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Infidelity

The following is a guide to help you determine if a spouse or partner is possibly cheating on you. However, if many of these factors are present we don't suggest you confront them immediately. This would only cause them to refrain from the activity for some time and you could make a false accusation. Take your time and if necessary, seek the help of a someone like us.

At the beginning of an affair, the cheating person is usually more attentive to their spouse or loved one. This is due to the guilt associated with the activity. After the affair has continued, the person will often find unnecessary "fault" with their spouse or loved one. Again this can be attributed to their guilty conscious. They tend to begin losing interest in activities at home. Ignoring family events, children, and even routine chores, can be a sign that something is going on. Often there is a general change in their attitude toward the entire family. Look for a sudden change in sexual activity, either more or less often, couple with requests for "unusual" acts. Grooming habits will change. Cheaters tend to become a little more "attractive."

Pay attention to changes in their choice of clothing, cologne/perfume, physical fitness, etc. Clothing can often show signs of an affair. Check for stains, odors, or unknown cologne/perfume. Remember the old saying, "if you play you must pay!" This applies to affairs from a financial point. Keep a close eye on money, bank and credit card statements to see if they are spending more than usual or in places they are not normally involved with.

Keep track of the mileage on their vehicles and compare it with the distance to and from work. If a person should be driving a daily total of 25 miles and there are an unexplained 50 extra miles three days a week, it may be a direct indication of concern.

Here is a checklist to consider when you think they may be cheating. Again, it is not a fool-proof way of determining they are seeing someone else but these are common indicators:

* Working a lot of overtime without realising additional income and the overtime comes at a moment's notice.

* Excessive use of the Internet. Hides the passwords from you and frequently erases the computer's history.

* Additional mileage on the vehicle speedometer.

* Hanging out with new friends that you have never met or don't know much about.

* Smells of perfume or alcohol.

* Hiding the phone/mobile bill or having it posted to another address.

* A change in sexual habits. Loss of sexual interest or change in sexual style. Showers often. Slips and calls you a new pet name.

* Does not wear a wedding ring. Weak excuses, such as "They're dangerous around machinery".

Domestic - At Home

* Sudden increase in time away from home
* Decreased sexual interest
* Subject is often distracted and day dreaming
* Subject is often unavailable at work
* Subject attends more work functions alone
* Mobile phone calls are not returned in timely fashion
* Subject leaves house or goes to other rooms to talk on the phone
* Subject uses computer alone and secretly
* Subject asks about your schedule more often than usual
* Mileage on car is high when only short distance errands are run
* Clothes contain makeup or lipstick smudges
* Subject gets his laundry done independently

Records

* Credit card bills contain unusual gifts, travel, restaurant and "unspecified" charges. The bills are sent to a location you don't have access to.
* Credit cards contain uncommon locations of petrol stations.
* Unexplained payments on bank statements
* Subject has more cash on hand without accountability
* Mobile and home phone bills contain calls with long duration
* Business phone records contain unusual calls
* Subject has unexplained receipts or personal effects in wallet

Technical

* Subject has suspicious phone voice-mail messages
* Subject has suspicious mobile phone numbers stored or dialed numbers
* Internet web browser history list (this is a record of web sites visited) contains unusual sites
* Frequent visits to Internet free e-mail accounts
* Uncommon e-mail messages

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Become PROACTIVE!

1. Keep your mouth closed and your eyes and ears open.
2. Keep a detailed journal of your spouse's activities.
3. See if there is a pattern to your spouse's 'extra' times away.
4. Record times and dates of phone calls that are hang-ups and/or wrong numbers.
5. Check his or her pockets for receipts.
6. If your spouse travels, call a couple of hours after their nightly phone call home.
7. Smell your spouse's clothing.
8. Check the mileage on the car before and after trips.
9. Become unpredictable.
10. Show up at your spouse's office for lunch without notice.
11. Say you're working late when you plan on being home early or on time.
12. Read their email.
13. Go through their wallet or purse.
14. Hire a private detective from Global Investigations.

Final Tips:

1. If you let your spouse know you suspect them of cheating they are apt to make fewer mistakes than if you act dumb.

2. Do not accuse your spouse of cheating until you have enough evidence to prove it and you're ready to take action.

3. If you are cheating on your spouse, do not assume that your spouse has to be cheating on you.

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Kids and the Internet

CHILD PREDATORS HAVE FOUND AN UNGUARDED PLAYGROUND: The Internet!

Child predators have found an unguarded playground on the Internet. Since it may be years before law enforcement can effectively patrol the millions of Internet highways, protecting children is in the hands of parents and schools. Literally over night, cyberspace has become a street in our town that children can walk down without our knowledge. With a click of a key, they could walk into a striptease joint, an X-rated movie or be charmed by a child predator in a chat room. In the past our children did not usually encounter such options until they had the mental and emotional maturity to cope. The law required they be at least 18 years old to enter these adult establishments. In cyberspace our children are being lured as early as they can use a mouse.

