CitizenObserver

Keys Left in Work Trucks or Other Vehicles

Fri, 22 May 2009 14:17:09 GMT

With the warmer weather, people are leaving their vehicle's keys inside the vehicle. Some are work trucks, so tools and lawn equipment are also taken with the vehicle when it is stolen. Other vehicles are private vehicles with keys left inside them for convenience, sometimes with the windows to keep the vehicle cool in warmer weather.

Pittsburgh Police urge all owners not to leave any car keys inside their vehicles for convenience, even if you are planning on being outside of the vehicle for a short time. As always, owners are also urged not to leave any items like GPS systems, satellite radio receivers, purses, wallets, laptop computers, or money inside vehicles.

Aggravated Assault

Thu, 14 May 2009 22:06:16 GMT

On April 18, 2009 @ approx.0315 hours a group of white males approached a victim in the 200 block of McKee Place, between Forbes Ave & Bates Street, in Oakland. After a verbal altercation one short white male 5’8” – 185lbs wearing a blue hoody along with several other unknown males – started to assault the victim. During this assault the victim was stabbed in the back of his head receiving a laceration along with two puncture wounds to his back. The victim stated the short white male stabbed him. The victim received treatment for his injuries at a local hospital.

This assault took place in the early morning after Semple Fest.

Anyone with information on who these suspects are asked to please contact Pittsburgh Police Zone 4 detectives @ (412) 422-6520.

Armed Street Robberies

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:51:33 GMT

Pittsburgh Police in cooperation with The University of Pittsburgh Police request the public’s assistance in identifying the suspects involved in street robberies in the Oakland and Shadyside areas. Since the beginning of April there have been multiple robberies that involve two black male suspects.

These suspects approach their victims with one male brandishing a dark colored handgun. They order the victims to the ground and demand their property. A dark colored vehicle may have been used in at least one of the robberies. These robberies have taken place mostly between 8PM and 2AM randomly throughout the week.

They are described as

Suspect #1 black male late teens to 25 years 5’9” – 200lbs

Suspect #2 black male late teens to 25 years 6’2” – 210lbs

If anyone has any information regarding these robberies and the suspects, Pittsburgh police ask you to please call them at Zone 4 (412 422-6520) or The University of Pittsburgh police at (412 624-2121).

City Wide Public Safety Meeting

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:45:16 GMT

Zones One and Two will be cohosting a City Wide Public Safety Meeting on April 29th, 2009 at 6 PM. It will be held at the Risen Lord Church Education Center located at 3250 California Avenue on the North Side. Scheduled speakers are Mayor Ravenstahl regarding City Updates, Maria Bethel regarding Disruptive Properties, and Chief McDonald regarding Youth Curfew.

Please join us!

Bump and Run Pickpockets

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:09:50 GMT

There have been several reported bump and run pick pocketing incidents reported to the Pittsburgh Police. In all cases, the victim was bumped into by a well dressed man, who apologized profusely. It was not discovered until later that the victim had their wallet stolen by the man, and had successfully used their credit and debit cards.

If you are the targeted victim of such a scheme, please ensure that your belongings are where they are supposed to be. If something is missing, please call 911 and give a description of the person who bumped into you.

Also, please keep all belongings in your possession and do not walk away from a bag or purse while in a public area like a supermarket or public library.

Theft From Vehicle

Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:01:38 GMT

The Zone Four Police Station has experienced several thefts from vehicle in the area. In some cases, the doors were left unlocked by owners. In other cases, it has yet to be determined how entry into the vehicle was made.

Pittsburgh Police urge all drivers to lock their vehicles, and if using a remote key fob to lock the door, make sure the door actually locks when the remote is used.

Please continue to report all suspicious activity to the Pittsburgh Police immediately by calling 911.

Utility Worker Scam

Sat, 14 Feb 2009 22:07:34 GMT

Zone Four residents are urged to be on the lookout for false utility workers. There are two incidents that have been reported in the City of Pittsburgh about a white or hispanic male gaining entry into a residence to "check the water pressure" in the basement. In both incidents, the male was frightened off and no items were reported missing. None of the reported incidents have taken place in Zone Four. There have also been reports in the greater Pittsburgh area of a group of males engaged in the same type of criminal scheme.

