Police say never wire money

While many citizens are aware of the various scams that are circuiting the nation, individuals instigating the scams continually modify and enhance their scamming techniques. A recent scam was reported to the Apache Junction Police Department that mimics the Nigerian scam with additional features. 

As the National Mortgage Settlement between Arizona and 48 other states, the federal government, and the country's five largest residential mortgage loan servicers goes into effect, Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne is alerting Arizona consumers looking for mortgage relief to beware of scam artists.

"Consumers should be aware that scammers are already using the media coverage of the settlement to exploit homeowners by promising quicker assistance in obtaining the refinancing, principal reduction, or cash payments available to eligible consumers under the settlement," Horne said. "If you receive an unsolicited contact regarding the mortgage settlement, you need to protect yourself." 

The Arizona Attorney General's Office is warning Arizonans of a fraudulent phone call in which the caller pretends to be a government official.

May is the official Bicycle Month. In reality, however, many bicycle events are celebrated in much of Arizona in April, due to the heat. Bicycling is an excellent form of exercise, a low cost, clean and healthy form of transportation. For many children as well as adults, it represents a sense of freedom.

With the weather warming and flow­ers blooming, bees have started to be­come more active in the community. The Queen Creek Fire Department would like to provide some bee safety tips to resi­dents to help avoid any unfortunate en­counters, according to a press release.

Bee swarming usually occurs from February through May and into October. With the establishment of Africanized bees in Arizona, bee stings must be taken seriously. Africanized bees will respond more quickly to protect the nest. They will sting in larger numbers and chase an intruder up to quarter of a mile or more. The Queen Creek Fire Department does not typically remove bee swarms unless special circumstances are present such as aggressive, attacking bees that cannot be isolated from the public.

With the weather warming and flowers blooming, bees have started to become more active in the community. Here are some bee safety tips to residents to help avoid any unfortunate encounters.

Attorney General Tom Horne is warning consumers, especially seniors on Medicare, to be cautious of scams related to the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as “Obamacare.”

When a new government program is announced, scams often follow. And this program is no exception. Fake websites, attempts to steal consumer’s personal information, and the sale of bogus Affordable Care Act cards have been reported across the country. 

Warning Issued After Calls to Office from People Receiving Mailers Appearing to be Official Notices from Government Agency

Attorney General Tom Horne is today warning Arizona consumers and small businesses to be wary of solicitations that appear to be an official notification from a government agency. 

Attorney General Tom Horne is warning Arizona consumers, particularly students, to be wary of telephone solicitors who offer to send thousands of dollars of grant money if the consumer pays a couple hundred dollars through a money card. Green Dot cards are a popular method through which scammers now conduct business as they are as good as cash and cannot be traced. These reloadable debit cards are available at numerous locations and can be used much like a debit card.

Scams Promising Free Medical Alert Systems are on the Rise Across the Country

Attorney General Tom Horne is warning people, especially senior citizens, about an increase in medical alert scams. Across the country, seniors have been reporting phone calls that offer “free” medical alert systems.

Here’s how it works:  Scammers scare seniors by convincing them to disclose their private information and then use it to commit identity theft or drain bank accounts.

Arizona has the dubious distinction of being the leader(per capita) in identity theft. As individuals this is, of course, a cause of concern. But as a business and business owner what does this mean? 

During the holiday season, many people are moved to assist  those who have suffered through a natural disaster.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has  issued a consumer alert about possible scams taking place in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Following major disasters, it’s common for scam artists to impersonate charities to get money or private information from well-intentioned taxpayers. 

Identity theft is the process of another individual using your personal information without your permission. Identity theft can take many forms, from using your credit card number to renting an apartment. While some forms of identity theft can be easily resolved, others require a significant amount of time and money.

The most comprehensive research ever conducted into crash videos of teen drivers has found significant evidence that distracted driving is likely much more serious a problem than previously known, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The unprecedented video analysis finds that distraction was a factor in nearly 6 out of 10 moderate-to-severe teen crashes, which is four times as many as official estimates based on police reports.

While nothing can guarantee that you won't become a victim of identity theft, you can minimize your risk, and minimize the damage if a problem develops, by making it more difficult for identity thieves to access your personal information.

The Drug Enforcement Administration continues to warn the public about criminals posing as DEA special agents or other law enforcement personnel. This criminal activity continues to occur, despite significant public attention to the illicit scheme.

DEA offices nationwide regularly receive telephone calls from concerned citizens who are the victims of this extortion effort.

Crime Prevention Month Poster Celebration!

October is Crime Prevention Month! Throughout the entire month of October, NCPC will be hosting a poster celebration event. We invite you and your youth to participate. This is a fun and easy way to get youth thinking about crime prevention. Select posters will be featured on our poster gallery on NCPC’s website, www.ncpc.org.

October is Crime Prevention Month and also the month in which Halloween is celebrated. Learn how to celebrate both together.

Although children look forward to tricks, treats, and ghoulish garb, Halloween can be fraught with fright for parents, with candy given to their kids by strangers and a legion of masked and costumed trick-or-treaters at the door. However, following a few safety tips can ensure safe fun for kids and candy-givers alike.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEING REMOVED CAN COST YOU BIG MONEY

You thought that vehicle purchased on the internet or the paper was a great deal. Yet, you didn’t know checking a specific indicator, the check engine light, could save you a lot of money.

If this light is off and the bulb removed, the seller is hiding a repair that the car needs. Later you are confronted with the horror of big dollar repairs.

Call Desert Car Care Centers 95 N. Dobson Rd., Chandler 480-726-6400 for more info.

Pinal County does not spray for nuisance mosquitoes.  They spray when there are pools of the particular mosquito that carry the West Nile virus and those mosquitoes test positive as carriers of the virus.  To date, their public health program has been focused on examining the sources of the breeding mosquitoes and eliminating places for them to breed.  Property owners, HOAs and commercial businesses should take every precaution to eliminate pools of stagnant water where mosquitoes will breed.  The county is doing a lot of testing and trapping activity in and around San Tan Valley.