Thread: Cut and paste snippets about scams.

Public WiFi, 2013 version of taking candy from strangers.

Don't get #WiFi hacked on vacation! https://www.facebook.com/privatewifi

To keep you safe, PRIVATE WiFi CEO Kent Lawson gave these tips to CNN:

Confirm the name of hotspot with the hotel or restaurant’s staff, so you don’t accidentally log into a rogue connection.

Disable auto connect features on your device.

Don’t connect to ad hoc networks, there’s no way to tell if they’re secure.

Turn off a device’s WiFi connection when not in use.

If you regularly access online accounts through WiFi hotspots, use a virtual private network (#VPN). VPNs encrypt traffic between your computer and the internet, even on unsecured networks.

Keeping kids safe on the internet.

If you have a child in the home who has access to your computer, these ten safety rules will help them enjoy the Internet safely.

Always ask your parents' permission before using your full name, address, telephone number or school name anywhere on the Internet.

Always tell your parents or guardian if you see something online that you know is wrong or that makes you feel uncomfortable.

Don't respond to messages that make you feel uncomfortable or uneasy.

Never give out a credit card number or password online.

Never send out your picture without your parents' permission.

Be careful when someone offers you something for nothing, such as gifts or money.

Don't ever accept a gift or an offer that involves having someone visit your house.

Never arrange to meet someone you've met online in person unless you discuss it with your parents and an adult goes with you.

Talk to your parents to set up rules for going online. Decide with them the best time of day to be online, the length of time to be online, and appropriate areas to visit.

Get to know your "online friends" just as you get to know all of your other friends. Be sure that you are dealing with someone that you and your parents know and trust before giving out any personal information about yourself via email.

Internet Safety Rules for Kids

MALEWARE/PHISHING SCAMS Just 14 years Old drunk girl did this infront of all Public – Facebook Scam | Facecrooks.com | How to Avoid Facebook Scams

Did my best to screenshot as who doesn't want to watch a drunk 14 year old with all the good viewing options available on the web? To me the plugin looks legit, but is actually a potential threat according to Facecrooks. Don't know myself, I likes kitten videos.

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Originally Posted by ribshaw

MALEWARE/PHISHING SCAMS Just 14 years Old drunk girl did this infront of all Public – Facebook Scam | Facecrooks.com | How to Avoid Facebook Scams

Did my best to screenshot as who doesn't want to watch a drunk 14 year old with all the good viewing options available on the web? To me the plugin looks legit, but is actually a potential threat according to Facecrooks. Don't know myself, I likes kitten videos.

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This is an older article that discusses how to clean up rogue extensions that you may have picked up along the way.

How to protect your Facebook account from Rogue Browser Extensions | Facecrooks.com | How to Avoid Facebook Scams

Had discussed this elsewhere today, but there are any number of reasons to lock down your identity these days. Including a credit freeze and getting a code to protect your tax return. The later is only available presently from the IRS if you are a potential victim of ID theft. But who is to say, what potential victim truly means as all of this seems inevitable with the continual data breeches, etc. Credit Freeze and Thaw Guide | www.clarkhoward.com



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'The issue here is that people need to be incredibly cautious with their online identities,'' Mr Leeper said, ''and what we learned from that particular case was that there appears to
be enough around on social media sites these days for it to be possible for someone who is not that careful to make it easier for someone to steal their identity.''

Read more: Identity scam sparks new ATO unit


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Even if your parents/grandparents are not on the web, this looks like a good preemptive strike against online thieves.

Patti Patterson, regional communications director for Social Security, said in an email thieves set up “My Social Security” accounts using personal information of a beneficiary and through the automatic enrollment process at financial institutions. That’s one good reason, she said, to set up a “My Social Security” account.

“If a person already has an account, a fraudulent attempt will not be successful,” Patterson said.

People can also block direct deposit changes through the automatic enrollment process by contacting Social Security.

http://www.news-press.com/article/20...urity-benefits

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One for fun. The 23 Funniest Scam Viagra Ads

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Police Chief Mark Thompson is urging residents to be aware of a phone scam involving callers pretending to be members of the Prattville Police Department in an attempt to solicit money.

Thompson said a person is calling elderly residents of Prattville claiming to be a member of the department and saying the resident has been caught on camera running a red light. The resident is then told to get a prepaid card, put money on it and call a number to find out where to send it.

Thompson said the department not only doesn’t call residents about traffic tickets but also doesn’t have a red light camera ticket system in place. Anyone who has received the call should report it to the Prattville Police Department at 595-0208

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/...nts-phone-scam

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''The issue here is that people need to be incredibly cautious with their online identities,'' Mr Leeper said, ''and what we learned from that particular case was that there appears to
be enough around on social media sites these days for it to be possible for someone who is not that careful to make it easier for someone to steal their identity.''

Read more: Identity scam sparks new ATO unit


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KUALA LUMPUR: Less than 10 percent of victims who fall prey to investment scams, including those online, report their predicament to the authorities.

