The Federal Trade Commission’s Free Credit Reports Rule will require new prominent disclosures in advertisements for “free credit reports.” For example, any Web site offering free credit reports must include a disclosure, across the top of each page that mentions free credit reports, which states:

THIS NOTICE IS REQUIRED BY LAW. Read more at FTC.GOV.
You have the right to a free credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com
or 877-322-8228, the ONLY authorized source under federal law.

The Web site disclosure must include a clickable button to “Take me to the authorized source” and clickable links to AnnualCreditReport.com and FTC.GOV.

The Credit CARD Act of 2009 requires the Commission to issue a rule by February 22, 2010, to prevent deceptive marketing of “free credit reports.” Specifically, the Act requires that certain advertisements for “free credit reports” include prominent disclosures designed to prevent consumers from confusing these “free” offers with the federally mandated free annual credit reports available through the “centralized source,” which is AnnualCreditReport.com, or 877-322-8228. The Credit CARD Act of 2009 requires a slightly different disclosure between now until April 1: “Free credits reports are available under Federal law at: AnnualCreditReport.com.”

The FTC proposed amending the Rule in October 2009 and received more than one thousand comments from consumers, consumer reporting agencies, consumer report resellers, business and trade organizations, state attorneys general, consumer advocates, law firms, members of Congress, and academics.

The amended Rule also restricts practices that might confuse or mislead consumers as they try to get their federally mandated free annual credit reports. For example, the amended Rule requires nationwide consumer reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – to delay any advertising for products or services on AnnualCreditReport.com until after consumers get their free credit reports.

The amended Rule is effective April 1, 2010, except for the wording of the disclosures for television and radio advertisements, which takes effect on September 1, 2010. The FTC will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the amended Rule and the required disclosures, and will consider additional changes as necessary.

The amended Rule can be found on the Commission’s Web site as a link to this press release and will soon be published in the Federal Register. The Commission vote authorizing the publication of the Federal Register notice was 4-0.

Information in credit reports may affect whether consumers can get a loan or a job, so it is important that consumers check their credit reports and correct any information that is inaccurate. Each of the nationwide credit reporting companies is required to provide consumers with a free copy of their credit reports once every 12 months upon request. Consumers can learn more about their right to a free credit report under federal law at ftc.gov/freereports.

For more information, go to FTC.gov.

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This column is provided for general information purposes only. Please check with your local law enforcement agency and legal professional for information specific to you and your jurisdiction.

The information in this article is provided “as is”, with all faults, expressed or implied. The author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder makes no guarantee regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information. In no event shall the author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder be liable for any incidental or consequential damages, punitive damages, lost profits, and/or any indirect damages.

Masked men jumped from the vehicle, shattered the salesman’s driver-side window and held him while their accomplices smashed the back window and grabbed two suitcases containing gems worth $3.7 million.

The lightning-fast robbery was just another day’s work for gangs of thieves—mostly Colombian nationals in the U.S. illegally — who prey on traveling jewelry salesman. A number of these theft groups operate around the country, and our jewelry and gem program was established in 1992 to help combat the problem.

“This type of theft is something of a unique crime category for the FBI,” said Special Agent Frank Aimaro, who supervises our Jewelry and Gem Task Force in Los Angeles in conjunction with the Los Angeles Police Department. “It’s a serious issue, resulting in substantial losses.” (The Jewelers’ Security Alliance trade group estimates that crimes against U.S. jewelry firms last year resulted in losses of nearly $100 million.)

The lightning-fast robbery was just another day’s work for gangs of thieves—mostly Colombian nationals in the U.S. illegally—who prey on traveling jewelry salesman. A number of these theft groups operate around the country, and our jewelry and gem program was established in 1992 to help combat the problem.

“This type of theft is something of a unique crime category for the FBI,” said Special Agent Frank Aimaro, who supervises our Jewelry and Gem Task Force in Los Angeles in conjunction with the Los Angeles Police Department. “It’s a serious issue, resulting in substantial losses.” (The Jewelers’ Security Alliance trade group estimates that crimes against U.S. jewelry firms last year resulted in losses of nearly $100 million.)

