The Verdict: Hang Up Don't Fall for Jury Duty Scam

The phone rings, you pick it up, and the caller identifies himself as an officer of the court. He says you failed to report for jury duty and that a warrant is out for your arrest. You say you never received a notice. To clear it up, the caller says he'll need some information for "verification purposes"-your birth date, social security number, maybe even a credit card number.

This is when you should hang up the phone. It's a scam.

Jury scams have been around for years, but have seen a resurgence in recent months. Communities in more than a dozen states have issued public warnings about cold calls from people claiming to be court officials seeking personal information. As a rule, court officers never ask for confidential information over the phone; they generally correspond with prospective jurors via mail.

The scam's bold simplicity may be what makes it so effective. Facing the unexpected threat of arrest, victims are caught off guard and may be quick to part with some information to defuse the situation.

"They get you scared first," says a special agent in the Minneapolis field office who has heard the complaints. "They get people saying, 'Oh my gosh! I'm not a criminal. What's going on?'" That's when the scammer dangles a solution-a fine, payable by credit card, that will clear up the problem.

With enough information, scammers can assume your identity and empty your bank accounts.

"It seems like a very simple scam," the agent adds. The trick is putting people on the defensive, then reeling them back in with the promise of a clean slate. "It's kind of ingenious. It's social engineering."

More Information
Want to learn more about new and common scams like this one? Then sign up for our e-mail alerts.

In recent months, communities in Florida, New York, Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado, Oregon, California, Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona, and New Hampshire reported scams or posted warnings or press releases on their local websites. In August, the federal court system issued a warning on the scam and urged people to call their local District Court office if they receive suspicious calls. In September, the FBI issued a press release about jury scams and suggested victims also contact their local FBI field office.

In March, USA.gov, the federal government’s information website, posted details about jury scams in their Frequently Asked Questions area. The site reported scores of queries on the subject from website visitors and callers seeking information.

The jury scam is a simple variation of the identity-theft ploys that have proliferated in recent years as personal information and good credit have become thieves' preferred prey, particularly on the Internet. Scammers might tap your information to make a purchase on your credit card, but could just as easily sell your information to the highest bidder on the Internet's black market.

Tips for Parents: The Truth About Club Drugs

Tips for Parents: The Truth About Club Drugs

What Are Raves?

"Raves" are high energy, all-night dances that feature hard pounding techno-music and flashing laser lights. Raves are found in most metropolitan areas and, increasingly, in rural areas throughout the country. The parties are held in permanent dance clubs, abandoned warehouses, open fields, or empty buildings.

Raves are frequently advertised as "alcohol free" parties with hired security personnel. Internet sites often advertise these events as "safe" and "drug free." However, they are dangerously over crowded parties where your child can be exposed to rampant drug use and a high-crime environment. Numerous overdoses are documented at these events.

Raves are one of the most popular venues where club drugs are distributed. Club drugs include MDMA (more commonly known as "Ecstasy"), GHB and Rohypnol (also known as the "date rape" drugs), Ketamine, Methamphetamine (also known as "Meth"), and LSD.

Because some club drugs are colorless, odorless, and tasteless, they can be added without detection to beverages by individuals who want to intoxicate or sedate others in order to commit sexual assaults.

Rave promoters capitalize on the effects of club drugs. Bottled water and sports drinks are sold at Raves, often at inflated prices, to manage hyperthermia and dehydration. Also found are pacifiers to prevent involuntary teeth clenching, menthol nasal inhalers, surgical masks, chemical lights, and neon glow sticks to increase sensory perception and enhance the Rave experience.

Cool down rooms are provided, usually at a cost, as a place to cool off due to increased body temperature of the drug user.

Don't risk your child's health and safety. Ask questions about where he or she is going and see it for yourself.

What Are Club Drugs?

1) Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)

Street names: Ecstasy, E, X, XTC, Adam, Clarity, Lover's Speed

An amphetamine-based, hallucinogenic type drug that is taken orally, usually in a tablet or capsule form.

Effects:

Lasts 3-6 hours.
Enables dancers to dance for long periods of time.
Increases the chances of dehydration, hyper tension, heart or kidney failure, and increased body temperature, which can lead to death.
Long-term effects include confusion, depression, sleep problems, anxiety, paranoia, and loss of memory.
2) Gamma-hydoxybutyrate (GHB)

Street names: Grievous Bodily Harm, G, Liquid Ecstasy, Georgia Home Boy

A central nervous system depressant that is usually ingested in liquid, powder, tablet, and capsule forms.

Effects:

May last up to 4 hours, depending on the dose used.
Slows breathing and heart rates to dangerous levels.
Also has sedative and euphoric effects that begin up to 10-20 minutes from ingestion.
Use in connection with alcohol increases its potential for harm.
Overdose can occur quickly-sometimes death occurs.
3) Methamphetamine

Street names: Speed, Ice, Chalk, Meth, Crystal, Crank, Fire, Glass

A central nervous system stimulant, often found in pill, capsule, or powder form, that can be snorted, injected, or smoked.

