Identity Theft Reports Jump; Most Attributed to Family
Tracy Kitten, Managing Editor
The majority of identity theft incidents reported by U.S. financial institutions don't relate to phishing attacks and spoofed website pages. According to a new ID theft report from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, most cases of ID theft are linked to a victim's family members or coworkers.
John Summers, a project officer at FinCEN and a lead in FinCEN's report, "Identity Theft: Trends, Patterns and Typologies Reported in Suspicious Activity Reports", says ID theft perpetrated by family, friends and business partners ranked No.1 among SARs filed by U.S. depository institutions in 2009. "In 27.5 percent of the filings, this was the highest," he says. "It basically means someone close to them was getting access to their files and using their information."
Summers says only 3.5 percent of the ID theft incidents reported in SARs related to computer viruses and Trojans, such as Zeus. For vishing and phishing, the incidents reported were even fewer. "The only ones I found were in new data, and it would only come out to .15 percent," he says. "That does not mean those types of attacks did not occur and account for theft and losses. It just means that the victim was not aware and did not report it as a phishing (or vishing) attack."
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=3031&rf=2010-10-26-eb
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
PCI: Smaller Merchants Threatened
Criminals Now Picking Less Compliant Targets
Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor
The Payment Card Industry's Security Standards Council may be doing a good job helping lock down larger retailers, but the smaller "Mom and Pop" merchants are becoming the new targets of cyber criminals, says a PCI expert.
A recent report on PCI compliance by Verizon Business shows some unsettling trends, says Jen Mack, Verizon's director of global PCI consulting services.
Mack says Level 3 and 4 retailers are now being targeted by cyber criminals for the theft of credit card data. Examples of these targets include restaurants in several states that were hit in the past several months -- the latest being one that had its POS system breached in Tallahassee, Fla.
Level 3 merchants are defined by those merchants that have 20,000 or more credit card transactions annually. Level 4 are those that have fewer than 20,000 credit card transactions per year.
The PCI report shows that businesses of every size "are better at planning, doing -- not at checking if they are compliant," says Mack, a former member of the PCI Security Standards Council. The overwhelming majority of data breaches occur because of failures to check things were in place. Despite arguments to the contrary, Mack says "There's no open hole causing data breaches that isn't covered by the PCI standards."
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=3019&rf=2010-10-23-eb
Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor
The Payment Card Industry's Security Standards Council may be doing a good job helping lock down larger retailers, but the smaller "Mom and Pop" merchants are becoming the new targets of cyber criminals, says a PCI expert.
A recent report on PCI compliance by Verizon Business shows some unsettling trends, says Jen Mack, Verizon's director of global PCI consulting services.
Mack says Level 3 and 4 retailers are now being targeted by cyber criminals for the theft of credit card data. Examples of these targets include restaurants in several states that were hit in the past several months -- the latest being one that had its POS system breached in Tallahassee, Fla.
Level 3 merchants are defined by those merchants that have 20,000 or more credit card transactions annually. Level 4 are those that have fewer than 20,000 credit card transactions per year.
The PCI report shows that businesses of every size "are better at planning, doing -- not at checking if they are compliant," says Mack, a former member of the PCI Security Standards Council. The overwhelming majority of data breaches occur because of failures to check things were in place. Despite arguments to the contrary, Mack says "There's no open hole causing data breaches that isn't covered by the PCI standards."
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=3019&rf=2010-10-23-eb
Friday, October 22, 2010
Two Cyberfraud Advisories Issued
Protecting Against Account Takeover, Money Mule Schemes
Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor
An industry group and federal law enforcement agencies have issued a set of much anticipated cyberfraud advisories for businesses and consumers. The two advisories address one of the fastest growing crimes, corporate account takeover, and related fraud, money mule schemes.
