Showing posts with label philippines investigators. Show all posts
Showing posts with label philippines investigators. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Philippines Detectives Offer Tips to Stay Safe Online



Once again police departments have come together to dismantle a criminal net in the Southeast Asia region based in Taiwan, but operating in eight other countries including China and the Philippines. Their main objective: to target victims pretending to be tax collectors threatening civilians to pay their fines for not paying the right amount of government taxes.

Philippines investigators know that mobile phone scams are very popular and a very good source of income for fraudsters on virtual communication devices such as Skype, where telephone numbers are easily obtained, and can show any local number from nearly any country. Criminals would get buy and share database information regarding citizens and their tax information, and then use this information to convince their victim that they were indeed calling from the government, and indeed the victim faces jail time if they do not pay their bill.

This is the second major detention of scammers made this year was in the Malaysian Archipelago that operated in eight different Asian countries with 828 members now being sent back home to serve jail time. It’s a major victory in an uphill battle with no end in sight. Fighting internet fraud and scams, especially in the Philippines, can at time feel like a hopeless cause.

A mobile phone scam was discovered in 2010 that resulted in over 1800 victims who lost over 34 million U.S. dollars, as of September 2011, and police are still sorting through all the details. When this case is closed, there will no doubt be others. The criminals are expanding faster than law enforcement and private detectives can keep up. The global economy is in shambles and crime rates are rising in most countries around the world. What to do in these high risk times? Experts say use caution when someone requests personal information, whether it’s on the internet, phone or in person. Make sure you’re dealing with a verified person or business, and even then, be skeptical and ask for assurance that it’s safe to share your private information.

Philippines detectives offer the following advice to stay safe online:

1. Never reveal your private information on the internet to any person or company who has not been verified.
2. When entering your personal data or credit card information, always check for SSL or https technology with a lock on your browser.
3. Ask the person or company for references to be sure you’re dealing with a reputable and qualified professional.
4. Search Google for the individual or business name to be sure there’s no negative information or cause for alarm.
5. Listen to your instinct. Are there red flags? Do you feel uncomfortable providing your personal data? If so, don’t.
6. If you’re dealing with a business, look for trust seals such as Truste, McAfee, Verisign or the Better Business Bureau.
7. When in doubt, consider a professional due diligence investigation or discreet background check to verify the person or business.
8. Remember that any information you share online may end up in the wrong hands.

Choose your “friends” wisely on the internet and be skeptical about any new contacts on social networking or online dating sites. Scammers are in greater numbers than ever, and no site is completely immune from fraud. Stay safe and skeptical and when in doubt, contact a professional. Reputable companies like Philippine PI™ say that prevention is key, and consumers should think of a background check or due diligence like an insurance policy, that when used early, can be a very effective tool in minimizing risk and verifying relationships.

Best of luck,

A Hathaway
© 2011 A Hathaway 

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Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Philippines Detectives Say Senior Citizens Caught in Telemarketing Scam



Figures reveal that senior citizens who are living on their own might be a special target for telemarketing scams which originate from the Philippines. Scammers operating from Manila have been identified as operating telemarketing scams which target U.S. and Australia citizens mainly. Trained sellers would call their victims offering services and bogus products to them, free prizes, low cost vitamins, health care products or inexpensive vacations, with the aim to get your personal and banking information. The goal of the criminals is to have a friendly sales call with a senior, and to extract as much information as possible, later to be used for further phishing and identity theft tactics to eventually access the victims’ bank account or financial information. Philippines detectives say if the offer sounds too good to pass up, the best thing to do is hang up.

Whether it’s an email address, phone number date of birth or address, experts says it’s always best to reveal as little information as possible. One piece of information may seem harmless enough to give out over the phone, but law enforcement and reputable Philippines private investigation firms like Philippine PI™ say criminal use information they already know to put the pieces together, and then use that information to their advantage. For example, criminals in Manila recently were using public records to target seniors. They used the phone book to find the subject’s full name, address and telephone number. Then, by making scam phone calls pretending to be a bank or government official, scammers were able to obtain many dates of birth and even ID numbers. Taken together, criminals were able to steal some senior citizens’ identity, and even in some cases, access bank account information and steal significant amounts of money.

Philippines investigators explain that telemarketers can often be recruited by criminals to use their sales skills for illegal purposes. The person on the other side of the phone will pressure you to make a fast decision because the offer will expire in 30 minutes, or will be a serious security issue for your bank account, and you have to act fast or your account could be at risk. With a skilled sales person and convincing pitch, and pressure to act, many seniors fall for the scam and reveal their account numbers (for verification) or also their ID numbers (also for verification). The convincing criminal explains it is for their own security of their accounts that they verify. In some cases telemarketing scams can also use emails to further increase credibility and trust.

Unless the company identifies itself and is a company or institution you are familiar with, it’s best to hang up. If they offer you something free, be skeptical, and end the call for your own safety. Nothing in this world is free, unfortunately. If it is a bank or institution you are familiar with and have an account with, explain to the caller that you will call the bank back directly, at the number that is listed on your statement from your bank, to be sure you’re conversation is secure.

Never send any money to anyone you don’t know. Avoiding providing your credit card or bank account number, and never reveal your ID number. A big warning sign is when the telemarketer tells you “You don’t need to speak to anyone about this offer” or “You need to act now if you’re interested in the offer” which are major red flags for fraud and criminal activity.

Legitimate companies identify themselves accordingly and often inform you of good promotions and offers they have in a different way, such as via the physical mail or on their company website. A respectable company will never call you directly and pressure you to make a decision.

Stay skeptical and be aware of the risk for fraud and scams. If seniors have any doubt about the legitimacy of an offer or company, they should contact a reputable private investigation company or their local law enforcement or Better Business Bureau for assistance.     G48HWKZRSP63
Best of luck,

A Hathaway
© 2011 A Hathaway

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