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November 30, 2022by Kerry SapetIf it’s not one scam, it’s another. Hackers have a seemingly endless supply of new and creative ways to bilk you out of your money. The latest rage for hackers is “callback phishing.” In this scam, fraudsters don’t call you, you call them. Callback phishing scams, perpetrated by groups such as Luna Moth, Silent Ransom…Read More
Five Frauds in 2022
November 30, 2022by Kerry SapetOccupational fraud may be the most costly and common type of financial crime in the world, according to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). “Occupational fraud” means fraud committed by individuals against the organizations that employ them. In 2021, the ACFE estimated that $4.7 trillion is lost to fraud globally. Asset misappropriation schemes, the…Read More
Fowl Play
November 21, 2022by Kerry SapetIt’s sad, but true. Theft of Thanksgiving turkeys runs rampant in November. One year, Tisdale showed up at her small church in Pensacola, Florida to prepare the Thanksgiving feast they serve to the homeless and hungry in their community. Tisdale found the ten turkeys stolen. In Salem, Alabama, the owners of Backwater BBQ arrived the…Read More
Native American Heritage Month
November 21, 2022by Kerry SapetEfforts to honor the contributions Native Americans made to the growth of the United States began in the early 1900s. Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca Indian, worked with the Boys Scouts of America to create a day honoring the “First Americans.” In 1915, Red Fox James, a Blackfoot Indian, rode horseback from state to…Read More
Small Businesses Beware
November 16, 2022by Kerry SapetOn Saturday, November 26, 2022, customers across the nation may “Shop Small.” The “Shop Small” movement is a part of Small Business Saturday—a day to support and celebrate small businesses and the impact they have on their communities. American Express founded the day in 2010 “because shopping at a family-owned framing spot or buying a…Read More
National Fast-Food Day
November 16, 2022by Kerry SapetPeople have been eating fast food for approximately 4,000 years. In Ancient Rome and Greece, people visited street stands called thermopoliums. The name means "a place where something hot is sold." These early fast-food joints offered skewers of meat, fish, cheese, olives, bread, wine, and sweets. The first fast-food restaurant in the United States –…Read More
Candy Thieves
October 19, 2022by Kerry SapetIt’s that time of year when thoughts turn to autumn leaves, chilly temperatures, and for kids (and the young at heart) costumes and candy. In 2021, consumers spent $4.6 billion on candy during the eight weeks leading up to Halloween, according to the National Confectioners’ Association. More people hand out Skittles to trick or treaters…Read More
Halloween Hijinks
October 19, 2022by Kerry SapetHalloween is right around the corner. Time to find the perfect costume and the best decorations so you can outdo that guy down the street. So, you hop online and start hunting through all of the online Halloween shops offering up this year’s best deals and amazing prices. You happily plug in your credit card…Read More
Making Sense of Cryptocurrency
October 7, 2022by Kerry SapetWarnings about cryptocurrency scams are all over the news. But just what is cryptocurrency? October is National Cryptocurrency Month and a good time to learn more about digital currencies. Kaspersky, an internet security company, defines cryptocurrency as “any form of currency that exists digitally or virtually and uses cryptography to secure transactions.” The word “crypto”…Read More
Pink Is In
September 12, 2022by Kerry SapetKelly Paxton, Certified Fraud Examiner and Private Investigator, presented at the Indiana Certified Fraud Examiner training conference for the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Ms. Paxton is the author of Embezzlement – How to Detect, Prevent, and Investigate Pink-Collar Crime. Based on her research, Pink-Collar crime is based on position, not gender. Women make up…Read More