From the desk of Kristen Justis, Director of Marketing and Client Relations
DANGERS OF ONLINE DATING FOR ALL GENERATIONSPART THREE – THE PROFESSIONAL
In previous postings in this series, I have discussed a widower and a divorcé who were victims of online dating scams. Many believe online dating scams only occur when victims do not meet the perpetrator in person and when the perpetrator lives out of the country. This is far from the truth. Lauth Investigations International, Inc. has handled several cases of scam and fraud in relation to online dating sites. Many of these relationships have been in person, long term, and heading towards marriage. The scammers are committed to their end goal and they stay the course of the scam for months, even years.
The following Lauth Investigations fraud case focuses on a professional woman in her mid-thirties. We hear of the cases often where the victims are older, retired, or just plain lonely. Lauth Investigations has found young, successful professionals are just as prone to falling victim to these scams.
The Professional Woman
Julia works for a Fortune 500 company in downtown Indianapolis. She owns her home, drives a nice car and has a hefty 401k. Julia has a multitude of friends she spends her time with including traveling often. One of her friends announces she is now engaged. Julia is in her mid-thirties and eventually wants to be married with children someday. The engagement announces gets her thinking how she would like to meet someone. In that moment, she decides to join an online dating website. Managing an online profile would be an easier way to meet someone instead of leaving it to chance, especially with her busy lifestyle.
Julia begins receiving a lot of interest from various men. She meets a few of them for coffee; however, there was no chemistry. Finally, she begins receiving email communication from Scott, a professional man within downtown Indianapolis who travels often. They communicate for a few weeks and they really get to know each other. After feeling extremely connected, they decide to meet.
Scott and Julia meet for dinner. It was an immediate connection. Julia enjoyed everything about Scott and the relationship begins. Although Scott is out of town quite often for his job, they spend all their free time together. Julia finds herself waiting at home for Scott instead of spending her time with her friends. Months pass by and the relationship begins to get extremely serious. Julia is in love.
The love Julia feels for Scott grows to the point she is ready to be married. She only focuses on him and their time together, until the holidays roll around. Julia understands Scott’s job is a lot of traveling; however, he is out of town over Thanksgiving, then he must go out of town for Christmas and finally New Years Eve. Julia begins to question what kind of job makes you travel and miss Christmas with your loved ones.
The questions start to rush inside Julia. She realizes Scott never has her over to his house, he only stays at her house. He takes a lot of calls while he is with her and he always walks out of the room for these calls. He has canceled a lot of dates with her at the last minute for “work”. Julia thinks back over the year with Scott and she realizes, he has never invited her to work event, she hasn’t met his family, and he has slowly alienated her from her friends and her family.
Julia reached out to Lauth Investigations International, Inc. for a simple background check on Scott. She began to fear he may be married. Even in the initial phone call to Lauth Investigations, Julia was questioning her decision to hire a private investigator as she felt guilty for not trusting Scott. Finally, she realized it is better to be knowledgeable instead of continuing blindly further into deepening this relationship.
The beginning of the investigation, Lauth Investigation’s private investigators found Scott was not married; however, he did not work where he claimed. It was found Scott was unemployed. Further investigating into his background, investigators discovered a long list of criminal activity including Identity Theft, Fraud, Tax Evasion, and Forgery. Julia was advised of our findings and she requested to know more. Surveillance and interviews of his past relations begin.
Rather quickly, investigators discovered Scott was a professional scam artist. He dates and marries women eventually taking their money and/or identity. He had opened credit cards under these victim’s names, he married some of these victims and when he divorces them, he is entitled to a portion of their retirement and checking accounts. Scott was a career criminal.
Had Julia not decided to hire Lauth Investigations International, Inc. to investigate Scott’s background, she would have been just another victim in his long line of scams. Julia was lucky as the scam hadn’t reached the money exchange or theft phase. Julia confronted Scott and she has never heard from him again.
