FTC / MI Attorney General: Charity Scams

5/19/15, LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette today joined state law enforcement partners in every state in the nation, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Trade Commission, to jointly file a federal lawsuit against four phony cancer charities and their operators, who allegedly scammed more than $187 million from consumers throughout the country.

The joint complaint alleges the defendants including Cancer Fund of America, Children’s Cancer Fund of America, Cancer Support Services and The Breast Cancer Society, portrayed themselves to donors as legitimate charities with substantial nationwide programs.

     “Federal and State law requires honesty of our charities and fundraisers.  We will not tolerate those who employ unscrupulous fundraising tactics to deceive donors in Michigan and across the country,” said Schuette.  “Our actions today mean that those charities aiming to deceive those who want to help children with cancer and breast cancer patients will be held accountable.” 

For more details on the groups sited and how to find out if a charity is credible click on the link below.

MI Attorney Generals Website

Better Business Bureau: Purchase Property Deed $83 when you can get it for $2 ? - “Record Transfer Services- Unsolicted request”

The BBB has received complaints about the "Record Transfer Services" unsolicited letter asking you to pay $83.00 for a copy of your home deed and assessment profile.

 

You have to read the fine print where they acknowledge on the second page that you can get this from your local County Clerk.

 

If you received a letter from Records Transfer Service Company charging $83.00 for a copy of your “Current Grant Deed and Property Assessment Profile” it is an unsolicited request for you to pay for something that you don't need.   It fits the classic scam formula.

 

See the attached:

 

If you received this letter please call your local County Clerks office to alert them to the letter and asked to get it from them if needed but don't fall prey to the unsolicited letter

Milwaukee Journal - Public Investigator "Deed Scam".

 

 

Netsmartz - Online Safety PSA contest

Don't forget about the Speak Up for Safety PSA contest. There's still time to enter!

Encourage teens to submit a 30 to 60-second video explaining the one thing they think teens need to know about being safer online. The deadline for entries is May 12, 2015.

Click on the link for details from Netsmartz about the PSA contest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Netsmartz - PSA contest

FTC: Reluctant to be rude?

March 25, 2015, Amy Hebert Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

Respectfulness and politeness, they’re valued in many close-knit communities. But when you’re dealing with a scammer, those values can backfire, as we’ve heard during our ongoing effort to fight fraud in every community. Scammers try to take advantage of your politeness to get you to hand over money or personal information.

Here are some situations when it would be just fine to interrupt, hang up, and not give a caller the time of day: 

1.)   They want your personal information

2.)   They want you to spend money right away

3.)   They keep talking

4.)   They are threating you

 

For more details from the Federal Trade Commission on the situations sited above click the link below.

FTC- Fraud, It's ok to be rude,,,,,

National Missing and Exploited Children: Rethinking “Stranger Danger”

“Stranger danger” It’s short. It’s simple. It even rhymes! But is it really the most effective abduction prevention lesson for our children?  Children do not understand the concept of a stranger. Many believe that strangers are mean, ugly people — so the nice man asking for help to find his lost puppy? Not a stranger.

A New Message

Although “stranger danger” seems like an easy way to teach our children basic personal safety, it actually puts them at a disadvantage. Children who are taught stranger danger may: Be afraid to ask helpful strangers for assistance when they need it Not knowing how to recognize and avoid risky situations. Instead of teaching “stranger danger,” try the following tips when talking to your child about abduction prevention safety:

Don’t say: Never talk to strangers.

Say: You should not approach just anyone. If you need help, look for a uniformed police officer, a store clerk with a nametag, or a parent with children.

Don’t say: Stay away from people you don’t know.

Say: It’s important for you to get my permission before going anywhere with anyone.

Don't say: You can tell someone is bad just by looking at them.

Say: Pay attention to what people do. Tell me right away if anyone asks you to keep a secret, makes you feel uncomfortable, or tries to get you to go with them.

 

For more tips for parents, grandparents, child care providers, and the faith community, click on the National Missing and Exploited link below.

 

NC for ME Children- Kidsmartz

MI AG Bill Schuette- "Avoid being a victim -2015 Tax Scams" information for consumers

CONSUMER ALERT

 

BILL SCHUETTE

ATTORNEY GENERAL

 

The Attorney General provides Consumer Alerts to inform the public of unfair, misleading, or deceptive business practices, and to provide information and guidance on other issues of concern.  Consumer alerts are not legal advice, legal authority, or a binding legal opinion from the Department of Attorney General.