Head of Other Trade Crime Investigation, Bukit Aman Commercial CID, Supt Chuah Yong Huat said most victims were either embarrassed or scared to lodge a report as they were worried about having to face their alleged perpetrator in court.

"They are also embarrassed to tell their family and friends. We need to overcome this because fraudulent schemes are becoming widespread," he said at an Investment Fraud in Business Awareness seminar at Wisma Bernama here on Saturday.

In the seminar organised by the Malaysian Crime Prevention Awareness Board, Chuah provided advice on how to avoid being scammed by such schemes.

He said the most important method was to refrain from responding to e-mails, short message service (SMS) or telephone calls offering dodgy investment schemes.

"Carry out a check before signing any documents related to investments. Don't easily trust a person based on their looks. Investigate the background of the investment company thoroughly," he said.

According to Chuah, early detection of such activities was an effective way to eradicate the problem.

Chuah also explained that pressure was among the main reasons for a person to offer fraudulent schemes as a way to get rich quickly.

He said such individuals were also greedy and lived beyond their means. - Bernama

Police: Investment scam victims reluctant to make report - Nation | The Star Online

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SCAMMER https://www.facebook.com/jeffcarey.melby

Using this picture:

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Who is this:

Cookies for the commander

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And all this fits like a glove with this:

http://www.clarionledger.com/article...oman-sentenced

The Vicksburg woman who pocketed over $1,000 for what she told residents were Girls Scout cookie pre orders has been sentenced.

Authorities at the Warren County Sheriff’s Department said a judge ordered Paula Lynn Kelly, 35, to reside in a restitution center and complete alcohol and drug counseling after being charged with grand larceny in June.

According to Mississippi Department of Corrections’ website, restitution center residents are “required to work and pay full or partial payments to crime victims.”

Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace says Kelly allegedly went door-to-door during February and March taking orders for Girl Scout cookies and taking cash as prepayment.

Pace says Kelly has no connection to the Girl Scouts.

Becky Traweek, CEO of Girls Scouts of Greater Mississippi said they made good on all of the fraudulent purchases and delivered cookies to the victims.

She said the Girl Scouts cookie program is one of the largest financial literacy programs in the country and described the incident as “very unfortunate.” Traweek said they have internal controls to prevent this from happening again.

“Through this unfortunate situation it is our hope that, in the future, anyone that would ever think about doing something like this would think twice. We appreciate all of the support of the community and we have made good with everyone who had purchased cookies,” she said.

Traweek said the money used to cover the cookies given to victims came from the scouts’ operation budget and said it will not affect directly the girls.

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With all the online stuff, I sometimes forget stuff like this still goes on. Rather brazen for $83.50.

She appeared at the height of dinner service, claiming to be a doctor whose $3,000 Chanel suit was soiled after a waitress spilled soup on her during a recent visit.

Something about the woman struck Bella Tori General Manager Eric Yacker as suspicious, like the dry cleaning bill she presented him. The total was $183.50 but she demanded only $83.50 in cash.

But the upscale Langhorne restaurant had a full dining room, two parties, a packed bar on Wednesday night, so when the woman started getting loud and irate, Yacker gave in.

The next day, he learned his hunch was right — he’d been scammed. He wasn’t the only one either.

Police investigating soup stain scam artist; Upper Moreland restaurant says it was target, too - phillyburbs.com: Langhorne


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WOW!!

In subsequent court filings, the agents alleged that the family deliberately befriended a lonely ex-cop from Albany named Michael Todd Sestak, who happened to run the HCMC non-immigrant visa division, one of the five busiest in the world.

In their most recent indictment, Federal prosecutors alleged that Sestak rubber-stamped roughly 410 visa applications forwarded to him by Hong, Binh and their relatives between February and September of 2012. In return, prosecutors say Sestak got a little less than $3 million.

And he was no longer lonely. In a video taken from Binh Vo’s lavish wedding, the lumbering Sestak is accompanied by a stunning young woman in a red dress.

Sestak has already confessed to the crime.
Vietnam latest news - Thanh Nien Daily | Jilted informant helps crack massive US visa fraud

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The state’s leading private insurer alleges Gary Kompothecras, known as “Dr. Gary,” is involved in a “massive fraud scheme,” which has led to State Farm paying Kompothecras-owned Physicians Group more than $19 million since 2005.

According to the federal suit filed in the Middle District of Florida, Kompothecras’ ASK-GARY referral service has never referred any auto accident victim to any other healthcare provider other than Physicians Group.

Additionally, Kompothecras’ referral service accepts money from personal injury attorneys in return to obtain client referrals, alleges State Farm. Some attorneys then send their clients to Physicians Group for treatment, adds the insurer in the lawsuit.
State Farm Sues 1-800-ASK-GARY Founder for 'Massive Fraud Scheme' | PropertyCasualty360

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Who can resist a Costco gift card? I mean, they sell cereal in bulk.

But if you see a Facebook ad claiming that you can "Get a Free $500 Costco Gift Card," you're going to have to be strong and resist.

There is no $500 Costco Gift Voucher. This is just a scam intended to get users to click through to potentially malicious websites.

