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  • Stealing in plain sight: Know thy vendors…

    Posted on May 1st, 2013 admin No comments

    Miami is known for many things –natural beauty, beautiful people, great weather and South Beach. That aside, it is also the fraud capital, not only in terms of Medicare and Medicaid, but in mortgage fraud, identity theft, and potentially in the area of vendor fraud.

    Often I have found that fraud discussions and seminars seem to relate to the aforementioned. I have attended many seminars and no one focuses on what I believe is the most crucial potential for fraud that exists –approved vendors sitting in vendor master files. These are vendors you use every day, many who are legitimate and provide excellent and timely services. However, when I ask financial or supply chain managers about the number of active vendors they have or what they know about their vendors’ potential undisclosed relationships and related conflicts, I typically get the “deer in the headlights” stare or an off the cuff response.

    Once a fraudulent vendor gets into the accounts payable system, it is like a Trojan horse or computer virus that upon release could cause havoc. Losses due to misappropriations may cost companies hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars, not to mention loss of reputation and or career for those executives who allowed this to occur. Even worse, it often occurs in plain sight, no back alley deals or brown paper bag brush bys. Everyone knows the vendor and often uses them as the “ people who come to our aid at all hours of the day or night. They are the go to people that get the job done.”

    While they may be a trustworthy loyal vendor, do you really know who they are? Do you know if they have relationships with your other vendors or employees? Do they have related companies? Have you even looked to see if the three bidders (in a three bid process you obtained to protect your company) are related and the bid is rigged? Proper and thorough up-front vetting can be used to detect and prevent these problems.

    Accordingly, organizations need a robust, vendor on-boarding process which thoroughly and completely requires vendors to submit to an in-depth review in order to identify potential conflicts with existing employees and management of the organization with whom the vendor is trying to do business.

    Pertinent data is entered by the vendor and then is sent out through various public databases; concurrently, information is obtained allowing management to make an intelligent decision regarding whether to engage the vendor.

    Not only does this improve internal controls, but also identifies conflicts before a vendor is on-boarded while highlighting other anomaly data and improper relationship issues. In some systems, the vendor pays a fee to do business with the organization; in essence, it is a zero cost proposition to the entity choosing to use it!

    Our experience shows what well intentioned and highly educated managers, in an effective if not excellent control environment, can often leave themselves and their organization vulnerable to fraudulent vendors if they don’t know what they don’t know. In this case what you don’t know can really hurt you and your organization!

    Vendors beware! Companies know thy vendors…

    (source)

  • South Florida women get long sentences for ID theft.

    Posted on May 1st, 2013 admin No comments

    FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Two South Florida women have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms for identity theft and tax fraud involving some 2,000 false income tax returns.

    U.S. District Judge James Cohn in Fort Lauderdale sentenced 36-year-old Alci Bonannee on Thursday to more than 26 years behind bars. The judge sentenced 40-year-old Sonyini Clay to 10 years in prison. Bonannee was convicted in January of several charges and Clay pleaded guilty.

    Prosecutors say the scheme operated from December 2010 to 2012 and involved returns submitted to the Internal Revenue Service seeking refunds of about $11 million. Of that, the IRS paid out about $3.5 million.

    Trial testimony showed most of the stolen IDs came from a hospital nurse.

    A third woman was sentenced in March to more than three years in prison.

    (source) 

  • Securely shred old or unnecessary documents that contain your business information or business identifiers.

    Posted on April 16th, 2013 admin No comments
    Document-Destruction-Shredding-Lock-Box-Florida

    Ask us about our FREE storage lock boxes!

    Shred any old or unnecessary documents containing business license numbers, business registrations, EIN / TIN, account numbers, etc. using a cross-cut, confetti cut, or diamond cut shredder, or utilize the services of a secure document destruction company. Any documents waiting to be shredded should be placed in a secure locking receptacle or locked storage room not accessible to unauthorized persons.

  • Keep all documents containing business information or business identifiers in a safe, secure location not accessible by unauthorized persons.

    Posted on April 16th, 2013 admin No comments

    Be certain to protect and secure hardcopy documents that contain business identifiers, account numbers, and other sensitive information at all times. This includes employee workspaces, public access areas, waste and shred receptacles, filing cabinets, and any other locations where these documents may be found. Be cognizant of all persons that may be able to view or have access to these documents (authorized or not), including clients and customers, visitors, contractors, cleaning crew personnel, etc.

  • Are your business computers and networks protected?

    Posted on April 16th, 2013 admin No comments

    Business identity theft has become a real problem in todays marketplace. Any business that does not take steps to protect themselves is at risk. But why are criminals targeting businesses as opposed to individual consumers? The fact is, stealing from a business is much more cost-effective than stealing from an individual consumer. So, businesses must not take this threat lightly. Every business should have certain defenses in place in order to prevent falling victim to identity theft.