 

 

IRS Will Never Ask for Taxpayers' Personal Information by Phone or in E-mails

 

Anybody contacting you claiming to be from the IRS and asking you for personal identifying information is a crook.  Every year the IRS issues warnings about rebate or other scams being perpetrated by con artists claiming to work for the agency.  The goal of these crooks is to commit identity theft, take control of personal computers, or simply duping people out of cash.  IRS scams enable con artists to get bank account information, Social Security numbers, or credit and debit card details that are then used to commit identity theft.

 

IRS E-MAIL SCAMS

 

E-mail continues to be the method of choice for IRS scams.  Common e-mail tricks used by these crooks include using:

• the official IRS logo,
• whole sections of text from the IRS's website,
• a fake "from" address (reported Michigan variations include irs@getrefundnow.com, support@irs.gov, service@irs.jg.gov, tax-refunds@irs.gov and other variations on the irs.gov theme),
• forms with numbers similar to those the IRS already uses, often with a jumble of numbers and letters.

Don't fall for any e-mail scams! The IRS never initiates e-mails to taxpayers!

 

Refund E-mail.  Several variations of this bogus e-mail exist, all falsely claiming to come from the IRS and informing the recipient to click on a link to access a refund claim form that requires personal identifying information.  The crooks try to make this look legitimate by using a specific refund sum that sounds convincing (reported Michigan variations include $134.80 and $184.80).  A recent new twist is aimed at tax-exempt organizations and includes the name and a fake signature of an actual IRS employee.

 

The "Where's My Refund?" variation of this bogus e-mail offers track your refund and asks for your last name, Social Security Number, and credit card information.

 

Audit E-mail.  This bogus e-mail informs the recipient that his or her tax return will be audited.  As if the threat of an audit was not enough to get someone's attention, the e-mail may include a greeting in the body addressed to the specific recipient by name.

 

Tax Law Changes E-mail.  Directed at accountants and businesses, this bogus e-mail invites the recipient to download information on tax law changes.  Clicking on the link downloads malware.  Malware is short for malicious software and describes software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner's informed consent.  Malware can take over the victim's computer hard drive, giving someone remote access to the computer, or it could look for or record passwords or other information and send that valuable personal identifying information to the crook.

 

Cash Reward for Completing Online Customer Satisfaction Survey.  This e-mail purports to pay taxpayers for completing an online survey that, of course, includes questions asking for personal identifying information.

 
 

IRS PHONE SCAMS

 

Back Taxes or Penalty Phone Call.  High pressure calls threaten legal action that can only be avoided by immediate payment. Payment must be made by difficult-to-trace Green Dot or similar money transfer methods. Victims provide the card numbers and PINs to the caller, and the caller quickly wipes the cards clean of cash.

Rebate Phone Call.  Aimed at seniors, the caller identifies himself as an IRS employee and tells the targeted victim that he is eligible for a sizable rebate for filing taxes early.  The fake IRS employee states that he needs the target's bank account information for direct deposit of the rebate.  Providing your bank account details gives criminals access to your funds.

 

Paper Check Phone Call.  In this telephone scam, a fake IRS employee indicates the IRS sent a check that has not been cashed and the IRS needs to verify the individual's bank account number.  The only way the IRS collects your bank account details is if you choose to put them in your tax return. 

 
 

WHAT TO DO IF YOU GET AN E-MAIL OR PHONE CALL PURPORTING TO COME FROM THE IRS

 

If you know the e-mail or call purports to be from the IRS, don't open the e-mail or answer the phone.  You may forward e-mails to phishing@irs.gov, the address established by the IRS to receive, track, and shut down these scams.  Detailed instructions for how to send the e-mails are in the IRS's publication "Protect Yourself from Suspicious E-Mails or Phishing Schemes."  You may not receive an individual response to your e-mail because of the volume of reports the IRS receives each day.

 

You may also report misuse of the IRS name, logo, forms, or other IRS property to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration toll-free at 1-800-366-4484.

 

Also remember that the only genuine IRS website is www.irs.gov.  You should never get to this site using a link embedded into an e-mail - instead enter the address in your browser.  A website embedded into an e-mail can easily take you to a fake site.

 
 

BEWARE OF ADVANCE REFUND LOANS

 

An advance refund loan is a loan based on money you are expecting to get as a tax refund.  These loans can be legitimate but lenders charge huge rates of interest and fees.  Sending your return in on time will sometimes get your money is just a few weeks, without a hefty price.


TAX-RELATED IDENTITY THEFT

Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses your stolen Social Security number to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund. The IRS is often the first to inform a victim that identity theft has occurred.  Victims should immediately contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490. Report the fraud and ask for ID Theft Affidavit Form 1439 (form is also available online throughPublication 5027 Identity Theft Information for Taxpayers). 

