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TACTICS Newsletter Topics	Issue #49
We gathered useful Internet links and information on these topics: Anthrax Internet Scams Crime Victims Internet Crimes Sex Crimes

Anthrax has recently become a very real terror in the minds of the population, not only in the US and the UK, but globally. Therefore some "urban myths" about the disease have emerged.   Some are based on fact, others have no factual basis and may be considered alarmist and fanciful. The following are some important facts about the disease: 

Anthrax is not considered to be contagious in the conventional sense. The only really effective way to contract the disease  is by direct exposure  to spores of the bacterium. This means that the Anthrax bacillus  must be able to enter your system, before it can do damage to you. It can ordinarily do this by entering your body through breaks in your skin - cuts, abrasions, wounds and the like. It can also do so  if you inhale significant quantities  of aerosolized spores of the bacterium. Another way to contract Anthrax is by consumption – that is, if you eat matter infected by the Anthrax bacillus, such as meat from animals infected with the disease.

In terms of the potential for picking up Anthrax  by contact with or proximity to  a victim of the disease - it may be remotely possible to get Anthrax if abrasions or breaks in the skin (such as cuts or wounds) come into direct and intimate contact  with any infected discharges, emanating from lesions, sores, eschars (scabs) etc. on a Cutaneous or skin-affected Anthrax victim's body. The probability of contracting Anthrax  by breathing in airborne particles from a sneeze or the exhaled breath, coming from a victim of the Pulmonary or Inhalation variant of the disease, is far more remote and is not currently regarded  as a viable way of contracting the disease. 

Anthrax is actually caused by a bacterium. This is not the same as a virus, as has been reported erroneously by some elements in the news media. This means that the disease is quite easily treated, if caught early enough - with some readily available, and in the main conventional, antibiotics.

The Anthrax spores are considered almost invulnerable. Conventional measures such as disinfecting, heating or  even ordinary domestic microwaving will not kill them.  Burning the spores will eradicate them though - although this is not a particularly effective strategy for dealing with mail. Some postal distribution systems are considering the use of irradiation to inhibit  Anthrax spores  sent in the mail. This is described more fully in the section Strategies for Effective Action in the special report from which this presentation is abstracted and adapted – (Click the button on the left panel for details).

Your chances of contracting Anthrax through spores  received through the mail  are really quite low, based upon the sheer volume of postal items  sent through the mails. Anthrax infected items constitute a minuscule proportion of the mail traffic volume. A vast number of people are recipients of mail. Therefore, unless you are in the public eye - a celebrity, politician, government official or work for a prominent corporation or organization, or work directly for prominent individuals, there is really only a very small chance that you will receive any Anthrax infected items.

To contract the most dangerous form of Anthrax - the Pulmonary or Inhalation variant, the spores would need to be “aerosolized” - disseminated and distributed into the air using very sophisticated, specialized equipment. Fortunately this is beyond the means of the "common or garden" variety of terrorist. These people are considered to be essentially amateurs, who are possibly and hopefully  not fully conversant  with the sophisticated methods  needed for effective militarized distribution of the Anthrax spores. This requires the sponsorship of a hostile government or a well-funded organization.

The Cutaneous or Skin-affected variety of Anthrax is the most common form of the disease. It is far less dangerous than the Inhalation variant. It is easily recognizable - hence diagnosis is relatively easy. The disease can only be contracted  from spores of the infection invading the body  through breaks in the skin, such as abrasions, cuts or wounds - as described before. The illness is rarely fatal if treated early, with readily available conventional antibiotics.

Unnecessary preventative use of antibiotics can lead to mutations of resistant strains of the bacteria. Therefore unless you are part of the military, emergency or postal services, or in an occupation with elevated risk levels, please do not facilitate mutation of the Anthrax bacillus  by taking unnecessary prophylactic measures. This can lead to acute shortages of the antibiotics and the vaccine  for people who really do need them  which places an unnecessary burden on medical and governmental distribution facilities.

Above all, don't panic. The majority of the news media are responsible and well informed. Unfortunately there are elements in the media who are less well informed and who may sensationalize the disease for commercial or other reasons. Verify any developments using authoritative media sources or from government funded organizations such as the "Center for Disease Control" - in the US or the "Public Health laboratory Service" - in the UK. 

For anyone that uses PayPal to transfer/receive money over the Internet, beware of a most recent "Scam".  It involved emails which are usually titled, "URGENT: PayPal System Problems".

The message continues with details such as problems with their server, computer system, etc., and asks that all PayPal members log in and re-enter their username and password!

Don't do it!  The Scam URL is normally connected to www.paypalsys.com and as you will notice, it is not addressed to the correct www.paypal.com.  Also before submitting any of you personal data to PayPal, the URL will start with "https://".

PayPal has a list of security tips which are posted here:  http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/gen/fraud-prevention-outside

Most recently in the Southern U.S. several people have been using area code 809 Scams to take advantage of the owners of lost pets.  They look for lost pet notices (newspaper, telephone poles, etc.) and then make contact with the owner.  They often tell them the pet has been found but was taken to Mexico. 

When the owner makes a telephone call to speak with the person who allegedly found their pet, it is to an area code 809 number.  The other party will speak little or no English and keeps the pet owner on the phone for very long periods.  This has generated telephone bills in the $1,000s for several unlucky victims.

Before you make a long distance call to an unfamiliar location, check out this area code directory:
http://decoder.americom.com/cgi-bin/decoder.cgi

Crime Magazine 
Comprehensive site about crime from prisons to assassinations.
4Crime
An assortment of crime sites of historical interest. 
Crime Library
Crime stories and information on: serial killers, the mafia, assassins, forensics and more.
Crime News 2000
True crime web links including criminal investigations, news archives and resources.
Crime Spider 
Crime and law enforcement sites related to criminal activities.
Crime.com 
Crime information, jail cam, news, travel warnings, statistics, video chases and prisons locator. 
Smoking Gun 
Large collection of public documents on crimes, celebrities, politicians, and the FBI.

Criminals Behind Bars 
Free online support group for victims of crimes or illicit activities committed by prisoners from behind prison walls.
MurderVictims.com 
Victim survivors can come here to find help, ask questions, give/get advice.
National Center for Victims of Crime 
A nonprofit organization providing resource and advocacy for victims of crime.
National Organization of Parents Of Murdered Children, Inc. 
POMC is a self-help group dedicated to helping the families and friends of those who have lost their lives to violence.
Restitution, Inc. 
A nonprofit dedicated to promoting healing between offenders and victims.

Resources for Victims of Sexual Abuse 
Articles, links, legal resources, statutes, and assistance for victims of sexual abuse and exploitation. 
Sex Offenses and Offenders
Incidence and prevalence of violent victimization by sexual assault, the response of the criminal justice system to such crimes. 
Sexual Deviancy 
Information for the general public from the treatment community regarding sexual deviancy. Note: Requires Macromedia Flash.
STD's and Child Sexual Abuse
This guide is designed to present additional investigative techniques, utilizing the presence of a sexually transmitted disease, which will assist in identifying or eliminating suspects in sexual abuse cases. 
Stop Sex Offenders
Child and family safety information; free child ID system and national sex offender registry.

C4I.org - Computer Security & Intelligence
News articles on internet crime.
Cyber Criminals Most Wanted 
Overview of cyber criminal activity that includes safety, security, viruses.
Cybercrime
A clearinghouse of information and resources, including legal and policy issues.