Parking Lot Scam

Sharing the following email with you:

Hi Ladies...Wanted to share this with you b/c is actually just happened a few days ago...in Mississauga....this is not a joke and you need to know..!!

Subject: You always think it will never happen to you but it happened to me....................

Hi everyone.

You know you always get those emails with stories and cautions about things happening in parking lots and to be careful etc. and you always think that it would never happen to you? Well I also thought that until it happened to me.

Yesterday, April 27^th I decided to go to the bank at lunch to get U.S. cash for my vacation starting this Friday. I don’t get travelers cheques anymore as they are a hassle to cash and you always seem to have to keep cashing them just to have cash in your pocket. For a few years now I have only been taking cash.

I went to the branch at Rockwood Mall in Mississauga at just before 12:00 noon and purchased $3,250.00 U.S. At the time I felt uncomfortable having the teller count out all that cash right there at the wicket (and not being too quiet about it either) with customers beside me at other wickets and in line. So I thought when I went out I would carefully take note of my surroundings and immediately went to my car which was close and locked the doors. I was starting to make a quick phone call on my cell and looked up to see a guy in a car beside me honking the horn and motioning to me, I thought he wanted my ideal parking space so waived that I was not yet leaving. Well he was very persistent and kept trying to get my attention. I started to worry as I had all that money on me. He finally got out of his car and yelled to me that he saw someone just slash my passenger rear tire and keep walking. I didn’t even see this guy do that because I was probably dialing the phone. I of course got more concerned and was not going to get out of the car and decided to phone 911. I did not get out of the car until the police came (3 cruisers with the lights flashing) and this guy stayed right there so obviously he wasn’t the “bad guy”.

To make a very long story short, it was two guys working together (no not the guy who told me my tire was slashed). I guess they staked me out at the bank and one of them followed me to the car and walked by and slashed my tire and kept walking. The second guy comes along and tells you that you have a flat tire (this guy came along to the guy who saw it (his name is Tony) and asked him for some money, he was cleverly pretending to be a panhandler and was probably hoping the guy would just keep driving away and then I was a sitting duck). Tony initially wanted to follow the guy who slashed my tire but wanted me to know what happened so he didn’t leave me until he was sure I knew. If Tony hadn’t seen what happened and hadn’t stayed until the police came I would have gotten out of the car when the second guy came along and told me that I had a flat tire and who knows what would have happened, he could have just taken my purse along with my vacation money but more importantly, my identification and credit cards OR I could have been hurt. The police said that I was lucky that all that ended up happening was getting a flat tire.

I was very shaken up by the incident but mostly because I realized how lucky I was that Tony came along and cared enough to do what the did, he said it was just the right thing to do. What could have happened I try not to think about. I cannot thank Tony enough.

I am telling you this because I want you to know that it can happen to you and to be very careful, I always trusted people and think that everyone is good but after this experience I will now be very cautious. So if anyone comes up to you to tell you that you have a flat tire, be very scared and call the police or someone you trust and don’t get out of the car for anything. The police told me that they like to target women in parking lots and this was in broad daylight in the middle of the day in a very busy parking lot and I was only parked about 8 spots away from the mall door.

Please share this with your daughters, sisters, mothers, friends etc. I can happen anywhere. This is not a “story”, it happened to me yesterday.

Diane Viola

--

Credit Card Scam - SCENE 3

Sharing the following email with you:

Credit Card Scam - SCENE 3.

Yesterday I went into a pizza restaurant to pick up an order that I had called in.

I paid by using my Visa Check Card which, of course, is linked directly ? to my checking account.

The young man behind the counter took my card, swiped it, then laid it on the counter as he waited for the approval, which is pretty standard procedure.

While he waited, he picked up his cell phone and started dialing..

I noticed the phone because it is the same model I have, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. ?Then I heard a click that sounded like my phone sounds when I take a picture.

He then gave me back my card but kept the phone in his hand as if he was still pressing buttons.

Meanwhile, I'm thinking: I wonder what he is taking a picture of, oblivious to what was really going on.

It then dawned on me: the only thing there was my credit card, so now I'm paying close attention to what he is doing.

He set his phone on the counter, leaving it open.

About five seconds later, I heard the chime that tells you that the picture has been saved.

Now I'm standing there struggling with the fact that this boy just took a picture of my credit card.

Yes, he played it off well, because had we not had the same kind of phone, I probably would never have known what happened..

Needless to say, I immediately canceled that card as I was walking out of the pizza parlor.

All I am saying is, be aware of your surroundings at all times.

Whenever you are using your credit card take caution and don't be careless.

Notice who is standing near you and what they are doing when you use your card.

Be aware of phones, because many have a camera phone these days.

FORWARD THIS TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN THINK OF. LET'S GET THE WORD OUT!
JUST BE AWARE

--

Never let your card out of your sight.....check and check again!

Credit Card Scam - Scene 2

Sharing the following email with you:

Credit Card Scam - SCENE 2.

A man at a local restaurant paid for his meal with his credit card.

The bill for the meal came, he signed it,and the waitress folded the receipt and passed the credit card along..

Usually, he would just take it and place it in his wallet or pocket. ? Funny enough, though, he actually took a look at the card and, lo and behold, it was the expired card of another person..

He called the waitress and she looked perplexed.

She took it back, apologized, and hurried back to the counter under the watchful eye of the man.

All the waitress did while walking to the counter was wave the wrong expired card to the counter cashier, and the counter cashier immediately looked down and took out the real card.

No exchange of words --- nothing! She took it and came back to the man with an apology.

