Flesh-Eating: Drug Krokodil
A newly reported case of krokodil in Ohio has a local sheriff offering drug users shocking advice.
A needle drug user in Athens County who had pus-filled, scaly scars where she had injected told detectives that she bought what she thought was heroin from a dealer who had in turn got his supply from Columbus.
After seeing the wounds, Athens County Sheriff Patrick Kelly told 10TV that he’s convinced the drug she got was krokodil, an injectable heroin substitute with impurities that destroy blood vessels and cause flesh to rot off the bone. That concern has led the sheriff to advise users to get their drugs from a source that they trust.
http://liarcatchers.com/contact.php
“I’m hoping that they won’t use heroin at all, but I’m not that naive. To say ‘get your heroin from a trusted source’ sounds ridiculous coming from a sheriff,” Kelly told the station. “But if you’re going to have to get your fix, you’re not going to want to get ahold of krokodil.”
Krokodil, a street drug that is made by cooking crushed codeine pills with household substances like paint thinner or gasoline, leaves green, scaly scars on users. Although multiple cases of the drug have been reported by doctors and local law enforcement across North America since September, the Drug Enforcement Administration has yet to confirm that the drug is present in the United States.
In order for the DEA to confirm krokodil’s presence in the United States, agents would have to catch the drug in production or confirm the presence of desomorphine (the active ingredient in krokodil) and household hydrocarbons in a sample, an agency spokesman told The Huffington Post on Friday.
But to Kelly, the threat is real and a cause for concern.
“I’ve been worried about methamphetamine and heroin for years,” Kelly told the station. “This just gives us another drug to be worried about.”
Officials skeptical of the drug, which was first reported in Russia several years ago, have suggested that the sores on users’ skin could come from bacterial infections spread by using dirty needles.
If that is the case, harm-reduction practices such as using clean needles from needle exchanges could help reduce the incidence of the gangrenous sores. But with krokodil, the damage to the body occurs from the impurities in the drug itself.
“If it’s on the table of our drug users, it’s gonna get out there,” Roger Lowe, who runs a traveling needle exchange in Northeastern Ohio, told WKYC in October. “I think we’re gonna see more of it and I’m terrified of what’s gonna happen.”
Attackers Using Skype and Other IM Apps to Spread Trojan
Users receiving shortened URLs in Skype instant messages, or similar IM platforms, should be wary of a new trojan, called Liftoh.
So far, it has primarily infected users in Latin America, said Rodrigo Calvo, a researcher at Symantec.
http://liarcatchers.com/index.php
When targeted, victims receive a message in Spanish containing a shortened URL. The messages appear as if they are coming from someone on the user’s Skype contact list who is linking to a photo. If clicked, the link redirects users to 4shared.com, which is hosting a URL, which initiates a weaponized zip file containing Liftoh. The trojan is capable of downloading additional malware.
The malicious URLs have been clicked on more than 170,000 times, according to Symantec.
Missing Person Search Continues for Washington Woman
Authorities today resumed their search for a 19-year-old woman who vanished into a Washington forest on a “spiritual quest” sporting only a fanny pack, three days after they had to suspend the rescue effort because they didn’t have enough people to look for her.
Maureen Kelly of Vancouver, Wash., has not been seen since she left Canyon Creek Campground at Gifford Pinchot National Forest in southwest Washington on Sunday evening, according to Skamania County Undersheriff Dave CoxGifford Pinchot National Forest.
http://liarcatchers.com/missing_persons_investigations.html
Cox said there were “very limited resources during the week” to continue to search for Kelly. While organized search efforts were suspended on Wednesday, approximately 50 state-certified searchers have made themselves available for an all day search effort today, he said.
“It should be a good day to go find her,” Cox told ABCNews.com today. “Right now we’re hoping she wants to be found.”
Cox said friends of Kelly’s who were with her at the campsite expected her to return within a few hours. While she did not indicate when she would return, her friends called the sheriff’s office just after midnight Monday morning to report her missing.
“She had talked about doing this spiritual quest for evidently quite some time,” he said. “The folks that she was with, they felt that this was something she needed to do.”
Cox said it is believed Kelly only had a knife, a compass and matches with her in the fanny pack.
Weather in the forest has been on the cooler side since Kelly went missing, Cox said. The region has received a good amount of rain and temperatures have dropped as low as the mid-40s at night.
In addition to hypothermia, Cox said there are a number of hazardous conditions that could endanger Kelly’s life.
“There’s always a risk of injury in the territory she’s in — it’s very deep and rugged,” he said. “There’s a lot of debris on the forest floor, so she could slip on moss, or break a leg. There are a lot of different scenarios you could run into.”
