MI Fireworks Safety Act of 2012 / Admendents for local communities / Consumer Product Safety tips- Fireworks

Michigan Fireworks Safety Act:

Effective January 1^st, 2012, the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act allows the sale and use of fireworks to consumers.  Some examples are roman candles, bottle rockets and other fireworks that leave the ground. For more information a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act has been released from the State of Michigan, Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.

 

Michigan Fireworks Safety Act of 2012 amended:

On June 12^th 2013, the Michigan legislature amended the 2012 Fireworks Safety Act. The proposal would allow any city, township or village to enact an ordinance banning overnight "ignition, discharge or use" of consumer fireworks on the day before or after a national holiday. Local units of government already have the ability to limit usage on other days of the year. Smaller communities (townships and villages) will be able to prohibit use from 1 a.m. and 8 a.m. around all national holidays. A maximum civil fine of $500 could be imposed on violators.

Check with your local municipality on the amendments approved for your specific community.

 

Information from the Consumer product Safety on Fireworks Safety:

 

Remember, fireworks can be dangerous, causing serious burn and eye injuries. You can help us prevent fireworks-related injuries and deaths. How? By working with a national, state or local organization where you live to promote fireworks safety in your community.

 

Follow these safety tips when using fireworks: 

 

• Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.
• Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.
• Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Parents don't realize that young children suffer injuries from sparklers. Sparklers burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees - hot enough to melt some metals.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks.
• Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.
• Never point or throw fireworks at another person.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
• Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
• After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.
• Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.

 

Consumer Product Safety - Fireworks safety tips

 

State of MI House Bill # 4743

Internet Safety Month - Stop.Think.Connect. Parent and Educator Resources

6/20/14, R. Coleman- Homeland Security  has provided tips and links to resources for parents, educators, and crime prevention practitioners to use for your community events. Information provided below and the link will take you to PDF's of excellent materials to use for your community.

Homeland Security:
When your child wants to go over to a new friend’s house, you probably ask questions.  Who else is going? Will the parents be home? We should be having the same discussion with our kids about their Internet use. Which websites are okay to visit? What kind of information is acceptable - and more importantly what is not - to share online? Below find resources and materials to help you start the discussion with your kids or students.

• Learn more about the dangers of Internet crimes, what you can do to prevent them, and what your kids need to know from the National Crime Prevention Council.
• Protect yourself, your family, and your devices with tips and resources from the National Cyber Security Alliance.
• Get educational resources for educators and parents to discuss cybersecurity with kids and teens from Netsmartz, a program of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).
• Integrate cyber education into your home or classroom through the Cyber Security Awareness Volunteer Education (C-SAVE) program’s scenario-based curriculum for K-12 students.
• Learn how to avoid scams, protect your identity, and secure your computer with tips from the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) OnGuard Online.
• Sign up for alerts and get tips on how to safeguard your home computer from the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT).
• File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center or your State Attorney General's Office  if you or a member of your family are a victim of online crime.
• Follow ten simple, customized steps from the Federal Communications Commission’s Smartphone Security Checker to secure your mobile phone. In addition, learn how to safely use public Wi-Fi networks and what steps to take if your phone is stolen.

Homeland Security Internet Safety tips

Federal Bureau of Investigation - Internet Safety Tips for Parents

6/14 - Information posted on the FBI's website.  R. Coleman, CPAM

 

Dear Parent:

Our children are our nation’s most valuable asset. They represent the bright future of our country and hold our hopes for a better nation. Our children are also the most vulnerable members of society. Protecting our children against the fear of crime and from becoming victims of crime must be a national priority.

 

Unfortunately the same advances in computer and telecommunication technology that allow our children to reach out to new sources of knowledge and cultural experiences are also leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and harm by computer-sex offenders.

 

I hope that this pamphlet helps you to begin to understand the complexities of online child exploitation. For further information, please contact your local FBI office or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678

 

FBI's Parents Guide to Internet Safety 2014

 

 

NetSmartz - June “Internet Safety Month”

June is Internet Safety Month! Kids are gearing up for summer vacation and they’ll be spending plenty of time online. This is a great opportunity to make sure you’re doing all you can to educate them about Internet safety.

