Purpose

Dedicated to helping people make themselves safe and their Homes harder targets,...or when James Bond meets Soccer Mom




Thursday, September 30, 2010

Home Security - Demand for Home Security Systems on the Rise


While perusing for articles that may be of interest to our readers, we found that the demand for security systems and even owning guns has been steadily rising in almost all locations this past year.

We found this article out of Tennesse that is demonstrative of the near constant flush of articles on home invasion, burgularies and such pushing sales of Home Security Systems.

Demand for home security systems on the rise in East Tennessee
By JAMIE LYNN DROHAN
6 News Reporter

KNOXVILLE (WATE) - Experts say 22 percent of Tennessee homes have electronic security systems, and local security companies say they're seeing a significant increase in the demand for home protection.

"They're not coming in the middle of the night like they used to. They are coming in plain daylight," said John Knox, of the Electronic Security Association.

"With the economy the way it is, we're just crazy busy installing security systems. Everybody wants to put their systems back online. Maybe they had them 10 years ago, but now they want to re-do them," said Robert Macauley, of Knox Integrated Systems.

Experts say video surveillance is the most popular request right now.


"The prices have been lowered where it's more affordable, more attainable for people. The quality is much better and it's just a good way of documenting a lot of things. It helps the police in a lot of ways," Knox said.

Homeowner Knick Myers is a big believer in security systems after his father's home was burglarized.

"After that event, it definitely changed the way he thought because the fear of someone actually being in his home while he was asleep was a very, very scary thought. Especially after the fact when you think of what could have been," Myers said.

Experts say if you're considering an alarm system, do your homework.

"AsK if all the doors are protected or what if they come through a window? What if they touch your phone lines? Who are the people in my house installing this system?" Knox said.

"People are aware of what is happening around them, and they want to do what they can to prevent that from happening to them," Myers said.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Personal Security - Be aware of Office Photocopier's

This excellent short article came out of the Daily Green News blog, written by Brian Clark Howard, pertaining to digital photo copiers that can retain information and images that you otherwise want to remain undisclosed.


Did you know that most office photocopiers are built to save digital images of documents? It's true.

When CBS News recently purchased some used photocopiers that were destined for new customers, their computer technician was able to easily retrieve thousands of pages of sensitive documents from their hard drives: perfect images of personal medical records, pay stubs, and tax forms -- even the blueprint of a building near Ground Zero and reports of sex and drug crimes from the Buffalo, N.Y., police department. There were home addresses, social security numbers, and medical histories aplenty.

The data isn't particularly easy to view and sort, but a thief who knows what he's looking for can download free software from the Internet that can be used to mine this treasure trove of personal data.

Still, before you run screaming from your nearest Kinko's, there are a few things you should know.

"It's a real issue, and it's something we've been talking about for a long time," Larry Kovnat, manager of product security for imaging company Xerox, told The Daily Green. "There have been a lot of inquiries and plans put in place to institutionalize the use of encryption and data overwrite on copiers, to protect the data," Kovnat added. Encryption encodes the data so only someone who has the "key" can make sense of it, and overwrite erases each previous scan.

Kovnat explained that some manufacturers offer image overwrite as an optional extra (according to the CBS story, the vendor charges $500 for that). "We offer it standard because we think the issue is important," said Kovnat. "We want people to use the features, and they don't slow down the devices."

Still, each office's machine administrator needs to know to turn the security settings on, and to make sure care is taken when the device is no longer needed. "Before you drop off that used machine to a lessor or for a charitable write-off, make sure that you have totally erased the hard disk or removed and destroyed it," cautions Peter Fannon, the vice president of technology policy for Panasonic.

Fannon adds that Panasonic has built-in security features into all their imaging products since 2005, and that the company works to educate authorized dealers to tell users to enable them. According to Fannon, the products ship with such security features as image overwrite, encryption, hard disk lock (which prevents the drive from being used in any other device), and security passwords that prevent making unauthorized changes. However, the default setting of these features is off, so they have to be activated by the user.

"Fax machines also have large image memories that can store a significant amount of data. To eliminate concerns about that, we have the option Panasonic Image Memory Eraser Function, which erases all fax data after each transmission, including where it is being sent, the sending number, and all data," Fannon adds. As for older copiers, Fannon said they sometimes came with a combination of physical locks and password protection.

