MANASSAS PARK POLICE DEPARTMENT

WARNS RESIDENTS TO BE AWARE OF TEMPORARY ALARM SALES STAFF DURING SUMMER MONTHS 

            While alarms are an excellent means of protecting homes and business, and most companies in Virginia are legitimate, the Manassas Park Police Department recently learned that during the summer months some out of state alarm companies stretch legitimacy in an attempt to make a quick buck while avoiding Virginia’s requirements for the industry.  A trend in recent years is to hire temporary workers to enter Virginia and sell alarm services door to door.  Often the employees are college students hired for the summer who have been trained minimally in alarm sales but otherwise have no background in alarm sales, monitoring or services.  The temporary employees frequently practice “high pressure” tactics and sell relatively inexpensive alarm systems that generate most of their cost from the monitoring fees.  

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) regulates all alarm companies and their employees, including sales staff.  DCJS Investigators have recently encountered the temporary sales employees through citizen complaints in both the tidewater and far southwest regions of the Commonwealth.  The regulations pertaining to all such services are written to protect the consumer and citizens from unscrupulous persons.  The Administrative Code relating to all burglar and security alarm sales employees in Virginia (6 VAC 20-171-30)  states that prior to their being hired each person must submit to DCJS; completed fingerprints cards, fingerprint processing application, an applicable nonrefundable fee; and all criminal history conviction information on a form provided by the department.  This regulation demonstrates the purpose of the DCJS oversight in ensuring that those persons entering a resident’s home or a business, and learning about the valuables to be protected do not have a criminal history.  Each electronic security sales representative must also work for a business which is licensed in Virginia.  The sales representative is required to become registered as an electronic security sales representative in Virginia as specified in the regulations.    

The Manassas Park Police Department encourages all citizens to be aware and observant of door to door sales, an increase in alarm company vehicles in the neighborhood, and hearing of high pressure sales tactics from others.  If visited by a person identifying themselves as an alarm sales representative, whom you doubt the legitimacy of, do not allow them to enter your home, request to see their required DCJS issued photograph registration card and take down the information from it.  If you are interested in the product, you may contact the Manassas Park Police Department or DCJS directly at (804) 786-4700 to verify the legitimacy of the representative and call them back later for an invited sales visit.  If the sales person is pushy, refuses to show their registration card or otherwise acts suspicious, write down their description and that of their vehicle, and immediately call Manassas Park Police Department.

            The Manassas Park Police Department encourages citizens to contact their local crime prevention office or a legitimate local alarm company to seek a presentation regarding alarm regulations and alarm usefulness.  For more information on all of the private security services regulated by DCJS you may wish to visit the DCJS web site at http://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/      

FTC Offers Tips to Help People Avoid Being Scammed By Door-to-Door Sales Agents Pitching Home Security Systems

"YOU'VE WON MONEY"

• Don't give your credit card, bank account, or personal information over the telephone.
• Don't allow anyone to come to your home unless you are certain of them.
• You don't have to pay to win.
• If it is too good to be true, it usually is.
• Report occurrence to the Manassas Park Police so we may be aware of those that might take advantage of our residents and business people.

PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST EMAIL FRAUD (PHISHING)

Internet scammers casting about for people’s financial information have a new way to lure unsuspecting victims: They go "phishing."

Phishing is a high-tech scam that uses spam or pop-up messages to deceive you into disclosing your credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information.

Phishers send an email or pop-up message that claims to be from a business or organization that you deal with – for example, your Internet service provider (ISP), bank, online payment service, or even a government agency. The message usually says that you need to "update" or "validate" your account information. It might threaten some dire consequence if you don't respond. The message directs you to a Web site that looks just like a legitimate organization's site, but it isn't. The purpose of the bogus site? To trick you into divulging your personal information so the operators can steal your identity and run up bills or commit crimes in your name.

The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, suggests these tips to help you avoid getting hooked by a phishing scam:

If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply or click on the link in the message. Legitimate companies don't ask for this information via email. If you are concerned about your account, contact the organization in the email using a telephone number you know to be genuine, or open a new Internet browser session and type in the company's correct Web address. In any case, don't cut and paste the link in the message.

Don't email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information. If you initiate a transaction and want to provide your personal or financial information through an organization's Web site, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser’s status bar or a URL for a website that begins "https:" (the "s" stands for "secure"). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some phishers have forged security icons.

Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to determine whether there are any unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, call your credit card company or bank to confirm your billing address and account balances.

Use anti-virus software and keep it up to date. Some phishing emails contain software that can harm your computer or track your activities on the Internet without your knowledge. Anti-virus software and a firewall can protect you from inadvertently accepting such unwanted files. Anti-virus software scans incoming communications for troublesome files. Look for anti-virus software that recognizes current viruses as well as older ones; that can effectively reverse the damage; and that updates automatically.