Hiring a private investigator when beginning to date someone new seems deceptive and costly; however, it is better to go in with your eyes wide open. Be proactive and spend some money up front before the scammers take your money and your pride on the back end. Julia has since hired Lauth Investigations to complete background checks on two potentially new boyfriends over the past couple of years. She saw how close she was to becoming a victim and refuses to be in that situation ever again.
Government and military entities are not the only ones spying and conducting espionage investigations to protect our national security. More and more corporations and even small businesses are now hiring expert private investigators to conduct espionage investigations and counter-surveillance to protect “trade secrets” and other classified information.
Cases of economic espionage, industrial espionage, corporate spying and corporate espionage are commonly conducted for commercial purposes but can also include personal information that can later be used to blackmail, discredit and control enemies and competitors.
Espionage or “Insider theft” can cause significant personal and financial harm and described as an individual obtaining secret information without the explicit permission of the owner. For example, a corporation or company spying on another company’s activities, collecting data and information for gain or cause damage, most commonly through the doorway of employment.
Espionage involves clandestine activities. Though methods and motives of spying have changed over time, the desire to uncover competitor’s secrets has not. There is a war going on, and spying the primary weapon.
The FBI concludes “insider threats” or employees familiar with the inner workings of a company who obtain sensitive industry secrets in exchange for large amounts of cash are becoming more common and pose a significant threat to companies worldwide.
To combat this ever-increasing menace to American businesses, the FBI produced a video “” to raise awareness.
Private investigator Thomas Lauth, CEO of Lauth Investigations International, says, “Global trade of fake goods is damaging U.S. markets, along with theft by U.S. retail workers.”
Pirated and imports of counterfeit goods are worth nearly half trillion dollars annually with much of the proceeds going to organized crime, according to the OECD and the EU’s Intellectual Property Office.
“Trade in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods: Mapping the Economic Impact,” reports fake products like footwear, handbags, even strawberries, are commonly presented to the U.S market. While there is significant financial damage occurring, products like pharmaceuticals, toys that are harmful to children, baby formula, and failing auto parts are endangering lives.
According to former Attorney General Loretta Lynch in a 2015 Department of Justice press release, “The digital age has revolutionized how we share information, store data, make purchases and develop products, requiring law enforcement to strengthen our defenses against cyber crime – one of my top priorities as Attorney General, “said Lynch. “Companies like Sony and Target – have demonstrated the seriousness of the threat all business face and have underscored the potential for sophisticated adversaries to inflict real and lasting harm.”
While the Attorney General’s Office, FBI, Homeland Security and law enforcement are allocating more resources to combating intellectual property theft from dangerous outside adversaries, companies throughout the world are encouraged to take the necessary steps to protect their own intellectual property from outside and insider threats.
Insider Theft of Intellectual Property
Experts maintain upwards to 70% of a corporation’s value is found in Intellectual Property (IP). Insider threats come from the inside because the “thieves” are given access to their day-to-day employment.
The value of an organization’s secrets, product plans, customer data, and price lists cannot be underestimated. It becomes necessary to find a balance between productivity and protocol that allows a watchful eye to protect sensitive data and detect insider threat activity. Operational staff should be prepared with information to help them better understand how insiders can damage their agency, and in the various methods used by insiders. They are the front line to help battle IP theft crimes.
Insider thieves commit crimes for varying reasons, to include gaining a competitive business edge, to start a competing business, or personal financial gain.
It is not uncommon for thieves to use networks to send internal server data outside of an organization. The most common method of stealing data is the use of external media such as a writable CD or USB mass storage device. Using corporate email accounts to send information off-site to personal emails and competitors is also common and requires monitoring to prevent such abuse.
It is necessary for organizations to identify risks and develop standards of best practices and policies that address the many ways IP can be exploited. These should include but are not limited to IT Security, removable media policy, controls and inventory, physical security, logs, and indexing tools to identify patterns in behavior. It is especially important to implement heightened security measures during reorganization, acquisition, downsizing, mergers or other organizational events.