The two advisories, Fraud Advisory for Businesses: Corporate Account Take Over, and Fraud Advisory for Consumers: Involvement in Criminal Activity through Work from Home Scams, were issued by the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service and the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
These advisories come just weeks after authorities in the U.S. and Europe arrested more than 100 people involved in a cybercrime gang that was stealing millions from U.S. businesses.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=3023
Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor
An industry group and federal law enforcement agencies have issued a set of much anticipated cyberfraud advisories for businesses and consumers. The two advisories address one of the fastest growing crimes, corporate account takeover, and related fraud, money mule schemes.
The two advisories, Fraud Advisory for Businesses: Corporate Account Take Over, and Fraud Advisory for Consumers: Involvement in Criminal Activity through Work from Home Scams, were issued by the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service and the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
These advisories come just weeks after authorities in the U.S. and Europe arrested more than 100 people involved in a cybercrime gang that was stealing millions from U.S. businesses.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=3023
The Future of Mobile Payments
Solutions are Here, But Security Remains Top Concern
By Tracy Kitten, Managing Editor
Mobile technology is already having a big impact on financial services, from remote banking to mobile payments. The continued proliferation of smart phones is only going to accelerate that impact. Mobile is already revolutionizing the way consumers interact with their financial institutions, and banks have to stay ahead of the technology and the security concerns.
Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Smart Card Alliance, says mobile banking is a given. Payments are now the next frontier, and a number of technologies and services, such as remote deposit capture, are converging to make mobile payments readily accessible to consumers.
"By 2011, we can expect to see more NFC (near-field communications)-enabled devices being rolled out by the handset manufacturers," Vanderhoof says. Once that happens, the connection between the mobile device and contactless payments will be bridged.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=3017&rf=2010-10-19-eb
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Getting To Inbox Zero - How To Stop Drowning In Email
Posted by Nitasha Tiku
Spark Capital's Bijan Sabet doesn't blame you for tweeting when you get to inbox-zero. "It feels good getting to that magical place." Sabet offers a few comment now on his blog, and his savvy followers chime in with their own. For starters: Watch how many e-mails you send out--they tend to invite responses. Delete e-mails you never want to see again. Tweet or blog while you're on vacation--it's more of a deterrent against would-be inbox cloggers than an "out-of-office" auto-responder. And, finally, never get into a serious debate from your inbox.
SoundCloud founder David Noel manages 6 e-mail inboxes for his company. In the comments, he recommends answering immediately then archiving or deleting, marking with a star if you need to follow-up, and only keeping e-mails in your inbox that you intend to answer that day. Turkish VC Cem Sertoglu has started using direct mails on Twitter in lieu of short e-mails. DigiSpeaker owner Jon Smirl says in Gmail, the trick is two inboxes. Set the top one to "is:unread" and the bottom to your normal inbox and filter subscription items so that they are set to archive and bypass your inbox.
To read the entire article, click here -
http://www.inc.com/staff-blog/2010/01/yelp_bags_50_mi.html
Spark Capital's Bijan Sabet doesn't blame you for tweeting when you get to inbox-zero. "It feels good getting to that magical place." Sabet offers a few comment now on his blog, and his savvy followers chime in with their own. For starters: Watch how many e-mails you send out--they tend to invite responses. Delete e-mails you never want to see again. Tweet or blog while you're on vacation--it's more of a deterrent against would-be inbox cloggers than an "out-of-office" auto-responder. And, finally, never get into a serious debate from your inbox.
SoundCloud founder David Noel manages 6 e-mail inboxes for his company. In the comments, he recommends answering immediately then archiving or deleting, marking with a star if you need to follow-up, and only keeping e-mails in your inbox that you intend to answer that day. Turkish VC Cem Sertoglu has started using direct mails on Twitter in lieu of short e-mails. DigiSpeaker owner Jon Smirl says in Gmail, the trick is two inboxes. Set the top one to "is:unread" and the bottom to your normal inbox and filter subscription items so that they are set to archive and bypass your inbox.