Effects:

Displays signs of agitation, excited speech, lack of appetite, and increased physical activity.
Often results in drastic weight loss, violence, psychotic behavior, paranoia, and sometimes damage to the heart or nervous system.
4) Ketamine

Street names: Special K, K, Vitamin K, Cat Valium

An injectable anesthetic used primarily by veterinarians, found either in liquid form or as a white powder that can be snorted or smoked, sometimes with marijuana.

Effects:

Causes reactions similar to those of PCP, a hallucinatory drug.
Results in impaired attention, learning, and memory function. In larger doses, it may cause delirium, amnesia, impaired motor function, high blood pressure, and depression.
5) Rohypnol

Street names: Roofies, Rophies, Roche, Forget-me Pill

Tasteless and odorless sedative, easily soluble in carbonated beverages, with toxic effects that are aggravated by concurrent use of alcohol.

Effects:

Can cause anterograde amnesia, which contributes to Rohypnol's popularity as a "date rape" drug.
Can cause decreased blood pressure, drowsiness, visual disturbances, dizziness, and confusion.
6) Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)

Street names: Acid, Boomers, Yellow Sunshines

Hallucinogen that causes distortions in sensory perception, usually taken orally either in tablet or capsule form. Often sold on blotter paper that has been saturated with the drug.

Effects:

Are often unpredictable and may vary depending on dose, environment, and the user.
Causes dilated pupils, higher body temperature, increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, dry mouth, and tremors.
Can cause numbness, weakness, and nausea.
Long-term effects may include persistent psychosis and hallucinogenic persisting perception disorder, commonly known as "flashbacks."
Know the Signs

Effects of stimulant club drugs, such as MDMA and Methamphetamine:

Increased heart rate
Convulsions
Extreme rise in body temperature
Uncontrollable movements
Insomnia
Impaired speech
Dehydration
High blood pressure
Grinding teeth
Effects of sedative/hallucinogenic club drugs, such as GHB, Ketamine, LSD, and Rohypnol:

Slow breathing
Decreased heart rate (Except LSD)
Respiratory problems
Intoxication
Drowsiness
Confusion
Tremors
Nausea
Effects common to all club drugs can include anxiety, panic, depression, euphoria, loss of memory, hallucinations, and psychotic behavior. Drugs, traces of drugs, and drug paraphernalia are direct evidence of drug abuse. Pacifiers, menthol inhalers, surgical masks, and other such items could also be considered indicators.

Halloween Safety Tips

Always use common sense.

Young children should always go trick-or-treating with an adult.

Never trick-or-treat alone. Have at least 2 buddies go with you.

Plan your entire route and make sure your family knows what it is.

Make sure that you are wearing a flame retardant costume.

Wait until you get home and your parents check your candy before you eat it.

Be very cautious of strangers.

Accept treats only in the doorway. Never go inside a house.

Be sure and say thank you for your treats.

Don't play near lit jack-o-lanterns.

Visit only houses where the lights are on.

Walk, Do not run.

Walk on sidewalks and driveways.

Cross the street at the corner or in a crosswalk.

Take a cellular phone with you if possible.

Wear a watch.

Carry a flashlight.

How social networks can damage your divorce case

Our firm investigates hundreds of divorce and child custody cases each year.

Just as it seems to have permeated every other aspect of life, social networking is now fully entrenched in the world of divorce. The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers said that over the last 5 years, 81% of its members have either used or had used against them evidence gathered from social networking sites, including Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

It’s not hard to believe since a LOT of people post some of the most intimate details of their life on it. And it’s those comments, photos, status updates and insults posted for the world to see that are being used against them in divorce court.

Below is a short list of social networking mistakes people often make which can impact both divorce settlements (aka $$$) and child custody, and some suggested solutions:

1. “Showing Off”: Posting photos or comments about your latest vacation to Martha’s Vinyard, or the Hermes bag you just got might make you feel good, but it could also color the court’s opinion of your finances, spending habits, etc.

2. “Letting It All Hang Out”: If you are locked in a custody battle, and your lawyer paints you as the “prefers to spend Friday night at home with a good book” type, make sure your soon to be ex can’t refute that image with a endless slideshow of you partying with bottles of tequila/rum/vodka in your hands.

3. “Getting Tagged”: While taking down the party photos you posted yourself, remove the photos your friends tagged you in where you’re passed out in the corner of a bar drooling all over yourself.

4. “Venting”: While slandering the judge, attorneys, or soon to be ex-spouse on your own or other peoples “pages” is tempting, you’re better off following the “if you don’t have anything nice to say….” adage, since venting may ultimately be used against you.

5. “Cutting Off Everyone At Once”: While natural instinct might be to immediately excommunicate the soon to be ex in-laws and any friend remotely associated with the soon to be ex-spouse, slowly weeding them out may look less suspicious.