The sheriff’s office does not have photos of Kelly for identification purposes, but authorities are aware of Kelly’s physical characteristics.
“There aren’t too many folks we know of that are missing here without clothes on,” Cox said.
Identity Theft – Top Threat in IRS’s Dirty Dozen
The IRS has issued its annual “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams for 2013 to remind taxpayers to use caution during tax season to protect themselves against a wide range of schemes, ranging from identity theft to impersonation of charitable organizations. Taxpayers could be prey to scams at any point during the year, but the threat peaks during tax-filing season, the IRS said.
http://liarcatchers.com/identity_theft_investigation.html
“This tax season, the IRS has stepped up its efforts to protect taxpayers from a wide range of schemes, including moving aggressively to combat identity theft and refund fraud,” said IRS Acting Commissioner Steven T. Miller. “The Dirty Dozen list shows that scams come in many forms during filing season. Don’t let a scam artist steal from you or talk you into doing something you will regret later.”
The Dirty Dozen
1. Identity theft: This leads the list, as it did last year, as incidences of identity theft continue to grow. Identity theft occurs when someone uses a taxpayer’s personal information, such as a person’s name, Social Security number, or other identifying information, without permission to commit fraud or other crimes. In many cases, an identity thief uses a legitimate taxpayer’s identity to fraudulently file a tax return and claim a refund. For more information, visit the IRS identity theft page.
2. Phishing: Phishing is a scam typically carried out with the help of unsolicited e-mail or a fake website. A phisher attempts to lure in potential victims and prompt them to provide personal and financial information that can result in identity theft or financial theft. The IRS asks that those who receive an unsolicited e-mail that appears to be from either the IRS or an organization closely linked to the IRS, such as the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), report it by sending it to phishing@irs.gov.
3. Return preparer fraud: About 60 percent of taxpayers will use tax professionals this year to prepare their tax returns. A small number of unscrupulous preparers prey on unsuspecting taxpayers, and the result can be refund fraud or identity theft. The IRS recommends taxpayers only use preparers who sign the returns they prepare and who enter their IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN).
“Dirty Dozen” Tax Scams – Warn Your Clients
Identity theft
Phishing
Return preparer fraud
Hiding income offshore
“Free money” from the IRS and tax scams involving Social Security
Impersonation of charitable organizations
False or inflated income and expenses
False Form 1099 refund claims
Frivolous arguments
Falsely claiming zero wages
Disguised corporate ownership
Misuse of trusts
4. Hiding income offshore: Evading US taxes by hiding income in offshore banks, brokerage accounts, or nominee entities and then using debit cards, credit cards, or wire transfers to access the funds is a frequently seen scam. Sometimes foreign trusts, employee-leasing schemes, private annuities, or insurance plans are used for the same purpose.
New foreign account reporting requirements being phased in over the next few years will make hiding income offshore increasingly more difficult. At the beginning of 2012, the IRS reopened the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP), which allows individuals to voluntarily disclose their foreign financial accounts and take advantage of special opportunities to resolve their US tax obligations. The IRS has collected $5.5 billion so far from people who participated in OVDP since 2009.
5. “Free money” from the IRS and tax scams involving Social Security: Advertisements for free money from the IRS suggest that a taxpayer with minimal income and who normally would not have a tax-filing requirement, can file a tax return with little or no documentation and collect a refund. These schemes, which charge for preparing the return, tend to prey on low-income individuals and the elderly. The perpetrators may also encourage taxpayers to make fictitious claims for refunds or rebates based on false statements of entitlement to tax credits.
There are also similar scams that promise nonexistent Social Security refunds or rebates. In another situation, a taxpayer may really be due a credit or refund but uses inflated information to complete the return. Intentional mistakes of this kind can result in a $5,000 penalty.
6. Impersonation of charitable organizations: Following major disasters, it is common for scam artists to impersonate charities in order to get money or private information from well-intentioned taxpayers. Some operate bogus charities and contact people by telephone or e-mail to solicit money or financial information, or they may contact disaster victims directly and claim to be working for, or on behalf of, the IRS to help victims file casualty loss claims and get tax refunds.
The IRS offers victims of natural disasters, such as Hurricane Sandy, and people wishing to make charitable donations the following tips:
To help disaster victims, donate to recognized charities.
Be wary of charities with names that are similar to familiar or nationally known organizations. Some phony charities use names or websites that sound or look like those of respected, legitimate organizations. IRS.gov has a search feature, Exempt Organizations Select Check, which allows people to find legitimate, qualified charities.
