Knoxville Private Investigator Blog Moving

I’m moving the host of this blog to my website.  The new blog location is: www.StricklandPI.com/blog.

 Bear with me for a few days as I try to make a smooth transition.  There’s a few new posts already up.

2008 Insurance Fraud Fighting Resolutions

The Barry Zalma’s Insurance Fraud Letter has started 2008 off with a bang, an opening shot at combating insurance fraud.  You can read the entire article here.

He writes:

  “As the US economy slows and the value of the dollar drops people turn to insurance fraud as a “safe” crime where their financial problems can be cured. Arson for profit, fake thefts, fake injuries all grow logarithmically as it becomes more difficult to earn an honest living.” 

 Zalma puts forth a ten point plan to fight this growth. Zalma also talks about Cardozo law professor, Lester Brickman’s, 12/16/07 Wall Street Journal editorial in which Brickman takes issue with the DOJ, as follows:

“The defects of the U.S. Department of Justice have been the subject of much commentary. But the allegations of incompetence or worse pale when compared to the free pass it has given to doctors and lawyers to commit mass tort fraud, exceeding $30 billion in the past 15 years.”“A comparative handful of doctors and technicians are responsible for the vast majority of bogus medical tests and diagnoses.” “To indict and prosecute those responsible would require testimony from other doctors that the mass-produced diagnoses cannot have been rendered in good faith.”

From the Zalma Insurance Fraud Letter:

“The lawyers sponsoring these screenings have paid over $100 million for medical reports to support the 700,000 or more claims generated by these screenings. There is compelling evidence, that the vast majority of these medical reports, including chest X-ray readings, echocardiograms, pulmonary function tests and diagnoses were bogus.”

I wrote a blog entry recently about CXS Railroad asbestosis cases which illustrates the type of fraud Zalma and Brickman are talking about.  In it the doctor would sometimes see patients at the rate of one per minute, he admitted to not physically examining patients, and first he diagnosed 1807 patients with asbestosis only and then later re-diagnosed the same 1807 for silicosis as well.  As if having a doctor rubber stamp the diagnosis weren’t easy enough, one case completely fabricated a diagnosing doctor that didn’t even exist.

Zalma theorizes the reason that nothing is being done is that “insurance companies are just not sufficiently likeable victims.”

For my plaintiff clients and readers, the Esoteric Appeal blog offers the following commentary on the subject:

“My question, though, is in an adversarial system, where these diagnoses aren’t submitted to insurance companies, or medicare, can it really be fraud? The idea is to prove if there really is asbestosis, and if there is to prove who caused it. How can one party trying to prove their case be fraudulent?”

“Now, if it were fraudulent, and as a result, false claims were made to governmental entities, or other groups which can result in prosecution, then I say go for it, but you still have the problem of dueling experts. In short, I don’t think you can prosecute fraud that’s wholly contained in the adversarial process.”

S.P.I. is a full service investigation firm specializing in insurance fraud detection via medical record canvasses and provides medical record reviews for both plaintiff and defense clients.

Seeking Public Input Regarding Daycare Investigations

I’m looking at the type of services I plan to offer this year and can’t deny there has been an interest in my blog entries about daycare investigations.  So I’m testing the market.

If you would be interested in purchasing background report(s) on Knox County, TN daycares, please email me with “Daycare” in the subject line.  I haven’t got this completely ironed out yet but the report would include complaints against the licensed daycare.  Depending on the interest level I may even set up a subscription database where the subscriber can search multiple daycare facilities.

Knoxville, this is the Knoxville Private Investigator Blog J so let me know what services you would like to see offered or what topics you’d like me to cover.  

As Simple as Accountability

As I’m thinking about last year I remember a conversation I had with a North Carolina businessman.   He was trying to find out more about the investigations field and my particular business.  I was explaining some of the cases I had worked on from checking out a priest to determining whether a business was engaged in fraud or just extremely poor business practices, and my insurance fraud detection services.  After explaining a few cases he summed it up in a way I hadn’t really thought of before, he said, “it’s like you’re an accountability investigator.”  

 

I guess it really is that simple.  If everyone did what they were supposed to, people didn’t hurt children, spouses held their marriage vows sacred, businesses acted in the best interests of their customers and employees, claimants always were truthful, basically if everyone always treated everyone else with respect, no one lied or cheated, and everyone was simply accountable for their actions, then there probably wouldn’t be some 60,000 private investigators in the U.S. alone.  