Complete the form and continue to pay your taxes and file your tax return, even if you must do so by paper. 

One of the most effective ways to protect yourself from this type of identity theft is to file your tax return as soon as possible.  Additional identity theft prevention measures are outlined in the Attorney General’s Identity Theft Information for Michigan Consumers consumer alert.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

Consumers may contact the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at:

 

Consumer Protection Division
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909

517-373-1140
Fax: 517-241-3771

Toll free: 877-765-8388

www.mi.gov/ag (online complaint form)

Turbo Tax: Intuit Working With State Governments to Solve Emerging Tax Fraud Problem

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – Feb. 6, 2015 – Intuit Inc. today announced it is working with state agencies to address growing concerns over state tax fraud. During this tax season, Intuit and some states have seen an increase in suspicious filings and attempts by criminals to use stolen identity information to file fraudulent state tax returns and claim tax refunds.

To assist any customers who believe they are victims of tax fraud, Intuit has implemented a plan that includes a dedicated toll-free number, 800-944-8596, with direct access to specially trained identity protection agents who will provide comprehensive support and filing assistance. In addition, Intuit will provide identity protection services and free credit monitoring, as well as provide access to all versions of its software or to the assistance of one of Intuit’s credentialed tax experts who will prepare taxes for affected customers at no expense.

Click on the link below for more information on what to do if you use Turbo Tax and or a victim of fraud because someone has used your information to obtain a tax return through this program.

 

Intuit, Inc. TurboTax

Crime Prevention Tip of the Day: Avoid falling prey to the "IRS Scam - Send $ by using Reloadit packs"

Crime Prevention Tip of the Day: 

IRS Scam- You owe money!

Rich Coleman, PSCC, PTDPS CPAM

Protect yourself from falling prey to the IRS telephone scam.  Residents across Michigan and the country are getting calls from scammers saying they owe money and the police are coming to their home to arrest them if they don't send it by using Reloadit packs.


Here is an announcement from the Reloadit Pack website on this and other scams using their products.  Please pass on to others.

For additional assistance contact your local Police / Sheriff's Department's Crime Prevention personnel for tips.

 

Protect Yourself from Scams!

DO NOT PROVIDE THE PACK NUMBER FROM THE BACK OF THE RELOADIT PACK TO ANYONE OVER THE PHONE YOU DO NOT KNOW OR HAVE NOT MET IN PERSON. PROVIDING YOUR PACK NUMBER IS LIKE SENDING CASH AND CANNOT BE TRACED.

The Reloadit product is intended to load money onto reloadable prepaid cards. It is for personal use only - to add funds onto your own prepaid card or a family member or friend's card.

Beware of scams that ask for Reloadit pack numbers, such as:

• Government agency claiming you owe money for any penalties or back taxes.
• Utility company requiring immediate payment for electricity.
• Law enforcement agency claiming your loved ones, such as a grandchild, is in jail and needs to post bail.
• Lottery company claiming you have won a prize and need to pay taxes.

If you have been asked to provide Reloadit as a form of payment, please call 1 (888) 633-9434 prior

to purchasing.

Reloadit website

FBI- Business Watch Alert; "Business E-Mail Compromise" 1/22/15

Public Service Announcement

Prepared by the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

January 22, 2015
Alert Number: I-012215-PSA

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Business E-mail Compromise

The Business E-mail Compromise (BEC) is a sophisticated scam targeting businesses working with foreign suppliers and/or businesses that regularly perform wire transfer payments. Formerly known as the Man-in-the-E-mail Scam, the BEC was renamed to focus on the “business angle” of this scam and to avoid confusion with another unrelated scam. The fraudulent wire transfer payments sent to foreign banks may be transferred several times but are quickly dispersed. Asian banks, located in China and Hong Kong, are the most commonly reported ending destination for these fraudulent transfers.
The BEC is a global scam with subjects and victims in many countries. The IC3 has received BEC complaint data from victims in every U.S. state and 45 countries. From 10/01/2013¹ to 12/01/2014, the following statistics are reported:

• Total U.S. victims: 1198
• Total U.S. dollar loss: $179,755,367.08
• Total non-U.S. victims: 928
• Total non-U.S. dollar loss: $35,217,136.22
• Combined victims: 2126
• Combined dollar loss: $214,972,503.30