Our first line of defense as parents is to educate ourselves. Our second line of defense is to educate our children. Knowledge is like a lamppost that is put up in a dark alley. The criminals scurry away in fear of detection.

There are easy steps that we as parents can take to learn more about the Web and prevent online dangers: First, begin by increasing your own computer literacy. You might even have your computer savvy child escort you through cyberspace.

ONLINE LINGO

Do you know what these symbols mean?

1. (( )):**
2. :**:
3. DOM
4. IPN

Answers:

1. Hugs and Kisses
2. Returning Kiss
3. Dirty Old Man
4. I'm Posting Naked

If your child uses email, chat, or forums you've likely seen them communicate in what may seem to be a secret foreign language of symbols and acronyms. These symbols, known as emoticons, and acronyms let them express emotion and ideas in chat messages without having to type entire words or phrases.

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KNOWLEDGE REPLACES FEAR. Cutting kids off from the Internet won't work. It is too powerful. It is an exciting and incredible educational resource that you will want for your children. Spend time with them online. Just as you choose when your child first rides a bike and when they will start driving, you will want to be there to guide them through the virtual world.

KEEP COMMUNICATIONS OPEN. Parents who encourage their children to tell them even somewhat embarrassing issues stand a better chance of preventing problems before they occur.

WORK TOGETHER. Children begin at an early age learning how to be independent, so don't be surprised if they process information first and come to you a few days or even a week later for your input. Remind them that if they encounter someone in a chat room who makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe, they should tell you.

MONITOR ACTIVITY. Because our children are sitting right in our homes, it doesn't seem like they could be in danger. Since there is no legal structure that ensures honesty, truth and information that will not corrupt the minds of naive children, do not underestimate what they can encounter. With children under 16, keep the computer in areas where it is easy for you to supervise, or make a point of casually visiting your teen unexpectedly when they are on the Internet.

WATCH THE CLOCK. Limit the time your kids spend on the Internet just as you would for TV and telephone.

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WHAT TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN

- Pick a screen name that will attract the kind of friends you would like. Don't use a name that is negative, belittling or provocative.

- Only send pictures with your parent's permission.

- Tell your parents if you encounter inappropriate or offensive messages. Never respond to these messages.

- Never give your passwords to anyone online.

- Don't tell anyone your exact age; just say you are under 18. Be smart and do not give your name, address, phone number, parent's work address/phone number or the name or location of your school.

- Do not fill out surveys or register at sites without your parent's permission.

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RED ALERTS

Parents should watch for these signs:

* If your child is becoming removed from the family.

* If he or she spends excessive amounts of time online, particularly with one person or chat room or group.

* If they mention how their Internet "friend" is more understanding than you are.

* If your child doesn't want to share information about people and messages they receive online.

* If you enter the room and the computer screen suddenly goes dark.

* If your child uses an unusual number of discs to retrieve information and is hiding them, it may mean that adult images are being downloaded or secret correspondence is being saved.

* If your child is online late at night.

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CHILD FRIENDLY SEARCH ENGINES

A handful of Web directories and search engines are available to filter Web content for kids. Here are a couple popular options.

* Ask Jeeves Kids http://www.ajkids.com/

* Yahooligans http://www.yahooligans.com/

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Are you being "bugged"?

It is an occasional concern that people have been "bugged" inside their home or office with a listening device or camera. This is becoming a greater possibility with the advancement of technology and the ease by which sophisticated equipment can be obtained or even made. They usually involve simple radio transmitters, about the size of a pack of chewing gum and a wire for the antenna. The signal is sent "somewhere" usually to a normal FM radio receiver tuned to a specific frequency. If you have any doubts after reading the following, please contact us to conduct an electronic "debugging" of your home or office.

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"BUGGED TIPS"

1. Others know your confidential business or professional trade secrets.

This is the most obvious indicator of covert eavesdropping activities. Theft of confidential information is a multi-million pound underground industry in the UK. Often the loss of your secrets will show up in very subtle ways so you should always trust your instincts in this matter. When your competitors know things that are obviously private, or the media finds out about things they should not know, then it is reasonable to suspect technical eavesdropping or bugging.

2. Secret meetings and bids seem to be less than secret.

Confidential meetings and bids are very popular targets for corporate spies. How would you like the plans for the corporate takeovers you're planning to become public knowledge? Would copies of your product designs be of any use to your competitors? Would it be beneficial for your competitors to know how much you're quoting for the same project?