Do not give out personal financial information, such as Social Security numbers or credit card and bank account numbers and passwords, to anyone who solicits a contribution.
Do not give or send cash. For security and tax-record purposes, contribute by check, credit card, or another way that provides documentation of the gift.
Disaster victims with specific questions about tax relief or disaster-related tax issues can call the IRS’ toll-free disaster assistance number: (866) 562-5227.
7. False or inflated income and expenses: Reporting income that was never earned, either as wages or as self-employment income, in order to maximize refundable credits could have serious repercussions. This could result in repaying the erroneous refunds, including interest and penalties, and in some cases, even prosecution.
8. False Form 1099 refund claims: In some cases, individuals have made refund claims based on the bogus theory that the federal government maintains secret accounts for US citizens and that taxpayers can gain access to the accounts by issuing 1099-OID forms to the IRS. In this ongoing scam, the perpetrator files a fake information return, such as a Form 1099, Original Issue Discount (OID), to justify a false refund claim on a corresponding tax return.
9. Frivolous arguments: Promoters of frivolous tax schemes encourage taxpayers to make unreasonable and outlandish claims to avoid paying the taxes they owe. The IRS has a list of frivolous tax arguments that taxpayers should avoid. These arguments are false and have been thrown out of court.
10. Falsely claiming zero wages: Filing a phony information return is an illegal way to lower the amount of taxes an individual owes. Typically, a Form 4852 (Substitute Form W-2) or a “corrected” Form 1099 is used as a way to improperly reduce taxable income to zero. The taxpayer may also submit a statement rebutting wages and taxes reported by a payer to the IRS.
Sometimes, fraudsters even include an explanation on their Form 4852 that cites statutory language on the definition of wages or may include some reference to a paying company that refuses to issue a corrected Form W-2 for fear of IRS retaliation.
11. Disguised corporate ownership: In this type of scam, third parties are improperly used to request employer identification numbers and form corporations that obscure the true ownership of the business. These entities can be used to underreport income, claim fictitious deductions, avoid filing tax returns, participate in listed transactions, and facilitate money laundering and financial crimes.
12. Misuse of trusts: For years, unscrupulous promoters have urged taxpayers to transfer assets into trusts. While there are legitimate uses of trusts in tax and estate planning, some highly questionable transactions promise reduction of income subject to tax, deductions for personal expenses, and reduced estate or gift taxes. Such trusts rarely deliver the tax benefits promised and are used primarily as a means of avoiding income tax liability and hiding assets from creditors, including the IRS. The IRS has also seen an increase in the improper use of private annuity trusts and foreign trusts to shift income and deduct personal expenses.
Wrongful Death Coffin with Bodies Found in Backyard of Phoenix Home
It was an eerie sight Tuesday night when crews unearthed a large wooden box in the backyard of a home — and police describe what was inside as human remains.
A man who once lived at the home near 16th Street and Indian School Road now faces murder charges after the bodies of a man and woman were found inside the coffin — and police believe they are the victims of a murder dating back to October 2011.
http://liarcatchers.com/wrongful_death.html
And now the suspect, 42-year-old Alan Champagne, who has actually been convicted of murder before — is in custody.
The location of where the bodies were found and the murder scene are just a few blocks away from each other.
There are a lot of elements to this story. The one common factor is Champagne.
Police took Champagne into custody in connection with those murders. He lived in the home his mother owned — the residence where the remains were uncovered.
It was late Tuesday night when detectives uncovered the huge wooden box — a makeshift coffin in the backyard — with the human remains inside.
“We believe that the murder..the homicides occurred at the apartment at 3400 North 12th Place..we believe those bodies were then transported and ultimately buried in the rear yard of the mothers home,” said Phoenix Police Sgt. Tommy Thompson.
According to Thompson, in October 2011, detectives received a tip that a double homicide took place an apartment complex near 12th Place and Osborn.
Residents confirm Champagne lived there around that time and court documents indicate he was involved in an aggravated assault at the same address.
One neighbor told FOX 10, “There was like a few things that happened here and there during the night time…fights, police coming over, but like I said, I’m the type of neighbor that just minded my own business.”
Champagne was involved in a shootout with SWAT last March when detectives went to the house on 14th Place — the same house where the remains were found — to arrest him for the assault.
He’s been in jail since, but on Wednesday, he was transported to police headquarters and questioned about the murders.
“At this point, we believe there was an altercation where for whatever reason we believe he was involved in the murder of these individuals,” said Thompson.
Police believe the murders took place sometime in June or July 2011 — the tip didn’t come in until October.