Many companies use Facebook to promote their products. It's not uncommon for them to ask users to like their pages or share their posts in order to get a promotion.

Alleged Costco Facebook Promotion is a Scam | TechNewsDaily.com

Here is something I have noticed when Ponzis collapse. The people who participated and/or promoted them always feign ignorance. Some I have followed in the states have been involved in scheme after scheme. Don't know anything about this chap, but seems typical.

A Member of Parliament who investigators have linked to a pyramid scheme which collapsed with over Sh780 million in members contributions on Monday disowned the company he allegedly used to receive the money.

MP Gideon Mwiti Irea denies role in Sh780m pyramid scheme - News - nation.co.ke

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CARY — As state officials announced 70 charges filed against 10 men they say were involved in schemes to bilk elderly homeowners for unneeded repairs, two of them were due in court in Wake County on felony charges of doing that in Cary.

Read more here: RALEIGH: State task force charges 10 with $300,000 in scams against older people | Crime | NewsObserver.com
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Deed Scam, Erie PA. Often private companies will charge you many times what it would cost you to go to a government agency direct. In this case, 1000 times more.
County warns residents about deed scam | WIVB.com

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The state treasurer says the email claims recipients are owed millions of dollars through the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. The email states an audit found the property. It seeks the recipient’s name, email address and phone number.

Zweifel says his office does not charge to return unclaimed property and that anyone with questions about the legitimacy of an email should contact his office. He urged Missourians to forward suspicious emails to his office.

The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators is real – but it does not notify individuals of unclaimed property.
Missouri treasurer warns of unclaimed property scam email - KansasCity.com

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More than 1,200 apps published to the official Google Play app store in the past seven months have been designed by "one-click fraud" scammers. But a new variation on that scam now involves many more clicks than just one.

"The new type not only requires clicks, but it also requires users to send an email in order to register to become a member of a service, call a given phone number to acquire a password, and enter the password to log into the fraudulent site," said Joji Hamada, a Japan-based researcher with Symantec, in a blog post. "That's quite a bit of work to get through just to be scammed."

Scam Android Apps Plague Google Play - Security - Mobile Security -

Your Money asked ASIC to talk us through the top five financial frauds, and provide advice on how to avoid them.

1. Boiler room fraud

These are serious organised fraud gangs often supported by an office of people and technology working the phones and internet, Drake says.

Boiler rooms are usually staffed by a team of experienced high-pressure sales people who put the "heat" on consumers. The sales people are also under pressure because they only get paid if they successfully scam someone.

"The key rule, if anyone approaches you that you don't know, is to be sceptical," Drake says. Never provide any information. Requesting or being given a phone number to call back is of little help.

"It's probably just another person sitting at a desk in the same scam office."

2. Fake businesses

These scammers specialise in looking like genuine financial services companies or advisers. They create a fake website and phone number, and send out real-looking documents and letters.

Anyone operating a financial services company must have an Australian Financial Services Licence. This licence number must be included in all their paperwork.

However, even if there is a licence number, that still doesn't mean it's real or that it belongs to them. Check who the number belongs to and if it is still current through ASIC by phoning 1300 300 630 or visiting its website asic.gov.au.

The same goes for a person - check they have a financial services licence or that they are a registered accountant. Then, follow up to ensure the licence or registration is genuine.

3. Super scams

Superannuation is proving rich pickings for scammers, chiefly in the area of self-managed super funds, Drake warns.

"SMSF is the flavour of the moment. Where there is a lot of money, and individuals making investment decisions, then shysters get attracted to where this easy money is."

The two biggest scams are early release schemes and investment rip-offs such as seminars. Early release scams usually centre on the fund's money being transferred to a new super fund set up by the scammer.

Seminar or course-style scams usually include recommendations to set up a self-managed super fund to "take advantage" of the investment opportunity. In both cases, the money can be stolen outright or used to purchase bad investments.

"Any scheme that says you can get your super early by transferring it to another fund is dodgy," Drake says. "If you are eligible for early release, then you will be able to do so through your existing fund."

Seminar spruikers can take all the money or arrange the paperwork so they can operate your new self-managed fund as if it were their own. "Never transfer money into a super fund set up by someone else. You should only transfer money to an SMSF if it has been set up for you, by you and is only under your control," he says.

4. Recovery room fraud

These double-dipping scammers specialise in hitting the victim twice.

"They are particularly malicious people. They target individuals who have already lost money through a cold-calling or other type of scam. They are really just the same operators but using a different approach," Drake says.

"They come across pretending they know about the company that ripped them off and they offer help to get their money back.

"They imply they are taking legal action against them or have had private investigators working on the case and that's how they know the person is a victim of the scam."

Once bitten, twice shy.

5. Taking a punt

Sports, horse races, gambling and the share market all have one type of scam in common - beating the system, Drake says.

Claims about computer programs, gambling systems, investing and index trading are among the oldest scams around, but they still reel in plenty of unwary punters.

This is not investing or buying a product.

It is a scam targeted to make money from gamblers.