3. People seem to know your activities when they shouldn't.

4. You have noticed strange sounds or volume changes on your phone lines.

This is commonly caused by an amateur eavesdropper when they attach a wiretap, or activate a similar listening device. Surveillance devices often cause slight anomalies on the telephone line such a volume shift or drop-out. Professional eavesdroppers and their equipment usually do not make such noises; so if this is going on it could indicate that an amateur eavesdropper is listening in. On the other hand you could simply be experiencing a flaw in the line, but you should check it out.

5. You have noticed static, popping, or scratching on your phone lines.

This is caused by the capacitive discharge which occurs when two conductors are connected together (such as a bug or wiretap on a phone line). This is also a sign that an amateur eavesdropper or poorly trained spy is playing with your phone lines. It could be nothing more then a problem with your phone line or instrument, but a member of our team should evaluate the situation to make sure.

6. Sounds are coming from your phones handset when it's hung up.

This is often caused by a hook switch bypass, which turns the telephone receiver into a eavesdropping microphone (and also a speaker). There is probably somebody listening to everything you say or do within twenty feet of the telephone (if this is happening).

7. Your phone often rings and nobody is there, or a very faint tone, or high pitched squeal/beep is heard for a fraction of a second.

This is an indicator of a slave device, or line extender being used on your phone line. This is also a key indicator of a harmonica bug, or infinity transmitter being used. Of course it may also be nothing more then a fax machine or modem calling the wrong number (but one of our experts should evaluate the situation to make sure).

8. You can hear a tone on your line when your phone is on the hook (by using an external amplifier).

To check for something like this you would have to obtain a "recorder starter" interface (with a VOX option), or some kind of a high gain audio amplifier such as a uAmp or Kaiser 1059. Then with the phone hung-up listen to your telephone wiring. If you hear a faint solid dual tone it is a dead giveaway of someone using a "slave" eavesdropping device on your (or one of your neighbors) telephone lines. Such devices create a "command tone" when the subject hangs up the phone (so you must ensure that all of your phones are hung-up). On an added note: the most common command tones for illicit eavesdropping devices are 2100 Hz and DTMF-C, but any tone combination may be used.

9. Your AM/FM radio has suddenly developed strange interference.

Many amateur and spy shop eavesdropping devices use frequencies within or just outside the FM radio band, these signals tend to drift and will "quiet" an FM radio in the vicinity of the bug. Look for the transmissions at far ends of the FM radio band, a sound at any quiet area within the FM band. If the radio begins to squeal then slowly move it around the room until the sound become very high pitched. This is referred to as feedback detection or loop detection and will often locate the bug. The "stereo" function should be turned off so the radio is operating in "mono" as this will provide a serious increase in sensitivity. If you find a "squealer" in this manner then immediately contact one of our team and get them to your location FAST.

10. Your car radio suddenly starts "getting weird"

Keep in mind that the antenna your car radio uses may be (and often is) exploited by an eavesdropper, and that such usage may interfere with radio reception (so be concerned if you automobile radio suddenly starts getting weird).

11. Your television has suddenly developed strange interference.

Television broadcast frequencies are often used to cloak an eavesdropping signal, but such devices also tends to interfere with television reception (usually a UHF channel). Televisions also "suck in" a lot of RF energy and because of this are very sensitive to any nearby transmitters (this is technically called "Bandwidth, and TV signals use a lot of it). A small handheld television with a collapsible antenna may be used to sweep a room. Carefully watch for interference around channel numbers 2, 7, 13, 14, 50-60, and 66-68 as these frequencies are very popular with eavesdroppers.

12. You have been the victim of a burglary, but nothing was taken.

Professional eavesdroppers often break into a target's home or office, and very rarely leave direct evidence of the break-in; however, occupants of the premises will often "pickup on something not being right" such as the furniture being moved slightly.

13. Electrical sockets appear to have been moved slightly or "jarred".

One of the most popular locations to hide eavesdropping devices is inside, or behind electrical outlets, switches, smoke alarms, and lighting fixtures. This requires that the wall socket be removed. Look for small amounts of debris located on the floor directly below the electrical outlet. Also, watch for slight variations in the color or appearance of the power outlets and/or light switches as these are often swapped out by an eavesdropper. Also note if any of the screws which hold the socket against the wall have been moved from their previous position.

14. A penny-sized discolouration has suddenly appeared on the wall or ceiling.

This is a tell tale sign that a pinhole microphone or small covert video camera has been recently installed.

15. One of your vendors just gave you any type of electronic device such as a desk radio, alarm clock, lamp, small TV, CD player, and so on.

Many of these "gifts" are actually Trojan horses which contain eavesdropping devices. Be very suspicious of any kind of pen, marker, briefcase, calculator, "post-it" dispenser, power adapter, pager, mobile phone, cordless phone, clock, radio, lamp, and so on that is given as a gift. That little gift the salesman left for you may be a serious hazard.

