Taste of the Caribbean : June 12-14, 2015 @ Hyatt Regency, Miami

FBI Updates April 21, 2015

April 21, 2015 Alert Number I-042115-PSA

HACKTIVISTS THREATEN TO TARGET LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL AND PUBLIC OFFICIALS

Summary

Law enforcement personnel and public officials may be at an increased risk of cyber attacks. These attacks can be precipitated by someone scanning networks or opening infected emails containing malicious attachments or links. Hacking collectives are effective at leveraging open source, publicly available information identifying officers, their employers, and their families. With this in mind, officers and public officials should be aware of their online presence and exposure. For example, posting images wearing uniforms displaying name tags or listing their police department on social media sites can increase an officer's risk of being targeted or attacked.

Many legitimate online posts are linked directly to personal social media accounts. Law enforcement personnel and public officials need to maintain an enhanced awareness of the content they post and how it may reflect on themselves, their family, their employer or how it could be used against them in court or during online attacks.

Threat

The act of compiling and posting an individual's personal information without permission is known as doxing. The personal information gathered from social media and other Web sites could include home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, passwords and any other information used to target an individual during a cyber attack. The information is then posted on information sharing Web sites with details suggesting why the individual should be targeted.

Recent activity suggests family members of law enforcement personnel and public officials are also at risk for cyber attacks and doxing activity. Targeted information may include personally identifiable information and public information and pictures from social media Web sites.

Another dangerous attack often used by criminals is known as “swatting.” This involves calling law enforcement authorities to report a hostage situation or other critical incident at the victim's residence, when there is no emergency situation.

Defense

Defending Against Hacktivism:

While eliminating your exposure in the current digital age is nearly impossible, law enforcement and public officials can take steps to minimize their risk in the event they are targeted.

• Turn on all privacy settings on social media sites and refrain from posting pictures showing your affiliation to law enforcement.
• Be aware of your security settings on your home computers and wireless networks.
• Limit your personal postings on media sites and carefully consider comments.
• Restrict your driver license and vehicle registration information with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
• Request real estate and personal property records be restricted from online searches with your specific county.
• Routinely update hardware and software applications, including antivirus.
• Pay close attention to all work and personal emails, especially those containing attachments or links to other Web sites. These suspicious or phishing emails may contain infected attachments or links.
• Routinely conduct online searches of your name to identify what public information is already available.
• Enable additional email security measures to include two factor authentication on your personal email accounts. This is a security feature offered by many email providers. The feature will cause a text message to be sent to your mobile device prior to accessing your email account.
• Closely monitor your credit and banking activity for fraudulent activity.
• Passwords should be changed regularly. It is recommended to use a password phrase of 15 characters or more. Example of a password phrase: Thisisthemonthofseptember,2014.
• Be aware of pretext or suspicious phone calls or emails from people phishing for information or pretending to know you. Social engineering is a skill often used to trick you into divulging confidential information and continues to be an extremely effective method for criminals.
• Advise family members to turn on security settings on ALL social media accounts. Family member associations are public information and family members can become online targets of opportunity.

Programa Especial sobre Bahia de Cochinos

El canal de información TV Venezuela, con alcance nacional en Estados Unidos, e

internacional atraves de internet, trasmitirá un documental titulado: Bahía de

Cochinos…54 años después, al conmemorarse un año más de la valiente lucha

emprendida por los exiliados cubanos quienes batallaron hace más de medio siglo

para liberar a la isla del yugo impuesto por el régimen Comunista de los Castro.

El programa especial tendrá 3 segmentos; el primero se centra en la primera

reunion para explorar cómo la CIA, recien autorizada por Eisenhower podia ayudar a

la resistencia cubana a liberar a Cuba. A esta reunion, convocada por Benjamin C.

Evans, oficial destacado en la Embajada en Cuba, asistieron Angel Fernandez

Varela, Jose Ignacio Rasco y Oscar A. Echevarria; en ella se inicia el proceso que

culmina con la invasión de Playa Girón. Echevarria, el único sobreviviente, de

manera inedita narra los detalles y muestra los ayuda memoria escritos tras ella.

