Zappa.com

I've received two robocalls today (so far) purporting to be "an agent" with the Social Security Administration. This agent wants me to return the call, insofar as my social security number is being fraudulently used along the south border of Texas.

Yeah - I'm gonna hop right on that.

I googled "social security texas border". The results are wild.

One guy writes that his caller said his social security card was found in Texas in a blood-covered vehicle filled with drugs, and they needed proof he wasn't there.

It would be funny, if people didn't fall for this crap.

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/01/scammers-impersonate-social-security-administration?page=34

I get a few "we need to update your credit card information" phishing emails. For credit cards I have and some I don't. They're so laughably fake it's disconcerting that someone would fall for it.

I just now got my third call today from "Social Security". This time it was Officer Amanda Barnes. My card has been used for "some kind of fraudulent activity". Press 1 now to speak to officer.

Last year I got a call from someone purporting to be a fraud squad detective requesting access to my computer to solve a non existent banking error.....
Laughing he asked that I not contact my bank as they were in on it.....

I played the bumbling hard of hearing geriatric and kept the scumbag on line for thirty minutes or so, then gave him the
"oh a computer, I don't have a computer, I have got a calculator though, will that do?"
More than once I asked if as a member of the police had he met Mr. Sting, he didn't get it.....

According to the local authorities most of these calls originate from in on or around Zimbabwe

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Hey Punk, where you goin' with those two votes in your hand?

Monte Wolverton



Monte Wolverton is best known as a contributor to MAD Magazine and son of Mad great, Basil Wolverton. He is also the editor of The Plain Truth. magazine. He draws two editorial cartoons per week.

Los Angeles man arrested, accused of selling fake coronavirus cure to investors
https://kmph.com/news/local/los-angeles-man-arrested-accused-of-selling-fake-coronavirus-cure-to-investors



FILE - This April 26, 2010 file photo shows actor Keith Middlebrook at the premiere of "Iron Man 2" at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles. The FBI has arrested Middlebrook, who officials said falsely claimed to have developed a cure for the coronavirus and solicited investments in a company he said would market the medication. The U.S. Justice Department says in a statement that Keith Lawrence Middlebrook told his 2.4 million Instagram followers that his company would return hundreds of millions of dollars in profit. There are no known cures or vaccinations for the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The FBI has arrested a Southern California man who officials said falsely claimed to have developed a cure for the coronavirus and solicited investments in a company he said would market the medication, federal prosecutors said.

Keith Lawrence Middlebrook told his 2.4 million Instagram followers that his company would return hundreds of millions of dollars in profit, the U.S Department of Justice said in a statement Wednesday.

Middlebrook claimed he had developed pills that would prevent COVID-19 infections and an injectable drug that would cure those already suffering from the virus, prosecutors said.

There are no known cures or vaccinations for the coronavirus.

The federal case is believed to be one of the first in the U.S. connected to an alleged coronavirus cure scam, prosecutors said.

Middlebrook, 53, could face one felony count of attempted wire fraud.

It wasn't known Thursday if he has an attorney who could comment on his behalf.

He was arrested during a meeting in which he delivered pills to an undercover FBI agent posing as an investor, officials said.

Middlebrook claimed former basketball superstar Earvin “Magic” Johnson was one of the investors in his company, Quantum Prevention CV Inc., the Justice Department statement said.

Johnson told investigators that he knew nothing about Middlebrook’s firm, the statement said.

In text messages, Middlebrook wrote that a Los Angeles patient who was being treated for the virus "got up and walked out 51 hours after my injection,” according to an affidavit from investigators.

In the same text, Middlebrook also wrote that investors who spend $1 million could see returns of "$200M - $300M conservative minimum,” the affidavit said.

"During these difficult days, scams like this are using blatant lies to prey upon our fears and weaknesses," U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna said.

Middlebrook, an actor with several uncredited film and television parts, is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court Thursday afternoon.

If convicted as charged he could face up to 20 years in prison.

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“Listen to everyone, read everything; believe absolutely nothing unless you can prove it in your own right!”

Scammers are taking advantage of fears surrounding the Coronavirus.
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/coronavirus-scams-what-ftc-doing

Avoid Coronavirus Scams

Here are some tips to help you keep the scammers at bay:

Hang up on robocalls. Don’t press any numbers. Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from scam Coronavirus treatments to work-at-home schemes. The recording might say that pressing a number will let you speak to a live operator or remove you from their call list, but it might lead to more robocalls, instead.

Ignore online offers for vaccinations and home test kits. Scammers are trying to get you to buy products that aren’t proven to treat or prevent the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) — online or in stores. At this time, there also are no FDA-authorized home test kits for the Coronavirus. Visit the FDA to learn more.

