Mission Possible Investigations New York
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Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Bryce Tarter Missing Savannah, GA
Bryce Daniel Tarter, 19, is 6 feet tall and weighs 155 pounds. He has light brown hair and blue eyes and was last seen on January 30, 2010 in Savannah, Georgia. If you have any information that could bring him home, call 910.232.1687 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 910.232.1687 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or 911.
According to Bryce’s friends, they spent the evening at a party and drove him back to his school, Armstrong Atlantic. When they arrived, they say Bryce got in his truck and drove away. He then sent a strange text message to one of his friends and hasn’t been seen or heard from since. His white 2000 Nissan Frontier truck is also missing. The license plates are Maine - 944 7QD
The cell company tells Bryce’s family that his cell phone can’t be tracked and they aren’t able to determine the location of the phone when the last text message was sent.
View Bryce's website for more information. http://www.bringbrycehome.comThursday, March 4, 2010
Learn more about the NAM Us Project
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) is a clearinghouse for missing persons and unidentified decedent records. NamUs is a free online system that can be searched by medical examiners, coroners, law enforcement officials and the general public to solve these cases.
The Unidentified Decedents Database contains information entered by medical examiners and coroners. Unidentified decedents are people who have died and whose bodies have not been identified. Anyone can search this database using characteristics such as sex, race, distinct body features and even dental information.
The Missing Persons Database contains information about missing persons that can be entered by anyone; before it appears as a case on NamUs, the information is verified. NamUs provides the ability to print missing persons posters and even map out possible travel routes in a search for a missing person. Other resources include links to state clearinghouses, medical examiner and coroner offices, law enforcement agencies, victim assistance groups and pertinent legislation.
Visit their website to learn more, to view the tutorial or use as a resource.
The Unidentified Decedents Database contains information entered by medical examiners and coroners. Unidentified decedents are people who have died and whose bodies have not been identified. Anyone can search this database using characteristics such as sex, race, distinct body features and even dental information.
The Missing Persons Database contains information about missing persons that can be entered by anyone; before it appears as a case on NamUs, the information is verified. NamUs provides the ability to print missing persons posters and even map out possible travel routes in a search for a missing person. Other resources include links to state clearinghouses, medical examiner and coroner offices, law enforcement agencies, victim assistance groups and pertinent legislation.
Visit their website to learn more, to view the tutorial or use as a resource.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Missing Persons Case from 1996 Solved
DNA evidence has helped to solve a missing persons case dating back to 1996. Arlan Walker, from the Guilderland, NY area was missing from California in 1996. His family, although traveling several times to CA, were unsure about what happen to Walker.
According to the local Times Union report, "Finally this past December, more than four years after the family provided DNA samples to authorities, a match was made. The family learned Arlan had drowned more than 11 years before."
"The death is considered accidental. Walker was wearing a wet suit when he drowned, but investigators are unsure whether he was surfing, diving or doing something else in the water."
Read more about this case.
According to the local Times Union report, "Finally this past December, more than four years after the family provided DNA samples to authorities, a match was made. The family learned Arlan had drowned more than 11 years before."
"The death is considered accidental. Walker was wearing a wet suit when he drowned, but investigators are unsure whether he was surfing, diving or doing something else in the water."
Read more about this case.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Unlicensed PIs a Problem in California
Take a look at this article in CA. Real PIs are taking down fake PIs and its about time . For too long unlicensed investigators have been preying off consumers often just taking their money or harming loved ones in the process. Its not just CA that has this problem, its all over.
Make sure when you hire and investigator here in NY or anywhere you make sure they are licensed. In NY a licensed investigator needs three full time years of experience and to pass a state test prior to being licensed. Check the State Division of Licensing to check to see if the PI you hire is licensed.
See the article about what is happening in CA.
Make sure when you hire and investigator here in NY or anywhere you make sure they are licensed. In NY a licensed investigator needs three full time years of experience and to pass a state test prior to being licensed. Check the State Division of Licensing to check to see if the PI you hire is licensed.
See the article about what is happening in CA.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Now Serving Rochester, NY
Mission Possible Investigations continues to see success and growth in many service and coverage areas throughout New York State. Mission Possible Investigations now offers the same Top Notch services you would expect in a Private Investigations Firm out of Rochester, NY. Our new mailing address in Rochester, NY is PO Box 92562 Rochester, NY 14692. For more information regarding updated services see our website at www.mpinvestigations.com
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Mission Possible Investigations in search of Family Treasured Rowing Shell
“For most people, it would simply be a well crafted rowing shell but for our family, it’s a part of my father and our family history. Finding it would mean everything to us.” Eric Loew
When Eric was 13, he and his father, Richard spent three painstaking years handcrafting the rowing shell. The shell was built in the basement of the family home where Richard had an extensive workshop in the basement. There, father and son built the shell together – of many things they made, the biggest item ever, in terms of length anyway. The shell was constructed of 1/16th inch thick cedar, in three layers over the mold. Two layers were put down diagonally and one lengthwise. Each strip was cut specially to fit just right, and stapled to the mold while the glue hardened. Then the staples were taken out, and the process repeated. Each layer was laminated to the layer below with epoxy. Initials reading RTL carved into the shell was a finishing touch.
It was a time consuming and lengthy process but worth it when the family spent countless hours rowing together on the
Then tragically in December 1991, Richard died following a car accident. Shortly after in 1992, Eric’s mother, in shock over her husband’s death. made the tough decision to sell the rowing shell. While Mission Possible Investigations was able to track down the woman who originally purchased the rowing shell from the Loews that’s where the trail runs cold. All that’s known at this time is that the shell was resold in the Capital District area a few years after the original sale in 1992. Little to nothing is known about the rowing shell’s current location-- a fact that saddens the family and frustrates investigators.
Mission Possible Investigations continues to look for the rowing shell, following up on the few leads left and contacting some rowing associations as a final option. Investigators are asking for community support in locating the shell. The last known purchase date was in the mid-1990s and was purchased in the Capital District.
Jean, Eric’s sister expressed the meaning of finding the rowing shell for their family, “The shell is a piece of my father. It was something he worked on, loved, enjoyed and was immensely proud of. I know I can never see him rowing his shell again on the lake, and that breaks my heart.” Jean adds, “What I want now is to see my brother, my children, who never met their grandfather, and others who knew and loved my father, gliding across the water in his shell. In a way, it would be bringing a piece of him back.”
Monday, May 4, 2009
Searching for David Campbell
We recently took a pro bono case to help a local historian track down a photographer he has not seen in several years. The historian Don Rittner would like to find this photog David Campbell to potentially buy some of his work of the Capital District specifically the Troy area. The last time Don saw David was in downtown Troy in 2001. Don had some specific areas this man may have lived including; Troy, Waterford, Hoosick Falls and some areas of Florida. This photog is roughly between 60-early 70s in age. We have no other information to go on in our search. Our PI databases that we have access to have been of no help because we have so little identifying information. We have several calls out to people we know but we decided this might be the perfect case to get the community involved. If you should know this man or even know of someone who may know of him, please contact our office at 708-1219.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Facebook Fan Page
Mission Possible Investigations just created our first ever fan page on Facebook. Join our page, learn about our day to day updates and leave us messages. We will also be using Facebook to help our work on certain cases. Join our social networking team!
www.facebook.com
www.facebook.com
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Safety Tips for Stalking Victims
Here are my promised safety tips if you are being stalked. Its recycled from a post from last year but still really valuable information.
Know the early warning signs --Always use your instincts. If something in someone else's behavior causes you concern or fear, don't dismiss those feelings and break off contact early on. It's often better to hurt someone's feelings then be terrorized later. It's important to set firm clear boundaries and stick to them especially in the face of erratic behavior. Plan for safety and seek help.