Move Cases Quicker by Managing Medical Records

Another timely article for law firms looking to re-evaluate practice for 2008, was originally posted 3/27/07 at Trial Lawyer Resource Center by plaintiff’s attorney (and avid blogger) David Swanner, Why It’s So Hard to Move Cases.  Swanner analyzes the just one thing left phenomenon, something his friend termed “Litigation Constipation.”  Swanner, if you’ve read any of his blog entries before you would know, ever the analytical one breaks it down well. 

What struck me with his break down was nearly everything had to do with a medical record aspect as follows:

• Waiting on Records from a Doctor’s Office – They’ve sent 2–3 letters and called and called, but can’t get a response or records from that office.
• Waiting on Bills from an Office – The doctor’s office uses a third party billing service halfway across the country and they can’t get anyone to respond. (This one, I really don’t understand because the bills are on the computer and they can print and fax them to you, and it helps them get paid).
• Waiting on an Expert’s Report – an FCE, IME, vocational consultant or other experts report. Where the client has gone for an evaluation, but the report isn’t in yet.
• Waiting for a Specific Medical Report – We have the medical records in for that doctor, but when we’ve compared the medical records to the medical bills, there are a few dates of treatment missin[g].

Having worked for 12 years in the litigation field for both civil trial and insurance defense attorneys, I would say this is a fairly common scenario.  As I often say when trying to explain how I came up with the concept of medical record canvasses, through my experience I concluded that the medical records were both the place to turn for the most useful case facts and yet often the most time consuming and expensive part of the litigation process. 

 My firm, S.P.I., specializes in insurance fraud detection via medical record canvasses and medical record reviews.  If you are an insurance adjuster or attorney (plaintiff or defense) you can turn to S.P.I. for medical record acquisitions and accurate summaries.  S.P.I. performs medical record canvasses nationwide, and while S.P.I. would love to work with local Knoxville attorneys (plaintiff or defense) to make their medical record acquisitions and summaries efficient, with today’s technology this aspect can be managed from afar as well.  

Not Fraud To Claim Injuries Were From One Car Accident When They Were Really From Another

This entry should be interesting to insurance defense attorneys and insurance adjusters.  It came from Rogak Report Newsletter which I subscribe to.  The full name of the newsletter is:  The Rogak Report: The Most Useful Publication In The Insurance Claims Industry.   The insurance defense attorney who writes it, Lawrence Rogak is based in New York, therefore all the cases come out of New York courts but it is still a very informative free report.    

The following is Rogak’s case analysis including the comment which sums it all up perfectly.

Westchester Medical Center a/a/o Mercedes Diaz; New York University Hospital Rusk Institute a/a/o Mayva Ocasio; St. Vincent’s Hospital of Richmond a/a/o Joseph Briggs v. Auto One Insurance Company, 2007 NY Slip Op 34134(U) (Supreme Court, Nassau County) (Judge: James P. McCormack) (Edited by Lawrence N. Rogak)

The Supreme Court decided three motions for summary judgment in this multi-cause- of-action no-fault suit.

With regard to the New York Hospital claim, Mayva Ocasio was treated at New York University Hospital Rusk Institute from July 14, 2006 through July 16, 2006 for injuries arising out of a automobile accident that occurred on July 14, 2006.  The hospital billed Auto One on August 14, 2006 for $15,183.81 by first class and certified mail which was received on August 16, 2006. On September 8, 2006 a request for further verification was mailed by the defendant to the plaintif hospital requesting complete hospital records. The records were received by defendant on October 3, 2006 and a check was forwarded in the amount of $3,860.94 to plaintiff on October 6, 2006. Defendant claims that plaintif is only entitled to $3,880.94, not the $5,183.11 billed, claiming that plaintiff biled under the DRG Code for the Hospital for Joint Diseases, not New York University Hospital.

The amount payable under the DRG Code for New York University Hospital is $3,860.94.  The Hospital claimed that Auto One’s failure to issue a denial of claim form precludes it from raising a defense that the DRG rate was incorrect and, in any event, the defendant is wrong as they computed payment using DRG Code for the New York University Hospital Tish Institute ($3,860.94) and not the New York Hospital University Hospital Rusk Institute ($5,183.81). 

