Credit card scams

old scam re-working and is true! see http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/creditcard.asp

Visa / MasterCard FRAUD (sample information all subject to changes).
Just a heads up for everyone regarding the latest in Visa fraud. Royal Bank received this communication about the newest scam. This is happening >>> in the Midwest right now and moving.
This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the information, except the one piece they want..
Note, the callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it.
This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA & MasterCard telephone Credit Card Scam works, you'll be better prepared to protect yourself. One of our employees was called on Wednesday from 'VISA', and I was called on Thursday from 'MasterCard'.
The scam works like this:
Person calling says - 'This is (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 which was issued by (name of 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 1- 800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800-VISA) and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. 'Do you need me to read it again?'
Here's the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works - The caller then says, 'I need to verify you are in possession of your card'. He'll ask you to 'turn your card over and look for some numbers'. There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the last 3 are the Security Numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the last 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he'll say, '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?'
After you say no, the caller then thanks you and states, 'Don't hesitate to call back if you do', and hangs up. 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 were glad we did! The REAL VISA Security Department told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 was charged to our card. We made a real fraud report and closed the VISA account. VISA is reissuing us a new number.. What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card. Don't give it to them. Instead, tell them you'll call VISA or Master Card directly for verification of their conversation..
The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you're receiving a credit; however, by the time you get your statement you'll see charges for purchases you didn't make, and by then it's almost too late and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud report.
What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from a '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. The police said they are taking several of these reports daily! They also urged us to tell everybody we know that this scam is happening. I dealt with a similar situation this morning, with the caller telling me that $3,097 had been charged to my account for plane tickets to Spain , and so on through the above routine..
It appears that this Is a very active scam, and evidently quite successful.
Pass this on. Confirm at . snopes.com: Visa Fraud Investigation Scam •••

Some seem unhappy with the Mayor

LOS ALGODONES, Baja Calif. — Recently Some peaceful protesters have been very active in front of the Mayor's office and Police Station on the Public Square.

Fed's order pot shops closed

Federal prosecutors have launched a crackdown on pot dispensaries in California, warning the stores that they must shut down in 45 days or face criminal charges and confiscation of their property even if they are operating legally under the state's 15-year-old medical marijuana law.

In an escalation of the ongoing conflict between the U.S. government and the nation's burgeoning medical marijuana industry, at least 16 pot shops or their landlords received letters this week stating they are violating federal drug laws, even though medical marijuana is legal in California. The state's four U.S. attorneys are scheduled to announce a broader coordinated crackdown at a Friday news conference.

Their offices refused to confirm the closure orders. The Associated Press obtained copies of the letters that a prosecutor sent to at least 12 San Diego dispensaries. They state that federal law "takes precedence over state law and applies regardless of the particular uses for which a dispensary is selling and distributing marijuana."

"Under United States law, a dispensary's operations involving sales and distribution of marijuana are illegal and subject to criminal prosecution and civil enforcement actions," letters signed by U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy in San Diego read. "Real and personal property involved in such operations are subject to seizure by and forfeiture to the United States ... regardless of the purported purpose of the dispensary."

The move comes a little more than two months after the Obama administration toughened its stand on medical marijuana following a two-year period during which federal officials had indicated they would not move aggressively against dispensaries in compliance with laws in the 16 states where pot is legal for people with doctors' recommendations.

The Department of Justice issued a policy memo to federal prosecutors in late June stating that marijuana dispensaries and licensed growers in states with medical marijuana laws could face prosecution for violating federal drug and money-laundering laws. The effort to shutter California dispensaries appears to be the most far-reaching effort so far to put that guidance into action.

"This really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. The administration is simply making good on multiple threats issued since President Obama took office," Kevin Sabet, a former adviser to the president's drug czar who is a fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Substance Abuse Solutions. "The challenge is to balance the scarcity of law enforcement resources and the sanctity of this country's medication approval process. It seems like the administration is simply making good on multiple statements made previously to appropriately strike that balance."

Greg Anton, a lawyer who represents a Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana, said the 14-year-old dispensary's landlord received an "extremely threatening" letter Wednesday invoking a federal law that imposes additional penalties for selling drugs within 1,000 feet of schools, parks and playgrounds.

The landlord was ordered to evict the pot club or risk imprisonment, plus forfeiture of the property and all the rent he has collected while the dispensary has been in business, Anton said.

The Marin Alliance's founder "has been paying state and federal taxes for 14 years, and they have cashed all the checks," he said. "All I hear from Obama is whining about his budget, but he has money to do this which will actually reduce revenues."

Kris Hermes, a spokesman for the medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access, said the warnings are part of what appears to be an attempt by the Obama administration to curb medical marijuana on multiple fronts and through multiple agencies. A series of dispensary raids in Montana, for example, involved agents from not only the FBI and U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, but the Internal Revenue Service and Environmental Protection Agency.

