Man admits debt-payment scam -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY

Man admits debt-payment scam -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY: "ALBANY -- A former Scotia plumber has pleaded guilty in federal court to duping hundreds of people out of millions of dollars by promising to make their mortgages and other debts vanish.
In admitting his guilt, Kenneth G. Titus Sr., 61, of Glen Avenue, faces a maximum term of up to 20 years in prison for mail fraud, and 10 years for money laundering, along with up to three years' supervised release and a $250,000 fine.

According to the terms of the plea deal he accepted on Friday, however, imprisonment is more likely to range from between 33 to 44 months.
Titus also consented to forfeit more than $2.4 million in fraud proceeds, which will be used to pay back his victims, federal officials said."

Scam targets restaurant owners

Scam targets restaurant owners: "The letter seemed legit, said Pat’s Steak House owner Pat Francis, just another in a seemingly endless stream of restaurant regulations.

Sent by the Kentucky Food Service Compliance Center, it said restaurants must buy and put up $18.95 posters reminding employees to wash their hands.

Those who didn’t faced up to $2,500 in fines and could possibly lose their license, the letter said.

“It just seemed typical,” said Francis, who spent $82.70 for four posters. “They keep passing these new laws all the time so I just figured they passed another one.”

But this one, it turned out, was a scam — one that went far beyond Francis’ Brownsboro Road steak house.

In the past few months, hundreds of restaurant owners across Kentucky have received similar letters notifying them of a new law that the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office says doesn’t exist."

Online Job Seeking Scam

Online Job Seeking Scam: "If you have a resume posted online, you could become the target of a scam. Job seekers are turning to the internet, posting their resumes and applying for jobs online. Allie Vaandering says she's used these websites once , but is cautious.
Allie Vaandering, MSU student: 'I'd like to know what would be the limit to put on the internet and how confidential it would be.'
Now the FBI is reporting scammers could steal the information you post on your online resume. Scammers are calling phone numbers listed on resumes, asking for personal information, like Social Security numbers.
Brenda Ely, Michigan Dept. of Labor & Economic Growth: 'A job seeker could ask what purpose they plan for that particular information at this point in the process.' "

The Annekenstein Monster: The Christmas Shoes Scam

The Annekenstein Monster: The Christmas Shoes Scam: "As a public service to my loyal readership, I offer you this warning, just in time for Christmas. It concerns a confidence scam that surfaced last year, and by all accounts, will be even more popular this year. It is being dubbed The Christmas Shoes Scam.
This is how it works:
The scam usually is pulled at a busy department store or mall, usually at times when there are large crowds mingling. A young child (usually, could be a trust-inspiring early teenager too) will linger around the checkout, holding an item of clothing he makes obvious he wishes to purchase. While the item is usually a pair of womens shoes (hence the scam's name), it can be anything really. The main characteristic is that the item is NOT something the child would purchase for his own wardrobe. While holding the item, the child will look sad. This is done to lure in the victim.
It is an inactive scam, meaning that the child will wait until approached. Once approached by a concerned (meaning: vulnerable and/or Christian) adult, the scam artist will begin with the waterworks, crying softly at first, moreso as the situation demands. When asked what's wrong, the child will lay the base of the scam. Usually the child will say something to the effect that a family member (usually a Mother) is very ill, and is in fact about to die. Perhaps even this very night."

Look out for parcel delivery scams | OUT-LAW.COM

Look out for parcel delivery scams | OUT-LAW.COM: "Premium rate regulator ICSTIS has urged network operators to be on the alert for customers seeking to operate premium rate related parcel delivery services, in the wake of a pre-Christmas scam that put members of the public out of pocket.
Trading Standards Offices around the UK are investigating the fraud, which involved a mailshot that targeted thousands of UK households. This took the form of a ‘delivery card’, asking recipients to call a premium rate number to rearrange the delivery of a parcel.
As the misleading message was sent at a time when recipients were likely to be expecting parcels through the post, many took the bait – only to find themselves with an expensive telephone bill, but no parcel.
The regulator confirmed today that it had taken action to terminate existing services and to freeze revenue payments in four cases.
However, ICSTIS expressed concern that it had received calls from networks with “clients” wishing to operate other “services” of this kind."