NetSmartz- Internet Safety Month tips

Internet Safety tip: CNet - How to protect yourself from the 'Heartbleed' bug

A flaw in software that's widely used to secure Web communications means that passwords and other highly sensitive data could be exposed. Some say they've already found hundreds of Yahoo passwords. For more information on the malware and which websites have created “patches” to avoid access to personal information click on the link below.

Cnet - 100 websites with "Heartbleed" malware patches

 

FTC- Business Blog  (By Nicole Vincent Fleming April 11, 2014 - 4:23pm) 
http://www.business.ftc.gov/blog/2014/04/heartbleed-may-cause-you-some-heartache?Source=govdelivery 

If you’re thinking “Heartbleed” sounds serious, you’re right. But it’s not a health condition. It’s a critical flaw in OpenSSL, a popular software program that’s used to secure websites and other services (like VPN and email). If your company relies on OpenSSL to encrypt data, take steps to fix the problem and limit the damage. Otherwise, your sensitive business documents and your customers’ personal information could be at risk.

About two-thirds of all web servers use OpenSSL, so it’s safe to say the small coding error recently discovered by researchers has big implications. The error, which has been in place for over two years, makes it possible for a hacker to grab information that’s supposed to be protected. Vulnerable web servers can be tricked into revealing random bits of data over and over, until the hacker gets something juicy, like the server’s encryption key.

Armed with the encryption key, a hacker can monitor all communication to and from a server including usernames, passwords, and credit card information or create a fake version of a trusted site that would fool browsers and users, alike. Worse yet, the hacker leaves no trace, so it’s nearly impossible to know the extent of the damage caused by Heartbleed.

FTC: Dialing for Dollars IRS Tax Scam

There’s a new scam going around and if your family name is from South Asia, there’s a chance you already know about it. If the scam sounds familiar, that’s because it’s been around for years, targeting one group, then another. Right now, the people being targeted seem to be from India and Pakistan.

Here’s what’s happening: You get a call from someone claiming to be from the government maybe the IRS, maybe a law enforcement agency, maybe the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  The caller often has a foreign accent, and might even speak to you in Hindi or Urdu.

The caller might have information about you the last four digits of your Social Security number, for example. The caller tells you that you owe money and that if you don’t pay, many bad things will happen, deportation for you and your family, freezing your assets, and even going to jail if you don’t pay. The caller will tell you to pay using a prepaid card, and will threaten you if you protest.

If you’ve gotten one of these calls or any call asking you to buy prepaid cards or to wire money the Federal Trade Commission wants to know about it. Please call 1-877-FTC-HELP and tell your story. It helps our investigators build cases against these scammers.  Click the link for more details.

 

FTC - Dialing for Dollars Scam

 

Federal Trade Commission: Stolen Checks

If an identity thief steals your paper checks, uses the account number from the bottom of your checks, or opens a new account in your name, contact your bank or financial institution as soon as possible and ask them to close your account. 

Federal law doesn’t limit your loss if a thief forges your signature on your checks or uses your account number to buy something by phone. Most states hold banks responsible for losses from those fraudulent transactions. For their part, banks expect you to take reasonable care of your accounts. That means you might be responsible for a loss if you know there’s a problem, but you don’t report it to your bank quickly.  

 

For more details on reporting stolen checks click the link below. 

FTC - Stolen Checks

FTC: Tax Related Identity Theft

The IRS uses your Social Security Number (SSN) to make sure your filing is accurate and complete, and that you get any refund you are due. Identity theft can affect how your tax return is processed. An unexpected notice or letter from the IRS could alert you that someone else is using your S.S.N.; however, the IRS doesn't start contact with a taxpayer by sending an email, text or social media message that asks for personal or financial information.

If you get an email that claims to be from the IRS, do not reply or click on any links, forward it to phishing@irs.gov. For more details on what to do if you are a victim click on the link below.

 

FTC

Federal Trade Commission: Tax Related Identity Theft 2014

FTC: Tax Related Identity Theft

 

The IRS uses your Social Security Number (SSN) to make sure your filing is accurate and complete, and that you get any refund you are due. Identity theft can affect how your tax return is processed. An unexpected notice or letter from the IRS could alert you that someone else is using your S.S.N.; however, the IRS doesn't start contact with a taxpayer by sending an email, text or social media message that asks for personal or financial information.

 

If you get an email that claims to be from the IRS, do not reply or click on any links, forward it to phishing@irs.gov. For more details on what to do if you are a victim click on the link below.

FTC - Tax Related ID Theft

Better Business Bureau: 3/7/ 14 - Voucher Scam Tricks Verizon Wireless Customers

Using Caller ID spoofing technology and a look alike website, scammers are posing as Verizon Wireless and conning victims into sharing personal information.

  

How the Scam Works:   

 

You receive a call that appears to come from "Technical Support" and claims to be Verizon Wireless. It is a recorded message saying you are eligible to receive a voucher for your account. You need to visit a website to claim it. The web address given contains "Verizon" and the value of the voucher. One recent version of the scam used "verizon54.com," but watch for variations.

 

You go to the website, and it looks official. It has the Verizon Wireless colors, graphics and navigation (see screen shot below). The site prompts you to "Verify My Account" by entering your cellphone number, Verizon ID and password and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Enter your info, and you won't receive a voucher. You will, however, open yourself up to the risk of identity theft.

 

 

 

 

Verizon Security alerts

National Consumer Protection Week March 2-8, 2014

March 2-8, 2014, marks the 16th annual National Consumer Protection Week. The Federal Trade Commission stands with 74 federal, state and local agencies and organizations to stand up for consumers by highlighting the very best in consumer education resources.

The NCPW site offers practical and timely information to help you recognize and report scams; manage debt; use technology wisely; evaluate products and services; fight identity theft; and see the truth behind advertising claims. 

For more details and free resources for your community click on the link below.

National Consumer Protection Week 2014

Graco Car Seat - Harness Buckle Recal 2014 Announcement for Consumers

Harness Buckle Recall - 2014 Announcement

As part of our continuous product testing and improvement process, Graco identified that food and dried liquids that can make some harness buckles progressively more difficult to open over time or become stuck in the latched position. Therefore, Graco has decided to conduct a voluntary recall on the harness buckles used on all toddler convertible car seats and harnessed booster seats manufactured from 2009 to July 2013. Graco would like to stress this does not in any way affect the performance of the car seat or the effectiveness of the buckle to restrain the child. And a car seat is always the safest way to transport your child. Injuries Reported: 0 Number of Units Affected: 3.7 million Dates Produced: 2009 through July 2013 MSRP: $99.00-$399.99 Models Affected: Toddler Convertible Car Seats: Cozy Cline, Comfort Sport, Classic Ride 50, My Ride 65, My Ride 70, My Ride 65 with Safety Surround, Size4Me 70, My Size 70, Head Wise 70, Smart Seat. Harnessed Booster Seats: Nautilus 3-in-1, Nautilus Elite and Argos.

Solution Graco offers a new and improved replacement harness buckle to affected consumers at no cost. Please note, if you have registered your car seat on Gracobaby.com, you will automatically receive a replacement harness buckle and do not need to take further action at this time. If you have not registered your car seat, click here to place your order. If you are experiencing difficulty with your harness buckle and cleaning has not improved its performance, please contact our Graco customer service team at 800-345-4109 (Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.) or consumerservices@gracobaby.com.    Graco Car Seat Belt Recall 2/14

The Better Business Bureau alert: “The One Ring Scam,- a type of phone cramming land line / Cellular ".

2/5/14

BBBs across the country are seeing a rash of reports of ‘ring and runs’ or  “The One Ring Scam” on cell phones recently where returning a missed call from an Unknown number might be tempting, but it could cost you.

 

Here is how it works:

• Your phone rings once, maybe twice and these days with most of our phones having Caller ID it will show as Unknown or an long distance area code you’re not familiar with on the screen.
• By the time you answer it, no one is on the other end of the phone and they will not leave a voice mail. So, you try calling back only to find no one is answering or there is some weird noise on the other end.
• It’s called “The One Ring Scam” as part of a practice called phone cramming. Victims are subsequently billed not only for the incoming international call if they answer, but also the unwanted “premium service,” which typically appears as a $19.95 charge. In some cases, crammers may only put a small charge of several dollars, so as not to arouse suspicion.

  For additional details from the BBB's article click the link below:

BBB - Cell Phone Cramming

 

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, PR "National Data Privacy Day 1/28/14" Consumer Tips

Schuette Marks National Data Privacy Day,
Warns Victims of Target, Neiman Marcus, Michaels
Data Breaches of Potential Identity Theft Scams  

A.G. Schuette Provides Helpful Information to Assist Consumers Affected by
Largest Data Breaches in U.S. History; Schuette Also Investigating Michaels Breach

LANSING - Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette marked National Data Privacy day and issued an alert outlining helpful resources for consumers affected by the recent Target, Neiman Marcus, and Michaels data breaches. Schuette also notes consumers should remain wary of online scams posing as legitimate resources for data breach victims to obtain their personal information for fraudulent purposes. The warning comes after one of the largest data breaches in national history compromised the personal and financial information of potentially more than 110 million customers.

“Michigan victims of these massive data breaches became vulnerable to fraud when their personal and financial information was compromised,” said Schuette.  “I am working swiftly with attorneys general around the country to investigate and prevent security breaches of this magnitude from happening in the future. Citizens should remain on guard against phony online scams attempting to re-victimize consumers through identity theft.”

On December 19, 2013, Target reported that the credit and debit card information for approximately 40 million consumers may have been compromised. Target determined that the information involved in this incident included customer name, credit or debit card number, the card’s expiration date, and security code.  Target reported that the breach involved credit card and debit card information for purchases at its retail stores only; online purchases were not affected.

 

On January 10, 2014, Target reported that personal information, such as phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses for 70 million people were also exposed. The company reports it does not know how much overlap exists between the original 40 million customers and the additional 70 million, raising the possibility that the data of more than 110 million people has been compromised.   

 

On January 11, 2014, retailer Neiman Marcus confirmed that it was working with the U.S. Secret Service to investigate a breach and may have involved the exposure of potentially more than 1.1 million customer credit and debit cards.  According to reports, a forensics firm confirmed evidence that Neiman Marcus was a victim of a criminal cybersecurity intrusion and some customers’ credit and debit cards were possibly compromised.  Neiman Marcus reports it has taken significant steps to further enhance information security. 

 

On January 25, 2014, the U.S. Secret Service confirmed the launch of an investigation into a possible cybersecurity attack on the craft retail store, Michaels. The breach may have compromised the private data for an unknown number of credit and debit cards of Michaels customers. Michaels indicates that if the investigation determines their customers were affected, they will offer free identity protection and credit monitoring services.  Updates will be provided on the company’s website, www.Michaels.com.

Schuette remains actively engaged in investigating the breaches with state attorneys general across the country. Target, Neiman Marcus, and Michaels are working with the Department of Justice and the U.S. Secret Service to investigate the incidents.

Attorney General Schuette offers the following tips for consumers who believe they may have been victims of the data breaches: 

• Target has created a website to provide information and resources related to this breach: https://corporate.target.com/about/payment-card-issue The Neiman Marcus corporate homepage has additional information regarding the breach: www.neimanmarcus.com. 
  Visit both pages for regular updates and reliable information, including all official company communications.

• Target is offering one year of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection to all Target guests who shopped U.S. stores. Guests can register for this offer by visiting https://creditmonitoring.target.com/.   Guests will then receive an email from Target within 1-5 days that will include the unique activation code and instructions on how to register their code with Experian’s ProtectMyID.  Guests will have until April 30 to register their code with ProtectMyID.

• If you have made a payment card purchase at Neiman Marcus in the past year, the company will be offering you one year of free credit monitoring service. Sign-up instructions for this service will be provided on the Neiman Marcus website.

• At a minimum, customers who shopped at Target or Neiman Marcus with a debit card should change their personal identification number (PIN). You can also request a new debit card from the issuer.

