Amateur radio ( aka Ham radio ) is an interesting hobby filled with helpful, enthusiastic  users called “Hams”.  Each Ham must take a test and be licensed by the Federal Communications Commission which strictly regulates a variety of communications operations. There are three levels of Amateur radio licenses, each with exams and guidelines for broadcasting: Technician is the first, General is the second, and Extra is the highest. A specific call sign is awarded individually to everyone who passes the exam and those can be changed depending on the availability and classification of the licensee. There are strict rules for broadcasting and the radio frequencies are monitored regularly. The Ham community has certain websites and organizations they can join and generally there is a strong sense of camaraderie amongst all Hams, no matter the locale.

I mention all this because I am an Extra Class Ham and someone tried to scam a fellow ham in another state by using my call sign and name which is public information if you know where to look. They attempted to sell some non-existent radio equipment to a gentleman by trolling through several ham-related sites and made him an offer to purchase a system he wanted. They deliberately bypassed the website guidelines and contacted him directly rather than through the website email. He became suspicious and contacted me. I assured him I was not selling any equipment and he shared the details with me. Make no mistake, selling and trading equipment is perfectly legal, but when you impersonate  someone using their name and call sign, it becomes a serious matter. I have taken appropriate steps and notified the proper authorities. Because this is incident is currently under investigation I cannot comment further.

My advice to anyone purchasing ham-related (and other ) items is to beware of fraudulent sellers. In this case, the seller had  limited knowledge of ham radio. Do some ham homework and look online for suggestions regarding the sale/swap of electronic items. Its easy to fool people when switching information and pictures to misrepresent items for sale. As with anything, buyer beware and know your rights when dealing with others..

As for the people who tried to scam another Ham using MY name and call sign:

I am “CLEAR” and you are “BUSTED”

To everyone else – 73 (Best Regards) in Ham Lingo!

Compassion and empathy are admirable qualities. During times of disasters and chaos, unscrupulous scammers crawl out from beneath their rocks and begin to prey on good-hearted people. The Boston Bombing is a case in point. Within minutes, a fake Twitter account was set up to solicit donations. Within a few hours several domain names were registered with key words like “Boston”, “Explosions”, and “Marathon”. Some sites are legitimate while others contain malware and viruses that wreak havoc with computers. People wishing to help need to proceed with caution before opening their wallets and following their hearts. Here are some tips for making your donations really count in a safe way .

Visit reputable sites for charity information. Try www.bbb.org  or www.CharityNavigator.org. Also call your state’s Consumer Protection Agency and ask for their input.

For online donations be sure you see HTTPS (Not HTTP) and a padlock icon on the website.

Do NOT give out credit card or bank account information over the phone. You can call the charity yourself. At least you’ll know who you are speaking with.

I am originally from Boston. If you wish to donate go to www.onefundboston.org.  Thanks!

When Talking To Yourself Makes Sense

            We are constantly bombarded with information overload and endless questions about our business and personal lives. Whether in person, on the phone, or online, the intrusions into our private lives should be met with a healthy dose of skepticism. Before responding to any queries we need to ask ourselves three basic questions: Who, What, and Why?

WHO?

            Who is asking the questions? If you initiated a call and know who you are speaking with and why, then certain questions are inevitable. For example, calling your bank about a mortgage payment will require disclosure of certain account information. Someone calling you and asking for your credit card number is a different story. Hit delete on that email about your long-lost relative’s inheritance and move on. The who asking questions should be you.

WHAT?

            We’ve all received phone calls asking questions, but what are they inquiring about? Someone conducting a survey does not need your credit card information or your date of birth. The salesperson at your door does not need payment in full before the job is even begun. However, a new bank teller may request a verification of information while you are banking and that is for your protection. What someone is asking is what you need to ask yourself.

WHY?

            Why would someone randomly call or email you with a special offer to take a trip to a foreign locale within the next 48 hours with the requirement that you pay in full by wire transfer? Is there a reason why your answering machine is full of offers for reduced rates on your car loan, even if you don’t have one? Why would your credit card company call and ask if you just purchased a new stereo system and six laptops?  Chances are the fraud protection unit is hard at work and the why becomes apparent after you’ve discovered who did what with your personal information.

 You can see why talking to yourself  really pays off !

Back in the day we used to stuff small, heart-shaped notes into tiny white envelopes and peek as the recipient unwrapped our words of love and either blushed, frowned, or threw it away. Today things are much different and we need to be careful with our good intentions. Consider this tale of love.

A gentleman was checking his email and saw a note in the Subject line which read “Thanks for your order of Valentine roses.” Knowing he had not purchased roses or any other flowers for his wife, he clicked on the email to see the entire message. Embedded within the body of text was a box that said, “Click here for questions on your order.” Concerned that his credit card account had been improperly charged he hit the button and lo and behold, a porn site filled his screen, complete with flashing colors and awkward sounds. Flustered and embarrassed, he spent a moment looking for a way to exit the site. Just then his wife walked in the room, peered over his shoulder, and one can only imagine the discussion that ensued! He was able to leave the site, but not the room, until he finished explaining what had happened. Moral of the story-don’t click on strange emails and sometimes pictures are worth more than a thousand words when you have some explaining to do!