Cobb County Police Department

PENS Bulletin
March 12, 2012

Welcome all, the quarterly PENS meeting for Precinct 2 will be held on March 28, at 7:00 PM in the South Cobb Recreation Center located at 875 Six Flags Drive, Austell, GA 30168. The meeting will be an informative session discussing access to information resources within the Precinct 2 area as well as information on current crime trends, crime prevention tips, and Q & A time.

One of today's most prevalent crimes where victims loose large amounts of money and can be stripped of valuable transportation comes from scams arising from on line advertising sites. These crimes have been recent front page news and well as top stories on the evening news. The real travesty here is not only is there multiple victims involved but many times the same victim is victimized several times due to the loss of purchased stolen items ranging for cell phones to vehicles and everywhere in between. With the difficult economic times we are all facing large losses like the money to pay for a vehicle can be overwhelming for average citizens with little hope of re-cooping the monetary loss even when the criminal is caught. However, the following several paragraphs explore the trends involving this type of loss and several simple ways to avoid becoming a victim.

Crime Trends

One of today’s fastest growing crime trends deals with two types of crime, fraud and auto theft. In other words, the theft of vehicles and their subsequent sale on Internet advertisement sites (such as Craigslist and other billboard type websites). Although auto theft has the one of the greatest risks for large sum losses, fraud and theft can occur with any item or service solicited via Internet sites like these. Additionally, these Internet sites can also include local community sites as well. The Craigslist site provides the following advice on avoiding scams to anyone using their services.

ü Trust your instincts
ü Deal only with local buyers and sellers
ü Never wire funds to a distant buyer, via an electronic funds carrier (such as Western  Union) to purchase a vehicle
ü Be wary if the other party wants to use an escrow service (such as BidPay, Squaretrade, or even PayPal, etc.)
ü NEVER give out personal financial information (eBay or PayPal info, checking account number, SSN, etc.)
ü Always remember the most important rule – BUYER BEWARE

Although Craigslist provides the above stated guidelines, they are not specific to Craigslist. This is just good sound general advice when dealing with on-line purchases and websites. According to Craigslist, the following are the top three warning signs for scams.

Recognizing Scams

ü The buyer or seller doesn’t live near you

ü The buyer of seller wants you to pay by cashier’s check, money order, electronic funds transfer, or escrow service (BidPay, Squaretrade, etc.)

ü The buyer or seller won’t agree to meet with you in person



Here are some final safety tips:

ü Learn as much as possible about the product and seller
ü Understand the seller’s refund and return polices
ü Use a secure checkout and payment process
ü If an offer sounds highly suspicious or “too good to be true”, it probably is

Although we have reviewed some specific types of criminal scams and thefts, here some everyday home security tips to always practice:


Home Security Tips:
- Always keep you doors locked even when home.
- Let trusted neighbors know when you will be out of town and have them periodically check your home.
- Leave lights on inside or have timers set for lights within or outside the home.
- Have your mail picked up by a neighbor or if you are going to be away for an extended period of time, have it held by the Post Office.
- Leave contact information with neighbors for first responders in case of an emergency.
- Don’t leave gifts in a visible location.
- Record serial numbers or other distinctive numbers or markings on valuable electronics, weapons, and jewelry.