I was watching a show last night on Tru tv that I had not heard of previously. It is called "The Real Hustle". It shows how con artists scam people and should be a real eye opener for many.
Last night's show dealt with how easy it is for con artists (not just conmen, but conwomen too)to steal credit card information, many times right in front of the victims. It would make you think twice about giving your credit card over to a waiter or waitress in a restaurant.
The three television con artists used a wireless credit card reader. The waitress swiped the customers credit card using a card reader that was hidden on her body. Her accomplises then downloaded the information at a near-by table.
Next time you hand over that credit card, remember to keep your eyes on it as much as possible. When using ATM machines, make sure that everything looks genuine as fake readers can be placed over the regular card reader. Those cards are worth a lot of money on the black market.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Beware of scams!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
And the award for Best Comedy goes to.....the T.S.A.!
If it wasn't so serious, it would really be funny. Man goes through full TSA security check at Reagan National Airport. Man later realizes he brought his gun with him. Man voluntarily goes back to TSA with gun.
According to Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority spokesman, Rob Yingling, the gun was taken from Mr.Gregory Hinkle and he was given a misdemeanor summons. Mr. Yingling went on to declare: "We don't allow any dangerous weapons in the terminal". Aren't guns considered dangerous?
Mr. Yingling may have a serious job but he is not afraid to let his silly side shine through. He continued - "the agency has a very high success rate in detecting firearms." One wonders what Mr. Yingling considers "very high."
It would be very interesting to check the end of year stats. I wonder if Mr. Hinkle voluntarily giving up his weapon will be subsequently recorded as a "detection" by the TSA?
Monday, January 21, 2008
Who says Politics doesn't pay and why can't I find clients with pockets this deep?
I have never drank the political coolaid. I have little faith in big party politics. Give me an independent politician who does not have to toe a party line and I'll show you a politician who has half a chance of being a decent advocate of the people.
I think one of the greatest wrongs that politicans commit is in their thinking of voters as idiots. I use the Washington Post article of 1/17/08 as a prime example. Staff writer Carrie Johnson writes in the Business section that GAO investigators will look into "NO-BID Contracts" irregularities involving the Justice Department.
This all came about when a firm led by the former Attorney General, John D. Ashcroft, drew attention for receiving lucrative (more like outrageous) contracts to oversee companies accused of fraud and other wrong doings. One firm in particular, Zimmer (famous for their "Zimmer Frames"), agreed to pay Mr. Ashcroft's firm between $28 and $52 million dollars to resolve kickback allegations.
Two questions spring to mind; 1) How much was the original "kickback" amount when they can now afford to pay out $28,000,000.00 to $52,000,000.00? and 2) Does the recieving of (as much as) $52 million dollars by a former high ranking politician from a company with it's back up against a wall not sound like a "kickback" in of itself?
What does Mr. Ashcroft's firm deliver as a result of this outlandish payment? Well, as a "monitor", they will make sure that Zimmer stops making illicit payment to doctors for using Zimmer products. There's got to be more than that, surely? Kind of. Ashcroft said that he has already made several trips to Indiana to "understand Zimmer's troubles." Several trips to Indiana for $52 million dollars? Did they buy their own luxury jet just for those trips?
Private investigation firms all across America conducts similar services on a daily basis, only for a mere fraction of what Zimmer has paid to this former Government official. As a private security business owner I can attest to the fact that a typical investigation company would be delighted and thrilled to receive 2% - 3% of this amount and in so doing would employ highly skilled investigators with backgrounds and certifications such as Certified Fraud examiner in the FBI, United Nations and other Govt. and corporate investigative agencies.
You can be sure that Mr. Ashccroft is not the only former government offical riding the gravy train. The article states that several other former government officials with ties to the Bush administration have been awarded similar contracts since 2001.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Spying on the terrorists
CSPAN had a very interesting author on this morning, Mike German, discussing his latest book, "Thinking like a Terrorist." Not only did he speak about the insights gained from living with terrorist groups while an undercover FBI agent, but he also spoke about how ineffective many of our approaches and agencies are in dealing with terrorism.
For instance, Mr. German is very much against wide sweeping powers that grant agencies greater powers to detain and question suspects. He believes that by lessening control and oversight, there is a danger for agents and law enforcement officers to concentrate more on quantity of arrests and concentrate less on quality of information.
Mr. German also believes that spending a lot of money on equipment and technology does not necessarily make a community any safer. He cites the example of London and the much talked about "Ring of Steel". However, all of those surveillance cameras did nothing to prevent the London bombings, when young men were able to transport bombs in their back packs. He said that there are so many video cameras placed throughout the British capital that an average person walking around London is photographed approximately three hundred times a day, yet those same cameras were not able to prevent the bombers.
