PACKAGE THEFT – A Continuing Problem During Holidays and Throughout the Year

With Christmas coming, delivery companies are busy delivering packages to our homes. Sometimes we receive packages throughout the day.

With all of the packages on porches throughout neighborhoods, anyone can steal a package right off of any front porch. Package theft is truly a crime of opportunity with little skill needed to take a package.

Safewise, an organization that researches and educates the public about home and community safety, recently published its annual Package Theft Report. Based on a nationwide survey, it estimates that 260 million packages were stolen from front porches in the last 12 months. That is an increase of 50 million packages over its 2021 report.

The Safewise report shows that 79% of Americans have had at least one package stolen in the last year. Over half have had multiple packages stolen in the past 12 months. Most stolen packages are valued between $50-$100. Safewise estimates the total loss to package theft to be $19.5 billion each year.

The report also ranks major metropolitan areas on where porch pirates strike most. The Seattle-Tacoma area ranks second behind San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose.

Since package theft is a crime of opportunity, some prevention tips to prevent package theft include not having the package on your front porch. Some recommendations include holding the package at a UPS store or FEDEX store for pick up by you. You can also ask Amazon to deliver your package to a nearby Amazon locker where you can pick it up.

Keeping the package out of view of the street is your next best tactic. One crime expert quoted by Safewise, in an attached video to the report, pointed out that if your front porch is 25ft or further from the street, you probably have less chance of your package being stolen. That may be because it is less likely to be seen from the street. If your house is not lucky enough to be that far from the street, you can instruct the delivery company to place the package out of site or even on a side of your house or in back, where no one will see it. You can also purchase a secure locker that you bolt to your porch where the delivery driver deposits your package.

Other actions you can take include,

·         Sign up for delivery alerts so that you know when your package is delivered.

·         Require a signature for the package. This requires that someone is home to accept the package. If no one is at home to accept the package the driver will not leave it.

·         Have a camera, such as a doorbell camera, viewing your front porch. The camera may deter a few porch pirates, but if it doesn’t you have evidence that you can turn over to deputies for their investigation.

·         Ask a trusted neighbor to pick up your package as soon as possible after it is delivered.

 

 

 

 

Safewise:

https://www.safewise.com/blog/metro-areas-porch-theft/

 

South Snohomish County Crime Watch:

https://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2021/12/snohomish-county-sheriffs-office-asks.html

 

USA Today:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2022/12/01/stop-porch-pirates-package-theft/10773245002/

 

ROBOCALLS – Scam Trends

Robocalls have become a basic method for scammers to contact potential victims. Modern computer technology allows scammers to dial thousands of phone numbers a day. When someone answers, then a recorded message can play to try to get the person answering their phone to engage.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers the Do Not Call Registry to the public. By registering your phone number on the registry, you are telling telemarketers that you do not want unsolicited phone solicitations from them. Telemarketing companies are required to check the registry and refrain from calling phone numbers listed in it.

Telemarketing calls, including robocalls, have not stopped. Some calls are allowed such as political, charitable, debt collection, informational calls, and surveys.  But most scammers ignore the registry.

If you receive an unwanted robocall you can complain to the FTC at https://www.donotcall.gov/.  The FTC takes complaints seriously. As part of its enforcement efforts, it compiles complaints that it receives into a database for its own use and makes the database available to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. It also produces a yearly report that summarizes the complaints by violation type and by state.

That report, the Do Not Call Registry Data Book for 2022, shows a slight decline in complaints over the four-year period between 2018 to 2021:

 

Year	Total Complaints
2018	5,779,975
2019	5,422,690
2020	3,966,720
2021	5,009,459

 

 

 

In Washington state, total number of complaints from Washington State residents also has shown a decline since 2018:

 

Complaints for Washington State:

Year	Total Complaints
2018	130,920
2019	126,868
2020	91,184
2021	119,099

 

The report breaks down complaints by type of complaint. Nationwide the top scams reported were ranked as follows:

1. Imposters
2. Warranties and protection plans
3. Medical and prescription issues
4. Debt-reduction
5. Energy, solar power, utilities

6.      Lotteries, prizes, & sweepstakes

7.      Home improvement & cleaning

 

 

Washingtonians reported the following scams from phone calls:

1.      Imposters

2.      Warranties & protection plans

3.      Reducing debt

4.      Medical & prescriptions

5.      Computer & technical support

6.      Vacation & timeshares

7.      Lotteries, prizes & sweepstakes

 

 

Imposter scams top both the national and Washington state complaint list. Scammers will impersonate just about anyone, IRS agents, Social Security employees, local police officers, major computer company tech support employees, bank employees, your grandkids, a potential romantic partner.

