Showing posts with label fraud. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fraud. Show all posts

Attorney General warns of phone scammers

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Attorney General Bob Ferguson is warning consumers that phone scammers posing as legitimate computer technicians are on the prowl in Washington and other states across the country.

“These scammers claim to be calling to help resolve problems that have been detected on the consumer’s personal computer, such as harmful viruses or malware,” warned Ferguson.  “What they really want is access to your computer and, ultimately, your money.”

The phone scammers hunt for victims by “cold-calling” numbers they find in telephone directories and other public resources.  The Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office has received numerous complaints in recent months from consumers who have received these calls. 

How the scam works

The “tech support” scam exploits consumer concerns about computer and online security.

The callers attempt to gain your trust with a fake identity and a barrage of technical language, saying that a problem has been detected on your computer.

They may ask you to perform a series of tasks that cause you to unknowingly allow the cyber criminals remote access to your PC and the personal data stored on it.  You may also be tricked into installing malware that could steal your personal information.

The callers then claim to have identified the problem and demand payment to fix it with software updates, warranty extensions and other solutions.  They offer to accept credit card payments over the phone, and may request payments via Western Union or Money Gram or direct the victims to fraudulent websites set up to collect personal and financial information.  

“As with all scams, prevention is the best protection for consumers,” Ferguson said.  “Don’t ever give any caller access to your computer, no matter who they say they are.  Instead, hang-up!”


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Schools: Attorney General and Better Business Bureau warn of book scam

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

AG and BBB partner to help stop school supply scam 
The Washington State Office of Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau have joined together to help consumers avoid a school book scam making the rounds to schools in Washington and across the country.

School employees have reported receiving official-looking invoices from a fake company called Scholastic School Supply for some books, often math workbooks, they did not order and have not received.

The name is similar to the publisher Scholastic, which specializes in educational materials. Scammers often use names that are similar to well-known businesses to make their scams seem legitimate. 

All the phony invoices appear to be for the same amount – $647.50 – and contain realistic but fake identification information for the company and the books themselves. Trying to call the listed contact phone leads to a circuit of voicemails explaining it will be some time before anyone can return a phone call because of the busy time of year. Consumers say messages to the email address are not returned. 

Some versions of the scam list the company’s address in New Jersey or Las Vegas. Better Business Bureau in Nevada has been unable to find any corporate filings, business licensing or other documentation for the business in that state.

BBB in Nevada has received a total of 51 complaints from consumers in 22 states, including a school in Granite Falls, Wash. It has also seen more than 2,000 inquiries regarding this scam, with an increase of 15 complaints a day. 

Schools and other organizations should remember the following tips to help avoid scams: 
  • Encourage your treasurer to watch for invoice scams 
  • Make sure the invoice is coming from a valid source 
  • Check out the company that is sending the invoice. 
  • Centralize purchasing and billing so that the person or persons paying the invoices know what was ordered and who the vendors are. 
  • Do a basic Internet search to see if other organizations have reported similar problems. 

Better Business Bureau advises consumers to not pay suspicious invoices, but instead contact the Federal Trade Commission. To find out more about scams or to report one, check out BBB Scam Stopper and stay connected to BBB’s Social Hub.

Those who have already sent payment to the scammer may have already released sensitive information and should check with their financial division to see what steps can be taken against further abuse. They may also file a police report, file a complaint with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service or report the scam to the Attorney General’s Office.


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Don't be a scam victim - the IRS is not calling you

Monday, August 4, 2014

By Sis Polin

A recent call I received a few days ago from 212 662 5932 caught me unawares. It was very early in the AM and I picked up the phone and a somewhat arrogant sounding voice said: “Are you Sydell?* I asked who he was and he said an investigator from the Internal Revenue Service”. I hung up immediately and jotted down his number. I had three more calls that day from that number.


