Archive for 'Fraud'

Al Gore Calls Opponents ‘Pseudoscientists’; OK, Prove It, Big Guy – Big Government

June 23rd, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

ABC News Al Gore Calls Opponents 'Pseudoscientists'; OK, Prove It, Big Guy Big Government As proven by all of the fraudulent emails AND the Scientists that came out against your Pokie Carbon Credit Ponzi Scheme Scam – PUTZ-HEAD. KNOW THIS RULE OF THUMB: that whatever these A*holes accuse their opponents of, IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE GUILTY OF … Friendly Fire: Goracle Blasts Obama For Not Taking “Bold Action” On Global … Weasel Zippers all 606 news articles

Deneys Reitz | Commodities – The future of spot trading in emissions … – Linex Legal (press release) (registration)

June 20th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

Deneys Reitz | Commodities – The future of spot trading in emissions … Linex Legal (press release) (registration) The impact of this political drive, along with a number of issues concerning VAT fraud , the re-sale of used carbon credits and a phishing scam in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), has increased the focus on the way the carbon …

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Deneys Reitz | Commodities – The future of spot trading in emissions … – Linex Legal (press release) (registration)

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CROOKS STEAL BILLIONS IN TAX PAYMENT SCAM – Express.co.uk

June 4th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams, Scams. No Comments.

CROOKS STEAL BILLIONS IN TAX PAYMENT SCAM Express.co.uk But since the crackdown fraudsters have evolved new ways to cash in on tax rebates and developed new scams , like carbon offsetting and green tax. They export and import carbon credits to claim tax rebates. Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office …

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CROOKS STEAL BILLIONS IN TAX PAYMENT SCAM – Express.co.uk

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Brighton Police Blotter – News 10NBC

May 26th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Money Order Scams. No Comments.

Brighton Police Blotter News 10NBC He then realized this was a fraudulent money order/scam and contacted authorities. He received an email threat telling him that if he didn't do as he was instructed, the FBI was going to be contacted. and more

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Eau Claire woman nabbed in foreign money-order scam – Pioneer Press

May 19th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Money Order Scams. No Comments.

Eau Claire woman nabbed in foreign money-order scam Pioneer Press An Eau Claire woman is accused of working as a conduit for a Nigeria-based scam involving hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fraudulent money orders. The woman, police say, was paid $200 a week for her involvement in the scheme. … and more

Refunds Totaling More Than $11.8 Million to Consumers Defrauded by Q-Ray Bracelet Scam

May 6th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

An administrator working for the Federal Trade Commission is mailing 248,931 refund checks to consumers defrauded by QT Inc., Q-Ray Company, and Bio-Metal, Inc., and their owner, Que Te Park, also known as Andrew Q. Park, who made false and misleading advertising claims that the Q-Ray bracelet provided immediate and significant pain relief and deceptively advertised their refund policy. More than $11.8 million is being returned to people who purchased the Q-Ray bracelet and filed a claim form. Purchasers will receive an average of about $47. Consumers who receive the checks should cash them by mid-June 2011. The FTC never requires consumers to pay money or provide information before redress checks can be cashed. Q-Ray consumers with questions should call the redress administrator, Analytics Inc., at 800-269-0056 or visit the FTC’s Q-Ray bracelet webpage . Source: FTC Federal Trade Commission v. QT, Inc.; Q-Ray, Company; Bio-Metal, Inc.; Que Te Park, also known as Andrew Q. Park; and Jung Joo Park (Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division) .

FTC Sends Refund Checks to Victims of Wal-Mart Shopping Spree Scam

April 29th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

This week, an administrator working for the Federal Trade Commission began mailing checks to more than 172,000 consumers nationwide who were defrauded by a scam in which consumers were falsely promised free gifts such as shopping sprees, movie passes, and gas vouchers and wrongfully paid monthly fees for “program memberships” in discount buying and travel clubs. Consumers who were victims of the “Wal-Mart Shopping Spree” scam will receive a total of more than $3 million in refunds. These are legitimate checks, and the FTC urges consumers to cash them. In this 2008 case, known as Universal Premium Services, Inc. , the court banned Brian K. McGregor, the architect of the scheme, from telemarketing and selling program memberships. McGregor and Membership Services Direct, Inc., also known as Continuity Partners, Inc., were ordered to pay $28.2 million. The amount of money consumers receive from the redress administrator will vary, depending on how much they lost in the scam. The average check will be for about $18 per consumer. The redress administrator will mail checks directly to eligible consumers. The refund checks must be cashed within 60 days of receipt, or they will become void. Consumers should call 1-866-783-5589 with any questions or click on the Internet link here . The FTC never requires the payment of money up front, or the provision of additional information, before consumers cash refund checks issued to them. Source: FTC Federal Trade Commission, Plaintiff, v. UNIVERSAL PREMIUM SERVICES, INC., a California corporation (also known as Premier Benefits Inc.); CONSUMER REWARD NETWORK , INC., a California corporation; STAR COMMUNICATIONS LLC, a California limited liability company; MEMBERSHIP SERVICES DIRECT, INC., a Nevada corporation (also known as Continuity Partners, Inc.); CONNECT2USA, INC., a Nevada corporation; BRIAN K. MACGREGOR; HARIJINDER SIDHU; JOSEPH F. LAROSA, JR.; PRANOT SANGPRASIT; WILLIAM THOMAS HEICHERT; MICHAEL HOWARD CUSHING; PAUL P. TOSI.; MANH D. CAO; Midwest Properties, Inc. and Christine MacGregor, Defendants. (United States District Court Central District of California) Civil Action No.: CV06 0849; FTC Matter No.: 052 3153

