January 1999 Topics
Crime Mapping, Dipsy-Doodle,
Ham-and-Eggers, IRE, Neural Network, Opportunity Scam, Pattes de Mouches, Telefunders, and True Name Fraud
 

Computerized cartography can map
fraud victims and trends.
 

Crime Mapping
Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to identify hot spots of criminal activity and analyze the complex spatial and temporal patterns of crime and criminal behavior. It is more sophisticated than the old method of using a wall map and push pins. Computerized cartography can map fraud victims and trends. Law enforcement officers can use mapping to aid in controlling crime and conducting criminological research. The Crime Mapping Research Center (CMRC) was established in 1996 in Washington, D. C. to study mapping applications and provide training.
NIJ Journal, National Institute of Justice, Washington, D. C., December 1997, p. 33.
Map: www.ci.sf.ca.us/crimemaps.
 

Dipsy-doodle
An American phrase for a fraud or a deceit. It may be inspired by a pre-World War II dance step involving ducking and diving.
Tony Thorne, Dictionary of Contemporary Slang, Pantheon Books, New York, 1990, p. 135.
 

Ham-and-Eggers
Lawyers who advertise on cable television and bus stop benches. They handle low profile criminal cases.
John Grisham, The Street Lawyer, Doubleday, New York, 1998, p. 324.
 

IRE
Investigative Reporters & Editors, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of investigative reporting. It is headquartered at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. IRE has 3,400 members worldwide. The IRE Resource Center offers searchable on-line access to 11,000 story abstracts, including many about fraud. IRE publishes a journal, a newsletter, and books. Government databases and computer training are available through the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting (NICAR). Many techniques used by reporters to gather information are useful to fraud examiners.
http://www.ire.org.
 

Neural Network
A computer architecture in which a number of processors are interconnected in a manner suggestive of the connections between neurons in the human brain. The computer network is able to learn by a process of trial and error faster than humans. Credit card companies and banks use neural networks to pick up and learn fraud patterns. A network can read incoming transactions from point-of-sale (POS) terminals, and look at merchant category codes, locations, dollar amounts, dates, and frequency of use. The system can alert the bank of suspicious activities, such as rapid-fire use of a card within one day or the use of a card in two cities simultaneously. A neural network also can track mail order fraud and verify cardholder addresses to make sure purchases are not sent to an empty lot or some other dubious location. A network also can identify a thief who tries to buy an expensive item with a debit card. Debit cards usually are used for inexpensive items at supermarkets, gas stations and discount stores. Credit cards usually are used for more expensive items like jewelry and stereo equipment.
Jackie Cohen, “Getting a Grip on Debit Card Fraud, Bank Technology News, November 1997, p. 1.
 

Opportunity Scam
A common Internet scheme that involves selling work-at-home opportunities. The consumer sees a posting that offers listings of work-at-home jobs. After purchasing the list, the consumer finds out that most of the company names and addresses are bogus, or that some listed companies don’t actually offer work at home. When the consumer tries to get a refund they discover another surprise. No refund is allowed without rejection letters from the listed ompanies, and it is impossible to get a rejection letter from a fake company.
“Top Five Internet Scams - Number Five,” NFIC Daily Report, National Fraud Information Center, October 9, 1996.
 

Pattes De Mouches
French phrase for fly tracks. Small illegible handwriting.
Kevin Guinagh, Dictionary of Foreign Phrases and Abbreviations, Third
Edition, H. W. Wilson Company, New York, 1983, p. 153.
 

Telefunders
Illegitimate telephone marketers who raise money for imagined charities. The names of the phony charities are similar to the names of real charities. Some telefunders claim to be raising money for legitimate charities, but they submit a negligible percentage of the money collected to the real charity.
Dateline, NBC News television, October 27, 1995 and December 8, 1995.
 

True Name Fraud
Without a person’s knowledge, their name and social security number may be stolen and their identity duplicated to steal thousands of dollars from stores, car dealers, and financial institutions. Identity can be obtained through stealing a wallet, rummaging through garbage, breaking into a locker, or opening a mailbox. Once the thieves have the social security number of an individual, a photo ID (identification) is made which enables them to obtain instant credit at stores, and open bank accounts with all correspondence sent to new addresses. It may take several months before an individual realizes they have been victimized and years to clean up their credit record.
Primetime Live, ABC News television, September 11, 1996.
 

ã Copyright 1998 Larry C. Adams.
All rights reserved.
 

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