Net Crimes & Misdemeanors

Cyberbullying & The Wild, Wild Web: What Everyone Needs To Know got an excellent review from Joe Yeager, founder of Safety Net of PA. Woohoo!

Today is the official release day of my book! Want to save 30% off of it? Order directly through my publisher Rowman & Littlefield - use promotion code RLFANDF30 at checkout for 30% off – this promotion is valid until December 31, 2016. And please "like" the book's Facebook page . I plan on having a book release party in January or February in my hometown of York, Maine and will be making announcements there. I am so excited the book is finally out!

Hey peeps! I am in US News & World Report! Don't Fall For These Cyber Scams by Geoff Williams

I have some things up for sale on Craigslist. One listing is almost 500 books of all genres, fiction and non-fiction, from the late 1800s up to fairly current. I get a text from 603-664-4032: "Hi, wanna buy ur Almost 500 books for sale - all kinds URGENTLY. can i call you now?" I do a google search on the number, it's in New Hampshire, and came up with nothing, so I told them to call me. I wait. Suddenly I get a call from a Washington, D.C. number, 202-455-8888. I answer and a female recorded voice asks me to input a 2-digit code to connect. WTF? I get a text from this person saying it's him and to punch in 50 so we can talk. Supposedly it's a Google phone because his cell phone is dead. I respond, then why are you able to text from this 603 number if your cell phone is dead. He insists I answer the "google" call. I finally replied with "Go to netcrimes.net. That's me. If this is not a scam, then you can call me from the 603 number u r textin...

Got the first draft of my new book, Cyberbullying & The Wild, Wild Web! So excited! You can now pre-order my latest book, Cyberbullying & The Wild, Wild Web: What Everyone Needs To Know at a 30% discount! Order directly through Rowman & Littlefield for a 30% discount on Cyberbullying and the Wild, Wild Web. Use promotion code RLFANDF30 at checkout for 30% off – this promotion is valid until December 31, 2017. This offer cannot be combined with any other promo or discount offers.

You can now pre-order my latest book, Cyberbullying & The Wild, Wild Web: What Everyone Needs To Know at a 30% discount! Order directly through Rowman & Littlefield for a 30% discount on Cyberbullying and the Wild, Wild Web. Use promotion code RLFANDF30 at checkout for 30% off – this promotion is valid until December 31, 2017. This offer cannot be combined with any other promo or discount offers.

The cover art will be posted soon, but here is a link to my next book - Cyberbullying & The Wild, Wild Web

You know how I hate scammers, especially the ones on Craigslist. Well, this one I almost believed. I got a text from someone interested in a ship model I have up on Craigslist: So I told him I'd go check. I found an email from him: Then an email from "Paypal:" Then another email from "Paypal" immediately followed: I checked the link for Walmart and sure enough, it did go to Walmart's real web site. But, when I clicked on "Click here" for Paypal customer service, SURPRISE! I was not amused. I really do need the money. So I sent "Michael" the following: I hope he *does* burn in hell. Now to report him. Sent both email with full headers to abuse@google.com and domena@az.pl for the "customer service" email address. The phone number 209-960-0570 traced back to what seemed to be a legit number (there were classifieds placed where this person was selling items online). I found out it belonged to Ring Central aka RCLEC...

From my sister blog, Things That Stick In My Craw is this enlightening post, Craigslist Scammers Stick In My Craw . Please share!

Craigslist scammers are using texts these days to scam you. If you put in your cell phone number to allow calls or texts for potential buyers, be aware that Craigslist does not send a text link for questions from this so-called buyer. This is the second time I have received a text from someone with the message: New Craigslist Buyer Message Read using this: http://question3300.do.am/account_log_in.html I had a new one yesterday, which is posted below. Smart scammer made it personal, used a name and I checked the phone number - it was indeed from Florida. But I smelled a scam and went along with it until my zinger at the end. I haven't heard from him since, LOL. BEWARE of these scams via text!

Beware of new Apple scam! I got this in my email this morning and it looked legit until I hovered my mouse over the link. Instead going to apple.com, it went to a site gentleurl.net/(I won't publish the rest of the link). If you get anything like this from Apple, Microsoft, Twitter, even Facebook, do NOT click on the "Click here to update" or similar link. Go directly to your account by typing in the web site link, then check it there. I can bet there is nothing wrong with your account. Please share. "Your Apple ID has been disabled for security reasons ! Dear Member, This is an automatic message by the system to let you know that you have to confirm your account information within 24 hours. Your account has been frozen temporarily in order to protect it. The account will continue to be frozen until it is approved And Validate Your Account Information. Once you have updated your account records, your information will be confirmed and your account will start to...

There is a scam going around that some of my friends have fallen for or almost fallen for. Please share this post! A pop up window on your screen that claims to be Microsoft stating your computer has been compromised is a scam. DO NOT call the 800 number (or whatever phone number) that is listed. You will get someone with a foreign accent claiming they are with Windows and for a fee (usually between $50-100) can clean the virus from your computer. If you can, close out of this window, update your antivirus software, then do a complete scan. If you do not have antivirus, your computer has probably been compromised by these scammers and you need to take it to a local computer repair shop or Best Buy Geek Squad to get it fixed ASAP. If you can't close out of the window, then to the repair shop your computer needs to go. They may also call you from a toll-free number claiming they are with Windows or Microsoft and tell you your computer has been compromised. HANG UP ON THEM, block them...