Non-Compete Agreements Protects the bottom-line
Employee departures resulting in the scheming of trade secrets and clients has increased significantly in recent years. Many employees leave their employment to begin a similar start-up or pursue freelance work. As a result, it has become common for former employees to approach old clients, steal data, marketing materials and even share negative information to damage their former employer’s credibility.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, with the help of investigators, over the past decade, there has been an increase in the number of departing employees being successfully sued by former employers for breaching Non-compete Agreements (CNC).
Considered one of the most effective ways to prevent the theft of a company’s secrets, having a Non-compete in place and requiring every employee to sign it, can prevent damages that could otherwise last years.
Private investigation firms are playing a significant role in the effort to safeguard information, the detection of costly breaches and providing an evidentuary solution presenting facts when litigation is necessary.
Lauth Investigations International is working to prevent intellectual property breaches, global piracy, counterfeiting and insider threats with data mining experts and field investigators who focus on safeguarding IP and detecting violations utilizing sources that are not commonplace to HR and Operations Supervisors. “It is vital to be able to detect violations to prevent violators from reaping profits and expanding their worldwide market, where damage can extend for years,” says Lauth.
Brand Protection areas include:
Apparel
Music and Apps
Tools and Hardware
Cosmetics and other Products
Logos and Authentic Branding
Indigenous Rights
Author Rights
Content and SEO Detection and Protection
Plagiarism, Marketing Materials and Website Protection
“Our investigators conduct trademark infringement for brands, large and small, trekking through some of the most complicated cases and vast markets such as Hollywood celebrities, apparel, and electronic clients,” says Lauth. “Our team provides intellectual property and litigation support for small business and corporations working with corporate executives, HR, and those in Operations Supervision to provide research and investigations, crisis intervention, employee screening, vendor and supplier screening, electronic discovery, surveillance, loss analysis, and expert testimony if needed.
Working to protecting your brand
“Our private investigation firm will not only work with key staff and operations supervisors to identify current and potential breaches, we work with companies that operate throughout the world to implement the right policies and safety protocol to help protect their IP into the future,” says Lauth.
Lauth Investigations offers free consultations and guidance to help protect your brand. Following are a few tips to help you better protect your IP.
Protect web content and marketing materials by utilizing a DMCA account and protection badge.
Think globally. Obtain trademark protection for worldwide protection.
Set up a Google Alert to police your brand.
Obtain IP Protection for Copyrights, Trademarks, and Patents.
Register trademarks with the US Patent Office.
Develop a Policies and Procedure Handbook and have each employee review and sign.
Utilize Marketing Analytics software such as TrackMaven and Travel IQ for online tracking.
Monitor unregistered infringements.
Create various divisions for a more controlled environment.
FMLA fraud is common. Employees have been known to take FMLA allotted days to go fishing, finish a long vacation after running out of vacation days, and even serve jail time. However, successfully winning a case of FMLA fraud in district court is not as easy as you may think. Proving that an employee’s “out of work” activity conflicts with their FMLA testimony is hard, and often requires a lot of documented research.
Take the example of an employee who was seen drinking and dancing during her sick leave for a bad back, but who won her case against her employer. Or the woman who successfully used her sick leave to take her mother to DisneyWorld. Cases that seem to be open and shut end up being far from it, and it is often due to a lack of information on the extent of the perceived illness, injury, or handicap, or a lack of information on the perceived act of fraud.
If you think you are a victim of FMLA fraud, and that you have an employee who is abusing the system, here are three things you should do before you terminate them to avoid frustrating legal proceedings and possibly losing a winning case.
Hire a Private Investigator- OK, you knew we were going to say that. But in all sincerity, trying to win an FMLA fraud case without the use of a private investigator is essentially shooting yourself in the foot. In the case of FMLA fraud, a well researched case is the difference between winning and losing, because you will need to have details on what your employee is doing that you cannot get on your own. Private investigators can help you contextualize your employees medical situation, look into any plans they had for vacations or trips, help you identify any incriminating evidence, and most importantly, keep you in line with the law throughout the process. If you think that an employee is lying about their FMLA needs, they probably are. Your issue lies in proving that to a judge.