En el segundo segmento contará con el testimonio de tres veteranos de esta

incursión militar, Eduardo Zayas Bazán, Humberto Díaz Arguelles y Pedro Roig

quienes describirán sus vivencias y el por qué la operación no tuvo el éxito

esperado.

Para finalizar el programa analizará las repercusiones negativas que aun hoy se

hacen sentir en el mundo tras la derrota de los exiliados cubanos y la consolidación

en el poder de Fidel y Raúl Castro. El análisis estará a cargo de Eduardo A. Palmer,

productor de televisión, quien fue testigo de excepción y documento para la

Television, algunas de las guerras y alzamientos producidos en otras naciones bajo

la influencia del régimen castrista.

A través de documentos inéditos, testimonios exclusivos e imágenes históricas TV

Venezuela pretende llamar la atención sobre un hecho trascendental en la historia

de América y alertar sobre la importancia de que no sea olvidada esta lucha por la

libertad y la democracia de las naciones del mundo.

El programa será trasmitido el día viernes 17 a las 10.30 pm en TV Venezuela, el

Sabado a las 9.30 am y 9pm y el domingo 19 a las 9.30 . Si quiere ser testigo de

este documental histórico puede sintonizarlo a través de DirecTV Canal 409; Cable

Comcast Canal 654; Time Warner Canal 823 y Advance Cable Comunications

Canal 411.

Si se encuentra fuera de Estados Unidos puede verlo a través del link:

www.tvvenezuela.tv

TAX RETURN FRAUD (FBI Public Service Announcement)

April 02, 2015 Alert  Number

I-040215-PSA 

TAX RETURN FRAUD

Criminals are proficient in stealing the personally identifiable information (PII) of individuals to facilitate various fraud activities, including using stolen identity information to file fraudulent tax returns. Once the fraudsters obtain victim PII, they electronically file tax returns and set up pre-paid debit cards or bank accounts to route fraudulent returns. The balances on the pre-paid cards and bank accounts are depleted shortly after the tax refund is issued.

The fraudsters utilize multiple methods to obtain the information needed to file a tax return. The most popular methods include: computer intrusion, the online purchase of stolen PII, the recruitment of insiders who have legitimate access to sensitive information, the physical theft of computers that contain PII, the impersonation of Internal Revenue Service personnel, and the aggregation of information that is obtained through multiple publicly available Web sites.

Recent open source reporting indicates that cyber criminals also target and compromise legitimate online tax software accounts of individuals. Cyber criminals conducting this scheme modify victims’ bank accounts to divert transfers to bank accounts or pre-paid cards under their control.

Victims who filed complaints with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reported they discovered they were victims of tax refund fraud when they tried to file a return and were notified by the Internal Revenue Service that their Social Security Numbers had already been used to file a tax return. One individual reported that due to an error in direct deposit account information submitted on his return, he was issued a check. However, the victim had not yet filed a return. Others reported before they filed their return, they received notification that their returns were being audited or were under review.

A recent investigation identified a tax refund fraud ring responsible for filing approximately 644 fraudulent tax returns totaling over $1.9 million in attempted fraud. Using fraudulently obtained PII, the fraudsters submitted tax returns and requested the funds be deposited into bank accounts under their control. The group recruited college students to open accounts to collect the tax refund monies. The students withdrew funds via ATMs and counter withdrawals. The students then passed the majority of the funds to another group member and kept a portion of the refund as payment for the use of their bank accounts to conduct the scheme.

This type of fraud is a growing concern as the number of complaints filed with the IC3 has doubled from 2013 to 2014.

If you believe you have been a victim of this scam, you should reach out to your local IRS or FBI field office, and you may file a complaint with the IC3 atwww.IC3.gov. Please provide any relevant information in your complaint.

Tips to protect yourself:

• Monitor your credit statements for any fraudulent activity.
• Report unauthorized transactions to your bank or credit card company as soon as possible.
• Review a copy of your credit report at least once a year.
• Be cautious of scams requiring you to provide your personal information.
• Do not open email or attachments from unknown individuals.
• Never provide credentials of any sort via email. This includes clicking on links sent via email. Always go to an official website.
• If you use online tax services, double check to ensure your bank account is accurately listed before and after you file your tax return.
• Ensure accounts that are no longer being utilized are properly deleted or scrubbed of sensitive information. Allowing online accounts to become dormant can be risky and make you more susceptible to tax fraud schemes.