This is an interesting view, especially when one considers that surveillance cameras are being considered for cities throughout the U.S. like they are in London. Mr. German raised another interesting point regarding religious fanatacism. He said that while the focus today is on Islamic terrorists, few stop to consider that domestic terrorist groups such as the Aryan Nation, had and continue to have strong ties to Christianity. Mr. German pointed out the full name of the Aryan Nation is; Church of Jesus Christ-Christian Aryan Nation.
No matter what church or beliefs they are alligned with, terrorists come in many different forms. Mr. German knows that better than most. After the Oklahoma bombing by Timothy McVeigh, Mr. German successfully infiltrated an anti-Government anarchist group and helped to bring them down before they perpetrated any of the heinous crimes they were planning.
Security talk on the radio
I took my security tips and news to the airwaves yesterday morning when I was a guest on the Travel'n-On radio show on Clear Channel.
My good friends Ian and Tonya Fitzpatrick are the hosts of the Saturday morning radio show, Travel'n-On. Being the consummate travelers they are, Ian and Tonya are always looking out for those who are considering going away on holidays or business. They asked me to share some thoughts on security for travelers wishing to protect themselves when away from home.
One of the first things to keep in mind when leaving your home for any period, is to safeguard it from unwanted intruders. Try to hide the fact that you are not at home. Make arrangements with a friend to collect your mail or ask the Post Office to hold it for a period until your return. The same thing goes for paper delivery. Nothing signals to a thief that you are away, quicker than an overflowing mailbox or a week's worth of newspapers laying in the driveway.
Depending where in the world you are headed, you may not want to overly advertise where you are from. There is of course a big difference between going to a beach in Cancun and a business trip to Caracas. If you are visiting a city or country where you may possibly be a target for terrorists or organized criminals, you should think twice about wearing baseball caps and sweat shirts that may signal the country from which you come.
When traveling in more dangerous areas, try and blend in as much as possible. At all times, be highly aware of your surroundings and do not let your guard down. If you can afford to bring your own security with you, then obviously they will be concentrating on your physical security which will allow you to go about your business with less distractions.
Both the State Department ( Office of American Citizens Services and Crisis Management) and the CIA compile and make available information for would-be travelers. Information ranges from arriving at the airport to being taken hostage. Thankfully, the latter does not happen often to casual travelers but it is good to be aware of the possibility, especially in these dangerous times.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Time to wake up and smell the coffee - literally.
Fox News has just come out with a piece on sleeping guards at the Oak Ridge nuclear weapons plant in Tenn. The guards are employed by WACKENHUT Services Inc.,
The case of WACKENHUT Services Inc., sleeping guards came under scrutiny after the parent company, The WACKENHUT Corp., lost a contract to secure 10 other nuclear facilities after guards were caught sleeping at another nuclear facility in PA. We recently covered the case of the sleeping guards in PA in our blog, earlier in the month.
The facility at Oak Ridge is considered a prime terrorist target as it stores Uranium and the ingredients needed for the fabled "Dirty Bomb". The security at these facilities seem to have a real problem with complacancy - and staying awake. If there is one place that you just can not afford to become complacant, it has to be at a nuclear facility that is considered to be at the top of the terrorist's hit list.
If these guards are not sufficently embarrassed by their own incompetence, they should at least be aware that the stories are circulating all over the internet and that terrorists have access to computers. They might as well be putting out a "Welcome" mat.
HOV lane inside the Airport for 65,000
Amusement parks do it, so why can't airports? Scare people? No, allow them to pay a few dollars more to go to the head of the line. The company who is introducing the program to Washington Dulles and Reagan National airports in the Spring, is called "Verified Identity Pass" of New York.
Travelers who wish to speed their way through the airport experience (and who wouldn't), pay a yearly fee of $128.00 and allow an image of their eyes and fingerprints to be sent to the TSA for a background check. Once the travelers arrive at the airport, they have their fingerprints or eyes scanned and use a "Clear" lane with a shorter security wait.
Airlines are coming out against the new procedure as they feel that it competes with the shorter security lines that they provide for their premium passengers. Perhaps they are afraid that those customers who are paying more than ten times for those premium tickets might think about the savings to be had on a minimal yearly fee.
They probably should not worry. Those people who have the finances to fly business and first class all the time, are probably past the point of no return. Once you get used to the front of the plane, it's hard to go back with the rest of the sardines.
Is the White House being "green" or covering up for the CIA?
There has been a lot of discussion lately about the erased CIA tapes. Were they erased to cover up torture techniques such as "waterboarding' or was it done in an attempt to conceal the identities of the interrogators? The debate is not just confined to the States, but goes on around the world. At least nobody is trying to say that they were erased by accident. Afterall, who would fall for that line?
Actually, it seems that the White House would like us to believe that line. A Washington Post article by staff writers Elizabeth Williamson and Dan Eggen, tells us that the White House routinely "recycled" e-mail messages during the first three years of the Bush administration. This, despite two Federal statutes requiring presidential communications (to include e-mails) involving senior White House aides, to be preserved for the nation's historical record.