Neither expert was aware of a single proven case in which sensitive information was taken off a copy machine and used maliciously. Still, both recommend that consumers take precautions. As it stands, the Federal Trade Commission is currently evaluating the way manufacturers present their security procedures.

Before copying anything sensitive, Kovnat says one should ask the administrator how the machine is set up. "Ask, does it have a disk? Is encryption enabled? Is image overwrite enabled? If you can't get a good answer, I wouldn't take the risk," explained Kovnat.

"These are sophisticated machines; don't think of them as 'just a copier,'" he added. "You wouldn't use a laptop without thinking about security or updating software."

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Internet Security - Burglars Picked Houses Based on Facebook

Burglars Picked Houses Based on Facebook Updates

From an article on yahoo finance by Nick Bilton.


If you plan to log into your Facebook account and announce to the world that you're heading to the beach for the weekend, you might want to append the status update with a warning that your home is under 24-hour surveillance, you have a 140-pound Rottweiler who hasn't eaten in a week and that you own a really good alarm system.


If you don't, you personal belongings could be fodder for some tech-savvy burglars.

According to New Hampshire's WMUR Channel 9 News, three local men, Mario Rojas, Leonardo Barroso and Victor Rodriguez, have burglarized more than 18 homes in the Nashua area of New Hampshire simply by checking status updates on Facebook and then pillaging houses of victims who announced on the social network that they were not home.

Police told the news outlet that they recovered between $100,000 and $200,000 worth of stolen property as a result of the investigation.

According to local police, investigators tracked down the burglars by listening for the sound of a specific kind of fireworks stolen from a home. When they heard it, they apprehended the suspects and their loot.

A Web site called Please Rob Me had noted when people informed the world they weren't home by their status updates and check-ins on some location-based social networks. But the site has since shut down, noting that the site's founders are "satisfied with the attention we've gotten for an issue that we deeply care about."

Ron Dickerson, captain of Nashua 's Police Department, told the local news that people need to "Be careful of what you post on these social networking sites."

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Communications Security - Telephone Scam - 90#

Beware of the 90# Telephone Scam

I dialed '0', to check this out, and asked the operator, who confirmed that this was correct so please be aware of this telephone scam.

It applies to cell phones too.

You may receive a telephone call from an individual identifying himself as an AT&T or other telephone company Service Technician. They state they are trouble shooting problems on the lines and to complete the test he needs you to touch nine(9), zero(0), the pound sign (#), and then hang up.

What happens is that, by pushing 90#, you give the requesting individual full access to your telephone line, which enables them to place long distance calls billed to your home phone number. This includes the 1-900 sex lines and send text for charity lines.

This scam has been originating from many local jails/prisons.

DO NOT press 90# for ANYONE.

Verizon also said it was true for their cell phone networks, so do not dial 90# for anyone!!

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Electronic Security - Situational Awarness on the Phone

As a father, mother, or family guardian, we need to be more situationally aware of what we say over the phone around people. In this day and age of social networking with Facebook, My Space, Twitter, etc., we tend to air out a lot of personal information without reservation as well. It’s no wonder why criminals start eavesdropping, checking social network areas – as well as private corporations and the government for that matter. We as a society forget there is someone next to you listening in on your cell phone call, or placing private or situational schedules on social networks.

The following article caught my eye and I thought I should post it for your situational awareness.

Stay safe out there!



Cellphones, social networks make eavesdropping OK?

By Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY

David Smith has heard — or rather overheard — it all while on planes, including the sexual details of a stranger's hookup at a business meeting.

"It feels like you're eavesdropping, but in another sense, you're forced to share something that falls under the heading of 'too much information,' " says Smith, 54, of Austin, a retired consultant and frequent business traveler.

A century ago, when the first home phones were "party lines" shared by neighbors, "worrying you were being listened in on was a common feature of American culture," says sociologist Claude Fischer of the University of California-Berkeley.

Oh, how times have changed.

Now, we're not only unconcerned about overheard phone calls, we purposely broadcast our personal business to large groups of "friends" and "followers" on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

SECRETS: Some people still keep a diary in age of Facebook and blogs

As a result, we're fast becoming a nation of casual eavesdroppers, where every day we tune in to a constant stream of updates on what others are saying and doing, from where they're about to eat lunch (complete with photos) to their conversations with others.

