(The following is from the Consumer Protection Division of the IA Attorney General’s Office)….

The stories are countless and convincing, but they all have something in common: a stranger or caller you think you know wants you to wire money through money transfer companies such as Western Union or MoneyGram.  These stories often end the same way: you lost the money you wired. Wiring money can be like leaving an envelope of cash on a table.  Once you send money and a stranger picks it up, you can’t get it back.  Recipients can almost always pick up the cash at multiple locations in foreign countries, making it very difficult—if not impossible—to trace.

Never wire money to someone you don’t know or haven’t met in person—even if you think you know the person who called you with a convincing story—even if it sounds like a personal emergency.  Never agree to wiring money after depositing a check.

Common Wire Transfer Scams

• Work at Home Scams: The ad says you can be your own boss as a “secret shopper” who evaluates a money transfer company’s customer service.  Someone sends you a cashier’s check.  You’re supposed to cash it, wire a lesser amount, and keep some for yourself for your time and efforts.  Although the check appears to be legitimate, days later you find out it isn’t—and your bank holds you responsible for the lost funds.

• Lottery & Sweepstakes Scams: Someone contacts you by phone, through the mail, or via the Internet, and claims that you’ve won a lottery or contest.  You’re supposed to deposit a check and pay a processing fee or taxes through a wire transfer.  Again, the check may appear legitimate—but you’ll soon find out it isn’t and you’re on the hook with your bank for the lost money.

• “Grandparent” Scams: A frantic caller—who tries to convince you they’re a relative, government official, or even a defense lawyer—says there’s been an accident, incident or misunderstanding that landed your loved one in jail, the hospital or some other sort of jam.  They tell you they need you to wire money immediately.  No matter how bad it sounds, take time to verify the story.  Ask personal questions that only your loved one would know.  Try to contact other family members, a close friend, or even law enforcement to help you gather the facts.

• Overpayment Scams: Someone responds to an ad you placed, writes a check for more than you asked for, and asks for you to wire the difference (or they may say they have reconsidered and want you to deposit their check and wire a refund).  The check will bounce and you will be out the money.

• Rental Scams: You respond to an ad that advertises a place to rent for a very low price.  The “landlord” claims they are out of the country on business or missionary work.  You wire them the first and last month’s rent.  They’re gone, your money is gone, and so, too, is the place you wanted to rent (which wasn’t theirs to rent to begin with).  You should only deal with local landlords, be suspicious of below-market rental rates, and don’t wire money.

If you wired money and fear or know you’ve been scammed, contact the wire transfer company immediately to report it.  You can report suspected fraud to Western Union’s fraud hotline at 1-800-448-1492, or MoneyGram at 1-800-MONEYGRAM (1-800-666-3947).  Unfortunately, it may be too late to stop or reverse the money transfer, but make every effort.  You should also file a police report, and file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at www.FTC.gov.  You can also file a complaint with the Attorney’s Consumer Protection Division.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors today (Wednesday), acting on orders from the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, agreed to suspend for 30-days, the cigarette & tobacco sales permit for Hansen Valley Oil, located just south of the intersection of Interstate 80 and Highway 71. Auditor Dale Sunderman read a letter from the A-G’s Office which explained the County has no choice but to suspend the businesses’ tobacco sales.

The business was found to have violated for a third time, State law regarding the sale of tobacco to a minor. The owners have paid a civil penalty of $1,500, but because it was the third offense, are required by the State to cease sales of tobacco products for a 30-day period of their choosing. The owners elected to suspend sales beginning at midnight, September 9^th, through Midnight, October 9^th. According to Supervisor Duane McFadden, in addition to complying with the order, the employee or employees responsible for the illegal sale of tobacco has been terminated.

Supervisor Chuck Rieken voiced his protest of the sales suspension, but acknowledged there was nothing that could be done.

