FTC Received 7.1 million Do-Not-Call Complaints in FY 2017

(Click on the image for more Federal Trade Commission information)

From Gizmodo: in 2017 the FTC received 7.1 million complaints, which is 1.8 million more complaints than it received the previous year and twice as many complaints as it received in 2015. Out of the 2017 complaints, 2.5 million were about human spammers, while 4.5 million were about robocalls. The FTC is now averaging more than 375,000 complaints about robocalls per month. [Not everyone reports violations so these numbers are on the low side.]

Criminal’s to do list:

1. Break into car in airport long-term parking. Use registration to locate vacant home. Use garage door opener to open home.
2. Break into car parked at football game. Steal garage door opener and portable GPS. Use GPS to locate home vacant for the duration of the game.
3. Steal woman’s handbag from car while she is pumping gas. Use cellphone to text her husband to get her debit card PIN. Immediately withdraw money.
4. Steal wallet from purse in grocery cart seat. Call victim later and tell her you are store security and have her wallet, come get it at the store. While she goes to get it, break into her house and take what I want.
5. Enjoy the good life!

Reporter's 75 Year-Old Dad Scammed Out of $800

(Click on the image for the 7 On Your Side report)

This can happen to anyone, at any age. Don't let it happen to you!

New year, new law: Maryland smoke alarm law takes effect Jan. 1

(Click on the image for  Kathy Stewart's WTOP report)

• A new smoke alarm law intended to save more lives is taking effect on Jan. 1, 2018 in Maryland. It’s part of a nationwide trend to transition from old smoke detectors powered by 9-volt batteries to new smoke alarms that have a 10 year life span.
• Maryland is the most recent state to require the more modern alarms which are tamper-resistant and last for 10 years without the battery needing to be replaced.
• Starting New Year’s Day, Maryland residents will be required to replace 9-volt battery operated smoke detectors that are 10 years old with the new smoke detectors.
• An old Maryland law that took effect on July 1, 2013 required the old smoke detectors to be replaced when they were 10 years old. The date the smoke detector was manufactured should be on the back of the unit. If a date can’t be found on the unit, then the smoke alarm is most likely more than 10 years old.
• In 2013, the Maryland General Assembly basically amended and updated a 38-year-old smoke alarm law in order to take advantage of the newer technology.
• Even though the new law contains some of the same language as the 2013 law, which states 10-year old smoke alarms should be replaced, lawmakers say that was on purpose in order to re-publicize the message to replace 10-year-old smoke alarms.
• While hard-wired smoke alarms are not effected by the legislation, their efficiency is also affected by age. Hard-wired smoke alarms that need to be changed cannot be changed to any battery-operated system, so it’s important to check the home’s requirements.

Vision Zero aims to end Cleveland traffic fatalities

How Many Traffic Fatalities Are Acceptable?

"What is the acceptable number of traffic deaths," asks Andy Young, a truck safety attorney in Cleveland. "How many fatalities are acceptable."
Young says if you consider family, there is no acceptable number other than zero.

See the WKYC-TV (Cleveland) report here.

News from Your Department of Environment (DoE)

Previously there was no limit on the number of trash bags. You are encouraged to use additional containers rather than a bag.

Note there will be no yard trim/Christmas Tree collections New Year's Day. Yard trim collection resumes on January 8, 2018.

How to Avoid Becoming a Victim of Gift Card Fraud

(Click on the image for Susan Hogan's News4 report)

Thank You

Thank You

For Driving Carefully😊

A year after opening, MGM casino resort mostly lives up to expectations

(Click on the image for Luz Lazo's Washington Post report)

"For the most part, the casino has lived up to expectations, according to county officials and residents. The $1.4 billion resort in suburban Washington quickly became Maryland’s most profitable casino, bringing 6 million visitors, thousands of jobs and pumping millions of dollars into the local economy."

