Scams, car prowls, computer theft come under purview of security
General Article
March 15, 2001
Jack Cusack, manager of security for the Hutch, calls
attention to the ongoing efforts of his department and police agencies
throughout Puget Sound to thwart crime in several areas:
Common scams
- A recent e-mail scam purports to be a secret international money-laundering
scheme. The writer of the e-mail message says his Ministry of Trade
& Industry has a huge sum ($24.5 million or $27.5 million, depending
on the version) raised from supplying and installing medical equipment
suspended in a Nigerian bank account. The message offers to pay a
sizeable amount ($3 million or 25 percent of the total, depending
on the version) in exchange for information about and access to the
receiver's bank account. "For the maintenance of personal integrity
and prestige of all persons involved," the transaction must be
confidential, the message says.
- A recent scam is in the form of a mailed one-page solicitation for
a $2,495 subscription to a telecom analysts newsletter. While small
print identifies the solicitation as such, its appearance is that
of an invoice, and it is sent directly to an institution's accounting
office in the hope that it will slip by and be automatically paid.
The official-looking contact information for the person who "ordered"
the service is obtained from the institution's Web site.
- Credit cards are the target of another scam, in which a thief, posing
as an employee, takes one credit card from a purse, as it's not likely
that a single credit card would be missed. The thief notices the phone
extension of the purse owner and immediately goes to a pay phone,
telephones the owner and states that the owner's PIN number has been
given to two people in error. The thief asks the owner to write down
a new PIN number but first asks for the owner's "old" PIN
number. Cusack recommends locking personal effects at all times.
Car thefts
- Cusack said that in the past 14 months, three vehicles have been
stolen from the Day Campus, including one stolen while the owner was
calling 911. In that period, five stolen and stripped cars have been
abandoned on the campus. He said car theft is a citywide problem,
and he warns that thieves can "jimmy" a car-door lock in
less than a minute. There is no pattern to the targeted cars, as the
stolen vehicles have not been limited to recent models. The thefts
tend to be on the perimeter of the campus, but newly installed security
cameras should reduce the incidence of car thefts, he said.
Theft of unopened computers
- It's a fairly common occurrence around the Hutch: A large box, usually
containing computer equipment, is delivered to a department or program,
but there isn't enough room to store it in an office or lab, so it
sits in the hallway. There, it provides a temptation for thieves.
Cusack encourages any such items to be secured at all times, but particularly
in the evening hours. If you see an item that appears to have been
unclaimed and misdelivered, call Hutch security.
Phone harassment
- Cusack said the Center is working with the Qwest (formerly US West)
security office to respond quickly to complaints of harassment or
annoyance by phone. Traces can be placed on a phone quickly to aid
in the apprehension and prosecution of those making such calls, he
said. In the past 14 months, three vehicles have been stolen from
the Day Campus, including one stolen while the owner was calling 911.
There is no pattern to the targeted cars, as the stolen vehicles have
not been limited to recent models.
Center News Table of Contents
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
1100 Fairview Ave. N. PO Box 19024 Seattle, WA 98109
©2009 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, a nonprofit organization.
Terms of Use & Privacy Policy.
