News You Can Use

October 20, 2006

Counterfeit Cashier's Checks Cause Chaos

Unsuspecting consumers who sell items through online auctions or classified ads should be aware, when a bank accepts a check it makes funds available on a good faith assumption that the check is good. However, a check does not actually clear until the money is successfully transferred to your account, according to the PA Department of Banking. In the case of a bad check, your bank may actually recover those funds from you.

Consumers and banking executives are being warned by the PA Department of Banking of an increase in scams relying on counterfeit cashier's checks.  Under the scams, cashier's checks are being sent to unsuspecting recipients who are being requested to deposit the checks and return a portion of the funds to cover bogus taxes and handling fees.  Instead of winning a large sum of money from an unfamiliar lottery or sweepstakes, the recipient becomes a victim of a scam.  The dangers of accepting a cashier's check are also the subject of a consumer-focused educational effort conducted by the PA Department of Banking.

Recommendations include:

• Exercising caution in transactions with strangers paying with cashier's checks.
• Avoiding situations where someone pays more than the purchase price of an item and demands that the extra money be returned. Asking for a new check in the correct amount.
• Being suspicious of any cashier's check that just shows up in the mail, especially if it has a "congratulations" letter attached.
• Holding any funds provided by cashier's check from someone you do not know for at least 30 to 45 days to ensure that funds are valid.

If you have reason to believe you may have been the victim of a similar scam, contact the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office at (800) 441-2555, the U.S. Secret Service at (202) 406-5850 or the Pennsylvania Department of Banking at (800) PA-BANKS.

For more on protecting yourself from scammers, consult the following sources:

• PA Department of Banking press announcement
• Consumer Alerts
• PA Department of Banking memo to savings associations, credit unions and banking institutions

Safeguards to Protect Woodlands Against Wildfires

Smoking and hunting can be a deadly combination for our woodlands and wildlife, as well as the people and homes that stand in a forest fire's path of destruction. Campfires and other forms of open burning are of equal concern this time of year and prompt a ban against such activity in all state forestlands from October 1 through December 1.

Hunters and hikers alike are reminded that in just a few windy days a forest can turn from sturdy timber to frail tinder just waiting to be ignited by a careless smoker, sloppy campfire, or other open burnings. The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) notes the start of archery deer hunting season and two small-game seasons as it cautions all of us to avoid igniting forestlands.

Homeowners can take steps to make their homes in forest environments safer from wildfires.  The PA Firewise Community Program invites communities to participate in a program to avoid potential fire emergencies by addressing and correcting fire hazards and preparing for a threatening wildfire.

Learn more about protecting PA's 17 million acres of forestlands through the 2006 Wildlife Prevention Campaign –  "Learning Issues, Not Burning Issues" and through DCNR's Forest Fire Protection webpage

Fishing and Aquatic Education Grants Announced

Fishing and aquatic education programs that could use some financial assistance with the purchase of equipment, materials, and costs associated with field trips can apply to the PA Fish & Boat Commission (PF&BC) for a Sportfishing and Aquatic Resource Education Grant. Up to $5,000 will be awarded to providers of fishing and aquatic resource education programs to be conducted between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008.

A national survey of hunting, fishing and wildlife recreation reveals that in 1980, 26% of Pennsylvania kids aged 6-15 fished.  In 1995, that number climbed to 41%, but dropped to 35% in 2000.  The PF&BC grants are intended to support the growth of sportfishing and cultivate a more environmentally concerned citizenry.

The deadline for applications is December 31, 2006.  Consult the PF&BC website for program rules and eligibility information: 

Prevent Medical ID Theft

According to a Consumer Advisory issued by the PA Office of Attorney General (OAG), the information on your insurance cards can make you susceptible to medical ID theft.  The crime results from a person being on the "inside" who has access to another person's medical information.  The perpetrators may include scam artists, organized crime rings, doctors, psychiatrists, nurses, and lab employees.

The OAG warns that medical identity theft is not as easy to detect as financial ID theft and offers consumers a series of safeguards:

• Refrain from carrying around your Social Security card or information that contains your social security number.
• Do not leave your medical benefits or prescription drug cards unattended in a purse, locker or desk.
• Never give out your financial, health or insurance information to telemarketers, unsolicited salespeople or strangers.
• Always check your "explanation of benefits" notices that are sent from medical providers. Look for services that were never performed, incorrect dates of treatment or services, prescriptions that were never ordered and medical equipment that was never received. Any suspicious entries should be reported immediately.
• Ask your insurer, at least once a year, for a list of all benefits that have been paid in your name. Sophisticated criminals will change the consumers' billing address and phone number so the victims remain unaware that the benefit has been paid in your name.
• Check with your local pharmacists to see if any prescriptions have been filled in your name without authorization.
• Request an accounting of disclosures from your health care providers. Many consumers do not realize that under HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, they have the right to obtain these records.
• Obtain copies of your medical files from each health care provider so records can be reviewed to see if any information is inaccurate or suspicious. Providers are allowed to charge copying costs so discuss the charges in advance.
• Correct erroneous information in your medical file by requesting to "amend" your health care records and request the removal of false or inaccurate information.
• Monitor your credit report to ensure that you have not been reported to a credit agency for failing to pay a debt that you did not know about.

Find out more about how your medical identity may be used illegally.

Consult the OAG's brochure  "How to Avoid Identity Theft"  for preventive actions you can adopt:

2006-07 Flu Shot Recommendations

Good news from the PA Department of Health (PDH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) -- over 100 million doses of flu vaccine are expected to be available this season, a 16 percent increase over last season.

Flu shots are recommended for:

• All children 6-59 months of age;
• People over 50 years of age regardless of their medical history;
• Residents of long-term care facilities;
• People with underlying health conditions such as heart, respiratory, metabolic, and immune system problems;
• People with certain muscle or nerve disorders (such as cerebral palsy or seizure disorders) that can lead to breathing or swallowing problems;
• People with weakened immune system such as: HIV/AIDS, long-term treatment of steroids, and cancer treatment with x-rays or drugs;
• People 6 months to 18 years of age on long-term aspirin treatment;
• Women who will be pregnant anytime during the influenza season;
• Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children 0-59 months of age;
• Physicians, nurses, family members, or anyone else in close contact with any of these groups at risk for influenza; and
• Anyone wishing to reduce the likelihood of becoming ill from influenza.

While the single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated each year, there are two types of vaccines available, the flu shot and the nasal-spray flu vaccine, referred to as the live attenuated influenza vaccine.  Turn to the CDC for details on the types of vaccines and which is best suited for your age and health.

Review the PDH flu shot announcement

2007 Passport Restrictions

Plans to spend a little vacation time in a warm locale this winter will require just a bit more planning if you do not possess a passport. New requirements to facilitate safe travel stipulate that all travelers, U.S. citizens and foreign nationals alike, must present a passport or other document, or a combination of documents, which denote identity and citizenship when entering the United States.  Congress amended portions of that law in 2006.

The current plan calls for implementation of the initiative in two phases:

• January 8, 2007 – Passports, Merchant Mariner Documents (MMDs) or NEXUS Air cards will be required for all air travel from within the Western Hemisphere for citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda.  This is a change from the previously scheduled date of January 1, in order to accommodate holiday travel.
• January 1, 2008 – It is anticipated that on January 1, 2008, U.S. citizens traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may be required to present a valid U.S. passport or other documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security.

While legislative changes may permit a later deadline, both the Departments of State and Homeland Security are working to put all requirements in place by the stated deadline.  Advance notice will be provided to enable the public to meet the land/sea border requirement. 

So, if those winter airfare specials on the leading travel websites are inviting your travel to any of the aforementioned locales, you are advised to apply immediately for your passport.  Apply for your first passport or renew your current passport with the U.S. Department of State

Birth certificates are a "must" when applying for a passport.  Pennsylvania residents may apply for a birth certificate through the PA Department of Health, Division of Vital Records