Middletown Police Warn Citizens About Scams

From Middletown Alerts:

The Middletown Police Department has issued a warning to its citizens about recent phone scams that have been occurring. Police have been receiving complaints about the following scams:

JCP&L scam: Residents and business owners have been receiving calls from persons fraudulently representing themselves as employees of the Jersey Central Power and Light Company. The caller informs the victim that they owe money on their electric bill and if they don’t pay their electric will be turned off.

The caller then advises the victim to purchase Green Dot Money Packs and to call back and provide the caller with the serial numbers of the Green Dot Cards which enables the caller to obtain the money from the cards. When the victim calls back the caller does answer the phone JCP&L. However, they are not employees of the company.

Residents are advised that they do not purchase the Green Dots Cards or provide information to anyone who calls over the phone without confirming their identity. Residents should contact JCP&L directly if they have any questions regarding their bill or if they believe they owe money.

Microsoft scam: This scam involves a caller contacting victims and advising them that they are receiving error reports from the victim’s computer at the Microsoft help center. They then ask residents to allow them to remotely access their computer. This enables them to gain access to all the personal and financial information contained in the computer.

Residents are advised not to provide any personal information over the phone or to allow anyone to access their computer. Microsoft has no way to know you are having computer problems unless you personally contact them.

IRS scam: This scam involves a caller contacting a victim and advising them that they owe money from their tax returns. The caller then advises the victim to purchase money orders and provides an address to mail the alleged owed funds.

The IRS does not contact persons delinquent on their taxes over the phone. Please do not provide any information to anyone claiming to be from the IRS over the phone and do not mail them money orders. Contact the IRS directly if you have any concerns about your tax returns.

Grandparents scam: This scam involves a caller contacting an elderly resident and pretending to be their grandchild. They advise the caller that they have been arrested (normally in a foreign country or out of state) and request that the victim wire them bail money.

Please do not wire anyone money who calls over the phone. If you have a concern that a grandchild has been legitimately arrested contact them direct and verify.

Police advise residents to take extra caution in speaking with callers over the phone. Residents should contact companies directly if they have any concerns and should be suspicious of anyone asking for money over the phone. Residents who believe they are victims of any scam should report it to their local police department who can provide further guidance.

Facebook to form its own PAC to back political candidates

According to TheHill.com people at Facebook has have filed paper work to form their own political action committee (PAC), possible calling their PAC either FBPAC.org or FBPAC.us.

In doing so, Facebook wishes to avoid the problems that other tech firms like Google and Microsoft have had in the past lobbying lawmakers.

Facebook confirmed it filed paperwork on Monday to start its own political action committee.

"FB PAC will give our employees a way to make their voice heard in the political process by supporting candidates who share our goals of promoting the value of innovation to our economy while giving people the power to share and make the world more open and connected," said a spokesman via email.

The firm acknowledged the formation of the PAC after reports emerged of Facebook registering the domain names FBPAC.org and FBPAC.us. Creating a PAC is just the latest step in Facebook's continued expansion of its presence in Washington, but this is the first time the firm will back candidates.

Facebook is likely looking to avoid the type of Washington scrutiny that has affected other firms like Microsoft and Google, which is currently under a Federal Trade Commission antitrust probe. The perception Google was previously sympathetic towards Democrats hasn't helped with the GOP in charge of the House.

Facebook's lobbying spending has totalled $550,000 for fiscal 2011, a significant boost over he $350,000 spent in 2010 and $200,000 in 2009.

Antitrust Eyes Turn Toward Google

Could this be the begining of the end of Google as we know it? I, for one certainly hope not. 

The Hill is reporting that the Obama Administration signaled this week that they will be taking a closer look and a more aggressive stance againt monopolies, which will surely mean trouble for the internet giant, even though  it's executives and many of its employees have thrown huge amounts of cash  and support to Obama. 

Read all about it  from TheHill .com >>>Here