Build a strong argument- As stated above, being out dancing might not necessarily mean that you don’t have a back problem preventing you from work- at least, not to a court judge. If the employer in that specific case did the work of consulting a medical professional and building a stronger argument around their assertion that “dancing means you can work”, they would have probably won their case. They lost because they fired their employee based on assumptions instead of facts. If you are going to fight someone on FMLA leave, make absolutely sure that you are building an argument that will stand up in court. Talk to professionals, research your assumptions (no matter how obvious and self-evident they might seem to you), and don’t terminate the employee until you are absolutely sure that you could back up your decision in front of a judge.
Weigh the pros and cons- Unfortunately, the potential benefit of terminating an employee who abused FMLA might not outweigh the costs of court proceedings, research, and the risk of losing. Of course, you do not want to continue to employ someone who blatantly lies and abuses your company and your trust. But in the case of gray areas, it might be best for your company to let it slide and assume the best. As long as the abuse is not recurring and does not become a habit, giving your employee the benefit of the doubt in minor cases of potential fraud might be best for company morale, and for your checkbook. It simply isn’t always worth the fight, despite the injustice of it.
Winning your case comes down to one thing: being prepared. Take preparation seriously, know the facts, and you have a good chance at getting justice for your company.
We all know about thieves stealing our credit cards from our wallet and using them fraudulently. Did you know there is another way thieves steal our credit card information without touching our wallets? Credit card skimming is an electronic method of capturing a victim’s personal information used by identity thieves.
How Credit Card Skimming Works
A credit card skimmer is a small device used to scan a credit or debit card’s magnetic strip. Once scanned, the skimmer copies all the information on the magnetic strip. The information is then sent via Bluetooth or the thief returns to remove the skimmer where the information is stored. Thieves utilize these skimmers in a variety of locations to obtain information:
ATM’s – There are two devices used for ATM skimming. First, a credit card reader is placed over the ATM’s real card slot. When a card is placed in the slot, the skimmer reads the magnetic strip and copies all the data. Second, a small camera is placed on the ATM in order to record the security pin number. The ATM’s at gas stations and stand alone locations are generally easier to be utilized for this scam.
Restaurants – Everyone has paid for a meal at a restaurant on a credit or debit card. We get the bill from the waiter/waitress and they walk away with our card. Thieves recruit individuals to work at these restaurants. When they walk away with the card, they scan it through the skimmer to obtain the card information.
Retailers – While it is more difficult for thieves to access retailer’s credit card machines, they have found ways around this difficulty. Thieves have targeted self-checkout lanes. They have easy access to install the skimmer and walk away in just a few seconds.
Wireless Skimmers – The upcoming trend for thieves are wireless skimmers. These skimmers only have to be in close range of the credit card and the machine where the card is being used. Wireless skimmers pick up on the transmitters used between the credit card and the machine.
How to Detect a Credit Card Skimmer
Credit Card Skimmers are small and generally undetectable; however, if we have the proper knowledge, we may be able to recognize these skimmers before placing our cards in the slot. Although there isn’t an easy way to detect a skimmer, there are some things to look for when using your credit card:
When at an ATM, check for any tampering with the machine. If the slot where you place your card seems extra large or protruding out too far, pull on it to see if it comes out.
Look around the location for any strange objects. If they do not seem to fit with the location or do not belong, there could be a small camera in the item.
If you are at a location and something doesn’t seem right, turn the Bluetooth on your phone and check for any strange devices trying to connect to your phone. These usually will be a long grouping of numbers or letters.
Skimmers are usually smaller than a deck of cards and they fit onto the card reader slot as if they belong. If there is another terminal near, compare the two if you feel something is off.
How to Protect Yourself from Being a Victim
Credit Card Skimmer Thieves rely on the fact that we are all too busy and rushed to notice little things like a skimmer on an ATM or credit card machine. While we can attempt to detect skimmers when utilizing credit card machines, there are other ways to keep ourselves from being victims:
Take the extra time to go into your financial institution and withdrawal money from the teller instead of the ATM.