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FTC Sends Refund Checks to Victims of Wal-Mart Shopping Spree Scam

Emission allowances: spotlight on spot trading – Lexology (registration)

April 27th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

Emission allowances: spotlight on spot trading Lexology (registration) In the past, the EU ETS has been subject to VAT fraud, the re-sale of used carbon credits , and a phishing scam . In March 2010, trading was suspended following concerns about Hungarian registered CERs (see our e-bulletin dated 20 April 2010). …

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Emission allowances: spotlight on spot trading – Lexology (registration)

$70 million credit union collapse shakes Croatian community of Northeast Ohio – Plain Dealer (blog)

April 24th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

Plain Dealer (blog) $70 million credit union collapse shakes Croatian community of Northeast Ohio Plain Dealer (blog) Nikolovski and Raguz repeated the scam again and again, investigators said. And in one year — 2003 — Raguz, Nikolovski and other friends and family defrauded the credit union out of more than $2 million. By the time regulators discovered the fraud, … and more

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An honest green tax – Toronto Sun

April 24th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

An honest green tax Toronto Sun Cap-and-trade — which Europe's had since 2005 — is a scam . It hasn't lowered emissions — it raised them — and it's riddled with corruption and multi-billion-dollar frauds. It has hit European consumers with higher energy and retail prices, …

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An honest green tax – Toronto Sun

Maker of Rascal Scooters to Pay $100,000 for Violating Do Not Call Law

April 21st, 2011. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

Called Consumers on Registry Using Phone Numbers Gathered From Sweepstakes Entry Forms The manufacturer of Rascal Scooters, used by disabled and senior consumers with limited mobility, will pay $100,000 to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it illegally called millions of consumers who had chosen to avoid unwanted telemarketing calls by listing their phone numbers on the national Do Not Call Registry. The FTC alleges the firm illegally used phone numbers gathered from sweepstakes entry forms to contact consumers whose numbers are on the Registry. The FTC’s complaint charges scooter manufacturer Electric Mobility Corporation and its owner Michael Flowers with making more than three million illegal sales calls since 2003 to consumers on the Do Not Call Registry who had entered the company’s “Win a Free Rascal” sweepstakes. According to the FTC, in small print under the part of the sweepstakes form provided for the entrant’s phone number, EMC reminded consumers to list their numbers so the company could contact them if they were “the next lucky winner.” EMC encourages consumers to enter its sweepstakes through direct mailing, newspapers, and television advertisements. The FTC charged that its conduct violated both the FTC Act and the Do Not Call provisions of the Telemarketing Sales Rule. The FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule allows a company to call a consumer on the Do Not Call Registry for up to 18 months if it has an “established business relationship” with the consumer and he or she has not asked the firm to stop calling. However, under the Rule, a company may not rely on a completed sweepstakes entry form to establish a business relationship with a consumer. In fact, the FTC consistently has said that simply obtaining a consumer’s phone number – as EMC did with its sweepstakes – does not establish a relationship that would exempt it from the Do Not Call rules. The order settling the FTC’s charges bars EMC from using sweepstakes entries as the basis for claiming an established business relationship with any consumer. The order also includes monitoring and reporting requirements to ensure that EMC complies with its terms. In addition, the order imposes civil penalties against both EMC and Flowers for their alleged violation of the FTC Act. Flowers will pay $100,000, and EMC is subject to a $2 million penalty, which is suspended based on its inability to pay. If EMC is found to have misrepresented its financial condition, the full penalty will become due immediately. Source: FTC United States of America, Plaintiff, v. Electric Mobility Corporation, doing business as Rascal Scooters, and Michael J. Flowers, individually and as an officer of Electric Mobility Corporation, Defendants (United States District Court for the District of New Jersey) Case No. 1:11-cv-02218-RMB-KMW

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Maker of Rascal Scooters to Pay $100,000 for Violating Do Not Call Law

Regulators Seeks to Halt 10 Operators of Fake News Sites from Making Deceptive Claims About Acai Berry Weight Loss Products

April 19th, 2011. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

The Federal Trade Commission is requesting federal courts to temporarily halt the allegedly deceptive tactics of 10 operations using fake news websites to market acai berry weight-loss products.

Judge Issues Huge Smackdown on Debt Collectors and Industry for Harassing Consumers on Facebook and Social Media

April 18th, 2011. Published under Business Scams, Fraud. No Comments.

This should be a warning to every debt collection company in the United States that do not reign in collectors that break the law to make a quick commission. Legal precedence and decisions such as this will cost your companies mega-bucks. Personally I hope debt collectors do continue to harass consumers this way, so that the consumers can sue the pants of of the idiots and put money in their pockets for enduring the abuse. I like getting paid for debt collectors breaking the law. I’ve made more suing devious debt collectors than they ever have from me, and as long as they flaunt the law consumers can and will get paid for the harassment. A debt collection company operating in Jacksonville Florida, MarkOne financial, has (probably fired by now)

Your Tax Dollars at Work–TSA Caught Fondling 6 Year Old Little Girl

April 13th, 2011. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

For me this is the last straw. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has gone too far and I dare them, the department of homeland security or anyone else to stifle my thoughts and opinions of this outrage. I have a daughter. While she is an adult now if what I am about to share had happened to her, I would not have stood by and let it happen. I am a real guy and it takes a lot to affect me emotionally, what the TSA did to a six year old little girl has me choked up and almost to the point of tears. The more I think about the incident the angrier I get. FACT: The TSA has not to date ever stopped a terrorist action. Yet the continue to harass and embarrass U.S. citizens without any probable cause. Children being are being groped, breast cancer survivors are being subjected to routines normally reserved for criminals. Guess what… Your hard earned tax dollars are being spent on this useless arbitrage against citizens of this country. Call your congresspersons and other leaders and demand that the Transportation and their porno-scanners be abolished. You can bet as long as there is breath in my body I will campaign to end the TSA’s activities.

