January is a time for new beginnings, and a time for promises to ourselves that this year will be better, happier and healthier than the last. But why are we so often right back where we started by the time February rolls around?

“Research shows that about 50 percent of the population makes resolutions, and of those people about 50 percent or less stick with them,” says Robert Graham, MD, director of Integrative Health & Wellness at Northwell Health (formerly North Shore-LIJ Health System). “So, at best, only about 25 percent of us are making lasting changes.”

Often, that’s because we make resolutions that are unreasonable. “If you don’t have a realistic target, it’s going to be that much harder to achieve it, and frustrating when you fall short,” he says. So in the spirit of “New Year, New You,” here are three common mistakes not to make when thinking about resolutions – and a few...

You’re sitting at home minding your own business when you get a call from your credit card’s fraud detection unit asking if you’ve just made a purchase at a department store in your city. It wasn’t you who bought expensive electronics using your credit card – in fact, it’s been in your pocket all afternoon. So how did the bank know to flag this single purchase as most likely fraudulent?

Credit card companies have a vested interest in identifying financial transactions that are illegitimate and criminal in nature. The stakes are high. According to the Federal Reserve Payments Study, Americans used credit cards to pay for 26.2 billion purchases in 2012. The estimated loss due to unauthorized transactions that year was US$6.1 billion. The federal Fair Credit Billing Act limits the maximum liability of a credit card owner to $50 for unauthorized transactions, leaving credit card companies...

The recent demonetisation move in India has pushed us to move to a cash-free economy. This shift, which would have otherwise taken three years, is now expected to take just three to six months. Digital payments have also recently hit record transactions.

With digital payments witnessing record transactions and more and more people joining the cashless bandwagon, there is an obvious question on everyone’s mind: are digital transactions safe? The pace of the development and integration of new technologies is much faster than the pace at which security protocols and defence mechanisms are implemented. This is what makes these technologies vulnerable to cyber-fraud. For example, 3.2 million card details were stolen in October in India - making the theft India’s biggest data breach.

Members of India’s new digital economy need to be aware of the vulnerabilities in the digital and mobile...

We have chosen to build our company’s foundations on 4 core values, represented by the 4 bricks of our logo. These values are:

Independence

We are a family business with a single shareholder that guarantees financial stability, independence and responsibility to our clients, our partners and the well-being of our employees.

Know-How and Show How

Historically developed from a leading professional training center, we offer more than standard services by transferring knowledge to our clients during all our missions. Our employees regularly benefit from internal trainings and develop deep expertise and desire to go further on every topics and products.

Commitment and Enthusiasm

We rely on and invest in our employees and our employees are committed to the success of the company. This win-win situation results in a faithful commitment and a strong work ethic leading to personal...

Get Safe Online has issued a warning to Christmas shoppers to be vigilant when it comes to purchasing presents for loved ones online.

The warning comes as recent City of London Police findings show that online crime cost consumers and businesses nearly £11 million last Christmas alone. What’s more, research conducted by Get Safe Online’s partners, Financial Fraud Action UK (FFA UK), found that 31% of online shoppers admit that they are more likely to take a financial risk if an online retailer offers them a bargain.

Get Safe Online is also urging people to report any fraudulent activity they come across over the holiday period. This comes as a staggering 39% of people in a recent survey by the organization, said that they’d been a victim of online crime but hadn’t reported the incident. The research also found a worrying gap in people’s understanding of what constitutes an online...

Technavio analysts forecast the global antivirus software package market to grow at a CAGR of close to 10% during the forecast period, according to their latest report.

The research study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global antivirus software package market for 2016-2020. The report also segments the market based on end-users into home users and corporate users, with corporate users accounting for over 60% of the market share in 2015.

According to Ishmeet Kaur, a lead analyst at Technavio for enterprise application research, “Antivirus software packages are expected to gain maximum traction in APAC during the forecast period as enterprises in this region are highly dependent on the Internet and wireless technologies, which are more vulnerable to data theft and cyber-attacks.”

Technavio ICT analysts highlight the following three factors that are contributing...

Finding your favorite casino games online is easy to do considering the loads of options to choose from. However, in order to make the most of your gambling experience online, it is ideal that you find a casino that offers you the safest, most reliable payment options. Security is an important consideration when trying to choosing an online casino. To make it easier on you, we’ve compiled a listing of the top payment options available through online casinos today. Look out for these options as they ensure your security comes first and that you have the best online gambling experience.

Credit Card

Credit is probably the most widely used form of payment across all online casinos. The great thing about credit card payment options is that you’ll find them at all casinos, so you’ll be able to play at any casino if this is your preferred method. Unfortunately, credit cards aren’t always the...

Changes at the state and federal levels could affect enforcement

While the shock of the national elections continues to be felt, the Coalition is sizing up the likely impact on fraud-fighting.

The biggest concern is whether the Trump administration will continue the federal government’s aggressive stand in combatting healthcare fraud. FBI investigations and Department of Justice prosecutions have helped set records for arrests, convictions and financial recoveries in the last eight years.

Another potential concern is whether repealing the Affordable Care Act will gut anti-fraud programs that were part of the original bill. Medicare has much more capacity and authority to crackdown and prevent healthcare fraud today. Its ability to shut down scams quickly and use the latest technology such as predictive modeling could be in jeopardy.

Republicans also likely will push for interstate...

More common ground needed on reporting, acting on suspected scams

I just returned from the NAIC’s summer meeting. It included the antifraud task force meeting, attended mostly by directors of state insurance fraud bureaus. I also met with insurer SIU directors before the NAIC event.

I felt as if I’d entered a time warp. Discussions at both meetings reminded me of a breakout session I chaired at a Coalition summit more than a decade ago on the status of insurance fraud fighting. SIU directors and fraud bureau directors both attended.

The main discussion by insurers then was about the “black hole” of information sharing. Insurers said they send cases to fraud bureaus for investigation, and never hear a word back. The fraud bureaus contend insurers send them weak cases, or ones not well-vetted.

That’s what I heard last week as well. Insurers seemed at a loss about what happens to their...

Examinations under oath help insurers combat fraud and should be allowed without requiring time-consuming court orders in Kentucky, the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud and National Insurance Crime Bureau say in a joint amicus brief filed today with the state’s highest court.

“This tool benefits insurers and honest claimants by providing a means for determining the circumstance of accidents and the nature of injuries, and an intelligent, well-formed decision as to the applicability of coverage,” the anti-fraud groups say in the brief to the state Supreme Court.

Two Kentucky motorists claimed they were injured in a crash. They sought no-fault benefits, yet refused to take part in an examination under oath (EUO). The state appeals court said the insurer must obtain a court order to conduct the interview. State Farm appealed to Kentucky’s highest court.

EUOs uncover information that...