The Times Advocate, 2008-08-20, Page 3HA
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Wednesday, August 20, 2008
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Watch it go — Exeter Junior Rookie Morgan Lewis sprinnts from the batter's box
Saturday during the wrap up of the junior rookie league. (photo/ submitted)
Beware of computer fraud
(NC)—Have you ever been
swindled in a computer
scam or know someone
who has? By all accounts
it's a nasty and invasive
crime. Here's how to pro-
tect yourself so you don't
become another victim.
What is Computer
Fraud?
As forensic expert and
chartered accountant David
Malamed, partner, Grant
Thornton LLP in Toronto
explains, "Computer fraud
is any fraud where an indi-
vidual is misrepresented
through technology. It
ranges from being misled,
to paying
money upfront
for services or
products that
never arrive,
to sophisticat-
ed programs
that infect
your computer
and steal
information."
"Computer
fraud is ram-
pant because computers
are easy to hide behind,"
adds forensic expert and
chartered accountant Jodie
Wolkoff, director, Wintrip
Wolkoff Shin in Toronto.
"Crime organizations take
advantage of this anonymity
and use technology to
defraud businesses and
individuals. These frauds
are difficult to trace
because they originate liter-
ally anywhere in the
world."
Types &Techniques
Wolkoff identifies two
types of fraud: e-commerce
(auction) fraud and identity
theft.
E-commerce fraud
includes work -at-home
schemes. You are required
to pay for a start-up pack-
age upfront, but nothing is
delivered. Fraudsters also
create 'spoofed' websites or
'phish' for information by
sending an e-mail that
appears to originate from
your financial institution,
asking you to validate your
bank account and other
personal
"Fraudulent techniques
like phishing can lead
to identity theft.Your
accounts are skimmed;
or credit cards, bank
accounts and even
mortgages are opened
— all under your name.
information
(NEVER
respond).
"Fraudulent
techniques like
phishing can
lead to identity
theft. Your
accounts are
skimmed; or
credit cards,
bank accounts
and even mort-
gages are
opened - all
under your name The ulti-
mate identity theft occurs
when your social insurance
number (SIN) is stolen,"
cautions Wolkoff.
Beware Botnets
Malamed identifies
Botnets as potentially the
number one technology
threat. "A Botnet is jargon
for a software 'robot' pro-
gram that lives in comput-
ers, steals information, and
sends it to a remote com-
puter. Surfing websites,
downloading, and opening
e-mail attachments
increase your susceptibility
to being victimized by a
data breach via a Botnet."
Because no system can
detect all Botnets, be care-
ful how much information
you share online - be it an
online survey or credit-card
application.
Security Begins at
Home
"Purchase a good security
program," Malamed contin-
ues, "but avoid being com-
placent. Security programs
only protect you from
known threats, with solu-
tions."
In training corporations
and groups in fraud preven-
tion, he also recommends
making it hard for fraud-
sters by educating yourself.
Prevention Tips
Wolkoff offers these tips:
• Be careful what you post
on websites like Facebook -
don't post your birth date or
other personal information
that can be used to verify
your identity.
• Don't open unfamiliar e-
mails.
• Investigate businesses
you are dealing with online.
Just because a website
looks professional doesn't
mean it is authentic. Check
consumer sites.
• Parents and schools
should ensure children are
informed about computer
schemes and supervise
their activities online as
much as possible.
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Serving families since 1882
Liberal caucus chair
to visit Huron -Bruce
AUBURN — The chairperson of
the National Liberal Caucus is
spending the week in Huron -Bruce.
North Huron Coun. and federal
Liberal candidate for Huron -Bruce
Greg McClinchey confirmed that
Anthony Rota, Member of
Parliament for Nipissing-
Timiskaming and chair of the
National Liberal Caucus, will con-
duct an official tour of Huron -Bruce
this week.
The visit, which is a follow-up
specifically prompted by Liberal
Leader Stephane Dion's May 26,
2007 and July 11, 2008 visits to the
riding, will be used to help prepare
Rota for the rural policy discussions
that will be had during the party's
upcoming summer caucus in
Winnipeg.
McClinchey stated, "I have had the
pleasure of directly working with
Anthony Rota for a number of years
and I know him to be a knowledge-
able and capable MP; one of our
finest. I am pleased to conduct him
during his visit to Huron and Bruce
and I am especially pleased to know
that he will be in the riding for such
an extended period of time ... time
that I will use to show him all that
Huron -Bruce has to offer. I plan to
make certain that business, tourism,
industry, agriculture and the envi-
ronment will all be highlighted dur-
ing the week."
During his week in Huron and
Bruce, Rota will accompany
McClinchey to: a show at the Blyth
Festival Theatre; a breakfast with
the Wingham and Area Chamber of
Commerce; and on a number of
related meetings in Kincardine, Port
Elgin, Goderich and Walkerton.
Province expands HealthKick
HURON — The province is helping
the County of Huron and its partners
build on the success of HealthKick
Huron and create more communi-
ties of choice for health care profes-
sionals in rural Ontario.
Ontario is investing $476,435 to
help expand HealthKick beyond
Huron into the rural regions of the
South West Local Health Integration
Network. HealthKick will work with
youth interested in health care relat-
ed careers and expose them to the
full range of health care employ-
ment opportunities available in the
sector.
The initiative will also work to cre-
ate a training and development plan
to provide new and existing health
care professionals with locally deliv-
ered and accessible training focused
on the needs of rural communities.
These initiatives build on the origi-
nal HealthKick project which was
designed to tackle some of the
human resources challenges found
in rural Ontario.
The funding is part of the Rural
Economic Development Program
which invests in community-based
projects in three priority areas:
• Improved access to health care
services;
• Revitalized communities and
downtowns;
• Enhanced skills training.
"This project will provide opportu-
nities for young people to attain
skills and access to higher education
in the health care field," said Huron -
Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell.
"It will also help ensure that Huron
and the surrounding communities
have access to high quality health
care closer to home."
Pamela Stanley of the Huron
Business Development Corporation
added, "This program is committed
to developing the local capacity
needed to create communities of
choice for health care professionals
in rural Ontario. Through the
expansion of this program, we will
now be able to more effectively tack-
le the challenges facing rural health
care in Ontario."
Since 2003, Ontario has invested
$59.7 million in 182 projects
through the Rural Economic
Development Program.
HealthKick hosts a one-week sum-
mer program each year to provide
high-school students with realistic
experiences in medicine using state-
of-the-art advanced simulator train-
ing, peer workshops and the oppor-
tunity to watch physicians and nurs-
es in a clinical setting.
Line-up finalized for conference
GODERICH — Speakers have been
finalized for the fifth annual "It All
Ends Up in the Lake" conference in
Goderich Saturday.
This year's keynote speaker is
Gord Miller. As environmental com-
missioner of Ontario, Miller reports
directly to the Legislative Assembly,
monitoring and reporting on compli-
ance by provincial ministries with
the Environmental Bill of Rights to
ensure that Ontario's natural envi-
ronment is protected and conserved
for future generations. Miller will
highlight the state of the Great
Lakes.
"It All Ends Up in the Lake" is
organized by representatives of the
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shoreline community groups and
organizations committed to improv-
ing the water quality of Lake Huron.
Over 40 displays and exhibitors
are anticipated, drawing from com-
munity groups and initiatives and
commercial suppliers of environ-
mentally friendly products and ser-
vices.
In addition to year-round residents
of Huron County, the conference
also attracts lakeshore residents
and cottagers who experience daily
the condition of Lake Huron.
The conference runs from 8:30
a.m. to noon at the Columbus Centre
in Goderich.
Admission is $10 at the door.
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