Oil and Gasoline Market Manipulators, Beware the FTC and CFTC Are Coming For You

April 12th, 2011. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

As part of their ongoing efforts to keep markets that they oversee open and fair for American consumers, the Federal Trade Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) today announced that they signed an agreement to foster further cooperation between the two agencies by helping them share nonpublic information. The FTC and CFTC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will facilitate sharing of non-public information on investigations being conducted by the agencies, including investigations into the oil and gasoline markets. The agreement will help the FTC enforce its petroleum market manipulation rule , which prohibits fraudulent manipulation of U.S. petroleum markets. Information-sharing also will help the CFTC in exercising its authority to pursue manipulation in the oil markets. “It is important for regulators to share information to be able to pursue market manipulation wherever it arises,” CFTC Chairman Gary Gensler said. “I thank Chairman Leibowitz and the staff of the FTC for their work on this MOU and look forward to partnering with them in ensuring the integrity of the oil markets.” “With gasoline prices on the rise, we are committed to doing all we can to ensure that petroleum markets are competitive,” said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. “Competition works to keep prices lower, and this MOU improves the ability of the FTC and CFTC to take action if and when we find market manipulation. I’d like to thank our CFTC partners for helping to improve the already excellent communication between our two agencies.” Both the FTC and CFTC have authorities to take legal action to stop fraud-based manipulation of the petroleum markets. In addition, the CFTC has exclusive jurisdiction to regulate exchanges, clearing organizations and intermediaries in the U.S. futures industry. The MOU will further facilitate information sharing between the FTC and CFTC on regulatory issues of common interest, such as manipulation of oil and gasoline markets. At the same time, the agreement states that the FTC and CFTC take all necessary steps to ensure that the confidentiality of this nonpublic information is maintained. It also provides that the agreement does not modify the agencies’ current abilities, responsibilities, or obligations to comply with existing laws or regulations, including the FTC’s confidentiality obligations under the premerger laws. Both the FTC and the CFTC votes were unanimous in approving the MOU. It became effective when it was signed, and will remain in effect until it is terminated by either the FTC or CFTC. The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them.

Regulators Collect $2.2 Million from Kirkland Young LLC, Bans them From Mortgage Relief Business

April 11th, 2011. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

Under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, two companies and three individuals are banned from the mortgage relief services business and must relinquish $2.2 million in assets for consumer refunds. The action is part of the FTC’s ongoing effort to stop scams that target financially strapped homeowners seeking mortgage relief. In November 2009, the FTC alleged that Kirkland Young LLC and its manager, David Botton, misrepresented themselves as consumer mortgage lenders, servicers, or their affiliates, and falsely promised they would modify consumers’ loans and make their mortgage payments more affordable. The court halted the operations and froze the defendants’ assets pending resolution of the case. The following month, the FTC added Botton’s sister, April Botton Krawiecki; their father, Samy Botton; and Attorney Aid LLC as defendants. In addition to banning the defendants from selling mortgage relief services, the settlement announced today permanently prohibits them from misleading consumers about financial-related goods and services, such as misrepresenting loan or refund terms, affiliation with any person or government entity, and the ability to improve someone’s credit history. The settlement bars the defendants from selling or otherwise disclosing customers’ personal information, enforcing contracts with mortgage relief clients, and violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule. The settlement imposes a $6.1 million judgment that will be suspended when Samy Botton has paid $300,000; David Botton has surrendered certain assets, including a condo, a car, and a boat; April Botton Krawiecki has surrendered a condo; and Kirkland Young LLC and Attorney Aid LLC have surrendered all of their assets, worth $2.2 million. The FTC recently issued the Mortgage Assistance Relief Services Rule , which bans providers of mortgage foreclosure rescue and loan modification services from collecting fees until homeowners have a written offer from their lender or servicer that they decide is acceptable. Because the defendants’ claims predated the Rule, the FTC did not allege any violations of the Rule in this case. The Commission vote approving the proposed consent order was 5-0. It is subject to court approval. The FTC filed the proposed consent order in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The FTC acknowledges the assistance of the Offices of Attorney General in Florida and Ohio in this matter. Click here for facts about how consumers can help save their home from foreclosure and avoid scams. Source: FTC Federal Trade Commission v. Kirkland Young, LLC, a limited liability company, David Botton, individually and as a manager of Kirkland Young, LLC. (United States District Court Southern District of Florida) Civil Action No. 09-CV-23507 FTC File No. 092 3162

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Regulators Collect $2.2 Million from Kirkland Young LLC, Bans them From Mortgage Relief Business

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Discussion on Harbin Electric’s Buyout Offer – GuruFocus.com

April 4th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

Discussion on Harbin Electric's Buyout Offer GuruFocus.com I am long and believe me, I do not like to invest in a scam or fraud. I would like to base my analysis on facts, not on rumors, distortion, ignorance, and worst yet, liars. I may disagree with Mr. Bird on basing the investment worthiness entirely on … and more

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Depressed Job Market, Fraud and Peter Schiff’s Unemployment Plan!

April 1st, 2011. Published under Fraud, Unemployment. No Comments.

Video about the depressed job market in Flint, MI, desperate people defrauding the government, Peter Schiff’s plan for unemployment insurance and joblessness in America. Read more at… demcad.blogspot.com

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Depressed Job Market, Fraud and Peter Schiff’s Unemployment Plan!