To read the entire article, click here -
http://www.inc.com/staff-blog/2010/01/yelp_bags_50_mi.html
Friday, October 15, 2010
Guarding Your Good Name - Protect Your Identity Week Offers Classes, Info and Free Shredding
Posted by Donna Freedman on Friday, October 15, 2010
Almost 10 million Americans were victims of identity theft fraud in 2008, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Apparently you can't be too careful: 16% of the victims knew the person who had committed the crime -- and 6% of the time it was a family member.
How can you avoid being ripped off?
The third annual Protect Your Identity Week is a good start. Oct. 17-23, you can avail yourself of:
Document shredding. Cell phone recycling. Credit report reviews.
Short seminars such as "Avoid Scams and Fraud," "Protect Your Identity," "Keeping Your ID Safe on the Internet" and "Get Smart About Credit."
To read the entire article, click here - http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SmartSpending/blog/page.aspx?post=1816442&_blg=1,1816391
Almost 10 million Americans were victims of identity theft fraud in 2008, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Apparently you can't be too careful: 16% of the victims knew the person who had committed the crime -- and 6% of the time it was a family member.
How can you avoid being ripped off?
The third annual Protect Your Identity Week is a good start. Oct. 17-23, you can avail yourself of:
Document shredding. Cell phone recycling. Credit report reviews.
Short seminars such as "Avoid Scams and Fraud," "Protect Your Identity," "Keeping Your ID Safe on the Internet" and "Get Smart About Credit."
To read the entire article, click here - http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SmartSpending/blog/page.aspx?post=1816442&_blg=1,1816391
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
FTC: No Major PHR Breaches So Far
Only Incidents Listed Are Lost or Stolen Credentials
October 11, 2010 - Howard Anderson, Managing Editor, HealthcareInfoSecurity.com
In the year since the breach notification rule for personal health records took effect, no major breaches affecting 500 or more individuals have been reported, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
A personal health record is an "electronic record of identifiable health information on an individual that can be drawn from multiple sources and that is managed, shared and controlled by or primarily for the individual," according to the FTC.
Last year, the FTC issued a PHR breach notification rule, as called for under the HITECH Act. Under the rule, which took effect Sept. 24, 2009, major breaches must be reported to the FTC within 10 business days. PHR vendors, and certain companies with which they do business, must report any size breach to the individuals affected within 60 days. But they only have to report the smaller incidents to the FTC annually, 60 days after the start of the calendar year.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.govinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=2996&rf=2010-10-12-eg
October 11, 2010 - Howard Anderson, Managing Editor, HealthcareInfoSecurity.com
In the year since the breach notification rule for personal health records took effect, no major breaches affecting 500 or more individuals have been reported, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
A personal health record is an "electronic record of identifiable health information on an individual that can be drawn from multiple sources and that is managed, shared and controlled by or primarily for the individual," according to the FTC.
Last year, the FTC issued a PHR breach notification rule, as called for under the HITECH Act. Under the rule, which took effect Sept. 24, 2009, major breaches must be reported to the FTC within 10 business days. PHR vendors, and certain companies with which they do business, must report any size breach to the individuals affected within 60 days. But they only have to report the smaller incidents to the FTC annually, 60 days after the start of the calendar year.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.govinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=2996&rf=2010-10-12-eg
How to Evaluate Your Social Media Team
By Cindy Vanegas
Published October 11, 2010
FOXBusiness
After two expensive and lackluster contracts with so-called “social media specialists,” Kathy Costello was ready to abandon her foray into social media.
“We hired one company that was going to set up SEO [search engine optimization] and help us with social media,” recalled Costello, the founder of KCB Accounting Solutions. “We spent close to $1,000. They wanted money up-front and a monthly retainer. I didn’t see anything tangible so we left them. I met with another group--everything they said sounded good, but I didn’t really understand what they were doing.”
As social media gains traction, small business owners are forced to keep up with trends to generate customers and drive revenue. But in a world where everyone claims to be a social media expert, how does a business owner avoid costly mistakes?
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.foxsmallbusinesscenter.com/entrepreneurs/2010/10/11/evaluate-social-media-team/
Published October 11, 2010
FOXBusiness
After two expensive and lackluster contracts with so-called “social media specialists,” Kathy Costello was ready to abandon her foray into social media.