Any of the scams reported to the FTC adhere to the 5 “Ps” of scammers-

·         Pretend- scammers pretend to be someone they are not. This can be someone who claims to be in authority and recognizable to you.

·         Problem- the scammer will claim that you have a problem that you need to solve, and they have the solution to solving it. Or

·         Prize- the scammer tells you that you have prize owed to you or available to you that has come out of nowhere.

·         Pressure- Scammers put pressure on you to act right away or else there will be dire consequences if you don’t right now.

·         You Pay- Scammers will pressure you to pay, “it’s easier, faster,” or it’s the only way, and they will want payment with methods that make it impossible for you to recover your money such as gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.

If you receive a robocall or scam phone call,

·         Hang up. Don’t engage with a scammer.

·         Add your phone numbers to the National Do Not Call Registry.

·         Look into call blocking options through you telephone carrier or through smartphone apps.

·         Report illegal robocalls to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/ or 877-382-4357.

 

 

 

 

Federal Trade Commission:

https://www.donotcall.gov/

https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/national-do-not-call-registry-faqs

https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/phone-scams

https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2022/05/hang-imposter-scams

 

 

AARP:

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2019/robocalls.html

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2021/government-impostor-frauds.html#:~:text=The%20AARP%20Fraud%20Watch%20Network%20has%20been%20inundated,Administration%20officer%2C%20FBI%20agent%20or%20other%20government%20worker.

 

HOLIDAY SHOPPING – The Three S’s

While much of holiday shopping is accomplished online now, there may be some gifts that you want to purchase in person at the mall or a local store. Securing your purchases becomes important as you do your shopping.

Parking lots and garages become large areas of opportunity for car prowlers who become attracted to the many vehicles with products they can sell for cash or drugs.

The Lynnwood Police Department recommends thinking about the “three S’s” as you go through a parking lot or garage:

·         Scan your surroundings. Be aware of what is going on around you. Look for anything suspicious like someone watching or checking out cars in the lot. Report suspicious activity to police or local security.

·         Stow your valuables away discreetly. Place your purchases in your trunk where they are out of view. Car prowlers look for anything that might be of value that they can easily see through the windows. And that can be anything, even a duffle bag that has dirty laundry. Nothing should be showing through the windows in the passenger cabin, valuable or not. Some police agencies even recommend that if you take purchases to your car that you move your car to another part of the parking lot, in case a car prowler has seen you place your valuable item in your car.

·         Secure your purchases. Roll up your windows and lock your car. Don’t make it easy for a car prowler. If your vehicle is locked, most car prowlers will move on to another target.

Recent reporting from KIRO TV News quoted police sources as recommending shoppers carry valuable purchases with them. Other suggestions included asking the store if you could pick up your purchases when you are finished shopping or asking if they can ship the purchase to your home.

  

KIRO TV:

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/police-ramping-up-patrols-during-holiday-shopping-season-how-keep-your-purchases-safe/NFLYHFXGVRFJRPALFRXSRIP7TQ/

  

Catalytic converters remain an attractive target for car prowlers with prices for the precious metals that they contain remaining high. For a good analysis of where your stolen catalytic converter goes after it is taken from your vehicle check out this article,

The Seattle Times:

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/dude-wheres-my-catalytic-converter-probably-back-in-the-supply-chain/

 

South Snohomish County Crime Watch:

https://ssnoccrimewatch.blogspot.com/2021/07/catalytic-converters-how-to-prevent-big.html

 

HOLIDAY ONLINE SHOPPING – 5 Tips to Avoid Online Shopping Fraud

With holiday shopping in full swing, scammers will try to take advantage and take your money and personal information while you look for gifts for your loved ones.

Here are some tips to help you avoid a shopping scammer,

·         Research unfamiliar brands or websites. You may find a good deal for an item that you want to purchase on a website that is unfamiliar to you. Do a web search with the company’s name or website’s name and terms like “review,” “scam,” or “complaint.” For example- “Special Good Deals complaint.” Then see what people have to say about the website.