Why It’s Too Darn Hot – The Moral Liberal

March 29th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

The Moral Liberal Why It's Too Darn Hot The Moral Liberal There are rumors that the Senate will attempt to take up yet another version of the Cap-and-Trade bill passed in the House during a lame duck session. Based on the bogus global warming, it is a total fraud, a scheme to sell “carbon credits” and make a … and more

Two More Consumers Fend Off Debt Collectors in Court and Win with “THE BOOK”

March 22nd, 2011. Published under Business Scams, Fraud. No Comments.

I do love hearing that readers of the Stick it to Sue Happy Debt Collectors Book are fighting back against frivolous debt collection lawsuits and winning. Consumers that cannot afford and attorney can defend themselves in court again debt collectors and leave triumphant. Below are portions of emails that I received today from readers. I am so glad that I can empower people and enjoy their victories nearly as much as they d0.

Make a Donation to the GO SOLAR BABY! Project and Get Six Books FREE

March 22nd, 2011. Published under Fraud. No Comments.

I am Allen Harkleroad and I help consumers, a lot. Of course, I perform other daily tasks to pay the bills, but mostly I help consumers. Along with helping people there are bills to pay. My company owns and operates its own network and well the electricity costs are often outrageous. In the summer time our electric bill runs between $600.00 and $900.00 a month. It is by far the biggest expense we have. I put about ninety percent of the companies earnings right back into the company. This allows me to reach consumers and have time to share what I learn and discover through our online publications, blogs and various social media channels. The “Go Solar Baby!” project is a way for us to reduce costs by going 100% solar, at least during the day. I’ve looked into the costs of building a roof-top solar array and it isn’t cheap. The way things are going right now we would probably never be able to afford to reduce our dependence on the electric company. I am soliciting donations to help us to buy the equipment and the associated costs for our solar project. While the donations aren’t tax deductible I am giving away my four books and two of my guides with every $10.00 or higher donation received. The books are the PDF versions of my paperback releases and PDF versions of my eBook guides. I encourage you to make a donation to my the Go Solar Baby! project and in turn receive copies of my books. If you were to buy the print versions of just three of my books it would run you about $95.00. Anyone that makes a $100.00 or more donation, I will put their name (or company name) and a link to a personal or business site on the GO SOLAR BABY! project website ( www.gosolarbaby.com ). Look at what you get with your donation ($95.00 value for FREE) Stick it to Sue Happy Debt Collectors PDF version The Care and Feeding of a Sucks.com PDF version Confidential SEO Secrets PDF version Best of Designer Today Photoshop Lessons PDF version Guerrilla Guide for Dealing with Bad Companies eBook Guide Quick and Dirty Self Publishing Guide eBook Guide If you would like to donate more than $10.00 simply add to the quantity desired. Each quantity increase adds $10.00 to the total. You can donate as much as you feel comfortable with. You can make a donation of $10.00 or more at my companies store . We accept Visa, MasterCard and PayPal. Once you donate you can instantly download (Visa/MasterCard donations) the books from the store, PayPal donations are manually activated for download. As you can see I am not asking for a handout to build my solar project dream, you will receive the knowledge I share with others. I appreciate your time in coming here, reading my story and considering a donation. Kindest Regards, Allen Donations Page at our store Go Solar Baby! Project website

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Make a Donation to the GO SOLAR BABY! Project and Get Six Books FREE

Audio of West Asset Management Debt Collector Abusing Consumer – West Asset Management Fined 2.8 Million

March 21st, 2011. Published under Business Scams, Fraud. No Comments.

Debt Collector West Asset Management to Pay a Record 2.8 Million for Abusing Consumers

March 16th, 2011. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

A leading debt collection company has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $2.8 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that its aggressive collection techniques violated federal law. As part of its efforts to protect consumers affected by the struggling economy, the FTC alleged that West Asset Management, Inc. violated the FTC Act and Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. According to the FTC’s complaint , thousands of consumer complaints have been filed against West Asset Management Inc., which employs 1,500 debt collectors in 13 states and one offshore location. West Asset Management debt collectors allegedly violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act by calling consumers multiple times each day, often regarding accounts that did not belong to them, and sometimes using rude and abusive language. The FTC further charged that West Asset Management also illegally disclosed the existence of consumers’ debts to third parties and ignored consumers’ written demands that West Asset Management stop calling them. The company also allegedly withdrew funds from consumers’ bank accounts or charged their credit cards without consent and falsely claimed that consumers would be sued, arrested, or have their property seized for nonpayment of their debt. In addition, the FTC alleged that West Asset Management falsely claimed that partial payments would be accepted as full settlement on accounts and that negative information would stay on consumers’ credit reports until debts were paid. According to the complaint, West Asset Management has collected on more than 24 million accounts on behalf of clients in the healthcare, telecommunications, consumer credit, and government service industries. The settlement imposes a $2.8 million civil penalty, which is the largest civil penalty obtained by the FTC in a debt collection case. The settlement order permanently prohibits West Asset from using false, deceptive or unfair debt collection tactics, including: Misrepresenting itself as a law firm or that its collectors are attorneys; Misrepresenting that debtors will be arrested or have their property seized if they don’t pay; Threatening actions that would be illegal, or actions that the company has no intention of taking; Making false statements to collect a debt or obtain information about a consumer; Withdrawing funds from consumers’ bank accounts or charging their credit cards without their consent; Depositing postdated checks before the date on the check, or threatening to do so; Revealing to third parties that a consumer owes a debt; Asking a third party for a consumer’s location information more than once without the third party’s consent or a reasonable belief that the person’s earlier response was wrong or incomplete and that the person now has correct location information; Calling consumers before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., or at their workplace; Communicating with a consumer after receiving written notice that the consumer refuses to pay or wants the collector to stop calling; and Using obscene or profane language, or harassing consumers with repeated phone calls. Source: FTC United States of America, Plaintiff, v. West Asset Management, Inc., Defendant (United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia) Case No. 1:11-cv-0746 File No. 0723006