“We hired one company that was going to set up SEO [search engine optimization] and help us with social media,” recalled Costello, the founder of KCB Accounting Solutions. “We spent close to $1,000. They wanted money up-front and a monthly retainer. I didn’t see anything tangible so we left them. I met with another group--everything they said sounded good, but I didn’t really understand what they were doing.”
As social media gains traction, small business owners are forced to keep up with trends to generate customers and drive revenue. But in a world where everyone claims to be a social media expert, how does a business owner avoid costly mistakes?
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.foxsmallbusinesscenter.com/entrepreneurs/2010/10/11/evaluate-social-media-team/
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
How Identity Theft Happens: Small Business is Big Profit
From Jerri Ledford, former About.com Guide
Jennifer and Rick took over the company that their father built from the ground up. In the years they’ve worked at and owned the company, they’ve grown it by offering compliance services in the transportation industry. On a daily basis, they struggle with Department of Transportation regulations, transportation tax issues, and myriad other details of owning the business. What they never dreamed they would have to deal with was identity theft.
Business identity theft is growing at an astounding rate. And many small and medium-sized businesses just don’t realize how at risk they are. Take Jennifer and Rick’s company for example. It’s a small company, with less than ten employees and a few hundred customers. Why would an identity thief be interested in them?
To read the entire article, click here - http://idtheft.about.com/od/businessidtheft/a/smallbizidtheft.htm
Jennifer and Rick took over the company that their father built from the ground up. In the years they’ve worked at and owned the company, they’ve grown it by offering compliance services in the transportation industry. On a daily basis, they struggle with Department of Transportation regulations, transportation tax issues, and myriad other details of owning the business. What they never dreamed they would have to deal with was identity theft.
Business identity theft is growing at an astounding rate. And many small and medium-sized businesses just don’t realize how at risk they are. Take Jennifer and Rick’s company for example. It’s a small company, with less than ten employees and a few hundred customers. Why would an identity thief be interested in them?
To read the entire article, click here - http://idtheft.about.com/od/businessidtheft/a/smallbizidtheft.htm
Cybersecurity as a Catalyst for Economic Growth
Lessons from Sputnik: Producing Benefits Beyond Safeguarding IT
Eric Chabrow, Executive Editor, GovInfoSecurity.com
Fear is a great motivator. Fear helped the United States overtake the Soviet Union in the space race after the launch of Sputnik in the late 1950s. Americans feared our Cold War adversaries would conquer space, so the United States invested heavily, not only in technology, but in educating our young citizens in math and science to challenge the Soviets.
"We were really pretty far behind and we were kind of surprised that the Soviet Union was so far ahead in science and technology," Patrick Gorman, former associate director of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said in an interview with GovInfoSecurity.com (transcript below).
The return on that investment, just over a decade later, resulted in the United States landing men on the moon. And, the investments produced additional benefits such as the creation of the IT industry and other technological advancements unrelated to space.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.govinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=2982&rf=2010-10-06-eg
Eric Chabrow, Executive Editor, GovInfoSecurity.com
Fear is a great motivator. Fear helped the United States overtake the Soviet Union in the space race after the launch of Sputnik in the late 1950s. Americans feared our Cold War adversaries would conquer space, so the United States invested heavily, not only in technology, but in educating our young citizens in math and science to challenge the Soviets.
"We were really pretty far behind and we were kind of surprised that the Soviet Union was so far ahead in science and technology," Patrick Gorman, former associate director of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, said in an interview with GovInfoSecurity.com (transcript below).
The return on that investment, just over a decade later, resulted in the United States landing men on the moon. And, the investments produced additional benefits such as the creation of the IT industry and other technological advancements unrelated to space.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.govinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=2982&rf=2010-10-06-eg
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Is CyberScope Ready for Prime Time?
