Archived alerts:

E-mail Hoax: The following e-mail is making the rounds again. This time, it is being attributed to the Mobile, Alabama, Sheriff's Department. Police ask you to always check out an e-mail before believing its contents. www.snopes.com is a great source to check the validity of an e-mail. The e-mail below is a hoax. If you receive it, please delete it and don't forward it on.

Thursday morning, "I saw an infant car seat on the side of the road with a blanket draped over it. I did not stop, even though I had all kinds of thoughts running through my head. But when I got to my destination, I called the PD and they were going to check it out". This is what I was told:

"Several things to be aware of ... gangs and thieves, are now plotting different ways to get a person to "stop" their vehicle.

"There is a gang initiation reported by the local police department
that gangs are placing a car seat by the road...with a fake baby in it...waiting for a woman, of course, to stop and check on the baby.
Note that the location of this car seat will usually be beside a wooded or grassy ( field ) area...and the person - woman - will be dragged into the woods- beaten and raped- usually left for dead.
DO NOT STOP. DIAL 9-1-1 AND REPORT WHAT YOU SAW!

"IF YOU ARE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND EGGS ARE THROWN AT YOUR WINDSHIELD. DO NOT TURN ON YOUR WIPERS AND DO NOT SPRAY ANY WATER ON It BECAUSE EGGS MIXED WITH WATER BECOMES MILKY AND YOU'LL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE! YOU ARE THEN FORCED TO STOP BESIDE THE ROAD AND BECOME A VICTIM OF THIEVES. THIS IS A NEW TECHNIQUE USED BY GANGS. PLEASE INFORM YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES. THESE ARE DESPERATE TIMES AND THESE
UNSAVORY INDIVIDUALS WILL TAKE DESPERATE MEASURES TO GET WHAT THEY WANT."

Please talk to your loved ones about this. This is a new tactic
used and I would hate for anyone to fall victim to this kind of crime.

Please BE SAFE AND NEVER STOP YOUR VEHICLE!

The e-mail above is a hoax. If you receive it, please delete it and don't forward it on.

Internet Scam: On September 15, 2010, a Columbia resident reported that he had been the victim of an internet scam. He listed an item for sale on Craigslist, and received an e-mail from a potential buyer. The buyer sent a cashier's check for the purchase price plus shipping, the total amount being $2,850.00. The buyer eventually said he did not want to make the purchase and asked the man to wire the money back. The man did send money back but subsequently became suspicious that the cashier's check might be fraudulent. He is still awaiting notice but it is likely that it will turn out to be fraudulent.

Text scam: On September 6, 2010, a Columbia resident reported a text message she had received which said the following: "news at tmomail.net/ALERT: boone bank mastercard is limited. Call for details." A phone number was included. She called the number and was prompted to enter her account number and personal identification number. Afterward, she began to have fraudulent transactions appear on her bank account. This text was a scam to gain her bank account information. If you receive texts like these, they should be deleted, and if you have any questions, you should contact your bank or credit union.

Restaurant scams: A caller used the AT&T Relay service to call the Holiday Inn Select in Columbia on August 20, 2010, to place a large order of sandwiches. The caller advised the hotel should add a $950.00 shipper fee to the credit card to be used for payment. The hotel was told that once the credit card cleared, the additional funds should be sent via Western Union to a specified location. The hotel employee recognized this as a scam and did not process the order.

On August 31, 2010, officers received a similar report from CJ's restaurant. A caller used an AT&T service to place a similar order. In the Holiday Inn incident, the order had originally been for 100 sandwiches and then changed to 150. The person calling CJ's wanted to order 150 sandwiches. The caller wanted to place this order on a credit card as well, and also asked that a shipping fee of $800.00 be added and sent to a specified location. The CJ's employee also recognized this as a scam and declined to process the order.

Pay Day Loan Alert: On August 9, 2010, A Columbia resident reported a possible fraud. She saw an advertisement on television about a pay-day loan. She went to the advertised website and filled out loan applications. After not hearing back from the company, she discovered an unauthorized transaction on her bank account. The company associated with the transaction is Platinum Services. An internet search of Platinum Services reveals similar complaints.

Possible Scam warning: On May 11, 2010, a local church received a phone call from a subject who said he needed money, because he'd fallen behind in rent. He said he had been evicted, and needed money to bring the rent up to date, so he could get inside his apartment and retrieve his belongings. Later the church received another phone call from an individual who said he was the landlord, and that the church should wire the money to him. The money was sent through a Wal Mart money-gram. This appears to be a scam.

Scam Alert:On May 7, 2010, a white female arrived at the Columbia home of a senior citizen, at approximately 2:00 p.m. A white female knocked on the resident's door, and stated she needed to come inside and take pictures. She said she worked for a variety of companies, but she never gave a specific name nor credentials. She was not admitted into the home, and she left, in a white passenger car.

Theft Alert: Reward Offered: On April 18, 2010, at approximately 7:30 p.m. two employees of Boone County National Bank were working on one of their ATM's located at 912 Rainforest Parkway. A white male approached and stole a bank tool bag and ran from the scene. He is a young man, six feet tall, or taller, and has an athletic build. He was wearing a royal blue athletic jersey, blue shorts, and tennis shoes. He ran into the Vanderveen subdivision. The bank bag is a dark blue, portfolio-style bag that zips shut. It says "Columbia Crew" on the side of the bag. This bag contains tools that are of absolutely no use to anyone besides bank personnel, but the tools are very costly to replace. The suspect probably thought there was money in the bag. He may have discarded it. So, the bank is offering a reward of $500.00 to anyone who turns in the bag and the tools it contains. Of course, anyone who knows information that will lead to the arrest of the suspect can call Crime Stoppers at 875-tips. Callers remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward from Crime Stoppers.