Center for Hemispheric Policy, UM : The Economic Outlook for Argentina: April 21, 2015

The Economic Outlook for Argentina Perspectives on Argentina’s Economy by Chief Economists from a Leading Economic Think Tank in Buenos Aires Unstable Scenarios Ahead Juan Luis Bour Executive Director and Chief Economist Fundación de Investigaciones Económicas Latinoamericanas (FIEL) Buenos Aires, Argentina Frankenstein’s Undoing: Energy Subsidies Fernando Navajas Chief Economist  FIEL Buenos Aires, Argentina  Challenges and Opportunities for the Next Administration Daniel Artana Chief Economist FIEL Buenos Aires, Argentina Tuesday, April 21, 2015 Location: Westin Colonnade Coral Gables Time: 8:15 –  8:30 a.m. - Registration and Continental Breakfast Gables Salon 180 Aragon Avenue 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. - Presentations and Discussion  (Please note later start time) Supporting Organizations: Beacon Council, CAMACOL, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise Florida, Inc., Georgetown University Club of Miami, Haitian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida, OWIT (Organization of Women in International Trade) - South Florida, Oxford University Society of Florida, University of Miami Center for International Business and Education Research (CIBER),  Uruguayan American Chamber of Commerce (Florida) Inc. and Venezuelan-American Chamber of Commerce Media Partners:  AméricaEconomía, Hispanic Target Magazine, Latin American Herald Tribune, Latin Business Chronicle, LATIN TRADE, Latinvex and WorldCity                                                                Program Fee:  $40; Academics and students – free admission with valid ID Two ways to register: 1)      To register and pay by check, cash or as a guest (academics and students with valid I.D.): Email registration form to chp-rsvp@miami.edu or fax registration form to (305) 284-9871. Payment by check:  Make check payable to Center for Hemispheric Policy. Mail check with registration form to: Center for Hemispheric Policy; P.O. Box 248297; Coral Gables, FL 33124-6535. Cancellation Policy: By email, fax or telephone, by 12:00 p.m., Monday, April 20, 2015. 2)      To register and pay by credit card:  Submit your registration and credit card information by clicking on the “Register and Pay with Credit Card” link for this program listing on the CHP website. Cancellation and Credit Card Refund Policy: Registration fees are refundable by sending the “Cancellation Request Form” by email or fax by 12:00 p.m., Monday, April 20, 2015. No refunds will be issued after that time. Credit card refunds are processed within two weeks. For more information, please call Michael Graybeal at (305) 284-9918, or visit our website at www.miami.edu/chp. Registration Form (286) The Economic Outlook for Argentina — Tuesday, April 21, 2015 Name                                                                                                Title   Company Address  City                                                                                                  State                                    Zip Telephone                                                                                       Fax                                       Email Payment method:                                                                           by mail                                 at door

eNotice will be the Electronic Distribution of Notices of FDA (FCBF)

Electronic Distribution of Notices of FDA Action via eNotice As our efforts to improve communications with industry and facilitate trade continue, we are happy to inform the local implementation of a system to send filer notices electronically via email. Participation in this program is in a voluntary basis which can be opted out at any time by either party. We encourage however as much participation as possible. Be aware that we will be moving to a different location soon. this move will preclude us from being able to deliver filer notices to the broker boxes at the CBP Cargo Clearing Center (CCC). Once we move to the new location, notices addressed to filers not participating in eNotice will be sent via regular mail. Those filers that decide to opt-in will have to complete the attached forms with the information requested and return and return them via email to floridaimportcompliance@fda.hhs.gov . Importers and Consignees may not participate in eNotice at this time. Please make sure that you share the information herein immediately with your costumers, brokers of FDA regulates products in general and all those interested parties.  eNotice Communication to FCBF 4-3-2015 doc FLA-DO E-Notice Application Form Sincerely, Facundo Bernal Director Import Operations Branch Florida District