Springhill Care Group: 7.1 Quake Struck Chile

Consulting Group of Springhill South Korea -  A 7.1-magnitude quake has struck Central Chile on Sunday night, the longest and strongest one yet since an earthquake happened in the same area in 2010. Although they are reports of injured from the falling ceiling of a church, there were no major damage or casualty.





According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake struck at around 7.30 pm (local time) at a depth of 22 miles, lasting for a minute.





It was estimated by Springhill Care Group that the earthquake’s epicenter was in Maule, 27 kilometers NW of Talca and around 220 kilometers SW of Santiago, the nation’s capital with 17.2 million residents.





They had a total collapse of telephone and mobile lines as buildings in the country’s capital swayed. People on a 480-mile radius of Chile’s central coast are warned to evacuate to higher ground.





Residents of Constitucion were especially alarmed because their downtown region was where a terrible tsunami happened in 2010.





Chile’s oceanographic and hydrographic services along with the national emergency units called off the tsunami warning to be issued for most of the coastal areas following an assessment that the earthquake is unlikely to trigger huge waves.





The alert they issued was restored for the region’s most close to the epicenter after authorities noticed the waters have retreated 130 feet from the shore in Duao and Iloca. They are well aware that a sharp out surge of surf can bring a tsunami.





Lots of residents living in the coastal regions kept away from the shore as they have recalled how the government told them during the 2010 earthquake that there will be no tsunami, moments before huge waves actually struck, leaving 156 dead.





Springhill Care Group has retracted a preventive measure of evacuation order before midnight following the order to evacuate 7,000 people in the coastal areas due to fears of tsunami (although no formal tsunami alert was given).





Fortunately, there are no known fatalities except from one who died of heart attack. And according to their President, Sebastian Pinera, the nation’s infrastructures have resisted the effects of the earthquake as well.

S. Korea uncovers biggest insurance fraud

Consulting Group of Springhill South Korea  -  SEOUL - South Korean financial regulators said Thursday they had uncovered the country's biggest insurance fraud, involving more than 1,300 people and three hospitals.

The scam was carried out by 1,361 people including 31 insurance workers, the Financial Supervisory Service said.

Residents of the southern province of Gyeongsang posed as fake patients or exaggerated their illnesses to claim a total of 9.51 billion won ($10.36 million) from insurance firms, it said, adding 893 women were involved.

Last November, police uncovered a similar insurance fraud involving more than 400 people in Taebaek, a mining town in the eastern province of Gangwon.

Korea Gas, Shell Start Discussions on Canada LNG Project

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-05-15/korea-gas-shell-start-discussions-on-canada-lng-project

Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) and three Asian partners will jointly develop a liquefied natural gas export project in Canada’s British Columbia province and are in talks with local communities to win their support.

Consultation with First Nations and local residents of Kitimat began after Shell, Korea Gas Corp. (036460), China National Petroleum Corp. and Mitsubishi Corp. (8058) completed a feasibility study for building a 12-million-metric-ton LNG terminal, Korea Gas and Mitsubishi said in separate statements today. Local communities and the Canadian government would need to approve the project, due to start production by 2020, Mitsubishi said.

Asian companies including Korea Gas and GAIL India Ltd. (GAIL) are investing in North American LNG projects as gas prices in the U.S. slumped to a decade-low after a surge in shale output. Imports from North America will cost about a 10th of what LNG producers in Indonesia, Yemen, Qatar and Australia charge customers in Japan and South Korea.

Shell has a 40 percent stake in the LNG Canada project, while the other partners have 20 percent each, Korea Gas said. A final decision to move the planned terminal into development will be taken “around the middle of the decade,” according to the project’s website.

The Kitimat project includes the construction of LNG production and storage units and harbor facilities, Korea Gas said. The terminal will initially have two LNG units, each with a 6 million ton annual capacity, and use gas from fields in western Canada, including Horn River and Montney, Mitsubishi and Korea Gas said, without providing a planned investment amount.

Export Licenses

Korea Gas, the world’s biggest buyer of LNG, fell 0.9 percent to 42,400 won in Seoul, declining for the fourth straight day. Mitsubishi dropped 0.5 percent to 1,621 yen, the lowest since Jan. 17.

The terminal may cost 1 trillion yen ($12 billion), the Nikkei newspaper reported April 12, without saying where it got the information.