Survey: Most Agencies Had Yet to Employ FISMA Reporting Tool
Eric Chabrow, Executive Editor, GovInfoSecurity.com
If you're a federal CIO or CISO, you either love CyberScope or are ignorant about it.
That's the takeaway of a survey published Monday by six IT security vendors on CyberScope, the automated FISMA reporting tool unveiled a year ago by Federal Chief Information Office Vivek Kundra. Major federal departments and agencies are to employ CyberScope by Nov. 15 to report on how they have complied this past year with the requirements of the Federal Information Security Management Act, the law that governs cybersecurity in the federal government, according to a memo issued by Kundra and White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt in April.
Only 15 percent of the 34 federal chief information and chief information security officers surveyed in July had used CyberScope. Those CIOs and CISOs grave CyberScope a grade of A or B.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.govinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=2978&rf=2010-10-05-eg
Eric Chabrow, Executive Editor, GovInfoSecurity.com
If you're a federal CIO or CISO, you either love CyberScope or are ignorant about it.
That's the takeaway of a survey published Monday by six IT security vendors on CyberScope, the automated FISMA reporting tool unveiled a year ago by Federal Chief Information Office Vivek Kundra. Major federal departments and agencies are to employ CyberScope by Nov. 15 to report on how they have complied this past year with the requirements of the Federal Information Security Management Act, the law that governs cybersecurity in the federal government, according to a memo issued by Kundra and White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt in April.
Only 15 percent of the 34 federal chief information and chief information security officers surveyed in July had used CyberScope. Those CIOs and CISOs grave CyberScope a grade of A or B.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.govinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=2978&rf=2010-10-05-eg
Zeus Arrests Won't End Fraud
Experts: Law Enforcement Won a Battle, Not the War
Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor
Authorities in the U.S. and Europe last week made a sweeping set of arrests, disrupting a large-scale, international cybercrime operation tied to the malware called "Zeus."
U.S. officials have charged 92 suspects believed to have been involved in cyber attacks that stole $70 million from bank accounts over the last four years. Meanwhile, authorities in London arrested 19 people who allegedly stole more than $9 million in just over three months using the same malware. Police in the Ukraine arrested five suspects on September 30.
But will 116 arrests make a dent into the international banking fraud being perpetrated via Zeus? Don't get your hopes up, say industry experts.
"While these arrests may make some think twice," says Robert Siciliano, an identity theft expert and McAfee consultant, "the vast majority of criminal enterprises will keep pursuing the millions to be made from flawed security systems."
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=2972&rf=2010-10-05-eb
Linda McGlasson, Managing Editor
Authorities in the U.S. and Europe last week made a sweeping set of arrests, disrupting a large-scale, international cybercrime operation tied to the malware called "Zeus."
U.S. officials have charged 92 suspects believed to have been involved in cyber attacks that stole $70 million from bank accounts over the last four years. Meanwhile, authorities in London arrested 19 people who allegedly stole more than $9 million in just over three months using the same malware. Police in the Ukraine arrested five suspects on September 30.
But will 116 arrests make a dent into the international banking fraud being perpetrated via Zeus? Don't get your hopes up, say industry experts.
"While these arrests may make some think twice," says Robert Siciliano, an identity theft expert and McAfee consultant, "the vast majority of criminal enterprises will keep pursuing the millions to be made from flawed security systems."
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.bankinfosecurity.com/articles.php?art_id=2972&rf=2010-10-05-eb
Monday, October 4, 2010
Fresh-Faced Kids on FBI's Wanted Poster
By Linda McGlasson
A heartrending aspect of the sophisticated bank fraud scheme broken up by federal authorities Thursday are the faces of those still wanted by the FBI: They all look like fresh-faced college kids. Willie Sutton and Ma Barker they're not.
Of the 37, authorities say they're still seeking 17, all from eastern Europe. Take a look at the FBI wanted poster.