The FBI assesses with high confidence the number of victims and the total dollar loss will continue to increase.
The BEC scam is linked to other forms of fraud, including but not limited to: romance, lottery, employment, and home/vacation rental scams. The victims of these scams are usually U.S. based and may be recruited as unwitting “money mules.”² The mules receive the fraudulent funds in their personal accounts and are then directed by the subject to quickly transfer the funds using wire transfer services or another bank account, usually outside the U.S. Upon direction, mules may sometimes open business accounts for fake corporations both of which may be incorporated in the true name of the mule.
The “Attorney Check Scam” is another type of fraud that is linked to the BEC scam in the following manner:

• Attorneys are targeted to represent supposed (BEC) litigants in a payment dispute.
• Retainers in the form of checks are sent by (BEC) litigants to the attorney.
• The scam is revealed when either the checks are found to be fraudulent or the (BEC) litigants are contacted.
• While the payment disputes are real, the (BEC) litigants neither contacted nor retained that attorney for legal assistance.

The victims of the BEC scam range from small to large businesses. These businesses may purchase or supply a variety of goods, such as textiles, furniture, food, and pharmaceuticals. This scam impacts both ends of the supply chain, as both supplies and money can be lost and business relations may be damaged.
It is still largely unknown how victims are selected; however, the subjects monitor and study their selected victims prior to initiating the BEC scam. The subjects are able to accurately identify the individuals and protocol necessary to perform wire transfers within a specific business environment. Victims may also first receive “phishing” e-mails requesting additional details of the business or individual being targeted (name, travel dates, etc). Some victims reported being a victim of various Scareware or Ransomware cyber intrusions, immediately preceding a BEC scam request.

VERSIONS OF THE BEC SCAM

Based on IC3 complaints and other complaint data received since 2009, there are three main versions of this scam:
Version 1
A business, which often has a long standing relationship with a supplier, is asked to wire funds for invoice payment to an alternate, fraudulent account. The request may be made via telephone, facsimile or e-mail. If an e-mail is received, the subject will spoof the e-mail request so it appears very similar to a legitimate account and would take very close scrutiny to determine it was fraudulent. Likewise, if a facsimile or telephone call is received, it will closely mimic a legitimate request. This particular version has also been referred to as “The Bogus Invoice Scheme,” “The Supplier Swindle,” and “Invoice Modification Scheme.”
Version 2
The e-mail accounts of high-level business executives (CFO, CTO, etc) are compromised. The account may be spoofed or hacked. A request for a wire transfer from the compromised account is made to a second employee within the company who is normally responsible for processing these requests. In some instances a request for a wire transfer from the compromised account is sent directly to the financial institution with instructions to urgently send funds to bank “X” for reason “Y.” This particular version has also been referred to as “CEO Fraud,” “Business Executive Scam,” “Masquerading,” and “Financial Industry Wire Frauds.”
Version 3
An employee of a business has his/her personal e-mail hacked. Requests for invoice payments to fraudster-controlled bank accounts are sent from this employee’s personal e-mail to multiple vendors identified from this employee’s contact list. The business may not become aware of the fraudulent requests until they are contacted by their vendors to follow up on the status of their invoice payment.
CHARACTERISTICS OF BEC COMPLAINTS
The IC3 has noted the following characteristics of BEC complaints:

• Businesses and personnel using open source e-mail are most targeted.
• Individuals responsible for handling wire transfers within a specific business are targeted.
• Spoofed e-mails very closely mimic a legitimate e-mail request.
• Hacked e-mails often occur with a personal e-mail account.
• Fraudulent e-mail requests for a wire transfer are well-worded, specific to the business being victimized, and do not raise suspicions to the legitimacy of the request.
• The phrases “code to admin expenses” or “urgent wire transfer” were reported by victims in some of the fraudulent e-mail requests.
• The amount of the fraudulent wire transfer request is business specific; therefore, dollar amounts requested are similar to normal business transaction amounts so as to not raise doubt.
• Fraudulent e-mails received have coincided with business travel dates for executives whose e-mails were spoofed.
• Victims report that IP addresses frequently trace back to free domain registrars.

SUGGESTIONS FOR PROTECTION
The IC3 suggests the following measures to help protect you and your business from becoming victims of the BEC scam:

• Avoid Free Web-Based E-mail: Establish a company web site domain and use it to establish company e-mail accounts in lieu of free, web-based accounts.
• Be careful what is posted to social media and company websites, especially job duties/descriptions, hierarchal information, and out of office details.
• Be suspicious of requests for secrecy or pressure to take action quickly.
• Consider additional IT and Financial security procedures and 2-step verification processes. For example -
• • Out of Band Communication: Establish other communication channels, such as telephone calls, to verify significant transactions. Arrange this second-factor authentication early in the relationship and outside the e-mail environment to avoid interception by a hacker.
  • Digital Signatures: Both entities on either side of transactions should use digital signatures. However, this will not work with web-based e-mail accounts. Additionally, some countries ban or limit the use of encryption.
  • Delete Spam: Immediately delete unsolicited e-mail (spam) from unknown parties. Do NOT open spam e-mail, click on links in the e-mail, or open attachments. These often contain malware that will give subjects access to your computer system.
  • Forward vs. Reply: Do not use the “Reply” option to respond to any business e-mails. Instead, use the “Forward” option and either type in the correct e-mail address or select it from the e-mail address book to ensure the intended recipient’s correct e-mail address is used.
• Significant Changes: Beware of sudden changes in business practices. For example, if a current business contact suddenly asks to be contacted via their personal e-mail address when all previous official correspondence has been on a company e-mail, the request could be fraudulent. Always verify via other channels that you are still communicating with your legitimate business partner.

FILING AN IC3 COMPLAINT
If you believe your businesses is the recipient of a compromised e-mail or is a victim of the BEC scam (regardless of dollar amount), you should file with the IC3 at www.IC3.gov. Please be as descriptive as possible, identify your complaint as “Business Email Compromise” or “BEC” and try to include the following information:

• Header information from e-mail messages
• Identifiers for the perpetrators such as names, e-mail addresses, websites, bank account information (especially where transfers were requested to be sent), and beneficiary names
• Details on how, why, and when you believe you were defrauded
• Actual and attempted loss amounts
• Other relevant information you believe is necessary to support your complaint

Complainants are also encouraged to keep all original documentation, e-mails, faxes, and logs of all telecommunications. You will not be able to add or upload attachments with your IC3 complaint; however, please retain all relevant information, in the event you are contacted by law enforcement.

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^{1.The IC3 began tracking the BEC scam 10/01/2013.↩
2.“money mules” are defined as a person who transfers money illegally on behalf of others.↩}

Fire Safety In the Home: National Fire Prevention Association - " Smoke & Carborn Monixide Detectors -replace / inspect "

National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA):

“Smoke alarms on the list of 10 everyday items you probably need to replace”

HNLTV News story: "In the event of a fire, a smoke alarm is a key factor in a safe resolution," says HLNTV. "The National Fire Protection Association urges consumers to replace all smoke alarms every 10 years. And, they suggest testing them every month to make sure your detectors (Smoke & Carbon Monoxide) are working properly."

For details and tips from the NFPA on fire prevention in the home click on the image below from the 2014 Fire Prevention Week campaign:

 

NFPA - Fire Safety in the Home

NFPA: Put a Freeze on Winter Fires

NFPA - Home Heating Safety Tips

FTC: Annualcreditreport.com - Don't be fooled by Imposter Websites

FTC: Annualcreditreport.com - Don’t be fooled by Imposter Websites

 

Only one website is authorized to fill orders for the free annual credit report you are entitled to under law, annualcreditreport.com. Other websites that claim to offer “free credit reports,” “free credit scores” or “free credit monitoring” are not part of the legally mandated free annual credit report program. In some cases, the “free” product comes with strings attached. For example, some sites sign you up for a supposedly “free” service that converts to one you have to pay for after a trial period. If you don’t cancel during the trial period, you may be unwittingly agreeing to let the company start charging fees to your credit card.

Some “imposter” sites use terms like “free report” in their names; others have URLs that purposely misspell annualcreditreport.com in the hope that you will mistype the name of the official site. Some of these “imposter” sites direct you to other sites that try to sell you something or collect your personal information.

Annualcreditreport.com and the nationwide credit reporting companies will not send you an email asking for your personal information. If you get an email, see a pop-up ad, or get a phone call from someone claiming to be from annualcreditreport.com or any of the three nationwide credit reporting companies, do not reply or click on any link in the message. It’s probably a scam. Forward any such email to the FTC at spam@uce.gov.   Click on the link to access the site.

 

Annualcreditreport.com - Official website

                            

 

Better Business Bureau: Fake Emails from Gmail carry Malware

The BBB, in a January 13, 2015, alert provided great tips and information from Google about the recent fake Gmail emails. I've provided some of the information from the article as well as a link to Google.

 

Better Business Bureau:

 

Have a Gmail account? Watch out for scam emails posing as messages from Google. They may look like official notices about your account, but they carry malware.

How the Scam Works:

You receive an email that appears to be a message about your Google or Gmail account. One version of this scam informs you that "You have exceeded your email limit quota." Another tells you that "you have a deferred email." The text is hyperlinked in both, implying that you should click for more information. Don't do it!

 

 

Better Business Bureau- Consumer Protection Tips