01/21/10— (FBI) The FBI continues to receive reports of counterfeit check schemes targeting U.S. law firms. As previously reported, scammers send e-mails to lawyers, claiming to be overseas and seeking legal representation to collect delinquent payments from third parties in the U.S. The law firm receives a retainer agreement, invoices reflecting the amount owed, and a check payable to the law firm. The firm is instructed to extract the retainer fee, including any other fees associated with the transaction, and wire the remaining funds to banks in Korea, China, Ireland, or Canada. By the time the check is determined to be counterfeit, the funds have already been wired overseas.

In a new twist, the fraudulent client seeking legal representation is an ex-wife “on assignment” in an Asian country, and she claims to be pursuing a collection of divorce settlement monies from her ex-husband in the U.S. The law firm agrees to represent the ex-wife, sends an e-mail to the ex-husband, and receives a “certified” check for the settlement via delivery service. The ex-wife instructs the firm to wire the funds, less the retainer fee, to an overseas bank account. When the scam is executed successfully, the law firm wires the money before discovering the check is counterfeit.

All Internet users need to be cautious when they receive unsolicited e-mails. Law firms are advised to conduct as much due diligence as possible before engaging in transactions with parties who are handling their business solely via e-mail, particularly those parties claiming to reside overseas.

Please view an additional public service announcement posted to the IC3 web site regarding a similar Asian extortion scheme located at the following link, http://www.ic3.gov/media/2009/090610.aspx. Individuals who receive information pertaining to counterfeit check schemes are encouraged to file a complaint at www.IC3.gov.

01/20/10—(FBI)The IC3 has been alerted to an increase in employment schemes pertaining to mystery/secret shopper positions. Many retail and service corporations hire evaluators to perform secret or random checks on themselves or their competitors, and fraudsters are capitalizing on this employment opportunity.

Victims have reported to the IC3 they were contacted via e-mail and U.S. mail to apply to be a mystery shopper. Applicants are asked to send a resume and are purportedly subject to an extensive background check before being accepted as a mystery shopper. The employees are sent a check with instructions to shop at a specified retailer for a specific length of time and spend a specific amount on merchandise from the store. The employees receive instructions to take note of the store’s environment, color, payment procedures, gift items, and shopping/carrier bags and report back to the employer. The second evaluation is the ease and accuracy of wiring money from the retail location. The money to be wired is also included in the check sent to the employee. The remaining balance is the employee’s payment for the completion of the assignment. After merchandise is purchased and money is wired, the employees are advised by the bank the check cashed was counterfeit, and they are responsible for the money lost in addition to bank fees incurred.

In other versions of the scheme, applicants are requested to provide bank account information to have money directly deposited into their accounts. The fraudster then has acquired access to these victims’ accounts and can withdraw money, which makes the applicant a victim of identity theft.

Tips

Here are some tips you can use to avoid becoming a victim of employment schemes associated with mystery/secret shopping:

• Do not respond to unsolicited (spam) e-mail.
• Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
• Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders. Virus scan all attachments, if possible.
• Avoid filling out forms contained in e-mail messages that ask for personal information.
• Always compare the link in the e-mail to the link you are actually directed to and determine if they match and will lead you to a legitimate site.
• There are legitimate mystery/secret shopper programs available. Research the legitimacy on companies hiring mystery shoppers. Legitimate companies will not charge an application fee and will accept applications online.
• No legitimate mystery/secret shopper program will send payment in advance and ask the employee to send a portion of it back.

Individuals who believe they have information pertaining to mystery/secret shopper schemes are encouraged to file a complaint at www.IC3.gov.

01/13/10—The FBI today reminds Internet users who receive appeals to donate money in the aftermath of Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti to apply a critical eye and do their due diligence before responding to those requests. Past tragedies and natural disasters have prompted individuals with criminal intent to solicit contributions purportedly for a charitable organization and/or a good cause.

Therefore, before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines, to include the following:

• Do not respond to any unsolicited (spam) incoming e-mails, including clicking links contained within those messages.
• Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as surviving victims or officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.
• Verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations by utilizing various Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming the group’s existence and its nonprofit status rather than following a purported link to the site.
• Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
• Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf to ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes.
• Do not give your personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions: Providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.