If you must use an ATM, go to a bank with the ATM in a well lit area. Avoid gas station ATM’s or stand alone ATM’s.
Always cover the keypad when entering your pin number. If you cover it well enough, even a small camera will not be able to pick it up.
Try to pay with cash as often as possible. I know it’s a pain, but it will protect you from card card theft and help you budget your money better. If paying with cash, the waiter/waitress at the restaurant will be unable to do anything fraudulent as well.
Check your bank account often. Ensure all charges are legitimate. If you see anything odd, report it to your bank immediately.
Trust your gut. If something feels off, it probably is off. Leave the location and go elsewhere.
Credit Card Skimmers are being technologically advanced all the time. Although we can’t always ensure our safety, we can start with these few tips and tricks to protect ourselves and always stay informed. Lauth Investigations International is a private investigation firm assisting individuals determine if they have been victims credit card fraud and identity theft. Asset searches and Background checks on yourself will ensure your identity is your own and no one else is using your information.
The 2016 election brought the term fake news into headlines and into American’s living rooms. Both sides alleged that there were “fake news campaigns” working to spread news that was meant to sabotage their campaign.
With the growing use of social media to spread news stories and share information with friends, it’s absolutely true that fake news has become more common in recent years, whether it’s just poorly researched opinion based news, or actual news set up to scam or misinform readers.
One of the most dangerous examples of fake news comes in the form of pump and dump schemes. Like all types of fake news,Pump and dump schemes have been around since the beginning of time, but they have recently made a new (and dangerous) comeback in the form of digital media.
How Do Pump and Dump Schemes Work?
Imagine you have a stock that is low in value. You want to “dump” it, but you need someone to buy it from you.
No one is going to do that, at least not for the price you want. So you use fake marketing to convince investors that your stock is worth more than it is, because the price is about to skyrocket.
Essentially, you make them think that they have discovered secret, inside information and that it will pay off if they invest in the stock.
You “pump” the internet with news, “pump” up the price of your stock, and then “dump” it on an unassuming investor who didn’t do proper research.
What Pump and Dump Schemes Look Like Today
In the past, pump and dump schemes were run by fake investors making cold calls to convince investors that they had the next big secret on a valuable stock.
Today, pump and dump schemes are far less personal. They come in the form of spam emails, facebook posts, and any other form of online marketing that tries to convince a receipient to “act fast” in order to take advantage of a “unique opportunity.”
Protecting Yourself From Pump and Dump Schemes
Knowing that these schemes are out there can be unsettling and make you feel like there is a heightened risk whenever you decide to invest. Although pump and dump schemes are real concerns, there are measurable actions you can take to protect yourself from falling victim to such a scheme and keep your money safe.
The first thing to keep in mind is to beware of any information you read over the internet. It is no joke that we are living in the age of “fake news” anyone and everyone can post pages online, and they can even create fake “source” news articles that they link to in their posts to establish false credibility. If you are trying to conduct financial research online, stick to reputable sources.Even with reputable sources, double check to make sure that the page is not a fraud.
The next step is to consult a local financial advisor or private investigator before committing to the investment. Meeting with someone locally face to face who you can trust to verify if the investment is really a good idea will be worth your weight in gold. We don’t always have the knowledge or resources to detect pump and dump schemes on our own, but there are people out there who can help you.
The last step is to never feel pressure to jump into an investment. Pump and dump schemes play off of a person’s sense of urgency. When we feel like we are being offered a limited time opportunity, we act impulsively and don’t think things through the way we would if we felt that we had time. The reality is, no investment is worth it if you don’t have time to thoroughly research it and make sure it is legitimate. If you are feeling like you need to rush, it probably is too good to be true.
It is harder than ever to protect yourself online, with scammers getting smarter, and real, reliable information getting harder and harder to get a hold of. But take your time, think things through, and don’t be afraid to consult an expert when you’re getting ready to make a big decision. Your bank account will thank you for it.