Know your surroundings and begin to look at how safe you are at home, work and other places you frequent. Creating a plan for safety is important before something should happen. Talk to law enforcement, victim services or a private investigator that can help you assess safety in your home, workplace and in your travels. Talk to those around you and let them know what's going on and provide a picture of the stalker if you have one. The more support you have the better. If a stalker is bothering friends or family, make sure they have a safety plan too. Issue a no-contact statement only once.
In order to have and build a legal case, the stalker must hear or read on one occasion that you do not want any contact. This must be done only once. Any contact on your part after the no contact statement will only be viewed by the stalker as hope and they will persist. A stalker will assume if you break the no contact once, you may do it again and the will continue.
Document, Document, Document: Often it is up to the victim to start the evidence collection to generate a police report and legal case. It is important that you document everything that occurs. The time, date, type of contact and context of the contact should be recorded in a journal. Write down what happens and keep this with you. Save voice mails, e-mails, texts, instant messages and any other form of communication you receive. If the stalker calls 100 times each day, note the times and dates of the calls. This begins to lay the foundation for your legal case. Identify where your personal information can be found
Google yourself and note what personal information you have out there. If you can find it, so can anyone else. Note where else personal information about you can be found; phone companies, utilities, rent or own your home, internet, social networking sites and other sources like credit card companies or even your local gym. Talk to all your sources and let them know you have some privacy concerns. Ask how you can keep your information private even if someone calls identifying themselves as you. It's important to remember that the stalker may have personal identifying information about you already like your name, address, social security number or other passwords that can help them gain other information illegally.
Assess your technology use and how that factors in and make sure that you are not putting too much personal information over the Internet. Its one of the easiest, free ways people gather information. What other forms of technology are you using on a regular basis such as the computers or cell phones. Technology is often a stalker's best friend. With the use of GPS, spyware
and cell phone tracking sometimes stalkers don't even need to leave their homes to know exactly where you are and your activities. If you suspect that your stalker is using these types of technology, seek help from experts to assess your situation.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The Edge 104.9
Wow am I a horrible blogger or what? Sorry folks but it's been so hectic with the start of spring and the many wonderful things that are happening for us here at Mission Possible Investigations. I am definitely not meeting my promised New Year's resolution of blogging more regularly. I will try harder because we have some faithful readers. I know because you've written and asked what we are up to. Thanks for the nudge!
First and foremost, right on my mind this morning is a special thanks and shout out to John Mulrooney and Mike from 104.9 The Edge. We had a great time this morning on their morning show and we send them a special thanks for promoting our business to a wider audience. It was so successful in fact that Jamie received a call from a potential new client while we were wrapping up in the studio. My understanding is that we are going to be a regular guest on the show at least for a little while. Once I know a better time frame of when we'll be on---I'll post it here. Either way you should definitely check out their morning show. Hysterical! They made me forget that I was actually on air. Check out their blog here
http://www.albanyedge.com/blog/miketheenforcer
The issue of spy cameras, security cameras and voice recording came up while on the show this morning. We wanted to be clear that we don't recommend that anyone try to set up covert surveillance equipment themselves. With the numerous laws and privacy issues out there you are best to leave that to the professionals. It also may not be what you actually need for your case so you are better off saving the money and the headaches. While we are not in the security end of the business ourselves, we can definitely point you in the right direction for security cameras too.
John asked what a potential stalking victim can do to protect themselves and it was a great question. Check back tomorrow for my answer.
And, don't forget to check out The Edge 104.9 in the mornings.
First and foremost, right on my mind this morning is a special thanks and shout out to John Mulrooney and Mike from 104.9 The Edge. We had a great time this morning on their morning show and we send them a special thanks for promoting our business to a wider audience. It was so successful in fact that Jamie received a call from a potential new client while we were wrapping up in the studio. My understanding is that we are going to be a regular guest on the show at least for a little while. Once I know a better time frame of when we'll be on---I'll post it here. Either way you should definitely check out their morning show. Hysterical! They made me forget that I was actually on air. Check out their blog here
http://www.albanyedge.com/blog/miketheenforcer
The issue of spy cameras, security cameras and voice recording came up while on the show this morning. We wanted to be clear that we don't recommend that anyone try to set up covert surveillance equipment themselves. With the numerous laws and privacy issues out there you are best to leave that to the professionals. It also may not be what you actually need for your case so you are better off saving the money and the headaches. While we are not in the security end of the business ourselves, we can definitely point you in the right direction for security cameras too.
John asked what a potential stalking victim can do to protect themselves and it was a great question. Check back tomorrow for my answer.
And, don't forget to check out The Edge 104.9 in the mornings.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Starting a Search
At one time or another all of us will search for someone we miss. Whether it’s a long lost family member, old friend, past co-worker or classmate or even during the course of work a missing heir or witness critical to a legal case, knowing how to search can save time and money.
First you really have to decide if it’s worth your time and energy to try to do the search yourself or to hire an investigation firm to conduct the search for you. Even if you hire a firm, the more information you know at the start of a location investigation the more money you will save. It’s always easiest to search if you have the person’s social security number, date of birth and correct name. More times than not, you’ll be missing the social security number and date of birth but that’s okay, the search is still possible.
Here’s where to start.
Always begin by using a well-known search engine such as Google or Yahoo.
Search a phrase rather than just key words and then search with a combination of their name and other identifying information you may know. Start with the last place you knew them from or other information you may have found out through the years. Remember it may be more difficult to search for a woman if her maiden name has changed. Try her first name and other identifying information or if you know her father’s name or if she had a brother search his name.
Could the person be deceased?
Searching these resources is a starting point. NTIS’ Social Security Death Master File - http://ssdmf.com
Internment.net - http://internment.net
National Obituary Archive - http://www.arangeonline.com/
If you have the individual’s name and a city and state the person resides or previously resided in try a reputable people search online. A note of caution though, that these sites usually have outdated information but it is a place to start.
Consider the following questions during your search?
Do you know anything about the individual’s educational background? A school may release directory type information such as name, address and degrees earned unless a student has given notice otherwise.
Do you know where the person works? The person may have an e-mail account through his or her job. Visit the company's Web site and use its directory.
Do you know the individual’s occupation? If the individual is in a professional occupation, you can try searching professional directories. Most professions have organizational directories online and available. Most of these state websites include a search engine for locating licensed professionals.
Was the individual in the military? Gisearch.com - http://gisearch.com/ and Military.com http://www.military.com/ has a buddy search feature. However, you must register to use the website.
Have there been any news articles or broadcasts about the individual? Check out: Newslink.org - http://newslink.org/index.html News, http://news.google.com/ or Yahoo! News, http://news.yahoo.com.
If you know the county they may be in or were in the past, check voter registration rolls at county courthouse
If you know the individual’s name and the city and state where they resided, try the reference book often referred to as the "City Index" It is a compilation of census data that practically every town with a library maintains.
As you work, you’ll find that once you have a little information to, other information will begin to come more easily. If you are able to pull past addresses, talk to the current owners and see if they know any information or check the post office for forwarding information. As you begin to obtain information, make calls and check with neighbors, old co-workers, family or others you can find to help you locate the person.
First you really have to decide if it’s worth your time and energy to try to do the search yourself or to hire an investigation firm to conduct the search for you. Even if you hire a firm, the more information you know at the start of a location investigation the more money you will save. It’s always easiest to search if you have the person’s social security number, date of birth and correct name. More times than not, you’ll be missing the social security number and date of birth but that’s okay, the search is still possible.
Here’s where to start.
Always begin by using a well-known search engine such as Google or Yahoo.
Search a phrase rather than just key words and then search with a combination of their name and other identifying information you may know. Start with the last place you knew them from or other information you may have found out through the years. Remember it may be more difficult to search for a woman if her maiden name has changed. Try her first name and other identifying information or if you know her father’s name or if she had a brother search his name.
