Published: March 12, 2009 06:56 pm      

LETTERS: March 13, 2009

Rokita: Protect your pockets avoiding online traps



A current pending criminal case shows just how far fraudsters will go to reach potential victims. An Indiana woman allegedly solicited investors through the Web site Craigslist, claiming to offer a business opportunity where individuals would invest in her company with a promise of future returns. She also promised returns on loans the investors would personally secure on behalf of the business.

Ultimately, the woman used the investors’ money for personal expenses. My office’s Prosecution Assistance Unit and the Indiana State Police conducted a joint investigation that resulted in the filing of criminal charges.

In today’s modern society, scam artists are getting smarter and adapting to advances in technology. From e-mail to Web sites to online social networking, fraudsters are using the Internet as a new avenue to reach potential victims. Hoosiers need to be especially cautious of online investing opportunities to protect their hard-earned savings from fraud.

During these difficult financial times, fraudsters will often exploit people’s fear of losing money in the stock market. Perpetrators may use the Internet to promote “alternative” investment opportunities that are “guaranteed” to provide big returns. However, no investment is guaranteed to make money, and Hoosiers need to be on alert for alternative investments that might really be fraudulent.

When considering investment opportunities online, it can be difficult to fully assess the person promoting the investment. One way to make sure the person is legitimate is to request a face-to-face meeting and proof of identification. You should also contact my office’s Securities Division at 1-800-223-8791 to make sure he or she is licensed to sell investments.

Another important tip is to never provide personal information unless you are sure the person and/or company is legitimate. Fraudsters will sometimes impersonate a bank or company by creating a fake Web site or e-mail address that appears genuine but really isn’t. In “phishing scams,” scam artists send an e-mail asking to update or verify account information, but that information never makes it to the actual company. Avoid phishing scams by deleting unsolicited emails and utilizing spam blockers available through your e-mail or Internet browser.

In a related scheme known as the Nigerian “419” scam, a fraudster will send an e-mail claiming he or she recently came into a large sum of money but can’t access the account without your help. The fraudster will ask you to wire them money and promise a large portion of the funds in return.

This scam is referred to as Nigerian because of its prevalence in that country, but it’s not limited to that area alone. In fact, as people have caught on to the Nigerian e-mail scam, fraudsters are again adapting their techniques and using a new approach — pretending to be American soldiers returning home from war.

Preying on Hoosiers’ generosity and patriotism, these e-mails seek your help in transferring money the solider found in a war-torn country to the states with the promise that you will get a portion of the funds. As with Nigerian scams, once the fraudster has collected your money, you will never hear from him or her again. Avoid these scams by deleting these e-mails immediately.

You can report e-mail scams to the Federal Trade Commission by forwarding them to spam@uce.gov or by calling 1-877-382-4357. To learn more about avoiding investment fraud, visit IndianaInvestmentWatch.com.

Note: The charges described in this article are merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

— Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita



Red Cross: Change a life this month



The Southern Indiana communities of Floyd, Harrison, Washington, Clark and Crawford have always been a place where neighbors take care of neighbors, and the American Red Cross is proud to share that spirit.

The Red Cross is committed to enriching this community through a broad range of services – from blood collection to disaster response. We are proud that following a practice started 66 years ago with President Franklin Roosevelt, our new honorary chairman, President Barack Obama, has proclaimed March as “National Red Cross Month.”

This year, the Red Cross is taking time to focus on the volunteers and employees who demonstrate unyielding compassion and generosity by supporting the Red Cross locally and around the country.

The American Red Cross is about people – hundreds of thousands of people who volunteer their time and talent, plus millions more who donate their blood.

Each of these people helps us touch real lives in our community. In the past year, the Red Cross service area that includes the Buffalo Trace Service Center and the Clark County Red Cross helped to provide relief to over 518 families affected by fires and other disasters; assisted over 1,400 military families; trained 34,906 people in lifesaving skills such as CPR, and taught disaster preparedness to 101, 725 citizens.

Nearly 64,000 everyday heroes — just in the surrounding Louisville area — chose to give blood. The Red Cross and the hospital patients we serve rely on these lifesaving gifts.

Get involved this March. Take a class; donate money, blood or your time. Donate blood by calling 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or visit givebloodgivelife.org. Volunteer or make a financial contribution by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or visit redcross.org.

Across this community, the American Red Cross is an organization you can rely on for help, comfort, assistance and compassion. And on behalf of the Buffalo Trace Center, the Clark County Red Cross and the local Blood Services Region, we sincerely thank you, our wonderful neighbors, for supporting the American Red Cross.

— Phyllis Wilkins, executive director, Clark County Red Cross, Jeffersonville; Karen Cook, manager, Buffalo Trace Service Center, Corydon; and Yenshen Hsueh, M.D., CEO, River Valley Blood Services Region, Louisville