I have been a volunteer of the AARP Fraud Fighter Center for eight years. Our goal has been to educate and prevent seniors (mostly) from becoming targets of scams -- and there are many con artists out there. They seem to flow with the political environment; Internal Revenue, Medicare Issues, Government check refunds and other types of Scams such as Jamaican Lottery, Grandchildren traveling and needing help; friends traveling and credit cards stolen, dating services etc. etc. The list is endless and hard as it is to believe, many people fall for this. The technology revolution has opened a door for this.
Why? Mostly they try to reach the most vulnerable population: SENIORS. They usually call late at night and are very good at engaging you in conversation. Before you know it, they gain your trust and you give out a credit card number or bank account no. and sometimes, if you do not comply, they get very threatening.

What should you do? 
  • No. 1 – Hang up. There is no free lunch. They are trying to get something from you and I know of hundreds of cases where folks have given away all of their savings, lost their homes and lived in fear from threats.
  • No. 2 - Make sure a family member is aware of these calls and seek help if you need it.
  • No. 3 – Sign up for the Government “DO NOT CALL LIST” at 888 382 1222 for your land and cell phone. If you signed up a long time ago, sign up again. It will not restrict charity and political calls and in some cases, these scammers are getting around these restrictions too. Don’t be fooled; they also have access to regular area codes and even local area codes. They rarely use an 800 number to call.
  • No. 4 - Sign up online at the AARP Fraud Watch Network. It is free for members and non members. 
The good news is that more agencies are becoming involved; Federal Trade Commission, Attorney General’s office, U. S. Postal Service, and the local news media. The bad news is the bad guys don’t give up. 

Stay safe. 
*Now you know, the real Sydell is: Sis Polin


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Attorney General sues deceptive mortgage rescue firms

Thursday, July 24, 2014


Ferguson targets two scam “rescue” operations

Attorney General Bob Ferguson has filed lawsuits against two mortgage rescue scammers that target struggling homeowners in Washington state.

Ferguson alleges Delay My Sale Date and US Recovery Program have taken advantage of homeowners by falsely promising they can delay or prevent foreclosure.

The two lawsuits are part of a joint federal-state sweep by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 15 states to crack down on mortgage rescue scams operating across the country. These scams take advantage of homeowners in crisis, wreaking havoc on the victims’ finances, and often leaving them at an even greater risk of losing their homes.

“As long as mortgage rescue scams threaten Washington homeowners, my office will hold offenders accountable,” said Ferguson. “These fraudulent operations not only victimize people who need help, they also harm legitimate businesses that play by the rules. Consumers need to know that foreclosure assistance is available from legitimate service providers.”

The Attorney General’s Office encourages all homeowners who are facing foreclosure to call a certified home counselor for free help at 1.877.894.HOME (4663).


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Washington State Attorney General sues 5-hour ENERGY® for misleading advertisements

Friday, July 18, 2014

Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a lawsuit today against the makers of 5-hour ENERGY®, the popular energy drink. The AGO alleges they misled consumers with ads claiming that doctors recommend 5-hour ENERGY®, by implying the product is safe for teenagers and claiming that the product causes ‛no sugar crash’ when the companies’ own study showed it triggers a caffeine crash.

“We believe the ‘energy’ provided by 5-hour ENERGY® products is derived solely from caffeine, not from vitamins and amino acids as their ads claim,” said Ferguson. “In addition, we believe the ‘energy blend’ does nothing and the ‘no sugar crash’ statement is misleading. I will not stand by and see Washington consumers subjected to deceptive advertising.”

5-hour ENERGY® is a flavored energy shot sold in 1.93 oz. containers. The companies that produce 5-hour ENERGY® are Living Essentials, LLC and Innovation Ventures, LLC. 

Ferguson and approximately 30 other state attorneys general have been investigating the accuracy of 5-hour ENERGY® advertisements and marketing claims.