Verdict:

Make sure the credit cards in your wallet are yours.

Check the name on the card every time you sign for something and/or the card is taken away for even a short period of time.

Many people just take back the credit card without even looking at it, 'assuming' that it has to be theirs.

FOR YOUR OWN SAKE, DEVELOP THE HABIT OF CHECKING YOUR CREDIT CARD EACH TIME IT IS RETURNED TO YOU AFTER A TRANSACTION!

--

Credit Card Scam - Scene 1

Sharing the following email with you:

Credit Card Scam -SCENE 1.

This is a new one. ?

People sure stay busy trying to cheat us, don't they?

A friend went to the local gym and placed his belongings in the locker. After the workout and a shower, he came out, saw the locker open, and thought to himself, 'Funny, I thought I locked the locker. ?

Hmm, ?'He dressed and just flipped the wallet to make sure all was in order.

Everything looked okay - all cards were in place.

A few weeks later his credit card bill came - a whooping bill of $14,000!

He called the credit card company and started yelling at them, saying that he did not make the transactions.

Customer care personnel verified that there was no Mistake in the system and asked if his card had been stolen. ?

'No,' he said, but then took out his wallet, pulled out the credit card, and yep - you guessed it - a switch had been made. ?

An expired similar credit card from the same bank was in the wallet.

The thief broke into his locker at the gym and switched cards.

Verdict: The credit card issuer said since he did not report the card missing earlier, he would have to pay the amount owed to them.

How much did he have to pay for items he did not buy?

$9,000! Why were there no calls made to verify the amount swiped?

Small amounts rarely trigger a 'warning bell' with some credit card companies.

It just so happens that all the small amounts added up to big one!

--

U of T seminar - May 9th 2009

In case you are interested:

The Gitche M'Qua Centre presents:

Mindful Caring: Lessons from Compassion, Neuroscience and Selflessness

May 9th, 2009, 1:30-5:30pm Multifaith Centre, 569 Spadina Ave, U of T

Joan Halifax, Roshi, PhD

$100; Student rates and scholarships available

In this afternoon Joan Halifax, PhD, will share recent scientific findings that reveal what is happening in the minds of those cultivating compassion. By exploring fundamental practices that develop compassion, we investigate how these and other positive qualities give us resilience and may help prevent burnout, so prevalent within caregiving professions. Important new studies in neuroscience are exploring the connection between the brain and compassion, empathy, altruism and other unselfish mental qualities. These studies are giving scientific credence to the fact that compassion and other positive mental states can be intentionally cultivated, and as well these wholesome states of mind seem to effect physical and mental well being. Scientists are also studying the ways in which people can train and change their brains through meditation practices.

This program will explore: what happens in the minds of those who have a great capacity for compassion; recent neuroscience research on compassion and empathy; how compassion effects our mental and physical health; how compassion and attention can be trained and strengthened; the role of relationship-based contemplative interventions in mental well-being and resilience; the application of meditation in care of the dying, work in prisons, and in addressing burnout and secondary trauma; and fundamental practices that cultivate empathy and compassion.

Roshi Joan Halifax, who works closely with the Mind and Life Institute, brings her years of experience with the application of meditation in end-of-life care, work in the prison system, and in medical settings. She is Head Teacher at Upaya Zen Center and Director of the Upaya Institute. Her latest book, "Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death," has been critically acclaimed.

A Booksigning of her latest book with follow.

To register: www.gitchemqua.org

Contact us: 416-651-1846

Email: info@gitchemqua.org

-------- The content of this message does not represent the views or opinions of the University of Toronto.-----------------

--

Marriage humor

Sharing the following email with you:


Wife: 'What are you doing?'
Husband : Nothing.
Wife : 'Nothing...? You've been reading our marriage certificate for an hour.'
Husband : 'I was looking for the expiry date.'

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wife : 'Do you want dinner?'
Husband : 'Sure! What are my choices?'
Wife : 'Yes or no.'
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wife: 'You always carry my photo in your wallet. Why?'
Hubby: 'When there is a problem, no matter how impossible, I look at your picture and the problem disappears.'
Wife: 'You see how miraculous and powerful I am for you!'
Hubby: 'Yes! I see your picture and ask myself what other problem can there be greater than this one?'
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Girl: 'When we get married, I want to share all your worries, troubles and lighten your burden.'
Boy: 'It's very kind of you, darling, but I don't have any worries or troubles.'
Girl: 'Well that's because we aren't married yet.'

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Son: ' Mom, when I was on the bus with Dad this morning, he told me to give up my seat to a lady.'
Mom: 'Well, you have done the right thing..'
Son: 'But mom, I was sitting on daddy's lap.'
____________________________________________________________

A newly married man asked his wife, 'Would you have married me if my father hadn't left me a fortune?'
'Honey,' the woman replied sweetly, 'I'd have married you, NO MATTER WHO LEFT YOU A FORTUNE!'

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Girl to her boyfriend: One kiss and I'll be yours forever .
The guy replies: 'Thanks for the early warning.'

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A wife asked her husband: 'What do you like most in me, my pretty face or my sexy body?'
He looked at her from head to toe and replied: 'I like your sense of humor.'


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Buddhist Joke?

Sharing the following email with you:

A Buddhist Monk, visiting New York City for the first time in twenty years, walked up to a hot dog vendor, handed him a twenty dollar bill, and said, “Make me one with everything.”

The vendor pocketed the money, and handed the Buddhist monk his hot dog. The monk, after waiting for a moment, asked for his change.

The vendor looked at him and said, “Change comes from within.”

With a wishful smile, the monk walked away.

--