Have Your Chimneys Swept and Inspected at Least Once Every Year

(Click on the image for Darcy Spencer's News4 report)

Missing brick caused $200,000 in damages on Braemer Circle.
"A fire was burning inside a fireplace about 2:30 a.m. at the home on Braemer Circle in Fort Washington and the missing brick allowed the fire to spread, Prince George's County Fire Department spokesman Mark Brady said on Twitter.
The fire reached the inside walls and the attic, causing $200,000 in damages before firefighters quenched the flames, Brady said.
Photos showed what looked like a massive fireball come out of the top of the house.
The homeowner escaped unharmed."

Are You a Good Driver?

A good driver uses good judgment to keep out of situations requiring superior skills.

AAA: Speed Cameras Should Be an Adjunct to Stepped Up Police Enforcement, Not a Replacement

"AAA supports automated enforcement when the proper safeguards are in place and they are multiple, as outlined in federal, including the FHWA & NHTSA, and state guidelines. AAA believes that the deployment [of] automated enforcement systems (AES), when and where warranted, should be used as an adjunct to, not a substitution for stepped up enforcement of traffic laws by police officers. There are many legal, safety, ethical, engineering and economic factors to weigh."  [John Townsend]

(Click on the image for the video)

From a 2009 Montgomery County report:

Among the report's recommendations:

• Ensure that public outreach and community involvement remain core aspects of the program.
• Require that revenue and expenditure data related to the Safe Speed program are readily accessible to the public on the County's website and in annual budget documents.

Chief Stawinski Takes “Chief On The Go” To The Children for the Holidays

Every month, Chief Hank Stawinski takes his office out into communities across the county for a day.   The “Chief On The Go” events are spent meeting neighbors and answering your questions.  The events also serve as a great opportunity for residents to meet their district police station command staff.  This month, the Chief is going to do things a bit different in the spirit of the holidays.  The Chief will spend time with area children.
In December, we are hosting two major holiday events, the Cora Rice Christmas Party for Deserving Children and Toys for Tots where the Chief will rub elbows with our younger residents, answer their questions, and deliver too many hugs to count.  For grown ups who would like to participate as volunteers at either of these events, please reach out to Sgt. Dadzie at 301-909-7127.

You can donate a toy at the District VII station or any fire station in the county up until Christmas Day. Thank you so much! We hope to bring smiles to lots of faces this holiday season.

And Here's Another PayPal Phishing Scam You'll Want to Avoid

(Click on the image for the report)

Never login or provide any information to a website that you reach by clicking on a link sent to you by email, no matter how official or authentic it seems. If you get an email warning you about a security issue, pop open a new tab, manually type the company’s URL in yourself, and proceed from there. Treat all links sent to you by email—as well as files, for that matter—with the utmost suspicion, always. 

MD-210 Construction Update

Her Name is Hope: A Good Cop Story

(Click on the image for the CNN report)

Police officer adopts homeless mother's opioid-addicted newborn.
Police officers will often tell you there's no such thing as a routine call when you're patrolling the streets.
But when Albuquerque police officer Ryan Holets responded to a possible theft at a nearby convenience store, it had all the hallmarks of a mundane assignment he could quickly clear from the call log.
It didn't turn out that way.
As Ryan left the convenience store on September 23rd, he noticed out of the corner of his eye a couple sitting on the grass against a cement wall. It appeared the man and woman were shooting up heroin in broad daylight behind the convenience store.
Ryan turned on his body camera and approached the couple but he wasn't prepared for what he saw. The woman was in the middle of injecting a needle into her companion's arm. Then he noticed the woman was pregnant.

Warming Up Your Car in the Cold Just Harms the Engine

(Click on the image for the Popular Mechanics article)

In the thick of winter, the common wisdom is that when you are gearing up to take your truck out in the cold and snow, you should step outside, start up your engine, and let it idle to warm up. But contrary to popular belief, this does not prolong the life of your engine; in fact, it decreases it by stripping oil away from the engine's cylinders and pistons.

