Beware & Protect Yourself 01 (May 08 - Dec 08)

[winston]

iPod nano fire-risk warning

Japan yesterday warned users of Apple iPod nanos of a potential fire risk after more cases of portable music players overheating.

The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry had two reports of minor fires in Tokyo caused by overheating iPod nanos this month.

There were no injuries and the cause was unclear.

An investigation started in March after an Apple iPod nano sent out sparks. By official count, Apple Computer has been notified of 14 similar cases in Japan.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

[winston]

The Hidden Poison in Your Wineglass
By Kelley Herring

You've heard quite a bit about the health benefits of red wine. Not long ago, Dr. Sears told you about its anti-aging benefits, and I wrote about its ability to protect against two health-harming byproducts of fat digestion.

But if you're a wine drinker, there's something you should know: You may be exposing yourself to high levels of fluoride. This dangerous chemical has negative effects on the brain, thyroid, pineal gland, kidneys, and reproductive organs.

So how does fluoride get into wine? Via cryolite - a fluoridated pesticide predominantly used on California grapes.

Researchers from California State University conducted a five-year study of vineyards throughout the San Joaquin Valley. They found fluoride levels between 3 and 6 ppm (parts per million) in Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chenin Blanc, Thompson seedless, Barbera, Muscat Candi, and Ruby Cabernet grapes. Fluoride levels were between 6 and 9 ppm in French Colombard and Zinfandel grapes.

At 6 ppm, one glass of wine (175 ml) would deliver as much fluoride as about a liter of "optimally fluoridated" water!

The solution? Choose organic wine grown without pesticides to reduce your exposure to fluoride and other compounds that promote disease.

[winston]

Hong Kong Credit Card Scam
By thomascrampton â‹…

A Taiwanese journalist based in Hong Kong fell for a credit card scam in Hong Kong. Shows the danger of letting down your guard.

========================================

Dear friends,

A criminal gang has stolen money from my bank account and I hope the same experience would not occur to any of you in future.

I received a call on my mobile phone at about 510pm this Monday from someone posing as a security officer from my bank, Standard Chartered.

He told me (in English since I don’t speak cantonese) someone found my bank card and returned it to the bank that afternoon. Till then, I had no idea my card was lost. It could be stolen from my wallet (wherein I put only one bank card, a business card and a few hundred dollars) probably over the weekend when I was on a crowded MTR train. The last time I used the card was a week ago and I took ferry and taxis for my daily commute.

Since I was in the middle of another meeting at the time and asked for his number to call back. He said he’ll call me back. After the meeting, I checked my wallet and found indeed my bank card was missing. At the point, this guy called me again. He said he needed to cancel my card but had to identify whether I was the owner. He said he would give me a password for me to withdraw cash from the bank’s branches before i received the new card on Friday and asked me to key in my pin no on the phone. I was off guard because he got my mobile no, and also because even though I am not a fan of EPS, I constantly saw people key in their pin on a machine to make purchases, which looks safe. I was also distracted by all the meetings and work.

After I punched my pin on the phone pad, I realized there was something wrong because this guy read out the number out and tried to verify the number whether it was right. And it was. I asked for his name and phone number at this point. I dialed that number right away after hanging up and that was a dead line.

I was panic and tried to find Standard Chartered’s service hotline on the computer in front of me. It took me a few minutes to get the number because the section “contact us” on the bank’s website goes to an email- form for customer to fill in. There was also on another page listing a phone number for new products but not a customer hotline. By the time I reached the bank, probably about 5-10 minutes later, and explained to the woman that I needed to cancel my card and verified all my personal information, there already were three transactions made on my bank card, two withdrawals of cash, each the limit of HK$10,000, but the third was near HK$50,000 made on an EPS purchase.

The next day, I found out from the bank, that even though there is daily limit for cash withdrawal from an ATM machine, there is not any limit whatsoever on EPS purchases and that I could not even reject the EPS service on a bank card. It is a compulsory part of the bank card
functions.

I also learnt from the police the next day that, other cases involving theft of bank cards found the criminal gang called you on your mobile and told you someone was using your card now and they needed you to key in the pin to identify whether you were the rightful owner, not the other person. I am not sure exactly how they found out my mobile number.

It could be from my old bz card (which was in my wallet at the time). But I think more likely, they can just buy the data from any low-level sale people working with a phone company and simply send their own people to work there. Other cases, according to that policeman, had some gang members stalking you after stealing your card and somehow, they managed to get hold of your number.

This is a lesson for me how not to trust the bank and their services and to be more careful about protecting my own financial data. Please be vigilant yourself. Hong Kong is no longer as safe as we think it is.

[winston]

Maple Leaf expects meat recall to cost $19 million

TORONTO (Reuters) - Maple Leaf Foods Inc said on Sunday it expects a direct cost of about C$20 million ($19 million) from a recall of contaminated meat linked to an outbreak of food poisoning that has killed at least four people in Canada.

Health authorities said on Saturday genetic tests had determined that a Toronto plant operated by Maple Leaf was the source of meat contaminated with listeria bacteria.