All this sharing, some experts say, may be feeding a tendency toward exhibitionism, and devaluing the very privacy that earlier generations so desired.

But not everyone says the rise of widespread social snooping is such a bad thing.

Eavesdropping is an "evolved human practice that is natural and often beneficial," says John Locke, a linguistics professor at the City University of New York.

"We teach people they should mind their own business," he says, but "that's extremely bad advice. It's dangerous because you won't see the terrorist next door making a bomb; you won't see the kids being abused, or the husband beating up a wife. If there wasn't any eavesdropping, if people minded their own business and ignored what they saw and heard, how would you prevent and how would you solve crimes?"

Locke, author of a new book, Eavesdropping: An Intimate History, says apes keep an eye on each other to maintain order, and we humans have neighborhood watch programs.

But eavesdropping is more than just listening in. It's glancing over at someone else's laptop screen to see what they're doing. It's peering into an apartment window as you walk by. It's catching a glimpse through a door that's slightly ajar. It's trolling Facebook to see what your friends are saying to others.

And yes, it's a bit thrilling, he says. "There is something quite tantalizing about this behavior."

But is it really eavesdropping if they're broadcasting and we can't help overhearing?

"I don't regard it at all as me eavesdropping," says Etti Baranoff, who has overheard plenty of cellphone conversations in 15 years of traveling twice a week as an associate professor of insurance and finance at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond . "We think no matter where we are, we are in our own living room, but we are not. We are walking with our phones as if we are in our own homes."


No keyholes needed

"It's a generational and cultural change," says W. Keith Campbell, a professor of psychology at the University of Georgia in Athens .

"That old image of sticking your ear to a keyhole — we don't need to do it anymore," Campbell says. "Our personal lives are much more open."

What's changed is that more private behavior, such as personal phone calling, happens in public today, says social psychologist Robert Kraut of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh .

It may seem like eavesdropping, but the "victim" is no longer the person being eavesdropped on, he says — it's "the overhearers, who can't get away. What had once been private behavior is now being shoved in their face."

Fischer, author of Made in America: A Social History of American Culture and Character, says it's ironic that "a cellphone call overheard while walking down the street is a throwback to (party lines) where everybody knew everybody's business."

Whether eavesdropping is by choice or forced makes a big difference, Locke says.

"If someone is speaking low, people will lean in the direction of the message. But if people are speaking loudly on a cellphone, they'll back the other way. We resent the fact they are broadcasting personal information. We want the option of tuning in."

This dichotomy is evident in new research on public cellphone use. One study, to be presented to the National Communication Association in November, included 15- to 20-minute observations of 19,741 people using cellphones on a college campus from 2005 to 2008. Researcher Yi-Fan Chen of Old Dominion University in Norfolk , Va. , found that mobile devices "blurred boundaries between public and private spaces." Her 2009 survey found cellphones were most often used on the street, observers said, "in a loud or annoying manner."

Another study, in the journal Behaviour & Information Technology in 2004, found cellphone conversations "significantly more noticeable and annoying than face-to-face" at the same volume.

"There is an idea in social psychology that you can talk about intimate things to strangers because they are not part of your network and are not considered to be a risk," Campbell says. "If you're actually in public and clearly don't know people, it's almost seen as a private space."

Some say today's mix of easy information sharing and celebrity-driven media culture is making us more narcissistic. With Facebook and Twitter, we're more willing to showcase our lives for all who want to look or listen. We can tell our friends our innermost thoughts, but those who aren't so close also see.

"Go into an airport and you hear people talking in a particularly loud voice, so people think they're important or have status. There's a subset of people that ties in more with narcissism and attention-seeking that are using these channels to get attention," says Campbell , co-author of The Narcissism Epidemic.

Gleaning new information


But the fact that you can watch or listen on social networks without engaging "has some real advantages," says Keith Hampton, assistant professor of communication at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia .

"It's exposure to little bits of information you would never otherwise have had access to," he says. "And little bits of information can be really important. You have access to new ideas, and not from very close social ties that know what you know."

Pop culture expert Richard Lachmann, a sociology professor at the University at Albany , State University of New York, says it's not just the idea of privacy that has changed. He believes the very nature of eavesdropping is up for debate, since people are willing to share more and more personal information.