Could the person be deceased?
Searching these resources is a starting point. NTIS’ Social Security Death Master File - http://ssdmf.com
Internment.net - http://internment.net
National Obituary Archive - http://www.arangeonline.com/
If you have the individual’s name and a city and state the person resides or previously resided in try a reputable people search online. A note of caution though, that these sites usually have outdated information but it is a place to start.
Consider the following questions during your search?
Do you know anything about the individual’s educational background? A school may release directory type information such as name, address and degrees earned unless a student has given notice otherwise.
Do you know where the person works? The person may have an e-mail account through his or her job. Visit the company's Web site and use its directory.
Do you know the individual’s occupation? If the individual is in a professional occupation, you can try searching professional directories. Most professions have organizational directories online and available. Most of these state websites include a search engine for locating licensed professionals.
Was the individual in the military? Gisearch.com - http://gisearch.com/ and Military.com http://www.military.com/ has a buddy search feature. However, you must register to use the website.
Have there been any news articles or broadcasts about the individual? Check out: Newslink.org - http://newslink.org/index.html News, http://news.google.com/ or Yahoo! News, http://news.yahoo.com.
If you know the county they may be in or were in the past, check voter registration rolls at county courthouse
If you know the individual’s name and the city and state where they resided, try the reference book often referred to as the "City Index" It is a compilation of census data that practically every town with a library maintains.
As you work, you’ll find that once you have a little information to, other information will begin to come more easily. If you are able to pull past addresses, talk to the current owners and see if they know any information or check the post office for forwarding information. As you begin to obtain information, make calls and check with neighbors, old co-workers, family or others you can find to help you locate the person.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Finding Your Birth Family
Survey’s have shown that a large percentage of those adopted have searched at one time or another for their birth families. Whether you are searching for your birth parents or searching for the child you placed for adoption the first initial step you must take is to identify your birth family member’s name. Ask questions to your adoptive parents, other family and friends of the family if necessary.
Locate all documents that you can including amended birth certificate, petition and final decree of adoption.
Contact the State or agency where the adoption took place and seek out the non-identifying information. This non-identifying information may help in the search. Some of this information may include: health status, medical history, ethnic origins, education and religion. Non-identifying information may also include the parent’s ages at time of birth, the age and sex of other children, hobbies, general geographical location, and even the reasons for the adoption.
Contact the Records Department of the hospital where you were born. While it’s unlikely you will be able to obtain information, you might find someone who is willing to help.
Try to get as much information as you can from the adopted family as in the beginning they will be your best resource.
Make sure you register at one of the state and national reunion registries.
Some state's laws forbid the opening of sealed adoption records. Although, sealed records can be opened by court order. Consulting with an experienced attorney before pursuing court action will be critical in the process.
If you are able to find the important identifying information, your search can be conducted in much the same way as any other locate investigation. If you are not able to find your birth family member’s name, the search will really be next to impossible but calling our to discuss some further options.
Finally, call us and see how we can further assist you in your search.
Locate all documents that you can including amended birth certificate, petition and final decree of adoption.
Contact the State or agency where the adoption took place and seek out the non-identifying information. This non-identifying information may help in the search. Some of this information may include: health status, medical history, ethnic origins, education and religion. Non-identifying information may also include the parent’s ages at time of birth, the age and sex of other children, hobbies, general geographical location, and even the reasons for the adoption.
Contact the Records Department of the hospital where you were born. While it’s unlikely you will be able to obtain information, you might find someone who is willing to help.
Try to get as much information as you can from the adopted family as in the beginning they will be your best resource.
Make sure you register at one of the state and national reunion registries.
Some state's laws forbid the opening of sealed adoption records. Although, sealed records can be opened by court order. Consulting with an experienced attorney before pursuing court action will be critical in the process.
If you are able to find the important identifying information, your search can be conducted in much the same way as any other locate investigation. If you are not able to find your birth family member’s name, the search will really be next to impossible but calling our to discuss some further options.
Finally, call us and see how we can further assist you in your search.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Searching for Jaliek
Jaliek Rainwalker, a local Greenwich boy that has been missing since November 2007. Because of our past and current work with missing and abused children, we felt that we could and should lend our expertise to this investigation. Its been a long road and we have still not found Jaliek.I think that we have more answers than we had when we started. Much of the work we have done has been completed under the radar of the media and others involved in the case.
We learned early on that most involved had one specific opinion about what happen to Jaliek.It would have been easy for us to become involved, take in only the information we were provided and form our opinion on what we were being told. However, any good investigator will tell you, you have to keep an open mind and let the evidence dictate where you go with a case not let your preformed opinion dictate the slant on the evidence that's found.
We followed all sorts of leads. We looked into several angles including Jaliek running away, being abducted, being sold and having been murdered. Roughly 12 months into our investigation, we have a pretty good timeline of events formed based on facts from law enforcement and what we have found through interviews. We have a general idea of what we think has happened and we continue to search even in the winter. We once said that we won't quit until Jaliek is found and we meant that.
I guess I'm writing about this because its been awhile since we have commented on the case. I'm sure many believe that we have given up or stopped our work, we have not. We still read the blogs, although we don't comment, we still follow up on leads that may come our way and still continue our searches.
We will continue our work until Jaliek is found and justice is served.
We learned early on that most involved had one specific opinion about what happen to Jaliek.It would have been easy for us to become involved, take in only the information we were provided and form our opinion on what we were being told. However, any good investigator will tell you, you have to keep an open mind and let the evidence dictate where you go with a case not let your preformed opinion dictate the slant on the evidence that's found.
We followed all sorts of leads. We looked into several angles including Jaliek running away, being abducted, being sold and having been murdered. Roughly 12 months into our investigation, we have a pretty good timeline of events formed based on facts from law enforcement and what we have found through interviews. We have a general idea of what we think has happened and we continue to search even in the winter. We once said that we won't quit until Jaliek is found and we meant that.
I guess I'm writing about this because its been awhile since we have commented on the case. I'm sure many believe that we have given up or stopped our work, we have not. We still read the blogs, although we don't comment, we still follow up on leads that may come our way and still continue our searches.
We will continue our work until Jaliek is found and justice is served.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
PI Involved in Caylee Anthony Case
Well there is certainly a lot in the media to blog about this week. Most on our minds at the office is the highly publicised Caylee Anthony case in Orlando, FL. Jamie and I lived and worked in the Orlando area and know several in the Orlando PD involved. I personally sat on a child fatality review team with Dr G., the medical examiner and Jamie and I both worked with Prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick. Mission Possible Investigations has a speciality in handling missing persons cases specifically missing child cases. As many know, we are currently involved in the Jaliek Rainwalker case, which we will blog about soon enough as we have not stopped searching and following up on leads.
After reviewing much of the news coverage and having some conversations with a few in our network, we are shocked and more than a little concerned about the work of the private investigators in the Caylee Anthony case. PIs notoriously have a bad reputation for unethical and illegal behavior. This perception is a hard barrier to break for the hard working, upstanding PIs who are trained, experienced and doing some amazing work on missing persons cases. We certainly support the grandparents desire to hire a private investigator to aid in the investigation. They have every right to do that but in no way should a private investigator work against law enforcement or other searchers in the investigation of a missing person. In fact, in doing so can be seen as obstruction of justice and find that private investigator in a precarious situation themselves.
There are a few things of interest for us related to the private investigators on this case. If this PI was provided information by a psychic and that's who he was speaking to while he was searching not very far from where Caylee's body was eventually found, readily give up that information. Let's prove that. Information should not be held back particularly if withholding the information looks so bad for the clients who have retained you. This is such a coincident and having been an investigator as long as I have, I don't believe in coincidences particularly of this magnitude.
