FAQ
Site Security
Further questions can be E-Mailed to CustomerService@LocatePlus.com
What is a Spoof or a Phishing E-mail?
Phishing e-mails are communications claiming to be sent by a well known company or a company you do business with. These e-mails ask consumers to reply or enter information into a website, with personal information, such as credit card numbers, social security numbers or user ID’s and passwords to secure accounts. "Spoof E-mails", also known as “hoax” or “ phishing” e-mails, fake the appearance of a popular website or company in an attempt to commit identity theft. Unfortunately this practice is occurring more and more frequently throughout the internet.
How can I spot a Spoof/Phishing e-mail?
Reputable companies, or companies with which you do business, would never send e-mails stating that they lost your account information, you won something, or that they have a credit for your account. Phishing e-mails will request that you enter sensitive, personal information such as user ID’s, passwords, or account numbers. A request to click on a link or complete a form within the e-mail is a clear indicator of a spoof e-mail. The link in a spoof e-mail usually links to a website that looks like a legitimate website. For example, a spoof e-mail might take you to www.locatplus.com, rather than the legitimate site, www.locateplus.com. Please note that a spoof e-mail usually includes a forged or phony e-mail address in the "from" line. Be aware that spoof or phishing e-mails can contain key logging or a virus attached to the link. (See FAQ about spyware and adware).
Key logging or Keystroke logging is a program that is capable of capturing your keystrokes. Key logging can be used for malicious purposes, including identity theft. Unfortunately, the person or persons under attack are often unaware that such a program has been installed onto their computer. An unauthorized user can install/maintain a key logging program through spyware, worms, trojans, viruses, software and/or hardware. Once a program is loaded onto a computer, the unauthorized user captures every keystroke, often gaining the ability to steal user ID’s, passwords or other useful information stored within the computer system.
How can I spot a fake website?
The website or link listed in the e-mail and the web address in the address bar will not be the same (i.e. the link in the e-mail says www.locateplus.com, but links you to www.locatplus.com). However, even if the website within a spoof e-mail is correct, by clicking on the link you will send information to an unauthorized third party. The best way to eliminate any potential problems is to type the correct website such as www.locateplus.com into your address bar instead of clicking on the link provided. Do not click on a link in an e-mail if you have any doubts about its origins, especially if the e-mail asks for any type of personal information.
What can I do about spoof e-mails?
Most companies will want a copy of the e-mail including the header information. We suggest you do not delete the e-mail until after you speak with someone at the company in question. Contact the company and ask what their policy is for spoofing or phishing e-mails. At LocatePLUS we ask that you forward a copy of the e-mail including the header information to customerservice@locateplus.com. Upon receipt, our Customer Service Department will respond via e-mail informing you that we received a copy of the spoofed e-mail and header information; once you receive a confirmation, you can delete the e-mail.
How do I get the header information?
Obtaining header information will vary depending on your e-mail program. Your e-mail provider can provide you with the steps necessary to obtain header information. Most companies like LocatePLUS have a Customer Service department that can also provide you with the steps for retrieving header information.
How can I gain control of spoof e-mails?
The good news about Spoof e-mails is that you are in control. By ignoring a spoof e-mail altogether you can protect your personal financial information. However, we do suggest you do not provide any contact, sign-in or other sensitive personal information in an e-mail. Other information on Spoof/ Phishing e-mails: http://www.microsoft.com/security/default.aspx
What is Spyware and Adware?
Adware programs record your Internet history in order to report this information to the programs’ publishers (ex: cell phone companies, travel agents). In turn, these programs send you advertisements for their products. Some Adware programs also report your name, e-mail address, and other personal information. Spyware is a component of Adware that records your personal information and add it to different databases, often resulting in Spam e-mails.
How are pop-ups related to Spyware and Adware?
Many Adware and Spyware programs deliver ads via browser pop-ups, even when not online. Frequent browser pop-ups usually indicate Adware has infected your computer.
Are all Spyware and Adware bad?
Adware offers varying degrees of annoyance. Some Adware merely delivers a small ad banner in a program's interface. Other types of Adware launch pop-up browser windows over pages you're currently viewing. The worst kind of Spyware gathers personal data about you and sends it to a central server. If a Spyware program installs a key logger it can capture and send your keystrokes to a third party potentially exposing your user IDs and passwords to thieves. Some Spyware are trojans, which allow an unauthorized user to log into your computer remotely and use it for his/her own purposes. If this occurs, the unauthorized user can send spam e-mails or launch malicious attacks on other computers directly from your computer.
What can I do to stop Spyware and Adware?
Do not download programs by companies you are not familiar with, avoid downloading shareware and freeware from unknown sites, and do not download illegal, pirated software. You should set your browser security to MEDIUM; setting your browser security to HIGH may blocked you from legitimate websites, including LocatePLUS. If you have questions regarding your browser setting, please contact our Customer Service department. In order to best protect your system, you should install an anti-spyware program onto your computer and scan you system regularly.
Where can I get Anti-Spyware and Adware programs?
There are many locations on the internet that offer different types of anti-spyware and anti-adware programs. Some sites offer trial downloads or free subscriptions to such programs. You should only download these programs from reputable “download websites.” Since different programs detect different types of spyware, we suggest using at least two different anti-spyware programs. We suggest you update these programs regularly.
Is there anything I can do to run these programs safely?
Run anti-spyware and anti-adware programs in safe mode. (To enter Windows in safe mode, press and hold down the "F8 key" while your computer is booting up). Working in safe mode allows the anti-spyware to run on your computer without anything running in the background. (To return to Normal Mode, simply restart the computer and your computer should automatically start in Normal Mode).
Run an anti-virus program monthly at a minimum. There are free versions of anti-virus software available for download on the internet. There are also anti-virus websites that will scan your computer for free; these sites use the latest updates.
Data
Further questions can be E-Mailed to CustomerService@LocatePlus.com
Where do you retrieve the information that is provided in a Person Search summary?
LocatePLUS generates information for the Person Search from many sources, including two out of the three major credit-reporting bureaus, a national bankruptcy and Date of Birth Database.
How do you generate data for the Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Bronze reports?
Our Diamond, Gold, Silver, and Bronze reports include information from two major credit-reporting bureaus and a national bankruptcy and Date of Birth Database, along with information from:
• State Departments of Motor Vehicles
• Court Action Files
• Coast Guard Vessel Records
• Multi-Sourcing Telephone File
Where do you obtain information on Social Security Numbers?
We retrieve information on Social Security Numbers from two of the three major credit-reporting bureaus and the Social Security Death Index.
Where does LocatePLUS retrieve its phone data?
LocatePLUS obtains phone numbers from a multi-sourcing telephone file and two major credit-reporting bureaus. We obtain our Enhanced Phone Search information via gateways, including a telecommunications subsidiary of LocatePLUS. In order to provide comprehensive results, we match the information obtained via gateways against installed files. Our phone data is updated every 15 seconds.
How do you compile information for your offline criminal, civil and driver history reports?
In order to obtain offline records, we’ve established physical resources in each state that we currently offer.