·         Look for misspellings in the URL. Scammers often try to mimic legitimate, known websites not only with the graphics and layout of the site, but also with the URL. For example, “acehardware.com” might be misspelled with “acehardwear.com” by a scammer. Another trick is to use a subdomain. For example, a scammer might use “netflix.com.movies.com” for their fake website, hoping that you won’t notice that “movies.com” is the real domain name. You can check out if a site is safe by using Google’s Safe Browsing Tool, https://transparencyreport.google.com/safe-browsing/search, You can check out when a website was created ICANN Lookup site, https://lookup.icann.org/en. A new website or recent copyright date indicates the website is a scam.

·         Search the website for an address or phone number. First, if there is no address or phone number, that might be an indication that the website is fake. Second, if you find an address and/or a phone number, you can check to ensure that the address is legitimate through a search of it with a mapping app such as Google Maps, and you can do a search of the phone number to ensure that it is genuine.

·         Pay with a credit card. Don’t pay with a debit card or via gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin. Debit card payments take money directly out of your checking account, so you are not protected from fraud. Payments by gift cards, wire transfers, and cryptocurrencies have become indicators of scams.

·         Look for delivery, exchange, refund, and return policies. If the sight does not have these policies, or if they are vague, go somewhere else to make your purchase. Also, legitimate online shopping websites should have detailed complaint or dispute handling policies in case something goes wrong with your order.

 

If something goes wrong with an online order, for example you paid for a purchase but don’t receive anything and you suspect the website is fraudulent, report the occurrence to,

·         Better Business Bureau- https://www.bbb.org/file-a-complaint

·         Federal Trade Commission- https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/ or call 877-FTC-Help

·         FBI- https://www.ic3.gov/Home/ComplaintChoice/default.aspx

 

Many online shopping transactions are conducted through social media, including Facebook.

·         Facebook- If you encounter an advertisement that violates Facebook’s policies go to this link for instructions on how to file a complaint, https://www.facebook.com/business/help/162606073801742

·         Instagram- To report abuse and spam on Instagram go to, https://help.instagram.com/165828726894770

 

 

 

Verify:

https://www.verifythis.com/article/news/verify/scams-verify/5-tips-avoid-onling-shopping-scams/536-20db68f1-7d96-42d5-b4e6-83b0c5bfa5a6

 

Federal Trade Commission:

https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/online-shopping

 

AARP:

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2019/online-shopping.html

 

Better Business Bureau:

https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23394-bbb-scam-alert-beware-of-virtual-holiday-market-scams

 

SNOHOMISH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE – Holiday Issue Crime Prevention Newsletter

The holiday issue of the Sheriff Office’s crime prevention newsletter, “Partners in Crime Prevention,” is out. This issue talks about fentanyl trends and has tips to protect your personal information and your purchases.

 

 

Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office:

https://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/6915

TEEN SCAMS – Talk to Your Teen About This Growing Problem

We usually think of scammers as targeting the elderly. We rightfully should be concerned about our elderly relatives being victimized by a fraudster. However, AARP, yes, the American Association of Retired People, recently posted on their Fraud Watch Network webpage an article encouraging parents to alert their teenage children to the dangers of scams.

AARP points out, that the FBI reports that in 2021 it received 14,919 reports of scams from people aged 19 and younger with losses of $101.4 million. Over the last few years there have been studies and articles among scam prevention organizations that have suggested that young adults are just as susceptible to scams as their older parents and grandparents.

Some common scams that target teens include:

·         Sextortion. Sextortion involves a scammer acting like a peer contacting a teen, often a male, on social media. With a little flirtation, the scammer convinces the target to send a nude photo. Then the scammer threatens to send the photos to family and friends if the teen does not pay up. If your child is a victim of sextortion, notify your local police, and report it to the FBI at IC3.gov. Also, save the evidence; the evidence that you turn over will help law enforcement make a case to hand over to prosecutors.

·         Shopping scams. Scammers will set up fake websites to imitate legitimate store websites. They also advertise on social media. While the fake websites and ads target adults, scammers might target teens by selling cool sneakers or hot electronics at bargain-basement prices. Your teen might order an item they may not receive the goods.