16. A small bump or deformation has appeared on the vinyl baseboard near the floor.

Strong indicator that someone may have concealed covert wiring or a microphone embedded into the adhesive which holds the moulding to the wall. Such deformations will often appear as a colour shift, or lightening of the colour.

17. The smoke detector, clock, lamp, or exit sign in your office or home looks slightly crooked, has a small hole in the surface, or has a quasi reflective surface.

These items are very popular concealment for covert eavesdropping devices. Often when these devices are installed at a target location they are rarely installed straight. Also watch out for things like this that "just appear", or when there is a slight change in their appearance.

18. Certain types of items have "just appeared" in your office of home, but nobody seems to know how they got there.

Typical items to watch for and beware of are: clocks, exit signs, sprinkler heads, radios, picture frames, and lamps.

19. White dry-wall dust or debris is noticed on the floor next to the wall.

A sign that a pinhole microphone or video camera may have been installed nearby. It will appear as if someone has dropped a small amount of powdered sugar either on the floor, or on the wall.

20. You notice small pieces of ceiling tiles, or "grit" on the floor, or on the surface area of your desk. Also, you may observe cracked, chipped, or gouged ceiling tiles, or ones that are sagging, or not properly set into the track.

Prime indicator that a ceiling tile has been moved around, and that someone may have installed a hidden video camera or other eavesdropping device in your office or near your desk. Also watch for cracks or chips in the ceiling tiles. Amateur and poorly trained spies tend to crack or damage acoustical tiles. The ceiling tiles in any executive areas should never contain any cracks, nicks, gouges, or stains. Any ceiling tile that becomes damaged (for what ever reason) should immediately be replaced and the cause of the damage documented. In such cases it is also wise to have onee of our specialists inspect the area around the chipped, broken, or damaged tile to determine if a hostile eavesdropping device may have been introduced.

21. You notice that "Phone Company" trucks and utilities workers are spending a lot of time near your home or office doing repair work.

If you see the same or similar vehicles more then three times then you may have a serious problem.

22. Telephone, cable, plumbing, or air conditioning repair people show up to do work when no one called them.

A very common ruse which eavesdroppers use to get into a facility is to fake a utility outage, and then show up to fix the problem. While they are fixing "the problem" they are also installing eavesdropping devices. Some of the more popular outage involve power, air conditioning, telephone, and even the occasional false fire alarm.

23. Service or delivery trucks are often parked nearby with nobody (you can see) in them.

These vehicles are commonly used as listening posts, be very cautious of any vehicle which has a ladder or pipe rack on the roof. Also, be wary of any vehicle which has tinted windows, or an area which you cannot see though (like a service van). Look for any vehicle which could conceal a person in the back or has tinted windows. Also, keep in mind that the eavesdropper may relocate the vehicle several times, so look around. Typically, eavesdroppers like to get within 500-750 feet from the place or person they are eavesdropping on.

24. Your door locks suddenly don't "feel right", they suddenly start to get "sticky", or they completely fail.

Prime evidence that the lock has been picked, manipulated, or bypassed. Also, only use double sided deadbolts in all doors, and good quality window bars on all windows, and a good quality door bar on all doors not used as a primary entry doors.

25. Furniture has been moved slightly, and no one knows why.

A very popular location for the installation of eavesdropping device is either behind, or inside furniture (sofa, chair, lamp, etc.). People who live or work in a targeted area tend to notice when furnishings have been moved even a fraction of an inch. Pay close attention to the imprint which furniture makes on rugs, and the position of lamps shades. Also watch the distance between furniture and the wall as eavesdroppers are usually in a hurry and rarely put the furniture back in the right place.

26. Things "seem" to have been rummaged through, but nothing is missing (at least that you noticed).

A "less than professional spy" will often rummage through a targets home for hours, but very rarely will they do it in a neat and orderly fashion. The most common "rummaging" targets are the backs of desk drawers, the bottom of file cabinets, closets, and dresser drawers.

27. An eavesdropper sends you a copy of your private conversations.

As simple as it seems this is the strongest indicator, and solid proof of eavesdropping. An eavesdropper will sometimes send a victim a copy of a private conversation they intercepted in an attempt at blackmail, or in an attempt to terrorize, or to just stalk the victim. This is commonly seen in civil lawsuits, criminal court cases, marital problems, shareholder disputes, custody battles, and other situations were one side has a position of weakness and is trying to physiologically undermine their opponent.


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Identity Theft

 

It sounds like some dastardly Orwellian plot that involves making a plaster imprint of your face and fashioning silicone fingerprints and fake passports. But identity theft is an all-too-real modern-day phenomenon. According to the Federal Trade Commission, in the USA more than a half a million Americans will have their identities stolen this year, and now here in the UK the numbers are rising faster than ever.