At that point, the apartment was renovated, but detectives searched it anyway and came up with some forensic evidence.
Champagne was named a suspect at that time, but couldn’t be charged until now because there were no bodies.
Champagne served nearly 13 years in prison on a murder conviction before being released in 2005.
Despite police activity at the home, Champagne’s former neighbors were still stunned watching investigators unearth a coffin from the backyard.
Drug Dog Sweep Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Dogs
Dogs had their day in the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
The high court ruled unanimously that a Florida police officer’s use of a drug-sniffing dog to search a truck during a routine traffic stop was appropriate, even though the drugs found were not what the pooch was trained to detect.
Justice Elena Kagan wrote the unanimous opinion for the court – and for Aldo, a retired drug-detection dog. “The record in this case amply supported the trial court’s determination that Aldo’s alert gave (Canine Officer William) Wheetley probable cause to search the truck,” she said.
http://liarcatchers.com/drugdogsweeps.html
The case was one of two involving drug-sniffing dogs heard on Halloween. In the other case, a dog was used to sniff for drugs on the doorstep of a private home. While the court did not decide that case Tuesday, justices were far more skeptical of the legality of that search during oral arguments.
At the time, the justices seemed amenable to the use of drug-sniffing dogs in general, without quarreling about their training and certification, in order to determine “probable cause” of drug presence. But when the issue arrived on their doorstep, their reaction changed. As a result, they appeared inclined to split the difference.
Several justices had seemed likely to accept the expertise of dogs with documented training to sniff out contraband, rather than demanding case-by-case evidence of their reliability. That was demonstrated by the unanimous decision Tuesday.
Kagan noted that the police officer first encountered a nervous driver, Clayton Harris, and an open beer can. Then Aldo “alerted” at the door handle of the car, giving probable cause for a search. But the search didn’t turn up drugs that could be sniffed; instead, ingredients for manufacturing methamphetamine were found, and Harris was arrested.
In ruling for Aldo’s competence, the court reversed a decision by the Florida Supreme Court that had required comprehensive documentation of Aldo’s “prior hits and misses,” Kagan wrote. More important than any hit or miss, she said, was “the totality of the circumstances.”
During the other argument in October, the justices drew a proverbial line at the entrance to private homes, arguing that crime-fighting dogs at one’s doorstep are far different from trick-or-treaters.
The canines in question – Aldo and fellow retired drug detection dog Franky — weren’t in court for the spectacle. But that didn’t stop the justices from discussing their qualifications, motives and behavior.
Police “have every incentive to train the dog well,” said Justice Antonin Scalia, questioning the Florida court’s demand for detailed training, certification and field performance records in Aldo’s case. The liberal justices appeared less trusting of a dog’s nose but similarly wary of using courts to determine each dog’s qualifications.
On the other hand, Scalia and Justice Anthony Kennedy appeared to align with the court’s four liberals against Franky, who detected marijuana in a Miami grow house only after spending several minutes sniffing around the front door. Kagan called that “a lengthy and obtrusive process.” Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said it could lead to random searches of “any home, anywhere.”
Both cases hinge on the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable searches — a protection the high court held in high esteem during its last term, when it ruled unanimously that police should have obtained a warrant before placing a GPS device on a drug suspect’s car.
Although modern technology didn’t exist when the Founders wrote the Bill of Rights, dogs certainly did — and they have been used reliably by police for a number of causes, including the search for victims of Superstorm Sandy, which occurred just days before oral arguments.
“Scotland Yard used dogs to track Jack the Ripper,” said Gregory Garre, who represented Florida law enforcement in both cases.
“These dogs are quite reliable,” agreed Joseph Palmore, representing the U.S. Justice Department, which sided with the state.
But Glen Gifford, an assistant public defender representing one of the defendants, begged to differ. “Dogs make mistakes,” he said. “Dogs err.”
Identity Theft Tips for this Year’s Tax Season
The Internal Revenue Service is taking additional steps during the 2013 tax season to protect taxpayers and help victims of identity theft and refund fraud.
Stopping refund fraud related to identity theft is a top priority for the tax agency. The IRS is focused on preventing, detecting and resolving identity theft cases as soon as possible. The IRS has more than 3,000 employees working on identity theft cases – more than twice the level of a year ago. We have trained more than 35,000 employees who work with taxpayers to recognize and provide assistance when identity theft occurs.
http://liarcatchers.com/identity_theft_investigation.html
Taxpayers can encounter identity theft involving their tax returns in several ways. One instance is where identity thieves try filing fraudulent refund claims using another person’s identifying information, which has been stolen. Innocent taxpayers are victimized because their refunds are delayed.