Secondly, if the investigators were out there on a legitimate search, they need a good long training in search and evidence collection procedure based on what was shown on the video. The story of what the PIs were doing out there has changed twice. The first story made public was that he was searching this area because he was told this was a "party area" used by teens and more specifically Casey herself. The second story is that they were tipped off by a psychic that Caylee's body would be found in this area. This begs the question why he would be searching in the manner shown in the video; no gloves, no systematic grid searching, poking and prodding and carelessly turning over the dirt with a shovel and ripping and tearing open trash bags. As an investigator who has many times been in the position of searching for a body, those very activities put an entire case in jeopardy by the potential destruction of evidence---which makes me wonder if that was not the intent. There is a correct procedure to be followed in a search to preserve and protect any evidence that could be found. As proved once Caylee's remains were found, the remains were not intact but scattered around the area. This is fragile evidence that can be easily overlooked, destroyed and jeopardized by sloppy search tactics.
We, like many of you, will continue to watch this case unfold and I can only hope that this investigator will come forward with his cell phone records to put the speculation to rest.
I am sure you will be hearing more from us about this case but we welcome your thoughts and comments.
After reviewing much of the news coverage and having some conversations with a few in our network, we are shocked and more than a little concerned about the work of the private investigators in the Caylee Anthony case. PIs notoriously have a bad reputation for unethical and illegal behavior. This perception is a hard barrier to break for the hard working, upstanding PIs who are trained, experienced and doing some amazing work on missing persons cases. We certainly support the grandparents desire to hire a private investigator to aid in the investigation. They have every right to do that but in no way should a private investigator work against law enforcement or other searchers in the investigation of a missing person. In fact, in doing so can be seen as obstruction of justice and find that private investigator in a precarious situation themselves.
There are a few things of interest for us related to the private investigators on this case. If this PI was provided information by a psychic and that's who he was speaking to while he was searching not very far from where Caylee's body was eventually found, readily give up that information. Let's prove that. Information should not be held back particularly if withholding the information looks so bad for the clients who have retained you. This is such a coincident and having been an investigator as long as I have, I don't believe in coincidences particularly of this magnitude.
Secondly, if the investigators were out there on a legitimate search, they need a good long training in search and evidence collection procedure based on what was shown on the video. The story of what the PIs were doing out there has changed twice. The first story made public was that he was searching this area because he was told this was a "party area" used by teens and more specifically Casey herself. The second story is that they were tipped off by a psychic that Caylee's body would be found in this area. This begs the question why he would be searching in the manner shown in the video; no gloves, no systematic grid searching, poking and prodding and carelessly turning over the dirt with a shovel and ripping and tearing open trash bags. As an investigator who has many times been in the position of searching for a body, those very activities put an entire case in jeopardy by the potential destruction of evidence---which makes me wonder if that was not the intent. There is a correct procedure to be followed in a search to preserve and protect any evidence that could be found. As proved once Caylee's remains were found, the remains were not intact but scattered around the area. This is fragile evidence that can be easily overlooked, destroyed and jeopardized by sloppy search tactics.
We, like many of you, will continue to watch this case unfold and I can only hope that this investigator will come forward with his cell phone records to put the speculation to rest.
I am sure you will be hearing more from us about this case but we welcome your thoughts and comments.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
New MPI Gear
One of the most fun additions to our business for the start of 2009 is new Mission Possible Investigations gear available to all. There is something for just about everyone. Whether you would like your own Mission Possible Investigations shirt, travel mug, sweatshirt or clock, its all right here: MPI Gear
We have ordered some items for our staff and found that the golf shirts and tote bag are of great quality and the shirt is very comfortable. The tote has served as a the perfect casual bag for carrying my laptop, cords and random files.
Check it out today and promote Mission Possible Investigations.
We have ordered some items for our staff and found that the golf shirts and tote bag are of great quality and the shirt is very comfortable. The tote has served as a the perfect casual bag for carrying my laptop, cords and random files.
Check it out today and promote Mission Possible Investigations.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
New Year, New Look
As we ring in 2009, Mission Possible Investigations has revamped its image. Our new logo can be seen on this blog and on our website. We are excited about our new look as we have not had an actual logo our first year in business. This was a big step for us. As Jamie will tell you, he strives for perfection in his case work, his business development and all things business related. He worked hard and diligently to find the perfect look for Mission Possible Investigations. I think he succeed and more importantly, those of you that gave us feedback along the way, think we did as well. Thanks to all of you that have supported us since our inception and those who respond to our requests and became our basis for informal market research. We appreciate what you tell us!
As we move into 2009, we will continue to send our newsletters with informative articles on a range of topics. Last year, we had much success with our articles---many can be found as the basis for this blog. We had great success with our criminal defense articles, missing persons and insurance fraud. Many of you took our survey at the end of 2008, and we will take your advice on new topics and case stories as we create our new newsletters.
You spoke and we listened to what you wanted for this blog as well. This year we will blog more often, talk about current national cases and connect more with you our readers. We will still include some of our educational articles here but to make sure you catch all of them, please sign up for our newsletter on our website. www.mpinvestigations.com
Thanks to all and we wish all of you a prosperous and healthy 2009!
As we move into 2009, we will continue to send our newsletters with informative articles on a range of topics. Last year, we had much success with our articles---many can be found as the basis for this blog. We had great success with our criminal defense articles, missing persons and insurance fraud. Many of you took our survey at the end of 2008, and we will take your advice on new topics and case stories as we create our new newsletters.
You spoke and we listened to what you wanted for this blog as well. This year we will blog more often, talk about current national cases and connect more with you our readers. We will still include some of our educational articles here but to make sure you catch all of them, please sign up for our newsletter on our website. www.mpinvestigations.com
Thanks to all and we wish all of you a prosperous and healthy 2009!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Mortgage Fraud: A Growing Problem
Mortgage Fraud is a growing problem in the United States and according MortgageDaily.com, reported cases of fraudulent mortgage loans amounted to more than $4 billion in 2007, up from $1.6 billion in 2006. According to many sources including the FBI and Freddie Mac, mortgage fraud is committee for two main reasons: fraud for property and fraud for money.
Fraud for property also known as fraud for housing, generally occurs when a borrower wants to purchase a property they know they cannot afford. Borrowers are often aided by dishonest mortgage industry professionals who submit or encourage the submission of false information about the borrowers employment, income or assets in order to qualify for a loan. Borrowers are often tempted to engage in this type of fraud by a strong desire for home ownership and the belief that no one will check the information. However, lenders detect fraud for housing schemes by thoroughly reviewing and validating documents and keeping diligent records. It is a federal crime to lie in connection with the loan application and these individuals may be at risk of criminal prosecution.
Fraud for profit schemes often involve a group of people who defraud a prospective home buyer or mortgage lender. For example, a dishonest mortgage broker may partner with a loan processor to create a fictitious credit profile, and with an appraiser to inflate the property value. Additionally, "straw borrowers," who falsely represent themselves, may be enticed to participate through the promise of financial gain. Fraud for profit schemes are also attractive to criminal enterprises lured by the opportunity for greater profits, fewer dangers than those commonly associated with violent crime, and reduced sentencing or jail time. Illegal property flipping is the fraud scheme commonly employed.
Fraud for property also known as fraud for housing, generally occurs when a borrower wants to purchase a property they know they cannot afford. Borrowers are often aided by dishonest mortgage industry professionals who submit or encourage the submission of false information about the borrowers employment, income or assets in order to qualify for a loan. Borrowers are often tempted to engage in this type of fraud by a strong desire for home ownership and the belief that no one will check the information. However, lenders detect fraud for housing schemes by thoroughly reviewing and validating documents and keeping diligent records. It is a federal crime to lie in connection with the loan application and these individuals may be at risk of criminal prosecution.