The thieves are bold and cagey. Working in groups, they use phony identities, rental cars, and sophisticated surveillance techniques. When they rob, they would rather not be violent, but they will resort to violence if necessary. “They will do whatever it takes to get the jewels,” Aimaro said, adding that the robberies and carjackings aren’t glamorous in the way often portrayed by Hollywood.

The Los Angeles group that pulled off the 2009 Ohio robbery usually commits about 45 heists a year and net about $15 million, Aimaro said. “And that’s just the L.A. crew. You also have crews from New York, Miami, Houston, and Chicago.” The thieves fence stolen gems for 20 cents on the dollar, he added, “and they have no problem getting rid of the stuff.”

When they are not planning thefts from the many jewelry merchants who carry their inventory to trade shows and other venues, the crews steal expensive laptop computers or rob bank customers of large withdrawals or deposits. And their girlfriends are often engaged in high-volume shoplifting, known as boosting. “They are always doing something criminal,” Aimaro said.

What the L.A. crew hadn’t counted on during the Ohio robbery was that the salesman had a gun under the front seat of his car. As the robbers made their getaway in a rented Chrysler 300, the salesman fired seven shots, several of which hit the car.

When police later found the abandoned vehicle, they also discovered that one of the thieves had left a wallet behind with a Los Angeles driver’s license. That’s when Aimaro and the task force got involved. Aimaro recognized the thief’s picture, even though the license was a fake. From that information, agents were able to track the crew to New Jersey—they were planning to fence the jewels in New York City.

Three days after the heist, detectives from the Westerville (Ohio) Police Department and sheriff’s deputies from Passaic County, New Jersey arrested the six robbers in a New Jersey hotel. All the jewelry was recovered and all six later pled guilty and are currently in jail.

Special Agent Kristin Cadieux, who worked the case out of our Columbus office, said the quick capture of the thieves and the recovery of the gems was possible because of the L.A. task force. “Their expertise was invaluable,” she said.

For more information, go to FBI.gov.

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This column is provided for general information purposes only. Please check with your local law enforcement agency and legal professional for information specific to you and your jurisdiction.

The information in this article is provided “as is”, with all faults, expressed or implied. The author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder makes no guarantee regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information. In no event shall the author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder be liable for any incidental or consequential damages, punitive damages, lost profits, and/or any indirect damages.

1 — Allow plenty of time for the trip, listen to soothing music, improve the comfort in your vehicle, and understand that you cannot control the traffic, only your reaction to it. In the end, we may very well discover that personal frustration, anger, and impatience may be the most dangerous “drugs” on the highway.

2 — Be polite and courteous, even if the other driver is not. Avoid all conflict if possible. If another driver challenges you, take a deep breath and move out of the way. Never underestimate the other driver’s capacity for mayhem.

3 — When entering traffic or changing lanes, make sure that you have enough room.

4 — Make sure you have established a safe following distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you.

5 — Don’t make aggressive hand gestures to the other drivers when they offend you with their driving.

6 — Signal when turning or changing lanes.

7 — Control your anger; remember it takes two to start a fight.

8 — Avoid prolonged eye contact with the bad or angry driver.

9 — Get help. Call police on your mobile phone or go to a public telephone or place. Don’t pull to the side of the road.

10 — Forget about winning. No one wins in a highway crash.

11 — Put yourself in the other driver’s shoes. They may be driving that way because of an actual emergency!

For more information, go to the Washington State Patrol’s website at WSP.WA.gov.

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This column is provided for general information purposes only. Please check with your local law enforcement agency and legal professional for information specific to you and your jurisdiction.

The information in this article is provided “as is”, with all faults, expressed or implied. The author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder makes no guarantee regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information. In no event shall the author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder be liable for any incidental or consequential damages, punitive damages, lost profits, and/or any indirect damages.

with

Bruce Mandelblit

With the economy slowing and hopefully improving, even more people this year are expected to travel across the country by car, plane, and train in search of fun and good times.