Here are some tips to protect you from becoming a victim, and steps to take if you think someone may have filed a tax return using your name:
Tips to protect you from becoming a victim of identity theft
Don’t carry your Social Security card or any documents with your SSN or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) on it.
Don’t give a business your SSN or ITIN just because they ask. Give it only when required.
Protect your financial information.
Check your credit report every 12 months.
Secure personal information in your home.
Protect your personal computers by using firewalls, anti-spam/virus software, update security patches and change passwords for Internet accounts.
Don’t give personal information over the phone, through the mail or on the Internet unless you have initiated the contact or you are sure you know who you are dealing with.
If your tax records are not currently affected by identity theft, but you believe you may be at risk due to a lost or stolen purse or wallet, questionable credit card activity or credit report, contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490, extension 245 (Mon. – Fri., 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. local time; Alaska & Hawaii follow Pacific Time).
If you believe you’re a victim of identity theft
Be alert to possible identity theft if you receive a notice from the IRS or learn from your tax professional that:
More than one tax return for you was filed;
You have a balance due, refund offset or have had collection actions taken against you for a year you did not file a tax return;
IRS records indicate you received more wages than you actually earned or
Your state or federal benefits were reduced or cancelled because the agency received information reporting an income change.
If you receive a notice from IRS and you suspect your identity has been used fraudulently, respond immediately by calling the number on the notice.
If you did not receive a notice but believe you’ve been the victim of identity theft, contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490, extension 245 right away so we can take steps to secure your tax account and match your SSN or ITIN.
Also, fill out the IRS Identity Theft Affidavit, Form 14039. Please write legibly and follow the directions on the back of the form that relate to your specific circumstances.
In addition, we recommend you take additional steps with agencies outside the IRS:
Report incidents of identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission at http://www.consumer.ftc.gov or the FTC Identity Theft hotline at 877-438-4338 or TTY 866-653-4261.
File a report with the local police.
Contact the fraud departments of the three major credit bureaus:
Equifax – http://www.equifax.com, 800-525-6285
Experian – http://www.experian.com, 888-397-3742
TransUnion – http://www.transunion.com, 800-680-7289
Close any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
More information:
http://www.irs.gov/uac/Identity-Protection-Tips
Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft – http://www.irs.gov/uac/Taxpayer-Guide-to-Identity-Theft
Help if you have reported an identity theft case to the IRS and are waiting for your federal tax refund
The IRS is working to speed up and further streamline identity theft case resolution to help innocent taxpayers.
The IRS more than doubled the level of employees dedicated to working identity theft cases between 2011 and 2012. As the IRS enters the 2013 filing season, we now have more than 3,000 employees working identity theft issues. Despite these efforts, the IRS continues to see a growing number of identity theft cases.
These are extremely complex cases to resolve, frequently touching on multiple issues and multiple tax years. Cases of resolving identity can be complicated by the thieves themselves calling in. Due to the complexity of the situation, this is a time-consuming process. Taxpayers are likely to see their refunds delayed for an extended period of time while we take the necessary actions to resolve the matter. A typical case can take about 180 days to resolve, and the IRS is working to reduce that time period.
While the identity theft cases are being worked, the IRS also reminds victims that they need to continue to file their tax returns during this period.
For victims of identity theft who have previously been in contact with the IRS and have not achieved a resolution to their case, they can contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit, toll-free, at 800-908-4490. If victims can’t get their issue resolved and are experiencing financial difficulties, contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service toll-free at 877-777-4778.
More Information
It is a top priority for the IRS to help victims and reduce the time it takes to resolve their cases. In addition, the IRS continues to aggressively expand its efforts to protect and prevent refund fraud involving identity theft before it occurs as well as work with federal, state and local officials to pursue the perpetrators of this fraud.
For more information, see the special identity theft section on IRS.gov and IRS Fact Sheet 2013-2, IRS Combats Identity Theft and Refund Fraud on Many Fronts.
Process Service: Use Liar Catchers to Avoid Liars Like This
Serving legal papers wasn’t his strong suit, the city says.
The city’s worst process server claimed to be hand-delivering court summonses all over the city, but GPS records revealed he was often miles from his mark or totally off the grid, according to the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Robert Winckelmann, 41, lost his city-issued license after a sweeping DCA investigation discovered he was not actually serving legal papers to defendants, the city says.
http://liarcatchers.com/process_service.html
In one case from November 2011, Winckelmann, a Jericho, LI, resident, drove to The Bronx and swore on an affidavit that he served a summons on Fox Street to a relative of a woman being sued by creditors for $6,098, according to court records.