Overview of the Attorney General’s lawsuit

The AGO lawsuit, filed in King County Superior Court, claims 5-hour ENERGY® violated the Consumer Protection Act by engaging in the following unfair and deceptive business practices:
  • Running a television commercial that featured ‘survey results’ from doctors who ‘recommend’ 5-hour ENERGY® while misrepresenting survey results and failing to disclose key facts;
  • Using a ‘no sugar crash’ product tagline that is misleading in light of studies showing a caffeine crash;
  • Implying that 5-hour ENERGY® is suitable for teens by stating on the product label, "Do not take if you are pregnant or nursing, or under 12 years of age";
  • Representing that the ‘energy blend’ in 5-hour ENERGY® provides ‘energy’ when it is believed the ‘energy’ is derived solely from the caffeine in the product; and
  • Representing that the Decaf 5-hour ENERGY® provides ‘energy’ from vitamins and amino acids when it is believed the ‘energy’ is derived solely from the caffeine in the product. 

While the product labels state that they contain caffeine and an ‘energy blend’ containing amino acids, tyrosine, phenylalanine, and other ingredients, 5-hour ENERGY® does not disclose the amount of each ingredient in the ‘energy blend.’

The AGO reviewed the scientific evidence the companies provided to support their marketing claims during the investigation. The AGO found the companies failed to supply adequate evidence to support their claims.  The investigation also revealed that many of 5-hour ENERGY®’s ads and representations were unfair or deceptive.  

The lawsuit seeks:
  • Restitution for Washington state consumers;
  • A permanent injunction prohibiting deceptive marketing practices;
  • Civil penalties of up to $2,000 per violation of the Consumer Protection Act; and
  • Recovery of investigative and attorney fees. 

The attorneys general of Oregon and Vermont filed similar lawsuits against 5-hour ENERGY® today. More states will sue in the following weeks. 

Assistant Attorneys General Lisa Erwin and Kim Gunning are leads on this case.



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Check your Food Handler's card - it might be fraudulent

Monday, July 7, 2014

AGO lawsuit returns approximately $120K to over 11,000 consumers for purchase of worthless food handler certificates.

A Washington State Attorney General’s Office lawsuit has stopped deceptive business practices and will return money to over 11,000 Washington state consumers. These consumers purchased worthless food handler certificates from eFoodhandlers, Inc. that do not comply with Washington state law.

“Consumers paid for a worthless piece of paper,” said Attorney General Bob Ferguson. “eFoodhandlers’ deceptive practices made it difficult for food service workers to keep a job and businesses to stay open. My office will not tolerate deceptive business practices.” 

Some food service workers reported they first discovered their certificates were worthless from their employers or by health department inspectors. Those workers were required to take the examination again and obtain valid documentation from an authorized source. 

In some instances, food service establishments reported being temporarily shut down or had points docked by health department inspectors for hiring employees who had purchased eFoodhandlers’ useless certificates. 

Overview of allegations against eFoodhandlers 

eFoodhandlers is an Oregon-based internet company that offers online training and “certification” to food service workers. 

The state requires all food service workers to obtain a food worker card from their local health department. 

The only entity approved by the Washington State Department of Health to provide online training and certification for food handling is the Tacoma-Pierce County Public Health Department

The AGO alleged eFoodhandlers’ website, (www.wafoodhandlers.com), misled workers into believing eFoodhandlers’ “certification” satisfied the Washington state food handling requirements. It does not. 

eFoodhandlers charged $10 to issue a certificate, and added on extra fees for additional services. More than 23,000 Washington consumers obtained training from eFoodhandlers, and more than 11,000 of those consumers paid for inadequate certificates. 

AGO action results in restitution for consumers, stops deceptive business practices 

The AGO alleged eFoodhandlers’ actions violated the Consumer Protection Act. 

eFoodhandlers has agreed to a Consent Decree that: 

  1. Requires eFoodhandlers to pay full restitution of approximately $120,000 to more than 11,000 consumers who paid for the services; 
  2. Prohibits “certification” by eFoodhandlers’ website and requires removal of any implied or explicit references in compliance with Washington laws; and 
  3. Requires eFoodhandlers to pay the AGO $40,000 for attorney fees and costs. 
Method of consumer refunds 

  • eFoodhandlers will mail checks to affected consumers’ last known address. 
  • The refund amount each consumer will receive is based on the total amount they originally paid to eFoodhandlers. Most payments will be under $20. 
  • Consumers should receive a refund by September 1, 2015. 
More information on how to obtain a food safety card can be found on Department of Health’s website, here

Senior Counsel Paula Selis was lead on this case.


