|
COMMUNITY
ALERTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
_________________
|
_________________
|
|
_________________
|
_________________
|
|
|
Identity Theft is the theft of important
information about you, like your:
|
Name
|
Address
|
Social Security
#
|
|
Date of Birth
|
Mother's Maiden
Name
|
Use of this infomation enables criminals to take over your financial
accounts, open new accounts, apply for credit cards or loans,
social security benefits and use rental services. Identity thieves
spend as much money as possible before the victim realizes there
is a problem. |
Protect Yourself
* Don't give out personal information.
* Shred any documents or credit cards
that you discard of.
* Keep track of your purse or wallet.
* Retrieve your mail from your
mailbox promptly.
|
| |
Please
use the following links for further information on
Identity Theft
|
|
|
|
|
ID
Theft, Fraud and Phishing Updates
|
PHISHING
"Phishing" emails (pronounced "fishing")
are fraudulent emails sent by identity thieves in an attempt
to collect your personal information. These emails look authentic
and appear to come from legitimate companies you may do business
with. The good news is that YOU have the power to PROTECT
YOURSELF!
Never provide personal & financial
information over the phone or Internet if you did not initiate
the contact
Never click on a link or provide information if an email looks
at all suspicious to you
Do not be intimidated by an email or caller who suggests dire
consequences
if you do not provide or verify information
Don't trust an email just because it looks legitimate; images
and logos can be forged
The "Account Manager" Scam
An email or web advertisement offering you to "work at
home" by being an "account manager" or "money
transfer agent" and earn "commissions". They
transfer money OUT of an unsuspecting person's account and
into yours. Once the money is in your account, they ask you
to send the money to them via Western Union. The lure is that
they allow you to keep a percentage of the money. You have
no idea where the money is coming from, where it's going to
or the purpose it's being used for.
Online "Shoppers"
You list an item on an online auction and are contacted by
a potential buyer from Nigeria or Africa. Once a deal is reached,
they send you a cashier's check to pay for the item. The check
is written for a considerable amount in excess of the price.
You are to deposit the check and wire the excess funds back
to the buyer. Within a week, the credit union is notified
that the check is a worthless counterfeit and you are out
a large sum of money.
Foreign Lottery
You receive an unsolicited letter, email or fax indicating
that you've won the lottery in a foreign country. In order
to receive your "prize", you must first remit a
"contest fee". Needless to say, once the "fees"
were remitted, the "prize" never arrives. What makes
this worse is that, in some cases, victims may have given
out personal or financial information in the process.
What to do
if you fall victim:
-Alert your financial institution immediately
-If you have disclosed sensitive information,
contact the major credit bureaus and place a fraud
alert on your file to prevent new accounts from
being opened in your name.
-File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.gov/idtheft
or call their hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT
-Monitor your accounts and credit report closely
|
|
|
| Patrol has taken reports from citizens of suspicious phone calls
from individuals apparently posing as bank employees. These callers
request sensitive information, and threaten to close the accounts
of those called. Advise the caller you will take the matter up
with your bank in person and advise your bank of the phone call.
Try not to give out any personal information on the telephone. |
Door-to-
Door Scams and Solicatation
|
Patrol has taken reports from citizens of suspicious
persons that come to their door and advise of needed home repairs.
There are 2 common scams, the driveway scam and the roof scam.
In the driveway scam, homeowners are advised that their driveway
is in need of seal coating. After an exchange of funds, the driveway
is either painted black or coated with roofing oil, which does
not protect your driveway. In the roof scam, homeowners are advised
they need roof work to not void a previous work warrantee or leaks
of some kind. Several different crimes are possible here. In some
cases homeowners can be billed for undone work, or in other cases
the worker takes up the homeowner's concentration and another
criminal enters the home and burglarizes it during the scam. This
scam is mostly tried on the elderly.
If workers come to your home and advise you that you need repairs,
request to see their License to work in the Village of Worth.