Unfortunately, thieves and thugs will use our hard-earned vacation time as an opportunity for their nasty crimes. Here are suggestions from security and law enforcement professionals to help make your vacation and travel more secure:

1. Before you leave for vacation, tell a trusted neighbor of your travel plans, and leave a telephone number where you can be reached in case of an emergency.

2. Ask the neighbor pick up your daily mail and newspaper deliveries, as well as any advertising fliers and circulars that land on your doorstep.

Quick Security Tip: If possible, perhaps the neighbor also can park a vehicle in your driveway.

3. In general, reveal your vacation plans only to those who really need to know and you trust. Never leave your travel details on your answering machine’s message.

Quick Security Tip: Always keep your garage door closed and locked. This is one of the most common ways burglars enter homes.

4. Use automatic timers to turn your lights and radio on and off at varying times while you are gone. A good idea is to tune your radio to a talk show rather than a music station.

5. Carry traveler’s checks or credit cards — not large amounts of cash. Also, leave all your jewelry, airline tickets, and other valuables in a secure room safe or the hotel’s safety deposit box. Be sure to have a written record of your traveler’s checks and credit card numbers — and keep them in a safe place — in case they are lost or stolen.

6. When staying at a hotel or motel, if possible, never leave your luggage unattended.

Quick Security Tip: It is a common tactic of thieves to use a “distraction” to steal your valuables while you are at the airport or while you are checking in.

7. When you get to your hotel room, determine the best routes to the stairs and fire escapes in case of an emergency.

8. Never open your door automatically. Most hotel room doors have peepholes; use them to see who’s there. If you have any doubt about the person’s identity, contact the front desk for verification. Also, be sure to report to the front desk, hotel security, and police any suspicious people or activities you may observe.

9. When you leave your room, even briefly, always lock the door. And, as you did with your house before you left for your vacation travel, leave a light and radio/TV on before you leave your hotel room for the evening.

Quick Security Tip: Make sure you know the proper emergency number to call for a police, fire, or medical emergency (in most areas within the United States, the number is 9-1-1, but there still may be a few locations where they do not use that, so be sure to check.)

10. While enjoying you vacation travel, you can never be too aware, too prepared, or too careful.

My Final Thoughts: Never put your “common sense” on vacation. Sound and prudent judgment is often your best tool in making your vacation and travel as enjoyable and secure as possible. So forget about the high gas prices for a few days, and have a fun — and safe — summer vacation.

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Copyright 2010 by Bruce Mandelblit

Bruce is a nationally known security and safety journalist, as well as a recently retired, highly decorated reserve law enforcement officer.

Bruce blogs on www.CrimeZilla.com.

This column is provided for general information purposes only. Please check with your local law enforcement agency and legal professional for information specific to you and your jurisdiction.

The information in this article is provided “as is”, with all faults, expressed or implied. The author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder makes no guarantee regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information. In no event shall the author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder be liable for any incidental or consequential damages, punitive damages, lost profits, and/or any indirect damages.

If a telemarketer or an internet website asks for your checking account number or other printed information on your check, do not provide that information unless you initiated the call or contact, or are already familiar with the company.

How the scam works ………

You may either receive a postcard, a telephone call or an email saying you have won a free prize or can qualify for a major credit card, regardless of past credit problems. If you acknowledge the offer, you may be subjected to a sales pitch, during which you may be asked to provide the numbers at the bottom of your check. You may not be told why this information is needed or you may be told the information will help ensure you qualify for the offer.

Once your checking account information has been provided, it is put on a “demand draft” and sent to the bank for payment. The draft contains your name, account number and amount and does not require your signature. When your bank receives the draft, the stated amount is withdrawn from your account and paid to the scammer’s bank. You may not realize this has occurred until you receive your next bank statement.

How to protect yourself ……….

• Do not give your checking account number over the phone in response to solicitations from unknown people.
• Beware of offers that sound too good to be true, especially offers that require your checking account number.
• Ask to review the company’s offer in writing before you agree to a purchase.

What to do if you are a victim ………

If a telemarketer has issued a draft against your checking account without your knowledge or permission or the amount is more than you authorized, contact your bank immediately. Depending on the timing and the circumstances, you may be able to get your money back.

