At their core, scams have remained relatively unchanged for decades. They specifically target vulnerabilities we all possess as human beings - usually some combination of trust, greed, honesty, compassion, and authority - and exploit them. As technology continues to integrate itself into the daily routine, it simply provides more avenues for scammers to take advantage of unsuspecting victims. Most people interact with the internet, smartphones, and Facebook every day, and if they aren't prepared, they could easily fall for the same classic scams wrapped in a new package.

Almost everybody is familiar with email spam. If you opened your inbox and saw an email claiming you had won something, you'd probably delete the email without ever opening it. Scammers have taken that same concept and changed one component around; instead of email, they are now targeting smartphone users through text messages... and it's actually working. Over the past few months, thousands of unsuspecting smartphone users have been getting text messages like this:

Your entry last month has WON! Go to www.bestbuy.com.example.biz?claimid=112 and enter your winning code: 3333 to claim your free $1000 BestBuy Giftcard!

At first glance, this appears legitimate. A person without technical expertise would scan over the URL, see "www.bestbuy.com," and think it was legitimate. However, the real website, "bestbuy.com.example.biz", is controlled by the scammers. They might ask the user to fill out a form with just a little too much personal information, such as social security numbers or bank accounts, or they may instead ask the user to install an app, which is actually a virus designed to spy on banking information. This particular scam always appears to come from major retailers; BestBuy, Walmart, and Target are commonly mentioned in these text messages.

So why is this effective when almost identical email scams are not? First, consider the text message itself. The "bestbuy.com" carries a first-glance air of authority with it, and mentioning an entry last month is vague enough to get smartphone users wondering if they ever entered a contest. Many smartphone users take their devices out at any given moment - they see a QR code on a billboard and scan it, no questions asked. Second, the prospect of winning money has always and will always entice people.

Furthermore, people almost always read text messages - while a person may receive hundreds of spam emails per day and never read them, the average smartphone user will reach for their device within seconds of hearing their "message received" sound of choice. Finally, most smartphone users are unaware that their smartphones are targets for exploitation. They treat their phones like toys and not like computers with sensitive financial data, even though the latter is true for anybody who logs on to their bank's website even once.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it is. The key is education - know how to recognize these scams before getting caught by one. Treat suspicious text messages with caution, because if you don't, you may end up being taken for a ride.

by Elisha Figueroa and Marianne King

With the introduction this legislative session of a bill which would establish a “medical” marijuana program in Idaho, the topic of marijuana as medicine has heated up. While proponents of “medical” marijuana will speak of compassion and sick people, it is imperative that we take a moment to look at the research as well as learn from the painful lessons our neighboring states with “medical” marijuana programs have been taught. At a time when Idaho has made great progress in educating our citizens regarding the harm brought to individuals, families, and communities through the tragedy of substance abuse, it is vital that Idahoans consider the following issues:

Marijuana is not medicine. Regardless of state laws to the contrary, there is no such thing as “medical” marijuana from the federal government’s perspective. Marijuana is a schedule I drug (under the Controlled Substances Act) meaning that it has no medical use and high potential for abuse. However, Marinol, an FDA approved medication with synthetic THC as the active ingredient, is already widely available in pill and other forms through a physician’s prescription. In addition, two cannabinoid-based medicines, Cesamet and Sativex, are nearing FDA approval.

The American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Institutes of Health, Institute of Medicine, American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, American Glaucoma Society, and American Academy of Ophthalmology do not support smoked marijuana as medicine. Marijuana smoke contains 50- 70% more cancercausing agents than smoked tobacco. Smoking any drug is an unsafe delivery system that produces harmful effects, according to the Institute of Medicine.

Marijuana is addictive and harmful. Marijuana use is associated with dependence, respiratory and mental illness, poor academic performance, and impaired cognitive and immune functioning, among other negative effects. Recent research shows us that individuals who have used marijuana at least 5 times have a 20-30% likelihood of becoming addicted to the drug and those who use it regularly have a 40% likelihood of becoming addicted.

In 2007, 68% of youth in treatment nationally were there for marijuana use. Also of note is that “medical” marijuana states are clustered at the top of the list in terms of drug addiction and abuse among 12-17 year olds. More teens have been admitted to treatment for marijuana than any other substance, including alcohol.

“Medical” marijuana systems are overrun with fraud. The voices of those with experience say it best. "Large commercial operations cloak their moneymaking activities in the guise of helping sick people when in fact they are helping themselves.” Benjamin B. Wagner, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California.

"The California marijuana industry is not about providing medicine to the sick. It's a pervasive forprofit industry that violates federal law. In addition to damaging our environment, this industry is creating significant negative consequences, in California and throughout the nation. As the number one marijuana producing state in the country, California is exporting not just marijuana but all the serious repercussions that come with it, including significant public safety issues and perhaps irreparable harm to our youth." Laura E. Duffy, United States Attorney for the Southern District of California.

In August 2010, Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said: "Anybody who doesn't think there's abuse going on has to be pretty naive. We don't have 108,000 people with debilitating medical conditions." One year later, Colorado had 127,000 registered “medical” marijuana cardholders.

Current “medical” marijuana states are embroiled in legal battles. States that adopt “medicinal” marijuana programs operate these programs in violation of federal laws, subjecting both state employees and citizens to federal prosecution. “Medical” marijuana activists have discovered that cities, counties, and states can be forced to surrender to their prodrug agenda through endless litigation.

After spending $200,000 in a failed attempt to ban medical marijuana dispensaries, Garden Grove, California’s city manager said, “They've got more money than everybody to throw at this, and they are just determined to sue on every matter....We feel like we are caught in the middle." In Lake Forest, California, officials spent nearly $1 million on lawyers in an unsuccessful attempt to shut down more than a dozen dispensaries.

