"Crime Prevention is Everyone's Responsibility"

ORILLIA, Ontario, May 7, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - "Everyone in Ontario can play an important role in making our community safer," OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino said today, as Police Week in Ontario commenced.

"Community safety is everyone's responsibility and crime prevention is everyone's business," states Commissioner Fantino. "Our partnerships with our communities are essential in preventing crime and making our citizens safer. The police can't do it alone; we need the support of every resident of Ontario. Police Week is a great opportunity to engage people in our communities on topics such as crime prevention programs and community policing."

The theme of Police Week 2010 is "Building Partnerships for a Safer Community." Police Week runs from May 9 - 15 in Ontario and is dedicated to increasing community awareness and recognition of policing services and strengthening partnerships between police and the community. Police Week 2010 will be celebrated by OPP Detachments throughout Ontario.

"Police Week is an opportunity to show our appreciation to our police officers and their community partners for all they do to keep our communities safe," said Rick Bartoluccci, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services. "Ontario is safer and stronger thanks to our police services and the support of the government and all Ontarians."

For more information on Police Week activities in your community please contact your local OPP Detachment.

More details about community safety and crime prevention may be found on-line at: www.opp.ca

IDENTITY THEFT - Protect Yourself from Becoming a Victim

TORONTO, March 29, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - By remembering that 'knowledge is power,' Ontario Provincial Police say consumers can and should do more to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft.

Typical cases involving identity theft include situations where government documents such as drivers' licenses, health cards, Social Insurance Number (S.I.N.) cards and birth certificates have been forged or otherwise obtained. When identity is compromised, the consequences have a profound impact on individuals, businesses, government funds, and the public, in general.

Some basic steps consumers can take to better protect themselves from becoming a victim include never giving out personal information over the phone or over the internet and carry only the identification documents you need.

The OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau' Identity Crimes Unit also now has stronger legislative tools with which to charge criminals for possessing the personal information of others and prevent it from being used for fraud or theft.

"Identity theft is the starting point for many types of crimes - credit and debit card fraud, mortgage fraud, and account takeovers among other things. Savvy criminals can manipulate technology in order to obtain documents that will support their crimes." - Deputy Commissioner Vince Hawkes, Ontario Provincial Police, Provincial Commander, Investigations/Organized Crime Command "

"Combating identity crimes requires the collaborative efforts of the financial industry, law enforcement, government agencies, and consumers. Consumers need to take steps that make it less likely for them to become a victim of identity theft." - Inspector Don Perron, Ontario Provincial Police, Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau.

OPP IDENTITY CRIMES UNIT - BACKGROUND

OPP Identity Crimes Unit (ICU) resides within the Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau in the Investigations and Organized Crime Command.

OPP ICU investigates forgery, identity theft and consumer fraud. The unit also takes the lead role in investigations into organized criminal groups carrying out fraudulent schemes involving the fabrication, trafficking and use of forged payment cards, forged cheques and counterfeit currency.

The ICU works in conjunction with municipal police services, OPP regions, as well as national and international law enforcement agencies and stakeholders, to identify and apprehend organized crime groups, locally and on a global basis.

IDENTITY CRIMES

Identity crimes include the acquisition of information or documents confirming identity of a living or deceased person, in order to perpetrate offences under the Criminal Code of Canada or any other statute. Typical cases involving identity theft include situations where government documents such as drivers' licenses, health cards, Social Insurance Number (SIN) cards and birth certificates have been forged or otherwise obtained. When your identity is compromised, the consequences have a profound impact on individuals, businesses, government funds, and the public, in general. Being a victim can affect your job, reputation, credit rating, benefits, or access to your own business and/or financial accounts.

The Canadian Bankers Association reported a loss of almost 500-million dollars in relation to the theft of payment card data in 2008.

In October 2009, legislation was passed by the Government of Canada to combat identity theft. This legislation provides law enforcement agencies with the tools and the ability to charge criminals for possessing the personal information of others before it is used for fraud or theft.