A firewall helps make you invisible on the Internet and blocks all communications from unauthorized sources. It's especially important to run a firewall if you have a broadband connection. Finally, your operating system (like Windows or Linux) may offer free software "patches" to close holes in the system that hackers or phishers could exploit.

Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them.

Report suspicious activity to the FTC. If you get spam that is phishing for information, forward it to spam@uce.gov. If you believe you've been scammed, file your complaint at www.ftc.gov.   Visit www.ftc.gov/spam to learn other ways to avoid email scams and deal with deceptive spam.

Sex Offender Registry

Register for Community Notification

Any person may request from the State Police and, upon compliance with the requirements therefore established by the State Police, shall be eligible to receive from the State Police electronic notice of the registration or re-registration of any sex offender.

Register for Community Notification

Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence is a pattern of abusive behaviors used by one individual to exert power and control over another individual in the context of an intimate relationship.  Abuse may be emotional or physical.  I may be anything from threats, chasing, slapping, punching, kicking to choking, beating with an object, stabbing or shooting.  Abuse also includes any unwanted sexual activity, even if the abuser is an intimate partner.  The abuser may be a current or former spouse or a current or former boyfriend or girlfriend, or certain relatives.

To report domestic violence dial 911.  For help and information click Victim / Witness. 

    Identity Theft

 Our area has recently seen an increase in reports of identity theft.  Identity theft or fraud occurs when someone obtains your personal information (your social security number, name, address, credit card or bank account numbers). 

In one recent case, over thirty victims were located and more than $3 million were stolen.  Many of the victims were isolated seniors some of which suffered from diminished mental capacity.  Unfortunately, some the victims passed before we could bring the suspect to justice.   

Our senior community is most vulnerable, but anyone can be victimized.  The government estimates some 400,000 people are victimized each and every year.  This is by far the fastest growing crime in America. 

Most people do not know they have been victimized until they apply for a loan or mortgage, sometimes weeks or months later.  Since seniors rarely do either, it may not be discovered until such time as the settlement of their estate occurs.  By then, key pieces of evidence have already been destroyed or purged. 

If you find that you have been victimized, notify your financial institution and your local law enforcement agency as soon as possible.  As with any crime, the best course of action is prevention and education.  So let us identify how it works and ways to prevent us from becoming a victim. 

When someone gets your information, he or she can apply for loans of credit in your good name without your knowledge or consent.  Quite often they immediately notify the financial institution of a change of address for you.  This way you will never receive any correspondence from the institution.  Many times the purchases will be made over the telephone or most recently, the internet.  More often than not a family member or acquaintance is the perpetrator of these crimes. 

Here is how you can protect yourself and your elder family members:    

1.                            Monitor your elder loved one’s finances.  Check their credit rating at least annually.  Before they invest in any opportunity, offer to investigate the legitimacy of the company or individual.  Check to see if they have a business license and ask for references.  Government agencies such as the Better Business Bureau can also be of assistance.  Remember if something sounds too good to be true…it probably is!  No one gives away anything for free!  Pay particular attention to home improvement and repair payments.

2.                            Do not give out any personal or account information over the telephone or internet.

3.                            Report lost or stolen credit cards or checks immediately.  Monitor delivery of new checks to make sure none were stolen in transit.  Remember a common trick is to steal a check in the middle of the pack so it won’t be noticed for several days.  Also, someone does not need to be in possession of you credit card to use it fraudulently; he or she only needs the account number and expiration date.

4.                            Secure your cancelled checks, receipts, credit and account statements and ATM numbers.

5.                            Do not simply throw away receipts or      statements.  Shred or burn them.       

6.                            Do not put outgoing mail in an unsecured location; drop it in a secured mailbox.

7.                            If you do not receive bills on time or if you notice something unfamiliar on them, do not ignore it, contact the company immediately.

8.                            Contact law enforcement or your financial institution if you receive any suspicious calls or letters concerning your accounts.

9.                            At least annually check your credit report.  You must remember to check all three major credit bureaus:    

Equifax         800-685-1111

Experian       800-682-7654

Transunion   800-916-8800

10.                        Obtain a pin (personal identification) number for your credit and ATMcards.  This will prevent their use if the user does not know the pin.  Or obtain a credit card that includes your photo.    

Of course, doing all of these things is still no guaranty you won’t be victimized but it will greatly reduce your susceptibility. 

For more information feel free to contact Investigator Michael Perry, Manassas Park Police Department, at 703-361-1136.

Refuse to allow yourself to become a victim and act now!