The Pittsburgh Police urge all residents to not allow anyone in your home whom you do not know. If there is a repair to be made by a utility company, all employees will have Photo Identification. If the situation calls for an emergency or unscheduled repair, please call the correct utility company to ensure that the person attempting to gain entry into your home is a utility worker.

Please report all suspicious activity to the pittsburgh Police by calling 911 as soon as you observe it. When speaking with 911, please ask to speak with an officer about your observations.

Aggravated Assault

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:47:51 GMT

Pittsburgh police are requesting assistance from anyone in our community that may have witnessed or might have information regarding an unprovoked Aggravated Assault that took place on December 27,2008 between 0200 & 0205 hours. The victim was leaving a local establishment and walking on Bellefonte Street towards Kentucky Ave. Near Comet Way he was accosted by an unknown male(s). The victim was struck in the face with a blunt object multiple times and received several facial fractures,broken nose,lacerations that required stitching,and a concussion. The victim discovered his knuckles bruised the next day believing he was attempting to defend himself.

Street Robbery in Shadyside

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:24:24 GMT

A street robbery occurred in the 5800 block of Holden St. on 1-20-2009 at approximately 10:15 PM.

When returning from work, the victim saw a black male standing in the street. The victim stated to police that the male made him nervous, and went around the block before parking. When the victim was mere feet from his vehicle, he was approached by the actor, who then had a handgun pointed at the victim. The victim was robbed of a computer bag, wallet, cell phone and computer monitor.

Pittsburgh Police ask that if you see someone whom you feel is suspicious and does not belong in the area, please call 911. Please ask to speak to an officer about the individual, and do not get out of your vehicle. If the actor starts to approach you, drive away from the area. If you are on foot and see someone suspicious, reverse your course and walk to a well lit area, a business district if possible, call 911 immediately and ask to speak to an officer.

Citywide Public Safety Meeting

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:55:00 GMT

The Citywide Public Safety meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 12, 2008 at 7 PM in the basement of St. Paul’s Cathedral. St. Paul’s Cathedral is located at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and North Dithridge St in Oakland. The address is 108 North Dithridge if it is needed for GPS or Internet directions.

The keynote speaker will be Det. Ashley Thompson from the Criminal Intelligence Unit who will make a presentation about Gang Awareness.

Refreshments will be provided after the meeting.

Parking is available on the side of the building.

We hope to see you there!

City of Pittsburgh Halloween

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:53:25 GMT

The City of Pittsburgh Trick or Treating hours will be 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM on October 31st, 2008

The City of Pittsburgh Police and PennDOT offer these safety tips:

Tips For Motorists:
- Obey speed limits.
- Watch for children walking along the road or who may run into the street.
- If you are going to a party, please remember to designate a sober driver.
Tips For Parents and Guardians:
- Buy or make brightly-colored, highly-visible costumes for children that do not interfere with a child’s ability to see, hear or walk.
- Add strips of reflective tape to darker-colored costumes and trick-or-treat bags.
- Provide a flashlight or glow stick for children to carry.
- Always accompany children while they are trick-or-treating.
- Remind children to pay attention to their surroundings.
Tips For Children:
- Walk instead of run when crossing streets.
- Look both ways for approaching cars before stepping off the curb.
- Walk on sidewalks whenever possible.

The City of Pittsburgh Police hopes you have a fun and safe Halloween!

Recent Scam Artist Activity

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:18:12 GMT

On October 3rd, there were two incidents of scam artists working in Zone 4.

In one incident, a white male approached the elderly homeowner with the premise of home repairs. This male distracted the homeowner, and was able to get the homeowner outside to look at the supposed repairs to be made. While the homeowner and the suspect were outside, three other males went into the residence and rifled through the homeowner's closets. The males inside were able to steal a large amount of cash from the residence, and were seen by the victim homeowner exiting the house, hopping over a fence, and getting into a van. A red van had been seen on 10-2-2008, and the victim believes that this was the van the males entered.

Pittsburgh Police strongly urge people not to leave their residences when approached by unsolicited home repair workers. It is the intent of the person speaking with the homeowner to distract or separate them from their residences to the point where the others can enter the residence and look for valuables to steal. These types of schemes are known as "Gypsy" scams, and operate all over the country by teams of transient criminals.