Northern Ireland News - Police urge vigilance over Christmas fraud

Northern Ireland News - Police urge vigilance over Christmas fraud: "Detectives from the PSNI's Fraud Unit have reminded members of the public and business community to remain vigilant following reports that Northern Ireland is again being targeted by fraudsters in the run up to Christmas.
One of the most popular frauds urges the victim to forward personal and bank details to an 'overseas' government official/solicitor acting on behalf of a deceased person with no known living relatives within that country, to enable millions of dollars to be moved out of the country to the individual's bank account.
Prior to the release of money the individual has to forward a sum of money to commence the procedure. While this scam has been well publicised, many people continue to be duped into participating.
The second 'overseas lottery' style fraud informs potential victims they have won a substantial sum of money but, that in order to release their 'winnings,' a percentage of money be forwarded by the individual to the Lottery Commission to enable local taxes to be paid.
Detective Inspector George Clydesdale said: 'While the PSNI's Fraud Unit is committed to tackling these and other fraudulent activity, we would ask members of the community to be on the alert at all times and not to disclose bank or personal details to strangers or to forward money without ensuring the recipient is genuine.
'Remember if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is!'
Anyone who is concerned they may have been the victim of any type of fraud should contact "

Homeworking Scam Cons Mum (from Oxford Mail)

Homeworking Scam Cons Mum (from Oxford Mail): "A mother who wanted to earn extra money for Christmas fell victim to a home-working scam.
Grace Dale, of Stanway Close, Witney, answered an advert earlier this month offering readers as much as £3,000 per month for typing and mailing envelopes.
The 34-year-old part-time admin worker said: 'I just wanted extra money for Christmas. I have a two-year-old daughter and it was just to buy extra bits and pieces for her.'
continued...
Mrs Dale spotted the advert in the Oxford Mail and, as instructed, texted her name and address to a mobile number.
A letter was sent asking her to pay a registration fee of £15, which she sent by cheque - deciding that if it was a con, £15 wasn't too much to lose.
But she said after not hearing anything for a week, she phoned the company. She said: 'The man said that quite a few people had had the cheque go missing so he asked me to pay by card.'
But the day after the phone call she was contacted by her bank who asked her if she or her husband had withdrawn £1,200 from her account."

The Post and Courier, Charleston SC | Charleston.net | Stories

The Post and Courier, Charleston SC | Charleston.net | Stories: "




A Charleston woman was swindled out of $5,000 in cash after a two people offered to give her a portion of money they said they found in the parking lot of a North Charleston department store.
The 26-year-old victim told police she was in the Ross store on Rivers Avenue on Oct. 5 when a woman struck up a conversation and told her a man outside had dropped an envelope that contained $68,000 in cash, according to a police report. The woman and a man who claimed to be a deacon told the victim the three of them could split the money, the report said. But the victim would have to put up $5,000.
The victim went to her bank, withdrew $5,000 and took it back to the store, where the suspects took the money inside and were never seen again, according to the report. The female suspect, who said her name was Alice, was described as black, in her 40s to early 50s, with dark blotches on her face, chest and arms. The man was black, in his middle 50s to early 60s, balding with salt-and-pepper hair and wearing eyeglasses.

"

Oshkosh Northwestern - Officials warn of new lottery scam

Oshkosh Northwestern - Officials warn of new lottery scam: "Officials warn of new lottery scam
By Jennifer K. Woldt
of The Northwestern
The letter that told Vicky and Randy Paulson they had won $160,000 in a lottery seemed too good to be true.
Turns out it was.
The letter, and an accompanying check for $1,996, was part of a foreign lottery scam being operated out of the Netherlands.
As part of the scam, the Paulsons were asked to cash the $1,996 check, which is meant to help cover taxes, and then send a payment to the Netherlands to cover the costs associated with sending the lottery winnings to Oshkosh. The original check would have bounced after a few weeks, leaving the person who received the check responsible for bounced check charges and covering the check.
'I had never seen one of these before,' Vicky Paulson said. 'I'm glad I investigated because there's going to be other people who fall for this. This is something a gullible person would really get themselves into a deep hole with.'
Capt. Jay Puestohl of the Oshkosh Police Department said there are a number of reasons why he's concerned about the scams. He said the checks are often computer generated and look very authentic, making it difficult to realize they are fraudulent.
The Oshkosh Police Department receives a few complaints each week about similar scams. He noted while the scam is the same, the origin varies, from Spain to countries in Africa.
But the possibility of winning a large sum of money is difficult for some people to resist.
'Unfortunately, if preys upon people's hopes to become rich,' Puestohl said. 'They purport that the people are winners of a large amount of money and it is hard to discard something like that.' "

WKRC 12 Cincinnati - Scam Warning From Indiana State Police

WKRC 12 Cincinnati - Scam Warning From Indiana State Police: "Scammers are bilking unsuspecting victims out of their money using Internet sale/purchasing programs such as EBay.. Anytime one deals with Internet purchases and requests involving cashier's checks, one should be especially suspicious.

Typically the scammer will search the Internet for offers of expensive items for sale such as cars or computers. The victim will receive an email from the scammer offering to purchase the item through a relay service and the scammer will promise to pay with a cashier's check. The victim will receive what appears to be an authentic looking check in an amount made out for several thousand dollars more than the agreed upon price and the scammer will request the victim wire the excess amount back. The victim's bank credits the victim's account with the amount of the check and the victim sends the excess money back along with the purchased item to the scammer.

Several days after the completion of the transaction the bank informs the victim the cashier's check was counterfeit. The victim has not only lost the item sold but has been scammed out of several thousand dollars as well. "