To read the entire article, click here - http://blogs.govinfosecurity.com/posts.php?postID=736&rf=2010-10-04-eg
A heartrending aspect of the sophisticated bank fraud scheme broken up by federal authorities Thursday are the faces of those still wanted by the FBI: They all look like fresh-faced college kids. Willie Sutton and Ma Barker they're not.
Of the 37, authorities say they're still seeking 17, all from eastern Europe. Take a look at the FBI wanted poster.
To read the entire article, click here - http://blogs.govinfosecurity.com/posts.php?postID=736&rf=2010-10-04-eg
80% of Poor Lack Civil Legal Aid, Study Says
By Evelyn Nieves
Washington Post Staff Writer
At least 80 percent of low-income Americans who need civil legal assistance do not receive any, in part because legal aid offices in this country are so stretched that they routinely turn away qualified prospective clients, a new study shows.
Roughly 1 million cases per year are being rejected because legal aid programs lack the resources to handle them, according to the study, "Documenting the Justice Gap in America," by the Legal Services Corp. (LSC), which funds 143 legal aid programs across the country.
The 1 million cases do not include the many qualified people who do not ask a legal aid program for help -- because they do not know the programs exist, they do not know they qualify or they assume that the help is not available to them, the study shows. Nor does the figure include people who received some service -- including simple advice -- but not the level of service that they actually need, the study found.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/14/AR2005101401861.html
Washington Post Staff Writer
At least 80 percent of low-income Americans who need civil legal assistance do not receive any, in part because legal aid offices in this country are so stretched that they routinely turn away qualified prospective clients, a new study shows.
Roughly 1 million cases per year are being rejected because legal aid programs lack the resources to handle them, according to the study, "Documenting the Justice Gap in America," by the Legal Services Corp. (LSC), which funds 143 legal aid programs across the country.
The 1 million cases do not include the many qualified people who do not ask a legal aid program for help -- because they do not know the programs exist, they do not know they qualify or they assume that the help is not available to them, the study shows. Nor does the figure include people who received some service -- including simple advice -- but not the level of service that they actually need, the study found.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/14/AR2005101401861.html
Lack of State Legal Aid Funding Called 'Justice Gap'
By Derrick Nunnally of the Journal Sentinel
In a report released Friday, a State Bar committee indicted Wisconsin for what it labeled a "justice gap" in civil courts caused by not providing any state funding while most other states do so.
The study surveyed 1,122 low-income households and reports that because Wisconsin spends no state money funding its civil legal services, an estimated 80% of Wisconsin's poorest households facing legal difficulty - such as foreclosure, consumer-finance lawsuits or problems with public benefits and schools - can't get a lawyer even through Legal Aid and other non-profits that focus on this situation.
"They do not have the resources to provide services to all the people who are coming to them for help," said Rachel A. Schneider, an attorney with Quarles & Brady and vice-chair of the committee that made the study.
The number, the study says, means more than 500,000 Wisconsinites have to face "significant legal troubles" without legal help. The problem would take from $16 million to $40 million to adequately address, study backers said Friday.
Other states have been trying to address the situation - in the Midwest, Ohio spends $14 million on legal services for the poor, compared with $12 million spent by Minnesota, $7 million by Michigan, and $3 million by Illinois (with $2 million more proposed). Wisconsin has not yet spent money on the problem, though Gov. Jim Doyle's proposed budget allocates $1 million for it. Only five other states don't spend public money on civil legal aid: Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, South Dakota and Wyoming.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/29387784.html
In a report released Friday, a State Bar committee indicted Wisconsin for what it labeled a "justice gap" in civil courts caused by not providing any state funding while most other states do so.
The study surveyed 1,122 low-income households and reports that because Wisconsin spends no state money funding its civil legal services, an estimated 80% of Wisconsin's poorest households facing legal difficulty - such as foreclosure, consumer-finance lawsuits or problems with public benefits and schools - can't get a lawyer even through Legal Aid and other non-profits that focus on this situation.
"They do not have the resources to provide services to all the people who are coming to them for help," said Rachel A. Schneider, an attorney with Quarles & Brady and vice-chair of the committee that made the study.