84 Year Old Injured By The Orlando Police Department

Orlando Private Investigator, James Copenhaver said the situation could have been handled differently.

"(There are) so many tools that law enforcement have today on their tool belt that could have been used other than his hip toss," said Copenhaver.
Copenhaver spent nearly 20 years in law enforcement, serving both the Brevard and Orange County sheriff's departments. Now, Copenhaver is a private investigator who is working with Daley's attorney. Read More.

CON MAN IN ORLANDO

CON MAN IN ORLANDO

CON MAN IN ORLANDO

CON MAN IN ORLANDO

Copenhaver & Asssociates Inc. Hired in Missing Winter Park, Florida case

www.myfloridapi.com

Winter Park: Missing Person

Date: May 24, 2010

Winter Park, Florida

Stephanie Edwards was last seen on May 24, 2010 around 11pm. She left her home and stated she would be back within an hour. Her cell phone and other personal items were left behind.

Where is He/She spending the money ?

Have you noticed a difference in your finances?

Does it seem like your partner is spending more money lately, without letting you know where he or she spent it?

Well, as negative as this may sound, this could be a sign of cheating! When a partner changes a pattern in their life with unclear reasons, they are probably hiding something from you. They might be using the money to treat someone else with things such as dinners and gifts. Look for these signs to determine if your mate may be cheating:

Going out more than usual.
Gives you short answers.
Charges on credit cards that are strange to you.
Receipts of items for the opposite sex that was not given to you.
There could be more reasons to explain this however. Not good reasons though. If your mate is spending a lot of money without telling you about it, he or she, besides cheating, could be buying drugs, alcohol, or perhaps even have a gambling problem you never knew about.

It is essential that you pay attention to all behavioral changes in the way your partner acts and talks to you. Only then will you be able to maybe find out what is causing the changes. Sometimes we know much less about a person than we thought and it is important that you learn more so that you can help your relationship stay strong and to help your partner if he or she is in some sort of trouble. If they are cheating, then at least you will find out the truth and will then be able to decide what steps you will take after that.

Remember, you deserve to know what goes on in your relationship. The relationship involves the both of you, so never feel scared or unsure about questioning your lover about anything. If he or she feels offended by your questions, then most likely they really are hiding something. If you feel that your mate may be cheating or hiding something and you need help with figuring out the signs, we can and want to Help you find out what or who is grabbing all the money!

Who is telling the truth ?

Casey Anthony: Robin Lunceford sent letters to Central Florida News 13

Caylee and Casey Anthony, Central Florida News 13, Jose Baez — posted by halboedeker on July, 19 2010 3:55 PM

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Central Florida News 13 interviewed prison inmate Robin Lunceford last week before her name emerged in the Casey Anthony saga.

“She had sent letters to me. That’s how her name came to my attention,” reporter/anchor Adam Longo said.

Longo estimated that two weeks elapsed between the time he heard from Lunceford and their interview Wednesday at the Lowell Correctional Institute in Ocala. Anthony attorney Jose Baez filed a motion Thursday to seal a call he received from Lunceford.

“I knew she had reached out to him,” Longo said. “I didn’t know about the recorded phone call and Baez wanting to suppress the recorded call. The story focuses on her claims. Can she be believed? You decide.”

Longo’s interview with Lunceford airs at 6 tonight on Central Florida News 13, and the chat will be repeated through the night.

Lunceford alleges Maya Derkovic, her former cellmate at Lowell, and Robyn Adams conspired to make up stories about Anthony. Derkovic, Adams and Anthony had been pen pals at the Orange County Jail. Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.


Lunceford’s credibility is a big part of his story, Longo said, and he talked to prison officials about her. “It’s my understanding that she’s the focus of an internal investigation that has nothing to do with Casey Anthony,” Longo said.

Lunceford, 47, is serving a life sentence for bank robbery with a deadly weapon, and she has been a frequent focus of disciplinary reports.

Lunceford and Derkovic were in the same prison for a year, and they were cellmates for several months, Longo said.

“She has lied so much since I’ve bet her,” Lunceford told Longo.

Lunceford has never met Adams or Anthony.

Longo talked to Lunceford for an hour; his report will be close to three minutes. Extended clips will be posted on the Central Florida News 13 website.

“My job is never to offer up opinions,” Longo said. “I’m just putting the facts out there and letting the viewers decide. Normally, you don’t respond to an inmate’s claims.”

But Anthony’s defense team wants to talk to Lunceford, and that makes her pertinent, Longo said.

For the report, Longo also interview prison officials and drew on Lunceford’s record and an investigative report about Derkovic.

Prison officials told Longo that Lunceford had a lengthy disciplinary history, that she is manipulative and has limited credibility. Derkovic did not reply to Central Florida News 13’s requests for comment, Longo said in the report.

“She [Derkovic] was transferred in May to Broward Correctional Institute in Fort Lauderdale,” Longo said. “It’s another part of the story. Why was she transferred? Baez believes it’s for one issue. Prison officials say it’s another.”