In other business, the Cass County Board approved a motion to apply for a grant from the Iowa Department of Public Health in the amount of $4,238, to promote the development, enhancement, implementation or sustainment of, identified Emergency Medical Service (EMS) System Standards, from Sept. 1^st 2013 through June 30^th, 2014. Karen Reason, Coordinator for Cass County EMS, said the grant funds would be divided among the various EMS entities within the county.

Re-live some of the 2013 Cass County Fair on KJAN TV!  CLICK HERE to see the Swine and Beef sales and the Queen/King contest.

w/ Ric Hanson

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w/ Ric Hanson

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Police in Red Oak say a local man was arrested Tuesday evening in the 100 block of East Linden Street. 49-year old Patrick James Colebank, of Red Oak, was charged with Breach of Peace. He was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on $300 bond.

The Council Bluffs Police Department, Tuesday evening, released the name of the man whose body was found by boaters on the Missouri River near the Ameristar Casino in Council Bluffs, Satuday. Officials identified him as 39-year old Andrew T. Edwards, who was a transient. His last known address was at the Open Door Mission, in Omaha.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Starting classes before September would be more difficult under a proposal being considered by the State Board of Education. The Des Moines Register reports the Iowa Department of Education proposed the new rule, which will be considered by the board tomorrow. State law now requires districts to start school no earlier than the calendar week that includes Sept. 1, but most districts seek waivers allowing them to begin earlier.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A robbery suspect has been accused of leading Des Moines police on a car chase before crashing into a garage. The Des Moines Register reports the man led the car chase yesterday afternoon on the city’s east side. Police say the man crashed into a garage then hopped a fence to escape. He was arrested a short time later.

AVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say a Davenport man stole diapers, baby wipes and tequila because he was trying to barter the items for crack cocaine. The Quad-City Times reports 32-year-old Thomas Elmer Reuther is accused of stealing $780 in merchandise from stores in Davenport and Bettendorf between July 19 and July 24.

DECORAH, Iowa (AP) — A northern Iowa man accused of shooting at a group of people last year now faces federal gun charges in the case. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports a criminal complaint against 24-year-old Daniel Wildman, of Cresco, was filed in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids. It says Wildman was prohibited from possessing a firearm during the October incident because of his criminal history.

A Judge in Pottawattamie County has ruled a man from Council Bluffs will serve four-months in prison and three-years of supervised release, in connection with the transporting of stolen truck repair equipment across state lines from Omaha to Council Bluffs.  40-year old Joseph Patrick Connor was sentenced Tuesday by United States District Court Judge John Jarvey, who also ordered Connor to pay restitution amounting to $30,000.

On March 18th, Connor pled guilty to the charge of interstate transportation of stolen property. The charge was the result of an investigation conducted by several law enforcement agencies into the theft of tools from Hatcher Mobile Services of Omaha, Nebraska, taken during a burglary committed on March 20th, 2012. Many of the tools taken during the burglary were recovered from the back of a straight truck found in Council Bluffs,  by the Iowa State Patrol. The value of the tools taken during the burglary was estimated to be over $100,000.

The investigation was conducted by the Omaha Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, the Pottawattamie County Attorney’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

A former Fremont County resident was sentenced Tuesday (July 30th) to prison on tax fraud charges. 55 year-old Robert W. Duncan, formally a resident of Thurman, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge John Jarvey to four years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

Duncan entered a guilty plea on March 12th, 2013, to defrauding the Social Security Administration, filing a false income tax return and making a false statement to a financial institution. Duncan, former owner and auctioneer for Bob Duncan and Associates, was also ordered to pay restitution to the Social Security Administration in the amount of $218,755.10, and to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $42,254.

During the plea proceeding, Duncan admitted that he had defrauded the Social Security Administration by receiving benefits he was not entitled to between 1993 and 2011. Duncan also admitted to the court that he had caused to be filed a false 1040 tax form for tax year 2008 by under reporting his income, and that he had provided false financial documents to Treynor State Bank to obtain a $225,000 loan in 2005.

The investigation was conducted by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigations, Social Security Administration-Office of the Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.