Perhaps it is just a coincidence that the "recycling" was being done at a time when the CIA tapes, that are now erased, were being recorded. It does however beg the question, was penny-pinching so important to the White House in those early years that they would use the same back-up tape over and over?
Of course the White House spokesman, Tony Fratto, says that he has no reason to believe any e-mails were deliberately destroyed. Well he wouldn't, would he? Afterall, he is the White House spokesman.
Call me crazy, but it sounds a little bit too much like the "dog ate my homework" excuse. At least they didn't try to say that Spot ate the tapes.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Cops with guns...what will they think of next?
The recent article in the Arizona Republic regarding Campus Police Officers now being able to carry guns, is made to sound like some kind of "breaking news" flash.
In a way, I suppose it is, since campus officers in Maricopa County were unarmed prior to this. The State law which came into effect in October takes the decision out of the hands of the campus authorities. Police officers carrying guns would be news in Great Britain or India but it is strange to think of any U.S. law enforcement officer not having the authority to carry a weapon.
No doubt, the tragedy at Virginia Tech. last year changed a lot of minds regarding the need for campus police to be armed. If campus police are trained to the same standards as any other department in the State, there is no reason why they should not be armed. As the article points out, private security officers working at the campus will not be armed.
I just hope that the officers' guns will have bullets. Does that sound strange? You might think it impossible that they would not have ammunition but I have been told by soldiers who have been stationed at several U.S. bases that they had weapons but were ordered to keep their weapons unloaded. I understand fear of liability, but I think that is going too far. If you can not trust the person carrying a gun and who does so for a living, that sounds like their training is questionable.
I can guarantee that the bad guys will have bullets in their guns if and when they show up. I can also guarantee that they are not influenced by the Marquis of Queensbury's rules and will not wait for the good guys to load their weapons.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Ssshhh......Wackenhut might be sleeping.
What does size matter when it comes to chosing a security company? The big national companies with thousands on their payrolls would probably tell you it means everything, whilst a smaller firm like mine would tell you it can mean the complete opposite.
Take the case as reported in yesterday'sWashington Post involving a security guard by the name of Kerry Beal. Beal went to work for Wackenhut Corp., who provided the security guards to protect Peach Bottom nuclear plant in Pennsylvania. He was so disturbed by Wakenhut's guards sleeping on duty that he reported it to supervisors. The supervisors told him to be a "team player".
Not satisfied with being told to look the other way, Mr. Beal reported the matter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The Commission dropped the matter after the plant's owner, Exelon, said it found no evidence of guards sleeping on duty. It was not until he actually videotaped the sleeping guards and sent the tape to WCBS television in New York City that something was done. Exelon took action and fired Wackenhut.
There are so many things wrong with this story that it is impossible to single any one out. Obviously, a guard on duty who sleeps is the first problem. However, as the story unfolds, even scarier facts begin to surface. Wackenhut supervisors told the new guy to be a "team player"? Then the owners, Exelon, failed to take action but instead assisted in the cover-up. Oh yeah, did I mention that the facility was a NUCLEAR POWER PLANT?
Exeleon fired Wackenhut from 10 of their plants. Should we now sleep easier in our beds at night? Probably not. Considering the fact Wackenhut "protected" half of the 62 commercial nuclear power plants in the U.S., their recent firing still allows them to "protect" 21 plants.
After the dust settled a bit, Wackenhut made a statement to the effect that the entire nuclear industry needs to rethink security. Really Wackenhut? It sure sounds to me like you need to rethink security yourselves. If my employees were found sleeping on the job, they would have been automatically terminated and their supervisors with them. Maybe that's the difference between the big and small security companies. The smaller companies seem to be more aware and concerned about their client's needs.
I just hope that if the terrorists ever strike at our critical infrastructures like we know that want to, they will make plenty of noise if they attack at night. Who knows how deeply those Wackenhut guards sleep?
Can you hear me now?
I was listening to WTOP drivetime on Thursday during the usual evening rush hour traffic when an intresting topic caught my ear. They were talking about a recent study conducted by the University of Utah.
It seems that there is a direct connection between slow and sluggish traffic and people using their cell phones when driving. According to the researchers, when people are on their cell phones in their vehicles, they drive more slowly and are less likely to change lanes eventhough it would help them to move along faster.
This has a knock-on affect on all traffic and slows down the pace of traffic.
This is just one more reason for banning cell phone use while driving. I say this as someone who constantly uses their phone while driving. As long as the law allows it, we will do it. Of course there are those who will break the law once it is enacted, but it will definitley cut down on the ritual.
How many times have you been behind someone who is driving dangerously slow and who appears to be in a world of their own, only to find out once you pass them that they were oblivious of the other traffic due to talking on their phone? Even those who argue against the law, saying that it is a violation of our rights, must admit to seeing careless driving from time to time by people on cell phones.
Think about it, there must be a good reason why many other States and many other countries have already banned the practice.