But at the time of alleged service, he was three miles away at the Cross Bronx Expressway and Newbold Avenue, GPS records indicated.
Later that day, he claimed to serve three more summonses in The Bronx, on East 149th Street, the Grand Concourse or Bronx Park South, but electronic records again proved that he was miles away, DCA said.
Those three debt-collection cases resulted in default judgements for his client, a debt-collector which purchased bad accounts from Chase and the New York Credit Acceptance Corp., according to court records.
When a debtor isn’t served properly, they don’t know when to go to court, it could result in a default judgment or an automatic ruling against them.
“We are referring all evidence of defaults by him and others back to the courts,” Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Jonathan Mintz told The Post.
Probers found that Winckelmann was involved in 31 cases that ended in default judgments.
The city issued Winckelmann 46 GPS-record violations and slapped him with 35 counts of failure to maintain records. But Winckelmann denied any wrongdoing, and said some of the GPS violations were due to technical glitches in the new citywide system, and that 36 violations were for cases in Westchester, outside the city’s jurisdiction.
“They just took his livelihood away without a hearing,” said his attorney Myra Sencer. “He is really being treated unfairly.”
During a yearlong DCA crackdown, investigators issued violations to one in three of the city’s 943 process servers for having written logs that didn’t match their GPS-tracked whereabouts. Since November 2011, process servers have been required to maintain a GPS record.
“Our findings were so disappointingly negative,” Mintz said.
DCA randomly checked 102 licensed process servers; 10 lost their licenses, three surrendered them, and 43 entered into settlement agreements with the DCA, the agency said.
The agency issued $36,000 in fines.
“For way too long process servers have been like the Wild West of the legal system,” Mintz said.
Adultery Signs Your Spouse May be Cheating
You suspect that your spouse might be fooling around, but how can you be sure?
With Gen. David Petraeus’ recent scandal in mind, relationship expert Matt Titus stopped by “Dr. Drew” on Tuesday to talk about the warning signs that could point to a man’s infidelity.
http://liarcatchers.com/adultery.html
1. The sexual frequency just plummets. There is no more sex
2. He gets very jumpy around email and cell phones. Tries to hide things when on the computer or phone
3. Mutual friends start disappearing, they don’t want to be around you guys and appear to be uncomfortable
4. Spouse might start talking about someone that you have never heard of but this person walks on water. They are wonderful.
5. Doesn’t like to have you near him in any way
6. Guilt Gifts and Compliments that you are not use to receiving
7. Begin to accuse you of cheating
8. Spouse will disappear with no explanation as to where they were. When asked they will give you an explanation that make no sense.
Electronic Surveillance New Laws affecting GPS and More
***Check out the ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE services that Liar Catchers offers HERE.
The Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling on Jan. 23 that said law enforcement has to obtain warrants before using GPS tracking devices on suspects’ vehicles, could show the court is ready to address the Constitutional implications of other advancing surveillance technology, said privacy groups.
The Supreme Court ruled on Jan. 23 that the police’s placement of a GPS tracking device on a suspected drug dealer’s car without a court warrant violated Fourth Amendment protections against unlawful searches. The court’s ruling came in United States v. Jones in which the District of Columbia police attached a GPS device to a drug-dealer suspect Antoine Jones’ Jeep without his knowledge. Police used the device to track the position of Jones’ vehicle for a month in 2005 without a search warrant. Jones was subsequently charged with involvement in a drug conspiracy on the basis of evidence obtained by the device.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) said in statements following the ruling that the decision could signal the court is prepared to address the Constitutionality of other advancing surveillance technologies.
“While this case turned on the fact that the government physically placed a GPS device on the defendant’s car, the implications are much broader,” and ACLU Legal Director Steven Shapiro said in a Jan. 23 statement. “A majority of the Court acknowledged that advancing technology, like cell phone tracking, gives the government unprecedented ability to collect, store and analyze an enormous amount of information about our private lives. Today’s decision suggests that the court is prepared to address that problem. Congress needs to address the problem as well,” he said.
“EFF was particularly gratified to see Justice Sotomayor, in concurrence, raising concerns about the failure of the Fourth Amendment caselaw to keep up with the realities of today’s digital technologies,” said EFF Senior Staff Attorney Marcia Hofmann on the organization’s Web Blog.