"Everybody still has a notion of eavesdropping. It's somebody trying to hear something they haven't been invited to hear. What's changing is what goes in that category," he says.

"It used to be people had a real long list of things that were private and only heard by a few, and a short list of things that would be public. For many people, that's moved from one list to another."

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Internet Security - 6 Things You Should Never Reveal on Facebook

Article from Kathy Kristof, MoneyWatchBnet.com

The whole social networking phenomenon has millions of Americans sharing their photos, favorite songs and details about their class reunions on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and dozens of similar sites. But there are a handful of personal details that you should never say if you don't want criminals — cyber or otherwise — to rob you blind, according to Beth Givens, executive director of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.


The folks at Insure.com also say that ill-advised Facebook postings increasingly can get your insurance cancelled or cause you to pay dramatically more for everything from auto to life insurance coverage. By now almost everybody knows that those drunken party photos could cost you a job, too.

Your Birth Date and Place


Sure, you can say what day you were born, but if you provide the year and where you were born too, you've just given identity thieves a key to stealing your financial life, said Givens. A study done by Carnegie Mellon showed that a date and place of birth could be used to predict most — and sometimes all — of the numbers in your Social Security number, she said.

Vacation Plans


There may be a better way to say "Rob me, please" than posting something along the lines of: "Count-down to Maui ! Two days and Ritz Carlton, here we come!" on Twitter. But it's hard to think of one. Post the photos on Facebook when you return, if you like. But don't invite criminals in by telling them specifically when you'll be gone.


Home Address


Do I have to elaborate? A study recently released by the Ponemon Institute found that users of Social Media sites were at greater risk of physical and identity theft because of the information they were sharing. Some 40% listed their home address on the sites; 65% didn't even attempt to block out strangers with privacy settings. And 60% said they weren't confident that their "friends" were really just people they know.

Confessionals


You may hate your job; lie on your taxes; or be a recreational user of illicit drugs, but this is no place to confess. Employers commonly peruse social networking sites to determine who to hire — and, sometimes, who to fire. Need proof? In just the past few weeks, an emergency dispatcher was fired in Wisconsin for revealing drug use; a waitress got canned for complaining about customers and the Pittsburgh Pirate's mascot was dumped for bashing the team on Facebook. One study done last year estimated that 8% of companies fired someone for "misuse" of social media.

Password Clues

If you've got online accounts, you've probably answered a dozen different security questions, telling your bank or brokerage firm your Mom's maiden name; the church you were married in; or the name of your favorite song. Got that same stuff on the information page of your Facebook profile? You're giving crooks an easy way to guess your passwords.

Risky Behaviors

You take your classic Camaro out for street racing, soar above the hills in a hang glider, or smoke like a chimney? Insurers are increasingly turning to the web to figure out whether their applicants and customers are putting their lives or property at risk, according to Insure.com. So far, there's no efficient way to collect the data, so cancellations and rate hikes are rare. But the technology is fast evolving, according to a paper written by Celent, a financial services research and consulting firm.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Financial Security - Letter of Credit Fraud

In this day and age where the economy is fragile and the majority of us are walking that fine line of credit failure, there are scams out there that can push us over the edge. Be mindful of credit fraud. The FBI has some helpful tips, which are below.


Legitimate letters of credit are never sold or offered as investments.

Legitimate letters of credit are issued by banks to ensure payment for goods shipped in connection with international trade. Payment on a letter of credit generally requires that the paying bank receive documentation certifying that the goods ordered have been shipped and are en route to their intended destination.

Letters of credit frauds are often attempted against banks by providing false documentation to show that goods were shipped when, in fact, no goods or inferior goods were shipped.

Other letter of credit frauds occur when con artists offer a "letter of credit" or "bank guarantee" as an investment wherein the investor is promised huge interest rates on the order of 100 to 300 percent annually. Such investment "opportunities" simply do not exist. (See Prime Bank Notes for additional information.)

Some Tips to Avoid Letter of Credit Fraud:

1) If an "opportunity" appears too good to be true, it probably is.

2) Do not invest in anything unless you understand the deal. Con artists rely on complex transactions and faulty logic to "explain" fraudulent investment schemes.