For more information, visit your financial institution's website, or contact the Canadian Bankers Association, Interac, Equifax, or TransUnion.

The OPP Identity Crimes Unit also has a number of tips and contacts to help you avoid becoming a victim of identity theft. To get more information, click on this link.

IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION TIPS

When impostors co-opt your name, your Social Insurance Number (SIN), your credit card number, or some other piece of personal information without your knowledge for their use -- it's a crime, plain and simple. Consumers can take some basic steps to better protect themselves from becoming a victim of identity theft includes the following:

- NEVER give out personal information on the phone, through mail, or over the Internet unless you have initiated the transaction or are absolutely certain with whom you are speaking.

- CARRY only the Identity Documents you need. For example: When was the last time you were asked to produce your Social Insurance Card? Many of us have carried it in our wallets or purses for many years. The Social Insurance Card is identification that is very useful for criminals.

- NEVER throw personal documents in the garbage without shredding them first. Identity thieves routinely pick through garbage and recycling bins. Documents to be shredded include credit applications or offers, insurance forms, and physician statements.

- ALWAYS check your bank and credit card statements to ensure that they are accurate, and make sure they arrive on time. Notify your bank immediately if the statements stop arriving at their normal time as they could have been diverted to another address by a criminal.

- NEVER give out your Personal Identification Number (PIN) over the phone or on the Internet. Financial institutions WILL NEVER ask you for your PIN over the phone or via the Internet.

- CHANGE your passwords regularly. Use hard-to-guess passwords or a combination of letters and numbers. And never share your password with anyone.

- ALWAYS ensure you're in a safe environment when on the internet. Look for the closed-lock or unbroken-key icons on your browser when entering your credit card number or other sensitive data. If you don't see the unbroken key or closed lock, or if the key is broken or the padlock is open, your transaction is not being securely transmitted across the Internet.

- CLEAR your browser's cache after visiting secure sites to ensure nobody else can view confidential information you may have transmitted.

- INSTALL and maintain a firewall to guard against unwanted access to your computer and make sure you have the latest anti-virus software installed.

- BE suspicious of spam e-mails. Criminals will use e-mails to 'phish' for your personal information. Do not use the links provided by 'phishing' e-mails. They could direct you to a criminal's website that appears similar to that of a legitimate financial institution.

- ALWAYS manually direct yourself to your financial institution's website if conducting on-line banking.

- CONDUCT credit checks on yourself periodically to ensure that your Credit Profile accurately reflects your situation and report any discrepancies immediately.

OPP Reminds you to Protect Yourself from Telemarketing/Email Fraud

March is Fraud Prevention Month

ORILLIA, Ontario, March 18, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), in cooperation with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), is notifying the public of a recent increase in the reported number of fraud attempts using the traditional "Emergency Scam".

The Emergency Scam has operated for years as a telemarketing scam throughout North America. Fraudsters contact potential victims while posing as a family member or friend in urgent need of cash. Often the scenario involves an accident or arrest while travelling abroad, with a request that cash be sent through a money transfer company, such as Western Union or Money Gram. In the past, fraudsters have successfully targeted grandparents, giving the scam its nickname "the Grandparents Scam".

In a recent variation of this scam, compromised contact lists from hijacked email accounts are used to send the potential victim an "urgent" email request for money from a friend or relative with whom they have a correspondence. Common themes continue to be hospitalization or imprisonment while away from home. The friend or relative is unaware that their account has been used to send out these requests to everyone on their contact list.

According to CAFC statistics for Ontario, in 2009 fraudsters using the Emergency Scam made 225 failed attempts but were successful 61 times which resulted in the victims being defrauded over $230,000.

By the end of February this year, there have been a reported 96 failed attempts but 23 successful scams reported in Ontario. Fraudsters have garnered a total in excess of $88,000 from Ontarians thus far in 2010. The CAFC estimates that these frauds reported to police only reflect 5% of the actual number of cases.

The OPP urges people to verify any and all requests for money, and to report suspected fraud to the CAFC at 888-495-8501.

