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Summer 2000
News at DSI – Welcome!
After a long, lonely Winter, we have finally found some much needed help and that is in the person of
Shannon Wiegner, an intern with the criminal justice school at W. Chester University. Shannon will
receive her B.S. shortly and will be staying on as our staff investigator. Shannon lives with her parents in
Delaware County and plans to obtain her M.S. after taking a semester off. Please do not hesitate to contact her with questions about BIs or other matters.
News at Dallas Security – Reluctant Heroes
Although we are quite proud of two of our security officers, we all feel that we would prefer that it had
never happened in the first place. For those of you located in the Delaware Valley, you certainly heard the news report of a young mentally disabled teenager who was assaulted in a public parking garage in
Philadelphia, in June. It was two of our officers who interrupted the attack and secured key evidence that
led to identifying the perp. Our officers will be providing the main testimony when he goes to trial. The Philly Assistant D.A. has recommended our duo to receive a citation from the Mayor.
(More great alternate definitions) Abdicate: to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach
Open NJ Records
We report a Phila Inquirer Editorial (5/23/00) that supports proposed legislation that would clarify, mostly
for the public employees charged with maintaining it, what is and is not public record. Given some appropriate exemptions, details of municipal and country budgets, salary and OT records, police logs
and various police reports should be available to the public and in 1999 were not. We recommend that New Jerseyans voice their support for this bill written by Assemblyman R. Geist (R., Camden).
Wake-up People!
Cheats, Con Artists, Scams. These names bring thoughts of individuals, not of corporations. But are
you aware that Prudential Life Insurance has agreed to pay out more than $1 Billion to settle charges that it abused 650,000 customers by tricking them into converting their policies and disguising the risks
involved in doing so? Pru has also set aside an additional $1.5B for future settlements. Last year, it
was Metropolitan Insurance for $2B. Phony securities scams occur with regular frequency and amount to more than $10B lost by investors each year.
If it sounds too good to be true . . . (J. Wells, ACFE)
Coffee: One who is coughed upon
A recent review of the statistics showing hits to our website in the last month reveals almost 3500 visitations.
About ½ were by .com's, 800+ from .net's, 100+ from .edu. Some of the other sources were 64 by .uk,
44 by .au, 27 by .mil, 21 by .gov, and 11 by .jp (Japan). Truly the world wide web,<G> Don't know what these extensions mean? Go here http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/countrycode
Lymph: To walk with a lisp
Add-Remove
Is your hard drive getting clogged with too much data and miscellaneous files? Thinking about deleting
some programs? STOP! Data files are okay to delete but programs are another matter. Instead of
deleting them, uninstall the program! Use Windows Explorer to check the directory for an uninstall utility or go to Windows Control Panel and click on Add/Remove. Using this utility will also remove any
references to the program from System files and the Registry.
Balderdash: A rapidly receding hairline.
Business: HS Grads Need Work Ethic
A survey of workers asked what skills are needed in today's workforce. Workers rated computer skills
as far less important than critical thinking, literacy, number skills and communications ability. Other traits, such as a good work ethic, integrity and responsibility were mentioned twice as much as
computer skills.
The polled workers recommended exit exams for graduating seniors preceded by yearly math and
reading tests. Before leaving high school, students should participate in internships with prospective
employers. Who did they think was most responsible for getting students ready to enter the workforce? Parents. (Inq. 6/19/00)
Three Strikes & You're Out
Researchers have concluded, after an exhaustive study, that the 3 Strikes & You're Out legislation has
had little impact on the behavior of criminals. They feel that the minimal impact might be attributed to the local CJ systems interpreting the law to their own political and organizational interests. (www.ncjrs.org/rr/vol12/19.html)
Esplanade: Attempting an explanation while drunk.
Effusive E-Mails Eliminate Extroverted Employees
Merck (Pharmaceuticals) disciplined and, in some cases, terminated numerous employees for
inappropriate E-mail and Internet usage. The company also announced that it would begin a world-wide training program for all employees on standards and values. (Computerworld.com 7/10/00)
Can't Get That Forwarding Address?
Are you frustrated with not being able to get any cooperation from the local Post Office? Are the clerks
demanding a "signed release" before revealing an individual's new address? There may be another way
of getting it. We won't publish the answer here. (Do you have any idea how many people read this rag?
<G>) But if you are stymied, give us a call or email and we'll explain one very successful way.
>>FTC's New Privacy Regs<<
A credit report is made up of two parts: personal data and financial information. The dissemination of
financial data (credit history) has been severely restricted for about 5 years now. The sale and distribution of the personal data has always been a thriving business.
