| Buyer, Beware - Especially Online
As you make a list and check it twice, check yourself for safety against identity theft. It's a big problem this time of year, with more people shopping with their credit cards, and shopping online. Stealing your ID is not that difficult anymore. Consumer advocates say you protect yourself by being aware of your surroundings while using your card. Also, keep an eye on the clerk while the transaction is being processed. "There are different devices called skimmers," said Chad Reiflin of the Credit Education Bureau. "Folks can use to skim our cards and steal and store information. So just as being street smart, you need to be credit smart - and smart about what's going with your information and what is happening with your card." While shopping online, make sure the site is secure.
ID theft prevention tools tested
You or someone you know has probably already been a victim. Identity theft is a huge problem that just gets worse this time of year. More shopping for gifts means more opportunity for thefts. Crime Tracker 3's Sophia Choi show you how to protect one of the most important items you can own, your identity. One slip up, and you could be stuck fighting bogus charges for 880 days. That should get your attention. Something that caught our attention were special pens, the makers of which claim prevent check fraud. We put it to the test. The pens boast specially formulated ink. Detective Kim Thomas tested it against a Gel Rollerball pen and a regular ink pen. After cutting the checks into pieces, he soaked them in a variety of chemicals from gasoline to acetone.
Surfers still too careless with ID, says BT
BT has said UK web surfers are still doing too little to protect themselves against identity theft and has released a web user guide in an attempt to stop the problem escalating even further. The 10-point guide has been put together by BT in association with CPP, LloydsTSB, the Met Police and Yahoo! as well as the Get Safe Online initiative. Ray Stanton, head of security at BT Global Services, said identity theft is still on the rise, dubbing it a "silent part of fraud in the UK". Stanton cited figures from the UK government which suggest fraud accounted for �1.7bn in the UK last year. Although those figures have subsequently been subject to serious doubts, it's undeniable that identity theft is a major problem. BT also claims that eight per cent of UK PC users fall victim to online fraud and said too few are taking even basic steps to protect themselves, such as not handing over credit card numbers to unidentified third parties.
In fraud fight, banks play priceless role
When it comes to protecting you against identity theft and fraud, banks occupy a unique position of influence. They're the central depository for consumers' money and sensitive personal information. Get hold of someone's monthly bank statement and you've got a ton of valuable data. As heavily regulated as banks are, consumers should expect that their financial institution does more than any other business to guard their personal data. An annual study by Javelin Strategy and Research finds that although banks are doing a fairly good job at helping customers resolve identity theft and fraud cases, they need to make the customer more of a partner in a joint battle against crooks. "Banks and credit unions do a great job behind the scenes – total fraud dropped last year from $55.7 billion to $49.3 billion – but this report shows where they can enlist a willing customer base to do even better," said this month's report by Pleasanton, Calif.-based Javelin, which provides research on financial services topics.
What happened to the 18 ICE detainees held in Greeley?
When 262 people were arrested at the Greeley Swift & Co. meat processing plant, 18 were held in Weld County Jail on charges of theft and fraud. In the following five months, some went to court or reached plea agreements. Some had their cases dismissed.
Weld District Attorney Ken Buck said seven of the 18 agreed to testify against higher-up employees at Swift, and their charges were dismissed. Because federal officials decided not to prosecute Swift administrators, the employees never testified.
The names of the employees who were to testify will not be released at Buck's request, to protect them from retaliation.
Swift Cases Final Update
» Cruz Teodoro Lajpop-Torres
Pled guilty to false reporting / false Identification (class three misdemeanor)
Jail 126 days / credit for time served 126 days
» Santiago Valdez-Botello
Pled guilty to false reporting / false identification
Jail 120 days / credit for time served 120 days
» Mariana Andonex-Cortez
Pled guilty to false reporting / false identification
Jail 125 days / credit for time served 125 days
» Juan Francisco-Diego
Pled guilty to false reporting / false identification
Jail 122 days / credit for time served 122 days
» Anselmo Lopez-Vicente
Pled guilty to ID Theft (class four felony)
Six years in department of corrections will be suspended if he complies with deportation proceedings
» Maricela Deleon-Garcia
Pled guilty to false reporting / false identification
Jail 127 days / Credit for time served 127 days
» Amalia Manuel-Pedro
Pled guilty to forgery of a government issued document (a class five felony) and two years in department of corrections will be suspended if she cooperates with deportation proceedings.
SNP accused of broken promises as free prescriptions plan is unveiled
It's at it lowest level for 10 years...29% in the last poll. SNP supporters just can't accept their succes is a result of MacConnell/Blair/Labour's unpopularity and Salmonds likeability. And yes, I am a unionist along with 70% of my countrymen but that doesn't mean I defend my party when a newspaper points out their broken eleciton promises. And then there's the matter of 500 police officers...but we won't go into that. Report as unsuitable 23. Julian / 3:43am 6 Dec 2007 Big bad # 21, Just to show I don't always oppose the SNP, the abolition of prescription charges is not primarily to help the poor; it's to uphold the principles of the NHS which means that no-one, whether they be rich or poor, is penalised financially by illness. And besides, there are other ways the poor can be helped.
Customer service
These companies were quick to answer their calls, and we found their interactive voice response systems easy to navigate. The results may go against the conventional thinking that a telephone-based customer service experience is usually a bad experience. Got your own story about customer service, from either side of the phone line — good or bad? We want to know about it as well as your thoughts on our survey results. « Previous Topic | Main | Next Topic » This discussion is now Closed. View the Comments. .
The ghost hunters
The group, which has also investigated the Pearis Cemetery, has never found what could unfailingly be labeled a ghost during an investigation. But its members still believe a spirit world exists. Investigations are free and can be initiated by either the property owner or the paranormal group. This time, Ferra e-mailed Graham mansion owner Josiah "J.C." Weaver in hopes of getting inside. For years, Ferra has heard that the mansion is haunted. So on the sunny afternoon of Oct. 13, the first step in 12 hours of work began. Weaver's assistant Mary Lin Brewer led four investigators around the property so they could collect data about the place. 3:30 p.m.: Research "It's a fairly unknown piece of historical property," Brewer told the group.
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