50 more dogs for Delhi Police

  New Delhi:  With the addition of 50 more high pedigree dogs in the Delhi Police by September next, officers claim that crime detection rate will improve.  Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime),M.S. Upadhya said, “Of these 50 dogs, 18 were sent to BSF’s National Training Centre for Dogs (NTCD) in Tekanpur, Gwalior, in October.  The rest were sent on Thursday to complete their nine-month training.”  The first batch will join the Delhi Police in June 2003, while the remaining 32 will join by September, 2003.  The dog squads of the Delhi Police will also have 72 handlers, who have been appointed and sent for training along with the sniffers to Tekanpur, said the DCP. 

The Times of India – 20.12.2002

  India plans hi-tech criminal tracker

  Mumbai,Jan.6 – India will soon get its first Integrated Ballistic Identification System at Chandigarh, which will be the country’s most sophisticated system to keep track of criminals.  Ms Rukmani Krishnamurthy, officiating Director, Forensic Science Laboratory of Maharashtra, said that due to lack of hi-tech instruments, it was difficult to detect cases even though preliminary data were available.   Only 30 countries in the world use IBIS.  The IBIS will help trace communication between two wanted elements who are within its range.  Even Osama bin Laden’s conversation with an unidentified person was taped by the FBI’s IBIS.  But they managed to escape from the spot they talked  to each other before American troops reached.  If a bullet hits someone, the IBIS can accurately give the distance of the revolver form the victim and its type.  She further added that Mumbai is considered the most crime-sensitive city and  the Central and the State Governments have  announced a fund of  $22 crores to equip the forensic laboratory in Mumbai. 

The Asian Age – 7.1.2003. 

Latest Scam Warnings From Watchdogs, USA

Think that you’re too smart to be conned?  More than a half-million Americans suffered identity theft during the past year – and many of them were tricked into divulging vital personal information.  Identity theft leads the list of scams plaguing consumers.  It cost American banks and two credit card companies more than $300 million annually, the government reported this year.  Internet scams – nondelivery of merchandise and online identity theft – cost each victim an average of @427.  Bottom Line/Personal interviewed one of the three top consumer rights Advocates and how to defend against them…. 

APPLICATION FRAUD

How it works:  You get a phone call offering a pre-approved credit card at an attractive interest rate with no interest on balance?  The caller just needs you to verify some information, including your Social Security number, date of birth and mother’s maiden name. 

Trap:  These are the three pieces of information that allow any con artist to apply for credit in your name.  The illegally obtained card is charged to the limit, and the account goes into default.  Since the card wasn’t sent to your address, you don’t find out until you are refused for a new card or loan.  Credit providers send you a notice of the default – but it goes to the address used by the scam artist.  Under federal law, you are liable for only @50 of the fraudulent charges, but restoring your credit can take years.  The stolen information is often sold by the thief, causing repeated fraudulent applications in your name.

 Self-defense:  Place a fraud alert in your credit report with the credit-reporting agencies so issuers notify you when a credit application is made in your name.  Some fail to call, so check your credit report annually. 

(Courtesy: Mr. S.J. Grogan, USA)