Beware Phony Data Breach-Related Phishing Websites

• Target will not ask a consumer to provide any personal information, i.e. social security number, or to confirm any credit or debit card information by phone or email.  Unfortunately, many fraudulent websites have started to emerge where scammers hope to obtain personal information.  Do not disclose your address, social security number, or other personal information in response to unsolicited request by email or phone.  

• If you receive any communication claiming to be from Target, you should visit Target’s main breach website (see the “official documents & communication” area) to verify that it is a legitimate email from Target.

To access the full Attorney General Consumer Alert, “Security Breaches – Target, Neiman Marcus, and Michaels”, visit the following link: http://1.usa.gov/1f7JlBJ

For additional information on how you can protect your credit score and bank account after a security breach, please see the Attorney General Consumer Alert, “Security Breaches: What to Do Next” - http://1.usa.gov/1egIKug  To learn more about identity theft prevention and resolution for Michigan consumers, please see the Attorney General's Consumer Alert, “Identity Theft Information for Michigan Consumers” -  http://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,4534,7-164-17337_20942-230557--,00.html.

For general consumer questions or complaints, you may reach the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at: P.O. Box 30213, Lansing, MI 48909. Call toll free: 877-765-8388 or www.michigan.gov/ag (online complaint form)

National Data Privacy Day Background

Established in 2008, National Data Privacy Day is an annual educational effort led by the U.S. National Cyber Security Alliance. National Data Privacy Day seeks to inform citizens on how best to protect their personal data, control their digital footprint, as well as respect and protect the privacy of others. For more information, visit the following link - http://www.staysafeonline.org/data-privacy-day/

Target Stores :Data Breach Update for consumers January 15th 2014

Recently Target Stores confirmed that over 70 million consumers had their credit cards comprised while shopping in their stores. Target has offered free credit monitoring to victims and they are also working to close the access points in their system which allowed the data breach.  

 

 For more details on Target stores effort to protect consumers visit their website, click the link below.

Target Stores -Response to Data Breach for Consumers

Dec. 19th 2013 - Target Stores -Important Notice 40 Million Credit Cards data stolen

Target says that about 40 million credit and debit card accounts may have been affected by a data breach that occurred just as the holiday shopping season shifted into high gear.

The chain said that accounts of customers who made purchases by swiping their cards at terminals in its U.S. stores between Nov. 27th and Dec. 15th 2013, may have been exposed.

The stolen data includes customer names, credit and debit card numbers, card expiration dates and the three-digit security codes located on the backs of cards. The data breach did not affect online purchases.

The Minneapolis company said it immediately told authorities and financial institutions once it became aware of the breach and that it is teaming with a third-party forensics firm to investigate the matter and prevent future breaches. It said it is putting all “appropriate resources” toward the issue.

Target Corp. advised customers to check their statements carefully. Those who suspect there has been unauthorized activity on their cards should report it to their credit card companies and call Target at 866-852-8680. Cases of identity theft can also be reported to law enforcement or the Federal Trade Commission.

* The Washington Post 12/19/13

Please access the Target Stores Corporation link below for specific details on states that have laws requiring businesses to notify consumers when a "data breach" has occurred.

Michigan Law: IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION ACT (EXCERPT)
Act 452 of 2004  445.72 Notice of security breach; requirements.

MI's Law - Identity Theft Protection Act, Notice of security breach

Target Corporation - Data Breach Press Release

 

Hackers have stolen usernames and passwords for nearly two million accounts at Facebook, Google, Twitter, Yahoo and others, according to a report released this week 12/4/13, CNN Money

12/4  CNN Money report on the 2 million accounts comprised by the hackers. See the main point of the story. Click the link for the details.  Consumers are encouraged to change your pass words and use numbers, letters, and symbols.

The massive data breach was a result of keylogging software maliciously installed on an untold number of computers around the world, researchers at cybersecurity firmTrustwave said. The virus was capturing log-in credentials for key websites over the past month and sending those usernames and passwords to a server controlled by the hackers.

On Nov. 24, Trustwave researchers tracked that server, located in the Netherlands. They discovered compromised credentials for more than 93,000 websites, including:

• 318,000 Facebook (FB, Fortune 500) accounts
• 70,000 Gmail, Google+ and YouTube accounts
• 60,000 Yahoo (YHOO, Fortune 500) accounts
• 22,000 Twitter (TWTR) accounts
• 9,000 Odnoklassniki accounts (a Russian social network)
• 8,000 ADP (ADP, Fortune 500) accounts (ADP says it counted 2,400)
• 8,000 LinkedIn (LNKD)accounts

Trustwave notified these companies of the breach. They posted their findings publicly on Tuesday.

"We don't have evidence they logged into these accounts, but they probably did," said John Miller, a security research manager at Trustwave.

CNN Money website

IRS- Report Phishing Scams

Report Phishing

The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels.

What is phishing?
Phishing is a scam typically carried out by unsolicited email and/or websites that pose as legitimate sites and lure unsuspecting victims to provide personal and financial information.

All unsolicited email claiming to be from either the IRS or any other IRS-related components such as the Office of Professional Responsibility or EFTPS, should be reported to phishing@irs.gov.

If you are a victim file a police report with your local agency.

IRS - Report Phishing scams

Business Watch Alert: FBI Warns of "Man-in-the-E-Mail" fraud impacting businesses E Commerce

‘Man-in-the-E-Mail’ Fraud Could Victimize Area Businesses
Three Seattle-Area Businesses Targeted in 2013

FBI Seattle December 02, 2013

Public Affairs Specialist Ayn S. Dietrich (206) 622-0460

The FBI Seattle Division is aware of a fraud victimizing Washington state-based businesses, nicknamed “man-in-the-e-mail” scheme for being an e-mail variation of a known “man-in-the-middle” scam. The FBI wants the public to learn about this scam in order to avoid being victimized.
In 2013, at least three area companies—in Bellevue, Tukwila, and Seattle—were led to believe they were sending money to an established supply partner in China. In reality, fraudsters intercepted legitimate e-mails between the purchasing and supply companies and then spoofed subsequent e-mails impersonating each company to the other. The fraudulent e-mails directed the purchasing companies to send payments to a new bank account because of a purported audit. The bank accounts belonged to the fraudsters, not the supply companies.
Total loss experienced by the three area companies is roughly $1.65 million. In some cases, the metadata on the spoofed e-mails indicated that they actually originated in Nigeria or South Africa.
Under this scam, both companies in a legitimate business relationship can be victimized. The supplier may first ship out the legitimately ordered products and then never receive payment (because the purchasing company was scammed into paying the scammer-controlled bank account). Or, the purchasing company may first make a payment and then never receive the ordered goods (because the supply company never receives that payment).
Here are some of the ways businesses can reduce their chance of being scammed by this man-in-the- e-mail fraud:

• 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.
• Utilize digital signatures in e-mail accounts. Be aware that this will not work with web-based e-mail accounts, and some countries ban or limit the use of encryption.
• Avoid free, web-based e-mail. Establish a company website domain and use it to establish company e-mail accounts in lieu of free, web-based accounts.
• 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 real e-mail address is used.
• 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.
• Beware of sudden changes in business practices. For example, if suddenly asked to contact a representative at their personal e-mail address when all previous official correspondencehas been on a company e-mail, verify via other channels that you are still communicating with your legitimate business partner.

If you or your business has been targeted by the man-in-the-e-mail fraud, report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov. The following information is helpful to report:

• Header information from e-mail messages
• Identifiers for the perpetrator (e.g., name, website, bank account, e-mail addresses)
• 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
• Reference to the man-in-the-e-mail fraud

Filing a complaint through IC3’s website allows analysts from the FBI to identify leads and patterns from the hundreds of complaints that are received daily. The sheer volume of complaints allows that information to come into view among disparate pieces, which can lead to stronger cases and help zero-in on the major sources of criminal activity. The IC3 then refers the complaints, along with their analyses, to the relevant law enforcement agency for follow-up.
The public can learn about other common scams by visiting http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/frauds-from-a-to-z and learn about ways to reduce their risk of being scammed: http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud/Internet_fraud.