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Regulators Recover Additional $2.1 Million for Consumers Defrauded by AmeriDebt Scam

March 15th, 2011. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

On March 9, an administrator working for the Federal Trade Commission mailed 78,552 refund checks to consumers defrauded by a credit counseling/debt management scam run by Andris Pukke and his companies, AmeriDebt, Inc. and DebtWorks, Inc. The FTC alleged that the defendants deceived consumers about the fees for debt management plans and misrepresented that AmeriDebt was a non-profit, in addition to making false promises to teach consumers how to handle their credit and finances. The FTC previously returned almost $13 million to consumers in this scam. The distribution of more than $2.1 million announced today is the result of additional funds collected from the defendants, and the amount of each check will vary based upon the amount of each consumer’s loss. Consumers who receive the checks should cash them by May 9, 2011. The FTC never requires consumers to pay money or provide information before redress checks may be cashed. Consumer victims who have not previously filed a complaint with the FTC may still do so. AmeriDebt consumers with questions should call the redress administrator, Gilardi & Co., LLC , at 888-309-3816 or visit www.ftc.gov/ameridebt . Source: FTC Federal Trade Commission v. AmeriDebt, Inc., DebtWorks, Inc., Andris Pukke, and Pamela Pukke, also known as Pamela Shuster (District of Maryland) Civil Action No.: PJM 03-3317; FTC File No. X040009 RELATED STORIES Regulator Puts an End to Chikita’s Tactics of Online Advertising That Deceived Consumers American Express Bank Violating the Credit Repair Organizations Act Using a Debt Collection Letter? Regulator Steps Up Efforts Against Scams That Target Financially-Strapped Consumers Debt Collector Portfolio Recovery Associates Sending out Bogus IRS 1099-C’s to Consumers Again?

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Regulators Recover Additional $2.1 Million for Consumers Defrauded by AmeriDebt Scam

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Q&A: KC Chakrabarty, deputy governor of RBI – Business Standard

March 15th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

Business Standard Q&A: KC Chakrabarty, deputy governor of RBI Business Standard Some recent developments, like the loan-for-bribe scam or the fraud that happened at a branch of a foreign bank, point to lack of proper risk management practices in banks. Do you think that banks have to re-look at the risk management practices? … and more

Guerrilla Guide for Dealing with Bad Companies – Consumer EECB’s and other Fun and Rewarding Tactics

March 12th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

The Guerrilla guide for dealing with bad companies – consumer EECB’s and other fun and rewarding tactics is a concise and definitive guide on how to get bad companies to do the right thing. I like to think of myself as a laid-back, easygoing person. There are few things in life that get my dander up, bad companies that ignore me as a consumer is at the top of the list. Like me, you probably have bought a product or service that did not live up to expectations, or was broken quickly. Most companies will give you a hand and take care of the problem, sometimes even out of warranty. However, there are many companies, large and small, that believe the customer relationship ends after the sale and drag their feet or ignore consumer’s complaints afterwards. This guide shows you how to get satisfaction when all else fails. Available on Kindle and Nook Readers and instant download PDF

Is American Express Violating the Credit Repair Organizations Act Using A Debt Collection Letter?

March 8th, 2011. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

Last month I received and unusual letter from American Express Centurion Bank offering me a chance to repair my credit, by them offering a credit card, if I pay an alleged debt. I do believe this “offer” is an unfair and deceptive act that may violate the Credit Repair Organizations Act by promising to improve my credit. The letter gets even funnier, further down in the letter they use a carefully worded phrase (after offering me a new credit card) that states, “After you pay your balance in full we will send you a pre-qualified application for a new Optima card”.

Quick and Dirty Self Publishing Guide for Print Publishing eBook Available in PDF, Kindle, Nook and ePub formats

March 6th, 2011. Published under Fraud. No Comments.

The Quick and Dirty Self Publishing Guide for Print Publishing is a concise definitive guide to publishing your book easily and affordably. The author Allen Harkleroad has self published four print books to date and is in the processing of writing and publishing two more. The author, Allen Harkleroad, has extensive knowledge of print publishing while working for a print magazine publisher in years past and publishing Designer Today Magazine (www.designertoday.com) since 1998. To date Allen has self-published four titles in print and is in the process of finishing and publishing two more books. It is easy to self-publish without unnecessary costs. The Quick and Dirty Self Publishing guide will put you on the right path in less time

Ghana man busted for fraud – GhanaWeb

March 1st, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

Ghana man busted for fraud GhanaWeb The United Parcel Service notified US Postal Service inspectors that a home on Carbon Street in Syracuse had received numerous packages addressed to various names, and had reshipped the packages to the Toronto, Canada area. … Too many shipments in too many many lead to charges against Ghana man Syracuse.com all 2 news articles

Too many shipments in too many many lead to charges against Ghana man – Syracuse.com

March 1st, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

Too many shipments in too many many lead to charges against Ghana man Syracuse.com Syracuse, NY — Suspicions about too many packages being sent to and from a Syracuse address, tipped off federal and Syracuse officials to a scam that lead to fraud charges against Ghana man. … and more

Theft of EU ETS allowances – Lexology (registration)