The most common types of identity theft are:

  • using or opening a credit card account fraudulently
  • opening mobile phone or utility accounts fraudulently
  • writing bad cheques or opening a new bank account
  • getting loans in another person's name
  • working in another person's name

Though that last one doesn't sound so bad to us (especially if they're contributing to Social Security and making their way through the items in our "to do" box), the fallout from ID theft is annoying, at best, and extremely costly and really, really annoying, at worst.

Last month saw a man jailed for six years for stealing identities using a "phishing" scam (� where people with online bank accounts are induced to give away banking details, typically by email). But what should we do if we suspect we've been affected by some kind of identity fraud?

The main thing to do is not to panic. If, for example, you had fallen foul of some form of banking fraud, as long as it was not your fault and you took all reasonable precautions to avoid it, banks will generally reimburse users. That said it's in your best interests to act quickly, in order to minimise the effects.

TYPICAL SIGNS OF FRAUD

  • Mysterious bills or invoices arrive, which although addressed to you are for goods or services you know nothing about.
  • You receive statements for accounts in your name that you have never opened.
  • Items appear on your credit card or bank statement that you can't identify.
  • You receive letters from solicitors or debt collection agencies for debts that have nothing to do with you.
  • Your credit report shows applications for credit or searches that you don't recognise.
  • Personal documents (such as your passport or driving licence) go missing.

Some of these signs are more obvious than others, but they all show that to protect yourself effectively, you need to make sure you're on top of all of your financial issues. That means keeping an eye on bank accounts and checking those statements each month!

There are a number of steps you need to take in the event of fraud in order to minimise the damage, and the quicker you can follow them, the better. The UK's Fraud Identity Service (CIFAS) has the following advice:

ACTIONS

  • If any of your cards (credit, debit, store cards etc) or cheques have been lost or stolen, inform the providers as soon as possible. Take notes during all telephone conversations, in particular the name of the person you speak to. Follow up your telephone call with a letter confirming what was said and keep copies of all correspondence (print out any emails) sent, or received.
  • If you receive bills or statements that are addressed to you but you know don't belong to you, contact the organisations concerned as soon as possible to alert them to the fraud.
  • If any transactions appear on your statements that aren't yours, immediately inform the organisation concerned (for example your bank or building society).
  • Request a copy of your credit file/report from one of the credit reference agencies: Experian, Equifax or Callcredit. You can obtain a copy for as little as £2; alternatively, you could sign up for a more comprehensive service. Some services can send emails or text alerts which could inform you of potential fraudulent activity. Experian's online Credit Report costs around £49.99 per year.
  • If you spot an account or credit application on your credit report that you don't recognise, contact the company involved immediately to request they remove the data from your file.
  • Consider closing your existing accounts, and open new ones (with brand new account numbers).
  • Change all passwords for your online bank accounts (and make sure you choose strong new ones - not your mother's maiden name etc).
  • Report the identity theft to the police as a crime and obtain a Crime Number.
  • Most importantly, keep excellent records of everything Â� this may take a long time to sort out. Apart from confirming everything by letter and taking note of the people you spoke to, jot down the amount of time this problem is costing you to deal with.

Additionally, if you've experienced some form of identity crime, you may find it useful to register for CIFAS's (and Equifax's) protective registration. For £11.75, a CIFAS warning can be placed against your address (This will be marked Category '0' which indicates that you've been recorded on the CIFAS database at your own request). When a CIFAS member tries to search against your address it will see the following message: "CIFAS-DO NOT REJECT-REFER FOR VALIDATION", at which point it must contact Equifax directly.

PREVENTING CARD SKIMMING

In the last two years a pilot scheme involving the rather unimaginatively entitled Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit has so far managed to recover 36,000 stolen cards and card details, save the card industry some £65 million and make 171 arrests - the Chinese Triad card 'skimmer' being one of them.

A quarter of last year's total £402 million card fraud was down to 'skimming' - a practice involving secretly copying the magnetic strip by swiping it through a special card reader so the information can be used to make a counterfeit card.

 

Ten years ago counterfeit cards amounted to 7% of all card fraud - now it's 26% which just goes to show how sophisticated criminals are becoming. Just last month, the online bank, First Direct, warned its customers to limit their use of cash machines because of the growing risk of counterfeit fraud. Criminals are now fitting skimming devices to the entry slot at cash machines along with miniature cameras to enable them to reproduce cards with a legitimate pin number.

Luckily for victims of card fraud, liability for losses rests with the card industry unless the cardholder has been negligent (although, of course, ultimately, it's the card holder who pays for such losses through higher charges). But there are still safeguards you can take to protect your own cards from the skimming fraudsters.

For a start, make sure you look very closely at cash machines before you use them to make sure there are no odd attachments to the card entry slot; don't let your card out of sight when handing it over for swiping (for example at the end of a meal in a restaurant); and, ridiculous as you may think you look, use your other hand to cover the keypad when punching in your pin number.