The other incident involved a male impersonating a Police Officer. This male approached the victim in the lobby of the apartment building, showed the victim a badge, and informed the victim he was investigating a robbery case involving currency and jewelry. The male impersonating an officer asked the victim to show him some money so that it could be compared to the alleged stolen funds. After several minutes of talking, the male left the victims apartment to wait outside for other officers. The victim realized after several minutes that the male claiming to be an officer had just stolen his money.

This case is extremely troubling to the Pittsburgh Police, who ask all residents to be very aware of scams like this. While it is true that some Pittsburgh Police Officers work either in plain clothes or in suits and ties, all Pittsburgh Police Officers are issued photo ID. If there is any doubt as to whether the person is really a member of the Pittsburgh Police, please ask to see their ID. If you are still unconvinced, call 911. If the person is a real Pittsburgh Police Officer, they will certainly wait for a uniformed officer and a marked police car to arrive.

Great Race Reminder Route

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 14:50:37 GMT

The Pittsburgh Great Race will be held on Sunday September 27 2008. There will be two separate races.

The 5K Race will start at 8:30 AM at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Atwood Street. The course will continue down Fifth Avenue, to the Boulevard of the Allies, to Wood Street, to Fort Pitt Boulevard and ending at Point State Park.

The 10 K Race will start at 9:30 AM at the Frick Park Nature Center on Beechwood Boulevard. The course will continue to Forbes Avenue, to Morewood Avenue, to Fifth Avenue, to the Boulevard of the Allies, to Wood Street, to Fort Pitt Boulevard and ending at Point State Park.

Residents are urged to make alternate routes and allow for extra travel time on Sunday, and are strongly urged to ensure that vehicles are removed from any no parking zone related to the Race.

The map of the race route can be found by clicking on the Great Race's website here:

http://www.rungreatrace.com/Race/Course/index.html

Suspicious Males/Possible Scam

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:21:56 GMT

On Wednesday September 3rd, several suspicious males were reported to be in the Squirrel Hill area. Two black males knocked on the complainant's door and presented a pitch about public speaking. The complainant felt this was suspicious and challenged the two males on their scam. The males left the complainant's home but remained in the area, perhaps casing houses. The actors were two black males in their thirties, wearing dark pants with light shirts and ties. One of the males was also described as having bad teeth.

Pittsburgh Police ask all citizens to remain vigilant and urge them to call 911 when they observe something is suspicious.

Zone Four Public Safety Council Meeting

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 18:23:36 GMT

The next meeting of the Zone Four Public Safety Council will be on September 24th 2008 at 7:00 PM. It will be held at the Oakland Senior Center/COP station located at the intersection of Semple St and Louisa St. Hope to see you there!

South Oakland Block Association

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:22:46 GMT

Saturday July 26, 2008 at 12PM ~ SBSA Quarterly Meeting. Come join your fellow South Oakland neighbors to discuss upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, address local safety concern and how to effectively create a plan to solve any ongoing problems, meet the Zone 4 Crime Prevention Officer and more! Refreshments will be on hand as well as safety giveaways and a drawling for a prize for all that attend! All of these services are FREE to our residents just for being South Oakland Neighbors! If you are interested in receiving more information, please contact Holly Fenner @ hollyfenner@yahoo.com

National Night Out

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:05:14 GMT

National Night Out is scheduled for August 5th 2008. If your Zone Four community, block watch or club is having an event and would like to include Pittsburgh Police participation, please contact Officer Matthew White @ 412-422-6559 or an email to william.white@city.pittsburgh.pa.us

Oakland Robbery Suspects

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:31:30 GMT

On June 11th, 2008, the two black males in the picture are suspected of committing a street robbery in the 3400 block of Forbes Avenue. If anyone has information about the two males in the photo, please contact Dets. Bob DiGiacomo and Don Pasquarelli from the Zone Four Police Station at 412-422-6578.

Block Watch Forum

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:22:10 GMT

It's not too late to RSVP for
Safe Neighborhoods

Sponsorship

This project supported in part by Pittsburgh 250 Community Connections and The Sprout Fund.

It's not too late to reserve a seat at the SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS Kick-Off!
Contact amacurak@pcrg.org or (412) 391-6732 x210 ASAP to save your spot!

SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS is a collaborative network of block watches across Pittsburgh. Sponsored by PCRG, our goal is to bring neighborhood public safety activists together to share strategies, discuss root causes of crime across communities, receive training from public safety experts, and build safe communities from the grass roots up.