Fraud for profit schemes often involve a group of people who defraud a prospective home buyer or mortgage lender. For example, a dishonest mortgage broker may partner with a loan processor to create a fictitious credit profile, and with an appraiser to inflate the property value. Additionally, "straw borrowers," who falsely represent themselves, may be enticed to participate through the promise of financial gain. Fraud for profit schemes are also attractive to criminal enterprises lured by the opportunity for greater profits, fewer dangers than those commonly associated with violent crime, and reduced sentencing or jail time. Illegal property flipping is the fraud scheme commonly employed.
Common Mortgage Fraud Schemes
From the FBI Financial Crime Report Property Flipping
Property is purchased, falsely appraised at a higher value, and then quickly sold. What makes property illegal is that the appraisal information is fraudulent. The schemes typically involve one or more of the following: fraudulent appraisals, doctored loan documentation, inflating buyer income, etc. Kickbacks to buyers, investors, property/loan brokers, appraisers, title company employees are common in this scheme. A home worth $20,000 may be appraised for $80,000 or higher in this type of scheme.
Silent Second - The buyer of a property borrows the down payment from the seller through the issuance of a non-disclosed second mortgage. The primary lender believes the borrower has invested his own money in the down payment, when in fact, it is borrowed. The second mortgage may not be recorded to further conceal its status from the primary lender.
Nominee Loans/Straw Buyers - The identity of the borrower is concealed through the use of a nominee who allows the borrower to use the nominee's name and credit history to apply for a loan.
Fictitious/Stolen Identity - A fictitious/stolen identity may be used on the loan application. The applicant may be involved in an identity theft scheme: the applicant's name, personal identifying information and credit history are used without the true person's knowledge.
Inflated Appraisals - An appraiser acts in collusion with a borrower and provides a misleading appraisal report to the lender. The report inaccurately states an inflated property value.
Foreclosure Schemes - The perpetrator identifies homeowners who are at risk of defaulting on loans or whose houses are already in foreclosure. Perpetrators mislead the homeowners into believing that they can save their homes in exchange for a transfer of the deed and up-front fees. The perpetrator profits from these schemes by re-mortgaging the property or pocketing fees paid by the homeowner.
Equity Skimming - An investor may use a straw buyer, false income documents, and false credit reports, to obtain a mortgage loan in the straw buyer's name. Subsequent to closing, the straw buyer signs the property over to the investor in a quit claim deed which relinquishes all rights to the property and provides no guaranty to title. The investor does not make any mortgage payments and rents the property until foreclosure takes place several months later.
Air Loans - This is a non-existent property loan where there is usually no collateral. An example of an air loan would be where a broker invents borrowers and properties, establishes accounts for payments, and maintains custodial accounts for escrows. They may set up an office with a bank of telephones, each one used as the employer, appraiser, credit agency, etc., for verification purposes.
Property is purchased, falsely appraised at a higher value, and then quickly sold. What makes property illegal is that the appraisal information is fraudulent. The schemes typically involve one or more of the following: fraudulent appraisals, doctored loan documentation, inflating buyer income, etc. Kickbacks to buyers, investors, property/loan brokers, appraisers, title company employees are common in this scheme. A home worth $20,000 may be appraised for $80,000 or higher in this type of scheme.
Silent Second - The buyer of a property borrows the down payment from the seller through the issuance of a non-disclosed second mortgage. The primary lender believes the borrower has invested his own money in the down payment, when in fact, it is borrowed. The second mortgage may not be recorded to further conceal its status from the primary lender.
Nominee Loans/Straw Buyers - The identity of the borrower is concealed through the use of a nominee who allows the borrower to use the nominee's name and credit history to apply for a loan.
Fictitious/Stolen Identity - A fictitious/stolen identity may be used on the loan application. The applicant may be involved in an identity theft scheme: the applicant's name, personal identifying information and credit history are used without the true person's knowledge.
Inflated Appraisals - An appraiser acts in collusion with a borrower and provides a misleading appraisal report to the lender. The report inaccurately states an inflated property value.
Foreclosure Schemes - The perpetrator identifies homeowners who are at risk of defaulting on loans or whose houses are already in foreclosure. Perpetrators mislead the homeowners into believing that they can save their homes in exchange for a transfer of the deed and up-front fees. The perpetrator profits from these schemes by re-mortgaging the property or pocketing fees paid by the homeowner.
Equity Skimming - An investor may use a straw buyer, false income documents, and false credit reports, to obtain a mortgage loan in the straw buyer's name. Subsequent to closing, the straw buyer signs the property over to the investor in a quit claim deed which relinquishes all rights to the property and provides no guaranty to title. The investor does not make any mortgage payments and rents the property until foreclosure takes place several months later.
Air Loans - This is a non-existent property loan where there is usually no collateral. An example of an air loan would be where a broker invents borrowers and properties, establishes accounts for payments, and maintains custodial accounts for escrows. They may set up an office with a bank of telephones, each one used as the employer, appraiser, credit agency, etc., for verification purposes.
Mortgage Fraud Prevention Measures
From the FBI Financial Crime Report
Tips to protect you from becoming a victim of Mortgage Fraud:
Get a referral for real estate and mortgage professionals.
Check the licenses of the industry professionals with state, county, or city regulatory agencies. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. An outrageous promise of extraordinary profit in a short period of time signals a problem. Be wary of strangers and unsolicited contacts, as well as high-pressure sales techniques.
Look at written information to include recent comparable sales in the area, and other documents such as tax assessments to verify the value of the property. Understand what you are signing and agreeing to--If you do not understand, re-read the documents, or seek assistance from an attorney. Make sure the name on your application matches the name on your identification. Review the title history to determine if the property has been sold multiple times within a short period--It could mean that this property has been "flipped" and the value falsely inflated.
Know and understand the terms of your mortgage--Check your information against the information in the loan documents to ensure they are accurate and complete. Never sign any loan documents that contain blanks--This leaves you vulnerable to fraud.
Mortgage Debt Elimination Schemes
Be aware of e-mails or web-based advertisements that promote the elimination of mortgage loans, credit card and other debts while requesting an up-front fee to prepare documents to satisfy the debt. The documents are typically entitled Declaration of Voidance, Bond for Discharge of Debt, Bill of Exchange, Due Bill, Redemption Certificate, or other similar variations. These documents do not achieve what they purport. There is no magic cure-all to relieve you of debts you incurred. Borrowers may end up paying thousands of dollars in fees without the elimination or reduction of any debt.
Foreclosure Fraud Schemes
Perpetrators mislead the homeowners into believing that they can save their homes in exchange for a transfer of the deed, usually in the form of a Quit-Claim Deed, and up-front fees. The perpetrator profits from these schemes by re-mortgaging the property or pocketing fees paid by the homeowner without preventing the foreclosure. The victim suffers the loss of the property as well as the up-front fees. Be aware of offers to "save" homeowners who are at risk of defaulting on loans or whose houses are already in foreclosure. Seek a qualified Credit Counselor or attorney to assist.
Predatory Lending Schemes
Before purchasing a home, research information about prices of homes in the neighborhood. Shop for a lender and compare costs. Beware of lenders who tell you that they are your only chance of getting a loan or owning your own home. Beware of "No Money Down" loans--This is a gimmick used to entice consumers to purchase property that they likely cannot afford or are not qualified to purchase. Be wary of mortgage professional who falsely alter information to qualify the consumer for the loan. Do not let anyone convince you to borrow more money than you can afford to repay. Do not let anyone persuade you into making a false statement such as overstating your income, the source of your down payment, or the nature and length of your employment. Never sign a blank document or a document containing blanks. Read and carefully review all loan documents signed at closing or prior to closing for accuracy, completeness and omissions. Be aware of cost or loan terms at closing that are not what you have agreed to. Do not sign anything you do not understand. Be suspicious if the cost of a home improvement goes up if you accept the contractor's financing. If it sounds too good to be true--it probably is!
Tips to protect you from becoming a victim of Mortgage Fraud:
Get a referral for real estate and mortgage professionals.
Check the licenses of the industry professionals with state, county, or city regulatory agencies. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. An outrageous promise of extraordinary profit in a short period of time signals a problem. Be wary of strangers and unsolicited contacts, as well as high-pressure sales techniques.
Look at written information to include recent comparable sales in the area, and other documents such as tax assessments to verify the value of the property. Understand what you are signing and agreeing to--If you do not understand, re-read the documents, or seek assistance from an attorney. Make sure the name on your application matches the name on your identification. Review the title history to determine if the property has been sold multiple times within a short period--It could mean that this property has been "flipped" and the value falsely inflated.
Know and understand the terms of your mortgage--Check your information against the information in the loan documents to ensure they are accurate and complete. Never sign any loan documents that contain blanks--This leaves you vulnerable to fraud.
Mortgage Debt Elimination Schemes
Be aware of e-mails or web-based advertisements that promote the elimination of mortgage loans, credit card and other debts while requesting an up-front fee to prepare documents to satisfy the debt. The documents are typically entitled Declaration of Voidance, Bond for Discharge of Debt, Bill of Exchange, Due Bill, Redemption Certificate, or other similar variations. These documents do not achieve what they purport. There is no magic cure-all to relieve you of debts you incurred. Borrowers may end up paying thousands of dollars in fees without the elimination or reduction of any debt.
Foreclosure Fraud Schemes
Perpetrators mislead the homeowners into believing that they can save their homes in exchange for a transfer of the deed, usually in the form of a Quit-Claim Deed, and up-front fees. The perpetrator profits from these schemes by re-mortgaging the property or pocketing fees paid by the homeowner without preventing the foreclosure. The victim suffers the loss of the property as well as the up-front fees. Be aware of offers to "save" homeowners who are at risk of defaulting on loans or whose houses are already in foreclosure. Seek a qualified Credit Counselor or attorney to assist.
Predatory Lending Schemes
Before purchasing a home, research information about prices of homes in the neighborhood. Shop for a lender and compare costs. Beware of lenders who tell you that they are your only chance of getting a loan or owning your own home. Beware of "No Money Down" loans--This is a gimmick used to entice consumers to purchase property that they likely cannot afford or are not qualified to purchase. Be wary of mortgage professional who falsely alter information to qualify the consumer for the loan. Do not let anyone convince you to borrow more money than you can afford to repay. Do not let anyone persuade you into making a false statement such as overstating your income, the source of your down payment, or the nature and length of your employment. Never sign a blank document or a document containing blanks. Read and carefully review all loan documents signed at closing or prior to closing for accuracy, completeness and omissions. Be aware of cost or loan terms at closing that are not what you have agreed to. Do not sign anything you do not understand. Be suspicious if the cost of a home improvement goes up if you accept the contractor's financing. If it sounds too good to be true--it probably is!
Nonprofit Screening Practices
From the National Survey of Nonprofit Volunteer Screening Practices
There are a number of people engaged in the nonprofit sector including nonprofits' board of directors, executives, staff members and volunteers. Yet, few are thoroughly screened before taking their positions. This significantly increases the risk of corporate fraud, criminal acts of abuse, neglect and exploitation against the populations they serve and other less serious infractions. A recent National Survey of Nonprofit Volunteer Screening Practices conducted by the National Center for Victims of Crimes explores this issue of background screening on volunteers. Through other research and anecdotal information, the information gathered in this survey is also indicative of the background screening practices for both nonprofit employees. The National Survey of Nonprofit Volunteer Screening Practices found that "the vast majority of organizations that participated in the survey indicated that they conduct some form of screening on incoming volunteers, but not all organizations that screen do so thoroughly and 12 percent of organizations reported not screening volunteers at all." The majority of organizations represented in the survey at minimum conduct an interview of volunteers while fewer organizations check references and fewer still engage in full background checks.
While many organizations said they engage in some form of volunteer background checks, 1 in 4 organizations working with vulnerable clients do not conduct reference or criminal background checks. This leaves millions of children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and others vulnerable to potential victimization each year.
Why don't nonprofits screen? Nonprofit leaders cite a variety of reasons for not performing extensive background screening including; not thinking screening is useful, thinking it costs too much, not wishing to offend potential volunteers and others felt the wait time for results were too long. While nonprofit leaders think they do not have time or money to invest in background screening, the reality is not investing in this process could be far more costly in the long term-both to vulnerable clients and to the organization itself.
There are a number of people engaged in the nonprofit sector including nonprofits' board of directors, executives, staff members and volunteers. Yet, few are thoroughly screened before taking their positions. This significantly increases the risk of corporate fraud, criminal acts of abuse, neglect and exploitation against the populations they serve and other less serious infractions. A recent National Survey of Nonprofit Volunteer Screening Practices conducted by the National Center for Victims of Crimes explores this issue of background screening on volunteers. Through other research and anecdotal information, the information gathered in this survey is also indicative of the background screening practices for both nonprofit employees. The National Survey of Nonprofit Volunteer Screening Practices found that "the vast majority of organizations that participated in the survey indicated that they conduct some form of screening on incoming volunteers, but not all organizations that screen do so thoroughly and 12 percent of organizations reported not screening volunteers at all." The majority of organizations represented in the survey at minimum conduct an interview of volunteers while fewer organizations check references and fewer still engage in full background checks.
While many organizations said they engage in some form of volunteer background checks, 1 in 4 organizations working with vulnerable clients do not conduct reference or criminal background checks. This leaves millions of children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and others vulnerable to potential victimization each year.
Why don't nonprofits screen? Nonprofit leaders cite a variety of reasons for not performing extensive background screening including; not thinking screening is useful, thinking it costs too much, not wishing to offend potential volunteers and others felt the wait time for results were too long. While nonprofit leaders think they do not have time or money to invest in background screening, the reality is not investing in this process could be far more costly in the long term-both to vulnerable clients and to the organization itself.
Non Profit Fiscal Fraud
One recent study* estimates that some 13 percent of the roughly $300 billion given to charity in year 2006 was lost to corporate fraud and embezzlement. Broken down that's about $40 billion a year wasted that would have otherwise supported much needed public services. From this same report and others like it, accountability in nonprofit organizations is coming to the forefront like never before. This report found that "typical theft from a charity was committed by a female employee with no criminal record who earned less than $50,000 a year and had worked for the nonprofit at least three years. The amount she stole was less than $40,000." The report goes on to cite that the most costly cases involved male executives earning $100,000 to $149,000 a year.
As taken directly from the cited report, fraud is defined by Occupational fraud, e.g., a nonprofit employee overcharges his or her employer for travel expenses or steals cash from the bank account
Consumer fraud, e.g., an attendee at a fund raising auction replaces the price tag on an item with the goal of purchasing it at a lower price.
Insurance fraud, e.g., a nonprofit policy holder falsely claims its van or car has been stolen with the goal of collecting the value of the "stolen" vehicle in cash.
Medicare fraud, e.g., a nonprofit healthcare worker "codes" services rendered with the goal of increasing Medicare reimbursement to the organization
A study by J. T. Wells (2005) reports three major types of occupational frauds. The first is misappropriation of assets and occurs when organization's assets are stolen or misused. The second is referred to as corruption and occurs when influence is inappropriately used in an economic transaction. Third, financial statement fraud is the deliberate falsification of an entity's financial statements. Asset misappropriations comprise more than 97 percent of all reported frauds. It was by far the most common among the nonprofit organizations. Prior studies have found that fraud may be easier to commit in a nonprofit organization. It is argued that an atmosphere of trust is assumed particularly in human service organizations. Many nonprofits have difficulty in verifying certain revenue streams, possess weaker internal controls than for-profits and overall there is a lack of business and financial expertise. The reliance on volunteer and often inexperienced boards is one main contributory factor. Some nonprofits in New York State recognize the need for stronger boards of directors and separate auditing committees. A local nonprofit CEO explained,"Boards are looking for more accountability because they know they are fiduciaries and are at risk."
