, internal theft and fraud cost American businesses $660 billion a year. A single incident of harassment, assault, or fraud could cost an organization more than hundreds, if not thousands, of pre-employment background checks. A simple background check can help identify applicants with a criminal past and a propensity to hurt or harm others. What to look for:

• Recent criminal conviction record involving acts of theft, fraud or violence.
• A poor driving record suggesting irresponsibility and disregard for the law.
• The use of a Social Security Number that does not belong to the applicant.
• Gaps in employment and overlapping dates of employment.
• Exaggerated job titles and accomplishments.
• No home phone number (cell number offered instead) and the use of P.O. Box as a home address.
• Falsified credentials or licenses.
• An incomplete job application to which is stapled a résumé.