All contractors and businesses that operate in the village must
be licensed and bonded. Do not hesitate to Call Police for assistance
when confronted at your home by "business" men who try
to hard sell you into something. Do not do business with unlicensed
companies or workers. If the contractor fails to repair damage
caused by them, the $10,000 bond can be used. If the contractor
is not licensed and bonded, then you forfeit that ability to have
the Village of Worth assist you with a problem with that contractor.
In addition, hiring non licensed and bonded contractors may result
in citations being issued.
UPDATE: The Worth Police
Department has investigated concerns about All Seasons Contractor
going door to door concerning storm damage. All Seasons is a
bonded contractor with the Village of Worth and their business
practices are legitimate. They inspect your home for storm damage
that you can claim on your insurance. As long as a contractor
does not fraudulently create the damage reported, this practice
is legal.
Do not open
your door to anyone you don't know.
If they claim to be the police, call 911 to verify that officer's
identity. All Village of Worth Water Department and Public Works
employees have identification badges indicating their identity
and position.
It was brought to our attention that
an individual claiming to be a gas inspector arrived on the
scene of a motor vehicle accident involving a building and attempted
to inspect the damage to the gas lines. Call the police if a
village employee or inspector cannot produce the appropriate
identification.
Door to door solicitors must have a permit
and register with the police department unless they are with
a charitable organization or church. Even if they are
with a charitable organization or church, you can still call
to have the police verify their identity.
All door-to-door solicitation
must stop at 9PM per a Supreme Court ruling.
|
|
|
|
Patrol has taken reports from citizens of suspicious persons
that approach them in parking lots advising that their car is
leaking gasoline. The same person advises that he is a car mechanic
or works at an auto parts store, and can fix the problem. He
leaves to get the parts and his wife and child keep the attention
of the victim. After returning and pretending to repair the
problem, he requests that the victim only pay for the part which
usually runs in the hundreds. In reported cases, the offender
also poured gasoline under the car, while the owners faced away
walking towards the store, to add realism. This scam is mostly
tried on the elderly.
If confronted by a similar situation, call
the police immediately. An honest person
trying to help you in a real situation or problem will not mind
you calling the police for further assistance. Don't be afraid
to offend them by calling the police for further assistance.
If your car really did have a bad gas leak, we need to know
anyway to assist the Fire Department in removing any hazard.
|
Lock
Your Car / Vehicle Theft
|
|
Patrol has taken reports from numerous citizens that left their
cars unlocked and during the night unknown subjects entered
the vehicle and stole whatever they could get their hands on.
This has happened even when the vehicle was parked in the driveway,
by the house, in a well lighted area.
Help us help you. Lock your car. Do not leave valuables visible
in the window even when locked.
UPDATE: Do not leave the
keys of your car inside your car. Patrol has taken reports of
vehicles stolen as a result.
Know your apartment or condo association policy on guest parking.
Vehicles are being towed by contracted towing services because
they were parked against the rules of your apartment or condo
association policy. These are not police tows and your recourse
is a civil matter. Parking lots with these policies in effect
have a sign posted with a phone number where you can call about
your vehicle's status. If the towing company does not know the
status of your vehicle, call the police immediately.
|
Home
Burglaries and Security
|
Neighborhood Watch Concern:
Home Burglaries mostly occur during the day.
Your home may be at risk, check your doors, locks, windows
and lighting.
Make use of Beware of Dog and
Burglar Alarm signs.
Videotape valuables for insurance purposes.
Engrave your drivers license number on valuables when possible.
Get a safe for valuables and important papers, one that is
500lbs or more in weight. Smaller safes
can be carried away.
If you return home and
discover you have been burglarized:
Do not enter the residents as offenders may still be inside.
Entering the residents will contaminate evidence needed to
solve the crime.
CALL THE POLICE IMMEDIATELY
|
For crime prevention tips please
click:
|
|
|
If your are going on vacation,
please use our vacation watch form:
|
|
|
Seniors are urged to take avantage
of the Senior Watch Program:
|
|
|
For more information visit our
Neighborhood Watch page:
|
|
|
|