Prison officials told Longo that Derkovic was transferred after she had a falling-out with Lunceford and the two women threatened each other. “That is supposedly why Derkovic was transferred,” Longo said. “Prison officials say the transfer had nothing to do with the case against Casey.”

When Faceboooking takes another path

Copenhaver and his staff often rely on Facebook, MySpace and other sites when doing work for local divorce attorneys.

Ex-husband swears he's living paycheck to paycheck — not enough to shell out more money in child support.

But his Facebook page tells a different story.

After the July Fourth weekend, the Orlando man bragged online about his stay at an expensive South Florida hotel and even attached photos, Orlando private investigator James Copenhaver said.

Busted.

Facebook and other social networks, such as Twitter, Flickr, Photobucket and MySpace, are becoming the latest legal tool in divorce and child-support battles.

Attorneys and private investigators collecting background on a client's ex-spouse are trolling the websites as a quick and easy way to catch someone doing something they don't want brought up in court — snapshots of snuggling with a mistress, semi-nude photos with children nearby or drunken party pictures from a bar on a weekend a child is visiting.

"It's happening a lot," said attorney Mark O'Mara. "Pictures are the worst."

Orlando lawyer Diana Tennis remembered a case in which her client was fighting for more time with his child. Tennis came across a Facebook picture of the opposing parent's new boyfriend proudly posing with a gun he just purchased.

"It can be used as leverage," she said, adding that's not the image the opposing parent wanted to portray before a judge.

Florida is considered a "no-fault" divorce state, which means couples don't have to point to a specific reason — or person — for the split. But that doesn't mean dirt isn't tossed back and forth during discussions about alimony, child support and time spent with children.

"I think those pages are being printed and thrown around a courtroom quite a bit," said Tennis. Many say so far they use it more in negotiations than in evidence submitted in court.

Orange Circuit Court Judge Lisa Munyon, who is the administrative judge for family court, said she has seen some Facebook pages presented in court, but "it's not an overwhelming number."

She mentioned one case in which an attorney submitted a father's Facebook page, showing how he bragged about how much money he made. The lawyer used this to help prove he earned more money than he admitted in court.

So far no major legal issues have come up, but Munyon said there is potential. Attorneys have to prove the information actually came from the accused parent and is accurate.

Earlier this year, the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers released a survey of divorce attorneys across the country and found 81 percent reported an increase in using social-networking evidence in the past five years.

"There isn't any good lawyer that doesn't utilize access to social media," said Terry Young, an attorney with the Central Florida-based firm Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A.

Local attorneys say turning to Facebook, MySpace and other networks picked up pace within the past year and half.

"I think divorce attorneys are learning about it," O'Mara said. "There's still a learning curve."

About four months ago, he made checking social networks — seven different sites — as part of his staff's usual background work.

"It's just invaluable," he said. "In most cases, we find something useful on one of these networks that help our client's cause."

Sometimes, he said, an opposing spouse blocks the ex-husband or ex-wife from the Facebook account. That's when investigators look for a friend or relative who is still Facebook friends with the person to gain access. His staff also has fake Facebook accounts and requests to be a friend.

"People are smart — but not that smart," Copenhaver joked.

Sarah Lundy can be reached at slundy@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-6218. Follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/OSsarahlundy and read her blog at http://www.orlandosentinel.com/techblog

Worker Comp Case 2009 OPI

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Top 10 Fraud Trends Predicted for 2010

1. ACH/Wire transfer attacking small/medium businesses: Fraudsters are targeting the ACH (automated clearing house) network for clearance of electronic funds to send illegitimate corporate wire transfers. In 2010, they are expected to focus more on small- and medium-sized businesses as larger businesses increase security.

2. Attacks via Vendor-managed servers: Businesses that outsource their transactional network servers must ensure those vendors maintain acceptable security levels.

3. ATM skimming: Because skimming machines look identical to legitimate ATM/card reader devices, this is a difficult fraud method to detect and prevent.

4. First party fraud: Criminals gradually establish good credit using an alias with a card issuer or business and then “bust out,” running up enormous debt and abandoning the credit account. This is also difficult to detect and prevent.

5. Phishing: Email “phishing” attacks that illegally solicit victims’ personal information with official-looking requests are becoming more sophisticated, and increased 600% during 2009 according to the Anti Phishing Working Group.

6. Check fraud: Fraudsters have easy access to paper, printers and scanners to create phony checks. In addition, hackers can obtain detailed personal banking information from online check viewing services.

7. Internal fraud: Employees are increasingly a source of corporate fraud, as are contractors, business partners and suppliers.

8. Mobile phones: Mobile phone fraud is not yet a major problem but inevitably will rise as mobile phones increase in popularity and functionality. Web-enabled mobile phones are vulnerable to the same types of worms and viruses as PCs.

9. Online application fraud: Similar to first party fraud, this involves criminals manipulating multiple online applications using multiple identities from multiple access points.

