ScamSafe

CA Dept of Corp - Consumer Alerts

08/02/04 - **INTERNET ALERT - BETTERBUSINESSSUPPORT.COM ** -

The Department of Corporations has been notified that Betterbusinesssupport.com is offering escrow services over the internet to residents in California. Betterbusinesssupport.com states its license number is 963-1865. Betterbusinesssupport.com is not licensed by the California Department of Corporations as an escrow agent and does not hold California Department of Corporations license number 963-1865

The Net's Biggest Scam (Phishing)

Cybercon

The scams are incredibly effective. In the 12 months through April 2004, 57 million Americans said they received what they believed was a phished e-mail, reports the consultancy Gartner. Of those, 1.8 million people took the bait, and 980,000 claimed they were scammed as a result.

from Forbes.com

Watch out for "debt elimination" companies

You can eliminate your debts without paying them off. If you don't mind the possibility of going to jail, that is

If it were only so. Web sites are proliferating that promise they can wipe off your credit card debt, your mortgage and even your car loan. And if you're feeling guilty about doing it, they give you plenty of justification: The banking system is a fraud, they say, the Federal Reserve is a sham, and the American dollar is worthless paper.

Forbes.com

'Wrong Number' Stock Tip Scam Hits Washington State

Beware of a message on your voicemail or answering machine with what sounds like a hot stock tip; chances are it's bogus.

SEATTLE - It's an investor's wildest dream. Getting in at the bottom on a stock that's on the way up. But a new stock scam could send your money down the drain.

It's a "wrong number" fraud that recently started hitting our area. It's a simple deception that targets your voicemail.

komotv.com

Dentists accused in alleged fraud

California Attorney General Bill Lockyer has filed criminal complaints against 20 dentists throughout the state, charging them with defrauding the state Medi-Cal System of $4.5 million; health benefits and workers' compensation fraud; conspiracy; grand theft; child abuse; elder abuse; assault and intentional infliction of great bodily injury.

sanjose.bizjournals.com

N.H. Tips Lead To Identity Theft Suspect

Man Accused Of Stealing Credit Cards From Lockers

NEWPORT, N.H. -- A former Plymouth man is in custody after a police investigation into credit card thefts from fitness centers across New England.

Massachusetts police arrested Troy Gay, 38, on Sept. 10, largely based on tips from two New Hampshire fitness centers. Police say they believe Gay may have used stolen credit cards to buy more than $250,000 in merchandise.

TheWMURChannel.com

Tangled in a case of identity theft

Lawsuits and newspaper stories aren't doing Stancy Nesby any good--she keeps getting arrested.

The 28-year-old Nesby sued San Francisco officials after she was mistakenly detained, arrested or jailed six times over 15 months, based on arrest warrants issued in the city. A judge signed the warrants after another woman gave Nesby's name when she was arrested for cocaine possession, then failed to show up in court.

sfgate.com

FBI: Mortgage Fraud Is Rampant in U.S.

Fraud is running rampant in the nation's mortgage industry, with nearly three times as many reports of suspicious activity so far this year compared with 2001, a top FBI official said Friday.

"It has the potential to be an epidemic," said Chris Swecker, FBI assistant director for criminal investigations.

from Yahoo!

DISASTER ALERT- REDUCING IDENTITY THEFT OPPORTUNITIES

The Identity Theft Resource Center wishes to alert the public of several potential identity theft-related situations that might arise from a natural or man-made disaster. This information is based on observed criminal behavior in disaster situations. It is unfortunate but thieves do take advantage of all natural and man-made events. It is important that no one assumes that they are victims of identity theft if information is missing. It could be so badly destroyed by the disaster that NO one could read it again.

Man gets prison for child pornography, ID theft [HILLSBORO,OR]

Richard Earl Bighouse bought or traded the porn, DMV discs with driver data and stolen credit cards

HILLSBORO -- Calling him a danger to the community for dealing in child pornography and stealing hundreds of identities, a Washington County judge on Wednesday sentenced Richard Earl Bighouse to more than 20 years in prison.

from the Oregonian

Social Security Refund Just Another Scam

Taxpayers should not fall victim to a scam offering refunds of the Social Security taxes they've paid during their lifetimes.

How the scheme works is in exchange for filing a claim with the IRS, victims are asked to pay a "paperwork" fee of $100, plus a percentage of any refund received.

Be aware that the law does not allow this type of refund of Social Security taxes. Victims are robbed of the up-front fee. IRS processing centers are aware of this scam and have been stopping the false claims.

ID theft crime news

Columbia man charged with multiple counts of identity theft [Columbia,SC]
Nicholson is charged with 11 counts of identity theft and seven counts of financial transaction credit card fraud. ... from WIS-TV

Deputies link 2 to identity theft operation [Portland,OR]
...Investigators say they learned later that Brandt worked with a 33-year-old Milwaukie woman in an identity theft ring, Manley said. ... from the Oregonian

FAKE ID Ring Suspects Indicted On Identity Theft Charges [Cleveland,OH]
Police say they busted up a fake ID ring in which fake driver's licenses were produced and used in crimes that included identity theft and check fraud ... from NewsNet5.com

3 charged in identity theft scheme targeting military [Long Island,NY]

JERSEY CITY, NJ -- A civilian Army employee is facing criminal charges after authorities said he used Department of Defense information to help others run up ...

from Newsday

DEPARTMENT deluged by identity-theft cases [Pasadena, CA]

PASADENA -- The Police Department has been so overwhelmed by reports of identity theft that detectives have not even responded to many victims who have filed ...

from Pasadena Star-News