Anyone who has received an e-mail referencing the above information or anyone who may have been a victim of this or a similar incident should notify the IC3 via www.ic3.gov.

12/11/09— (FBI) An ongoing threat exists for computer users who, while browsing the Internet, began receiving pop-up security warnings that state their computers are infected with numerous viruses.

These pop-ups known as scareware, fake, or rogue anti-virus software look authentic and may even display what appears to be real-time anti-virus scanning of the user’s hard drive. The scareware will show a list of reputable software icons; however, the user cannot click a link to go to the actual site to review or see recommendations.

The scareware is intimidating to most users and extremely aggressive in its attempt to lure the user into purchasing the rogue software that will allegedly remove the viruses from their computer. It is possible that these threats are received as a result of clicking on advertisements contained on a website. Cyber criminals use botnets to push the software and use advertisements on websites to deliver it. This is known as malicious advertising or malvertising.

Once the pop-up appears it cannot be easily closed by clicking “close” or the “X” button. If the user clicks on the pop-up to purchase the software, a form is provided that collects payment information and the user is charged for the bogus product. In some instances, whether the user clicks on the pop-up or not, the scareware can install malicious code onto the computer. By running your computer with an account that has rights to install software, this issue is more likely to occur.

Downloading the software could result in viruses, Trojans, and/or keyloggers being installed on the user’s computer. The repercussions of downloading the malicious software could prove further financial loss to the victim due to computer repair, as well as, cost to the user and/or financial institutions due to identity theft.

The assertive tactics of the scareware has caused significant losses to users. The FBI is aware of an estimated loss to victims in excess of $150 million.

Be cautious—Cyber criminals use easy to remember names and associate them with known applications. Beware of pop-ups that are offer a variation of recognized security software. It is recommended that the user research the exact name of the software being offered.

Take precautions to ensure operating systems are updated and security software is current.

If a user receives these anti-virus pop-ups, it is recommended to close the browser or shut the system down. It is suggested that the user run a full, anti-virus scan whenever the computer is turned back on.

If you have experienced the anti-virus pop-ups or a similar scam, please notify the IC3 by filing a complaint at www.ic3.gov.

FRAUDULENT AUTOMATED CLEARING HOUSE (ACH) TRANSFERS CONNECTED TO MALWARE AND WORK-AT-HOME SCAMS

11/03/09—(FBI) Within the last several months, the FBI has seen a significant increase in fraud involving the exploitation of valid online banking credentials belonging to small and medium businesses, municipal governments, and school districts. In a typical scenario, the targeted entity receives a “spear phishing” e-mail which either contains an infected attachment, or directs the recipient to an infected website. Once the recipient opens the attachment or visits the website, malware is installed on their computer. The malware contains a key logger which will harvest the recipients business or corporate bank account log-in information. Shortly thereafter, the perpetrator either creates another user account with the stolen log-in information, or directly initiates funds transfers by masquerading as the legitimate user. These transfers have occurred as both traditional wire transfers and as ACH transfers.

Further reporting has shown that the transfers are directed to the bank accounts of willing or unwitting individuals within the United States. Most of these individuals have been recruited via work-at-home advertisements, or have been contacted after placing resumes on well-known job search websites. These persons are often hired to “process payments”, or “transfer funds”. They are told they will receive wire transfers into their bank accounts. Shortly after funds are received, they are directed to immediately forward most of the money overseas via wire transfer services such as Western Union and Moneygram.

Customers who use online banking services are advised to contact their financial institution to ensure they are employing all the appropriate security and fraud prevention services their institution offers.

The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) has made information on banking securely online available at http://www.us-cert.gov/reading_room/Banking_Securely_Online07102006.pdf

Protecting your computer against malicious software is an ongoing activity and, at minimum, all computer systems need to be regularly patched, have up to date anti-virus software, and a personal firewall installed. Further information is available at http://www.us-cert.gov/nav/nt01/

If you have experienced unauthorized funds transfers from your bank accounts, or if you have been recruited via a work-at-home opportunity to receive transfers and forward money overseas, please notify the IC3 by filing a complaint at www.ic3.gov.

For a detailed analysis of this scam please visit http://www.ic3.gov/media/2009/091103-1.aspx

10/27/09—(FBI)As with previous spam attacks, which have included the names of high-ranking FBI executives and names of various government agencies, a new version misuses the name of the United States Attorney General, Eric Holder.