Fact-check information. Scammers, and sometimes well-meaning people, share information that hasn’t been verified. Before you pass on any messages, contact trusted sources. Visit What the U.S. Government is Doing for links to federal, state and local government agencies.

Know who you’re buying from. Online sellers may claim to have in-demand products, like cleaning, household, and health and medical supplies when, in fact, they don’t.

Don’t respond to texts and emails about checks from the government. The details are still being worked out. Anyone who tells you they can get you the money now is a scammer.

Don’t click on links from sources you don’t know. They could download viruses onto your computer or device.

Watch for emails claiming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or experts saying they have information about the virus. For the most up-to-date information about the Coronavirus, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Do your homework when it comes to donations, whether through charities or crowdfunding sites. Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation. If someone wants donations in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money, don’t do it.

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“Listen to everyone, read everything; believe absolutely nothing unless you can prove it in your own right!”

watch out when it starts out with, "we're gonna give everybody a check for $1200..."

...If you subtract the $454 billion from the $1.8 trillion total spending package, that left $1.346 trillion for other purposes. But the $454 billion wasn’t really just $454 billion. It was going to be leveraged up by a factor of 10 to 1 into a $4.54 trillion bailout for Wall Street. This, effectively, meant that the CARES Act provided $1.346 trillion for average Americans and other purposes versus $4.54 trillion for Wall Street. In short, the assistance going to Wall Street was more than 3 times larger than that going to families and workers.

(Which makes sense, cuz we the people can't give the corrupt D and R politicians as much as Wall Street gives them, so Wall Street should get the lions share of the representation).

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Lesser-evilism is war.

I received a robocall today purporting to be from my local electric power company. I was directed to call a certain number to reach their billing department and settle my account; otherwise, they would turn off my power in 30 minutes.

Jerks . . .

Today's telephone call was a threat to deduct $299 from my checking or credit card account, if I didn't cancel some unspecified subscription within 24 hours. Press 1 to speak with someone regarding the cancellation.

I keep getting calls about vacation package I bought 2 years ago and need to sign-up for some trips...I never bought one and the date they said I did it was Terri and My anniversary, I would never have done something like that on that date...

I'm getting scam calls from "PSE&G" almost every week. It's always some shady
service distribution company I never heard of claiming if you switch to them,
your rates will go down. What they don't tell you is you'll still be charged by
PSE&G along with their rate making your bill double or triple in price.

Salem dentist's office manager accused of embezzling more than $140,000

https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/crime/2020/07/16/salem-dentist-office-manager-charged-embezzlement-business-police/5440139002/
Virginia Barreda, Salem Statesman Journal Published 6:00 a.m. PT July 16, 2020 | Updated 1:41 p.m. PT July 16, 2020

Correction: A probable cause statement from the Salem Police Department incorrectly listed the clinic where the alleged crimes took place. The story has been changed to reflect the clinic as the office of Margaret Giruc D.D.S.

An office manager at a Salem dentist's office was charged with embezzling more than $140,000 over seven years from the business.

Shannon Raye Wilson, 42, of Amity, was arrested by Salem police detectives July 2 for the crimes of aggravated identity theft, fraudulent use of a credit card and first-degree aggravated theft, according to Lt. Treven Upkes with the Salem Police Department.

Using her position as office manager at the clinic of Margaret Giruc D.D.S. in Salem, Wilson allegedly embezzled company funds between 2013 and 2020, Upkes said. Officials said there is no indication at this time that Wilson used any patient information to "facilitate her criminal activity."

The Marion County District Attorney's office is still reviewing the case, according to Deputy District Attorney Amy Queen.

According to a probable cause statement, on April 3, Ofc. Roger Hibbeler took a report from the dentist's business owner who said an employee obtained an "unauthorized line of credit" and used it to embezzle at least $146,107 belonging to the business.

The suspect was in charge of payroll and business finances including paying bills with the company credit card. She had full access to company accounts and records, and was also in charge of bookkeeping.

The victim told police she did not notice anything was wrong until she was forced to close the dentist's office temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In reviewing finances, she noticed the company card had an outstanding balance of $18,000. She also discovered that a second "unauthorized" credit card issued to the dentist's office was opened using the suspect's home as a billing address.

The card had been active as early as March 2013 and had numerous transactions for restaurants, bars, hotels, retails stores, airline tickets, subscriptions, groceries and car rentals.
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My wife has had dental work done here more than a few times. I've sat and talked to the individual accused of this quite a bit.

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“Listen to everyone, read everything; believe absolutely nothing unless you can prove it in your own right!”