"No one can promise or help you beat the odds," Drake says.

https://news.google.com/news/section...bb7f98b&ict=ln

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More absolute BS being peddled on Facebook, the supercenter of SCAMS. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Money...85043811646436

If you lost money in a SCAM you will need to go through a court appointed receiver. You don't go to Facecrook and ask people like this to get your money back unless you want to lose twice.

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A person was arrested by Aluva police on Monday for duping hotel owners by pretending to be the local food inspector. Suresh Babu, 52, Parikappilly House, Eloor Manjummel, introduced himself as the food inspector based in Tripunithura and had free food from a few hotels in Aluva, Perumbavoor, Kalamassery and nearby areas.

He then went a step ahead and asked for money from hotel owners on the assurance that he would help them out in emergencies.

Conman held for impersonating local food inspector - The New Indian Express

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PAY ATTENTION, THIS IS GOING ROUND.

If the man pretending to be her grandson Michael hadn't called her "grandma," Beverly Hicks might have given him money.

No one calls her grandma. To her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she is "Nana."

"The whole reason I was skeptical is he said 'grandma,'" Hicks, 72, said.

On Wednesday, Hicks received a phone call from a man claiming to be her grandson. He was in trouble, she said. After a bachelor party with his friends in Cancun, Mexico, they rented and crashed a car. As a result, he was arrested and needed money. He asked her not to share his news with the rest of the family.

Con artists target area elderly - News - Daily Review


Grandma at 100, completely unrelated to story.
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McClung pitched potential investors starting in 2009 on software to make automated trades on the foreign currency market. The program would "perform numerous automated trades during a short time based on an algorithm designed to predict and exploit differences in foreign exchange rates," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

McClung, now 27, falsely represented to investors that the program received returns of 15 percent to 100 percent every 14 to 30 days. He also told them that he would use their funds for trades, though he did not actually do so.

Read more: Former Parker resident admits to Ponzi scheme of up to $1.7 million - The Denver Post Former Parker resident admits to Ponzi scheme of up to $1.7 million - The Denver Post

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This is a real program being exploited by con artists.

To qualify, foreign nationals must agree to invest at least $500,000 in a business venture that will create at least 10 jobs in two years in a high-unemployment area, such as the Rio Grande Valley.

Feds probe alleged Ponzi scheme targeting immigrant investors - San Antonio Express-News

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The Ocala Star-Banner reports the woman was told a year ago that she won $1.8 million in the lottery. She told deputies that a man she identified as Kevin Thomas told her she needed to send him money to cover taxes on the prize before she could collect her winnings.

Read more here: SUMMERFIELD, Fla.: Fla. woman bilked out of $105,660 in lottery scam - Florida Wires - MiamiHerald.com
SUMMERFIELD, Fla.: Fla. woman bilked out of $105,660 in lottery scam - Florida Wires - MiamiHerald.com

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FESTIVAL-goers have been warned to be vigilant against accommodation scams, after scores of visitors were caught out by a website falsely offering prime flats in Edinburgh for the peak season.

Hawick civil servant Cameron Shiels lost £280 after paying for a one-bedroom flat on Richmond Place, near Haymarket, only to find the website where he made the booking had disappeared.

More than 50 other customers are believed to have been taken in by the scam, with an unlucky group of Fringe performers losing £1420 after booking a plush flat through the same site.

Edinburgh Fringe: Web scam warning after flats con - Edinburgh Festival - Edinburgh Evening News

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TROY, MO (KTVI) – Troy, Missouri police are investigating after scam artists targeted an area hotel. Someone called Luxury Inn & Suites on King Drive Monday night asking to be transferred to two random rooms. When the guests got on the line, the caller pretended to be a hotel employee then asked for their credit card numbers. Luckily, they did not give out their personal information.
Scam artists phish for credit card numbers at hotels | FOX2now.com

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Three things tipped this guy off, security video, an audit and living larger than he should.

“The way he was doing it they were almost untrackable," Walker told KRQE. Castillo would apparently input the money order into Walmart's MoneyGram system, then turn off the computer at just the right moment so that the valid order would still print out but there was no documentation of it on the screen.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_3671232.html

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Va. warns of new scam promising inheritance

The Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia officials are warning residents about a new email scam promising recipients a big inheritance from a deceased relative.

The state Treasury Department says the fraudulent email's sender is listed as a National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators auditor, Alexis James. The association employs no one by that name.

The message promises a large sum of money that can be claimed in exchange for detailed personal information. Officials say there is no inheritance, and the personal information is usually used to steal the victim's identity. In some cases, the victim also is asked to pay a processing fee that is typically stolen.

The Treasury Department says state and federal unclaimed property programs never contact potential unclaimed property owners in this manner.
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Read more here: RICHMOND, Va.: Va. warns of new scam promising inheritance - Technology - MiamiHerald.com

The ruse is almost always the same, don't click on strange links. And if you are prompted to enter information, from a link, best not to.