The current spam alleges that the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were informed the e-mail recipient is allegedly involved in money laundering and terrorist-related activities. To avoid legal prosecution, the recipient must obtain a certificate from the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman at a cost of $370. The spam provides the name of the EFCC Chairman and an e-mail address from which the recipient can obtain the required certificate.

DO NOT RESPOND. THESE E-MAILS ARE A HOAX.

Government agencies do not send unsolicited e-mails of this nature. The FBI, Department of Justice, and other United States government executives are briefed on numerous investigations, but do not personally contact consumers regarding such matters. In addition, United States government agencies use the legal process to contact individuals. These agencies do not send threatening letters/e-mails to consumers demanding payments for Internet crimes.

Consumers should not respond to any unsolicited e-mails or click on any embedded links associated with such e-mails, as they may contain viruses or malware.

It is imperative consumers guard their Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Providing your PII will compromise your identity!

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

One might expect a former mob boss to quote Machiavelli in a book about business, but Solomon? Is it educational, or even interesting, to hear about the author’s dealings with Dapper Don John Gotti and lesser known “made men?” Should a guy who spend a number of years in prison, and probably deserved to spend many more for things he was never prosecuted for, have a chapter titled “Play It Straight and Legal” in his business book? The answer to these questions and many more is a big affirmative yes. “I’ll Make You An Offer You Can’t Refuse: Insider Business Tips from a Former Mob Boss” by Michael Franzese is an interesting read full of practical and sound business tips. It is a quick read with only 152 pages, but the entire book was interesting, enjoyable, and contained some very sound practical advice.

Franzese’s text contains numerous quotes from both Machiavelli and Solomon, and in chapter ten, he tells the reader you must choose your philosopher. Will you follow the path of Machiavelli, one of the ends justifying the means, or will you follow Solomon’s path and manage your affairs with integrity, steering your course by a reliable moral and legal compass? The author encourages you to choose the latter, and with stories of how many people he has know that followed the Mob and Machiavelli route died of unnatural causes, choosing the Solomon path really is an offer you can’t refuse. At lease one you shouldn’t.

The eleven chapters consist of:

One: Mob Up Your Business. A little background on the author and why his experiences can help in the business world. After all, business is business. There are a few tips in this chapter as well.

Two: First, Nail Down the Basics. You must have a plan, you must put in the time, and the people you assemble will make the difference. These lessons and more illustrated with examples.

Three: Next, Beware Machiavelli’s Trap. The author explains why he quotes from Machiavelli and Solomon.

Four: Use Solomon’s Solution. Continues to explain why he contrasts Machiavelli and Solomon.

Five: Lead with Your Brain, Not Your Mouth. A big fat mouth has gotten a lot of people into trouble, Franzese’s stories will help reinforce why you should think before you talk.

Six: Master the Art of the Sit-Down. Negotiation mob style. That does not mean the lessons won’t work for you in business settings.

Seven: Keep Your Eyes on the Bookies. Franzese shares some thoughts on the gambling industry and how gambling addictions can ruin businesses and people.

Eight: Learn From Your Failures. The author shares stories of his failures and others’ with a message that getting back up and charging ahead is the right thing to do when failure shows up, because it will.

Nine: Play it Straight and Legal. Listen to Franzese, he spent years in prison for not following this advice.

Ten: Pick Your Philosopher: Machiavelli or Solomon? As I mentioned above, the author shows you a choice, and recommends you chose Solomon.

Eleven: Get the Right Idea About Success. It’s really not just about the money. Figure out what real success is and strive for it.

I enjoyed the book. I liked the stories and the lessons that came from them. I’m sure any business person who enjoyed “The Sopranos” will really like this book, but I suspect others that never watched the show will like it too. The advice is fairly basic, and has been around for many years, it’s Solomon, but it is told a little differently with Franzese’s experiences, and that made it enjoyable and memorable. Mob business, Legit business, Business is business. Franzese’s tips can help you run yours better.

