In this scam, the con artist slips a wallet into the bags or pockets of travelers at airports, train stations and other popular areas for travelers. The scammer then confronts the person about the “theft of his wallet”. He threatens to have the police arrest you if you do not pay a “settlement”. Often the con artist will work with another person who will say that they witnessed you taking the scammer’s wallet. If you pay them, they will let you go. If you refuse they will have the police arrest you.
Be aware that if this happens to you, it is likely that the whole thing was caught on video tape, especially if it happens at an airport.
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/200404260036773.php
Beware of new scam in town
Dr Ibrahim Abdullah
2:41pm Monday Apr 26th, 2004
I just heard a few days ago that a new type of crime has surfaced in town. It goes something like this.
Somebody slips a handphone into your pocket. Sometimes it could be just a wallet with an identity card and a few ringgit. A few minutes later, the ‘owner’ comes up and confronts you, the ‘thief ’.
He makes a big commotion that you stole his stuff. You, caught unawares, are then pulled aside by the ‘owner’ for a settlement. You are intimidated and threatened that if you do not pay up the police will be brought in.
If you pay up, this ‘owner’ lets you go. If not, the police are brought in. Another strange thing is that there always seems to be a ‘witness’ to the your ‘theft’.
Identity theft and credit card scams are at an all time high. Keep track of all checks, credit cards and ATM cards all the time. Thieves like to target business travelers and tourists because they are an easy target and they likely will be gone before anyone is arrested. So there won’t be anyone to pick out the thief from a line up or to testify in court. These thieves often will use the credit cards and personal information gathered in a mugging, purse snatching or breaking into your hotel or rental car for identity theft scams. In this case a scammer used stolen credit cards to rack up $60,000 worth of travel and other charges.
$60,000 worth of air travel booked on stolen credit cards
22 April 2004
A fraudster used stolen credit cards to rack up about $60,000 on international flights booked through Christchurch travel agents.
The man – who had not been caught by police – was generous with his victims' money, as he seemingly gave the flights to other people to use.
Police could not confirm where the passengers travelled to.
Two travel agents complained to police about the scam when the real owners of the credit cards discovered the fares on their statements.
The fraudster had struck twice in the past few months, booking flights worth up to $30,000 in both cases.
Christchurch fraud squad head Detective Sergeant David Harvey said the man went to travel agents and booked the flights by credit card number. The tickets were later confirmed and used, but the credit was discovered to be false.
There has been an increase in entertainment ticket scams. For example you go online and research ticket prices for a pro football game, tickets for a Broadway show, Disneyworld, Disneyland or tickets to the Olympic Games. You find an incredible deal and you pay for your tickets. Your whole trip is planned around going to this event. Maybe you are taking the family or you are taking business clients. But your tickets never show up, you’ve been scammed.
Here are some tips on how to avoid ticket scammers.
• If they won’t tell you their address or phone number, don’t do business with them.
• Check and see if they have a permanent address.
• See if your ticket broker belongs to the National Association or Ticket Brokers and that they are bonded at www.natb.org
It is very important to check these people out before you make a purchase. If they look legitimate then pay by credit card and if there are any problems you’ll have a better chance of getting the charges reversed to get your money back. However, if they do not look legit, do not give them anything let alone your credit card information. If they are scam artists there is nothing stopping them from using you personal financial information to commit identity theft against you.
There are more tips and advice in the article below, just click the “More >>” button.
Packer Fans Ripped Off in Ticket Scam
By Becky Freemal
With the Packers' 2004 schedule out, the phones are ringing off the hook at Packer Fan Tours, as fans of the green and gold scramble for seats.
"Our response has been quite overwhelming," says Packer Fan Tours' Dennis Garrity. "The schedule came out last Wednesday and the phones have been constant, and our Internet orders have been flowing in."
Unfortunately, this is also the time of year when ticket scams pop up. The Bureau of Consumer Protection is currently investigating several complaints from hundreds of Packer fans who paid big money for tickets...only to have those tickets never materialize.
Last season, Jim and Coleen Nall were finally supposed to be able to go to a regular-season game at Lambeau Field. Jim had looked around on several websites, finally finding a deal: four tickets for $690.
This is a great article on the dangers of pickpockets. It gives good advice and has a series of photographs that shows just how quickly a pickpocket can strike. According to the Justice Department, in 2001, there were over 158,000 victims in the US that lost $45 million to pickpockets. Don’t let this ruin your vacation.