10. Prepaid cards: Prepaid cards are a popular item for criminals to buy with stolen credit cards, and also customers often steal them from stores and then have them activated to obtain free spending power.

ONLINE DATING SCAMS ON THE RISE-BACKGROUND CHECKS ARE IN ORDER

Online dating websites are booming and consumers now have hundreds of match-making and internet dating sites to choose from. In addition to popular websites such as Match.com and eHarmony, millions are connected to social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. Experts warn that persons met via the Internet should be verified to minimize the risk for scams.

International background check services are available and recommended for any relationship which is begun over the Internet, and when the person involved is not known personally. Without the assistance of a professional investigator or background check company, it can be nearly impossible to verify if someone is who he or she claims to be when the subject resides in a foreign country. Private investigators recently have reported strong demand in background checks as the risk for scams and fraud increase, and more people are now connecting online.

A dating background check is simply a background check or verification process which involves a subject who was met over the Internet, and where the relationship is romantic in nature. If a relationship is progressing and there is a chance for a serious relationship, industry observers emphasize getting a background check early, since many consumers contact private investigators after the damage is done, and the fraud or scam complete.

Of course most people on the Internet on social networking sites and online dating websites are good people and honest. Criminals have unfortunately taken advantage of this situation, as nearly all such websites don't provide any verification process for their subscribers. As a result, many scammers are now targeting such websites and targeting the consumers online. The criminals pose as Mr. or Ms. Perfect and work to gain the victim's trust and heart - and later their money. Scammers are increasingly sophisticated in their techniques and distinguising the good from the bad is no an easy task, and a professional background is advised.

Major red flags include working overseas, sudden emergencies or illness, requests for money, and so on. Investigators warn however that the combinations are endless. In conclusion, online dating is a risk-reward game, and the risk continues to rise.

Police say 20-year-old Christopher Gomez (pictured left) and a group of friends traveled to Orlando to party downtown and celebrate a birthday. But when they returned to the Downtown Marriott on Livingston Street, Gomez got into a fight with 19-year-old James Brandon Combee Jr., another member of the group.

Gomez (pictured right) was shot to death, and investigators say Combee ran away from the scene. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.
OPD is asking anyone with information about the murder to call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS. Tipsters could be eligible for a $5,000 reward.

Always check your parking brake!!!!

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Copenhaver & Associates Inc. is looking for clues in weapon theft case in Orlando, Florida

Guns from Al's Army-Navy Store theft resurface

June 10, 2008|By Henry Pierson Curtis, Sentinel Staff WriterGuns stolen in last year's crash-and-grab burglary of Al's Army-Navy Store continue to be recovered in a trickle by Orlando police.

A convicted felon was the latest to be arrested in connection with the May 2007 crime on Orange Blossom Trail, in which burglars drove a stolen SUV through the front of the gun shop to steal 13 pistols and assault rifles.

Armed with three pistols, Louis Haskins jumped from a moving car early Saturday but failed to elude pursuing cops who caught him in the backyard of a house on Osceola Avenue, an arrest report states.

One of the weapons, a .44-Magnum revolver, was stolen from Al's a year ago, police spokeswoman Sgt. Barbara Jones said Monday.

A second weapon, a 9 mm. pistol, was stolen less than two weeks ago from a car in west Orlando. The third weapon, a .38-caliber revolver, had not been traced.

Haskins, 21, has been arrested nine times since turning 18, Orange County jail records show. He was charged Saturday with firearm possession by a convicted felon, carrying a concealed firearm, possession of a gun with obliterated serial numbers and resisting arrest.

After posting $4,350 bail, he was released from jail, records show.

The weapons still missing from last year's burglary include two AR-15 assault rifles. An Orlando resident, Antonio Lamont Scott, 21, faces trial later this year as a result of being arrested after the break-in with a .40-caliber Glock stolen in the crime, court records show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hcDxGVnb7U

Infidelity while traveling - Cheating and Affairs while out of town.

A cheating spouse who frequently travels creates a whole new world of challenges and questions for the spouse who was left behind facing this infidelity. You need an investigator who specializes in catching the traveling cheater.

Since many affairs begin and prosper at work, and co-workers are often required to travel together, this gives the cheating spouse a full pass to indiscretion. The cheaters have found themselves on an all expense paid trip together, probably enjoying sights and dinners in places that you have always wished to see with your loved one.

No matter what problem you face, you have found the private investigator that can help!” Call and discuss your situation with a infidelity private investigator now.

The same problems occur when a spouse goes to a convention or out of town business meeting. They often take someone with them, meet someone to cheat with at that location or find someone to have a quick affair with while out of town. Men will even go out and look for stripers or call girls when traveling for business. The bachelor or bachelorette party is another prime time to cheat on your spouse when out of town.

Catching the cheating spouse while traveling can sometimes be difficult due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control. In most cases, investigators will work in pairs.