·         Scholarship scams. Teens are targeted for fake offers of scholarships or help to acquire a scholarship. The scammer’s goal is to collect money in the form of up-front fees. They will advertise through email, letter, social media post, or a text message, sometimes personalized with the student’s name, saying that your teen has been selected for a scholarship or a financial aid package. They will use terms such as “Guaranteed scholarship or your money back,” You can’t ger this information anywhere else,” “I just need your credit card number to hold the scholarship,” “We’ll do all the work, you just pay a processing fee.” They may also offer to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for a fee. The FTC points out that only the student applicant or a family member can complete the FAFSA. Also, it points out that it is illegal for companies to charge a fee before they help you acquire a scholarship or student loan.

·         Talent scout scams. Your teen might receive a direct message or other social media message that says they would make a great model, actor, or singer. The messenger will say that they want to sign your teen up, but they have a contingency fee. For a fee the scammer might offer to set up a photo shoot, or a series of classes to help your teen ger a modeling or acting job. The FTC points out that real modeling agencies will not ask you to pay for a test shoot, for your photographs, or to “secure your spot” for a modeling job.”

Parents face many challenges in raising their teenagers in the 21^st century. But educating your children about scams can help them into adulthood to protect themselves. Some recommendations to approaching your teens when talking about scams include:

·         Teach your teens how to evaluate if a stranger online is genuine or if they have ulterior motives such as gathering personal information or stealing their money. Stay away from the “don’t talk to strangers” advice. This only keeps them unprepared for the real world.

·         Approach your teen’s tech use with open-ended questions and a lot of curiosity. You will understand your teen’s online use better and how they approach their use.

·         Show them real-world examples of scams. Show them phishing texts, ads, and emails that you receive. Point out what made them suspicious to you and what to do if they encounter similar online communications.

·         Don’t take your teen’s phone away as punishment. Taking away or threatening to take away their phone will discourage them from coming to you in case they need your help with a scam.

·         Teach the scam-busting basics to your teen:

o   Beware of requests for gift cards.

o   Never share nude photos.

o   Be suspicious of incredible bargains.

o   Don’t accept everyone who asks to be your friend.

o   Think twice before clicking on a link from a company or person you don’t know.

o   Protect your personal information.

o   Choose unique passwords for every account that you use on the web.

o   Beware of any transaction involving cryptocurrency.

o   Pay attention to “red flag feelings”, listen to your gut.

o   Don’t blame yourself if you lose money in a scam. Anyone can be a victim of a scam.

 

If your teen has been victimized by a scammer, report the fraud to the following,

 

·         www.ReportFraud.FTC.gov- This site also has useful information about scams.

·         www.IdentityTheft.gov- this site, sponsored by the FTC, will take reports of identity theft, and it has step by step checklists on how to recover from identity theft.

·         www.ic3.gov- the FBI takes reports of any internet crime at this site, including identity theft, online financial crimes, and sextortion.

·         https://www.atg.wa.gov/file-complaint- Report online crimes to the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.

 

 

AARP Fraud Watch Network:

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2022/protecting-teen-targets.html?CMP=EMC-MIM-GOI-OTH-FRD-1294404-1670501-6758805-NA-10202022-Fraud_Oct_Light_CTRL-MS6-ReadAbout-TXT-1670501_HVY2-Fraud&encparam=WnvEyp%2fiTaKWUyvgb9wdGFaTDfrqFFWXvVB%2fMiAIV5E%3d

 

Federal Trade Commission:

How Student Loans Work and How to Avoid Scams-

https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-student-loans-work-how-avoid-scams

Protecting Kids Online-

https://consumer.ftc.gov/identity-theft-and-online-security/protecting-kids-online

Investopedia:

https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1012/common-scams-targeted-at-teens.aspx

 

FBI: Sextortion

https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/safety-resources/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/sextortion

 

 

DRUG UPDATE – Fentanyl Misconceptions

Over the last few months fentanyl has been receiving publicity in the local media. Reports of multi-colored “rainbow fentanyl” pills and blocks found in Oregon and Idaho. Concern being raised that rainbow fentanyl is targeting kids. Then the announcement of 17 suspects arrested throughout Washington and California with large amounts of meth, heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine. And the announcement by the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office that the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force confiscated $1.5 million in drugs in an Everett apartment that included 2,500 grams of pure fentanyl powder, over 100,000 M-30 fentanyl pills as well as cocaine, meth, and ethanol.