To file a complaint ………
You may contact your local Better Business Bureau or you may file a complaint with the FTC by writing to: Correspondence Branch, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 20580. You may also contact the National Fraud Information Center at 1-800-876-7060. If the company is out of state, you may wish to call the appropriate agencies and authorities in the state where the company maintains its headquarters.

For more information, go to myfloridalegal.com.

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This column is provided for general information purposes only. Please check with your local law enforcement agency and legal professional for information specific to you and your jurisdiction.

The information in this article is provided “as is”, with all faults, expressed or implied. The author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder makes no guarantee regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information. In no event shall the author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder be liable for any incidental or consequential damages, punitive damages, lost profits, and/or any indirect damages.

Before you click, though, know this: few Internet security companies use ads to tell you about a virus on your computer. Most of these pop-ups are scams, and it’s one of the fastest-growing types of Internet fraud today.

These scams have a name. They’re called “scareware” because they try to frighten you into purchasing fake antivirus software with a seemingly genuine security warning. But if you do try to buy this program, it will either do nothing…or it could compromise your computer by installing malicious software onto your system. And in some instances, you don’t even have to click on the pop-up box…the software downloads automatically.

Cyber criminals often use notorious botnets—networks of compromised computers under their control—to push out their software. They’ll also masquerade as legitimate Internet security companies and buy ads on other websites—called “malvertising”—but when consumers click on the ads to purchase the products, they are redirected to websites controlled by the bad guys.

Many of these criminals operate outside the U.S., making investigations difficult and complex for the FBI and its partners. But we’ve had successes—just this past May, for example, three people were charged in Illinois in connection with a scheme that caused Internet users in more than 60 countries, including the U.S., to buy more than $100 million worth of bogus scareware software.

Two of the defendants, including an American, are accused of running an overseas company that claimed to sell antivirus and computer performance/repair software over the Internet. A third man operated the company’s Cincinnati call center, which was responsible for technical and billing support to its customers (but in reality deflected complaints from consumers who realized the software didn’t work).

According to the indictment, proceeds from the sales of the software (which was typically purchased by credit card) were deposited into bank accounts controlled by the defendants and others throughout the world and then quickly transferred to accounts in Europe.

In addition to the consumers victimized by the scam, a number of legitimate companies tricked into selling ad space on their websites for the bogus software were allegedly defrauded of about $85,000 in unpaid fees. 

Don’t let it happen to you. Here are a few words of advice on scareware.

How to spot a scareware scam:

• Does the pop-up use “non-clickable” icons? To build authenticity into their software, scareware will show a list of reputable icons—like those of software companies or security publications. However, the user can’t click through to the sites to see the actual reviews or recommendations.
• Is the pop-up ad hard to close? Scareware pop-ups employ aggressive techniques and will not close easily after clicking the “close” or “X” button.
• Have you heard of the software before? Cyber criminals use easy-to-remember names like Virus Shield, Antivirus, or VirusRemover.

How to protect yourself from scareware: Make sure your computer is fully protected by legitimate, up-to-date antivirus software.

If you think you’ve been victimized by scareware: File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

For more information, go to FBI.gov.

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This column is provided for general information purposes only. Please check with your local law enforcement agency and legal professional for information specific to you and your jurisdiction.

The information in this article is provided “as is”, with all faults, expressed or implied. The author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder makes no guarantee regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information. In no event shall the author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder be liable for any incidental or consequential damages, punitive damages, lost profits, and/or any indirect damages.

Information from fbi.gov – 

Instead of investing victims’ funds, the operator pays “dividends” to initial investors using the principle amounts “invested” by subsequent investors. The scheme generally falls apart when the operator flees with all of the proceeds, or when a sufficient number of new investors cannot be found to allow the continued payment of “dividends.”

This type of scheme is named after Charles Ponzi of Boston, Massachusetts, who operated an extremely attractive investment scheme in which he guaranteed investors a 50 percent return on their investment in postal coupons. Although he was able to pay his initial investors, the scheme dissolved when he was unable to pay investors who entered the scheme later.

• As with all investments, exercise due diligence in selecting investments and the people with whom you invest.
• Make sure you fully understand the investment before you invest your money.