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Alain Burrese, J.D. is a mediator/attorney and an author/speaker through his own company Burrese Enterprises Inc. He teaches people to live with the warrior’s edge and make things happen through his writing and speaking on a variety of topics focusing on the business areas of negotiation and success principles as well as self-defense and safety topics. He is the author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks, several instructional DVD’s, and numerous articles. You can find out more about Alain Burrese and read many more reviews, articles and more at his website http://www.burrese.com

(ARA) – Across the country, colleges and universities are embracing innovative, digital technologies and customized learning platforms to drive academic achievement. While print textbooks remain the foundation of higher education course materials, publishers are creating new digital applications that enable institutions and faculty to become more effective, and engage digital learners to enhance their academic achievement and succeed in an increasingly competitive global economy. (more…)

Imagine my surprise when I received a letter from the State Bar of Montana in regards to my application to take the Bar Exam, and reading the letter that basically stated, “You told us you had no delinquent accounts, but your credit report shows two credit cards that have not been paid for two years with outstanding balances of several thousand dollars.” Both delinquent accounts were fraud and it took a lot of time to clean it up and prove to the State Bar that I did not lie to them and be able to sit for the exam and then admitted as a practicing attorney in Montana.

My experiences were nothing compared to what some people have gone through after a criminal has stolen important personal information. That’s why the book “Stopping Identity Theft: 10 Easy Steps to Security” by Scott Mitic, CEO, TrustedID, Inc. is so important. This book can save people time, money, and a lot of headaches.

The description of Nolo/USA Today reads as: Nolo, the leading publisher of legal information for consumers, has teamed with USA Today, the nation’s largest circulation newspaper, to produce great books that feature up-to-date legal and financial expertise, a reader-friendly style and USA Today’s famous graphics. I found this book to be exactly that.

The book is easy to read and contains a ton of examples of identity theft and practical solutions to stop it from happening to you and those you care about, and what to do if it does happen. Chapters include:

One: Identity Theft – What’s the Problem? Information on who commits identity theft, how they do it, what they like best, and a start of how to protect yourself.

Two: Know Thy Credit Report. This chapter explains what your credit report is, what it contains, and why it is important. It provides information on who can get it, why you should get it regularly and review it, how to correct errors on it, and how to put a freeze on it if something is amiss.

Three: Keep Prying Eyes Off Your Financial Accounts. Learn about credit cards, debit cards, and checks and how to keep these accounts more secure. This chapter details many ways that thieves steal this information and how you can prevent it.

Four: Secure Your Online Presence. E-mail, Web-surfing, Instant Messaging, and Social Networking all have risks and this book shows you what they are and how to better protect yourself from Virtual Identity Theft online.

Five: Spot ID Theft Scams Before They Spot You. Foreign Money Offer Scams, Fake Survey Scams, Vishing Scams, Expired Car Warranty Scams, and Tax Scams are some of the devious methods outlined in this chapter that have cost innocent and unaware victims. I’ve deleted and hung up on quite a few of these myself, it is too bad some people have fallen for them.

Six: Be a Savvy Shopper. This chapter outlines risks and solutions to them when shopping online or in stores. Protect yourself shopping by adhering to the suggestions in this book.

Seven: Take Control of Your Data. This chapter discusses organizations that sell the data they have collected from you, and how you can minimize this and opt out of certain mail and telephone call lists. You can also learn the answer to the question, “Are you giving out more data than you need to?”

Eight: Clamp Down on Thefts of Your Health Coverage. The story of the woman who still had the person who stole her medical identity’s blood type in her hospital records is enough to want to read this chapter on preventing medical identity theft. While losing money is terrible, medical identity theft can be life threatening.

Nine: Watch Your Family’s Back. This chapter provides strategies and suggestions to help keep your kids and older people in your lives from falling victim to identity theft. If you think it is not a problem, think again, identity theft of kids and older people is on the rise.

Ten: Have a Safe Trip. This chapter contains practical advice on securing your important possessions while traveling. It provides measures to secure your property and advice as what to do in case something is lost or stolen.

Eleven: React Quickly If Your Identity Is Stolen. Read this chapter and apply the knowledge immediately upon suspecting you are a victim of identity theft. It is a good resource if something ever happens.

Twelve: Stay Ahead of the Curve. This chapter provides additional resources to help the reader stay ahead of the criminals. It is a good resource to have handy.