Many pickpockets are tied into Identity Theft scams, so not only do they take your cash and credit cards, they take your good name and your credit and take it for a ride. And if you are on vacation while this is happening, the damage may be far greater when you get back home. Go to the “More” section and check out how to protect yourself from pickpockets.
06/17/2003
USA TODAY
By Edward Iwata,
Pickpockets may have eye on you
Easy pickings
Detective Cedric Mitchell of the Metro Transit Police Department in Washington, D.C., demonstrates how easy it is to swipe the wallet from the purse of model Ester-Leigh Rawson on a Union Station platform.
Beware, all travelers and shoppers. If you're carrying cash or credit cards, roving bands of pickpockets may be casing you now — whether you realize it or not.
"Picking pockets is one of the oldest crimes in the books," says Detective Cedric Mitchell of the Metro Transit Police Department in Washington, D.C. "It goes on every day, everywhere."
A 22 year old woman was sexually assaulted in the alley of a dance club. Earlier, she was given water while she was inside at the club. She started feeling dizzy and only remembers bits and pieces after that. She does remember being assaulted over the hood of a green car. Investigators speculate that GHB was slipped into her water.
Check out the free travel safety guide for the story of a traveling man who was drugged and robbed while riding on a bus through Latin America. The guide is available at www.mytravelsafety.com/guide.
A simple test kit for checking if food or drink contains one of the four most commonly used date rape drugs is available at www.collegesafe.com
March 21, 2003
Rocky Mountain News
By Hector Gutierrez
Date-rape drug eyed in assault
Boulder police on Thursday were looking for a man who may have slipped a date-rape drug into a woman's drink before sexually assaulting her last weekend.
The 22-year-old victim told detectives that she was at Soma dance club, 1915 Broadway, Saturday night when someone gave her water.
After drinking the water, the woman told police she suffered lapses in consciousness and felt dizzy. She remembered then being in the alley with a man, who went by the name of Zimmer.
She remembered being assaulted on the hood of a green car, she told detectives.
If you are going somewhere and you want to return home and find all your stuff still there, then you should read this article. This is a great article on how to protect and secure your home before you leave on vacation. Much of this information comes from Police Officers who have seen a lot of vacation related crime.
Check out the free guide on travel safety at www.mytravelsafety.com/guide.htm for mind blowing tips and information on travel and vacation safety.
Copyright 2002
Wpxi.com
Secure Home Before Vacationing
LANCASTER, Pa. -- While you're planning for a big family trip, a burglar may be making plans to spend a little time at your house while you're away.
"The main thing we want to do is have the house look lived in. We don't want it to look abandoned," Trooper Joe Reeves said.
Timers on lights are a good way to achieve that "lived in" look. You should use several different timers in various parts of your home, and there are now timers you can place on wall-mounted light switches to turn overhead or outdoor lights on and off.
Gone in 60 seconds? How about 26 seconds. That is how often a car is stolen in the US, one car every 26 seconds. Travelers should beware because thieves like to strike when they can get away and it will be a while before anyone notices the car missing. So they’ll check out the long term parking lot at the airport or people’s driveways where they look like they’ve been gone for a while. Here is the list of the top 25 cars that thieves just can’t resist. Is your car on the list?
This article lists the cars and the reasons why thieves like them so much.
By Bankrate.com
The 25 vehicles thieves love most
...Yes, vehicles vanish from street curbs, driveways, parking lots and even car dealership lots. But, says McGoey, the frequency increases when the dishonest can bet you'll be gone for an extended time. Think airports, movie complexes, large apartment complexes at night, shopping centers during business hours, fairgrounds and sporting events. They tend to avoid fee-based parking lots (too much hassle explaining to the old guy sitting in the little booth why they don't have a ticket) as well as stacked parking garages that offer just one escape route.
This article should alert ALL air travelers to ALWAYS keep their bags and carry ons in sight. In Portland Oregon one of the federal airport screeners was videotaped stealing $1,300 from a woman's purse at a security checkpoint.
In this particular case, the main reason the PDX screener was found guilty is because the victim's husband was videotaping her at the check out point.
During heightened security alerts at all airports, frequently travelers are searched with metal detector wands while going through security checkpoints. It is certainly understandable WHY this is needed.
