Net Crimes & Misdemeanors

If you or someone you know are Asian-American, live in the Los Angeles, California area and are a victim of online scams, phishing, etc, please take part in a focus group that will pay you to attend. The date is January 12, 2011 in West Los Angeles. If interested, email me at whoa@haltabuse.org with your contact info.

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .And he was watching "America's Most Wanted, too" Man in Wash. pushes stolen TV past police station http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101228/ap_ on_fe_st/us_odd_stolen_tv Prosecutors in Washington state say a man was arrested when he was caught wheeling a 50-inch television in a shopping cart right past a police station. Seattlepi.com reports that a bystander called 911 to report that she saw a man grab the TV out of the back of a delivery truck, load it in the cart and start pushing it away. An Auburn police officer heard dispatchers relay the call as he was pulling into the police station parking lot ­ and then he saw the man, dressed entirely in camouflage, walking by with the cart. Charging documents say that when the officer asked 22-year-old Johnathon D. Barnes what he was doing, he said he bought the TV from and friend ­ and then he ran. The officer caught up with Barnes and arrested him. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .How sweet! Santa lends a knee for surprise marriage proposal http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101220/ap_ on_fe_st/us_odd_santa_surprise Santa has conspired with a love-struck California man by lending a knee for a surprise marriage proposal. Jenny Hoang took a friend's boys to see Santa at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa on Sunday, and she was helping the kids off Santa's lap when Old St. Nick waved her back. Santa told the 27-year-old she's been very good and there's a special gift for her. Her boyfriend of nine years, Jonathan Nguyen, suddenly emerged, got down on a knee and proposed. She said yes, then slid off Santa's lap and kneeled down so Jonathan could slip a ring on her finger. The groom-to-be, who is also 27, told the Orange County Register he secretly enlisted the help of the shopping mall and Santa to pull off the surprise. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit WHOA on the

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .Yeah, he looks human Man buckles in 'Diego' doll to drive in HOV lane http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101210/ap_ on_fe_st/us_odd_hov_bogus_passenger Diego was a model passenger, sitting quietly with seat belt buckled, never fidgeting. But it was the huge, unblinking eyes that made a Washington state trooper suspicious. The state patrol says troopers were stationed Nov. 29 along an Interstate 405 onramp, pulling over people who were driving in the high occupancy lane with only one person in the car. That's when the odd "passenger" drew one trooper's notice. The patrol says the trooper stopped the car and found the driver had placed a stuffed Diego doll from the Nickelodeon children's show "Go, Diego, Go!" in the front passenger seat. The unidentified driver said he was late for work so he drove off with his daughter's doll so he could use the HOV lane. The driver was cited for the HOV lane violation. * *

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .Udderly ridiculous Minn. teens accused of stealing at least 17 calves http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101204/ap_ on_fe_st/us_odd_stolen_calves Two teenage boys from central Minnesota are accused of stealing at least 17 calves to start their own dairy farm. Authorities this week arrested a 19-year-old from Rothsay and a 16-year-old from Barnesville. Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner says deputies received a tip that led them to 17 calves and eventually the teens. The calves are believed to have been stolen from three counties: Douglas, Stearns and Todd. Investigators say the teens told them they wanted to start their own dairy farm. They say the teens planned to keep the heifers and sell the bulls, splitting the profits. The calves have been returned to their owners. The case is being forwarded to prosecutors for possible theft and burglary charges. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit WHOA on the web