According to Nextgov, the hackers secured data via phishing expeditions. They sent emails to White House staffers, which included links from what appeared to be news sites like CNN or BBC. After clicking on the links, however, users were asked to sign in via Gmail or Twitter in order to read them. Those links were fake, and typing in the info allowed the SEA to log the passwords that were entered and secure access to the staffers' accounts.

Syrian Electronic Army Targets White House With Phishing Scam | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

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Best not to send things to people you really don't know.

Police said the women allegedly forwarded “earnest” money to Nigeria for nine months. Both women are charged with felony corrupt business influence and control, as well as felony attempted theft.

Two Suburban Women Accused Of Processing Checks For A Nigerian Scam « CBS Chicago

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SCUMBAGS. We all pay for this kind of crap. I only wish he was 25 instead of 65 so he could spend more time locked up.

The FBI infiltrated the operation with an undercover agent, who feigned injury, obtained treatment, recovered conversations and documented evidence.

The probe alleges that Haddad paid cash to individuals to find clients involved in motor vehicle accidents. Documents seized by the FBI indicate that Mark Kirshner, who owned and operated chiropractic offices in Bridgeport and Stamford and Midas Medical LLC, a diagnostic testing company, provided Haddad with at least $100,000 in cash as a finder's fees.

After meeting with the clients, Haddad allegedly would recommend they visit Francisco Carbone, a former doctor whose license was pulled by the state. Carbone fabricated injuries in reports and provided permanent disability ratings, often without examining the clients, according to the FBI. On occasion, the FBI said, he recommended that Dr. James W. Marshall, who operates Immediate Medical Care in Monroe, provide clients with narcotic pain prescriptions.

The clients allegedly obtained at least six months of treatment from chiropractors like George DeCarvalho, Jennifer Lynne, Jennifer Netter and Kirshner.

In one FBI recording, Haddad explained to a client that time frame was necessary "because that way I got a good quality case and they can't say you didn't treat(ed) long enough."

Lawyer charged in fraud scheme - Connecticut Post

ALL KINDS OF INVESTMENT FRAUD.

MEMPHIS, TN -

(WMC-TV) - A scam artist is in jail after devising an elaborate scheme, even appearing on TV as an investment "expert."

33-year-old Casey Charles of Baltimore, MD, pleaded guilty to mail fraud. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Charles promised clients, primarily seniors, to help them make safe retirement investments.

Instead, he kept their money for his personal use.

Andy's Got Your Back on financial advisor fraud - Action News 5 - Memphis, Tennessee
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Fir all the folks that show up at Realscam.com in active scams who just don't want to believe. They always say "do you have proof", or "I am being paid". It never ends any differently than this:

According to charging documents, the pair ran a company called Newport Financial Services and allegedly guaranteed investors an 18 percent return by purchasing contracts of furniture store customers who could not qualify for traditional financing options.

Investigators say the Smiths made false claims to attract investors such as they were making "100 percent on every dime they put out there."

"Mike and Quintin said they were making money hand over fist," according to court documents. They allegedly told one investor that "if everything were cut off today, we would have enough to pay every investor back and still have $2 million left over."

A month later, police say they told investors all the money was gone.
2 plead guilty in multimillion dollar scam that victimized Norm Chow | Deseret News

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Seriously, this is all you need to hear to smell a scam.
He had promised annual returns of 15 to 18 per cent and as high as 36 per cent.

Multimillion-dollar investment scam nets Calgary man four years
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INVESTING TIPS FROM FINRA AND BBB

Based on the last article of a phony investment guru, this is the first place you should always turn before right a check. They have detailed information on both firms and brokers. Both MUST register, if you don't see them you are dealing with a scammer.
Of course just because someone is there, is not a green light either.

FINRA - Home Page

This link on investing is a little more work to locate things, but every time a scam ends you always hear about folks that lost it all. So a little time spent could save a lot on the back end.
http://www.bbb.org/smart-investing/


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RENTAL SCAM

This is only one way the rental scam works. Sometimes thieves send keys in the mail. Sometimes they tell you to send the money and the key is under the doormat. A common thread: prospective renters are required to wire money through MoneyGram or Western Union.

Offer for condo a scam, would-be renters learn | ksl.com

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TRAVEL/RENTAL SCAM

Backpackers have become the targets of an online scam which claimed to offer jobs and accommodation in return for a "deposit".

Consumer Protection has warned overseas visitors after FAKE WEBSITE SCAM SCAM SCAM www.orangeshill.net.au SCAMMERS was used in a scam.

The website, which has not been shut down, claimed it could offer job opportunities to those who sent a payment to a prepaid credit card account.

A farm in Manjimup, referred to on the website, did not exist.

Consumer Protection commissioner Anne Driscoll said travellers should be suspicious when employment agents asked for fees to secure the job.

"There have been many cases where backpackers have been left out of pocket after handing over their money and giving their personal details, only to find out afterwards that the job doesn't exist and they have become the victim of a scam," she said.

In WA, employment agents must be licensed and are not permitted to charge fees to prospective employees.
Ms Driscoll said jobseekers being asked to pay fees for employment should refuse and report the agent or their website to Consumer Protection.