Ever since 9-11, rules and regulations have changed significantly causing our business to change right a long with it. You’ll need to understand that procedures that applied to the infidelity investigator ten years ago are no longer acceptable today. For example; Let’s say that your spouse and their co-worker/lover, are traveling to Miami International Airport and are due to arrive at noon. In the days of old, we would wait for the unsuspecting couple to walk out of the airport, hail a cab, and be off to their hotel destination. Gone are those days. Since vehicles are no longer able to remain idle outside of an airport terminal, we’re forced to continuously circle the terminal anticipating the cheaters’ departure.

Since obtaining a quick, positive identification of the subject is crucial, we must be allowed the use of two investigators. Investigator one will enter the airport and likely proceed straight to Baggage. He will identify the subject and quickly phone ahead to alert investigator two, who is at the ready to receive his subject. Investigator two will hang onto the subject until he has been secured at his destination, usually an area hotel.

Once the subject has arrived at the hotel, several things can happen. He may decide to grab a drink and some dinner with his paramour, which allows us great opportunities to video their behavior. He may instead decide to catch a quick shower, meet up with his lover and then leave the hotel premises to have dinner in private, possibly away from the prying eyes of his co-workers.

In any case, the traveling cheater creates a different kind of investigation with very special circumstances. You need an investigations company with the knowledge and experience to handle such circumstances.
If you suspect that your traveling spouse is being unfaithful, you need Agency Investigations.

We are able to provide assistance at short notice provided the funding is available to secure transportation and lodging. This may include providing airline tickets to a pre-designated location (I.E. Miami, Bahamas etc.).

Shadowing a subject is far easier when they are outside of their danger zone, that being their familiar surroundings. They tend to be clueless that they are even being observed and far less likely to give it a second thought.

If you should require our services, be rest assured that we will make every effort to obtain the evidence you are seeking. We are also able to provide up-to-date information on the status of your case via our exclusive Master Track Client Interface. With this Software you will be able to log on from anywhere in the world and examine investigative entries as well as photo’s, video etc. Think of that: You will be able to actually ‘see’ what we have already seen right from the comfort of your own home or office thousands of miles away!

The 10 Nastiest Ponzi Schemes Ever

10. The Fraudulent Feminist



(Note: This isn’t Howe. Just an 1880s woman from a catalog.)

In 1880, Boston Ponzian Sarah Howe promised women 8% interest on a “Ladies Deposit.” She said it was only for women, selling an implicit assumption of safety. She took the money and ran.

Nastiness Factor: Bad. Way to break the sisterhood of trust, Sarah.

9. The Haiti Haters




Ponzi schemes popped up all over Haiti in the early 2000’s. These schemes sold themselves as government-backed “cooperatives.” They ran mainstream-sounding ads, some of which featured Haitian pop stars. As a result, people felt safe investing more than $240 million–60% of Haitian GDP in 2001–into the schemes, which ended up being a massive swindle.

Nastiness Factor: Bad. Haiti is already one of the poorest countries in the world. People there eat mud cakes when times get bad. Cheating them out of their meager savings is sick; alas, it also appears to be systemic.

8. The Scientologist Snake



Earthlink co-founder and Scientology minister Reed Slatkin posed as a brilliant investment advisor for A-list Hollywood residents and corporate bosses. Working out of his garage, Slatkin cheated the rich and famous out of roughly $593 million, creating fake statements referring back to fake brokerage firms to prove his mettle. He fed the Church of Scientology with millions of his winnings. In 2000, the SEC caught wind that Slatkin wasn’t licensed, and busted the scheme.

Nastiness Factor: Mild. Cheating the rich and famous usually results in fewer bankruptcies than, say, misling seniors out of their retirement funds.

7. The Lottery Uprising



When Albania was moving out from behind the Iron Curtain in the mid-1990s, a powerful government and environment of questionable ethics resulted in a financial system dominated by pyramid schemes. The government endorsed various Ponzis, which robbed the majority of the population and netted more than $1 billion in losses. Albanians rioted and overthrew the government.

Nastiness Factor: Deplorable. Don’t government officials realize that endorsing Ponzi schemes might get them overthrown?

6. The Costa Rica Crooks



Three Costa Rican brothers, Enrique, Osvaldo and Freddy Villalobos, defrauded clients–mostly American and Canadian retirees–out of $400 million in a 20-odd-year unregulated loan scheme that started in the late 1980s. They promised interest rates of 3% per month on a minimum investment of $10,000. Villalobos moved money through shell companies before paying investors. Its staying power had to do with the fact that margins were low, the brothers were disciplined, and the outfit just barely skirted past laws.

Nastiness Factor: Mild. The size of the operation gives it a place on this list, but the brothers also had real assets to back them up. It’s Ponzi Lite, but that doesn’t ease the burden on people who lost everything.