Follow these tips and try to minimise the damage that can be wreaked by Identity Theft.

ID FRAUD AT WORK  

Workers who share personal information with colleagues are risking identity theft.

Two thirds of UK adults regularly trust work colleagues with the most intimate details about their personal and private lives. But their openness could make them victims, according to a survey of 3,500 office workers by CPP, the UK�s leading life assistance organisation.

The poll reveals that most people are comfortable confiding in colleagues about relationship problems and their children. But the trust goes as far as revealing where their children go to school, where their partner works, divulging passwords and loaning mobile phones and credit cards.

And as well as chatting away about their personal lives, the majority of workers are happy to leave their personal belongings lying around the office. Handbags, phones, address books and diaries are left scattered around on and under desks, in full view of everyone. And two thirds of folk are comfortable leaving these items in the office when they leave to go into a meeting.

Owen Roberts, Head of Identity Protection at CPP, said: �We all like to think our secrets are safe with our colleagues. But the truth is the workplace isn�t off limits to identity thieves. Last year one in ten victims knew the fraudster who stole their identity.�

The poll shows that people are taking risks on a daily basis by making personal calls in company time.

Thirty-four per cent of people regularly have conversations with their other half while work colleagues are in the room.

A quarter of people conduct their telephone banking at work, 29 per cent chase shopping orders and 12 per cent have rung about child tax credits or family allowance.

And a fifth of people ask others to check their emails, despite storing other contact information such as friend�s names and addresses.

Stealing another person�s identity has never been so easy.

Owen Roberts says: �The rise in identity theft is relentless and we need to be careful when it comes to safeguarding our personal details.

�Identity thieves are experts at spotting any opportunity to impersonate us and steal our money.�


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Cheque Fraud: How to combat it

NEW rules to help beat bank fraud have been introduced from this month.

People who still write cheques made payable only to a bank or building society may have their cheque declined.

To safeguard against fraud, banks and building societies now recommend that extra details like the name or account details of the beneficiary of the cheque should be added.

The new arrangements are intended to make it absolutely clear who should benefit from the funds and help prevent fraudsters paying in stolen cheques.

Banks and building societies hold accounts of millions of customers and if the cheque is made payable simply to �XYZ Bank/building society�, there is nothing to identify which account the money is meant for.

By making a cheque payable to �XYZ Bank� and adding the account number or name, it is clear who the funds are intended for. Cheques made out to individuals or business customers will be unaffected.

Paul Smee, Chief Executive of APACS, the payment industry�s trade association, said, �Although most of us are handling cheques less and less � on average, we only pay in one cheque every two months � this small change to the way we write them will have a big impact on fraudsters.

�Most customers do this already but we want to reach those others who have not changed how they write out cheques to reduce the opportunities for criminals to commit fraud, as well as minimising the chances of anyone falling victim to this type of scam.�

Ian Mullen, Chief Executive of the British Bankers� Association said: �The new arrangements reflect the importance that financial institutions place on fraud prevention. Although instances where fraud has occurred, it is crucial that the industry continues to make life for the criminal as difficult as possible.

�The new measures are simple, but provide additional security when a cheque is made payable to an institution such as a bank or building society.� And Adrian Coles, Director-General of the Building Societies Association, said: �It came to our attention that cheques which were written only to an institution, not a named account, had been used in a fraud. We want to stop that happening again.

�It is important people get into the habit of adding extra details to their cheques rather than risk a cheque being declined or their money being fraudulently deposited into someone else�s account.�


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Employment Investigations

Below are three articles which appeared on mybusiness.co.uk...

'DRAMATIC RISE' IN STAFF FRAUD

Accountants say they have uncovered a dramatic increase in instances of theft from businesses by employees.

BDO Stoy Hayward warned that companies are particularly vulnerable during public holidays, especially Christmas and New Year, because fraudsters have plenty of time to commit fraud and cover their tracks.

The controversial warning came as BDO announced an 81% increase in cases of fraud against businesses by workers between 2003 and 2005. It said the value of this crime jumped from £43m to £78m during the period.

That represents 20% of all fraud cases in 2005, compared with 12% in 2004 and 13% in 2003. BDO added that the real cost could be considerably higher, because of the high rate of instances that go unreported.

Andrew Durant, head of fraud investigation at BDO, said: "I know from personal experience of investigating hundreds of frauds that Christmas is a favourite time for fraudsters to be busy.

"Management's eyes are off the ball in the run up to Christmas and the long holiday allows the fraudster to be in the office for extended periods with few people around, so they can work undisturbed."