Going after property owners is not a new tactic, though, Hermes said. Five years ago, the Department of Justice under President George Bush made similar threats to about 300 Los Angeles-area landlords who were renting space to medical marijuana outlets, some of whom were eventually evicted or closed their doors voluntarily, he said.

"It did have an impact. However, the federal government never acted on its threats, never prosecuted anybody, never even went to court to begin prosecutions," Hermes said. "By and large they were empty threats, but they relied on them and the cost of postage to shut down as many facilities as they could without having to engage in criminal enforcement activity."

Mexico new two yaar marriage license contract

MEXICO CITY: Leftist politicians have proposed that the country issue a new kind of marriage license - one that is only valid for two years.

''The proposal is, when the two-year period is up, if the relationship is not stable or harmonious, the contract simply ends,'' Leonel Luna, the Mexico City assemblyman from the Party of the Democratic Revolution who co-authored the bill, said.

''You wouldn't have to go through the tortuous process of divorce.''

The marriage contracts would include detailed provisions on how children and property would be divided up if the marriage ended at the two-year mark.

''Two years is the minimum amount of time it takes to know and appreciate what life is like as a couple,'' Lizbeth Rosas, another supporter of the proposed legislation, told BBC Mundo in Spanish.

''If you renew, that means you have an understanding with your partner, and that you are clear on the rules of the relationship.''

Conservative groups have reacted with dismay. ''At first I thought it was a hoax,'' Consuelo Mendoza, of the national union of parents, said. ''These initiatives create a culture of dispensability within important societal issues.''

The Catholic Church criticized the proposal. ''This reform is absurd. It contradicts the nature of marriage,'' Hugo Valdemar, spokesman for the Mexican archdiocese, said. ''It's another one of these electoral theatrics the assembly tends to do that are irresponsible and immoral.''

face cream linked to cases of mercury poisoning

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican health officials are recalling a face cream linked to cases of mercury poisoning in the U.S. and Mexico.

The federal Health Department warns in a statement that the Mexican-produced Aguamary Cream contains elevated mercury levels and said officials have closed a factory in northwestern Sinaloa state.

The department says it also is removing the cream from store shelves and notes that the Aguaruto Cosmetics company sells the product on websites.

A telephone number listed for Aguaruto Cosmetics rang unanswered Saturday.

Texas health officials warned in September of at least 18 cases of mercury poisoning linked to Aguamary, including two infants whose mothers used the product during pregnancy. Health officials say Mexico had one case.

power outage 9-8-11

Yuma, AZ-Power is slowly being restored to more than 5 million people who lost electricity across the southwest this afternoon.
First they said the cause was Nevada. The massive outage caused by an Arizona Public Service employee is now under investigation.
Lights (they keep saying lights, how about A/C out, and Water Off), were out for thousands of people who lived in different parts of Arizona, California, New Mexico and Colorado.
APS officials said they experienced a major glitch with one of their substations, affecting thousands in other states.
"At approximately 3:30p.m. today, the North Gila-Hassayampa 500 bolt transmission line near Yuma tripped off line resulting in a major power outage across southwest Arizona and into Southern California," Damon Grossman, an APS spokesman said.
Approximately 56,000 APS customers lost power throughout Yuma, Somerton, San Luis to Gadsen.
Imperial Irrigation District officials said about 145,000 people also lost power in the Imperial Valley.
The power outage went as far up to homes in San Diego and parts of Los Angeles.
Power is also out in parts of Los Algodones, Mexicali, San Luis Rio Colorado including Tijuana and Ensenada.
"The outage` appears to be related to a procedure an APS employee was carrying out in North Gila substation, located northeast of Yuma," Grossman said. @ What was that parts of Los Algodones, hey the place is the size of Mile Square Park, the part they are talking about is ALL OF IT !!!!!
APS officials said operating and protection protocols should have isolated the outage to the Yuma area only.
"That didn't happen, it is a focal point of investigation as of right now," Grossman said.
APS has reported that about half of customers in the Yuma are have their power restored.
They said surely but slowly they will have power restored too all their customers soon. No Watch, but back ount before 9 pm. And it was not a cool situation any way you look at it 110.

Mexican Independence Day 2011

Mexican Independence Day

When : September 16th

Mexican Independence Day celebrates Mexico's Independence from Spain. Like the U.S. Independence Day, this day is celebrated in Mexico with parades, fiestas, fireworks, and picnics.

Mexican Independence Day History:

In 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo of Dolores, Mexico was planning a revolt to free the country from Spanish rule. On September 15, 1810 at 11:00 pm, Father Hidalgo rang his church bell to call his parishioners, and rally them to fight off Spanish rule. He then made a speech to his congregation, and the fight for freedom began.

Today, Mexican people mark this very special holiday, by repeating the ringing of the bells at 11:00 pm on the 15th. It is followed by a day of celebrations on the 16th.

Viva Mexico! Have a happy Mexican Independence Day!