3) Do not invest or attempt to "purchase" a "Letter of Credit." Such investments simply do not exist.

4) Be wary of any investment that offers the promise of extremely high yields.

5) Independently verify the terms of any investment that you intend to make, including the parties involved and the nature of the investment.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Protect Against Retail Store Fraud

Check Your Receipts Before Leaving Any Cashiers Station.

Make sure everyone in your family understand this retail store fraud technique.

I bought a bunch of stuff, over $150, and I glanced at my receipt as the cashier was handing me the bags. I saw a cash-back of $40. I told her I didn't request a cash back and to delete it.

She said I'd have to take the $40 because she couldn't delete it. I told her to call a supervisor.

Supervisor came & said I'd have to take it! I said NO! Taking the $40 would be a cash advance against my Discover & I wasn't paying interest on a cash advance!!!!! If they couldn't delete it then they would have to delete the whole order.

So the supervisor had the cashier delete the whole order & re-scan everything!

The second time I looked at the electronic pad before I signed & a cash-back of $20 popped up. At that point I told the cashier & she deleted it. The total came out right. The cashier agreed that the electronic pad must be defective. (yeah, right!)

Obviously the cashier knew the electronic pad wasn't defective because she NEVER offered me the $40 at the beginning.

Can you imagine how many people went through before me & at the end of her shift how much money she pocketed?

Just to alert everyone. My coworker went to Milford, DE Wal-Mart last week. She had her items rung up by the cashier. The cashier hurried her along and didn't give her a receipt.

She asked the cashier for a receipt and the cashier was annoyed and gave it to her. My coworker didn't look at her receipt until later that night. The receipt showed that she asked for $20 cash back. SHE DID NOT ASK FOR CASH BACK!

My coworker called Wal-Mart who investigated but could not see the cashier pocket the money. She then called her niece who works for the bank and her niece told her this.

This is a new scam going on. The cashier will key in that you asked for cash back and then hand it to her friend who is the next person in line.

Please, please, please check your receipts right away when using credit or debit cards! This is NOT limited to Wal-Mart, although they are the largest retailer so they have the most incidents.

I am adding to this....My husband and I were in Wal-Mart North Salisbury and paying with a credit card. When my husband went to sign the credit card signer, he just happened to notice there was a $20 cash back added. He told the cashier that he did not ask nor want cash back and she said this machine has been messing up and she canceled it. We really didn't think anything of it until we read this email.

I wonder how many "seniors" have been, or will be, "stung" by this one?? To make matters worse ...THIS SCAM CAN BE DONE ANYWHERE, AT ANY RETAIL OR WHOLESALE LOCATION!!!

BEFORE LEAVING THE CASHIER'S STATION!! CHECK YOUR RECEIPT!!

Friday, September 10, 2010

Child Safety - Car Seats

From a Yahoo! News article - Car Booster Seats to Avoid
by Blake Ellis, Staff Reporter

The good news is that booster seats are getting safer. The bad news is that there are still some seats out there that may not protect your child in a crash, a report released Wednesday showed.

Because seat belts are typically designed for adults, booster seats are meant to lift children so that lap belts fit flat across their upper thighs and shoulder belts hit mid-shoulder, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Out of the 72 boosters evaluated, 21 were recommended as "best bets" because safety belts fit well across most vehicles, while seven models were "good bets" and eight were not recommended. This was the first time top performers outnumbered the worst performers, with only nine boosters rated as "best bets" last year.

The eight models that failed the institute's evaluations were Eddie Bauer's Deluxe and Deluxe 3-in-1, Evenflo's Express, Generation 65 and Sightseer, Safety 1st's All-in-One and Alpha Omega Elite and Harmony's Baby Armor.


Engineers found that these boosters provided poor belt fit, meaning that the lap belt came too high on a child's stomach or the shoulder belt hit too close to a child's neck or fell off the shoulder.

"If the booster isn't doing a good job -- if the lap belt is up on your son or daughter's tummy or if the shoulder belt is falling off your child's shoulder -- then find a replacement booster seat as soon as practical," said Anne McCartt, Institute senior vice president for research.

"Best bets" included Chicco's Keyfit Strada and Graco's TurboBooster Crawford. While one of its boosters failed the test, Harmony Juvenile Products boasts five "best bet" booster seats, more than any other manufacturer.