Package Thief Caught on Home Surveillance Camera

(Click on the image for the video)

The holiday season is here. Many of us are buying presents and having them delivered to our homes. Unfortunately, this can be a busy time for thieves who steal packages from porches – often in broad daylight. In this home surveillance video, a suspect drives up, walks to the front door of a home and then helps himself to the box that had been delivered there. This happened on November 15th at a home on Westridge Place in Camp Springs.
Here are some suggestions to help stop these types of thieves:

• If possible, pick up the ordered item at the store
• Ship the item to your workplace
• Have a neighbor keep an eye out for the item if you know you won’t be home during the delivery window
• Have the item sent to a friend or family member who is home during normal delivery hours
• If possible, ship the item to an Amazon Locker, UPS Office, FedEx Office or Post Office
• Require a signature at the time of delivery

Anyone with information in the theft highlighted in the video is urged to call the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Regional Investigation Division at 301-794-5064. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), or go online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, or use the “P3 Tips” mobile app (search “P3 Tips” in the Apple Store or Google Play to download the app onto your mobile device.)

Tech Support Scams

(Click on the image for the Federal Trade Commission report)

Some scammers call and claim to be computer techs associated with well-known companies like Microsoft or Apple. Other scammers send pop-up messages that warn about computer problems. They say they’ve detected viruses or other malware on your computer. They claim to be “tech support” and will ask you to give them remote access to your computer. Eventually, they’ll diagnose a non-existent problem and ask you to pay for unnecessary – or even harmful – services.
If you get an unexpected pop-up, call, spam email or other urgent message about problems with your computer, stop. Don’t click on any links, don’t give control of your computer and don’t send any money.
Refund Scams
If you paid for tech support services, and you later get a call about a refund, that call is probably also a scam. Don’t give the person any personal or financial information.
The refund scam works like this: Several months after a purchase, someone calls to ask if you were happy with the service. If you say “No”, the scammer offers a refund. Or, the caller says the company is going out of business and giving refunds. The scammer eventually asks for your bank or credit card account number, or asks for access to your bank account to make a deposit. But instead of putting money in your account, the scammer takes money from your account.
Also see the FBI advice on ‘Ransomware’ Locks Computers, Demands Payment.

What to Know Before Signing Up for a Bundle Deal

(Click on the image for the News4 report)

You order phone, internet, and cable at a good price but when the bill arrives it's much higher.
Learn how you can prevent this from happening to you by watching the News4 report.
The FCC Consumer Complaint Center is here.

Still True

The minutes

Some folks

Save through speed

They never even

Live to need

Burma-Shave

Our Goal Is Zero Deaths on Indian Head Highway

Over the last 10 years an average of 6 lives are lost each year on the Prince George’s portion of MD-210. We aim to get that number down to zero. That’s a big challenge. We’ve had 1,466 crashes, six of them fatal in the first 8 months of this year.
Our government has a major effort working toward that goal. Commander Keleti and his State Police partner, Captain Pickett are using all the resources at their disposal to enforce the traffic laws. You see their effort every day you’re on MD-210. Greg Slater, Administrator of the State Highway Administration, is working on lighting and lane marking improvements.
But they can’t fix the real reason for these fatal crashes.
AAA’s John Townsend referred us to a classic Walt Kelly Pogo comic strip where Pogo says:

Pete Rahn, Maryland Secretary of Transportation, says his grandchild accused him of driving “like a Grandpa”. Safe driving is so unusual that even youngsters recognize that it is different.

A local pastor put it this way (I am paraphrasing): Where drivers need to go is more important to them than other people’s safety. We put our neighbors and friends at jeopardy when we speed. As adults, we should be able to discipline ourselves. Speed cameras are better than for a parent getting a knock on the door to be told their child is never coming home. If you don’t like speed cameras, don’t speed.
Adult drivers: don't speed, are not aggressive, don't drink and drive, and are not distracted drivers.