    One of the most basic steps in protecting a business from identity theft is securing business computers and networks. Businessidtheft.org lists 5 ways a business can do this. Here is an excerpt from their website:

    Restrict the use of your business computers to only business activities: Activities such as casual Internet surfing, use of social networks, online gaming, downloading programs, and file sharing expose your business computers to viruses, spyware, and other security risks that can jeopardize your business operations, your accounts, and the confidential information of your business, customers, and employees.

    Install and use regularly updated anti-virus / anti-spyware / Internet security software: Effective anti-virus, anti-spyware, and Internet security software programs are essential. Don’t rely on free software to protect your business. Be certain to utilize a program that actively scans and is frequently updated to keep up with new threats.

    Keep security patches and updates up-to-date: It is critically important to regularly check for and install any security updates for your computer’s operating system and internet browser program to ensure that you have the latest versions designed to protect against known software vulnerabilities. Most newer operating systems permit the user to set an automatic update schedule with a specified frequency. You should set your system to check for and install important security updates no less than weekly.

    Install and utilize a firewall on your business computers or network: A firewall is a software program or hardware device that monitors and controls external connections to your computer and/or network. A firewall helps to prevent unauthorized or unwanted external connections, and it is your first line of defense against intrusion attempts and malicious code attacks. Be certain to change the default administrative password.

    Secure your business’ wireless network: If your business uses a wireless network and it is not secured (encrypted), others can gain access to your network. Average Wi-Fi signals can extend for hundreds of feet beyond the perimeter of the building. Off the shelf wireless network devices typically do not come with their security features active, so review the product documentation to learn how to set the security features for your device, or call the manufacturer if you need assistance. WPA2 is currently the strongest wireless network encryption standard and is available on most newer wireless network devices. Be certain to change the default administrative password on the wireless router, and disable broadcasting of your SSID (Service Set Identifier).

    For more information on business identity theft prevention, visit BusinessIDTheft.org.

  • Miami Runners Holding Silent Run Tuesday to Support Boston Victims

    Posted on April 16th, 2013 admin No comments

    Run to support marathon victims free and open to public.

    Members of the Baptist Health Brickell Run Club will be holding a silent run Tuesday night as a gesture of support for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

    Runners will gather at 7 p.m. at the Fortune International Parking Lot at 1300 Brickell Avenue for the 3.5 mile run, which is free and open to the public.

    Baptist Health will be providing bottles of water for all the runners, who are encouraged to wear white or past running event shirts. Special Boston Marathon mock bibs are also being made for runners to wear.

    The club holds the event every Tuesday and generally gets between 300-400 runners, but are expected as many as 1,000 in light of Monday’s tragedy in Boston, event organizer Frankie Ruiz said.

    Ruiz, who is also a co-founder of the Miami Marathon, said he was shocked by the bombings in Boston, which killed three and injured several others.

    “I never would have thought it would happen at the finish line of a race like this,” Ruiz said Tuesday. “That race means a lot so to see the tragedy take place in that scenario, it’s a bit tougher to swallow.”

    Ruiz said he knew many runners competing Monday through the Miami event, which is an official qualifier or the Boston Marathon.

    “For many people, to make it to Boston is a dream come true, it gives a purpose to their running,” he said. “I guess you can call it the holy grail of running, one of the most competitive ones.”

    He said organizers of the Miami Marathon have always had security measures in place for the event, and have had discussions about the type of incident that happened in Boston, but may refine and adjust their security plans in the wake of the tragedy.

    No matter what, Ruiz said, the sport will continue to prosper.

    “Running itself is just going to be that much stronger,” Ruiz said. “A tragedy like this, people are just going to stand up to it.

    “This doesn’t stop us, we’re gonna keep doing what we do.”

    (source)

  • Miami Woman Convicted In Tax Fraud Scam

    Posted on April 16th, 2013 admin No comments

    MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A Miami woman was found guilty on Monday in a Miami courtroom for a tax refund scam that enabled her to receive thousands of dollars in fraudulent refunds from the government.

    Prosecutor said 30-year old Natoya Mashea Handy used stolen identities of past or current inmates to submit phony federal tax returns.

    Handy was found with 15 social security numbers, names, and dates of birth belonging to people who were incarcerated in the state of Florida. Prosecutor said she used 17 stolen social security numbers to file fraudulent taxes for the 2011 tax year. Each of the tax returns received hundreds of dollars in a refund, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

    She was convicted of one count of access device fraud and five counts of aggravated identity theft.

    Handy’s sentence is scheduled for June 24.

    (source)

  • New laws urged to cut ‘epidemic’ of ID theft.

    Posted on April 16th, 2013 admin No comments

    As South Floridians rushed to file their taxes on Monday, congressional lawmakers said they would push for tougher laws to help cut down on what law enforcement officials continue to call an “epidemic” of tax-related theft in the region. U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, said she will reintroduce legislation to enact tougher penalties against identity thieves.