Taxing marijuana will not help our economy. Any taxes collected by states or cities on the sales of marijuana (or income taxes on marijuana businesses) are subject to seizure by the federal government because they are proceeds of illegal drug trafficking. Therefore, any "revenues" collected by states or cities are illusory at best. Even if Idaho could legally tax marijuana, any tax revenues collected would pale in comparison to the social and health costs related to its use. For example, Federal and state alcohol taxes raise $14.5 billion yearly, however, this covers only about 6% of alcohol’s total cost to society.

Legalization will not control access. After Colorado legalized medical marijuana, 83% of teens using marijuana daily report obtaining it from a medical marijuana patient. Around the nation, the abuse of prescription drugs, some of the most tightly controlled substances in our country, is exploding among youth and adults. Clearly, legalizing a drug does not control access to it.

Marijuana is a significant threat to public safety. Marijuana is the most prevalent illegal drug detected in impaired drivers, fatally injured drivers, and motor vehicle crash victims. In 2009, 28% of all fatally injured drivers tested positive for marijuana use6 and more people driving on weekend nights were under the influence of marijuana (8.3%) than alcohol (2.2%).

Idaho has been targeted by national pro-drug lobbying organizations for 2012.  Powerful prodrug lobbying organizations in Washington D.C. have targeted Idaho for defeat in 2012. These groups have previously invested millions of dollars in convincing voters and legislators to adopt laws that have brought social, economic, and legal chaos to other states.

The agency’s day-today operations have been overseen by project manager Caitlin Zak since former administrator Debbie Field stepped down last summer. The Office of Drug Policy is within the Executive Office of the Governor, and the administrator serves at the Governor’s pleasure.

Figueroa has been active in Drug Free Idaho, the Office of Drug Policy’s Strategic State Prevention Planning Committee, the planning committee for the Idaho Conference on Alcohol and Drug Addiction, and as secretary of the Idaho Crime Prevention Association. She has a bachelor’s degree in social work from Arizona State University and a master of social work degree from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa.

In Meridian, Figueroa has directed a grassroots volunteer organization that works to implement innovative, sustainable strategies for fighting substance abuse. She managed the federal Drug Free Communities grant, and helped with the writing and management of law enforcement grants for the Meridian Police Department.

Figueroa and her husband have three children.

"It’s a pleasure to provide this new opportunity to someone so passionate Elisha Figueroa about, and committed to, fighting the scourge of substance abuse on our communities throughout Idaho," Governor Otter said. "Collaborating with a wide variety of public and private interests is a hallmark of the Office of Drug Policy’s work, and it also is the area in which Elisha excels. I am pleased to make her a member of my team."

"This is an especially exciting time to be involved in substance abuse policy and prevention in Idaho, as individuals, communities and organizations are coming together in new ways to address the drug threats facing our state," Figueroa said. "I look forward to working with communities throughout the state to develop strategies to address these concerns, as well as others that may emerge in the future."

The same technology that points gadget geeks to the nearest Starbucks or maps alternate routes to the freeway is now helping them turn the tables on would-be thieves.

Take, for example, Kenneth Gootnick’s decision to install a program on his iPad to help him store contact data online. It turned out to be a smart move that helped him recover thousands of dollars in goods stolen from his home on Christmas morning. He had installed a cloud application called MobileMe on the iPad to help him look up his contacts from an online server no matter what device he used. Fortunately, it also helps track the location of hardware that has the program installed.

On Christmas morning, Gootnick found himself staring at a dot on a digital map, which showed that his iPad was stashed two houses down after a burglar broke in and also made off with $10,000 worth of Lakers tickets, a checkbook, a Playstation 3 and an autographed Steve Nash jersey.

He contacted Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies, who went to the nearby home as Gootnick sat at his computer, clicking a button that activated a loud alarm on the iPad. Deputies arrested a 20-year-old man there, also nabbing him with loot from another home burglary.

The arrest in the burglary highlighted the increasing use of another high-tech tool for law-enforcement. It also demonstrated that victims themselves are now able to turn the tables and help solve their own cases just by downloading apps onto smartphones or computers to help them locate a misplaced or stolen gadget. The technology has given detectives a boost in literally tracking down thieves, whereas before, once the items were gone, they were likely gone for good.

In the last five years, with the help of enterprising consumers intent on protecting their property, law enforcement has “significantly increased” the use of technology embedded or installed devices to track down thieves, often solving other crimes in the process, according to Capt. Mike Parker of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.

Deputies most often recover the computers through a program called Lojack for Laptops, which according to its manufacturer, can be installed by consumers and is difficult to remove even by the tech-savvy. If the laptop has the program installed and is reported stolen police, the owner can activate the service. The program begins tracking the activity that occurs on the stolen laptops: monitoring keystrokes and taking screenshots while the computer is in use, and saving images that can lead cops to identify the suspect, such as e-mail and logins to social networking, bank and cell phone accounts.

“We in law enforcement have a much greater understanding now of technology,” Parker said. “We’re using it to solve crimes, we’re using it to find suspects, and we’re educating each other on how to do that.” “We’re telling people that these systems exist.” Parker said. “And if you would please use them, we would get your stuff back.”

Also, law enforcement recommends that people document the serial numbers of all your electronic equipment and keep that information in a safe place, and not just on your computer (in case it’s also stolen).

Source Article | DailyNews

Source: Technology Lets Citizens Be Crime Fighters (http://www.dailynews.com/ci_19658629) by C.J. Lin, Daily News Staff Writer

Full Article | Sun-Sentinel.com

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