Please help re-balance the priority placed on life. Drive like a “Grandpa”. You’ll get used to it and it will help reduce your blood pressure.

Zero Deaths on Indian Head Highway and we will all get home safely.

Interested in improving MD-210 safety? Please attend the MD-210 Traffic Safety Meeting  next Monday, Nov. 20, 7 pm at the District VII Police Station.

Buckle Up!

The Dangers of Driving While Distracted

(Click on the image for the Consumer Reports article)

• Five-year-old Moriah Modisette died one Christmas Eve after a distracted driver plowed into the back of her family’s car on a Texas highway, according to police reports.
  Garrett Wilhelm, 20 at the time, was accused of video chatting on his smartphone when traffic ahead of him slowed. The police say he didn’t notice and slammed into the Modisettes’ car at full speed. The force of the collision caused the car to spin, coming to rest facing the wrong direction in traffic.
• Does enforcement make a difference? The police conducted high-visibility enforcement campaigns in Syracuse, N.Y., and Hartford, Conn., in 2010 and 2011. These efforts were paid for, in part, by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The police in Syracuse used roving patrols to spot offenders, and Hartford police used a spotter technique with two patrol cars working together. The percentage of drivers observed to be texting or dialing in Hartford fell to 1.1 percent from 3.9 percent in a little more than a year. Drivers cited for texting tended to commit other violations, such as drifting across lanes or weaving, as a result of their distraction.
  But the final report concluded that motorists were willing to continue texting while driving even while agreeing in surveys that the police should enforce texting restrictions.

Your Life Is Fragile

(Click on the image to see the Nov. Issue of the 'Dispatch' from DPW&T)

Click here to subscribe to the Department of Public Works & Transportation's monthly newsletter.

Safety improvements coming to Indian Head Highway, officials say

(Click on the image for Dick Uliano's WTOP report)

• 1,466 crashes, six of them fatal, along the 21-mile long highway in the first eight months of this year.
• Safety improvements are coming, to reduce the high number of collisions and fatalities along the speed-plagued, crash-prone roadway.
• Speed cameras between Kerby Hill and Palmer Rd (north and south bound) starting Nov 9 with a 21-day warning period.

Toward Zero Deaths

(Click on the image for more information)

Maryland’s traffic safety community has a clear, unified mission – to move the state Toward Zero Deaths. There have been many strides made toward achieving this goal, but there have also been challenges that need to be faced in order to continue making progress.

• Cell phone use is a leading cause of distraction. More than 28,000 people in Maryland are injured each year as a result of distracted driving-related crashes.
• Crashes involving impaired drivers claimed the lives of 856 people over the last five years – 34% of all fatalities in Maryland during that time. Click below for more information.
• One of the most dangerous problems on our roads today is speeding and aggressive driving, which contributes to one-third of all crashes, injuries, and fatalities in Maryland.

Police team up to fight speeding, fatalities on Md. Route 210

(Click on the image for John Domen's WTOP report)

• Since the program started nearly two months ago, “we’ve issued 3,468 citations along the 210 corridor,” said Major James Keleti, acting major In Prince George’s County Police District 7. State Police have also conducted over 175 commercial vehicle inspections.
• “Most of the violations are for excessive speed,” says Keleti. “That and drivers not paying attention.”
• “We’re using officers in the overtime capacity,” says Keleti. “We’re using our on-duty resources. Of course we’re using Maryland State Police to team up with.”
• “Right now we’re going to do it indefinitely,” said Keleti about the enforcement program. “We’re going to continue to target 210 just like we’re going to target all our highways.”

Adam Tuss mentions Saturday's IHHAAC meeting about MD 210 safety in his News4 report, "Thousands of Tickets Issued in Crackdown Along Indian Head Highway"

What a DIY Home Security System Will Cost You After 5 Years

(Click on the image for the Consumer Reports article)

"CR’s experts did the math on systems from the major players. Now all you have to do is decide."