For cross-community discussion, best practices sharing and training and information on recent changes to Pittsburgh-area public safety programs and policies, join us at our kick-off from 12-4 PM on Saturday, June 28th in the Bayer Hall Rotunda at Duquesne University, Uptown Pittsburgh.

Please let us know if you are coming or thinking about coming by RSVP'ing to amacurak@pcrg.org or (412) 391-6732 x210 as soon as possible.

Duquesne University is served by the 61, 71, and 500 buslines and Steel Plaza "T" station. Parking will be validated. Click here for a campus map.

Iif you received this and know someone who'd be interested, use the "forward" link at the bottom of this email - pass along the date/time and RSVP information - the more people and groups that participate, the stronger the network and the learning

It's not too late! RSVP now!

PCRG Safe Neighborhoods Kick-Off

June 28th, 2008 - 12-4 PM
Bayer Hall Rotunda
at Duquesne University,
Uptown Pittsburgh
RSVP to amacurak@pcrg.org or
(412) 391-6732 x210 ASAP.

Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group is a consortium of community leaders working for economic justice, equitable investment practices, and sufficient financial resources to revitalize communities throughout Allegheny County.

Theft From Vehicle - Access Device Fraud

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:28:05 GMT

On June 15,2008 between 330 and 1100 hours a vehicle was broken into in the 6900 block of Claridge Place,15208. Shortly after at 440 hours several suspects used the victim's credit card to make purchases at a GetGo store in Penn Hills. The transaction and suspects were captured on video surveillance. Pittsburgh Police Zone 4 detectives are requesting anyone that recognizes any of the suspect's below to call them @ Zone 4 police station (412) 422-6520.

Water Authority Scam

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:08:42 GMT

On 6/19/08 1600 hours, an elderly male was visited by 2 Hispanic males who claimed to be from the STATE water Authority. The actors were described as follows:

1.) 30 yr. old Hispanic male, 5'11", 190 lbs., muscular build, brown short wavy hair and a mustache with medium complexion, wearing a white dress shirt and tan dress pants.

2.) 32 yr. old Hispanic male, 6'0", 200 lbs, muscular build, short straight brown hair, mustache, light complexion wearing a black shirt and casual blue pants.

3.) 29 yr. old White male, 5'10", muscular build, dark short hair with mustache and light complexion, wearing blue shirt and blue pants.

Actors were seen by a witness to be casing other houses in the neighborhood and then they left in a silver Nissan sedan. No plate given.

Actors took homeowner into the basement and did the typical water testing scam and then told him that he could receive a $41.00 rebate if he had change for a $100.00 bill. Homeowner went to his bedroom, retrieved money from his wallet and left the $100.00 bill on the bed. He returned to the basement to give the change to the actor and the actor then told him that he had to go upstairs for a minute. Actor did not return. When homeowner went upstairs, he asked his 80 yr. old wife where the workers went. She told him that they said something to each other in Spanish and exited the house. The homeowner's wallet was missing $150.00 + the $100.00 bill that he left on the bed.

Remember to check for Identification when anyone comes to your residence to make a service call. All legitimate employees will have photo ID. Please call 911 immediately if there is any question to the identity. Also, remember what service companies you have and only let authorized representatives from these companies into your residence after checking their IDs and calling the company to insure they are who they claim to be.

Zone Four Public Safety Council Meeting Reminder

Tue, 13 May 2008 15:15:57 GMT

Zone Four Public Safety Council Meeting Reminder

Just a reminder to please attend the Zone Four Public Safety Council Meeting on Wednesday May 14 2008 at 7:00 PM. It will be held at the CitiParks Senior Center located at the intersection of Semple St. and Louisa St. in Oakland.

Call Officer Matthew White @ 412-422-6559 if you have any questions.

IRS Direct Deposit Scam

Thu, 08 May 2008 14:38:47 GMT

An email scam has been sent out recently in which the account holder is asked to provide private banking information. This email is reportedly sent by the Internal Revenue Service to facilitate the deposit of the Economic Stimulus check. Citizens are asked not to participate in this scam and delete it. The Internal Revenue Service sends official communcation through the United States Postal Service and never through unsolicited email.

Under no circumstances should anyone provide private banking or personal information in response to an unsolicited email or communication.