HOWEVER - when you are being wanded, kindly ask the airport screeners to bring your bags into your view WHILE you are being wanded. Last week this happened to me while in Providence Rhode Island. They chose to wand me at the security checkpoint, but when I asked them to bring my carry on bags over to where I was being wanded, they refused and two guards began to yell at me. They finished wanding me, but only after putting my bags through the screening machine a second time, with my carry on bags OUT OF MY VIEW.
Eventually they let me proceed to my gate, but they were not done with me yet.
They then sent three more security guards to then check my carry on bags and shoes minutes before I was to board the plane. They found nothing suspicious in any of my bags or shoes. They could not understand WHY I would insist that my carry on bags were in my view at all times.
This attitude by the security screeners jeopardizes the personal safety of your carry on bags. At the airport, you constantly hear an ongoing message about being responsible for your bags and not letting them out of your sight. I attempted to follow that advice, but was treated as a security risk by the guards.
You have every right to have your carry on bags in FULL VIEW while you are being searched or wanded by security screeners. Insist on this, or you may wind up having items or cash stolen from your carry on bag like this woman in Portland. Imagine if you had a carry on bag with a business laptop containing thousands of dollars of private company data?
June 4, 2003
KATU News
PORTLAND - A federal airport screener at Portland International Airport is on unpaid leave after being accused of taking $1,300 in cash from a woman's purse last month at a security checkpoint.
Thirteen crumpled $100 bills were found in a garbage can near the checkpoint after the woman discovered the money was missing.
The passenger, 39-year old Leonora Usi of Aloha, said she has a video her husband took as she passed through airport security.
Over 500,000 Americans will be victimized by identity theft this year, and travelers will be especially hard hit. Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the US. It is worse for travelers because it is much harder to figure out where the theft occurred. It could be a waiter with a pager sized card reader, that takes a swipe of your card when no one is looking, a worker in a shop or store, or even a bogus ATM machine.
Think about how many different accounts are tied to your ATM card. Do you have a checking, savings, money market account tied to the card? If that is the case then an identity thief with access to your card information can drain money away from all of those accounts.
July 10, 2003
NewsObserver.com
By MEGAN CARROLL, Staff Writer
STAYING SAFE
Keep your identity protected
Staying Safe - Summer Vacation Perils
You don't want to forget the sunscreen when you go on vacation, but some other things you may want to leave at home.
More than a half-million people will have their personal identities stolen this year, making identity theft the fastest growing crime in the United States, according to Jim Vaules, a LexisNexis fraud consultant who wrote tips to help travelers protect their personal finances when on summer excursions.
When the crime occurs during travel, said A.L. Jackson, an investigator in the fraud unit at the Durham Police Department, they are harder to solve...
Identity theft is at an all time high and travelers and people on vacation are at a much greater risk than people in other situations. This article outlines how someone can tap into your bank account and drain it dry without your ATM debit card or PIN number and how banks are taking a tougher stance on correcting it in your favor.
High tech thieves have installed tiny card readers at ATMs to record the data off of your card while hidden cameras capture you punching in your PIN number. With this information they can make a duplicate card and drain your account. Take a look at the ATM before you use it. Does everything look like it belongs there? One man found that the ATM that he was about to use had a loose cover around the card slot. He pulled on it and found that it was not original equipment, someone added it to the ATM
Another scam used to drain your account involves a thin sheet of plastic, about the size of an ATM debit or credit card that is put into the card slot before you even get there. You put your card in and the machine can not read your card through the sheet of plastic. The machine doesn’t even know that your card is there. You punch buttons and nothing happens. You push the cancel button and still nothing happens. It looks like the machine has eaten your card. After a while when you walk away in frustration, the scam artist comes up to the machine and pulls out the plastic sheet and recovers your card. In addition they probably saw you enter your PIN number several times as you tried to get the machine to work.
If this happens to you, look for a little plastic tab or plastic edge in the card slot. Take it out and you can get your card back. Be sure to report it as soon as possible. Just watch out for the scam artist, he may be watching.
April 15, 2003
By E. Scott Reckard
The Los Angeles Times
Consumers, banks clash on ATMs
As fraud claims rise, some financial institutions are taking a tougher stance when it comes to giving money back
LOS ANGELES -- Despite bank promises of "zero liability" for customers victimized by automated teller machine fraud, getting credit for stolen funds isn't always automatic, as Kelly Quick of Studio City learned...