Among the "good bets" were Combi's Kobuk Air Thru, Britax's Parkway SG and Maxi-Cosi's Rodi.

Booster seat manufacturer Dorel Juvenile Group, which makes Eddie Bauer and Safety 1st seats, pointed out in a company statement that five of its seats were rated "good" or "best bets" by the institute, although four were listed as "not recommended."

"We evaluate and continue to evolve current products to enhance their performance with new technologies and designs that reflect our leadership in child passenger safety," Dorel said in its statement.


The manufacturers of Evenflo and Harmony booster seats did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Both of those manufacturers had seats listed among the "best bets" as well as among the "not recommended" seats.

Thirty-six boosters fell between "not recommended" and "good bets," because the safety belts didn't consistently fit well when they were tested in a variety of vehicles.

"Unlike the top performers, consumers can't assume boosters in the in-between group will work in every family vehicle," said McCartt. "Some may be fine, but parents still need to try them out to see if the lap and shoulder belts fit their kids correctly."


To gauge booster safety, engineers placed a crash test dummy the size of an average 6-year old into each seat and measured the fit of the safety belts. Booster seats are designed for children ages four through eight.

For a full list of booster seats and ratings, visit: http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr090810.html

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Personal Protection for Senior Citizens

The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has a common fraud schemes site on their webpage that provides tips on how you can protect you and your family from fraud. Senior Citizens especially should be aware of fraud schemes.


It has been the experience of the FBI that the elderly are targeted for fraud for several reasons:

1) Older American citizens are most likely to have a "nest egg," own their home and/or have excellent credit all of which the con-man will try to tap into. The fraudster will focus his/her efforts on the segment of the population most likely to be in a financial position to buy something.

2) Individuals who grew up in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s were generally raised to be polite and trusting. Two very important and positive personality traits, except when it comes to dealing with a con-man. The con-man will exploit these traits knowing that it is difficult or impossible for these individuals to say "no" or just hang up the phone.

3) Older Americans are less likely to report a fraud because they don't know who to report it to, are too ashamed at having been scammed, or do not know they have been scammed. In some cases, an elderly victim may not report the crime because he or she is concerned that relatives may come to the conclusion that the victim no longer has the mental capacity to take care of his or her own financial affairs.

4) When an elderly victim does report the crime, they often make poor witnesses. The con-man knows the effects of age on memory and he/she is counting on the fact that the elderly victim will not be able to supply enough detailed information to investigators such as: How many times did the fraudster call? What time of day did he/she call? Did he provide a call back number or address? Was it always the same person? Did you meet in person? What did the fraudster look like? Did he/she have any recognizable accent? Where did you send the money? What did you receive if anything and how was it delivered? What promises were made and when? Did you keep any notes of your conversations?

The victims' realization that they have been victimized may take weeks or, more likely, months after contact with the con-man. This extended time frame will test the memory of almost anyone.

5) Lastly, when it comes to products that promise increased cognitive function, virility, physical conditioning, anti-cancer properties and so on, older Americans make up the segment of the population most concerned about these issues. In a country where new cures and vaccinations for old diseases have given every American hope for a long and fruitful life, it is not so unbelievable that the products offered by these con-men can do what they say they can do.

***What to Look For and How to Protect Yourself and Your Family***

Health Insurance Frauds:

1) Medical Equipment Fraud.

Equipment manufacturers offer "free" products to individuals. Insurers are then charged for products that were not needed and/or may not have been delivered.

2) "Rolling Lab" Schemes.

Unnecessary and sometimes fake tests are given to individuals at health clubs, retirement homes, or shopping malls and billed to insurance companies or Medicare.

3) Services Not Performed.

Customers or providers bill insurers for services never rendered by changing bills or submitting fake ones.

4) Medicare Fraud.

Medicare fraud can take the form of any of the health insurance frauds described above. Senior citizens are frequent targets of Medicare schemes, especially by medical equipment manufacturers who offer seniors free medical products in exchange for their Medicare numbers. Because a physician has to sign a form certifying that equipment or testing is needed before Medicare pays for it, con-artists fake signatures or bribe corrupt doctors to sign the forms. Once a signature is in place, the manufacturers bill Medicare for merchandise or service that was not needed or was not ordered.