Zone Four Public Safety Council Meeting Reminder

Wed, 07 May 2008 17:56:19 GMT

Call Officer Matthew White @ 412-422-6559 if you have any questions.

Reminder of City Wide Public Safety Meeting

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 18:14:33 GMT

Just a reminder:

Citywide Public Safety Meeting

Zone Two will be hosting a Citywide Public safety Meeting on Thursday April 24, 2008.

The meeting will start at 6:00 PM

The meeting will be held at the Teamsters Hall, which is located at 4701 Butler St. in Lawrenceville.

The agenda will be announced soon.

For more information please contact Officer Janine Davis at 412-255-2827.

Citywide Public Safety Meeting

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:22:49 GMT

Citywide Public Safety Meeting

Zone Two will be hosting a Citywide Public safety Meeting on Thursday April 24, 2008.

The meeting will start at 6:00 PM

The meeting will be held at the Teamsters Hall, which is located at 4701 Butler St. in Lawrenceville.

The agenda will be announced soon.

For more information please contact Officer Janine Davis at 412-255-2827.

Point Breeze Robberies

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:46:41 GMT

There have reported armed street robberies in the Point Breeze Neighborhood. Pittsburgh Police ask that residents be extra vigilant to safeguard not only their own safety but to observe any suspicious people. Please call 911 and report any and all suspicious activity immediately. If you are the victim of a robbery, remain calm and give the actors whatever items they demand. If possible, be a good witness and take note of the actor's height, weight, race, clothing, and direction of flight in which they fled.

Hit & Run/Leaving the Scene of an Accident

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 19:32:02 GMT

Pittsburgh Police request the publics assistance in helping to identify a vehicle and driver involved in a Hit & Run accident of a pedestrian on February 1,2008 around 6:10PM,at the intersection of S.Braddock and Henrietta Streets. A 26 year old male was attempting to cross S.Braddock Ave @ Henrietta Street around 6:10PM inside the clearly marked crosswalk when a dark colored vehicle swerved and struck the male pedestrian. The pedestrian victim was thrown,dragged,or possibly travelled on the hood of this vehicle for approx 63 feet until coming to rest after being dislodged on the pavement. The victim suffered multiple head,neck,eye,arm and leg injuries.

Pittsburgh Police Zone four detectives request you call Zone 4 @ (412) 422-6520 or (412) 422-6578 with any information you might have to help solve this crime.

Cable Firearm Locks

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:25:24 GMT

Burglaries of unsecured firearms have been reported. The Zone Four Crime Prevention/Crime Analysis Office has a limited supply of cable gun locks which can be used to secure your firearm's action, rendering the firearm inoperable.

Pittsburgh Police ask that all owners of firearms secure them in a responsible manner in a gun safe or other secure, locking device.

Suspicious Male

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:20:53 GMT

On February 7th, 2008, a 6'1" tall white male, possibly in his 20's, attempted to pull down the skirts of two 7 year old females as they were on their way home from school. The females ran to a house and were let in by the owner. As they were being let into the residence, the females stated that the male was charging at them and turned only when the door was opened to the residence. The actor then fled the area in a small silver vehicle, make and model unknown.

Pittsburgh Police ask that citizens be alert and observant for any suspicious activity. If you feel something is suspicious, please call 911 and request to speak with an officer.

Windshield Mounted Devices

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:52:40 GMT

Zone Four has again experienced an increase in the theft of windshield mounted devices from vehicles. These items include electronic devices such as GPS Systems and Satellite Radio receivers. Please remove these devices and the mounting bracket from the windshield when they are not in use. Also, please lock all vehicle doors when you exit the vehicle.

Beeler Street Burglaries

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 17:07:56 GMT

Several burglaries have been reported in the 5500 block of Beeler St. in Squirrel Hill. The point of entry in all of the burglaries was the rear or basement door. A possible suspect, a black male in his twenties, 5'8" tall and weighing 160 pounds, was seen by a witness knocking on the front door of one of the burglarized residences. This is a common tactic to see if someone is in the residence, and if there is a response at the door, a story is quickly provided to explain the person's presence. Please call 911 immediately if you see anyone suspicious or who does not belong in your neighborhood. Ask to speak to the officer and if possible, give a detailed description of the person and where the person was last seen.