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Attorney General’s Office sues group that scammed small business owners

Monday, June 30, 2014


The Attorney General’s Office this week filed suit in King County Superior Court against Mandatory Poster Agency (MPA), doing business as Corporate Records Service, and its top corporate officers, for unfair and deceptive business practices in violation of Washington’s Consumer Protection Act.

The company duped more than 2,900 Washington businesses into paying $125 each to prepare unnecessary documents that Washington businesses are not required to file with the Secretary of State.  

“People who prey on unsuspecting business owners need to know we will hold them accountable,” said Attorney General Bob Ferguson. “The Attorney General’s Office will make these scammers pay for their actions.”

In September 2012, Corporate Records Service sent envelopes marked “Important: Annual Minutes Requirement Statement” to roughly 60,000 Washington businesses. The envelopes contained a document called “2013 Annual Minutes Form; Shareholders, Directors and Officers” and a one-page sheet of instructions.

The form came preprinted with the corporation’s name and referenced several Washington laws.

The instructions directed business owners to send the completed form with a $125 payment to a PO Box in Olympia to “satisfy the annual minutes requirement for your corporation.”

There is no requirement for Washington corporations to prepare minutes of their shareholder meetings and the PO Box is registered to “Labor Law Poster Service” of Lansing, Michigan.

The Attorney General’s Office requests restitution for all consumers who paid Corporate Records Service— a total of $362,500. The organization could also be required to pay civil penalties of $2,000 per violation.

Actions violate 2008 agreement with Attorney General’s Office, MPA could face even larger penalties

The AGO previously entered into an agreement with MPA in 2008 after MPA made similar solicitations under the names “Washington Labor Law Poster Service,” “Washington Food Service Compliance Center,” and “Washington Healthcare Compliance Center.” 

Those mailings also appeared to be government documents and urged businesses to immediately purchase and post certain government safety and labor law posters to comply with the law and avoid government penalties.

The posters required by law are actually available free from government agencies. 


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Attorney General's Office: Watch out for fake IRS call scam sweeping the nation

Wednesday, March 26, 2014


A fast-moving phone scam called the largest of its kind is targeting taxpayers across the country. Victims have reported threats of license suspension, arrest and deportation.

What makes this timely scam so tricky? The scammers impersonate Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents and demand payment for taxes owed, and often: 
  • know the last four digits of the victim’s Social Security number; 
  • make caller ID appear as if the IRS is calling; 
  • send follow-up bogus IRS emails to support their scam; and 
  • call a second time claiming to be the police or Department of Motor Vehicles, and caller ID again supports their claim.

The IRS usually contacts people by mail not by phone about unpaid taxes.

The IRS won’t ask for payment using a pre-paid debit card or wire transfer, nor will they involve law enforcement or immigration agencies.

What to do:

If you or a family member receives one of these calls, your best bet is to hang up. But if you do get into a conversation, do not give anyone money or credit card information over the phone and don’t trust callers who use threats or insults to bully you.

Next steps:
  1. Report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484.
  2. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Add "IRS Telephone Scam" to the comments in your complaint.
  3. If you owe or think you owe federal taxes, call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 to verify information.
  4. If you or someone you know has been a victim of identity theft or fraud, contact the AARP Foundation Fraud Fighter Center at 1-800-646-2283.

The statewide Fraud Watch Network is brought to you by AARP and the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.


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Patients of Shoreline dentist awarded $35 million

Wednesday, July 17, 2013


According to our news partners The Seattle Times and King5, a retired Shoreline dentist with 76 complaints against his license will pay, with his insurer, $35 million to 29 former patients for the bad and unnecessary work he did on their teeth.