* An Investigation of Fraud in Nonprofit Organizations: Occurrences and Deterrents Accepted for Publication in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly (NVSQ) By Janet Greenlee, Mary Fischer, Teresa Gordon, and Elizabeth Keating
As taken directly from the cited report, fraud is defined by Occupational fraud, e.g., a nonprofit employee overcharges his or her employer for travel expenses or steals cash from the bank account
Consumer fraud, e.g., an attendee at a fund raising auction replaces the price tag on an item with the goal of purchasing it at a lower price.
Insurance fraud, e.g., a nonprofit policy holder falsely claims its van or car has been stolen with the goal of collecting the value of the "stolen" vehicle in cash.
Medicare fraud, e.g., a nonprofit healthcare worker "codes" services rendered with the goal of increasing Medicare reimbursement to the organization
A study by J. T. Wells (2005) reports three major types of occupational frauds. The first is misappropriation of assets and occurs when organization's assets are stolen or misused. The second is referred to as corruption and occurs when influence is inappropriately used in an economic transaction. Third, financial statement fraud is the deliberate falsification of an entity's financial statements. Asset misappropriations comprise more than 97 percent of all reported frauds. It was by far the most common among the nonprofit organizations. Prior studies have found that fraud may be easier to commit in a nonprofit organization. It is argued that an atmosphere of trust is assumed particularly in human service organizations. Many nonprofits have difficulty in verifying certain revenue streams, possess weaker internal controls than for-profits and overall there is a lack of business and financial expertise. The reliance on volunteer and often inexperienced boards is one main contributory factor. Some nonprofits in New York State recognize the need for stronger boards of directors and separate auditing committees. A local nonprofit CEO explained,"Boards are looking for more accountability because they know they are fiduciaries and are at risk."
* An Investigation of Fraud in Nonprofit Organizations: Occurrences and Deterrents Accepted for Publication in Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly (NVSQ) By Janet Greenlee, Mary Fischer, Teresa Gordon, and Elizabeth Keating
Non Profit Background Checks
From the National Survey of Nonprofit Volunteer Screening Practices Criminal History
To determine whether a prospective Board member, volunteer or employee has a criminal record, the candidate's name and/or fingerprints are submitted to local, state, or national law enforcement, or to a state or national repository of criminal history record information (either government entities at the state level or private companies that collect and store information nationally).
Criminal records may include data on arrests or convictions. In general, name-based checks are faster and more convenient, but fingerprint-based checks are the most reliable, as they eliminate name mix-ups and the possibility of candidates using aliases to avoid detection of their criminal past.
Sex Offender Registry: All states currently have lists of registered sex offenders, many of which are available online. Organizations can search online sex offender registries, contact state or local law enforcement agencies or connect with private companies to learn whether a candidate is a registered sex offender in a given state.
Child Protective Services and Adult Protective Services: All states have designated entities responsible for the protection of children and vulnerable adults, and these entities (whose official names vary by state) keep records of reports of abuse, investigations, and the outcomes of investigations (i.e., whether the allegation was substantiated by evidence). Candidates' names can be submitted to these state authorities to search for founded allegations of abuse. (Allegations that were not substantiated by evidence might not be revealed.) No national repository of this information currently exists; it must be checked state by state.
Credit History: With verification of a legitimate purpose, organizations can set up an account either directly with a credit bureau or with an intermediary entity to submit candidates' names and Social Security numbers for a report of their credit history. This type of check requires the candidate's consent and is typically conducted only when a someone will be handling significant sums of money.
To determine whether a prospective Board member, volunteer or employee has a criminal record, the candidate's name and/or fingerprints are submitted to local, state, or national law enforcement, or to a state or national repository of criminal history record information (either government entities at the state level or private companies that collect and store information nationally).
Criminal records may include data on arrests or convictions. In general, name-based checks are faster and more convenient, but fingerprint-based checks are the most reliable, as they eliminate name mix-ups and the possibility of candidates using aliases to avoid detection of their criminal past.
Sex Offender Registry: All states currently have lists of registered sex offenders, many of which are available online. Organizations can search online sex offender registries, contact state or local law enforcement agencies or connect with private companies to learn whether a candidate is a registered sex offender in a given state.
Child Protective Services and Adult Protective Services: All states have designated entities responsible for the protection of children and vulnerable adults, and these entities (whose official names vary by state) keep records of reports of abuse, investigations, and the outcomes of investigations (i.e., whether the allegation was substantiated by evidence). Candidates' names can be submitted to these state authorities to search for founded allegations of abuse. (Allegations that were not substantiated by evidence might not be revealed.) No national repository of this information currently exists; it must be checked state by state.
Credit History: With verification of a legitimate purpose, organizations can set up an account either directly with a credit bureau or with an intermediary entity to submit candidates' names and Social Security numbers for a report of their credit history. This type of check requires the candidate's consent and is typically conducted only when a someone will be handling significant sums of money.
Non Profit Fraud Prevention
Some recommendations from the Independent Sector's Panel on the Nonprofit Sector (2005)
Start Accountability at the Board Level: Improving the quality of the board could improve accountability and lessen fraud. Essential tasks may be undertaken by individuals with little financial expertise and no training in the design of appropriate controls against errors or fraud. Without financial expertise at the board level and little, or limited, supervisory capabilities at the operation level, a steady flow of cash donations become a magnet for fraud. Require independent directors to serve on the Board and make sure that someone other than the treasurer reviews financial statements. Do not let the nonprofit's account serve as a member of the Board.
Create an audit committee on the Board to deter or detect financial mismanagement and other fraud within the organization.
Don't just assume an atmosphere or trust--develop strong policies and procedures for fiscal management.
Prohibit personal loans to board members and nonprofit executives.
Management should take a strong response to alleged or suspected fraud.
Conduct extensive background investigations on the Board of Directors, executives, staff and volunteers.
Add accountability by providing orientation to volunteers about thefts and increasing training efforts.
Develop authorization procedures for purchase orders, invoicing, and payments.
Separate the duties of authorizing, purchasing, receiving, shipping, and accounting.
Start Accountability at the Board Level: Improving the quality of the board could improve accountability and lessen fraud. Essential tasks may be undertaken by individuals with little financial expertise and no training in the design of appropriate controls against errors or fraud. Without financial expertise at the board level and little, or limited, supervisory capabilities at the operation level, a steady flow of cash donations become a magnet for fraud. Require independent directors to serve on the Board and make sure that someone other than the treasurer reviews financial statements. Do not let the nonprofit's account serve as a member of the Board.
Create an audit committee on the Board to deter or detect financial mismanagement and other fraud within the organization.
Don't just assume an atmosphere or trust--develop strong policies and procedures for fiscal management.
Prohibit personal loans to board members and nonprofit executives.
Management should take a strong response to alleged or suspected fraud.
Conduct extensive background investigations on the Board of Directors, executives, staff and volunteers.
Add accountability by providing orientation to volunteers about thefts and increasing training efforts.
Develop authorization procedures for purchase orders, invoicing, and payments.
Separate the duties of authorizing, purchasing, receiving, shipping, and accounting.
Friday, June 13, 2008
What does Stalking look like?
Stalking is not something that just happens to Hollywood stars and athletes. According to the National Stalking Resource Center, 1,006,970 women and 370,990 men are stalked annually in the U.S. That means that roughly 1 in 12 women and 1 in 45 men will be stalked in their lifetime.