Quick discovered that someone had tapped ATMs to siphon $1,420 from his …checking account. He notified the bank, and the missing funds were credited to his account…
After about three weeks, the bank took the money back, saying it had "determined that the transactions in question were authorized."
But his ATM card had not been lost or stolen, and he had not disclosed his PIN to anyone.
Cody Kennedy was wading in waist deep water at Pensacola Beach, Florida, when waves and rip tides swept him out to the Gulf of Mexico. Attempts to rescue Cody were unsuccessful. Similar waves and rip tides have killed 17 people along the same stretch of beach the last two years.
If you ever find yourself in a similar situation, don’t try to fight the power of the ocean by swimming straight towards the shore against the current. This is what your instincts will tell you to do, panic will kick in and you’ll struggle to get back to shore a quickly as possible. This will only wear you out until you are too tired to swim anymore.
Try to control your panic and swim parallel even with the beach until you are past the rip tides. Once you are past the rip tides you can swim to the shore at a diagonal. Try to get the attention of a lifeguard.
If you are with children stay with them and keep a very close eye on them. If you see anyone in trouble in the water don’t try to go after them, get a lifeguard. Far too often, the rescuer gets into trouble in dangerous surf.
Mar 28, 2003
TBO.com
The Associated Press
Deadly Panhandle Island Claims First Victim of Year
PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A rescue attempt failed and a 19-year-old man apparently became the first person to drown this year off a barrier island where 17 people have died in the past two years.
Rip currents apparently swept Cody Kennedy, of Milton, into the Gulf of Mexico while wading in waist-deep water Thursday in this resort community at the western end of Santa Rosa Island. The narrow island stretches nearly 50 miles along the Florida Panhandle coast.
Imagine you are driving in the countryside of a beautiful foreign country. The weather is warm and your car window is open. All of a sudden a large rock hits you in the head and you're in severe pain. That is what happened to an English tourist visiting Australia. He was not seriously injured but did learn a few things. The rock was propelled into his car by a commercial grade lawn mower along the side of the road. A safety guard on the mower would have prevented this.
So, when in doubt, as you drive near large construction or commercial vehicles such as lawn mowers, play it safe and roll up your window. Also remember that different countries have different safety regulations, some more strict than others.
A close friend of mine was injured by a thrown rock while on the train going through India. The rock sailed through the open window and struck him in the head, causing a bloody mess. He needed to go to the hospital right away after it happened. He was so glad that he made sure that he had traveler's insurance that covered medical while he was away.
Make sure that you are covered for any emergencies while you are away.
Geelong Advertiser
Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Tourist has lucky escape
STONED: Andrew Hall is nursing a hole in his head after a rock struck
the English tourist after it hurtled through the open passenger side window.
He believes a City of Greater Geelong lawn mower flicked the rock.
Tuesday, February 24
KATE JOHNSTONE
AN ENGLISH tourist yesterday thought he had been shot in the head when blood
spurted from his forehead while enjoying a drive through Geelong.
But what Andrew Hall at first blamed on a bullet was a rock hurtled through
the open passenger side window.
A woman on vacation was very lucky when sharp eyed police caught the burglars that raided her home while she was away. They ransacked her home and stole her car. Luckily the police noticed something odd about the car and its driver, the 24 year old burglar. When they followed up on the registration on the car and went to the address listed, they found that the owner was away and that the house had been burglarized.
Think about what your home will look like while you are gone. Will it be obvious that you are away? Have the mail delivery held for you at the post office and stop the newspaper delivery. Have someone that you trust check out the place periodically. Make sure that the lawn gets mowed. Put some lights and a radio or TV on a timer so that they come on every once in a while. Make sure all doors and windows are locked and secured. And get an alarm system, one that will make a lot of noise if someone tries to break in.
www.mytravelsafety.com has more information, guides and products for securing your home before you leave.
June 12, 2003
Kesq.com
Desert Hot Springs Police apprehend burglar while owner was on vacation
You may not think about it once you leave your house, but when you're gone police say your home can become a target for burglars and that's what happened to one Desert Hot Springs woman.
Thanks to quick thinking from Desert Hot Springs Police, the burglar didn't get too far.
Call it intuition, but one Desert Hot Springs police officer says he acted on instinct and caught a suspected burglar before the victim could even report the crime. She was on vacation and had no idea that her home had been burglarized.
