Use Blue Tooth? B.B.B.- Protect yourself from Hacking Scams

Use Blue tooth? Protect your self from hacking scams.

Scammers use specialized software to intercept your Bluetooth signal and hack into your device. It is called "bluebugging”. Doing this gives them access to all your texts, contacts, photos, call history and everything on your phone. For tips on protecting your device and personal information, click on the image below.

Better Business Bureau: Blue Tooth protection from scams

Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft: What to do if your Social Security # is stolen

The I.R.S. has reported a rise in social security number fraud cases this year. Individuals have had someone file an unauthorized tax return “online” using their social security number. If you have discovered that, you are a victim the Federal Trade Commission and the IRS have joined forces to help correct the problem. Click on the image below for details and resources.

Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft

American Poison Control Center: 2012, 2,654 calls of exposure to "Bath Salts"



American Association of Poison Control Centers

"Bath Salts- 2,654 calls about exposure to bath salts Jan.- Dec. 2012"

Synthetic cathinones, often marketed as “bath salts,” have names like Cloud 9 and Bliss. They are NOT the bath salts you use in your tub. These are powerful illegal drugs that have not been tested for safety, and users don’t really know exactly what chemicals they are putting into their bodies. The side effects they cause may be permanent.

Poison center experts say these substances are among the worst they have seen. Users have experienced many side effects and some have died from exposure to excessive abuse.

For more details and resources to help loved ones and your community click on the link below.

American Assoc. of Poison Control Centers " Bath Salts"



National Consumer Protection Week March 3rd – 9th 2013

N.C.P.W.'s website is more than a destination for consumer information; it is also a source for outreach tools to share with your family and friends. Thanks to 64 federal, state and local agencies and nonprofits that are putting the spotlight on the critical consumer protection work they do year-round, consumers have easy access to a tremendous variety of timely, useful information about recognizing and reporting frauds and scams, managing credit and debt, using technology, and staying healthy and safe. Click on the link below for more details.

National Consumer Protection Week 2013

2012 Consumer Sentinel Report- Michigan Data

The Federal Trade Commission's 2012 Consumer Sentinel national report was released on 2/26/13. This national data has been analyzed and broken down by state. The State of Michigan's data has been purged from the report and provided in this post (click on the link below to see the complete report). Contact a member of the Crime Prevention Association of Michigan or an officer from your local police department to get the latest information on how not to be a victim of any of the "reported" crimes listed below. R. Coleman, CPAM

Fraud and Other Complaints Count from Michigan Consumers = 49,501

1

Percentages are based on the total number of CSN fraud and other complaints from Michigan consumers (49,501).

                                      

                                      MICHIGAN

    Consumer Sentinel Network Complaint Figures

                        January 1 - December 31, 2012

 Total Number of Identity Theft, Fraud and Other Consumer   

                                Complaints = 61,576

                               Identity Theft Types Reported by Michigan Victims

Identity Theft Complaints Count from Michigan Victims = 12,075

1

Percentages are based on the 12,075 victims reporting from Michigan. Note that CSN identity theft

complaints may be coded under multiple theft types.

Top 10 Fraud and Other Complaint Categories Reported by Michigan Consumers

Federal Trade Commission Page 44 of 102 Released February 2013

Rank Top Categories Percentage

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1 Debt Collection                                                           7,330 15%

2 Banks and Lenders                                                      3,986 8%

3 Shop-at-Home and Catalog Sales                                3,109 6%

4 Impostor Scams                                                           2,194 4%

5 Prizes, Sweepstakes and Lotteries                                1,829 4%

6 Telephone and Mobile Services                                    1,795 4%

7 Internet Services                                                           1,699 3%

8 Auto Related Complaints                                              1,493 3%

9 Foreign Money Offers and Counterfeit Check Scams    1,317 3%

10 Credit Cards                                                              1,106 2%

Complaints

Rank Identity Theft Type Percentage

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1 Government Documents or Benefits Fraud                   6,512 54%

2 Credit Card Fraud                                                       1,380 11%

3 Phone or Utilities Fraud                                               1,254 10%

4 Bank Fraud                                                                    630   5%

5 Employment-Related Fraud                                            387   3%

6 Loan Fraud                                                                    299   2%

Other                                                                             1,602 13%

Attempted Identity Theft                                                    770   6%

2012 FTC Consumer Sentinel Annual Report