Counterfeit Currency

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 20:50:25 GMT

There has been an increase in the passing of counterfeit currency in the area. Please check all larger denomination bills , and if one is discovered to be counterfeit, please call 911 for police assistance. Do not give the counterfeit bill back to the individual who attempted to pass it.

Click on the website of the United States Secret Service listed below to learn more about counterfeit bills.

www.secretservice.gov/know_your_money.shtml

False Lottery Scam

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:31:39 GMT

A retired Pittsburgh Police Officer reports a lottery scam being distributed throughout the City of Pittsburgh via the US Postal Service. The letter, from Direct Claim Inc., claims that the recipient has won a lottery and that the check is enclosed with the letter. However, the winner needs to send back a certain portion of the money for a processing fee, taxes, and a surcharge. After investigating by calling the bank upon which the check would be drawn, the check was determined to be fraudulent. The bank, Sturdy Savings Bank in Stone Harbor New Jersey, is a legitimate financial institution and has nothing to do with the scam.

The United States Postal Police are also investigating.

During this holiday season, please remember to use common sense. If something appears too good to be true, that is more than likely the case. The targeted person in this case felt something was amiss with the process and took the time to investigate, sparing a bounced check fee and preventing the loss of the percentage "fee" money was going to be mailed back.

Please continue to report all scams like this to appropriate authorities.

Cemetery Theft From Vehicles

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:53:53 GMT

We are experiencing thefts from vehicles in local cemeteries. Please be sure to lock your vehicle and to remove all items from view.

Downspout Thefts

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:47:58 GMT

Numerous Copper & Aluminum Downspout Thefts have occurred in the East End area in the past two days. A white Station Wagon or van, make and model are unknown, was observed to be involved in the thefts. Please report any suspicious activity immediately to Pittsburgh Police by calling 911.

Theft From Vehicles

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:28:42 GMT

Zone Four has experienced an increase in Theft From Vehicle Cases in the past two weeks. Items stolen from vehicles include items as small as change from the cupholders and ashtrays and cellular telephone chargers. A new popular item for theft appears to be portable GPS systems. Please remove all such systems from their mounting brackets on the windshield and take care to remove all items from view inside your vehicle.

Credit Card Fraud

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 14:36:33 GMT

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/creditcard.asp

Security Guard

Claim: Scammers pretend to be fraud investigation agents for Visa and MasterCard in order to obtain credit card security codes.

Status: True.

Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2003]

We all receive emails all the time regarding one scam or another; but last week I REALLY DID get scammed! Both VISA and MasterCard told me that this scam is currently being worked throughout the Midwest, with some variance as to the product or amount, and if you are called, just hang up.

My husband was called on Wednesday from "VISA" and I was called in Thursday from "MasterCard". It worked like this: Person calling says, "This is Carl Patterson (any name) and I’m calling from the Security and Fraud department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I’m calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card issued by 5/3 bank. Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a marketing company based in Arizona?"

When you say "No". The caller continues with, "Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?"

You say, "Yes". The caller continues . . . "I will be starting a fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 800 number listed on your card 1-800-VISA and ask for Security. you will need to refer to this Control #". Then gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to read it again?" Caller then says he "needs to verify you are in possession of your card. Turn the card over. There are 7 numbers; first 4 are 1234 (whatever) the next 3 are the security numbers that verify you are in possession of the card. These are the numbers you use to make internet purchases to prove you have the card. Read me the 3 numbers." Then he says "That is correct. I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions? Don’t hesitate to call back if you do."

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA security dept. told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 WAS put on our card.

Long story made short . . . we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA card and they are reissuing as a new number. What the scam wants is the 3 digit number and that once the charge goes through, they keep charging every few days. By the time you get your statement, you think the credit is coming, and then its harder to actually file a fraud report. The real VISA reinforced that they will never ask for anything on the card (they already know).

What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from "Jason Richardson of MasterCard" with a word for word repeat of the VISA Scam. This time I didn’t let him finish. I hung up.

We filed a police report (as instructed by VISA), and they said they are taking several of these reports daily and to tell friends, relatives and coworkers.

Origins: There are five points we generally try to apply in evaluating warnings about possible criminal schemes or activities:

1) Is the phenomenon outlined in the warning technically possible as described?

2) Is the phenomenon outlined in the warning plausible? (That is, some criminal schemes are technically possible, but they’re too difficult, cumbersome, or expensive to plausibly enact on anything more than a very limited basis.)