If you are planning a road trip, then you defiantly need to check out the tips in this article. Written by a member of the Hillsboro Police Department, it is full of real world safety and crime prevention tips. Read this if you want to avoid problems on your next trip. Also check out the guides and links at www.mytravelsafety.com for more safety tips and information.
06/05/03
By Doreen Kyle
Hillsboro Police Department
Safety steps to make your vacation memorable for the right reasons
If your family is like many typical families, you probably have a vacation planned for this summer. Whether you are leaving for a week or just a day, you'll want to remember some vacation safety guidelines while you're gone.
Most people don't give a thought to taking precautions while on vacation. This time is just as important if not more to remember your safety. By following some of these tips you may minimize the chances of being a victim of crime and ruining you well deserved time off.
If you are planning a road trip, then you defiantly need to check out the tips in this article. Written by a member of the Hillsboro Police Department, it is full of real world safety and crime prevention tips. Read this if you want to avoid problems on your next trip. Also check out the guides and links at www.mytravelsafety.com for more safety tips and information.
06/05/03
By Doreen Kyle
Hillsboro Police Department
Safety steps to make your vacation memorable for the right reasons
If your family is like many typical families, you probably have a vacation planned for this summer. Whether you are leaving for a week or just a day, you'll want to remember some vacation safety guidelines while you're gone.
Most people don't give a thought to taking precautions while on vacation. This time is just as important if not more to remember your safety. By following some of these tips you may minimize the chances of being a victim of crime and ruining you well deserved time off.
South America offers beautiful vacation spots, but there are many treacherous routes between major cities. Keep this in mind as you plan your travel around different countries. This crime occured in Guatemala during a bus ride. Gunmen took over the bus of U.S. tourists and killed one of them.
Before travelling, do the research to find the most dependable and safest method of transportation. This will vary greatly from country to country.
January 08, 2004
Seattle Times
Seattle, WA
Utah man shot to death in Guatemalan bus robbery
RETALHULEU, Guatemala - Gunmen stopped a bus carrying 13 U.S. tourists in
southwestern Guatemala yesterday, killing one passenger during a robbery,
police said.
Five attackers in a pickup intercepted the bus carrying the tourists, all
Mormons from Utah, near Colomba, 125 miles southwest of the capital,
Guatemala City. The Americans were traveling from the mountain city of
Quetzaltenango to the Mexican border.
There has been an increase in reports of Date Rape Drugs being used to attack unsuspecting victims. Date Rape drugs will knock you out and leave you with little or no memory of the nights events. Countless women and men have been victimized, many beaten and robbed, most raped.
In the Hillsborough Street area near North Carolina State perpetrators have been paying bartenders to slip date rape drugs into the drinks of their intended victim.
Unless you are watching the bartender the entire time your drink is prepared, the only way to know for sure your drink is OK is to test it with a test kit like the DrinkSafe drink test strips, they are available at www.collegesafe.com
March 21, 2003
North Carolina State Technician
By: Diane Cordova
Be informed about date rape drugs
Knowing about date rape drugs is becoming increasingly important as reported incidents around N.C. State are on the rise.
Heading out to the bar on a Friday night may be the ideal way to meet people, but as the presence of date rape drugs becomes a more prominent threat, it could be a dangerous way as well.
Date rape drugs, named for their ability to leave victims unconscious and easily susceptible to sexual assault, include the mixing of alcohol and other drugs like Rohypnol, GHB and Ketamine.
Kudos to the Honolulu Hawaii Police Department for proposing to post signs at tourist attractions. Thefts had been occuring at targeted hot tourist spots on the island, so the police planning to post warning signs listing those spots. This proactive involvement by the police will certainly deter thieves in those areas and increase safety awareness by the tourists.
Kudos to the Honolulu Hawaii Police Department for proposing to post signs at tourist attractions. Thefts had been occuring at targeted hot tourist spots on the island, so the police planning to post warning signs listing those spots. This proactive involvement by the police will certainly deter thieves in those areas and increase safety awareness by the tourists.
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
Honolulu Advertiser
Signs warning of thefts proposed for tourist sites
By Suzanne Roig
The Halona Blowhole and other scenic lookouts in East Honolulu have long
been favorite stops for tourists - and the crooks who break into rental cars
to steal purses, camcorders and other valuables.