The Newest Ways to Deal With Robocalls

(Click on the image for the Consumer Reports article)

• Know Their Tricks: The latest version of spoofing is what's known as neighbor spoofing. Robocallers transmit a number with the same area code and exchange as your own. "It encourages people to answer the phone because they think it's somebody in their community
• What to Do:
  Use Call Blocking
  Don't Answer Unfamiliar Calls
  Require Caller Input
  Block Anonymous Calls
  Don't Engage
  Don't Blame Your Neighbors

You Can Prevent Theft from Auto

Home Care: How to Give Your Parents the Help They Need

(Click on the image for the Consumer Reports article)

Caregiving is hard work for adult children, and hiring help is costly. These smart strategies can make your tasks easier.

How to Report Water Issues to WSSC

(Click on the image to use the tool)

You will need to create an account the first time.
This is an example of what comes back:

Or call 301-206-4001 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

2017 Snow Summit

(Click on the image for the briefing)

• Park Off the Street
• If You Must Park on the Street, Park on the Even Side of the Roadway
• Never Park on a Snow Emergency Route
• Clear Sidewalks Abutting Your Home (Front, side, & rear)
• Make Sure Students Can Use Your Sidewalk to Get to School!
• Clear Driveways and Mailboxes after Plowing Is Completed
• Stay off Roadways, If Possible
• If You Must Drive – Use Extra Caution
• Bridges, overpasses and cold spots freeze more quickly
• Wait twenty-four (24) hours after the snow stops before calling to request snow and ice removal services
• Double shovel, avoid trouble – shovel a few inches at a time
• If You Earn Money Shoveling Snow – Email TCA with Your Contact Information, the Area You Will Work In, and How Much You Charge (for Those of Us Who Can't Shovel)

Falls Awareness & Prevention Guide

(Click on the image for the guide)

• Each year, one out of three Americans over age 65 falls.
• Falls are the leading cause of injury to seniors in the United States.
• Fortunately, there are many things seniors can do to help prevent falls, and maintain health and independence.
• According to the National Hospital Discharge Survey, more than 90% of hip fractures are caused by falling. Three-quarters of all hip fractures occur in women.
• Approximately 25% of hip fracture patients will make a full recovery; 40% will require nursing home admission; 50% will be dependent upon a cane or a walker; and 20% will die within one year of the fall.

It Can Happen Here Too: Garage door opener burglaries

(Click on the image for  Neal Augenstein's WTOP report)

A rash of burglaries in Loudoun and Prince William Counties had one thing in common: the crook or crooks got into the houses using a garage door opener.
Since Oct. 13, the Loudoun County Sheriff says five burglaries have been reported in the Sterling area, in which residents were home while the suspect used a garage door opener from unlocked cars parked in driveways to gain entry.
Prince William County had several similar residential burglaries Oct. 8, in Manassas. Police say surveillance video captured suspects using garage door openers from unlocked cars to get into the homes.

• Don't leave your garage door opener in your car parked in your driveway! It's a key to your home.
• Double lock the door from your garage to your home.

Reduce the costs of healthcare in Maryland

(Click on the image for more information)

• The Maryland Health Care Commission is providing this cost and quality information so that patients and providers are aware of how cost and quality differs among hospitals.
• With this information everyone in Maryland can join a statewide conversation to better understand the differences in cost and quality that exist, work together to find solutions to reduce those differences, and help patients make the best choices for their care.

Beltway Speed Cameras Net Thousands of Citations

(Click on the image for Adam Tuss' News4 report)

The speed cameras are making the Beltway safer - drivers are slowing down:

	NB Outer Loop	SB Inner Loop	Total
July	12,896	222	13,118
Aug	7,434	11,902	19,336
Sep	2,765	5,316	8,081
Totals	23,095	17,440	40,535

Data from http://safezones.maryland.gov/locations.html

Why You Need To Keep Your Devices Updated!

