— filed under: Press Release

As the holidays approach, the FBI reminds the public to use caution when making online purchases. Cyber criminals continue to create ways to steal your money and personal information. If a deal looks too good to be true, it likely is.

Be wary of e-mails or text messages that indicate a problem or question regarding your financial accounts. Criminals will attempt to direct victims to click a link or call a number to update an account or correct a purported problem. The links may appear to lead you to legitimate websites, but they are not. Any personal information you share on them could be compromised.

The major legitimate delivery service providers do not e-mail customers directly regarding scheduled deliveries; you have to already have an existing account for this type of communication. Nor will they state when a package has been intercepted or is being temporarily held. E-mails about these issues are phishing scams that can lead to personal information breaches and financial losses.

Internet criminals post classified advertisements on auction websites for products they do not have. If you buy merchandise promoted via an online ad or auction site but receive it directly from the retailer, it could be stolen property. You can protect yourself by not providing the seller with your financial information. Use legitimate payment services for transactions.

Fraudsters will also offer reduced or free shipping to auction site customers. They provide fake shipping labels, but they don’t pay for the packages’ delivery. Parcels shipped with these phony labels are intercepted and identified as fraudulent.

It’s safest to purchase gift cards directly from merchants rather than through auction sites or classified ads. If the merchant discovers the card you received from another source was initially fraudulently obtained, the card will be deactivated.

Here are some tips you can use to avoid becoming a victim of cyber fraud:

• Do not respond to unsolicited (spam) e-mail.
• Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
• Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files; the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders. Scan the attachments for viruses if possible.
• Avoid filling out forms contained in e-mail messages that ask for personal information.
• Always compare the link in the e-mail with the link to which you are directed to determine if they match and will lead you to a legitimate site.
• Log directly onto a store’s website identified in the e-mail instead of linking to it from an unsolicited e-mail. If the e-mail appears to be from your bank, credit card issuer, or other company you deal with frequently, your statements or official correspondence will provide the proper contact information.
• Contact the actual business that supposedly sent the e-mail to verify if the e-mail is genuine.
• If you are asked to act quickly, it may be a scam. Fraudsters often create a false sense of urgency.
• Verify any requests for personal information by calling the business or financial institution using the phone numbers listed on a billing statement or credit card.

If you have received a suspicious e-mail, file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center: www.ic3.gov.

For more information on e-scams, visit the FBI’s E-Scams and Warnings webpage: www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/e-scams

Put your car keys beside your bed at night. If you hear a noise outside your
home or someone trying to get in your house, just press the panic button for
your car.

The alarm will be set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either
you turn it off or the car battery dies.

This tip came from a neighborhood watch coordinator.

Next time you come home for the night and you start to put your keys away,
think of this:  It’s a security alarm system that you probably already have
and requires no installation. Test it.

It will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep honking
until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the button on the key
fob chain.

It works if you park in your driveway or garage.

If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break into your house,
odds are the burglar/rapist won’t stick around.

After a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their windows to see
who is out there and sure enough the criminal won’t want that.

And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a parking lot.

The alarm can work the same way there.

This is   something that should really be shared with everyone.

Maybe it could save a life or a sexual abuse crime.

Please call Sgt. Judd if you have any questions at 520-251-6373.

If You Receive a Counterfeit:

• Do not return it to the passer.
• Delay the passer if possible.
• Observe the passer’s description, as well as that of any companions, and the license plate numbers of any vehicles used.
• Contact your local police department or United States Secret Service field office. These numbers can be found on the inside front page of your local telephone directory.
• Write your initials and the date in the white border areas of the suspect note.
• Limit the handling of the note. Carefully place it in a protective covering, such as an envelope.
• Surrender the note or coin only to a properly identified police officer or a U.S. Secret Service special agent.

What is ATM Card Skimming and PIN Capturing?

• ATM Card Skimming is a method used by criminals to capture data from the magnetic stripe on the back of an ATM card.
• The devices used are smaller than a deck of cards and are often fastened in close proximity to or over the top of an ATM’s factory-installed card reader.
• Pin Capturing refers to a method of strategically attaching cameras and various other imaging devices to ATMs; in order to fraudulently capture the ATM user’s PIN.

Where to spot a card skimming or pin capturing device on an ATM?

Light diffuser area, Speaker area, ATM side fascia, Card reader entry slot, ATM keyboard area.