Backpackers targeted in online scam - The West Australian

I love this stuff, there was a book Amazon.com: The Smart Money: How the World's Best Sports Bettors Beat the Bookies Out of Millions (9780743277143): Michael Konik: Books
on the lengths large sports bettors go to to beat the Casino bookmakers. So this should be good to watch, but seems like it is a bit put on, like all those storage auctions I got so excited about.

CNBC Is Giving A Scam Artist Handicapper His Own Reality Show CNBC Is Giving A Scam Artist Handicapper His Own Reality Show

The world of sports handicapping is dirty. That's begrudgingly accepted. But it's dirty enough without CNBC giving the sort of exposure money can't buy to a convicted felon operating under a fake name.

Meet "Steve Stevens," who runs VIP Sports in Las Vegas.

This weekend, CNBC announced a new reality show debuting in September, tracking Stevens and his company.

“Money Talks” is a docu-soap that follows Steve Stevens, his stable of agents and the clients who risk big dollars in the hope these guys have the expertise to consistently deliver winners. There’s a lot on the line as we follow the gamblers who wager a few thousand each week to the whales who routinely make six-figure bets.

Almost immediately, the sports betting community raised a stink. For one, the 71.5 percent hit rate Stevens promises is a mathematical impossibility. He's "a complete scam artist," says Bob Voulgaris, one of the biggest names in NBA betting. For another: no one's heard of Steve Stevens. Todd Fuhrman, a former oddsmaker at Caesar's Palace, writes that "no one, and I mean no one, in the sports betting community I speak with daily knows who this guy is."

But the hammer blow was landed by our friends at Wager Minds, who dug deep into his background and discovered that Steve Stevens is actually a man named Darin Notaro.

The evidence is damning. Photos of Stevens and Notaro appear to show the same person. Stevens's VIP Sports office is identical to a building registered as the address of Executive VIP Services International, a company owned and operated by Notaro. VIP Sports's sales board shows the company's top salesman is named "Darin."

So who is Darin Notaro?

1999:

District Judge Sally Loehrer Tuesday sentenced Darin Notaro, 25, to one year in jail for his part in a Las Vegas telemarketing scheme that bilked elderly citizens across the nation out of at least $234,000.

Notaro, who was also ordered to make $12,230 in restitution, is one of six men charged in connection with their work for Century Pacific Group, a boiler room that telephoned elderly people and told them they won valuable sweepstakes prizes, but they had to pay $699 to get the prize.


At the time of his arrest, Notaro was on probation for conviction of six federal felony counts of telemarketing fraud by wire. For those 1995 offenses, he was ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution, fined $3,100 and ordered to perform 200 hours of community service.

2001:

Investigators for the Nevada attorney general's office have arrested a man in connection with a telemarketing scheme targeting out-of-state elderly people.

Darin Notaro, 27, was arrested Friday after people were called and told that they had won a sweepstakes grand prize. Authorities said the victims were told that they had to make an income tax payment via Western Union before they could pick up their prize, authorities said.

So! CNBC has ordered an entire series that will presumably glamorize a thrice-arrested scammer who promises clients a return that can't mathematically be achieved. And what, pray tell, is CNBC's reaction to the uproar?

We are aware of Steve Stevens’ 1999 conviction and while we are very clear in the press release that VIP Sports clients risk big dollars in the hopes that Stevens and his agents have the expertise to consistently deliver winners, viewers should tune in on September 10th at 10pm ET/PT to draw their own conclusions about VIP Sports. We are merely betting that viewers will be interested in the world of touts and handicappers and in no way endorse either Stevens’ picks or his business model.

We shouldn't be surprised. A large chunk of CNBC's programming is already devoted to people promising to make you rich playing the stock market. That's an older and bigger scam than handicapping.

AIRLINE TICKET SCAM

Hundreds of 9NEWS viewers from across the state posted on Facebook saying they received a letter claiming they were awarded two free airline tickets.

The typed note contains letterhead that appears to be from American Airlines or US Airways and has a toll-free number to call to claim the tickets.

An operator will either ask for credit card information or promise the tickets after attending a sales-pitch seminar.

This sort of "phishing" scam has been around for years.

On its website American Airlines has warnings about the scam and links on what to do if you receive such a letter.

The Better Business Bureau recommends you toss the letter.

Free airline tickets 'scam' hits Colorado mailboxes | 9news.com

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Lotta fake airline stuff going round. https://www.facebook.com/ComplaintResolution
ScambookWatch Alert!!
Fake JetBlue Scam on Facebook. They've released a statement on the scam, "Sorry folks, we wouldn't run a contest outside of our official Facebook account: www.facebook.com/jetblue. If you see this sweepstakes (or anything similar), please don't share it – simply mark the faux contest as spam. We’ve also notified Facebook and they are working to remove the JetBlue impostor. Thanks for keeping it real!"

Share this and warn your friends!

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TAX RELIEF SCAM

One of the most common tax relief scams are advertised on TV and radio and promise to reduce your tax liability to pay pen nies on the dollar.

