FREE Copy of ID Theft Book for FCPS Data Breach Victims (and Everyone Else)

By now many have heard about the Frederick County Public Schools data breach in Maryland.

In case you haven't, a list of 20.000 identities, most likely former FCPS students, has been made available for sale on the internet, with a 1,000 identity list available for free as a sample. Unfortunately, as of the time of this article, only the 1,000 former students whose information was released publicly will receive free identity theft monitoring from FCPS. Additionally, this monitoring will only last for one year.

As a cyber security professional, I am very concerned about FCPS only offering protection to students whose identities were offered for free as samples. The 20,000 identity list is being offered for sale for less than a dollar per identity, and as any cyber security professional can tell you, it is safe to assume that any students who were contained in the same database as the 1,000 student sample list, have most likely been victims of the breach as well.

Unfortunately, instead of continuing to work together to identify if additional students were affected by the breach, FCPS and the Maryland State Department of Education are now pointing fingers at each other.

While I cannot fix this issue, or force FCPS and MSDE to cooperate, what I can do is give away free early-access copies of my book, Death by Identity Theft.

If you use the coupon code below "FCPSDataBreach", you will be able to obtain an electronic copy of the book as it is written now, for free. And best of all, once the book is completed, you will receive an electronic copy of the entire book at no additional charge. Right now the book is 80% completed, and I expect to finish the book within a month.

I could try and personally verify if you're a former Frederick County student, but I'd rather not try to personally verify 20,000 people, so click the link below to claim your free copy, even if you aren't a victim of the breach, and you can claim your free copy between now and May 1, 2017.

http://leanpub.com/deathbyidentitytheft/c/FCPSDataBreach

While you're at it, please sign the petition requesting FCPS provide seven years of identity theft monitoring for data breach victims.

It is my hope that this little bit of holiday good-will will help those affected by the breach, as well as help spread awareness of just how serious identity theft truly is.

-Ken

Social Media Presents New Challenges for Businesses

The evolution of social media has created a sense of intimacy that previously did not exist.  As social media networks grew and expanded, that same sense of intimacy skewed the line between personal and professional relationships.  For business owners, this can a catch-22.  There is value in social media marketing, but execution and maintenance can be overwhelming and often leaves more questions than answers when seeking assistance.

Social media networks have completely changed the landscape of advertising.  Sites such as Facebook and Twitter offer free platforms with low cost advertising campaigns, however this form of marketing comes at a cost – your time.

Marketing strategies have also changed.  No longer are consumers swayed by a deal or a sale.  With information at our fingertips, the allure of savings is no longer the determining factor in a purchase.  How then, are businesses to compete for sales?  Simple answer, education.

Business owners are viewed as experts in their given field.  The more given prior to a sale, the greater likelihood of consumers purchasing your product.  Share insights, offer assistance, begin building a relationship before meeting in person.  Consumers today will pay more for the same product if a greater sense of service is perceived.

With the social media platform, business owners have three options for advertising campaigns, going solo, having an employee maintain the page, or hire a company to assist either by counseling or managing your account.

If looking for an outsourcing company for assistance, first ask yourself how much control are you comfortable with giving?  This will determine if a consulting company or management company is best suits you and your business’ needs and then ask questions.  Know what to expect and what you will be receiving for your investment.  Be prepared to answer questions as well; any reputable company will ask for specific information regarding your business and come from an educational stance as well.

Any reputable company should have social media pages to promote what they offer.  Review the pages for professionalism, any grammatical or spelling errors, and educational points or tips.  Look for quality in the company’s page before offering your account.

If you or someone you know may be interested in learning more, please feel free to reach out to me at stephanie@symbioticmarketingllc.com, on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or LinkedIn, or call/text: 717.372.7717.

This is a guest post by Stephanie from Symbiotic Marketing, LLC. BuildLocal.Biz is not responsible for its content or links. BuildLocal.Biz provides space for FREE guest posts to promote your local small business. Click here for details.

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