Occasionally the police department may be dispatched to your business after normal business hours.  Businesses with an active alarm system in place allow us to contact business owners if there was a problem with their property.

There are times, however, when issues occur on or around a business property which may not activate the alarm so having the information in the attached document helps us to contact a representative in a timely manner. Please email your completed After Hours Contact Info form to Rebecca.molus@maricopa-az.gov or fax it to 520-316-6888.

Every year, thousands of consumers lose money to telemarketing con artists.  Telephone con artists will say anything to try to cheat people out of money.  They may call you and imply that they work for a company you trust, or they may send direct mail or place ads to convince you to call them.  Attorney General Terry Goddard is warning Arizona consumers to use caution when receiving telemarketing calls.

Q.  How can consumers limit the number of telemarketing calls that they receive?

A.        The Federal Trade Commission established the National Do Not Call Registry which requires most telemarketers to stop calling.  Exceptions to the Registry are political organizations, charities, polls and surveys; companies with whom you have an existing business relationship; calls from companies you’ve given permission to call; and business to business calls.

To register your number on the Do Not Call Registry:

• Visit “DoNotCall.gov” and enter your phone number and email address.  Click “Submit.”  Confirm your information and click “Register.”  Open your email message from Register@donotcall.gov.  Click on the link to complete your registration or call 1-888-382-1222 from the number you wish to register.

Q.  What warning signs should consumers look for when dealing with a telemarketer?

A.        Consumers should watch out for telemarketers who:

• Pressure you to act immediately
• Refuse to send you written information
• Use scare tactics
• Demand that you send payment by wire or courier
• Demand that you pay taxes, custom fees or mailing fees to claim a prize
• Request your financial account numbers
• Promise to recover money you have lost in another scam, for a fee
• Claim that you can earn money by working from home
• Refuse to stop calling when you say you are not interested

Q.        What additional tips can you offer to Arizona consumers to follow?

A.        Goddard offers the following additional tips so that you can protect  yourself:

• Arizona’s Telephone Solicitations Statute requires telemarketers to make certain disclosures before they can solicit customers.  Check with the Arizona Secretary of State (602.542.4366/www.azsos.gov) to determine whether the telemarketing company has registered with the State.  Also check with the State Treasurer’s Office (602.542.7176) to determine whether the company has filed a bond.  The law also requires all telemarketing companies to tell their customers, both orally and in writing, that they have the right to cancel their order within three days after receiving merchandise purchased from the telemarketer.
• Don’t share your credit card and bank account numbers over the phone.  Telephone scammers often ask for them during an unsolicited sales pitch and then use them to commit other frauds against you.
• Always ask for and wait until you receive written material about any offer or charity before you open your wallet.
• If you decide to purchase or make a contribution after receiving written information, pay by credit card, instead of by cash, check, money order or debit card, as you can dispute the charges if you do not get what you were promised.  Dispute credit card charges if you do not get what you were promised.

If you believe you are a victim of a fraud or scam, please contact the Attorney General’s Office in Phoenix at 602.542-5763, in Tucson at 520.628.6504 or outside of the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas at 1.800.352.8431.  Consumers can also file complaints online at the Attorney General’s Web site at www.azag.gov.  To file a complaint in person, the Attorney General’s Office has satellite offices throughout the state with volunteers available to help.  Locations and hours of operation are posted on the Attorney General’s Web site.

For a variety of reasons, some motor vehicles have a greater
probability of being stolen than others.

Ten Most Stolen Motor Vehicles of 2002:

1. Toyota Cambry

2. Honda Accord

3. Honda Civic

4. Chevrolet Full Size P/U

5. Ford Full Size P/U

6. Jeep Cherokee

7. Oldsmobile Cutlas

8. Dodge Caravan

9. Ford Taurus

10. Toyota Corolla

• Motor Vehicle Crime Prevention Recommendations

1. Lock it and pocket the keys. Nearly 20% of all vehicles stolen had the keys in them. Remember to lock the trunk, the hatchback or the tailgate of a station wagon or sport utility vehicle (SUV)
2. If your motor vehicle is an older model, replace standard door lock buttons with tapered ones. These replacements are inexpensive and much more difficult to pry up.
3. Don’t leave motor vehicle registration, insurance policies, credit cards or other important papers in a vehicle’s glove compartment.
4. If you use a self-service gasoline stations or convenience stores, don’t leave the keys in the vehicle when you go inside to pay your bill.
5. Don’t place a mini-replica of a license plate or personal identification on a vehicle’s key ring.
6. Consider installing safety security film on the windows. With the film added to the glass, the window will be 300% to 400% stronger. Intruders must cut their way through the glass, thus taking more time. The safety film is clear and reflects up to 98% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
7. Never hide a second set of keys in the vehicle. Extra keys can easily be found if the thief takes time to look. Store a spare key in your wallet.
8. If possible, avoid parking next to vans, pick-ups, and other large vehicles. These large vehicles can “hide” your vehicle and make it more difficult for others to observe.
9. When parking along a curb, angle the front wheels sharply to the left or right, making it difficult for the thief to tow it away. Wheels should also be turned to the side in driveways and parking lots.
10. If your vehicle is rear-wheel drive, back into your driveway. Rear wheels lock on four-wheel drive vehicles, making them difficult to tow. Front-wheel drive vehicles should be parked front end first.
11. Periodically check your license plates to make sure they haven’t been stolen, switched or altered.
12. Join Operation Identification and engrave your driver’s license number or social security number in several concealed places on, or in your motor vehicle. Drop a business card into the window channel, beneath the seat or behind the dash panel.
13. Engrave batteries, wheel covers and car stereos with either your drivers license number or social security number preceded by your state’s initials.
14. Don’t invite a vehicle break-in by leaving packages or valuables (radar detectors, cellular phones, compact disc players, etc.) in sight. Take valuables with you, put them under the seat or lock them in the trunk.
15. Whenever possible, park in well lighted and busy areas.
16. Whenever possible, park in an attended lot. Motor vehicle thieves do not like witnesses and prefer unattended parking lots.
17. When you park in an attended lot, leave only the ignition/door key. If your trunk and glovebox use the same key as the door, have one of them changed. Leaving the ignition key with the attendant, retain all others and be sure the key number does not appear on the key that is left.
18. On cold mornings, never leave your motor vehicle running while it is unattended, in order to warm up.
19. For each vehicle you own or lease, record the following information and keep it in a safe location (not in the vehicle):

Read More...Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention 021510

Scam artists often try to capitalize on severe storms by taking advantage of homeowners coping with damage. Some unsolicited contractors will claim to have extra materials because they are doing work in the neighborhood. The pitch to the homeowner includes a “discounted” price for materials so the contractor won’t have to throw materials away.

The homeowner is typically given a verbal quote, but never a written estimate for the job. The unsolicited contractor will do the work, and in some cases without the homeowner’s consent, will do additional work.  After the job is complete, the homeowner may be presented with a bill that is hundreds or even thousands of dollars more than what was originally quoted. The person will often demand immediate payment and in some cases refuse to leave in an attempt to pressure the homeowner into paying in full.

Goddard cautions Arizona residents to think twice before allowing anyone who shows up after a severe storm to work on your home. Instead, he offers the following tips when choosing a contractor:

• Check with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (www.azroc.gov) to make sure the contractor you are considering has a license.
• Ask for written estimates from at least three contractors.
• Request a list of references and check them before agreeing to hire anyone.
• Make sure the scope of the project, the price and any other relevant terms are spelled out in a written contract.
• Never allow yourself to be hurried into making a decision.  No reputable contractor will pressure you into a quick hiring decision.

If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, please contact the Attorney General’s Office in Phoenix at 602.542.5763; in Tucson at 520.628.6504; or outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas at 1.800.352.8431.  To file a complaint in person, the Attorney General’s Office has satellite offices throughout the state with volunteers available to help.  Locations and hours of operation are posted on the Attorney General’s Web site.  Consumers can also file complaints on line by visiting the Attorney General’s Web site at www.azag.gov

For additional information, please contact Molly Edwards at (602) 542-8019.

Lock bumping Video

• Video surveillance cameras can increase public safety

• The presence of video surveillance cameras can be a critical crime deterrent. Criminals are less likely to commit a crime if they know they are being monitored.  The cameras should be in plane view of the perpetrator.

• Just as the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words. Surveillance video can aid in identifying and apprehending suspects.

• You may want to post signs in clear view informing the public that there are video cameras on site.

Maricopa Police Department