SMISHING- A New Way of Phishing

The other day I received a text message on my phone that said:

"WELLS FARGO ALERT: Your CARD starting with 4868 has been DEACTIVATED. Please contact us at : (local phone number)."

Well, I don't have a Wells Fargo account, so that brings suspicion right away. So I DID NOT call that number.

On Friday, the Washington State Attorney General's Office issued a warning to the public about "smishing" schemes. Smishing is a take off of "phishing". A phishing scheme sends out emails that claim that there is problem with your account or that there is a hot offer. They want you to click on the link provided. If you do, you might be directed to a web page that looks like a legitimate company's web page. This fake web page will ask for personal information like your SSN, account number, etc. The link could also download, without you knowing it, malware that takes your personal information, including id's and passwords off of your hard drive.


(Attorney General press release: http://www.atg.wa.gov/pressrelease.aspx?&id=29042)


(Article from The Herald: http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20111010/BIZ/710109921#New-con-via-text-message)


Smishing is merely phishing migrating to your text messaging on your cell phone.


This round of smishing started in Oregon, Utah and South Dakota about a month ago and migrated to Washington, Colorado and Iowa last week.


(Article from MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44846369/ns/business-consumer_news/t/western-us-hit-smishing-bank-scam/)


Local law enforcement authorities usually do not have authority to investigate or prosecute phishing or smishing scams. If you have been victimized by a phishing or smishing scheme make a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/ftc/contact.shtm.

THE FALLS- Totem Falls Elementary School’s Red Ribbon Event

Tomorrow morning, residents of The Falls may see what appears to be police activity at Totem Falls Elementary School. This will be a planned event according to this information from the Totem Falls administration:

RED RIBBON EVENT

TOTEM FALLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2011 at 9:10 A.M.

On Friday, October 7, 2011, Totem Falls will participate in a Red Ribbon Celebration sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Their goal is to raise awareness of the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, and encourage prevention and early intervention. It is the largest, most visible prevention awareness campaign observed annually in the United States.

At 9:10 A.M. Totem Falls students will gather around the bus driveway to watch a “parade” of DEA vehicles which will include two Snohomish County Sheriff motorcycles, a hummer, a K-9 marked unit, Washington’s Most Wanted vehicle, Fire Department Aide Vehicle, and a D.E.A. Lab truck. The drivers will be introduced and the MC will share information about their jobs.

Weather permitting, a D.E.A. helicopter will do a fly over and the pilot will give a message to the students through a public address system on the ground. At the end of the 30 minute “parade”, the vehicles will turn on their lights and sirens and the students will file into the gym for an assembly.

For more information about the Red Ribbon Celebration and drug prevention go to:

·         DEA Red Ribbon Factsheet:

·         http://www.justice.gov/dea/ongoing/redribbon_factsheet.html

·         DEA Drug prevention information:

o   http://www.justthinktwice.com/

o   http://www.getsmartaboutdrugs.com/

o   http://www.justice.gov/dea/resources/drug_prevention.html

·         Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA)

o   http://www.mfiles.org/index.htm

·         Snohomish Regional Drug and Gang Task Force:

o   http://www.srdtf.org/

SHERIFF’S OFFICE- Crime Prevention Newsletter Focuses on Fraud

Financial fraud can affect any of us. This issue of the Sheriff’s Crime Prevention newsletter talks about how you can tell if a financial proposal is fraudulent.

http://sheriff.snoco.org/Documents/JulAug11.pdf

MILL CREEK- Police Warn of Burglaries

According to this morning’s The Herald (http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20110903/NEWS01/709039955), Mill Creek has experienced at least 12 burglaries since June.

The burglars have been targeting master bedrooms looking for jewelry. They enter the homes through open windows and unlocked doors during daylight hours.

For tips on how to prevent your house from becoming burglarized, review the Sheriff’s Office’s Residential Burglary Prevention Tip Sheet:

http://sheriff.snoco.org/Documents/Residential%20Burglary.pdf

AUTUMN MEADOWS- Theft

Thursday evening, August 4, 2011, around 7pm someone stole a full 5 gallon jerry can of gasoline from a neighbor's garage on 43rd Drive SE. The garage door was open and the homeowners were in the back yard talking with neighbors. The thieves dropped the flex nozzle in their haste to escape.


The homeowner also reported there has been an inordinate number of strangers walking and driving down 43rd, which seems to have become a shortcut for unruly teens and speeders of late.

Thieves often take advantage of open garage doors when homeowners are in the back yard gardening or enjoying the day. Close and lock all of your doors especially when you are in the back. You never know who might slip into your garage to take something.

And as always, if you see suspicious people in your neighborhood, call 911 with a description.

BOTHELL- Homeowner’s Cameras Help Police Catch Woman Stealing from Front Porch

You may have seen this item on KIRO- TV 7 News last night (http://www.kirotv.com/news/28780008/detail.html).

It seems that a Bothell neighborhood was having a problem with packages left by UPS or FEDEX being stolen off of front porches. One homeowner, who develops surveillance equipment for businesses, was expecting a delivery at home. When he did not see a package on his front porch he checked his video. He saw a woman come up to his front porch and take the package away. A day or so later, he saw the woman in the neighborhood. Needless to say, he gave 911 a call.

This incident illustrates two points:

1.      There is danger of theft of packages delivered to your home. Often local police agencies point this out during the Christmas holiday season, but it can happen any time of the year.

a.       Some things you can do to prevent becoming a victim include:

                                                              i.      Have a trusted stay at home neighbor hold your package for you until you come home

                                                            ii.      When at home keep a watch for suspicious vehicles, or people on foot, following UPS, FEDEX or Postal Service trucks. If you see a suspicious vehicle, call 911 and report the license number, vehicle description, and direction of travel.

b.      UPS suggests:

                                                              i.      Have the shipper require a signature on delivery

                                                            ii.      Have the package sent to your work where someone will be present to accept it.

Video can help catch the bad guys. More and more people are installing video camera systems at their homes, especially if they have been victimized by a car prowl or burglary. With modern equipment, you do not have to spend an arm and a leg to have a quality system. If you are victimized, at least you have the satisfaction of providing evidence that the police can use in their investigation.  

SEATTLE- Seattle PD Finds Stolen Bikes in Thief’s Storage Unit

While this story takes place in Seattle, it is applicable here in Snohomish County.

According to www.SeattleCrime.com, Seattle Police found 5 bikes in a north Seattle storage unit belonging to a man who is known to be "actively involved in the 'chopping' and reselling of stolen bicycles.” Police had been told that the man is the “go to guy” for bike thieves to sell their stolen bikes. The man had not been charged with a crime as of August 3^rd.

Now, you might think it odd that police apparently have caught a thief red handed with stolen material but they do not charge him. The problem is that police need to be able to prove that items in possession of a thief (or anyone else) are indeed stolen. They often run into situations where they are sure that items in the possession of a suspect are stolen, but if they do not have definitive descriptions of stolen material they cannot charge the suspect or seize the items. It is a frustrating situation not only for victims but also for police.

Operation ID. By identifying your possessions, you can help the police if your house, or your car, is broken into by a burglar. With clear descriptions of items that have been stolen (pictures, serial numbers, state driver’s license numbers marked on the item as appropriate) then detectives can have an easier time to identify and recover your stolen possessions.

For more information about Operation ID take a look at this Tip Sheet:

http://sheriff.snoco.org/Documents/Operation%20ID.pdf


For more information about details of the bike theft incident go to:

http://seattlecrime.com/2011/08/03/the-morning-blotter-cops-find-stolen-bikes-in-prolific-thiefs-north-seattle-storage-unit