Help protect your home while you are away by signing up with the Richardson Police Department Volunteer Security Check. While you are out-of-town, volunteers with the RPD will periodically check your residence to make sure doors are locked, and there are no signs of break-in or surprise damage (like water leaking from under the garage door). Click here to sign-up with the Richardson Police Department Volunteer Security Check.
A message from David Spigelmyer, Crime Prevention Officer, Richardson Police Dept
Good Afternoon,
Below is a scam alert being sent out by the Federal Trade Commission. There are many other cons and scams going around that are very similar to this one especially dealing with citizens who are selling items like furniture, cars, boats, or other items that are advertised in publications or on-line. This scam can also be used against people who think they are being hired to work out of their home to use their bank account to transfer money or to repackage items and are told to deposit the check and send a specific amount of money to a third person.
The bottom line is you must research and verify everything and don't believe everything you are told or read on the internet. You must be your own security advocate to keep yourself and your family safe.
Now the cold weather is fast approaching please don't leave your vehicles running without being occupied. We had a vehicle stolen the other day because the keys were left inside the ignition over night while the car was parked on the driveway. One in five cars that are stolen in Texas has the keys inside the vehicle. Don't let the crooks "key" on you so let's leave them out in the cold instead of them leaving us out in the cold!
The holiday shopping season will really kick off next weekend during the Thanksgiving break. Please do not carry large sums of cash with you and if you have some large sums of cash please tell me where I can find some! Just kidding but seriously don't set yourself up to become a target. Try to go shopping with a friend, stay alert to your surroundings, and take your time and enjoy the season. When we begin to rush around we miss the clues of danger and we drop our guard to what is going on around us. Try to carry only one credit card, small amounts of cash, no purse (if possible) or if you must carry a purse, place your valuable items like your DL and credit card inside a business card holder and place that inside a pants pocket and leave the tissues and breath mints inside the purse. That way if someone does steal your purse they only stole a purse full of tissues and the suspect will not be able to harm you when it comes to identity theft or a loss of money. Dress down and don't wear your Rolex Watch or other expensive items that will draw attention to yourself.
When Santa does arrive at your house and if you have been good and he gives you a new television, computer, or other high dollar item, break down the boxes and place those boxes inside a nearby recycling container instead of your local trash pickup. Avoid advertising to the entire world you just received an expensive fancy item that may catch a suspect's attention while they are driving around in the alleys.
Santa Clause will be in Richardson on Saturday Dec 2 for our Christmas Parade and then he will make his yearly appearance later that night at the opening of Santa's Village. I know with all of the great achievements we have made this year within our Crime Watch program that Santa has many nice treats for our Crime Fighters of all ages so please make those lists out early and mail them in or have them ready for the parade so Santa's workshop will have everything completed on time for the big day.
I know this is a long message but I wanted to make sure you had the information from the FTC along with some holiday shopping tips to stay safe. While you are out running around please don't forget to stop by a neighbor's house and share a smile with them. Let's all work together to make sure our holidays are happy and safe while we keep the turkeys for our dinner tables.
Have a wonderful afternoon!
David Spigelmyer
Crime Prevention Officer Richardson Police Dept.
972-744-4908
fax-972-744-5941
Rob McKenna ATTORNEY GENERAL OF WASHINGTON 1125 Washington Street SE * PO Box 40100 * Olympia WA 98504-0100
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 16, 2006
Consumer Alert: Beware of Cons that Claim You've Received Payment for a Lawsuit Settlement
SEATTLE - Attorney General Rob McKenna today warned consumers about a new version of a counterfeit check scam in which victims are told they received a restitution from a lawsuit settlement.
The Attorney General's Office was contacted by a California resident whose elderly father last month received a letter addressed to his home in San Bruno, CA, along with a check for $2,915 that bounced shortly after it was deposited.
"The woman who contacted our office was smart to be suspicious," McKenna said. "Counterfeit check scams are on the rise. They take many forms but always end the same way - the check eventually bounces, sometimes weeks after it's deposited. Meanwhile, the victim is usually told to send additional money as a wire transfer or provide personal information that can be used to commit identity theft."
The letter states that "court evidence supports the fact that you may have been a victim of fraud. ... A class action suit was filed against the corporation indicted for fraudulent activity. And thus a declaration of settlement out of court was signed to compensate you of punitive damages. Thereof, you are to receive a legal claim for the amount of $125,000."
The letterhead reads "Law Office of Issacs and Weissman PLLC" and includes addresses in downtown Seattle and Vancouver, BC. The Attorney General's Office contacted the owner of the Seattle building, who confirmed that no law firm by that name is located there. The Canadian address does not exist.
The letter encourages the recipient to contact the law firm immediately "in order to obtain your settlement quickly and avoid any confusion." It includes a phone number with a Canadian area code. The Attorney General's Office dialed the number and received an automated message stating that the party could not be reached.
The check was written on a legitimate account belonging to a Massachusetts corporation that manufactures equipment used for industrial and medical purposes. A company representative said that at least 25 bogus checks but possibly as many as 250 were sent to homes throughout the country, along with several versions of letters indicating they were settlement payments. He said that the bank was able to stop the fraudulent checks from clearing, sparing the company from any financial harm. But he did not know if any victims had sent money to the cons.
Counterfeit checks are also commonly linked with foreign lottery scams and with swindlers who browse classifieds then contact sellers claiming to be an interested buyer.
"Help protect your family and friends. Tell them to never wire money or provide personal information to a stranger," McKenna said.
Report cross-border fraud to the following agencies:
* The Federal Trade Commission: Call toll-free 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or file a complaint online at www.ftc.gov <http://www.ftc.gov>
* Mail fraud - U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Call 1-800-372-8347 or file a complaint online at http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/welcome.htm <http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors/fraud/welcome.htm> .
* Online fraud - FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center: www.ic3.gov <file:///\\www.ic3.gov\> * Phonebusters, the Canadian anti-fraud call center: 1-888-495-8501, www.phonebusters.com <http://www.phonebusters.com> * Attorney General's Office: Washington residents who believe they are victims of a scam can file a complaint online at www.atg.wa.gov <http://www.atg.wa.gov> or call 1-800-551-4636.
Jannette M. Gosha Senior Investigator Federal Trade Commission Southwest Region 1999 Bryan Street, Suite 2150 Dallas, TX 75201 Office: (214) 979-9377 Fax: (214) 953-3079