From The Times:
A judge Wednesday awarded a total $35 million to 29 former patients of a retired Shoreline dentist who is accused of performing thousands of unnecessary root canals. 
The judge found Henri Duyzend was negligent, failed to obtain informed consent from patients, committed fraud and violated the Washington Consumer Protection Act. The verdict is believed to be one of the largest in state history for dental negligence.
Duyzend performed nearly 2,200 root canals on about 500 patients in the five years before he retired in 2007, according to the sworn affidavit of Dr. David To, who purchased Duyzend’s practice. A typical patient has fewer than two root canals in his or her lifetime, he said.

According to King5,
More than 200 patients filed malpractice claims against Dr. Henri Duyzend, but the new ruling, which came in an arbitration proceeding, benefits a smaller group of patients who declined to settle their claims.

Patients didn't question the number of root canals and crowns that Duyzend performed on them. It wasn't until he retired and sold his practice that things started to unravel. Patients were coming in to the new dentist with pain and failing teeth. 

King 5 said, "According to a sworn affidavit, the new dentist was alarmed by the large number of root canals Henri Duyzend had performed. After reviewing x-rays and patient charts, that dentist concluded Duyzend had done 'fraudulent root canals on almost every patient in the practice' and that many were done poorly."
Additional information in this King5 story.


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Local pastor's email hacked - he is safe at home

Friday, June 14, 2013

The Ridgecrest Neighborhood Association reports that Pastor Ruhlman, from Tabernacle Baptist Church in the Ridgecrest Neighborhood, did not send an email message telling people that he was robbed at gun-point and is stuck in the Philippines - and he does not want you to send money to him there.

Pastor Ruhlman is safe and sound, here in the US.

This particular email scam has been around for years, but if you have never received one, it can be very convincing. You receive an email from someone you know, from their correct email address. The message says that they are visiting in a foreign country (logical in the summer, right?), and they have been robbed of their money and passport. They need just enough money to get to the nearest American Embassy - and can you please wire them money?

The victims respond to the stress and urgency in the message and act quickly to come to the rescue, only finding out later that they have been scammed.

Usually the person whose email was hacked has no idea any of this is happening. However, in Pastor Ruhlman's case there was an evil twist. Whoever hacked his address book not only sent the Rescue Me message to everyone in his address book, they deleted all his addresses.


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Former Lake Forest Park Water clerk indicted for embezzling

Sunday, March 31, 2013

From the Seattle office of the FBI


The former office manager of the Lake Forest Park Water District is being arraigned today on an indictment charging 15 counts of wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. Jackee Bormann-Zweekhorst, 40, was scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Seattle at 2:30 Friday, March 29, 2013. The indictment alleges that Bormann-Zweekhorst used a variety of schemes to embezzle more than $350,000 from the small water district between 2004 and 2011.

According to the indictment, Bormann-Zweekhorst was responsible for submitting bills to King County for reimbursement from water district funds. Bormann-Zweekhorst was supposed to prepare the vouchers and supporting documents for the water district commissioners to review and approve. The approved vouchers then went to King County for payment. Ms. Bormann-Zweekhorst is alleged to have committed fraud through a variety of means.

On multiple occasions Bormann-Zweekhorst falsified time cards so that her children were paid for work never performed for the water district. The amount of money claimed via the falsified time cards was in excess of $100,000.

The second aspect of the scheme involved the use of the water district credit card. Bormann-Zweekhorstused the card to pay for personal items and then caused the payment of water district funds to pay the bill. Some of the expenses she billed to the water district card included college tuition for her child, hot tub parts and service, boating and automotive equipment, fishing gear, and rental car expenses. The amount of fraud on the water district credit card exceeded $90,000.

The final aspect of fraud was having the water district pay for personal items purchased with her American Express card and for other personal expenses, by claiming the expenses were work-related, when in fact, they were not. Many of the receipts submitted for reimbursement were fabricated to support purchases that never occurred. Bormann-Zweekhorst sought reimbursement for more than $70,000 in personal items and for items never purchased through this aspect of the fraud.

Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Lake Forest Park Police Department. Significant assistance is being provided by the Washington State Auditor’s Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Diggs.