5. The Biblical Bilker



In fraud-rich Florida, the Greater Ministries International church used Bible-speak to cheat its flock out of $500 million. Starting in the early 1990s, the church, led by gun-toting minister Gerald Payne, offered worshippers investments in gold coins. Payne then created an investment plan that would “double the ‘blessings’ that people invested” by funneling money towards the church’s fake precious metals investments. According to the Anti-Defamation League,

Payne said that God had modernized the multiplication of the loaves and fishes and asked him to share the secret. $500 million later, the Feds caught Payne, but most investors never got their money back.

Nastiness Factor: Disgusting. Anyone who uses holy speak to bilk people out of their retirement savings is disgusting, plain and simple.

4. The Boy Band Bandit

The Investigative Firm of Copenhaver & Associates Inc. Conducted the investigation on this case.



Beginning in the late 1980s, Lou Pearlman, Art Garfunkel’s cousin and former manager of ‘N Sync and the Backstreet Boys, offered attractive returns through his FDIC-insured Trans Continental Savings Program. The scheme was neither a savings and loan nor FDIC-approved, but that didn’t stop Pearlman from bilking investors out of nearly $500 million, with which he planned on funding three MTV shows and an entertainment complex.

Nastiness Factor: Deplorable. Pearlman was already a multimillionaire. The fact that he became a compulsive criminal after that means he should sit in a cell for a very long time.

3. The Retiree Plunderer



Mexican resort owner Michael Eugene Kelly schemed retirees and senior citizens out of $428 million. He offered them timeshare investments in Cancun hotels that he called “Universal Leases.” The timeshares came with rental agreements promising investors a nice fixed rate of return. Most of his victims used their retirement savings, thinking they would get solid, low-risk returns. The SEC says that “more than $136 million of the funds invested (came) from IRA accounts.” Kelly, meanwhile, bought himself a private jet, racetrack, and four yachts.

Nastiness Factor: Disgusting. Defrauding senior citizens out of their retirement savings is just about as low as you can go.

2. Madman Madoff



Bernard Madoff’s scam is still unfolding. The facts as we know them now are that Madoff spent decades building the biggest Ponzi scheme in history, bilking nonprofits, famous people, funds, banks, and countless others out of $50 billion.

Nastiness Factor: Deplorable. The man single-handedly destroyed charities, life savings, and other organizations yet to be named. The amount of money involved earns him a spot just below Charles Ponzi himself.

1. The Namesake



The King of Get Rich Quick, Charles Ponzi became a millionaire in six months by
promising investors 50% return in 45 days on international postal coupon investments. He earned $15 million, which in 1920s terms was serious money. After Ponzi was caught, investors only received $5 million back.

Nastiness Factor: Mythical. This ancestor of fraudulent men passed his name on to the many schemes that would follow his own. His legacy, and his scheme, are forever memorialized, earning them a unique Nastiness Factor label.

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What is a Ponzi Scheme?

A Ponzi scheme is essentially an investment fraud wherein the operator promises high financial returns or dividends that are not available through traditional investments.

Instead of investing victims' funds, the operator pays "dividends" to initial investors using the principle amounts "invested" by subsequent investors.

The scheme generally falls apart when the operator flees with all of the proceeds, or when a sufficient number of new investors cannot be found to allow the continued payment of "dividends."

This type of scheme is named after Charles Ponzi of Boston, Massachusetts, who operated an extremely attractive investment scheme in which he guaranteed investors a 50 percent return on their investment in postal coupons. Although he was able to pay his initial investors, the scheme dissolved when he was unable to pay investors who entered the scheme later.

Tips to Avoid Ponzi Schemes

As with all investments, exercise due diligence in selecting investments and the people with whom you invest.
Make sure you fully understand the investment before you invest your money.

Private Investigators have access to databases that can help them uncover a lot about a person

Orlando private investigator James Copenhaver said Google is one of his favorite tools to learn about people, as are social networking Internet sites such as MySpace and Facebook.A great deal of a private eye's work, though, is done the old-fashioned way. They perform surveillance and interview people face-to-face, on the phone and even by e-mail.

OVER 100 ROUNDS FIRED AT THE SUSPECT !

ORLANDO --

Nine Orange County deputies were put on administrative leave as investigators sort through the details of a deadly shooting.

Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said it all started around 5 a.m. Tuesday, when deputies zeroed in on Torey Breedlove in a planned arrest for felony auto theft charges.

Deputies On Leave

Source: Orange County Sheriff’s Office of Media Relations

* Hector Cartagena, hired 1998
* Rafael Cruz, hired 1997
* Jason Gorberg, hired 2006
* John Leone, hired 1994
* Jason Popovich, hired 2001
* Randall Root, hired 1995
* Richard Schmeltzer, hired 2001
* Troy Tiegs, hired 1998
* Paul Volkerson, hired 1999

Deputies said they followed Breedlove into the Alta Westgate apartment complex, where they saw him get out of the stolen car and get into his own car.

When they approached his vehicle, Demings said Breedlove violently resisted by trying to ram deputies with his car.