Now, the FTC has issued regulations that describe this personal data (name, SSN, addresses, YOB,
and spouse's first initial and occasionally an employer) as being "financial data." This effectively places it under the same FCRA umbrella as the credit histories at the bottom of the reports.
The use (and misuse) of this information has been fought about for many years. Legitimate uses have
been for conducting backgrounds, fraud prevention, investigations, skip tracing, debt collection and child
support. Other obvious uses are intelligence gathering and marketing. Misuse includes selling the data to stalkers and abusive spouses. But, unless the FCRA is amended to specifically exclude such
restrictions, the new regulations will take effect 7/1/01. (Legalert 6/2/00)
Testickle: A humorous question on an exam
Web Fraudster Pleads Guilty
Lamar Christian, Trenton, NJ, admitted to stealing personal data of a number of senior military officers
then establishing over 330 bogus credit card accounts in their names. He then purchased over $160,000 in goods and services. The perp revealed that he obtained the data from the website of a privacy
advocate<!> who stated that he gleaned the SSNs and names from the Congressional Record when these officers had received promotions (AP, 5/17/00)
You've Got Mail!
Not only do we receive letters from alleged Nigerian "businessmen" offering millions if . . . "we can use
your bank account. Send us the account number." Now we are receiving emails offering access to
secrets for developing information about people. "Secrets Revealed" is their pitch and for a 'reasonable'
sum they will forward you their software. Just reply with your credit card details to: OddinDmgz@ael.ru
The odd thing about this "odd" email address is the last extension in the URL > ".ru" That's Russia. Thanks, we'll pass.
Diploma Mills Continue to Flourish
If you are responsible for doing background investigations of employment candidates, make sure you are
certain the applicant graduated from college. More than 20% of all resumes are embellished or fraudulent. One method is to obtain a diploma or degree from a "faux" university. See email
advertisement below:
"University Diplomas – Obtain a prosperous future, money, earning power and the admiration of all!
Diplomas from prestigious non-accredited universities based on your present knowledge and life experience. Bachelors, Masters, MBA or Doctorate diplomas are available in the field of your choice.
No one is turned down. Call now to receive your diploma in just days."
Let DSI Conduct You BIs - We know the difference between such institutions as Washington University
, Wayne, PA & Washington University, St. Louis.
Major Check Fraud Arrest – Phila.
Antoine Norman said he was a barber. Evidence says he has been the operative of a check cashing
fraud against two major Phila. Area banks. Co-conspirators included U.S. Postal employees and bank
tellers who worked for one of the these banks. Others included bank mail clerks and photo retrievers.
They received half of each take for their effort in exchange for their assistance. Over two years, they stole check orders from the P.O. and then created counterfeit checks with sophisticated computer
equipment. Total losses could reach $5M.
Frisbetarianism: The belief that when you die your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck there.
Reprise: USPO to charge $.05 for E-mails!?!
Have you heard that rumor? Before passing on this and other wild rumors, check them out! Go to: (No www.) http://f-secure.com/virus-info/hoax There are a lot of phony viruses, too. Get the straight scoop on what's real or not at: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html
FutureRisk.net is Changing to: http://www.StrategicRiskControl.com
The participants in this new venture have decided that it was vital to have ".com" as part of the name.
After some researching, this is the name we agreed on. The website is under construction and if you visit there now you can find details of the "Members" and of the "Services" we will be providing.
B.O.L.O. for Counterfeit Websites
The latest scam to obtain your hard earned money is to encourage you to contact your bank via the
Internet and do business this way. The problem is that it is not your bank's website but a very similar one, such as wwwbankofamerica.com. This phony website was shut down in just a few days, but not
before the con artists were able to obtain account information on a number of customers that were duped into believing they were looking at the real B of A site. One spoofer was known to have exactly
duplicated one bank's site. After getting the personal data on the customer, the phony site would direct
the customer to click on an icon that would return the customer to the real site and never the wiser. The Comptroller of the Currency has issued warnings to all banks to Be On The Look Out for similar scams.
Now . . . ID Theft in Clusters
Your fellow workers in the space next to your's cries out in frustration "Somebody stole my name!" It
turns out that your colleague has been notified by his bank that someone was trying to reorder checks from his checking account. It would be a good idea to call your bank and confirm that everything is
normal with your accounts. How did this employee's personal information get into the hands of a fraudster? There are a number of ways. Interception of a commercial payroll service's printouts or
payroll order. Interception of similar printouts for your company's payroll department. Trash-picking or
dumpster-diving for discarded records/printouts. And, as noted in an earlier item, co-conspirators from
various vital departments in your company. The result is what is now being called Cluster Identity Theft and it refers to groups of people all losing their ID. (Inq., Finance, 8/1/00)
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