Car break-ins in East Honolulu
Car break-ins during the past three months at tourist spots in the
East Honolulu police district:
a.. Manoa Falls: 3
b.. Diamond Head Crater/lookouts: 16
c.. Hanauma Bay: 3
d.. Moloka'i Lookout/Lana'i Lookout/Blowhole: 9
e.. Makapu'u Lighthouse: 9
Source: Honolulu Police Department
Steve and Lana found their lives turned upside down when they returned from vacation four years ago. Their home and just about everything in it was destroyed, priceless family mementos and all. Yet, when they finally faced the five juveniles that broke into their home and created such havoc, they found kids in need of help and understanding. This article is about how they were able to recognize the destruction of their property as a cry for help from troubled youths.
Jun. 16, 2003
Kristin Park
The Arizona Republic
Helping out the vandals
2 victims see 5 kids in need and aid them
Four years ago, Arizona City residents Steve Heckemeyer and Lana LaPointe returned home from a vacation to find their home vandalized.
They turned their experience into an opportunity to mentor the five youths who had entered their home several times over a period of days. "It was devastating," said Heckemeyer, 66.
The youths had trashed most everything that the couple had acquired during more than 20 years of marriage. They even destroyed Heckemeyer's computer, which ultimately cost him his job.
We all know it's fun to run around on the beach during vacation. The wind, the waves, the fun of meeting new people. That is wonderful...as long as you are looking out for cars and other vehicle on the beach. Many beaches in Florida and other states allow driving and horseback riding on the beach. Keep an eye out for hazards and let the kids know about the potential dangers. And if you are driving, keep a constant look out for people lying on the beach.
Many times when you're driving, it is very difficult to see a person on the ground nearby. In this story from March 14, 2003, the AP wire reports the 12-year old girl was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
If you're lying on the beach, be sure to steer clear of driving paths that may be dangerous. Set up your towels far enough away so you can hear and see any vehicles ahead of time.
March 14, 2003
The Associated Press
12-Year-Old Girl Hit by Van While Playing on Daytona-Area Beach
DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. (AP) - A 12-year-old girl was run over by a van Friday while she was playing with friends on the beach.
Before you travel by air, it is important to visit the TSA website for a list of prohibited items for airplanes. One reason is for security and now the other is to avoid possible fines. Visit http://www.tsa.gov, click on the "Travelers and Consumers" section until you find the link for "Air Travel - Prohibited Items". Can you imagine innocently packing for a flight, then finding out your going to miss your flight, and be hit with a fine for $500? Play it safe and read the TSA list first. Right now fines range from $250 up to $10,000. Visit tsa.gov today and you'll fine the list of possible fines.
In addition if you are found carrying prohibited items onto an airliner, the next time you travel you will likely be subjected to a higher level of security screening or maybe not allowed to travel at all.
Houston Chronicle
Feb. 21, 2004, 5:00PM
Airline passengers to face fines
TSA will levy penalties on people carrying banned items
Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- Anyone trying to sneak a knife onto an airplane could be fined
$250 and a passenger with an explosive could get as much as $10,000 under
new guidelines.
Thousands of airline passengers board planes every year carrying banned
items such as cuticle scissors, box cutters and guns.
Two tourists visiting an oceanside cliff in Australia set off on a sunrise photo session. While focusing on the beautiful view and the camera shot, the rock beneath them gave way and one of them fell to their death. They had both walked through dense brush to a secluded and possibly unstable, dangerous area. Many outside areas don't have signs warning about potentialy dangerous situations because it is impossible to cover all the ground necessary. Therefore, what is left is for us to be aware of our surroundings to understand potential hazards - which could be falling rocks, mudslides and more.
Two tourists visiting an oceanside cliff in Australia set off on a sunrise photo session. While focusing on the beautiful view and the camera shot, the rock beneath them gave way and one of them fell to their death. They had both walked through dense brush to a secluded and possibly unstable, dangerous area. Many outside areas don't have signs warning about potentialy dangerous situations because it is impossible to cover all the ground necessary. Therefore, what is left is for us to be aware of our surroundings to understand potential hazards - which could be falling rocks, mudslides and more.
However, before visiting an area, obtain maps that might possibly designate unsafe areas to explore. It is also a good idea to ask local residents for this kind of information.
Sydney Morning Herald
Syndey, Australia
Tourist killed while being photographed at sunrise
By Frank Walker
February 22, 2004
Two Austrian tourists' first glimpse of an Australian dawn ended in tragedy
when one was crushed to death in a rock fall.
The men, both in their late 30s, arrived in Sydney from Austria on Friday to
stay with friends in Avalon.
Early yesterday they decided to photograph the sunrise from a secluded cliff
north of Avalon Beach.
Fruitcake has always been a danger to your waistline, taste buds and your feet if accidentally dropped; now it is a security risk for airlines. The fruitcake is so dense that when it goes through the x-ray machines at airport security, they can’t tell what is in it. It could be hiding a knife or a gun and they wouldn’t be able to tell.
If you are traveling this holiday season be aware of prohibited items for carry on luggage. Swiss army knives, scissors, bottled liquids without a government seal, knitting needles, sticks of dynamite, etc. are all prohibited and will be confiscated. Also with the dynamite, you’ll be looking at jail time.
CBC news - Canada
Wed, 10 Dec 2003
Fruitcake now security threat
MONTREAL - If you're traveling by air this holiday season, forget the fruitcake. At least as carry-on luggage. That's the advice of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority.
Latest threat to aircraft security?
The head of the authority said Tuesday about 500,000 prohibited items have been intercepted at Canada's 89 airports during the past six months. Jacques Duchesneau said the public still isn't aware of what is allowed on board. A lot of scissors and Swiss Army knives have been confiscated.
Duchesneau said if you try to bring a fruitcake onboard, expect it to be X-rayed because they are dense and could hide a weapon.
"When seen through an X-ray machine it might represent something we might need to check. It's very dense. We don't take any chances.''
As more and more people flock to the airports, malls and stores this holiday season, car theft is increasing. Be aware that during this season you are more likely to have your car stolen. Many stores step up security in the parking lots during the season. This article is about the rise in car theft in a central California Town, Fresno. Most cars are recovered, with the thieves taking stuff in the car and using the car for transportation.
If your car is full of tempting stuff, luggage, cool stereo, shopping bags full of Christmas shopping, cameras, laptop computers, etc., you are more likely to be a victim. They will take the shopping bags with the stuff and return it to the store for cash or sell it. The likely will take the stereo, wheels and rims and anything else that they can quickly strip from the car and then abandon it.
Get a car alarm and hide any valuables, preferably in the trunk. One good alarm that we recommend is the Raxus, it is inexpensive, highly visible, loud, install it yourself in seconds and take it with you if you travel for rental cars.
The Fresno Bee
Tuesday, December 9, 2003,
By Marc Benjamin
Lots of Auto Theft
Thieves go shopping, too, at Christmastime, and your parked car may be a
target.
While you shop this holiday season, someone else may be shopping, too -- for
your car.
In December, shopping centers are ground zero for auto theft.
It's the primary reason Valley police departments step up patrols in
shopping areas.
"Any major shopping center where people are going to be out is a target,"
Fresno police Sgt. Shannon Galvan said.
In November and December 2002, the average monthly number of auto thefts
jumped from 680 to nearly 1,000.
For those of you traveling over the holidays - remember to arrive that extra hour early. Heavy holiday travel will cause longer security lines, even though the TSA has hired part-time seasonal screeners. Make it easy on yourself and the screeners and do not bring wrapped gifts on board. This article also offers great safety tips and a link to the TSA sight for air travel safety tips - recommended reading!
http://www.tsatraveltips.us
For those of you traveling over the holidays - remember to arrive that extra hour early. Heavy holiday travel will cause longer security lines, even though the TSA has hired part-time seasonal screeners. Make it easy on yourself and the screeners and do not bring wrapped gifts on board. This article also offers great safety tips and a link to the TSA sight for air travel safety tips - recommended reading!
http://www.tsatraveltips.us
Airport reminder: Allow extra time
By Bryon Okada
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Dallas, TX
11/14/2003
D/FW AIRPORT - Dallas/Fort Worth Airport security lines are the quickest of the nation's largest airports, but officials warn that holiday travel will increase passenger wait times.
For those of you traveling over the holidays - remember to arrive that extra hour early. Heavy holiday travel will cause longer security lines, even though the TSA has hired part-time seasonal screeners. Make it easy on yourself and the screeners and do not bring wrapped gifts on board. This article also offers great safety tips and a link to the TSA sight for air travel safety tips - recommended reading!
http://www.tsatraveltips.us
For those of you traveling over the holidays - remember to arrive that extra hour early. Heavy holiday travel will cause longer security lines, even though the TSA has hired part-time seasonal screeners. Make it easy on yourself and the screeners and do not bring wrapped gifts on board. This article also offers great safety tips and a link to the TSA sight for air travel safety tips - recommended reading!
http://www.tsatraveltips.us
Airport reminder: Allow extra time
By Bryon Okada
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
Dallas, TX
11/14/2003
D/FW AIRPORT - Dallas/Fort Worth Airport security lines are the quickest of the nation's largest airports, but officials warn that holiday travel will increase passenger wait times.
Post 9-11 affects air travel each day. This article shows how a simple and innocent action is now in violation according to the TSA. A women brought on a paring knife to eat an apple during her flight. Bystanders noticed the knife, took a photo and contacted the TSA. There are two things to take away from this incident. First - know what your restrictions are for items you can take with you during a flight. Second - remain aware of your surroundings while traveling.
Post 9-11 affects air travel each day. This article shows how a simple and innocent action is now in violation according to the TSA. A women brought on a paring knife to eat an apple during her flight. Bystanders noticed the knife, took a photo and contacted the TSA. The point is not to create legal problems for anyone, but only to make the TSA aware of loopholes in their screening procedures. There are two things to take away from this incident. First - know what your restrictions are for items you can take with you during a flight. Second - remain aware of your surroundings while traveling.
NBC10.com
10/22/2003
Philadelphia, PA
Women Spot Knife On Flight To Philly
Passenger Got Kitchen Knife Through Security
Two local woman say they got quite a surprise on a recent flight when a
woman pulled out a knife while their airliner was in mid-flight.
The women say they weren't threatened in any way during their trip from
Seattle to Philadelphia International Airport, but they took a photo of the
kitchen knife and later contacted NBC 10.
All travellers know that security procedures vary by day, by location, or by airport. Now new information from the intelligence community warrant extra inspections at check in for items we carry everyday - cameras, cell phones or radios. Keep this in mind before you prepare your next flight. Allow for extra time at check in. This article spells out the details.
All travellers know that security procedures vary by day, by location, or by airport. Now new information from the intelligence community warrant extra inspections at check in for items we carry everyday - cameras, cell phones or radios. Keep this in mind before you prepare your next flight. Allow for extra time at check in. This article spells out the details.
August 6, 2003
Air Travelers Told to Expect Closer Checks on Gadgets
By John Mintz and Sara Kehaulani Goo
Washington Post Staff Writers
The Department of Homeland Security said yesterday that airline passengers should expect more scrutiny of their electronic belongings -- such as cell phones, cameras and radios -- at airport checkpoints because of more detailed intelligence about ordinary items that terrorists might use to conceal explosives or weapons.
Imagine you are on a business trip alone and have stayed at the same hotel for several days. One night while sleeping you wake up to find a strange man in bed fondling you. A 31-year old woman from Washington experienced this during a business trip to Orlando Florida - because the hotel double booked her room and gave a drunken man a key to her room. She filed a lawsuit against the hotel and won $77,000. The hotel claims it was a compuer glitch. Don't let this happen to you - consider using a door alarm or a portable motion detector alarm.
Woman Wins Damages in Orlando Hotel Bed Mix-Up
The Associated Press
Tampa Tribune
8/22/03
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - A business traveler from Washington state won $77,000 in her lawsuit against a luxury hotel that mistakenly checked into her room a drunken man who kissed and fondled her.
Rachelle Shaner, of Seattle, has suffered post-traumatic stress disorder since the Nov. 2, 2001, incident...
Attention all travellers using Kinko's computer rentals while on the road - read this article. It contains important information about protecting your personal/financial/password information while using these rental computers. The bottom line is - don't use rental computers to access critical financial or personal information.
Attention all travellers using Kinko's computer rentals while on the road - read this article. It contains important information about protecting your personal/financial/password information while using these rental computers. The bottom line is - don't use rental computers to access critical financial or personal information. At several Kinko's in the New York City area, a person installed software that records information gathered from people using the computer rentals. A follow up question now is - should all Kinko's and cyber cafes be legally responsible for protecting us from this possibility?
July 27, 2003
Spy puts kink in public Web terminals
By Anick Jesdanun
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK - For more than a year, unbeknown to people who used Internet terminals at Kinko's stores in New York, Juju Jiang was recording what they typed, paying particular attention to their passwords.
Jiang had secretly installed, in at least 14 Kinko's stores, software that logs individual keystrokes. He captured more than 450 user names and passwords, using them to access and even open bank accounts online.