Lauth Investigations International is a private investigation firm. We are constantly questioned about what our background searches can provide that a personal background search cannot. All I can say, it’s all in the details. You pay for what you get. If you want all detailed, accurate information, you will pay for a Private Investigation Background Search. If you want high level information, you will conduct your own Personal Background Search.
Personal Background Search
With the internet, so much information is at our fingertips, but are we getting the most up to date information? A personal background search will bring up the following information:
Employment history. The search will bring up employment records; however, it may only bring up the last couple of positions held. It will not give details of all the employment information for the individuals.
Academic and/or professional qualifications. The search will provide education information and any certifications. High level information will only be received.
Criminal Records. The search will show all arrests and convictions.
Financial Standing. The search will bring up any liens, judgments, bank accounts and property ownership.
The information obtained will be high level and up to the person’s own ability to read the results. In order to get deeper levels, the user has to continue to pay the further in depth they go.
Private Investigations Background Search
Unlike a personal background search conducted by a novice user, a private investigations background search is not just putting a name in a database and seeing what comes up. Private Investigators have access to several databases which will show a variety of information.
Employment history. The search will bring up employment records including all positions held, any discrepancies on a resume, the salaries affiliated with the positions and any other information a potential employer would need to know.
Academic and/or professional qualifications. The search will show all academic history and certifications even if the individual did not complete the program.
Criminal Records. The search will provide a detailed outline of all criminal activity from speeding warnings/tickets and arrests up to convictions and jail time served.
Financial Standing. The search will show all liens, judgments, bank accounts, property ownership, previous ownership of properties, dates properties sold, NSF checks and bankruptcies.
Along with the typical information received through a personal background search, private investigation background searches also include:
Worker’s Compensation Claims an individual has filed. Determining the character of an individual is just as important as their criminal history. For employment purposes, an individual who files numerous compensation claims reveals a dishonest, fraudulent individual.
Ascertain causes of accidents or any criminal activity. DMV reports will show accident information; however, they do not show all causes of the accidents. The in depth reports by private investigators show the reasoning behind accidents and if there was criminal activity involved in the accident as well.
In depth analysis of all findings in the research. Any individual can pull information; however, it’s how the information is analyzed and interpreted that makes it helpful.
Information on employers, business partners, and personal partners.
The process of performing background checks is and should be more in depth than just putting in a name in a database. To ensure the most updated accurate information is received, a private investigation background check is the direction to take. The analysis and time put in from a private investigator along with their ability to understand the findings places the outcome far more beneficial. The personal background checks are general and only provide high level information. Without the knowledge needed to understand the reports, the information does not provide the detail generally needed.
Background checks can be used for all kinds of reasons. If you are looking into a potential business partner, potential employee, potential life partner, a detailed background check with concise analysis can provide you the information needed to make informed decisions. Do not rely on just an internet search without the knowledge to know what information is in front of you.
The questions start to rush inside Julia. She realizes Scott never has her over to his house, he only stays at her house. He takes a lot of calls while he is with her and he always walks out of the room for these calls. He has canceled a lot of dates with her at the last minute for “work”. Julia thinks back over the year with Scott and she realizes, he has never invited her to work event, she hasn’t met his family, and he has slowly alienated her from her friends and her family.
Rather quickly, investigators discovered Scott was a professional scam artist. He dates and marries women eventually taking their money and/or identity. He had opened credit cards under these victim’s names, he married some of these victims and when he divorces them, he is entitled to a portion of their retirement and checking accounts. Scott was a career criminal.
The FBI concludes “insider threats” or employees familiar with the inner workings of a company who obtain sensitive industry secrets in exchange for large amounts of cash are becoming more common and pose a significant threat to companies worldwide.
Insider thieves commit crimes for varying reasons, to include gaining a competitive business edge, to start a competing business, or personal financial gain.
First, a credit card reader is placed over the ATM’s real card slot. When a card is placed in the slot, the skimmer reads the magnetic strip and copies all the data. Second, a small camera is placed on the ATM in order to record the security pin number. The ATM’s at gas stations and stand alone locations are generally easier to be utilized for this scam.