The company, one of Canada's biggest meat processors, had been considered the likely source and had already recalled about 20 products that were manufactured at the plant in June.

That recall was extended on the weekend to include all 220 or so products manufactured at the plant, making it one of the biggest food recalls ever in Canada.

So far, 21 cases of listeriosis have been confirmed in four provinces, and the same strain has been detected in the four people who have died.

A further 30 cases are under review, but health officials said on Sunday that no other plants were under investigation.

The Toronto plant, which has been closed for sanitization, is one of 23 operated by Maple Leaf.

The company said the C$20 million pre-tax cost forecast was based mainly on estimates of the cost of reimbursement for returned products and for factory sanitization. The costs will be included in results for the third quarter ending September.

"The company may incur future costs related to increased advertising and other consumer communications and may experience reduced sales for a period of time," it said.

Maple Leaf Chief Executive Michael McCain told a news conference on Sunday he expected the Toronto plant to reopen on Tuesday after completion of sanitization procedures.

"It's clear that the confidence in Maple Leaf and our brand has been shaken and I feel very badly about that..." he said.

"(But) I do believe that if we fundamentally do the right thing ... if we act in the interest of public health, over time, I hope, that we can rebuild that confidence."

Listeriosis is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, the elderly, infants, and people with weak immune systems. Three deaths were in Ontario and one was in British Columbia.

Health authorities said it was likely more cases would be discovered as the onset of symptoms of listeriosis can occur up to 70 days after contaminated food is consumed.

Maple Leaf is already being hurt by soaring grain and fuel costs. The company reported a second-quarter loss of C$9.35 million, compared with a loss of C$1.7 million a year earlier, on sales of C$1.4 billion.

Maple Leaf shares dropped 4.6 percent to C$9.80 on Friday.

[winston]

Fake Checks by Jenni Thompson

If you receive a check for a large amount of money from a stranger and you're asked to return part of the payment right away – beware. Chances are you're getting scammed.

This swindle takes several forms. You may receive a check that overpays for a rental property you've advertised, and you'll be asked to send the balance to cover the overpayment. Or maybe you've posted something on eBay and a buyer "mistakenly" sends you a check that's much higher than the amount required.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) has intercepted more than $2 billion in counterfeit checks involved in such scams.

A Good Morning America report about this scheme featured the tragic story of a young woman who needed money to pay medical bills. She received $90,000 as the winner of a European lottery (which she had not entered), and was asked to return a substantial amount to cover taxes and fees. She deposited the $90,000, the check cleared, and she sent off a check for $40,000. Her bank later informed her that the first check was returned for insufficient funds and she was unable to retrieve her $40,000. In despair, she committed suicide.

This con game has victimized so many people that the USPIS has launched a consumer awareness campaign. You can read more details about how this scam is perpetrated and how to defend yourself against it at this website: fakechecks.org

[millionairemind]

Not sure if you guys heard of the scam that some chinese (not sure if local or overseas) calling to tell you that your son/daughter is kidnapped.

My neighbour just got a call from some crooks this afternoon that scared the hell out of her. She had to call her husband back from work urgently and she told us that the crooks actually used some back ground noise and screams like "mama, help me" to create confusion.

The lucky thing was that her 13 yr old son came back about 1hr after she received the call and her husband rushed back home.

Be careful... too many crooks in Singapore...sigh..

[kennynah]

ya...i hear say of such extortions as well.... scary, man...

in this case, one immediate thing to do was to ring up the school's principal and ask for a physical check if the son was there.

now, your neighbour must immediately report this to the police and insist on a trace of that call.... the telcos can do this, despite their denial...i know this for a fact. the only reason they do not accede to public request is that it is a non-profit action...and hence will only comply if the authorities demand they do so...

[winston]

It's Fun to Know: Bulletproof Haute Couture

Miguel Caballero is making millions as the first designer to introduce a line of fashionable bulletproof (and sometimes stab-proof) clothing. Customers can invest in coats, business suits, leather jackets, and dress shirts made with protective panels that can stand up to a bullet from a 44 magnum handgun, a mini-Uzi, or an AK47. To give you an idea of price, a polo shirt capable of deflecting a bullet from a 9 mm automatic goes for $7,500.

Some of Caballero's high-profile clients include King Abdullah of Jordan, President of Venezuela Hugo Chavez, and actor Steven Segal.

(Source: CNN.com)

[HengHeng]

wah steven segal 7th dan black belt aikido still need ah ? He go middle east become mercenary ?

[winston]

Slimming product warning

The Department of Health has issued a warning against a slimming product called "Ener Day" which was found to contain an undeclared drug ingredient with potentially serious side effects.

The warning was issued after investigations into a report of a 21-year-old woman who was admitted to Caritas Medical Center in July for loss of consciousness.

She was found to have taken the product supplied by a slimming center called Perfectshape (Holdings) in Tuen Mun.

Laboratory tests showed the product contained sibutramine, a Western medicine commonly used for slimming.

Sibutramine may cause an increase in blood pressure and pulse rate. The medicine can only be sold on a doctor's prescription.

STAFF REPORTER