FRAUD...Recognize it...Report it...Stop it.

OPP Reminds You to Protect Yourself from Investment Schemes

March is Fraud Prevention Month

ORILLIA, Ontario, March 12, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - Many people seek out alternative investment products that are not recognized or supplied by accredited investment brokers. The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Anti Rackets Branch reminds you to be wary of investment schemes that may defraud you of your investment money. Investors should always exercise caution and carry out due diligence before making investment decisions.

There are many different investment schemes operating in Ontario - often with international connections. Many of these schemes lure victims by promising high rates of return. The perpetrators are usually vague about the details of where the money is invested. They may tell the potential investor that providing too much information may result in getting under-cut and loss of the investment opportunity. In fact, the investor's money is usually not invested, but moved to offshore banks that don't honour our banking regulations or procedures. Usually, the money invested in these schemes is not recoverable.

A prevalent example of a fraudulent investment scheme is called a "Ponzi". Primary investors are paid exceptional dividends as "interest cheques" or sometimes cash. These unbelievably high returns are not, in fact, actual dividends, but come from the deposits of new investors as they come on board.

The perpetrators of Ponzi schemes can keep them going through a variety of ruses, such as:

- paying "dividends" to the early investors. The initial investors become the best promoters of these schemes as they tell friends about the fantastic returns they are getting;
- providing names of investors, who have received dividends, to lend the scheme credibility and keep it going;
- giving the investors a receipt or promissory note on a regular basis, claiming that the investment has grown;
- providing a copy of a prospectus, or business profile, that exaggerates the success of the investment company, and;
- telling investors that their capital is guaranteed by collateral, such as a life insurance policy, when no such guarantee exists.


This self-propelled scheme attracts others and keeps going until the perpetrator has either accumulated his target amount and flees with the profits, has lost the investors' money in other business ventures, or is incarcerated for similar crimes. These types of schemes can go on for several years before the investors realize that they have been defrauded.

If someone is offering you more than the bank is willing to pay, then there is always a risk. The greater the dividend promised, the greater the risk. "If someone is offering you an investment opportunity that sounds too good to be true, then it probably is" says OPP Detective Inspector Bernie Murphy, Officer in Charge of Anti-Rackets Branch. "No one is immune to fraud. Common sense is your best protection. Always do your research, talk to others and never be rushed into making an investment decision" added Murphy.

For more information on schemes involved with Investment Fraud, log in to the Ministry of Government Services website www.ontario.ca/consumerprotection.

FRAUD...Recognize it...Report it...Stop it.


www.opp.ca

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Prevent Identity Theft with these 20 Questions

from IdentityTheftFixes.com

Can you pass this test? If you can, it means you are doing what you can to prevent identity theft

There are precautions everyone needs to take to prevent identity theft. Following these precautions does not guarantee safety, but they show good steps in the right direction. Take this identity theft quiz and see how you score in the war to prevent identity theft. Count how many times you answer "yes."


1. I protect my wallet or purse. I never leave them unattended.

2. I prevent 'prying eyes' from seeing my PIN number when using my debit card in public.

3. I make sure my home is locked and secure when I leave.

4. I don't give out 'unnecessary' information when filling out forms and applying for job positions.

5. I don't file for warranties or enter contests via postcards. I always put postcards in envelopes so my information is secure.

6. I cross out my credit card number, bank account number, and social security number when turning in receipts for travel expenses or charitable donations.

7. I do not routinely carry my checkbook.

8. I limit the number of credit cards and personal information I carry when leaving the house.

9. I limit entering Internet surveys, questionnaires, and electronic mailing lists.

10. I don't put my driver's license number or social security number on checks.

11. I don't carry my social security card in my wallet or purse.

12. I secure personal information at home so it isn't accessible to workers, house cleaners, babysitters, and children's friends.