(Click on the image for the Consumerist article)

• Researchers have discovered and disclosed a massive WiFi vulnerability that puts everyone’s private data at risk. How massive? Basically, if you can read this story, congratulations — you’re almost certainly affected.
• But there is good news: This flaw is patchable.
  Device manufacturers were all notified about the flaw before it was made public, and are working on updates to fix this particular danger. The best thing any home user can do is install security updates as soon as your devices prompt you to, and make sure you keep any computer, phone, or connected device as up-to-date as the manufacturer allows.

Equifax breach may mean scammers can target more seniors

(Click on the image for Michelle Singletary's report in The Washington Post)

• More than two-thirds of caretakers reported that a scammer had targeted their elderly relatives, according to a new survey of more than 1,700 people conducted by the Cooperative Credit Union Association (CCUA), a New England-based trade group. 
• The survey found that, most often, the attempted fraud was initiated with a telephone call. Nearly 22 percent of scam attempts were made via email or another online contact. 
• The CCUA also found that caregivers are worried about their elder relative’s ability to spot a fraud. And they’re right to be concerned. More than a quarter of respondents said that the elders under their care had fallen victim to at least one financial scam.

Read the article for what you can do to help protect an elderly relative.

Officers Proudly Wearing Badges Marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month

(Click on the image to hear Sonya)

It’s estimated that one in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Almost all of us know someone who is either right now or has in the past bravely battled this disease. In a show of our unwavering support to those affected by breast cancer, Prince George’s County Police Officers are proudly wearing pink badges to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Our officers purchased more than 500 of the badges, helping raise more than $2,500 for Susan G. Komen Maryland.

One of our officers, Sergeant Sonya Lancaster, is a breast cancer survivor. Please take a moment to hear her thoughts on the PGPD badges and the effort to raise awareness and funding for those impacted by this disease. We thank Sergeant Lancaster for bravely sharing her story.

On Friday, Chief Hank Stawinski will present a check for the money raised by the sale of the pink badges to a representative of Susan G. Komen Maryland. The presentation will take place at 11:00 am at the “Chief on the Go” event at the National Harbor. We hope residents across the county join us on Friday.

School Employees and Parents Uninformed about the Grade Tampering Hotline

(Click on the image for Tracee's News4 report)

If you want to report what you believe is grade tampering in Prince George's County Public Schools, call 833-535-6103 or email PGCPSSpecialReview@alverezandmarsal.com.

Don't Be a Victim of Gas Station Theft

(Click on the image for the short video clip)

Please take a moment to watch this surveillance video from a gas station in Camp Springs. On the video, a thief sneaks up to a car as the unsuspecting driver is pumping gas. Within seconds, the suspect snatches an item from the front seat and then quietly gets back into the getaway car. Two cars were targeted at this gas station. [More information here.]
[Avoid being a victim of this kind of crime by locking your car doors and keeping your purse with you.]

Russia Has Turned Kaspersky Software Into Tool for Spying

(Click on the image for Shane Harris and Gordon Lubold's report in the Wall Street Journal)

WASHINGTON—The Russian government used a popular antivirus software to secretly scan computers around the world for classified U.S. government documents and top-secret information, modifying the program to turn it into an espionage tool, according to current and former U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter.
The software, made by the Moscow-based company Kaspersky Lab, routinely scans files of computers on which it is installed looking for viruses and other malicious software. But in an adjustment to its normal operations that the officials say could only have been made with the company’s knowledge, the program searched for terms as broad as “top secret,” which may be written on classified government documents, as well as the classified code names of U.S. government programs, these people said.
[You should consider this when you decide on an anti-virus program.]

MGM National Harbor Gaming Floor Expansion

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission approved MGM National Harbor's request to expand their gaming floor to include additional VLTs and table game space on the second floor of the existing building.
MLGCA June 29, 2017 Minutes (see page 6)
MGM Request
MLGCA Staff Memo

2017 Local Development Council Grant Recipients

(Click on the image for the list)