BDO provides the following tips for returning owner managers:

 

  • Check with security to see if there were any unexpected attendances, late nights or weekend working over the holiday.
  • Never pre-sign blank cheques, letterheads or authorisation forms ahead of time, to cover the holiday period â�� if you did do this, confirm how these were used and get back any unused ones.
  • Scrutinise any requests for approvals for "urgent" transactions.
  • Check whether staff accessed parts of the computer system which they would not need to access.
  • Check that all payments were authorised by people with the correct authority.
  • Review telephone and fax logs for unusual activity.
  • Scrutinise bank statements for unusual or unexpected transactions.
  • Check that back-ups of servers have been completed successfully.
  • Identify and follow up any changes to master files.
  • Investigate any unexplained absences after the holiday period (the person might have already made their get away and have a week's head start).


HALF OF ALL LONDON FIRMS 'SUFFER FROM CRIME'

Nearly half of all London businesses have been the victim of criminal activity within the last year and is running at �epidemic levels�, according to a business pressure group.

Research from the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has shown that 47% of company directors say their businesses have been victims of crime, with burglary and shoplifting the most pervasive, affecting nearly a quarter of respondents in the group�s poll.

A further 21% cited anti-social behaviour and vandalism as their most common problem, while 15% complained of external fraud and 11% internal fraud.

Some 37% of companies were victims more than once but no more than five times, but 4% had to deal with criminal activity on a staggering 15 occasions.

For the majority, crime had cost them between £0 and £1,000, but 11% said they spent over £10,000 last year as a result of crime.

�Smaller businesses find themselves at the front line when it comes to the battle with crime,� said LCCI president Michael Cassidy. �They tend not to complain. But the reality is, higher priority should be given to this problem in London given the worrying picture emerging from these figures.

�There is much talk about increased resources for London's police but you can forgive the average shopkeeper for asking 'where are they' when you look at the shocking tale of crime against this sector over recent months.�

Still, despite the number, nearly eight in 10 respondents said they believe that London is a safe place to run a business.

UK EMPLOYEES ADMIT SNOOPING

Nearly a quarter (22%) of UK employees admit to illegally hacking into their employer's IT systems to access information such as salary details, a new report has said.

Over half (54%) of those questioned said they would view sensitive information if they were given the opportunity.

The report, commissioned by Microsoft, also asked respondents about the type of information they would be most tempted to access.

Human resources and payroll information was the most popular target, with 36% of employees admitting they would most like to view information about their colleagues, followed by 28% who said they would like to see their manager's personal notes.

Some 6% said they would steal a colleague's password if presented with the opportunity.

Men emerged as the least trustworthy employees, with 27% of men, compared to 16% of women, admitting to having stolen confidential information.

Workers in London and Scotland (25%) were the most likely to offend, with the most honest workers living in the Midlands (18%).

Infrastructure Server Marketing team leader at Microsoft Annemarie Duffy, said: �The results of this survey were surprising. Particularly worrying is how vulnerable HR and payroll information has become. HR departments typically hold information that could be damaging for business and individuals if in the wrong hands.�


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Things to know before hiring a private investigator...

Methods of Discreet Communication:
The first thing that most people need to consider before hiring a Private Detective/Investigator is to determine the means of communication between yourself and the Private Investigator. This is extremely relevant during Infidelity Investigations cases when a spouse is afraid to make or receive contact with the Investigator. So if you have a telephone that can be monitored by the person or entity you want investigated? Our 1st recommendation would be to get a pre-paid phone card or use a 'pay-as-you-go' mobile phone. Our 2nd recommendation is to create a new email account (Yahoo, Google, MSN etc.) for email communications and make sure that you delete your browsing History every time you visit a Private Investigation website. Clear the cache, cookies, history, passwords and form in the browsers (Internet Explorer, Mozilla-Firefox, Netscape etc.) that you use to surf the Internet. Our 3rd recommendation is to determine the best time & days of the week that the Private Investigator can contact you.

Keys to a Successful Investigation: Discreetness & Planning
Conducting an investigation on a person who is aware of such an investigation, allows the investigatee to hide, alter or destroy possible evidence that could be used against them. DO NOT TAKE UNNECESSARY RISK AND POSSIBLY COMPROMISE YOUR INVESTIGATION. The best results orientated investigation is done when the fewest people are aware of it. There are plenty of cases where clients hire a Private Investigator on more then one occasion. Time after time, clients contact us (Private Investigators) after they have informed & confronted the investigatee of their prior investigative attempts. When clients behave is this manner, it increases the risk of harm to our investigators (male & female alike) and or the overall cost to provide a results orientated investigation, which may not even be possible. This type of thinking comes from either immaturity and or a lack of planning. Use the evidence from an investigation in a mature & useful manner. Take the time to prepare yourself before the investigation and have a useful plan for the information we obtain during the investigation.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR WHEN EVALUATING A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR
Private Investigations are an investment in your relationship, family, business and future in general. So as is suggested to every good investor, DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Determine the ROI (Return on Investment) and make sure you can live with it prior to making the investment. Like those savvy Investors who invest in Stocks/Mutual Funds, Real Estate and or Business Ventures. The wise Investor must determine:

1. BACKGROUND/HISTORY-Look into a prospective companies (Private Investigation Agency), types of insurances, affiliations with Professional Industry related Associations, services, other types of professional licenses, how many partners & employees. (i.e. Determine if the Private Investigation Agency you are considering has the experience, resources, insurance coverage needed for your type of investigation.) Also consider that you may need investigation services in the future.