“People disclose the phone numbers that they dial or text to their cellular providers, the URLS that they visit and the e-mail addresses with which they correspond to their Internet service providers, and the books, groceries and medications they purchase to online retailers…,” said Sotomayor in her opinion. “I would not assume that all information voluntarily disclosed to some member of the public for a limited purpose is, for that reason alone, disentitled to Fourth Amendment protection.”
GPS Surveillance Does Not Invade Spouse’s Privacy, Court Finds
***If you have a similar case and need assistance, contact Liar Catchers. Read more about electronic surveillance HERE.
September 18, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ — Do you suspect that your spouse is being unfaithful? If you live in New Jersey, thanks to a recent ruling by a state appellate court, you can legally monitor your partner’s movements with a GPS device.
The ruling stemmed from the case of Kenneth Villanova, whose ex-wife suspected him of cheating and hired a private investigator, Richard Leonard, to find evidence of an affair. After trailing him for a few weeks with no results, Leonard suggested that Mrs. Villanova place a GPS device in the car that she shared with her husband in order to track his movements. She did, and thanks to the technology, Leonard was able to get the evidence his client asked for.
As a result, Villanova sued his ex-wife and the private investigator for invasion of privacy. The case against his wife was dropped during their divorce proceedings, and the appellate court dismissed his case against Leonard. Despite the claim that his privacy was breeched, the court found that Villanova had no expectation of privacy in his car because he was traveling on public streets, not a private area. In addition, Villanova claimed that he suffered emotional distress because of the incident, but the court found that since he did not seek medical treatment, that claim could not be sustained either.
If you are considering getting divorced in New Jersey, you do not have to prove your spouse committed adultery in order to get a divorce. There are several grounds for divorce in the Garden State, including separation, which is New Jersey’s form of no-fault divorce and irreconcilable differences. To get more information about divorce, contact an experienced New Jersey family law attorney.
Private Investigator Overview
An NYC-based private investigator explains some of the reasons why hiring a private investigation company can be more beneficial than relying on the police alone. If you are in the Kentucky area and have a case that needs private investigative assistance, contact Liar Catchers immediately. We are available 24 hours and are ready and willing to help in your situation.
Liar Catchers Licenses
Have you seen our investigators’ licenses? Click on the images for more information about our company, credentials, and services.
How Hiring a Private Investigator can Benefit You
Education/Experience/Resources
Most private investigators, but not all, come from Law Enforcement backgrounds or criminal justice degrees and/or careers. Their training and experience alone can expose them to resources and tools that the average person does not. Furthermore, most individuals don’t have the time, education, legal liability knowledge, skills or training to perform an investigation on their own. Many individuals do not want their own privacy compromised. There are many risks involved in performing an investigation and it is best to let the professionals, who have the knowledge, perform the task.
Benefits for Business Owners/Employers/Individuals
In today’s society, performing a background check on your potential employee is critical. This could be a staff member, business partner, household employee, nanny, etc. These are all individuals that should be checked thoroughly. Private Investigators have access to databases unavailable to the general public. A private investigator will also have the skills to dig deeper into a person’s history. You may also be checking on a potential relationship partner. With the increase of internet dating it has become imperative that you perform safe dating checks to avoid entering into a potentially dangerous or volatile situation.
Domestic and Criminal Investigations
Many attorneys, as well as individuals going through a civil or criminal law suit, need the assistance of a Private Investigator. Most attorneys don’t have time to do the digging in their client’s case. Many cases are won in court with the assistance of a Private Investigator and the evidence they collected. Licensed Private Investigators are considered Expert Witnesses. Private Investigators can interview subjects, perform surveillance and prove the facts they provide. Anything they personally observe is considered credible testimony in court.
Bringing families together
In cases of runaways, missing persons, or long lost friends and relatives, Private Investigators can work in the courts, along with other resources, in order to find these missing or lost individuals. Sometimes a Private Investigator is the only answer. Once the information is obtained, you will know it was collected in a legal and professional manner.
Adultery Statistics
The number of adultery cases taking place in the United States has, unfortunately, grown rapidly over the past few decades. Since adultery can be a critical factor in any divorce case, hiring a private investigation company like Liar Catchers is becoming increasingly common in order to determine whether or not adultery has actually taken place. See some of today’s adultery statistics below and contact us immediately if you would like us to investigate your own situation. Also, stop by our Facebook page and “LIKE” us in order to stay up-to-date with news regarding other services we offer.