The number, the study says, means more than 500,000 Wisconsinites have to face "significant legal troubles" without legal help. The problem would take from $16 million to $40 million to adequately address, study backers said Friday.
Other states have been trying to address the situation - in the Midwest, Ohio spends $14 million on legal services for the poor, compared with $12 million spent by Minnesota, $7 million by Michigan, and $3 million by Illinois (with $2 million more proposed). Wisconsin has not yet spent money on the problem, though Gov. Jim Doyle's proposed budget allocates $1 million for it. Only five other states don't spend public money on civil legal aid: Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, South Dakota and Wyoming.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/29387784.html
Saturday, October 2, 2010
7 Resources to Learn to Grow a Business Online
by
Learn the basics of what search engine optimization is and how it can lead to vast amounts of targeted traffic at ridiculously low prices. SEO is how online businesses drive organic traffic (non-paid) and will always be an important asset that a web property can build up. SEOMoz’s guide is an excellent, and thorough, resource that is by far the best introductory piece on everything SEO related.
Google’s AdWords Beginners Guide
Google AdWords is the industry standard in pay per click advertising platforms. What is PPC you ask? Ever notice the ads around the results on Google when you do a search for something commercial? Advertiser pay for visitors based on the number of clicks (creative name, eh?). Many businesses can produce awesome marketing ROI’s with pay per click advertising. This tutorial gives the basics of how to get rolling and how to start a campaign–straight from the horse’s mouth.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.smallbusinessarena.com/7-resources-to-grow-a-business-online/#more-297
Learn the basics of what search engine optimization is and how it can lead to vast amounts of targeted traffic at ridiculously low prices. SEO is how online businesses drive organic traffic (non-paid) and will always be an important asset that a web property can build up. SEOMoz’s guide is an excellent, and thorough, resource that is by far the best introductory piece on everything SEO related.
Google’s AdWords Beginners Guide
Google AdWords is the industry standard in pay per click advertising platforms. What is PPC you ask? Ever notice the ads around the results on Google when you do a search for something commercial? Advertiser pay for visitors based on the number of clicks (creative name, eh?). Many businesses can produce awesome marketing ROI’s with pay per click advertising. This tutorial gives the basics of how to get rolling and how to start a campaign–straight from the horse’s mouth.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.smallbusinessarena.com/7-resources-to-grow-a-business-online/#more-297
Friday, October 1, 2010
Does My Local Business Really Need a Website? Small Business Website Myths Revealed
By Mark Kolier
When was the last time you used the yellow pages or any kind of phone book? We all have them (many of them) and there are times when it can be convenient -- if you know exactly what you are looking for. Hopefully you will even find a few worthwhile listings. But the ease of internet search (particularly Google and Yahoo) means that fewer people are using printed books when searching for products and services. So why would you continue putting your efforts and marketing dollars into advertising there?
The American economy, in times both good and bad, is driven by the success of small business. Yet so many small businesses do not have a good searchable website, or worse they have no website at all! I know that small business owners are among the busiest people, and I have heard some claim they do not have the time or financial wherewithal to develop a good website. This is a BIG mistake! Customers are continually searching the internet looking for products and services.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.smartbiz.com/article/articleview/2514/1/42
When was the last time you used the yellow pages or any kind of phone book? We all have them (many of them) and there are times when it can be convenient -- if you know exactly what you are looking for. Hopefully you will even find a few worthwhile listings. But the ease of internet search (particularly Google and Yahoo) means that fewer people are using printed books when searching for products and services. So why would you continue putting your efforts and marketing dollars into advertising there?
The American economy, in times both good and bad, is driven by the success of small business. Yet so many small businesses do not have a good searchable website, or worse they have no website at all! I know that small business owners are among the busiest people, and I have heard some claim they do not have the time or financial wherewithal to develop a good website. This is a BIG mistake! Customers are continually searching the internet looking for products and services.
To read the entire article, click here - http://www.smartbiz.com/article/articleview/2514/1/42
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