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Former LFP water district employee embezzled over $360,000 from District

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Updated and corrected 02-20-2013 5:02pm

Lake Forest Park Water District offices
Photo courtesy LFP Water

The Washington State Auditor's office has released the results of a two year investigation into suspected fraud and embezzlement by the former office administrator of the Lake Forest Park Water District. (see previous story).

Lake Forest Park Water District is a small District at the north end of Lake Washington in King County, Washington. The District serves about 873 connections with clean, unchlorinated well water from 8 artesian wells and 3 deep wells in a watershed located within the District.

The employee, who has not yet been charged, had worked at the district for half a dozen years, the only full-time office staff. A routine audit in December 2010 quickly uncovered massive irregularities in the bookkeeping. The employee was suspended without pay and a firm of forensic accountants hired to go over the books and overhaul the district's bookkeeping methods.

According to our news partner, The Seattle Times, the two year state audit revealed that the trusted employee had been charging home improvements to the district. She hired her children to do part-time jobs, then inflated the hours and salaries. She had a district cell phone but added a second one and "used 20,000 minutes and 300,000 text messages in two years." In all, she took $350,000 from a district whose annual budget is around $600,000.

After being on unpaid leave for two years during the investigation, she was fired on Tuesday.

The losses are all covered by the state insurance pool and the district will be submitting a claim, now that the audit is complete. According to a statement on the district's website,

"The District has a crime insurance policy as a member of the Water and Sewer Risk Management Pool (WSRMP). The District is in the process of filling a claim through WSRMP, which includes sufficient coverage to protect the District and its ratepayers against losses incurred due to employee dishonesty and crime." 

A new district manager position was created and the operations manager was promoted into the position, effective January 2011. This position will now supervise the bookkeepers and office assistant. The old board included one who had stepped in to finish the term of her husband, who had died. Another board member retired because of ill health, and the third board member died unexpectedly. New board members were appointed and subsequently elected to their positions. 

The accountants cleaned up the bookkeeping and set up reports that balanced against each other and were easier to spot discrepancies. Bookkeeping is now done by an outside firm. Internal controls have been established and two people are required to approve expense vouchers, as well as a Treasurer from the new Board.

The former employee's fate is now in the hands of the Lake Forest Park police and the U.S. Attorney's office.


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Savvy Seniors: Steps to Avoiding Scams

Monday, January 21, 2013



January is Stalking Awareness Month. Not all who stalk intend physical harm. Many stalk in order to steal from older adults.

In November 2012, the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report to Congressional Requesters calling the financial exploitation of seniors “an epidemic with society-wide repercussions.” In 2010 alone, older adults were scammed out of $2.9 billion. 

Once scammed, Seniors often cannot replace lost resources. People have lost their financial ability to remain independent. For some, the losses can be so devastating that there is a rapid decline in health.

The Calvin Presbyterian Church Fitness and Wellness Program is designed to help older adults gain strength, improve balance, and build confidence in order to preserve their independence.

Would you like to learn about the ten most popular scams? We will talk about the eight ways you can protect yourself. Know that you are doing all that is in your power to prevent cyber-stalking.  You will leave knowing exactly what to do if somebody scams you.

If you think you are completely safe, come to hear the wrenching personal story of one family. There will be expert guest speakers from local government, community business, and law enforcement.

Friday, January 25th, 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm 
18826 3rd Ave NW 98177
206-542-6181
$10

Shoreline Councilwoman Doris McConnell will present opening remarks. Free handbook to take home to the first 35 attendees from the National Council on Aging.

For questions, or to volunteer contact Coach Lisa 206-524-6788.

Future Seminars:

  • Feb 22 - Heart Healthy Eating 
  • Mar 22 - Medication Safety Training 
  • Apr 26 - Alcohol Awareness 
  • May 24 - Nordic Walking Clinic



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Watermark Credit Union warns customers of a new scam

Friday, March 2, 2012

Watermark Credit Union, soon to be Sound Credit Union after the merger of the two institutions is complete, reports a new scam.