March 1st, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

Theft of EU ETS allowances Lexology (registration) In the past, the EU ETS has been subject to a multi-billion VAT fraud, the re-sale of used carbon credits , and a phishing scam . In March 2010, trading was briefly suspended following concerns about Hungarian registered CERs (our e-bulletin dated 20 …

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Theft of EU ETS allowances – Lexology (registration)

Been Sued by Debt Collector Midland Funding LLC? You May Can Get Paid for Your Troubles

February 21st, 2011. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

Encore Capital Group Inc (ECPG) that owns and operates Midland Funding LLC a junk debt buyer and collection company. In consumer advocacy and protection groups, Midland Funding is well known for aggressive collection tactics such as filing lawsuits against alleged debtors. In many cases the use of an affidavit of debt or account were submitted as evidence supporting Midland Funding’s complaints. The problem is that these ‘affidavits’ may have been flawed or false documents submitted before the court. Encore Capital Group has just recently agreed to settle all pending class-action lawsuits that allege the company used false or phony affidavits in lawsuits filed against consumers. “In the most prominent case, an Ohio federal judge ruled in 2009 that Encore violated federal and state laws by trying to collect credit-card debt using a fake affidavit. Encore disclosed its settlement of the Ohio suit on Monday in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Some regulators and judges have complained that documents submitted to courts by debt collectors as proof of what a borrower owes frequently are sloppy or fraudulent. The accounts bought by debt-collection firms often lack information about the underlying debts, such as contracts or payment histories, according to judges who rule on collection cases. “ ~ MarketWatch In addition, the Texas Attorney General recently ordered Encore Capital to produce documents in an ongoing investigation of the company and its subsidiaries, and its methods of collecting debts. What this means for individuals sued by Midland Funding? It means that consumers may have an option to reopen a case that Midland Funding brought against them and have it dismissed for possible perjury or fraud upon the court. This also means that any default judgment obtained or garnishment orders could be dismissed as well. I suggest that if you have been sued or in the process of being sued you may want to contact a consumer protection attorney or even proceed as a pro se litigant and look into have judgments overturned. While I am not an attorney, Encores business practices of using falsified affidavits may also run afoul of the Fair Debt Collection Practices (Act) for use of false or misleading means to collect a debt. Whatever the case may be, consumers sued by Midland Funding now have a tool in which to have judgments or garnishments overturned and quite possibly a strong FDCPA case against Midland Funding LLC.

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How to Send Shivers down Debt Collection Attorney’s Spines

February 18th, 2011. Published under Business Scams, Fraud. No Comments.

In upwards of ninety-five percent of debt collection lawsuits the plaintiff and legal counsel cannot prove a debt is owed. This is even truer when it comes to debt lawsuits brought by junk debt collection companies and their collection attorneys. Most consumers are not aware that filing suit on anything, including civil debt actions, are frivolous without proper proof. If you are being sued or have won a dismissal over a credit card or other debt lawsuit, petition or ask the judge to impose sanctions against the opposing counsel for bring a frivolous action before the court. In addition, I suggest that an ethics complaint be filed with your state’s Bar Association against the attorney. Since the collection industry is flooding the legal system with debt lawsuits, many of which are questionable to begin with, it falls on the consumers to put the courts and attorneys on notice for frivolous actions. A judge, in most cases, will not impose sanctions unless requested by the defendant or the defendant’s attorney. When more consumers do request sanctions for frivolous civil actions, collection attorneys will be a bit more “gun shy” about filing baseless lawsuits. Each time an attorney is sanctioned for such, it not only helps the consumer but other consumers as well. The primary problem though, is that only one in ten consumer’s respond to debt lawsuits, which means the law firm or collection agency does not have to prove anything. Until such time that Federal and State laws are strengthened to force debt buyers and their attorneys to show proof at the time of filing litigation, we all must push back with every legal means at our disposal. Remember nine and half out of ten times a debt lawsuit is baseless. It is time to start sending shivers down debt collection attorney’s spines and start

Capturing carbon market fraudsters – Business Spectator

February 16th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

Capturing carbon market fraudsters Business Spectator In basic terms, Europe's cap-and-trade market sets an overall limit for emissions and then forces polluting companies to buy allowances to cover their excess. More efficient ones can sell unused allowances for cash or save them for the future. …

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Capturing carbon market fraudsters – Business Spectator

Carbon trading’s credibility goes up in smoke of fraud – Financial Times

February 14th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

Carbon trading's credibility goes up in smoke of fraud Financial Times In basic terms, Europe's cap-and-trade market sets an overall limit for emissions and then forces polluting companies to buy allowances to cover their … and more

Review: Accounting For Dummies

February 12th, 2011. Published under Economic News, Fraud. No Comments.

The Lowest Price we could find is $21.99

Is China Media Express A Fraud? (CCME) – San Francisco Chronicle

February 7th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

Is China Media Express A Fraud? (CCME) San Francisco Chronicle I do not know if AUTC is a scam . But within one day, the company's CEO issued a point by point rebuttal of the claims made in the blog posting. … and more

Debt Collector Portfolio Recovery Associates Sending out Bogus IRS 1099-C’s to Consumers Again?

