AT&T HELPS CONSUMER GROUP CATCH SCAM ARTISTS.WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 21, 1995-- Armed with sophisticated technology, con artists have had an advantage that enabled them to do their damage, relocate and elude e·lude tr.v. e·lud·ed, e·lud·ing, e·ludes 1. To evade or escape from, as by daring, cleverness, or skill: The suspect continues to elude the police. 2. authorities for up to 90 days. FraudNET, a new information processing information processing: see data processing. information processing Acquisition, recording, organization, retrieval, display, and dissemination of information. Today the term usually refers to computer-based operations. and distribution system, is changing that. In 1994, its first year of operation, FraudNET notified authorities of 40,000 suspected fraudulent activities, such as credit-card and telephone scams, within two minutes of a consumer's report. FraudNET was created by The National Fraud Information Center, with a $150,000 grant from AT&T. "Fraud costs the American public $40 billion each year" said John Barker John Barker may refer to:
NFIC National Inventor Fraud Center, Inc. NFIC National Interagency Fire Center NFIC National Foreign Intelligence Council NFIC National Freedom of Information Coalition has the most advanced telecommunications networking technology available to non-profit organizations to aid in the fight against fraud." "AT&T believes systemic changes must be made in the way consumers and legitimate businesses fight fraud," said Jeanmarie Kantor, AT&T's director of Consumer Affairs. "We're pleased to be able to help the NFIC put technology on the side of the consumer where it belongs." When a consumer calls the NFIC with a complaint, the information is automatically distributed by FraudNET to federal, state and local authorities, as well as corporate anti-fraud units. FraudNET then scans its database to detect patterns and trends of fraud. Armed with this information, enforcement authorities pursue investigative leads The term investigative leads refers to any information which could potentially aid in the successful resolution of the investigation. For example investigative leads pertaining to robbery offense might include: description of the perpetrator(s), visible impression(s) of to show probable cause Apparent facts discovered through logical inquiry that would lead a reasonably intelligent and prudent person to believe that an accused person has committed a crime, thereby warranting his or her prosecution, or that a Cause of Action has accrued, justifying a civil lawsuit. of fraudulent activity in court proceedings. FraudNET reports have also been used as the basis for a number of successful civil actions brought by the Federal Trade Commission. For example, in August 1994, a federal grand jury in Pennsylvania handed up 44 criminal indictments in an investment fraud scam (SCSI Configured AutoMatically) A subset of Plug and Play that allows SCSI IDs to be changed by software rather than by flipping switches or changing jumpers. Both the SCSI host adapter and peripheral must support SCAM. See SCSI. based on investigative leads supplied by FraudNET. The National Fraud Information Center is a project of the National Consumers League. Consumers can reach the center by dialing 1/800-876-7060. CONTACT: Loretta Dietrich - AT&T 201-564-2846 (office) 609-397-8426 (home) or Dick Gundlach - AT&T 718-533-9020 (office) 718-446-7950 (home) or John Barker - NFIC 202-783-0967 (office) |
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