What does stalking look like? "Stalking is a crime in all 50 states and while legal definitions of stalking vary from one jurisdiction to another, a good working definition of stalking is a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear. However, the term "stalking" is more commonly used to describe specific kinds of behavior directed at a particular person, such as harassing or threatening another person. But the variety of specific strategies employed and behaviors displayed by stalkers are limited only by the creativity and ingenuity of the stalkers themselves. Suffice it to say, virtually any unwanted contact between a stalker and their victim which directly or indirectly communicates a threat or places the victim in fear can generally be referred to as stalking." From the Stalking Resource Center
Who are the victims? Average everyday people like you and me can be victims of stalking. We know that more women than men are victims of stalking and account for almost 77% of all victims. Most alleged offenders are male. Evidence supports that more than 60 % of victims are stalked by an intimate partner and so the offenders are well known to the victims. Further, it is noted that 81% of women stalked by a current or former intimate partner are also physically assaulted by that partner, and 31% of women stalked are also sexually assaulted by that partner.
The alleged offenders Alleged offenders come from all walks of life and across all socioeconomic backgrounds. Unfortunately, there is no one psychological profile to identify if someone will exhibit stalking behavior. More than 75% of stalkers pursue their victims at least once per week, many everyday or multiple times per day and use more than one method, and 1 in 5 cases weapons are used to harm or threaten or threaten the victim. Stalking is a serious often escalating crime that leaves victims paralyzed with fear and few options. As private investigators, we encounter stalking victims routinely and work diligently to help with safety assessments and gathering evidence to show patterns of stalking behavior to be used later.
What does stalking look like? "Stalking is a crime in all 50 states and while legal definitions of stalking vary from one jurisdiction to another, a good working definition of stalking is a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear. However, the term "stalking" is more commonly used to describe specific kinds of behavior directed at a particular person, such as harassing or threatening another person. But the variety of specific strategies employed and behaviors displayed by stalkers are limited only by the creativity and ingenuity of the stalkers themselves. Suffice it to say, virtually any unwanted contact between a stalker and their victim which directly or indirectly communicates a threat or places the victim in fear can generally be referred to as stalking." From the Stalking Resource Center
Who are the victims? Average everyday people like you and me can be victims of stalking. We know that more women than men are victims of stalking and account for almost 77% of all victims. Most alleged offenders are male. Evidence supports that more than 60 % of victims are stalked by an intimate partner and so the offenders are well known to the victims. Further, it is noted that 81% of women stalked by a current or former intimate partner are also physically assaulted by that partner, and 31% of women stalked are also sexually assaulted by that partner.
The alleged offenders Alleged offenders come from all walks of life and across all socioeconomic backgrounds. Unfortunately, there is no one psychological profile to identify if someone will exhibit stalking behavior. More than 75% of stalkers pursue their victims at least once per week, many everyday or multiple times per day and use more than one method, and 1 in 5 cases weapons are used to harm or threaten or threaten the victim. Stalking is a serious often escalating crime that leaves victims paralyzed with fear and few options. As private investigators, we encounter stalking victims routinely and work diligently to help with safety assessments and gathering evidence to show patterns of stalking behavior to be used later.
Safety planning for Stalking Victims
Stalking is not just one incident, it's a variety of activities over time intended to cause fear in the victim. The following are some options for victims to begin to build a legal case and protect themselves. These are mentioned as options and not directions as a "one size fits all" approach does not work with all cases.
Know the early warning signs Always use your instincts. If something in someone else's behavior causes you concern or fear, don't dismiss those feelings and break off contact early on. It's often better to hurt someone's feelings then be terrorized later. It's important to set firm clear boundaries and stick to them especially in the face of erratic behavior. Plan for safety and seek help.
Know your surroundings and begin to look at how safe you are at home, work and other places you frequent. Creating a plan for safety is important before something should happen. Talk to law enforcement, victim services or a private investigator that can help you assess safety in your home, workplace and in your travels. Talk to those around you and let them know what's going on and provide a picture of the stalker if you have one. The more support you have the better. If a stalker is bothering friends or family, make sure they have a safety plan too. Issue a no-contact statement only once.
In order to have and build a legal case, the stalker must hear or read on one occasion that you do not want any contact. This must be done only once. Any contact on your part after the no contact statement will only be viewed by the stalker as hope and they will persist. A stalker will assume if you break the no contact once, you may do it again and the will continue.
Document, Document, Document: Often it is up to the victim to start the evidence collection to generate a police report and legal case. It is important that you document everything that occurs. The time, date, type of contact and context of the contact should be recorded in a journal. Write down what happens and keep this with you. Save voice mails, e-mails, texts, instant messages and any other form of communication you receive. If the stalker calls 100 times each day, note the times and dates of the calls. This begins to lay the foundation for your legal case. Identify where your personal information can be found
Google yourself and note what personal information you have out there. If you can find it, so can anyone else. Note where else personal information about you can be found; phone companies, utilities, rent or own your home, internet, social networking sites and other sources like credit card companies or even your local gym. Talk to all your sources and let them know you have some privacy concerns. Ask how you can keep your information private even if someone calls identifying themselves as you. It's important to remember that the stalker may have personal identifying information about you already like your name, address, social security number or other passwords that can help them gain other information illegally.
Assess your technology use and how that factors in and make sure that you are not putting too much personal information over the Internet. Its one of the easiest, free ways people gather information. What other forms of technology are you using on a regular basis such as the computers or cell phones. Technology is often a stalker's best friend. With the use of GPS, spyware and cell phone tracking sometimes stalkers don't even need to leave their homes to know exactly where you are and your activities. If you suspect that your stalker is using these types of technology, seek help from experts to assess your situation.
Know the early warning signs Always use your instincts. If something in someone else's behavior causes you concern or fear, don't dismiss those feelings and break off contact early on. It's often better to hurt someone's feelings then be terrorized later. It's important to set firm clear boundaries and stick to them especially in the face of erratic behavior. Plan for safety and seek help.
Know your surroundings and begin to look at how safe you are at home, work and other places you frequent. Creating a plan for safety is important before something should happen. Talk to law enforcement, victim services or a private investigator that can help you assess safety in your home, workplace and in your travels. Talk to those around you and let them know what's going on and provide a picture of the stalker if you have one. The more support you have the better. If a stalker is bothering friends or family, make sure they have a safety plan too. Issue a no-contact statement only once.
In order to have and build a legal case, the stalker must hear or read on one occasion that you do not want any contact. This must be done only once. Any contact on your part after the no contact statement will only be viewed by the stalker as hope and they will persist. A stalker will assume if you break the no contact once, you may do it again and the will continue.
Document, Document, Document: Often it is up to the victim to start the evidence collection to generate a police report and legal case. It is important that you document everything that occurs. The time, date, type of contact and context of the contact should be recorded in a journal. Write down what happens and keep this with you. Save voice mails, e-mails, texts, instant messages and any other form of communication you receive. If the stalker calls 100 times each day, note the times and dates of the calls. This begins to lay the foundation for your legal case. Identify where your personal information can be found
Google yourself and note what personal information you have out there. If you can find it, so can anyone else. Note where else personal information about you can be found; phone companies, utilities, rent or own your home, internet, social networking sites and other sources like credit card companies or even your local gym. Talk to all your sources and let them know you have some privacy concerns. Ask how you can keep your information private even if someone calls identifying themselves as you. It's important to remember that the stalker may have personal identifying information about you already like your name, address, social security number or other passwords that can help them gain other information illegally.
Assess your technology use and how that factors in and make sure that you are not putting too much personal information over the Internet. Its one of the easiest, free ways people gather information. What other forms of technology are you using on a regular basis such as the computers or cell phones. Technology is often a stalker's best friend. With the use of GPS, spyware and cell phone tracking sometimes stalkers don't even need to leave their homes to know exactly where you are and your activities. If you suspect that your stalker is using these types of technology, seek help from experts to assess your situation.
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