    Read the full article at http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-id-theft-law-20130415,0,5030102.story

  • Indiana man jailed for counterfeit Miami Heat ticket sales.

    Posted on April 16th, 2013 admin No comments

    On the same summer day that an Indiana scalper sold a $1,000 pair of counterfeit Miami Heat playoff tickets to a Coral Springs man, he was arrested at AmericanAirlines Arena for selling fake $600 tickets to undercover Miami-Dade detectives, authorities say. Tony McKibben, 44, extradited from the Hoosier State, was in Broward County court Monday morning to answer to the resulting grand theft charge.

    (original news source)

  • Lawmakers renew push for legislation to prevent $5 billion tax ID fraud.

    Posted on April 16th, 2013 admin No comments

    Tax Day is no longer just a deadline for citizens to rush and file their returns. It’s now a day for members of Congress — Democrats and Republicans alike —to file legislation or announce ways to prevent an estimated $5 billion in tax-identification fraud, which is particularly virulent in Florida and especially South Florida.

    The effort by local lawmakers is nothing new, nor is the fact that the measures have died year-after-year in a do-nothing Congress.

    On Monday, Miami-area Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Joe Garcia and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen all promoted legislation to put an end to the practice. Florida Sen. Bill Nelson announced a bill last week.

    “Something needs to be done,” said Jon Simpkins, a Miami-Dade businessman who appeared with his wife, a tax-ID fraud victim, at Garcia’s press conference.

    It took the Internal Revenue Service until April 8 to supply the family their tax-refund money from last year — a week before this year’s tax-filing deadline.

    “I’m surprised they haven’t fixed this yet,” Simpkins said, detailing the delays and difficulties of just getting the IRS to do its job.

    But the delay in fixing the growing problem isn’t just a window into the problems with the IRS. It’s an example of a broken Congress that struggles to accomplish the most-basic of tasks — including an issue members of all parties agree on: Stopping fraud.

    Last year, for instance, Sen. Nelson’s crackdown bill stalled and died in the Senate because leadership said it didn’t want to deal with any new tax issues or tax reform — except for figuring out what to do with the then-expiring payroll tax cuts and the so-called Bush tax cuts.

    So even though Nelson’s bill was more of a fraud-fighting proposal, it was considered tax legislation. And it was bottled up by the advent of the so-called “fiscal cliff” and budget-sequester negotiations. The bill could face another challenge this year: the banking-and-credit industry.

    Nelson wants to make it tougher for thieves to get tax refunds electronically direct-deposited on prepaid debit cards. The cards have become increasingly common ways for regular citizens to get their returns credited to a bank account electronically. But, because the cards can be purchased by phone or internet and leave few fingerprints, scammers use them as well.

    Tax ID fraud is simple and lucrative. Thieves purchase Social Security numbers and names of people on the black market. Then they download tax forms electronically, plug in the stolen information and file false returns. They request refunds be sent to prepaid cards or, less often, by check.

    The scam is usually pulled in January and February. Most citizens file weeks or months later. If someone used their information on a tax form, the IRS then refuses to instantly pay the citizen as it did the scammer. Victims then wait for months or, in Simpkin’s case, almost a year for their refund.

    Broward Sheriff Detective Mitch Gordon warned that cracking down on debit cards won’t stop the crime entirely. But he said the cards are a good way to steal.

    “One time, we had one guy who sat at a Western Union machine for six hours just putting in debit cards, putting in debit cards,” said Gordon, who estimated the office has had 400 complaints this year.

    The Miami area is the top tax-related identity theft area in the nation, and Florida has nine of the top 10 cities for the fraud.

    South Florida accounted for 35,914 identity-theft complaints in 2012.

    “It has happened to so many people,” said Rep. Garcia. “It happened to me.”

    Garcia’s bill isn’t as sweeping as Nelson’s. It would change the law to forbid the printing of a person’s entire Social Security Number on a W-2 tax form, a major primary source for thieves who obtained them from unscrupulous employees or employers.

    Wasserman-Schultz, a Democrat like Garcia, wants to increase penalties and make federal prosecutors prioritize tax ID cases.

    Rep. Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican, is co-sponsoring both bills.

    “These bills focus much needed attention to identity theft, a problem that is clearly not a victimless crime,” Ros-Lehtinen said in a statement.

    Another Republican Rep., Mario Diaz-Balart, hasn’t studied the legislation but has held IRS officials to account in budget hearings. He tacked on an amendment to a budget bill that requires the agency to better track tax ID theft cases.

    With such bipartisan support for such an important topic, Wasserman Schultz, the Democratic National Committee chairwoman, said she hopes something will pass. “It seems like a no-brainer,” she said.

    Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/04/15/3346174/lawmakers-renew-push-for-legislation.html