2. EXPERIENCE-Some Private Investigators have little or no investigative experience. There are some who have retired from a law enforcement or military career and have now decided that being a Private Investigator would be a fun way to make a living. They enroll in a Private Detective school for two months or so, maybe take a PI licensing test and they become a P.I. This does not mean they are qualified to investigate your case. It is important that you know the qualifications, certifications, education and applicable experience of the Private Investigator that will be working on your case. The more experienced the Private Investigator, the greater the likelihood that your desired results will be achieved. It is our experience that clients need a private investigator who does this type of investigation or surveillance regularly. They do not need to be former MI5 agents. However, they should be experienced investigative experts in that specified area.

3. POTENTIAL RISKS-Make sure that when you speak to prospective Private Investigations Agencies, that you understand all the risks involved. A Private Investigator should reveal all risks that could arise during an investigation. (i.e. Losing vehicles in traffic, not obtaining the information that you wanted, finding information that you were not prepared for, actual capabilities of equipments used, etc.) Watch out for the PI who is more concerned with getting your money, instead of discussing possible risks. It is important to have a Private Investigator that actually cares about what's in your best interest. An honest Private Investigator should inform you that there are NO GUARANTEES WITH INVESTIGATION & SURVEILLANCE OUTCOMES. However, we can and should guarantee our work quality, products and cost efficiency.


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Dating on the net �do�s and dont�s

We are now investigating for our clients the prolific reliance on internet dating sites. We are very capable of discreetly checking out potential suitors with near perfect accuracy and would be happy to talk to you in complete confidence with a way we can either put your mind at ease or uncover mistruths. Please see our section in Services, internet profiling and internet romances.

However, if you are in the early stages of a net romance we have reproduced a guide with the dating do�s and don�ts

  1. Go slow before going steady: Proceed with caution when meeting someone through a dating service. Be careful not to offer too much information that can identify you or your address. You can usually uncover a con artist if you're persistent in demanding answers to detailed questions.

    Use an Internet search engine to verify and gather more information. There have been too many cases of women being stalked or assaulted by strangers they meet online. If you move from online chatting to talking on the phone do not disclose your number to avoid further hassle later on.
  2. There's no free lunch: There are a growing number of "free" dating websites, as well as dating services offering "free" trial memberships. Consumers complain that scam artists use free sites because there is less monitoring and paperwork for subscribers. Additionally, with "free" trial memberships, consumers must check the fine print � which changes frequently with some services � to know when and how to cancel their membership and avoid paying fees. Many of the scammers also use stolen credit cards to purchase long term memberships to the various dating services as well. Remember, just because someone is a paying member does not make them real.
     
  3. Let's go some place more private: Another red flag is when you "meet" someone on a dating-service website but they want to continue the conversation at a website or an instant messenger service where the conversation will not be monitored. This also allows them to speak to several people at one time.
     
  4. Sometimes, love is a five-letter word: When you "meet" someone online or when reading their often-invented profile, watch for misspellings and other signs that they may be a con artist who does not live where they say they live or uses phrases that don�t quite ring true.
     
  5. Looks too good to be true: When an online profile includes a professional-looking photograph that may be a sign that there's more (and less) here than meets the eye. Dating experts also say to look for wedding rings and body or facial features that don't match their profile.
     
  6. Wink, wink, nudge, nudge: Consumers complain that some websites will send you false messages claiming to be from someone interested in meeting you (these messages are called "winks" or "icebreakers.") These phoney winks will show up just before a trial membership or when your subscription is about to lapse.
     
  7. Like dating a microwave oven: Another sure sign of trouble is when your new online friend professes his love for you in a day or two. Also be wary if someone:
    • demands that you keep the relationship secret
    • claims that it was destiny, fate or God that brought you together;
    • immediately requests your address, claiming they want to send you flowers, chocolates etc.
    • asks for your bank account information or requests that you open an account for them in your name
    • sends you a fake cheque or money order and asks you to cash it and wire them the money. (Many scammers also send several money orders, in amounts less than £1,000, to their victims)
    • asks you to cover their plane fare or sponsor their VISA so he or she can enter the country legally
    • asks you for a small loan to get them out of a jam
    • asks you to receive and reship merchandise for them

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