February 5th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

According to Budd Hibbs, a well-known consumer advocate, Junk debt buyer and debt collection company Portfolio Recovery Associates are sending out IRS form 1099-C’s to consumers. The problem is that Portfolio Recovery Associates (and other junk debt buyers) purchase old debts for a couple of pennies per dollar and then attempt to collect the full face value of the debt, even though they paid much less than face value. In my opinion if Portfolio Recovery is sending 1099-C’s to consumers claiming the full face value of a debt, they may be committing fraud on the consumers involved as well as committing fraud on the Internal Revenue Service. In effect they are writing off the full amount of the ‘forgiven’ debt’ and in reality only paid a small amount for the debt. Two years ago, we went to a Washington Post reporter who contacted the IRS regarding this matter. PRA must be able to produce some type of valid documents that make their claims credible, however based on their record of accomplishment; they likely have little or nothing to back up their claim. We contacted many attorneys and officials about this, we can expect that the Consumer Protection Financial Protection Board currently being set by Professor Elizabeth Warren will finally address the abuse and force PRA to comply with the law. Demand they send you documents that prove their claim or copies of accounts, signatures, goods provided, services rendered and all other information that connects your social security to their alleged loss. IMPORTANT: Once a 1099-C is issued, the law mandates that the debt can no longer be collected. This includes PRA selling it off to another vulture. They MUST show a zero balance on your credit report and are prohibited from extending the seven-year reporting statute. PRA cannot call you or send collection notices after a 1099-C has been issued. ~ Collectors Exposed I can’t for the life of me figure out why the IRS, or the Federal Trade Commission for that matter, allows junk debt buyers to get away with cheating the US government out of taxes that they write off and end up not paying in real taxes. It really does make me wonder about the entire debt collection industry in general. I guess if they have no fear of cheating consumers then they have no fear of cheating our government either. For the full excerpt on Portfolio Recovery Associates and “Bogus” 1099-C mailing click here .

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China RTO Pump-and-Dump Scam Alleged – TheStreet.com

February 4th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

China RTO Pump-and-Dump Scam Alleged TheStreet.com NEW YORK (TheStreet) — As more and more Chinese small- cap companies come under attack as fraudulent, …

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Consumer Beats Debt Collectors Zwicker and Citibank in Court with the ‘Stick It’ Book

February 2nd, 2011. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

Once again, justice is served for consumers. As I have often stated, most debt collection attorney’s, debt collectors, and junk debt buyers don’t have the proof that is needed to prove a consumer owes a debt. They still file frivolous lawsuits even they don’t have proper proof in the hopes of scaring a consumer into paying or that they are able to obtain a summary or default judgment. The biggest problem is that consumers are not aware of or are afraid of debt lawsuits and collectors. In as high as ninety percent of the cases get a judgment because the consumer did not respond or fight back and the plaintiffs were awarded a judgment. Just this morning I received an email from a read of ‘Stick it to Sue Happy Debt Collectors’ and he said: “I bought your book a few months ago and used the information to fight Zwicker and Associates who was representing Citibank. Today I received a call from a representative at the law firm telling me that they have voluntarily dismissed the case! Thank you for the book and all your help.” ~ J Wright I tell countless consumers every day that in nearly ninety-five of debt lawsuits the plaintiff doesn’t have sufficient proof to get a judgment and that by fighting back (as outlined in my book) and a consumer can win against debt collectors. I receive emails every week from happy and relieved consumers that did fight back using the book and won. The tactics that I use to put debt collectors in place (in court) and the countless consumers I have helped with the book

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European Emissions Markets to Reopen Gradually – Wall Street Journal

February 1st, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

European Emissions Markets to Reopen Gradually Wall Street Journal “We suspect that the persons behind those attacks are linked to some of those who earlier have used the trading system for carbon – credit fraud, although the … and more

EU Carbon Fraud: Could It Happen Here? – The Daily Score

February 1st, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

EU Carbon Fraud: Could It Happen Here? The Daily Score Europe's ETS cap-and-trade system has taken a somewhat undeserved drubbing in the press. Overall, it has functioned reliably and reasonably efficiently. …

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EU Carbon Fraud: Could It Happen Here? – The Daily Score

Carbon Retirement’s Jane Burston on the implications of carbon fraud on … – Greenwise Business

January 26th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

The Guardian Carbon Retirement's Jane Burston on the implications of carbon fraud on … Greenwise Business Every few months we hear of a new scam , form the Pope being sold dodgy forest offsets to the large scale tax fraud on carbon credits that led to VAT being … Europe votes to ban industrial gas credits EurActiv Herbert Smith LLP > Theft of EU ETS allowances (26 January 2011) Linex Legal (press release) (registration) all 89 news articles

Self-Publishing – Glad I Didn’t Join Borders Get Published Bookbrewer – They Can’t Pay Publishers

January 22nd, 2011. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

I am self-published and my books can be found at most online bookstores and even in some ‘brick-and-mortar’ bookstores. I also sell my own eBook formats in my company’s store. When Borders announced their ‘Get Published powered by BookBrewer’, I was initially excited, as I wanted my books in the Borders online bookstore. I was initially turned off by the cost of $89.00 to publish an eBook (no print publishing offered). Other eBook retailers such as Amazon, Kobo, LuLu, Barnes & Noble and Smashwords do not charge anything to set up a book or for expanded distribution. If the $89.00 went towards paperback print publication, I might consider such a service. By the way, I use CreateSpace for print publishing, much cheaper and more flexibility, and higher royalty revenues. I received several emails late last year from Borders regarding their eBook publishing. However, the price kept me from exploring their service. I am glad now though that I did hesitate.

EU carbon credit theft encourages tighter control – Marketplace

January 21st, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

Marketplace EU carbon credit theft encourages tighter control Marketplace The market in carbon permits has already been plagued by fraud. The latest scam is a further blow to its credibility. In London this is Stephen Beard for …

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EU carbon credit theft encourages tighter control – Marketplace

Settlement Bans The Hermosa Group and Financial Future Network from Debt Relief Business

January 20th, 2011. Published under Business Scams, Fraud. No Comments.