The Court held, “An insurance carrier’s failure to deny a claim within thirty (30) calendar days is generally precluded from asserting a defense against payment of the claim.  If an insurer seeks additional verification, however, the thirty (30) day window is tolled until it receives the relevant information. Further, case law consistently holds that a carrier’s failure to seek verification or object to the adequacy of claim forms pursuant to 11 NYCRR 65-3.5 precludes it from interposing any defenses based on such deficiencies. Here, defendant failed to timely deny or object to plaintiff claim or the DRG Code used in its form even after the verification was provided.  Further, based upon the proofs submitted by plaintiff, it appears to ths Court’s satisfaction that the amount and codes employed in the billing form corresponds to the correct medical provider. Accordingly, plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment as to this claim is granted in all respects.”

In regard to the St. Vincents Hospital claim, Briggs received treatment from Juy15, 2006 to July 17, 2006 as a result of an auto accident that occurred on July 14, 2006. Plaintiff hospital billed defendant insurance carrier on October 4, 2006 using a Form N-F5 and UB-92 in the amount of $3,274.20.  This bill was received by defendant on October 6, 2006. The defendant denied this bill on December 12, 2006 and on February 28, 2007 claiming fraud was commtted by Briggs. The denial of claim form states, “Injuries are not casually related to the loss of July 14, 2006. A statement taken from Joseph Briggs on November 4, 2006 verified injuries sustained are related to the accident of July 15, 2006. Therefore, all no fault benefits are denied.” 

“Defendant claims that in a sworn statement, the assignor, Joseph Briggs, stated he was in a low impact rear-end collsion on July 14, 2006 with another vehicle wherein he was transported to the hospital and released a short time later. The following day, July 15, 2006, Briggs was alleged to be in a more serious accident when he crashed into a tree after falling asleep at the wheel sustaining more serious injuries for which he failed to notiy the defendant carrier and attibuted the subsequent medical treatment to the July 14, 2006 accident in order to bulk up his personal injury lawsuit.   The defendant carrier disclaimed no-fault coverage based on Briggs’ alleged fraudulent concealment of the second accident and while attributing his injuries to the first accident.”

“As stated previously, an insurer s failure to payor deny a claim withi thrty (30) days will generally result in the insurer being precluded from asserting a defense against payment of the claim. There is, however, a recognzed narrow exception to this preclusion remedy for situations where an insurance company raises a defense of lack of coverage. In those instances, an insurer who fails to issue a timely disclaimer is not prohibited from later raising the defense because the insurance policy does not contemplate coverage in the first instance, and requiring payment of a claim upon failure to timely disclaim would create a coverage where it never existed.  Here, there is no dispute that there existed coverage for Briggs whether for injuries sustained in the accident on July 14, 2006 or July 15, 2006. In this Court’ s view, the fact that Briggs may have misrepresented or failed to notify the defendant of his subsequent accident one day later, does not implicate a lack of coverage warranting exemption from the preclusion rule. Indeed, in the defendant’s denial of claim form, the word ‘fraud’ is absent and states simply that the injuries for which treatment was biled was ‘not causally related to the loss of July 14, 2006.’ As the denial was well beyond the thirty (30) days of receipt of the NF-5 and UB-92 form, defendant insurance carrier is precluded from interposing a defense.  Accordingly, as to this third cause of action, plaintiff motion for summary judgment is granted in all respects and defendant’s cross motion to dismiss is denied.”

Comment: It doesn’t constitute fraud to claim that one’s injuries resulted from a different, unreported accident, even when the claimant admits he did so in order to “bulk up” his personal injury suit from the very minor accident that was reported?  That’s not fraud?  Hello?  Is anybody home?

S.P.I. is a full service investigative firm specializing in insurance fraud detection via medical record canvasses and medical record reviews.  If you are an insurance adjuster or insurance defense firm looking to make your medical record process more efficient, or seeking an alternative means to surveillance for insurance fraud detection please contact S.P.I.

New Year’s Resolutions and Your Law Firm

If your law firm is making resolutions for change in the New Year here are some suggestions written by Robert Schwartz titled The Better, Smarter Way. 