- 22% of married men have cheated on their spouse at least once
- 14% of married women have had at least one affair
- the majority of adulterers tend to be within a younger age range
- 70% of married women who were cheated on were completely unaware of the situation
- adultery alone accounts for 17% of divorces
- 81% of married women openly admit to flirting with members of the opposite sex
- 57% of married men and women admit to flirting with other people over the internet
- 31% of married people who have met others online have ended up cheating with that individual
When To Hire an Attorney
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Liar Catchers is available for hire in a wide variety of private investigation cases. In some situations, however, we strongly advise you to hire an attorney before coming to us– that is, you hire an attorney who would then serve as our client. This is especially important if you are involved in a case that may go to trial. Without an attorney to hire us, the information that we discover during our investigation may be open to the other side as evidence; but if a lawyer is our client, then the information we find for you will be restricted to your case and your defense only.
Note from our website: Work product rule = Notes, documents, reports and research materials and the like gathered by a PI in an investigation are confidential information that may disclose the attorneys trial strategy. Attorney work product privilege is one of the five privileges in exemption 5 of the Freedom of Information act, 5 USC 552 (b) (5).
Investigation Definitions: EVIDENCE
What can be considered as evidence when Liar Catchers is investigating a case? Take a look at the four different categories of evidence that we collect:
- Testimonial Evidence: This comes in both verbal and written forms and can include interviews, statements, confessions, and anonymous tips.
- Documentary Evidence: As the name suggests, this refers to anything in the form of a document that is presented for the analysis of its contents. Contracts, bills, medical statements, tax statements, instant messages, e-mails, etc. can all be considered as documentary evidence so long as it is written. These documents, of course, are always subject to authentication.
- Real Evidence: This involves any materials that are clearly relevant to a crime or situation at hand and is interchangeably referred to as “physical evidence”. DNA, wrecked vehicles, blood stains, and weapons are all examples of real evidence.
- Demonstrative Evidence: Demonstrative evidence is representative of an object. Photographs of a car crash, for example, would not be considered as “real evidence” because it is not the car itself; but the photograph of the car is still considered evidence (demonstrative) as it is depicting the actual object. Other forms include audio recordings, videos, and x-rays.
Video: PI Discusses Cheating Spouses
Liar Catchers specializes in divorce and adultery investigations. Contact us if you or someone you know suspect infidelity that could potentially affect your marital status or divorce outcome.
Missing Children: Prevention Tips
In the United States, more than 2000 children under the age of 18 are reported missing every day. On a yearly basis, more than 200,000 children are the victim of family abductions and approximately 58,200 are the victim of non-family abductions. The moment you suspect a friend or family member to be missing, contact Liar Catchers immediately to take action. While the police department is obligated to follow protocol and wait a certain amount of time before beginning their investigation, we are able to start working on locating missing people from the moment a client calls us with a report.
In order to prevent missing children, parents should always make sure to do the following:
- Teach children by the age of 2 to memorize their first/last names, home address, telephone number, the names of their parents, and how to dial 911
- Develop a secret “family password” and instruct children never to leave home or school with someone who does not know what that password is
- Teach them to yell “HELP” if they sense danger from an unknown adult
- Prevent runaways by spending enough quality time with the child, listening intently to any worries or fears they may be experiencing, and refraining from talking to them in a lecturing manner
- Always know the whereabouts of your children
- Never leave children in an unattended vehicle
- Do not allow young children to go into public bathrooms alone
- Always have a detailed and updated description of your child on hand
One of the most useful tools for parents today is the Child ID Kit, developed by the National Child Identification Program. 
This kit allows you to take your child’s fingerprints and document their physical details, along with any unique characteristics or birthmarks, DNA swabs, and includes space for a current photograph. The kits cost an average of $10 and are sold for a lower price based on the amount of units you order. Protect your children and order your ID kit HERE.
Online Romance Scams
The internet is the 21st century equivalent of a “meet market”. With websites like Match.com, eHarmony, Craig’s List, and even Facebook, more people are finding their significant others online than ever before. Cyberspace, however, can be dangerous as you can never truly be sure about who exactly you are talking to. Carelessness, gullibility, or simply a lack of common sense can lead to people being cheated out of money, having their identities stolen, or worse. You can never be too careful if you are looking for love on the internet. Be very aware of your interactions with online strangers and realize that it is likely that person may be a scammer IF…
…they say things like “I love you” after having just started conversing a short time ago.
…they use poetry or flowers in order to reel you in.
…they have extreme dramatic stories pertaining to their past or present such as family deaths, deadly illnesses, injures, or any other severe hardships.
…they ask for any type of monetary support or aid.
…a money transfer is requested via Western Union because they “live outside of the country”.
…they have any suspicious behavior and reside in four of the top scamming countries: Ghana, Nigeria, England, or Canada.
For more information regarding online dating, internet safety, and online scams, please visit IC3.
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