Scam Alert: On March 18, 2010, a phone call was placed to Buckingham’s restaurant, located at 3804 Buttonwood Drive. The male caller asked for a manager. When the manager answered, the caller stated he was a Columbia Police officer, and that one of the manager’s friends had been arrested for DWI.  The caller told her that he could not reveal the person’s name, but if she “guessed” the name, he could verify if it was correct or not.  He provided a general physical description, and when she provided a possible name, he said it was correct.

Then, the caller told her that the “arrested” person needed bond money.  He stated that the Columbia Police Department had adopted a new policy for posting bond, and that she needed to send funds to her friend, via Money Gram, to the state of California.  The caller instructed her to go to a Wal Mart store and use the Money Gram system, there. The call was a scam.

This scam is similar to one that was reported on January 18th, at the Steak N Shake restaurant. A manager at that location received a phone call from a subject asking to speak directly to her.  On this occasion, the caller advised he was from the Boone County Sheriff’s Department, but the rest of the details are consistent with the Buckingham’s incident. In this incident, the Money Gram proceeds were sent to Los Angeles, California, as well.  In both incidents, the caller claimed to be “Officer Porter.” 

Scam Alert: On March 12, 2010, at about 4:00 p.m., a resident in southwest Columbia heard someone knocking on his door. Upon opening the door, he saw a man who said he was from the IRS. This man told the resident he was there to investigate a counterfeit scam. The man asked to look at his money that he had in his wallet. He allowed the man to look at his money, and the man left, taking the money with him. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately six feet tall, with a muscular build. He was in a white passenger car. This is a scam. If this person comes to your door, do not let him in. Call police immediately.

On March 26, 2010, this man returned to the residence, again dressed in business attire. He claimed to be with Social Services and said he was investigating a complaint. He said he needed to come in and check the couple for "bruises" to determine that they were all right. The resident would not allow him to come in. He left again in an older model Chrysler. This suspicious individual is a black male, late 20's to early 30's, about six feet tall, and about 200 pounds. He had short hair and was clean shaven. This was a scam of some sort and at this point we don't have enough information to determine what he planned to do if he was able to get into the house. If this man comes to your home, don't let him in, and call 9-1-1.

Also on March 26, at another location in southwest Columbia, a similar incident was reported. A black male in business attire rang the door bell of the senior citizen who lives at the home, stated he was with the military, and asked her information. He drove a cream colored vehicle and wore sunglasses that he never removed. She advised that he had one gold tooth. He came back later but she did not let him in the second time. It is likely this is the same individual.

Fraud Alert: On March 11, 2010, the department learned of another scam. A Columbia resident received a letter from SS Research LLC along with a check drawn off Fidelity Bank for just over $2,000.00. Both SS Research and Fidelity Bank are in Atlanta, Georgia. The letter instructs the recipient to spend $10.00 at McDonalds and Burger King, in order to evaluate their products and customer service. The letter instructs the recipient to wire the remaining funds back via Western Union. These checks are not valid, either.

Fraud Alert: On March 8, 2010, the police department received information about a scam, involving a fictitious person by the name of Mr. Ferrier. He solicits legal services which include receiving a check from a client. He then asks an attorney to hold the check in escrow and to withhold legal fees from the check, as well as retainer fees. "Mr. Ferrier" then requests the balance to be wired to him. Other fictitious names involved with the scam are Mr. Brown and Nathan Thompson. So far, we do not know of anyone who has actually wired the money. This is a scam, and the checks are not good.

Scam Alert: On January 16, 2010, residents at a Southwest Columbia home answered a knock on their door. A man advised he was looking for a male subject. The man was dressed n a sport coat, dress pants and shirt, and wore dark sunglasses. When advised that the person he was "looking for" wasn't there, he asked to come in and look around. The couple wouldn't let him. He left in a gray Ford Taurus.

Fraud Alert: A Columbia resident saw an ad on Craigslist, advertising a home for rent. He wanted to rent the home, and attempted to conduct the necessary business via e-mail. He provided his personal information over e-mail communications. He also sent money via Western Union, in order to rent the home. He was supposed to receive the keys via Fed-X, but when he received the package, it was a fake, and there were no keys to the home.

Fraud Alert: A Columbia resident received an invitation in the mail, to be a "Mystery Shopper" for Old Neighborhood Foods. She deposited the check that was enclosed, and wired back most of the amount, via Money Gram. She later discovered the check was fraudulent.

Suspicious Incident: A Columbia resident received a phone call from a man who advised she had won a sweepstakes and said he would come to pick her up and take her to the bank. She hung up on the caller. Residents should be wary of unknown callers and report any suspicious activity to police.

Scam warning: A local merchant received an e-mail order to prepare a large food order that would be picked up. The e-mailer wanted the restaurant to wire money to the "courier," who would pick up the order, ahead of time. This is a scam, and thankfully, our area merchant did not fall for it. Beware of these types of "advance-fee" scams.

Scam Alert: An officer was contacted by a man who called to report his friend was scammed. He advised that his friend was walking on the parking lot at Lowe's yesterday when he was approached by a subject selling electronics out of a van. He stated his friend told him the man told him he had some extra systems he needed to get rid of, as he was over stocked and did not want to take them back to the store. He said his friend paid $400 dollars for the system. He said the suspect told him it was a several thousand dollar system.

He advised that the system he bought was just a cheap piece of junk. He said the suspect was a white male in his 30's and was clean cut. He advised the van was a green Chevy 3500 van with radio station stickers stuck all over the inside walls of the van.

Computer website Alert: A new website called "Chatroulette" has some parents and law enforcement officers concerned. www.chatroulette.com is video chat room where young users can find themselves face to face with complete strangers. Read an article about chatroulette.com here .