Civil laws have changed nationwide in the last decade, and some of those changes were dramatic. On the surface, those changes appeared primarily only to effect consumer’s rights of redress and access to the courts. The secondary, trickle down effect has been on the legal system itself. From the trial courts to the lawyers trying cases, to the firms financing of those trials, the landscape has changed.

Only those lawyers and law firms that can change will survive, and that change is, simply put, finding the better, smarter way to do what they have been doing.A law firm’s expenses and overhead is supported by its revenue. Its revenue is generated by generation of attorneys’ fees on an hourly billing or contingency fees basis. The changes in civil laws have negatively affected the number of lawsuits filed, and in many cases, the value of or expected recovery from those lawsuits.

As the lawyer’s and law firm’s fees decrease, the expenses must too decrease. Many lawyers have been laid off. The very lucky lawyers have made lateral moves in the legal community, and many lawyers have simply quit the practice by retiring or changing occupations.For those lawyers and law firms who want to maintain the course, they must find the better, smarter way. Once identified, they must universally embrace it, implement it, and support it. Those who can not do this must be terminated.

So, what is the better, smarter way? It is upgrading technology and minimizing expenses. Some examples are found in the table below.

Upgrading Technology

Copy/scanning equipment

Fax equipment

Replace cell phones with BlackBerry/PDA

Centralize travel by having one person do all travel on-lineInstall

Video Conferencing equipment

Install the case/firm management software that best suits all of your law firm’s needs

Upgrade all computer equipment, memory, and exchange server

Install a multi-level back-up system for all electronic data

Utilize telephone answering technology that directs incoming calls, alleviating the need for two or three people answering incoming calls

Install software to simplify information access making it easy and on-demand from wherever users are, using any device and network

Utilize website services such as The Attorney Store that provides the most comprehensive source of legal information, products, and services for the public and legal community. Conduct legal research, market your law firm, and buy discounted office supplies on the web.

Minimizing Expenses

Send and receive pleadings and legal documents electronically

Save pleadings and legal documents electronically

Make your firm “paperless”

Discourage the printing of documents for any purpose, and especially for review or editing

Satisfy due diligence requirements while capping expenditures on potential new case investigations

Order time and matter specific medical records

Revisit the charges of the law firm’s providers; re-negotiate all charges

Never order a printed copy of a deposition or medical records. Only order electronic copies

Outsource services that have been done in your law firm (such as medical records review) so the same are now recoverable as a case expense

Publish an electronic Newsletter on your law firm’s website to update your clients on the general status of the litigation your law firm is involved in

Communicate with clients via email instead of by a hard copy letter sent in the US Mail

If your law firm is interested in outsourcing its medical record review please call me at 865-256-8543 or email, or visit www.StricklandPI.com.  Experienced in working for both the plaintiff and defense and can handle the medical record process from medical record canvasses (to search for records), acquisition, and review.  

Lying Eyes?

Most people think they can spot a liar when they see one.  Here’s an article that was published by Illinois, private investigator, Keith McRae with some tips on the subject.  

In business, politics or romance, it would be nice to know when, and if, we are being lied to.

Private investigators deal with deception on a daily basis. Our agency specializes in the area of deception, as we are called in by clients who ask us to interview and interrogate their employees who are suspected of being involved in some type of fraud.

I have interviewed thousands of people in my career and have learned that when the proper techniques are imposed you can find most liars, but there are always a few that will not be found.

So how does it work? How do you turn yourself into a human lie detector and see through lies being told to you?

The leading school for fraud detection – the John Reid Institute – is right here in Chicago, and I attended their academy, as have many in law enforcement as well as military personnel. Many major retailers also send their loss prevention employees to the institute, as well.

If you don’t have the experience or plan on attending the academy, what else can you do? Here are some secrets you can use to find out whether you are being told the truth.Watch as well as listen. Non-verbal behaviors often give insight into whether someone is being truthful.

•Avoiding eye contact.

•Crossing of arms and legs. Shows a defensive posture.

•Wiggling or uncomfortable movements.

• Long pauses.Verbal cues can also be helpful in determining whether you are being told the truth.

•Talking fast. Liars sometimes speed up their talking.

•Parroting a question or repeating back a question.

•Religious oaths. “I swear on my mother’s grave.”

•Communicating in the third person.

We have all had the wool pulled over our eyes and been lied to. Even the best interrogators in the world miss one now and again. The more someone lies, the better he or she gets at it. The information above at least will give you a better chance against someone who may be trying to deceive you.You can read the article here as well.

 If you need a Knoxville private investigator to conduct interviews or gather witness statements contact me at S.P.I.

Ways To Prevent Child Abuse

I wrote an article on daycare abuse prompted by the Noah’s Ark incident recently, it has been ruled that the two women involved with this incident will have their case tried in grand court.  They are being charged with felony child neglect. There’s been another news story recently, in which a foster dad choked and killed his foster son that has made headlines.  He is being charged with reckless homicide (Class D felony which carries up to a four year sentence) and is currently out on bond.  These are just two of several such stories within the last few months. 

While this is an investigator’s blog I’m taking a different turn today and listing ways to help be part of the solution before the fact.  Yes, please, please continue to report incidences of child abuse and neglect.  I realize some of the stories suggest that sadly those reports have not been paid proper attention, but you accomplish nothing by turning a blind eye. (And if you know of a way in which private investigators can help investigate these claims email me).  But today I’ve provided some simple tips to help as well as information on organizations in Knox County that are working to help those who are victims of child abuse or working to prevent abuse and provide some tips on how people can make a difference.  Additionally, I invite comments, emails and suggestions on ways to help prevent child abuse and information on organizations and people that are currently making a different. 

Simple Tips to Help (from The Center For Child Abuse Prevention) 

What Can We Do To Help a Child in our Daily Life?

 We can work together to stop abuse before it starts, stop the length of time a child experiences abuse, and make the effects of abuse less harmful to the child. As a concerned person, stopping abuse before it starts involves being a caring part of your extended family and community. Here are a few suggestions.

1. Smile at the children and parents you see, even if the children are “acting up”.
2. Get to know the names of children and parents you come in contact with regularly.
3. Reach out to parents and children in your community. Ask them about their lives or interests. Let them know you want to help.
4. When you see parents struggling with their child’s behavior in a public place, don’t turn away or stare with disdain. Distract the child or offer a snack (with the parent’s permission). Offer to help bag the groceries, carry a diaper bag, etc. Make positive comments about the child. Offer empathy. Here is a list of positive comments you can make to a stressed parent which will help them relax and reduce their stress:
   • “I remember times like that when I had young children.”
   • “I always thought parenting was the hardest job I have ever done.”
   • “My child used to do that too.”
   • “My child was pretty challenging but he turned out to be a great adult.”
5. If you know a family where the parents seem to be struggling, focus on their positive behaviors as a parent. Talk to them about the good parenting do you see. Comment on the positive behaviors of their children and the good things you see in their children. This response can go a long way in helping them cope better. The last thing a frustrated parent needs is to feel you are criticizing them or their children!
6. Here is a list of ways to reframe children’s behavior in a positive light:
   • “I wish I had as much energy as your child has, I wish I could borrow some of it now.”
   • “She is quite an explorer.”
   • “Your child sure has a creative mind.”
   • “Your child can really express himself.”
   • “Your child has persistence that will serve him wonderfully later in life.”

As a parent, preventing abuse means taking care of yourself. Getting regular support or time alone. Introverts, who are parenting, often need more time alone than they are likely to get. Extroverts, who are parenting, are often not getting enough adult time with their peers. Make the time for yourself so you do not get depleted of emotional energy and positive attitudes. It means monitoring yourself to ensure you are not going heading towards abuse yourself. If you are feeling frustrated frequently and are uncomfortable with your behavior as a parent, seek help. See Hotline for Contact Numbers.As a parent, preventing abuse means teaching your child how to talk about all parts of their body and teach them they can so “no” to unwanted touch. It means being aware of the signs of abuse and not ignoring those signs (if present) in your own children. It means developing a trusting relationship within which your child feels comfortable talking to you. It means giving your child permission to talk to other “helpers” when they are experiencing problems. Other helpers include teachers, daycare providers, doctors, extended family members, etc. More information about protecting your child from sexual abuse is available at www.stopitnow.com.As a concerned person, if you are aware of abuse, please report the abuse to authorities. See “getting help or reporting abuse”. If you are involved in a child’s life who has experienced abuse, be supportive and listen. The child needs to be believed and know that others care.As a parent, if you feel you are being abusive, seek help. See “getting help or reporting abuse”. Remember that the sooner you get the help and support you need the quicker things will improve. If you suspect your child is being abused by your partner or other family member, please take action. Explore the reasons for suspicion with a professional. Ask the child about his/her experiences. Tend towards believing the child. Children rarely make up abuse accusations, especially when the suspected abuse is sexual.

If your child has experienced abuse, seek help for him/her. There are many, trained professionals that can help.

KNOX COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS I’VE FOUND:

Child and Family Tennessee:

 http://www.child-family.org/

This program provides many different avenues of education, and advocacy. 

They specifically have volunteer needs as follows:

 

UPDATE:  I had a request to add the following for this organization:

 

Volunteer needs for Child & Family Tennessee include:

 

Collecting cellular telephones to be used by domestic violence survivors in their plan to stay safe from an abuser.  

 

Helpers needed to provide care and rock babies in our therapeutic Nursery with children ages 6 months to 5 years old.  Monday – Friday, 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM

 

Mentors are needed to work with teenagers in Youth OPEN.  Hours vary (mostly after school hours or volunteers could use help during regular school hours at our school)

 

Puppeteers to help present shows to children in local schools for Kids on the Block; drama experience a plus, hours are regular school hours on an as needed basis.

 

Need volunteers to help with receiving visitors and clerical work in our counseling center, hours are Monday-Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.

 

Our domestic violence shelter needs volunteers to answer the 24 hour, 7 day a week telephone crisis hotline and to mentor and support abused women and children at the Family Crisis Center.

 

Transport and advocate for women in substance abuse treatment as they work to stop addiction and keep their family together.

 

Gift wrappers and shoppers needed during the holiday season that will help provide Christmas gifts for disadvantaged children and families. 

 

Hours and days listed are the normal hours for which volunteers typically work in that area.  Please direct questions or interest in volunteering at Child & Family through Alicia Glenn at (865) 524-7483, ext. 186.  She can also be reached by e-mail at aglenn@child-family.org.

  Volunteer OpportunitiesFamily Crisis Center: 
This center houses and provides counseling groups for women and children in crises due to domestic violence.  Volunteers are needed to answer the 24-hour crisis line, provide childcare during counseling sessions for mothers, and to assist staff in providing play therapy for children.  Training is given on a bi-monthly basis.

Great Starts:
Volunteers are needed to hold babies and play with children ages 6 weeks to 4 years old in our therapeutic nursery/day care for children who have been exposed to drugs/alcohol and other high risk children.  Childcare is needed some nights and weekends while the mothers are involved in treatment sessions.

Kids on the Block:
Volunteers are needed in Knox, Sevier, Blount and other surrounding counties to serve as puppeteers to provide education to children regarding sensitive subjects such as divorce, AIDS, disability awareness, child abuse, etc.  Volunteers must be able to learn the presentation script and puppetry techniques as well as commit to a presentation one time a week throughout the school year and/or summer.

Safe Place:
Volunteers are trained to respond to youth in  crisis that are requesting help at a Safe Place location in our community.  Volunteers respond within 15 minutes after they are called to talk with the youth and to access the situation.  Although all Safe Place volunteers are required to attend a 6-hour session, the additional time commitment is minimal.   Most volunteers are called less than once a month.  There are additional opportunities to conduct presentations to school and/or community groups.

Bridging the Gap:
BTG staff are looking for reading/homework mentors for the children (typically 4-10 years old) of program participants.  Interested in volunteering?  Contact the Human Resources Department at (865) 524-7483 for further information. 

Catholic Charities of East Tennessee:http://www.ccetn.org/Charities_May_06/CSAC.html

The Children’s Shelter and Assessment Center houses children from birth to age 17 for up to ten days following removal from home in cases of abandonment, abuse or neglect and tries to locate viable relatives for placement of the children in an effort to avoid state custody. 

Catholic Charities also offers home-based family counseling and parenting education programs. 

 The Florence Crittenton Agency, Inc.:

http://www.fcaknox.org/

This organization provides CAPS (Child and Parenting Skills) for teen parents.  You can find out how to volunteer and donate to this organization at the above link.

Helen Ross McNabb: Erin.Robets@mcnabb.org

HOPE (Help, Overcome, Prevent, and Educate) program strives to develop a relationship within the family, build on their strengths and help them with tools to foster a nurturing family environment as well as offering parenting education groups.

Safe Haven Center: Contact Holly Fuquay at hfuquay@safehavencenter.org or 865-558-9040 for more information. 

The group provides education and prevention strategies for sexual assault and assists victims. 

They have an ongoing need for jog suits, undergarments and socks.

ChildHelp http://www.childhelp.org/regional/tennessee

Working on prevention, intervention and foster care.  They have an ongoing need for the following:

Chapter Wish List

In-kind donations of products and services (such as the items listed below) typically are in demand at the Tennessee office. If you are interested in making an in-kind donation, contact the office directly.Every child who receives a medical examination at the Childhelp Children’s Center of East Tennessee or the Childhelp Children’s Mobile Advocacy Center of East Tennessee gets to choose a toy to keep from the toy closet. New toys and gifts are needed for the young children’s and the teen’s closets.  

State Organization: http://www.pcat.org/index.php 

State Statistics:http://ndas.cwla.org/data_stats/states/Fact_Sheets/Tennessee.pdf

National Organizations:

http://www.cwla.org/

This Black Friday Be On the Lookout for Black Market Goods

I’m writing again about another so-called “victimless crime.” It’s just getting a good deal.  What’s the harm?  Well the harm can be endless.  Not only to the companies which produce the real items, but to the people who toil to produce them and to untold thousands who are the targets of the organized crime and terrorism groups that get their funding through the counterfeit or pirated goods market.  

According to the Secretary of Interpol:

“The link between organized crime groups and counterfeit goods is well established.  But Interpol is sounding the alarm that Intellectual Property Crime is becoming the preferred method of funding for a number of terrorist groups.”  

According to this article, “In the first half of this year alone, the U.S. Customs has seized $56 million dollars worth of footwear and apparel.  And that’s just what they caught.”

But as the US Chamber pointed out the fakes don’t stop at apparel but continue on to fake drugs:

“The Federal Joint Terrorism Task Force recently announced the indictment of members of a global crime ring that dealt in counterfeit prescription drugs.  It wasn’t just the introduction of fake drugs into the supply chain that posed a threat – virtually all profits were funneled into the terrorist group Hezbollah.”  

While the majority (81% of the items seized in the first half of this year), can be traced back to China, the internet is making is easier to sell these goods, and of course the largest online marketplace eBay is a popular route to unload counterfeits.  

Tiffany says eBay turned “blind eye” to fakes.

According to this book, Knockoff The Deadly Trade In Counterfeit Goods, counterfeiting is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, and accounts for $500 billion or 7% of the world’s trade.  

How do private investigators tie in with this?  You can do a Google search and find many examples of companies working with private investigators to help shut down counterfeiters.  One of the articles I’ve sited above states:

 

“[B]ut the bulk of their work reads like a Law & Order script: working with private investigators to stake out shipments of counterfeit goods, setting up sting operations with local officials and hauling the fake merch off in paddy wagons.”

In fact companies often will collaborate for the common good:

“In a competitive marketplace, counterfeit is one area where rival brands work together. 7 shares private investigators with Abercrombie & Fitch and True Religion who, in this case, hold the common interest of getting forged apparel off the streets.”

I personally know of private investigators working to spot eBay counterfeits and pirated goods and making buys of such.  

For those of you who are more visually oriented there’s a video regarding the case in which a Georgia PI uncovered fake purses and the investigative journalist was almost ran over.  Handbag Investigation Turns Dangerous

But the best defense in this, as with many other crimes, is a good offense.  Until “consumers begin to view counterfeits as more a social ill and less a shopping bargain, …the demand for fakes will likely be as strong as the originals they copy.”

And as an important side note here many parents, like myself, will be or have started thinking about Christmas shopping.  If you are worried about recalled toys from China, here is the link to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Also, in an effort to avoid Chinese manufactured products I’ve started looking for items made in the US or European countries.  Following are some sites I have found so far:

 

General list of all different products made in the US: http://www.usstuff.com/index.htm

Toys Made in the US: http://www.toysmadeinamerica.com/

 

A great toy and game site that let’s you search by country of origin and has many interesting looking items: http://www.fatbraintoys.com/index.cfm

 

Some sites for baby and toddler toys:  http://www.peapods.com/   and  http://www.maplelandmark.com/