3) Are there any verifiable instances of people having been victimized in the manner described by the warning?

4) Is there evidence that the criminal activity described in the warning is widespread?

5) Is the criminal activity described in the warning something the average person might fall victim to?

The scheme outlined in the message quoted above might be categorized as a "social engineering" scam — a technique which preys upon people’s unquestioning acceptance of authority and willingness to cooperate in order to extract from them sensitive information (such as computer passwords or credit card numbers). In this case the scammers’ target data are the three-digit security codes found on the back of MasterCard and Visa cards.

Just as the Internet and other technologies have greatly expanded the possibilities for making credit card purchases without the need to physically present a card to the seller, so have they created additional opportunities for identity thieves to make profitable use of purloined credit card numbers. After getting their hands on credit card numbers (often through such simple expedients as rummaging through trash to find discarded receipts or statements), crooks can then employ a variety of means (e.g., mail order, phone order, Internet purchases, posing as merchants) in order to obtain money and merchandise by charging against the cardholder’s account — even though the credit card itself remains snugly inside the cardholder’s wallet. The victim may not even know anything is amiss until he receives his next statement in the mail several weeks later.

Although safeguards have been enacted to catch most of these types of fraud, they’re often defeated by a combination of lax security and clever crooks who know how to work around them. One of the more recent safeguards is the addition of three-digit security codes (known as CVC2 or CVV2 codes) to every MasterCard and Visa card, codes which are indent-printed in the signature panels on the backs of the cards but are not encoded in the magnetic stripes and do not print on sales receipts. Many vendors cannot process credit card transactions without obtaining these security codes from their customers, thereby ensuring that persons placing orders have physical possession of the cards being used (and haven’t simply scammed the sixteen-digit account numbers imprinted on the front of cards somehow). Thus the scheme described above might be used by identity thieves who have managed to collect credit card numbers but need to obtain the associated security codes in order to process charges against the accounts.

So, back to our five points:

1) Is this possible? — Yes, it’s possible that scammers might get ahold of credit card numbers and then use the technique described above to obtain security codes and process phony transactions against the accounts.

2) Is this plausible? — The scam as described above is not extraordinarily difficult or expensive to pull off; all it requires is access to a telephone and the establishment of a merchant account for processing credit card transactions. It also assumes the scammer already has the names, addresses, phone numbers, and credit card numbers (plus expiration dates) of his victims, but that information might be obtained in a variety of ways (such as breaking into and stealing customer data from merchant web sites). Whether the same scammer could process more than a handful of phony charges before complaints caused his merchant account to be shut down is problematic, though.

3) Are there known instances of this occurring? — We talked with a representative of MasterCard, who told us that although she couldn’t verify the specific details of the message reproduced above, this type of scam does occur and isn’t new; it’s been going on ever since MasterCard started putting CVC2 security codes on all its cards back in 1997. (Visa did not put CVV2 codes on all its credit cards until 2001.) She also reiterated that MasterCard would not ask a cardholder to disclose security codes or provide any information verifying physical possession of a card; any such inquiries regarding security matters would come from the financial institution that issued the credit card, not from MasterCard itself.

4) Is this a widespread phenomenon? — Unfortunately, neither MasterCard nor VISA would provide us with any statistics regarding the specific scam described here or confirm any actual instances of its occurrence (other than to note that using the telephone to trick cardholders into divulging their security codes is a type of fraud that has been occurring for several years and is ongoing). However, numerous readers have informed us they’ve received calls from persons identifying themselves as fraud investigation agents and asking for sensitive personal data, so (even allowing for the possibility that some of those calls were actually legitimate) we’d have to say anecdotal evidence indicates this scam is still being perpetrated, if only infrequently.

5) Is this something that might affect the average person? — Yes, anyone who holds a credit card is a potential victim of this type of fraud.

The best protection against these types of telephone schemes for obtaining sensitive credit card information is to always verify the identities of the people with whom you speak. If you have security questions or concerns about your credit card, call the financial institution who issued your card directly. If someone contacts you by phone about your credit card, ask the caller to provide his name, department, and extension, then hang up and call him back through the phone number listed on your credit card or billing statement.

Additional information:

Preventing Credit Card Fraud
(Consumer @ction)