Demings said he stood by his deputies in their choice to use deadly force, because Breedlove had a long rap sheet, and deputies said they had reason to believe he was armed and dangerous.

Deputies allegedly fired on Breedlove’s car until he called to them that he wanted to surrender, but when they attempted to approach his car, they said he apparently tried to ram them again.

That was when deputies responded with a second volley of gunfire, killing Breedlove.

Over 100 rounds were fired, Demings said over 100 rounds.

There were several errant rounds, but Demings said no one was injured by those bullets.

There has been strong reaction from residents in the apartment complex about why deputies chose to confront Breedlove in a residential area, and whether deputies used excessive force.

“In this community, one thing is for certain is that this community does not want to see high-speed pursuits,” Demings said, “and that’s why it was really, I think, incumbent upon the deputies to try to stop the individual from leaving that parking lot -- and ultimately that’s what they did.”

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is investigating the shooting. Once it concludes, the case will be presented to the state Attorney’s Office for review.

Demings would not say whether deputies found Breedlove armed within his car, citing the ongoing investigation.

“Knock and Talk”

What exactly is a “knock and talk” procedure?

A knock and talk investigation “involves officers knocking on the door of a house,
identifying themselves as officers, asking to talk to the occupant about a criminal
complaint, and eventually requesting permission to search the house. If successful,
it allows police officers who lack probable cause to gain access to a house and
conduct a search.

Once the officers get permission to search the house, they are allowed to use any
contraband they find as the basis for probable cause The officers can then
obtain a search warrant and seize the contraband.

However, the officer will not
always need to obtain a search warrant due to the plain view doctrine. The well established plain view doctrine states “police may seize evidence in plain view
without a warrant.

Police use one of the recognized exceptions—

voluntary consent—in the “knock and talk” procedure. Thus, as long as the
homeowner voluntarily allows the police officer inside the home, the officer can
legally seize any contraband within his plain view. Furthermore, not only can the
officer seize the contraband, but the officer can also arrest the homeowner for
possession of the contraband. Therefore, consenting to a “knock and talk” could
have serious consequences for the homeowner.

Supreme court rules police need warrant to search cell phones

Supreme court rules police need warrant to search cell phones
December 27th, 2009

In what is considered a landmark decision, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that police need warrants before they can search people’s cell phones.

The ruling, the first in a state supreme court, is expected to serve as a model for other courts to follow, according to an editorial in The New York Times.

The ruling stems from an arrest of a man on drug charges where police searched through his cell phone without his consent.

When the police arrested Antwaun Smith on drug charges they seized his cellphone and searched it, examining his call records. The police did not have a warrant or the consent of Mr. Smith.

The Ohio Supreme Court ruled this month, by a 4-to-3 vote, that the search violated the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable search and seizure. Rather than seeing a cellphone as a simple closed container, the majority noted that modern cellphones — especially ones that permit Internet access — are “capable of storing a wealth of digitized information.”

This is information, the court said, for which people reasonably have a high expectation of privacy, and under established Fourth Amendment principles, police officers must get a search warrant before they can look through call logs or examine other data. The court wisely decided that it made no sense to try to distinguish among various kinds of cellphones based on what specific functions they have. All cellphones, the court said, fall under the search warrant requirement.

Few federal courts have considered the issue of cellphone searches, and they have disagreed about whether a warrant should be required. The Ohio ruling eloquently makes the case for why the very personal information that new forms of technology aggregate must be accorded a significant degree of privacy.

Federal court reigns in use of Tasers

Federal court reigns in use of Tasers
December 31st, 2009


After a year that saw exaggerated use of Tasers against unarmed people who posed no threat to police, a federal appeals court ruled to limit the use of Tasers in these situations.

The ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco this week will affect most of the western United States, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, along with two territories.

It stems from an incident where a 21-year-old California man was Tased after a traffic stop even though he did not threaten the officer or attempted to flee.

According to The New York Times:

In a vividly worded opinion issued by the court this week, Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw described a “bad morning” for Carl Bryan, a 21-year-old Californian who drove over large stretches of Southern California to retrieve car keys mistakenly taken by a friend and ended up being Tasered by a Coronado, Calif., policeman and breaking four teeth when he fell to the ground.

Mr. Bryan was stopped twice on his driving odyssey, once for speeding and again for not wearing his seat belt. After the second stop, Mr. Bryan was “agitated, standing outside his car, yelling gibberish and hitting his thighs, clad only in his boxer shorts and tennis shoes,” the court said.

The judge noted, however, Mr. Bryan did not threaten the officer, Brian McPherson, and was not attempting to flee — all elements of a three-part test that the United States Supreme Court has used to determine when significant force is justified. As for the third factor in the Supreme Court test, the severity of the offense at issue, the Ninth Circuit judges observed that “traffic violations generally will not support the use of a significant level of force.”

Prior to the ruling, police were allowed immunity in Tasering people. Now they can be held liable, which hopefully will make them think twice before using their Taser.