13. I stop mail service when away from home.

14. I use a locked mailbox for incoming and outgoing mail.

15. I never give out personal information such as social security numbers or bank account numbers over the phone.

16. When asked for personal information, I question why the information is needed.

17. I shred or burn all personal information identity thieves could use to steal my identity.

18. I check my monthly credit card statements to check for accuracy.

19. I check my monthly bank statements for accuracy.

20. I check my credit report yearly with the three major credit-reporting agencies.

Did you pass? You did if you were able to say 'yes' to all twenty of these questions. The questions you answered 'no' to are your weak spots. Repair these weak spots and prevent identity theft. For more information on protecting yourself, check out a program like LifeLock. Preventing identity theft doesn't have to be difficult. Pass this test, and you are better able to prevent identity theft.

Email Viruses - Stop Computer Viruses In Their Tracks

...information from Internet ScamBusters



Note: This information isn't meant to scare you. It's meant to educate you, so that you can defend yourself properly.

What Is a Computer Virus?

Like viruses that infect living beings, computer viruses infect your computer. They are software, and are often attached to other software or documents you might receive. When you run the virus's software or the file the virus has infected, the virus can infect your computer's software.

There are many types of viruses and terms for them, but we'll use the general term 'virus' to make things easy.

Like the flu virus, a computer virus must spread from host to host to survive. When we get the flu, we cough and sneeze, and tiny particles carrying the virus spread the flu to other people.

With computer viruses, the virus is designed to spread from your computer to other computers. Here are some of the most common ways they spread:

1. Once the virus has infected your system, it may automatically send out emails containing more copies of the virus using the address book in your email program. This type of virus is called an Internet "Worm," because it is a self-propagating virus. For example, an Internet worm crippled tens of thousands of computers and slowed down parts of the Internet on the weekend of January 29, 2003.


2. If the virus is a macro virus (attached to a Microsoft Word document, for example), it may attach itself to any document you create or modify. If you send another document to someone by email, the virus goes along with it.

3. Sometimes viruses masquerade as a fun program (like an electronic greeting card) that secretly infects your system. If you pass the program along, not realizing that it contains a virus, you will be transmitting the virus manually to your friends, family, or colleagues.


Trojan Horses are closely related to computer viruses, but they differ in that they do not attempt to replicate themselves. More specifically, a Trojan Horse performs some undesired -- yet intended -- action while, or in addition to, pretending to do something else. A common example is a fake login program, which collects account information and passwords by asking for this info just like a normal login program does.

Many computer viruses are malicious -- in other words, they can erase your files or lock up whole computer systems. Other computer viruses are more benign -- they don't do any direct damage other than by spreading themselves locally or throughout the Internet.

Regardless, computer viruses should always be treated.

... get more information at CyberSecurity for Seniors

Ontario Provincial Police warn public to beware of fraudulent Internet scam

ORILLIA, Ontario, February 3, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Anti-Rackets Branch is investigating an Internet-based fraud scheme and warning the public to exercise vigilance when dealing in business transactions with unknown individuals over the Internet and/or by telephone.

The investigation has revealed that an Ontario resident recently applied online to a job advertisement for an Accounting Assistant/Payment Representative position posted at an employment centre.

The position professed to involve working from home by contacting legitimate companies via the Internet on behalf of a fraudulent company and receiving cheques purportedly from these companies that were mailed to the new employee by the fraudulent employer. A company representative then instructed the victim via email or by telephone to deposit the cheques to her personal bank account and retain a 10 per cent fee for her work and the remainder of the money was to be deposited to a specified account or sent via email money transfer.

Fortunately, both the victim and her bank reported this matter to police when they became suspicious of the excessive amount on one of the cheques.

The investigation also revealed that the cheques received by the victim originated from legitimate Canadian businesses and the OPP have since linked these cheques to reported incidents of cheque theft and cheque duplication.

The OPP is warning the public to refrain from engaging in any business transactions with individuals they do not know, over the Internet, even if they provide a telephone number and email address.

If you have any information or if you are a victim of this scam, please report it to your local police service or contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre at: 1-888-495-8501 or online at www.recol.ca.

"The very first law in advertising is to avoid the concrete promise and cultivate the delightfully vague." - Bill Cosby