Some of the information in this book is quite revealing. You may wonder who would fall for some of the schemes disclosed in the text. I mean come on, we have all received things in e-mail that we know are bogus. Unfortunately many people have fallen for these tricks, and many more probably will. The amount of money that has been scammed and stolen from people is shocking.

This is a very good book for illustrating the various ways criminals are scamming people, because knowledge of these scams will help you be more aware. The book also contains some great advice on how to protect yourself and loved ones, as well as what to do if you do fall victim to identity theft. In today’s world, it is up to all of us to live more safely and stop criminals by not providing them the easy opportunities. Reading “Stopping Identity Theft: 10 Easy Steps to Security” will prepare you to live more safely.

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Alain Burrese, J.D. is a mediator/attorney and an author/speaker through his own company Burrese Enterprises Inc. He teaches people to live with the warrior’s edge and make things happen through his writing and speaking on a variety of topics focusing on the business areas of negotiation and success principles as well as self-defense and safety topics. He is the author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks, several instructional DVD’s, and numerous articles. You can find out more about Alain Burrese and read many more reviews, articles and more at his website http://www.burrese.com

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(ARA) – Nearly 10 million people in the United States were victims of identity fraud last year and, over the past two years alone, Americans have lost $8.5 billion to online con artists. When online criminals are so convincing, how do you avoid becoming a victim? And how do you know if you’ve already become a victim of a cybercrime and know where to go for help? (more…)

 ”The Home Office From Hell Cure” by Jeffrey A. Landers has some good information. There is a lot more you need to know to start or succeed with a home-based business, but that does not detract from some of the good advice found here.

I have to admit, one of the things that prompted me to purchase this book was the Foreword by George Ross. I like Ross, and I agree with his statement that you can talk a good game or you can do what’s necessary to make it happen. The choice is yours. There are definitely some ideas in this book that will prompt certain business owners to make it happen and take their businesses to a higher level. However, it does depend on what your business consists of. The book is most helpful for the small business that is built on information. For the entrepreneur that sells his or her expertise and information in a certain area, this book has a lot of useful ideas.

In the first part of the book, Landers discusses the differences of what he calls the “Growth Maven” and the “Lifestyle Guru.” He then provides tips for succeeding at these two different types of entrepreneur choices. There is some good information on virtual offices and virtual assistants in this first half of the book, and for some people these might be just what the doctor ordered to cure your home office. There will be some people that this information will not be as useful. It just depends on your business, and your style.

The second half of the book focuses on becoming what Landers calls a “nexpert.” This is his word for a niche expert. This section of the book contains some very good information on getting the word out to potential customers and clients by the way of establishing your “expertise” in your chosen area. Things such as writing articles, presenting speeches, being interviewed, creating a tips booklet, and doing tele-seminars are covered.

Overall, Landers covers a lot of topics in a short amount of time. The format is divided into many small chapters, combined with an action guide for you to implement the strategies and ideas presented in the book. The information is brief, and for some areas readers may wish to learn more on these topics. However, there is enough in this book to get you started. The 100-day plan, if followed, can be motivating and prompt you toward success since it breaks the tasks down into bite sized bits that you can do day-by-day. This is a good book for certain entrepreneurs that need a kick start with their home based business. It does not have everything you need to know, but definitely presents some good ideas and strategies to move your business forward.

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Alain Burrese, J.D. is a mediator/attorney with Bennett Law Office P. C. and an author/speaker through his own company Burrese Enterprises Inc. He teaches people to live with the warrior’s edge through his writing and speaking on a variety of topics focusing on the business areas of negotiation and success principles as well as self-defense and safety topics. He is the author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks, several instructional DVDs, and numerous articles. You can find out more about Alain Burrese at his websites http://www.burrese.com and http://bennettlawofficepc.com

(ARA) – They are your vehicle’s only connection to the road, yet most of the time your tires are the last thing you think about. Despite being viewed by many drivers as simply round and black, today’s tires are more technologically advanced than ever before. As the technology in tires rapidly advances, so do consumers’ options to choose the right tires to meet their vehicle needs.

Vehicle manufacturers carefully outfit their cars and trucks with particular tires that best suit each vehicle’s purpose and performance. When those original tires wear out and it is time to shop for replacement tires, there are a few important steps you should take. (more…)