“In most of the cases, they ask the customer to pay a fee in advance; unfortunately all too frequently, they do nothing,” says Freedman, noting that one company was able to fraudulently collect tens of millions of dollars on behalf of tax payers without bringing any resolutions in just a few years.

Read more: Don

Consumer Alert FBI — Pirated Software May Contain Malware
Pirated Software May Contain Malware

08/01/13

You decide to order some software from an unknown online seller. The price is so low you just can’t pass it up. What could go wrong?

Plenty. Whether you’re downloading it or buying a physical disc, the odds are good that the product is pirated and laced with malicious software, or malware.


Is Your Software Pirated?

Possible signs of what to look for:

- No packaging, invoice, or other documentation…just a disc in an envelope

- Poor quality labeling on the disc, which looks noticeably different than the labeling on legitimate software

- Software is labeled as the full retail version but only contains a limited version

- Visible variations (like lines or differently shaded regions) on the underside of a disc

- Product is not wrapped correctly and is missing features like security tape around the edges of the plastic case

- Typos in software manuals or pages printed upside down

- User is required to go a website for a software activation key (often a ploy to disseminate additional malware)


Today, the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination (IPR) Center—of which the FBI is a key partner—is warning the American people about the real possibility that illegally copied software, including counterfeit products made to look authentic, could contain malware.

Our collective experience has shown this to be true, both through the complaints we’ve received and through our investigations. It’s also been validated by industry studies, which show that an increasing amount of software installed on computers around the world—including in the U.S.—is pirated and that this software often contains malware.

As in our above scenario, pirated software can be obtained from unknown sellers and even from peer-to-peer networks. The physical discs can be purchased from online auction sites, less-than-reputable websites, and sometimes from street vendors and kiosks. Pirated software can also be found pre-installed on computers overseas, which are ordered by consumers online and then shipped into the United States.

Who’s behind this crime? Criminals, hackers and hacker groups, and even organized crime rings.

And the risks to unsuspecting consumers? For starters, the inferior and infected software may not work properly. Your operating system may slow down and fail to receive critical security updates.

But the greater danger comes from potential exposure to criminal activity—like identity theft and financial fraud—after malware takes hold of your system.


Software Buying Tips for Consumers

- When buying a computer, always ask for a genuine, pre-installed operating system, and then check out the software package to make sure it looks authentic.

- Purchase all software from an authorized retailer. If you’re not sure which retailers are authorized, visit the company website of the product you’re interested in.

- Check out the company’s website to become familiar with the packaging of the software you want to buy.

- Be especially careful when downloading software from the Internet, an increasingly popular source of pirated software. Purchase from reputable websites.

- Before buying software off the beaten path, do your homework and research the average price of the product. If a price seems too good to be true, it’s probably pirated.


Some very real dangers:

Once installed on a computer, malware can record your keystrokes (capturing sensitive usernames and passwords) and steal your personally identifiable information (including Social Security numbers and birthdates), sending it straight back to criminals and hackers. It can also corrupt the data on your computer and even turn on your webcam and/or microphone.
Malware can spread to other computers through removable media like thumb drives and through e-mails you send to your family, friends, and professional contacts. It can be spread through shared connections to a home, business, or even government network. Criminals can also use infected computers to launch attacks against other computers or against websites via denial of service attacks.

To guard against malware and other threats, read our tips on how to protect your computer. If you think you may have purchased pirated software (see sidebar on how to spot it), or if you have information about sellers of pirated software, submit a tip to the IPR Center or the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

And know this: Pirated software is just one of the many threats that the IPR Center and the FBI are combating every year. The theft of U.S. intellectual property—the creative genius of the American people as expressed through everything from proprietary products and trade secrets to movies and music—takes a terrible toll on the nation. It poses significant (and sometimes life-threatening) risks to ordinary consumers, robs businesses of billions of dollars, and takes away jobs and tax revenue.

Learn more by visiting the IPR Center website and the FBI’s Intellectual Property Theft webpage.

MORE PONZI FUN Feds say Long Island resort was funded by $96 million Ponzi scheme - Aug. 1, 2013

Federal prosecutors announced charges Thursday against two New York men accused of operating a $96 million Ponzi scheme to fund a money-losing Long Island resort.

An indictment unsealed Thursday alleges that Brian Callahan, a 43-year-old investment manager, perpetrated the fraud with assistance from his brother-in-law, 41-year-old Adam Manson. Both men pleaded not guilty Thursday and were released on bond.

Between 2006 and 2012, Callahan allegedly raised more than $118 million from at least 40 investors, misappropriating roughly $96 million, the indictment says. Among the alleged victims was a Long Island fire department said to have contributed $600,000.

Callahan is accused of diverting millions of dollars from investors to the Panoramic View, a 10-acre, 117-unit resort development in the seaside town of Montauk that prosecutors say has proven unprofitable. Callahan allegedly acquired the property along with Manson in early 2007.

Related: SEC busts alleged Bitcoin Ponzi scheme

Callahan also allegedly used investor funds for credit-card bills, luxury cars including a BMW and a Range Rover, and down payments on lavish homes in Old Westbury and Westhampton, N.Y.