Three companies and their owner, who allegedly falsely claimed they could help consumers quickly eliminate their credit card debts and stop calls from debt collectors, have been banned from the debt relief business under a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission. According to the FTC’s complaint, the defendants, doing business as The Hermosa Group and Financial Future Network, deceptively advertised debt relief services, in English and Spanish radio and television ads, claiming that consumers could pay thousands less than what they owe on credit cards. The defendants themselves did not provide any debt relief services. Instead, the advertising was meant only to generate sales leads – the names and phone numbers of consumers who called the defendants’ toll-free number – which the defendants sold to debt relief providers or other sales lead generators. The defendants’s ads included sales pitches such as: “With one simple call you can eliminate your debt in a fraction of the time and for less than you owe.” “Find out today how quickly and easily you can eliminate your debt.” “Stop the harassing calls!” The FTC alleges that the defendants’ claims that they could reduce debts substantially, settle debts quickly, and stop calls from debt collectors, were false or unsubstantiated, and that the defendants did not obtain adequate evidence from sales lead buyers that they could achieve the promised results. The complaint also alleges that the defendants falsely claimed they provided the debt relief services they advertised. The defendants are Jonathan Greenberg, Hermosa Group LLC, Media Innovations LLC, and Financial Future Network LLC. The settlement order imposes a $8.5 million judgment that will be suspended when the defendants pay $500,000. The full judgment will be imposed immediately if they have misrepresented their financial condition. In addition to banning the defendants from the debt relief business, the settlement order prohibits them from making unsubstantiated claims about financial related products or services, or misrepresenting material facts about any product or service. The order also prohibits them from disclosing or otherwise benefitting from customers’ personal information, and failing to dispose of this information properly. The FTC recently amended its Telemarketing Sales Rule to require debt relief companies to make certain disclosures and prohibit them from making false claims or collecting fees before delivering the services they promise. Because the defendants’ ads predated these amendments, the FTC did not allege any violations of the Rule in this case. Source: FTC Federal Trade Commission, Plaintiff v. Media Innovations, LLC; Hermosa Group, LLC; Financial Future Network, LLC; and Jonathan Greenberg, individually and as an officer of the companies, Defendants. (United States District Court for the District of Maryland) Case No. 8:11-cv-00164-RWT FTC File No.

Carbon Credit market shut down – The Economic Voice

January 20th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

The Economic Voice Carbon Credit market shut down The Economic Voice The European Commission has been on at individual countries to update and strengthen their ETS security procedures in the wake of VAT fraud, a phishing scam … and more

In pursuit of 475500 stolen European Union Allowances – FT Alphaville (blog)

January 20th, 2011. Published under Fraud, Political Scams. No Comments.

In pursuit of 475500 stolen European Union Allowances FT Alphaville (blog) Others have included VAT fraud, a phishing scam and even the re-sale of used carbon credits . The competent registration of units, though, is especially … National carbon accounts shut in 5 EU states Gulf Times EU carbon market to reopen step by step after theft Reuters EU carbon market to reopen step by step after theft IBNLive.com all 49 news articles

Seriously Who In Their Right Mind Would Buy a Windows 7 Phone?

January 18th, 2011. Published under Business Scams, Fraud, Scams. No Comments.

Over the years I have quite a bit of experience with Windows on computers and mobile devices. Nearly everyday I deal with hacked / Infected Windows machines. I constantly ask myself why in the world would anyone buy a Windows based phone. Microsoft seems to believe that Windows is a one-size fits all operating system. I myself believe that to be the contrary. While I haven’t personally used a Windows 7 phone, I can draw from previous experiences that the Windows 7 mobile operating system is as lackluster as Windows CE and Mobile. I’ve owned PDA’s with Windows CE, Tablet PC’s with XP Tablet Edition and have worked with web design clients that wanted their website to look the same as it does in a web browser on their Windows based mobile smartphones. Unless Microsoft has completely re-written the mobile browser it won’t hold a candle to other smartphone browsers. Microsoft Windows is the most targeted operating system for hackers and malware, virus, scareware purveyors. Another words Windows 7 phones will become yet another target of nefarious people. You can just about bet on that. I myself am tired of rebooting my computers and servers every month (sometimes several times a month) because of Windows updates and security patches. Why is it that I rarely every re-boot my Mac or Linux machines? Windows freezes up or bluescreens of death (BSOD’s) with almost clockwork regularity. I can just imagine multitudes of Windows 7 phone users having to pull the batteries out of their phones every couple of days to reboot their kitschy phones. Windows 7 mobile has an interesting and inviting interface, I am afraid though that is all it has going for it. Do yourself a favor and avoid anything running Microsoft Windows.

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Seriously Who In Their Right Mind Would Buy a Windows 7 Phone?

No Privacy – Member or Not Dating Site Creates Profiles from Your Public Information

January 17th, 2011. Published under Fraud. No Comments.

Sooner or later it was bound to happen at a dating site. Other companies have been scraping the web and using information to build profiles for marketing and businesses. You are about to lose more privacy as an individual, and lose it soon. Gotham Dating Partners, an online dating company has plans to mine and scrape information from the web (including social networking sites) and create a profile of you, whether you want one or not. The company operates several dating sites including: Dons and Divas, Faithful Lover, Marry Me First, Prison Hookup and Ugly People Date. The company claims they will soon have over 340 million profiles on their services, as opposed to 6.45 million currently. My number one problem with their (mis)use of my public information is that I am happily married and don’t want (or need) my information on a dating website. I probably won’t be the only person suing such a site in the future for creating a profile without my explicit permission. As I mentioned earlier marketing companies have been mining the Internet for years. I generally get