Some members have reported seeing a pop-up message from Cash Edge when logging into their online banking account requesting users enter in personal information in order to enroll in a risk monitoring service. This message is not from Cash Edge or Watermark Credit Union. You should not enter any personal information if you see this message.

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PSE warns of email scam

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Email Scam Alert

A nationwide phishing scam involves fraudulent emails claiming to be from Puget Sound Energy

Beware of an email scam posing as a billing-notification from PSE.

What to look for

PSE customers should look for a boldfaced message, Refer to attached file, to identify the fraudulent email.
Another clue to identify the fraudulent email is if the message begins with “Dear Customer” rather than the customer’s name.

What to do

You should not click on the link in the email or open any attachments since they may contain a virus and harm your computer.
Delete the email notice immediately.
NOTE: This fraudulent scam does not affect your Puget Sound Energy account, which is secure.
Please call us at 1-888-225-5773 if you have any questions.

See the below example of how a legitimate notification compares to the fraudulent notice.


Authentic PSE email notification example
Authentic PSE eBill Notice

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King County warns of apparent email scam

Friday, December 16, 2011

County’s e-commerce system secure, investigators looking into outside source of bogus emails

King County is warning of an apparent email scam. The county has received calls from people and businesses within and outside of King County, including individuals from other states and countries, who have reported receiving false confirmation of an online property tax payment made through the King County e-commerce system. These emails were not sent by King County, and the county’s e-commerce system has not been compromised.

“It appears that someone copied our standard payment confirmation email and altered the header in the email so that it appears to be from King County,” said County Chief Information Officer Bill Kehoe. “These messages did not come from King County, and the recipients have not made any payments with us.”

Kehoe added that King County’s e-commerce system is safe. 

“We have robust protections on all of our information technology systems. The email addresses did not come from our database. Residents can rest easy, knowing that their personal information is secure.”

King County encourages everyone to practice safe computing habits. If you have not made a King County tax payment via the online system, but received an email notification from KingCountyEcommerce (at) kingcounty.gov, delete it, and do not open any attachments.




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Seattle PI: Police probe alleged theft within Lake Forest Park water district

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

The Seattle PI.com has posted a story about a Lake Forest Park police investigation into possible misuse of funds by an employee of the Lake Forest Park Water District, stretching over a period of a half dozen years.

The District is the oldest water district of the four serving Lake Forest Park and draws its water from artesian wells.  The water is known for its purity and lack of chemicals.

The District completed an audit in December of last year which uncovered financial accounting problems and recommended a complete revision of the bookkeeping and accounting practices. A professional bookkeeping firm was hired and they have been working since to revise procedures, reporting systems, and review processes at the District.

As mentioned in the PI story, any losses would be covered by insurance.



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Beware of the latest internet scam: Help - I'm Stranded

Thursday, June 17, 2010


By Diane Hettrick

I have been using email extensively for fifteen years and subscribe to over 150 mailing lists. Long ago, I developed a nose for scams, phishing, and other nefarious doings online. Even if I were tempted to believe the latest snare, I am protected from being gulled because I usually get at least three versions from three different sources right away.

Otherwise, even I might have fallen for a desperate message from a friend traveling in a foreign country whose wallet and ID had been stolen, who needed emergency funds to get to the nearest embassy for help.

Sometimes the friend needs cash for a plane ticket or to pay the hotel bill. Sometimes it's an acquaintance or someone you know from an organization you both belong to.

Don't fall for it. I don't know the technology involved, but the thieves hack into the victim's computer and hijack their email account along with their address book. The thieves then send the bogus plea for help to everyone in the address book. The victim, who cannot access their email account, has no idea this is happening until someone calls them on the phone or sees them in person.

In the meantime, if you have rushed to the rescue and wired money to the address given, you have just enriched a thief and encouraged them to continue their scheme.

The latest version of the "help I'm stranded" scam actually starts out by saying that their email has been hijacked.

Be cautious of what you read in your email, check out stories at snopes.com, and don't send money until you know where you are sending it and who you are sending it to.


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