Manson, who managed the Panoramic View property, is accused of aiding the fraud by lying to an auditor and helping Callahan produce fake financial documents.

Loretta Lynch, the U.S. Attorney in Brooklyn, said the men "used one of Long Island's landmarks, the Panoramic View Resort, to perpetrate a wide-ranging fraud."

"Callahan gave his word that he would invest his clients' funds safely and responsibly in established vehicles," Lynch said. "To conceal their status as business failures, the defendants employed all the tricks in the typical con man's bag."

Related: Chipping away at Swiss bank secrecy

The Securities and Exchange Commission charged Callahan and Manson last year in a case delayed pending the outcome of the criminal matter. The SEC obtained a court order at the time freezing the assets of Callahan and his firms.

Robert Anello, a lawyer for Manson, said the case "has no basis as it relates to Adam, who has done nothing except act in an expert manner in dealing with the Panoramic properties."

A lawyer for Callahan did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Panoramic View declined to make a representative available for comment. To top of page


First Published: August 1, 2013: 1:41 PM ET

PHONE SCAMS

ANCHORAGE, Alaska—

An electrical cooperative serving Interior and Western Alaska says some business owners have been shocked by a recent scam, in which callers pretending to be with the utility demand money to keep the power on.
According to the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, two businesses have reported the scam in the last week. One of the bogus callers was a man's voice and the other a woman's, but both of the businesses said their caller had a foreign accent -- and showed up as AVEC on their phones' caller ID.

One of the callers instructed the owner of a restaurant to go to Walmart and get a cash card for $500, promising to call back later and get the card number -- instructions the restaurant owner followed.

Two Businesses Zapped by Bogus Callers in Electricity Scam - ktuu.com

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ATLANTA -- The Georgia Department of Transportation is warning the public of a person calling metro Atlanta residents with fake traffic fines.

The scam artist identifies himself as Lt. Derek White. Last week, he called a woman and told her that she needed to pay him a speeding fine of more than $300 over the phone or risk spending time in jail, according to GDOT spokesman David Spear.

"There is no individual named Derek White employed by the Georgia Department of Transportation," Spear said in a statement. "Further, the department has no enforcement or collection authority regarding traffic tickets or fines."

Anyone who receives a call from this scam artist is asked to report it to GDOT's Investigations Unit at 404-347-0620.

GDOT warns of phone scam | 11alive.com
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Been going around a lot lately.

"The phone rang and I answered it and the voice said, 'Hi Pop Pop,' " Frantz said.

Frantz said the person was pretending to be his grandson, a 22-year-old New Jersey resident.

"He said 'I'm in trouble,' " Frantz said. "He said he went to Mexico for a funeral of a friend that died, and while he was there, he got caught with a friend who had some drugs and they've got him locked up. And he needed $2,000 right away."

Read more: Catonsville phone scam asks for thousands of dollars - baltimoresun.com

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CRAIG'S LIST SCAM

In a bizarre coincidence, McCartney realized that the serial number and the event ID on his Pink tickets matched the serial number on the fake One Direction tickets in the Global News story

Vancouver man out $400 in craigslist concert ticket scam - BC | Globalnews.ca

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EVACUATION SCAM

What the hell is wrong with some people?

“The assumption is that once they left, the person would come back and conduct some kind of nefarious activity,” Gilbertson said. “There are all kinds of vultures and birds of prey out there looking for victims.”

Southern Oregon wildfires ignite scam: false evacuation alerts | OregonLive.com

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This is a really good idea for elderly parents who still want some independence.

Stinchcombe’s goal is to prevent the elderly from driving off the road in the first place.

The simple solution is a preloaded Visa card ($20 for a yearly subscription) that serves to prevent fraud. The elderly can throw out their checkbooks in favor of the card and can continue to live independently.

It takes about five minutes to sign up for a card. A caregiver or elderly person can fund it from any checking account or a direct deposit from a pension.

For the most part, caregivers or family members will purchase the card. They are authorized to prevent certain types of transactions from going through the card without explicit consent. They can also set up the True Link “fraud blocker” feature to disable or limit ATM withdrawals.

Senior security: New credit card protects your grandma from online fraud | VentureBeat


This is a really good picture if you have a daughter that does not want to study.

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MORTGAGE DEBT RELIEF SCAM

Beginning in 2005, Michael Prieto of Manchester mailed offers to help bail out distressed homeowners if they signed over to him the deeds to their homes. He then sold those homes at inflated prices to straw buyers he paid to sign off on the false mortgage applications and turn the checks over to him, jurors found after hours of deliberation.

NH businessman found guilty in mortgage fraud case - News Local New Hampshire - Boston.com

JOB SCAM

Nothing wrong with calling ahead to verify the person you are meeting actually works for the company.

The man then brought them up to a different floor to a public seating area where they paid the man $40 and filled out job applications giving up their social security numbers, addresses, birth dates and signatures, diSpagna said.

Police worry job application scam may be identity theft too - StamfordAdvocate