***Some Tips to Avoiding Health Insurance Frauds***

1) Never sign blank insurance claim forms.

2) Never give blanket authorization to a medical provider to bill for services rendered.

3) Ask your medical providers what they will charge and what you will be expected to pay out-of-pocket.

4) Carefully review your insurer's explanation of the benefits statement.

5) Call your insurer and provider if you have questions.

6) Do not do business with door-to-door or telephone salespeople who tell you that services of medical equipment are free.

7) Give your insurance/Medicare identification only to those who have provided you with medical services.

8) Keep accurate records of all health care appointments.

9) Know if your physician ordered equipment for you.

***Some Tips to Avoiding Counterfeit Prescription Drugs***

1) Be mindful of appearance. Closely examine the packaging and lot numbers of prescription drugs and be alert of any changes from one prescription to the next.

2) Consult your pharmacist or physician if your prescription drug looks suspicious.

3) Alert your pharmacist and physician immediately if your medication causes adverse side effects or if your condition does not improve.

4) Use caution when purchasing drugs on the Internet. Do not purchase medications from unlicensed online distributors or those who sell medications without a prescription. Reputable online pharmacies will have a seal of approval called the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site (VIPPS), provided by the Association of Boards of Pharmacy in the United States.

5) Product promotions or cost reductions and other "special deals" may be associated with counterfeit product promotion.

***Some Tips to Avoiding Funeral and Cemetery Fraud***

1) Be an informed consumer. Take time to call and shop around before making a purchase. Take a friend with you who may offer some perspective to help make difficult decisions. Funeral homes are required to provide detailed general price lists over the phone or in writing.

3) Educate yourself fully about caskets before you buy one and understand that caskets are not required for direct cremations.

4) Understand the difference between funeral home basic fees for professional services and any fees for additional services.

5) You should know that embalming rules are governed by state law and that embalming is not legally required for direct cremations.

6) Carefully read all contracts and purchasing agreements before signing and make certain that all of your requirements have been put in writing.

7) Make sure you understand all contract cancellation and refund terms, as well as your portability options for transferring your contract to other funeral homes.

8) Before you consider prepaying, make sure you are well informed. When you do make a plan for yourself, share your specific wishes with those close to you.

9) And, as a general rule governing all of your interactions as a consumer, do not allow yourself to be pressured by vendors into making purchases, signing contracts, or committing funds. These decisions are yours and yours alone.

There are more helpful tips for you at http://www.fbi.gov/majcases/fraud/seniorsfam.htm

Stay safe and alert out there!

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Gun Safety

If you are one of the 60 million plus Americans owning guns for personal protection, or are considering becoming a gun owner, it will pay off in spades for have and follow firearms safety rules when handling, using and cleaning guns.

The fundamental NRA rules for safe gun handling are:

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
This is the primary rule of gun safety. A safe direction means that the gun is pointed so that even if it were to go off it would not cause injury or damage. The key to this rule is to control where the muzzle or front end of the barrel is pointed at all times. Common sense dictates the safest direction, depending on different circumstances.

2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.
When holding a gun, rest your finger on the trigger guard or along the side of the gun. Until you are actually ready to fire, do not touch the trigger.

3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.
Whenever you pick up a gun, immediately engage the safety device if possible, and, if the gun has a magazine, remove it before opening the action and looking into the chamber(s) which should be clear of ammunition. If you do not know how to open the action or inspect the chamber(s), leave the gun alone and get help from someone who does.

When using or storing a gun, always follow these NRA rules:

1. Know your target and what is beyond.
Be absolutely sure you have identified your target beyond any doubt. Equally important, be aware of the area beyond your target. This means observing your prospective area of fire before you shoot. Never fire in a direction in which there are people or any other potential for mishap.

2. Think first. Shoot second.
Know how to use the gun safely. Before handling a gun, learn how it operates. Know its basic parts, how to safely open and close the action and remove any ammunition from the gun or magazine. Remember, a gun's mechanical safety device is never foolproof. Nothing can ever replace safe gun handling.

3. Be sure the gun is safe to operate.
Just like other tools, guns need regular maintenance to remain operable. Regular cleaning and proper storage are a part of the gun's general upkeep. If there is any question concerning a gun's ability to function, a knowledgeable gunsmith should look at it.

