What should you do if the message comes on your computer?

NEVER call the toll free number provided. DO NOT click on any of the pop up windows. Close the browser, or turn off your computer to get rid of the message.

Be very careful out there!  Beware of people bearing gifts. The following is a recounting of the incident from a victim.

“Last Wednesday I had a phone call late morning from Express Couriers to ask if I was going to be home as he had a delivery for me. He said he would there in roughly an hour. He turned up with a beautiful basket of flowers and wine. I expressed my surprise as I wasn’t expecting anything like this and said I was intrigued to know who was sending me such a lovely gift. He said he was only delivering the gift and the card was being sent separately (the card has never arrived).

There was a consignment note with the gift.

He went on to explain that because the gift contained alcohol he has to charge the recipient $3.50 as proof that he has actually delivered to an adult, and not left it on a door step if the recipient is out, to be stolen or taken by children.

This seemed logical and I offered to get the cash. He then said that the company required the payment to be by Eftpos (short for Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale) so he’s not handling cash and everything is properly accounted for.

Frank was there and got his credit card and ‘John’ swiped the card on this small mobile machine that also had a small screen upon which Frank entered in his pin number. A receipt was printed out and given to us.

Between last Thursday and Monday $4,000 was withdrawn from our credit account at ATM machines in the north shore area. It appears a dummy credit card was made using the details in the machine and of course, they had Frank’s pin number.

The Bank has stopped our cards and I’ve been to the Police this morning, where they confirmed that it is a definite scam and many households were hit during the first 3 days of October.

So PLEASE be wary of accepting a gift you’re not expecting especially if the card is not with it. We’ve all received gifts like this and would never dream that it could be such a despicable act.”

WARNING: Be wary of accepting any “surprise gift or package”, which you neither expected nor personally ordered, especially if it involves any kind of payment as a condition of receiving the gift or package. Also, never accept anything if you do not personally know and/or there is no proper identification of who the sender is.

Most common locations skimmers are used:

- ATM Machines
- Gas pumps
- Retail stores
- Restaurants

Read the Full Article Here

Motives for Catfishing:

- Lonely and dupe others into having online relationships they would never have in real life.
- Attention and sensation seekers who feed off the attention they receive from others and care little about who they hurt in the process.

Read the full Article Here

At home: Keep you financial records, social security and credit cards in a safe place. Shred papers that have your personal information. Take mail out of your mailbox as soon as possible.

On the computer: Use passwords that are not easy to guess. Use numbers and symbols. Do not respond to emails or other messages that ask for personal information. Do not put personal information on a public computer.

In business: Do not give out personal information to someone who calls you on the phone.  Only give your social security number to someone you are sure is legit.

It is a good idea to check your bank, credit card statements and credit report frequently. There are companies like credit karma and credit genie that will let you check your credit as much as you like without affecting your credit score.

Choice Parenting helps parents who are expecting a baby and need to create a childcare plan for their return to work. Helping to decide if daycare, nanny, nanny shares or au pairs are best suited for their families. She also offers how to search for or hire a nanny or nanny share on their own without an agency. In addition, Holly also offers childcare coaching sessions, childcare workshops, nanny training classes, nanny vetting and custom hourly services.

For more information on Holly and the services she offers, go to her website www.choice-parenting.com

The program teaches children of all ages about abduction prevention, internet safety and self preservation. Over the past five years they have brought their workshops to over 75 schools in 7 counties in New York State. Anyone interested in learning more about this worthy foundation, or would like to make a donation, please go to their website at www.carliescrusade.org or call Dominick Magistro or Bob Fisch at 1-800-496-6720.

One of the most insidious aspects of this scam is that the callers have accurate information about the victims, including Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses, employer information, bank account numbers, and names and telephone numbers of relatives and friends. The method by which the fraudsters obtained the personal information is unclear, but victims often relay that they had completed online applications for other loans or credit cards before the calls began.

The fraudsters relentlessly call the victim’s home, cell phone, and place of employment. They refuse to provide to the victims any details of the alleged payday loans and become abusive when questioned. The callers threaten victims with legal actions, arrests, and in some cases physical violence if they refuse to pay. In many cases, the callers even resort to harassment of the victim’s relatives, friends, and employers.

Some fraudsters instruct victims to fax a statement agreeing to pay a certain dollar amount, on a specific date, via prepaid visa card. The statement further declares that the victim would never dispute the debt.

These telephone calls are an attempt to obtain payment by instilling fear in the victims. Do not follow the instructions of the caller.

If you receive telephone calls such as these, you should:

• Contact your banking institutions;

• Contact the three major credit bureaus and request an alert be put on your file;

• Contact your local law enforcement agencies if you feel you are in immediate danger;

File a complaint at www.IC3.gov.

Rental scams occur when the victim has rental property advertised and is contacted by an interested party. Once the rental price is agreed-upon, the scammer forwards a check for the deposit on the rental property to the victim. The check is to cover housing expenses and is, either written in excess of the amount required, with the scammer asking for the remainder to be remitted back, or the check is written for the correct amount, but the scammer backs out of the rental agreement and asks for a refund. Since the banks do not usually place a hold on the funds, the victim has immediate access to them and believes the check has cleared. In the end, the check is found to be counterfeit and the victim is held responsible by the bank for all losses.

Another type of scam involves real estate that is posted via classified advertisement websites. The scammer duplicates postings from legitimate real estate websites and reposts these ads, after altering them. Often, the scammers use the broker’s real name to create a fake e-mail, which gives the fraud more legitimacy. When the victim sends an e-mail through the classified advertisement website inquiring about the home, they receive a response from someone claiming to be the owner. The “owner” claims he and his wife are currently on missionary work in a foreign country. Therefore, he needs someone to rent their home while they are away. If the victim is interested in renting the home, they are asked to send money to the owner in the foreign country.

If you have been a victim of Internet crime, please file a complaint athttp://www.IC3.gov/.

Fraudsters tell victims they won a sweepstakes or lottery, but to receive a lump sum payout, they must pay the taxes and processing fees upfront. Fraudsters direct individuals to call a telephone number to initiate a letter of instructions. The letter alleges that the victim may elect to take an advance on the winnings to make the required upfront payment. The letter includes a check in the amount of the alleged taxes and fees, along with processing instructions. Ultimately, victims believe they are using the advance to make the required upfront payment, but in reality they are falling prey to the scheme.

The victim deposits the check into their own bank, which credits the account for the amount of the check before the check clears. The victim immediately withdraws the money and wires it to the fraudsters. Afterwards, the check proves to be counterfeit and the bank pulls the respective funds from the victim’s account, leaving the victim liable for the amount of the counterfeit check plus any additional fees the bank may charge.

Persons may fall victim to this scheme due to the allure of easy money and the apparent legitimacy of the check the fraudsters include in the letter of instruction. The alleged cash prizes and locations of the financial institutions vary.

Tips to avoid being scammed:

• A federal statute prohibits mailing lottery tickets, advertisements, or payments to purchase tickets in a foreign lottery.

• Be leery if you do not remember entering a lottery or sweepstakes.

• Beware of lotteries or sweepstakes that charge a fee prior to delivering your prize.

• Be wary of demands to send additional money as a requirement to be eligible for future winnings.

If you have been a victim of this type of scam or any other cyber crime, you can report it to the IC3 at www.IC3.gov. The IC3 complaint database links complaints for potential referral to law enforcement for case consideration. Complaint information is also used to identify emerging trends and patterns to alert the public to new criminal schemes.