For more information, go to FBI.gov.

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This column is provided for general information purposes only. Please check with your local law enforcement agency and legal professional for information specific to you and your jurisdiction.

The information in this article is provided “as is”, with all faults, expressed or implied. The author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder makes no guarantee regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information. In no event shall the author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder be liable for any incidental or consequential damages, punitive damages, lost profits, and/or any indirect damages.

For more information, go to NCMEC.org.

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This column is provided for general information purposes only. Please check with your local law enforcement agency and legal professional for information specific to you and your jurisdiction.

The information in this article is provided “as is”, with all faults, expressed or implied. The author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder makes no guarantee regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information. In no event shall the author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder be liable for any incidental or consequential damages, punitive damages, lost profits, and/or any indirect damages.

Bogus ads for oil spill clean-up jobs in the Gulf are appearing in newspapers, online, and in email inboxes. Some promoters claim they can get you a job once you pay them for training or certifications. Others require you to pay a fee before they let you start. Some send bogus emails that may appear to be from BP, and ask for your personal information and fees as part of the application process. Still others may falsely claim they’ve been authorized by BP to hire clean-up crews.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, says the tell-tale signs of oil spill job scams are similar to the tell-tale signs of every job scam – and that people who are looking for Gulf clean-up jobs have several sources of legitimate employment and volunteer opportunities.

Signs of a Scam

If you’re looking for a job or want to volunteer your services in the Gulf clean-up, here are some
red flags:

• Guaranteed jobs or guaranteed placements. Regardless of how severe the situation – and how much you want to believe the promises – no legitimate company makes guarantees about placing anyone in a job.
• An employer or employment-service firm that wants you to pay for training, certification, or its expenses placing you with a company. Legitimate employers and firms don’t ask you to pay them for the promise of a job. In fact, it’s against the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines for employers to charge employees for training.
• Vague offers. The more general the email “job” description, the less likely there is a valid job. If you see phrases like “We have thousands of jobs” or “We represent BP,” consider it a problem. Report it to the FTC. Send a copy of unwanted or deceptive messages to spam@uce.gov and then delete it. The FTC uses the unsolicited emails stored in this database to pursue law enforcement actions against people who send deceptive spam email.
• You’re asked for your financial information. No credible employer needs your bank account information or credit or debit account numbers to interview you or hire you. Scam artists can use this information to commit identity theft.
• Companies that charge you for lists of available jobs. Some listing services and “consultants” write ads that sound like they have jobs waiting for you. But they’re selling information about how to find a job, and that’s generally available for free.

For Legitimate Opportunities in the Gulf

If you’re interested in getting involved with the clean-up, here are several sources for legitimate opportunities. Remember that some jobs do require special training, but stipends are available to cover those costs.

• Deepwater Horizon Response – deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/site/2931/ 1-866-448-5816
• BP – bp.com/GulfofMexicoResponse
• Alabama – Environmental Cleanup – es.dir.alabama.gov/local/environment
• Florida – myfloridalegal.com, the site of the Florida Attorney General, or doacs.state.fl.us, the state
  Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
• Louisiana – losco.state.la.us, the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator’s Office, and laworks.net, the
  Louisiana Workforce Commission
• Mississippi – Mississippi Department of Employment Security – mdes.ms.gov or 1-800-224-1388

State Volunteer Opportunities

If you’re interested in volunteering, call the Deepwater Horizon Response Volunteer Request Line at 1-866-448-5816.

Employer Responsibilities ……… OSHA Worker Safety Requirements are designed to ensure that oil spill response and clean-up operations are done safely, effectively and efficiently. For more information about common operations, hazards, training and worker protection, see osha.gov.

For More Information, go to FTC.gov.

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This column is provided for general information purposes only. Please check with your local law enforcement agency and legal professional for information specific to you and your jurisdiction.

The information in this article is provided “as is”, with all faults, expressed or implied. The author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder makes no guarantee regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information. In no event shall the author and/or publisher and/or copyright holder be liable for any incidental or consequential damages, punitive damages, lost profits, and/or any indirect damages.