4. Use only the correct ammunition for your gun.
Only BBs, pellets, cartridges or shells designed for a particular gun can be fired safely in that gun. Most guns have the ammunition type stamped on the barrel. Ammunition can be identified by information printed on the box and sometimes stamped on the cartridge. Do not shoot the gun unless you know you have the proper ammunition.

5. Wear eye and ear protection as appropriate.
Guns are loud and the noise can cause hearing damage. They can also emit debris and hot gas that could cause eye injury. For these reasons, shooting glasses and hearing protectors should be worn by shooters and spectators.

6. Never use alcohol or over-the-counter, prescription or other drugs before or while shooting. Alcohol, as well as any other substance likely to impair normal mental or physical bodily functions, must not be used before or while handling or shooting guns.

7. Store guns so they are not accessible to unauthorized persons.
Many factors must be considered when deciding where and how to store guns. A person's particular situation will be a major part of the consideration. Dozens of gun storage devices, as well as locking devices that attach directly to the gun, are available. However, mechanical locking devices, like the mechanical safeties built into guns, can fail and should not be used as a substitute for safe gun handling and the observance of all gun safety rules.

8. Be aware that certain types of guns and many shooting activities require additional safety precautions.


9. Cleaning
Regular cleaning is important in order for your gun to operate correctly and safely. Taking proper care of it will also maintain its value and extend its life. Your gun should be cleaned every time that it is used. A gun brought out of prolonged storage should also be cleaned before shooting. Accumulated moisture and dirt, or solidified grease and oil, can prevent the gun from operating properly.

Before cleaning your gun, make absolutely sure that it is unloaded. The gun's action should be open during the cleaning process. Also, be sure that no ammunition is present in the cleaning area.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Cellular Security - Removing Cell Phone Virus'

How To Remove Mobile Trojans or Cell Phone Virus

As we move more and more into the smart-phone era of cellular technology, we are exposing ourselves to a different type of criminal in cyberspace – aside from your computers (although your smart-phone is a mini-computer). Below is some advice and information I ran across the following website http://www.nospysoftware.com/spyware-articles/cell-phone-virus.php

The more and more we get into this 21st century technology, just like anything with the good comes the bad.

Trojans unlike viruses are a program that never duplicates or copies itself but does damage or compromise the security of the mobile. The best defense against mobile virus is antivirus software but most antivirus software won’t find all variants of Trojans so again a firewall is needed.


The Kaspersky Antivirus is one of the antiviruses available for removing the cell phone virus like cell phone virus 911. The spy sweeper is an award winning software that effectively and safely detects and removes Trojans from your mobile. The antivirus software is a pest patrol that protects your cell phone from the cell phone spyware and removes them. The best way to remove Trojan is preventing it before it gets installed. Some of the preventive techniques are explained below.

Preventive Techniques:

Fortunately, security products that can detect malicious code exist for most mobile device operating systems. For smart phones in particular, real-time automatic and on-demand virus scan capabilities can protect files that are stored on the smart phone's file system, while the firewall should use protocol and port filtering to protect the data and applications being transmitted. To ensure that devices are protected against new threats, users should be able to download the latest virus protection updates when the device has access to a wireless connection.

Another way of prevention is

* Do not install pirated software on your mobile. Only install software from reliable resources.
* Do not accept any messages sent over blue tooth from somebody you don’t know or if you are not expecting to receive one.
* Provide training to personnel using mobile phones / PDAs. People cannot be held accountable to secure their information if they haven't been told how.
* Patch management for software on mobile devices should not be overlooked. This can often be simplified by integrating patching with syncing, or patch management with the centralized inventory database.

The anti virus software can easily detect and remove all the current Symbian Malware and can also detect if infected files are trying to be installed and stop them. But at the end of the day if you use your common sense and follow the rules you will have nothing to worry about at all.

Smartphones, PDAs, and laptops are increasingly being used in much the same way as desktop computers, putting these devices at risk of the onslaught of threats that has been seen in recent years on PCs. Mobile phone virus though still not as widespread as computer viruses can still be a nuisance and lead to monetary loss or identity theft. Taking some basic precautions as described above could effectively combat cell phone virus and mobile viruses.