Phoebe and I want to pass on a warning about a couple of persistent online scams. They both come as emails into your inbox. The first one looks something like this: Subject: PAYMENT NOTICE To: to From: WesternUnion Date: Sat, 28 Nov 2015 07:49:56 +0800 Your transaction of 1.5 Million has been approved by UNITED NATIONS (UN) in the on going poverty alleviation program 2015.via Western Union Net-Spend Master Card, Send your receiving details to Mrs Jennie lee at helpdeskun@qq.com to file for claims SPECIAL NOTICE : All E-mail response should be sent to helpdeskun@qq.com for confirmation and payment approval Or Call 24 hours Helpline @+601-6254-3857 or 00601-6254-3857 for any inquiries on the above message. Yours truly Barnes Anna For Western Union Payout centre Notice that the TO: line doesn't have my email address in it. This means it is being sent to many people other than me. The other red flag is that it involves Western Union. Although it is a good place to receive/send ...

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .Indiana judge overturns ban on 'ballot selfies' http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2015/10/2 3/Indiana-judge-overturns-ban-on-ballot-s elfies/4231445612365/?spt=sec&or=on An Indiana judge overturned the state's so-called "ballot selfies law," allowing the state's residents to once again take selfies with their completed ballots. U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker ruled the law, which took effect July 1, was unconstitutional because it barred constitutionally protected speech -- specifically, taking photos of one's own completed ballot while casting a vote and distributing it "using social media or by any other means." The law, which carried penalties of up to 30 months in prison and a $10,000 fine, was challenged in a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union. Barker sided with the ACLU, saying the state failed to demonstrate a need for the ban. "The State has entirely failed to identify any ...

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .Florida woman arrested, jailed after web streaming her DUI, police say http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2015/10/1 2/Florida-woman-arrested-jailed-after-we b-streaming-her-DUI-police-say/308144469 2736/?spt=sec&or=on A Florida woman was arrested and thrown in jail over the weekend, allegedly for driving home from a party drunk -- which she opted to broadcast live over the Internet. Whitney Beall, 23, left the party Friday night and got into her vehicle. According to police, she was intoxicated and should not have been driving. Apparently, she then used her phone to live stream her drive home via the broadcasting service Periscope. "I'm (expletive) drunk," she said on the broadcast, audibly slurring some of her words. "I think uh, a flat tire. This is horrible," she added. In a Facebook post, Authorities said Beall stated multiple times during the broadcast that she had a flat tire, that she didn't know where she was a...

Took Phoebe in for her four month eye appointment this morning. This was deemed excellent - no signs of discomfort were noted, although the left eye had some scarring. She will have to have eye drops in the left eye until her next exam in June 2016. Thank fully the eye drops are only $10 for each tube. The doctor was very pleased! The dilated her eyes for the tests, so she is snoozing under the pool table for a few hours until her eyes return to normal. She was a good girl and got some snacks from the vet office and when I took her to Petco, I got her another one. Please share her fundraising page - I am hoping to reach at least 3/4 of our goal soon. That would make it easier for us to pay off the loan. Thank you and Phoebe says ROO ROO!

Read her update at her GoFundMe page today.

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .Taco Bell fires worker from viral hand-in-pants photo http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2015/09/2 5/Taco-Bell-fires-worker-from-viral-hand-i n-pants-photo/8341443191065/?spt=sec&or=on Taco Bell officials said an employee at an Ohio franchise was fired after a viral photo on social media showed him with his hand down the back of his pants. The picture, which was posted to Taco Bell's official Facebook page by concerned customers, shows an employee at a Sandusky, Ohio, location with his left hand down the back of his pants -- apparently inside his underwear. The Erie County Health Department said officials visited the store after a complaint about the photo was lodged with the department Monday. Taco Bell released a statement in response to the controversial photo. "This is completely unacceptable. Our franchisee took immediate action and has terminated the employee and retrained the entire staff. We want customers to know that the person...

I couldn't make this up if I tried. . .Burglars hit Verizon store, only steal fake phones http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2015/09/1 7/Burglars-hit-Verizon-store-only-steal-f ake-phones/6411442506847/?spt=sec&or=on Police in Ohio's capital said thieves broke into a Verizon store, but the only items they managed to steal were fake phones used as display pieces. Columbus police said the early Wednesday burglary at the store caused significant damage to the store, but the only items stolen were fake phones installed for display after the store was previously targeted by thieves. Police said the culprits used large rocks to break the glass back door of the shop and they cut or ripped the phony cellphones from display areas. Investigators said the store's real phones are locked in a vault by employees every night. Please share this link to Phoebe the Cyber Crime Dog's Surgery Fundraising page - http://tinyurl.com/oodzstm * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ...