By simply changing one digit in the official helpline number,
they lure victims into paying premium rate charges and even
risking identity theft.

A scam based on the Toyota recall of autos for gas pedal and
floor mat problems heads up this week’s Snippets issue. It
shows just how quickly crooks latch on to a news event as a
way of conning the public.

They used a simple but sneaky trick — sending out spaham
(intentionally misspelled) emails, some of which land in the
inboxes of Toyota owners.

The messages simply invite recipients to call a 1-800 number
for more details about the Toyota recall models and what
action they need to take.

The number is virtually identical to a real helpline set up
for owners on the Toyota recall list — just one digit is
changed.

So far, no problem, you might think, since 1-800 calls are
free. But what happens next has already cost some victims
around $6 a minute.

They’re connected either to a recorded message or a real
person, asking them to hold. Then they’re told all lines to
service reps dealing with the Toyota recalls are busy but that
they can get through by calling another number.

The message does state that there’s a $5.96 per minute premium
rate for the new call but it is said so quickly, it would be
easy to miss it. But that’s enough to keep the scam strictly
within the law!

However, some victims reported that when they got through on
the premium line, they were asked for personal information
including Social Security numbers, which, of course, has
nothing whatsoever to do with the Toyota recall.

It was potentially a prelude to identity theft.

If you want to know if and how you might be affected by the
Toyota pedal recall or any other recall issues, you can call
the official helpline, which is 1-800-331-4331, or speak to
your Toyota dealer.

This Toyota recall scam sounds like another more general
warning for us all too: Any phone number with a 1-900 prefix
is a premium rate service that you’re going to pay heavily
for.

This is not something anyone who’s supposed to be putting
things right for you is ever likely to ask you to do!

Some regular-looking numbers — those beginning with 809
(which is used in the Caribbean) — may also levy a premium
rate. You can read more about the 809 scam in this Scambusters
issue.

http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=8JUKO&m=1c806iL6i0tWfo&b=wJjYQ38b4wm0bg6wRmcq1w

Sidney Kess, Esq., JD, CPA

If your business had a rough year in 2008 and struggled through 2009, there are valuable write-offs that you can take advantage of right now.

Net operating loss (NOL) refunds. If you are an owner of a business that suffered a loss during 2008 or 2009, a “carryback loss” can provide you with a refund of taxes paid by the business for the prior five years (rather than the usual two years carryback period).

If your business is unincorporated — for example, you are a self-employed “sole proprietor” — claim the refund by filing IRS Form 1045, Application for Tentative Refund.

If the business is a corporation, it can claim the refund by filing IRS Form 1139, Corporation Application for Tentative Refund.

“1244 stock” losses. If you were an owner of a private corporation and during 2008 incurred a loss from selling its shares or liquidating the business, your loss may qualify for a huge deduction against income — instead of being subject to the capital loss deduction limits.

Why: The stock of privately owned small corporations often qualifies as “Section 1244 stock.” Losses incurred on such stock are fully deductible up to $50,000 per year, or $100,000 on a joint return. Often owners aren’t aware of this opportunity.

Stock generally qualifies as “1244 stock” when it was originally issued to the shareholder (not purchased from another owner) by a small business corporation that received no more than $1 million of paid-in capital (money the owners put into the company for their stock). For details, see IRS Publication 550, Investment Income and Expenses.

“Section 179″ expensing and bonus depreciation. If you are a business owner, the amount of newly purchased business equipment that can be immediately deducted (“expensed”), instead of depreciated over a period of years, doubles to $250,000 in 2009.

In addition, equipment purchases in excess of the amount that may be expensed qualify for new “bonus depreciation” — 50% of their cost may be depreciated in 2009, with the rest of their cost subject to normal depreciation rules.

Retirement plans. If you own a business and set up a qualified retirement plan for it by year-end 2009, you have until the extended due date of the business’s tax return to make a contribution to it — as late as October 15, 2010.

Bottom Line/Personal interviewed Sidney Kess, Esq., JD, CPA, 10 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City 10020. He is coauthor/consulting editor of Financial and Estate Planning and coauthor of 1040 Preparation and Planning Guide 2009. (CCH). Over the years, he has taught tax law to more than 700,000 tax professionals.

The year is 1947

Some of you will recall that on July 8, 1947, a little over 60 years
ago, witnesses claim that an unidentified flying object (UFO) with
five aliens aboard crashed onto a sheep and mule ranch just outside
Roswell, New Mexico . This is a well known incident that many say has
long been covered up by the U.S. Air Force and other federal agencies
and organizations.

However, what you may NOT know is that in the month of April 1948,
nine months after that historic day, the following people were born:

Albert A. Gore, Jr..
Hillary Rodham
John F. Kerry
William J. Clinton
Howard Dean
Nancy Pelosi
Dianne Feinstein
Charles E. Schumer
Barbara Boxer
Stanley Ann Dunham (Birth Mother to B.H. Obama II)

See what happens when aliens breed with sheep and jackasses?
I certainly hope this bit of information clears up a lot of things for you. It did for me.
—————————–
This is another example of how stupid the right believes their followers are. They know that they will not check the accuracy of their claims.

I checked and emailed my friend back this.
===========================
As usually like the Fox channel the republicans lie because they don’t
expect their listeners to check their facts or to seek another opinion.
I don’t know if your uncle was lying or just too stupid to check the
facts before he mailed it out. But here are the facts see for yourself.

Your suspicions should have been aroused when they listed the mother of
Obama, if she had been born in 1948, that would have made Obama too
young to be President.

Albert A. Gore, Jr. Born March 31, 1948
.
Hillary Rodham Born October 26, 1947

John F. Kerry Born December 11, 1943

William J. Clinton Born August 19, 1946

Howard Dean Born November 17, 1948

Nancy Pelosi Born March 26, 1940

Dianne Feinstein Born June 22, 1933

Charles E. Schumer Born November 23, 1950

Barbara Boxer Born November 11, 1940

Stanley Ann Dunham Born November 07, 1942
(Birth Mother to B.H. Obama II)

Shall i clue in your uncle. i will of course delete any reference to your email.
+++++++++++++++++++
Keith

Peter I hear that the Department of Defense is attempting to take over the Port of Guam. They are planning to us $50 million to improve our Port.

That much money buys a lot of control. How about some investigative reporting in this area Peter.

Toby

======================
Port Removes Vessels Sunk During Pongsona

Last Updated on Tuesday, 06 April 2010 16:56
Written by News Release
Tuesday, 06 April 2010 15:55
Guam – Guam News

Guam -  Smithbridge Guam  has begun the process of removing vessels that sunk in the Marinas during Supertyphoon Pongsona.

Four private vessels will be removed from the Hagåtña Marina and three private vessels from the Agat Marina. The Port Authority of Guam issued out a bid late last year for the removal and the project was awarded to Smithbridge Guam Inc.

The company will be paid $108,000 for the work which will come from port insurance settlement funds.

“Removing these sunken vessels will help alleviate any problems with other boaters having to maneuver around the vessels and also will allow the Port to develop the area to provide more space for boaters,” said Port General Manager Enrique J.S. Agustin.

The port will determine upon completion of the project the proper means to dispose of the vessels and the disposal will be conducted by Smithbridge Guam Inc.

The removal project, which began today, is expected to occur over the next few weeks.
Written by :
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So Howie,( I hope I am not being too familiar) What is happening? Could this be a dodge to keep us from knowing that a space ship is being hauled uP?

Hafa adai

Suki