With all of this attention, facts about fentanyl can become hazy.

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus has identified some misinformation about fentanyl. It points out some facts about this dangerous drug.

·         Fentanyl is 50 time more potent than heroin.

·         Fentanyl is used in a medical setting to control pain; by injecting it in an operating room, with a patch for chronic pain or with a lollipop for severe pain.

·         Clandestine lab operators synthesize fentanyl using a couple of precursor molecules that they can get from China or Pakistan.

·         Since it takes so little to make it potent, fentanyl is easy to transport in small, difficult to detect batches. This contrasts with shipping opium poppies that are shipped in large bales or heroin in bricks.

The CU Anschutz Medical Campus points out that criminal manufacturers are substituting fentanyl for other drugs, not mixing the drugs together. The manufacturers will press tablets to look like oxycodone or Xanax.

Some other myths include,

·         If fentanyl is in the room and you inhale it, it will make you overdose or kill you. Fentanyl does not become a vapor.

·         Being near fentanyl causes serious effects. Some people report that after learning that fentanyl is in the room, they feel anxious, their heart rate increases, they experience a panic attack, or they feel like they are going to pass out. This is not a direct result of the fentanyl but due to anxiety about knowing that they are near fentanyl. This is called the “nocebo” effect, or when a patient has negative expectations about a treatment then any effects are more negative than normal. 

      CU Anschutz Medical Campus points out that the safest way to fill your prescription is from an accredited pharmacy. Purchasing prescription drugs outside of a pharmacy risks overdosing and potentially death. With a pharmacy, there are controls to ensure the dose and safety of the drugs that your doctor has prescribed for you. Purchasing the drugs on the black market such as on the street or on social media platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, or Instagram can endanger your life.

      Drugs most likely to be substituted by fentanyl include Xanax and oxycodone. Purchasing pills advertised as oxycodone on the street does not guarantee that the pills do not contain fentanyl. You can test the pills with a test kit, but there is not uniformity of the amount of fentanyl in each pill. You can test one pill and it might test with no fentanyl. Another pill might have a little bit. A third pill might have enough to kill you.

      A recent concern has been that rainbow fentanyl is intended to target kids. The press reported concerns that fentanyl could be included in Halloween candy. Several experts on drug addiction, illegal drug distribution, and Halloween myths have been quoted as skeptical of this concern. 

      Another argument is over the best way to reduce fentanyl deaths. Some insist tightening border security on the U.S.-Mexico border is the answer to choke off the supply. Others point out that fentanyl is easy to hide compared to other illegal drugs like heroin or opium. Many experts believe that only going after the supply will fail. That reducing demand through treatment and education will go farther in reducing fentanyl, in combination with interdicting the supply. 

      Congress set up the Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 to develop a strategic approach to reduce opioid overdose deaths. In its report issued in February 2022, it concludes, among other things:

·         The U.S. needs to improve its methods to disrupt the illegal drug supply coming into the U.S. through better targeting of drug sources, improved drug supply investigation methods and strengthened intelligence sharing and training.

·         The U.S. must make public health demand-reduction central to reducing opioid deaths by improving access to addiction treatment, researching improved treatment methods, and developing innovative drug prevention messaging to the public about the pervasiveness of synthetic opioids and the treatment resources available to those with opioid addictions.

 

 

The Seattle Times:

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/rainbow-fentanyl-found-in-or-id-but-not-wa/

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/health/as-fentanyl-drives-overdose-deaths-mistaken-beliefs-persist/

 

U.S. Department of Justice:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwa/pr/eleven-people-arrested-washington-and-california-connection-cartel-connected-drug

 

The Herald:

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/police-eviction-at-everett-apartment-turns-up-1-5-million-in-drugs/

 

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus:

https://news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories/fentanyl-and-counterfeit-prescription-drugs-facts-and-myths

 

Commission on Combating Synthetic Opioid Trafficking:

https://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP68838.html

 

Snohomish Overdose Prevention:

https://snohomishoverdoseprevention.com/fentanyl/

 

Drug Enforcement Administration:

https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/fentanyl