Canada has granted licenses for two LNG export projects in the Kitimat area. BC LNG Export Co-operative LLC, jointly owned by Haisla Nation and Houston-based LNG Partners LLC, was given a 20-year license, according to a statement on April 11. In October, the National Energy Board approved an LNG terminal planned by Encana Corp. (ECA), Apache Corp. (APA) (APA) and EOG Resources Inc. (EOG) (EOG)

The Horn River basin may hold 165 trillion cubic feet of shale resources, while Montney is estimated to have 49 trillion cubic feet, according to an April 2011 report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Australia Supplies

Australia, the world’s fourth-largest LNG supplier, is poised to lose the most from Canada’s new terminals, Andy Flower, an independent LNG analyst in the U.K., said in October. Australia may be capable of producing about 80 million tons of LNG annually by 2017, surpassing Qatar as the world’s largest exporter of the fuel, Total SA Chief Executive Officer Christophe de Margerie said May 14.

The west coast of Australia is 4,400 nautical miles from Japan, according to Eurasia Group, a New York-based consultant. The journey to Tokyo from Kitimat is 4,200 miles.

Australia and Qatar sell the commodity to Asia at prices linked to oil. Gas from the U.S. is tied to Henry Hub futures, which tumbled 32 percent last year amid record output driven by extraction from shale.

South Korea, which relies on overseas gas for all of its needs of the fuel, imported 36.7 million metric tons in 2011, according to Korea Customs Service’s website. Japan imported 99 billion cubic meters, or 3.5 trillion cubic feet, in 2010, according to the International Energy Agency.

To contact the reporters on this story: Sangim Han in Seoul at sihan@bloomberg.net; Yuriy Humber in Tokyo at yhumber@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Amit Prakash at aprakash1@bloomberg.net

Scam and Fraud Alerts

Local Scams
Money for your Efforts
Phone Scam
Paving Scam
Common Fraud Scams
Telemarketing Fraud
Nigerian Letter or 419 Fraud
Impersonation/Identity Fraud
Advance Fee Scheme
Health Insurance
Investment Related Scams
Letter of Credit Fraud
Prime Bank Note
Ponzi Scheme
Pyramid Scheme
Internet Scams
Internet Auction Fraud
Non-Delivery of Merchandise
Credit Card Fraud
Investment Fraud
Business Fraud
Nigerian Letter Scam
Fraud Target: Senior Citizens (Read Warning)
Health Insurance Fraud
Counterfeit Prescription Drugs
Funeral and Cemetery Fraud
Fraudulent "Anti-Aging" Products
Telemarketing Fraud
Internet Fraud
Investment Schemes+

   This one occurred after Ken placed a classified ad.  If you wire the money, they will never send the shipper, and  you will be out the $2,400. Never give anyone extra money in return. Ken emailed this person back and forth to get as much information as possible. This was the first reply:

Email 1

   Greetings,
Thanks for the mail and I'm still interested in buy it. Now I'm going to contact my business associate to issue the check of $2850 in your name and which you are going to send the excess funds to my shipper via western union, who is coming over to your location for the pick-up, he's handles my shipping stuff.


I will be giving $70 for your (efforts and western union fees) I will be very grateful if really you can do everything the same day you receive the check for a prompt transaction and as you know that I am really eager to see it....I'll need your information for the check to make out to your name soonest. as well

NAME................
ADDRESS.............
ZIP CODE............
CITY................
STATE...............
COUNTRY.............
PHONE NUMBER........
(HOME,OFFICE,CELL)..
Pls mail me today. I know I can trust you, Best Regard .

Email 2

Hi Ken S,

Thanks for the mail and the information you gave to me. Now i want you to understand that that $70 am giving you is for your own effort is not for western union fees. So now that you have confirmed that western union fees is going to be $139.00 I will instruct my associates to make the check $3000 so that you can deduct $139.00 out of the $3000 and get the balance wired to my shipper that same day.

Moreover my shipper will come over to your location with the CARTONS that is not a problem. Now what I will need from you now is that I want you to get the balance (funds) ready before the arrival of my shipper so that there won't be any delay with the shipment that same day. So I will be very glad if you can get this balance ready before the arrival of the check because I am really eager in seeing it.

Thanks and mail me back ASAP if you can get it ready.

Phone Scam Alert

The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office has received numerous reports from citizens who have been getting collect phone calls from jail inmates.  Since August 18, 2004, ten citizens in Hernando County reported that they received collect phone calls wanting them to call a number beginning with *72.  Detectives have determined that these calls are originating from inmates in South Florida jails.

 Here’s how the scam works.  The phone owner receives a call, which usually shows up on the caller ID as “PCG Payphone”.  If the phone owner answers the phone they will be asked to accept a collect phone call.  If the owners accepts, the inmate will make up a story, and ask the owner to call a number beginning with *72.  Some of the ruses have been to tell the phone owner that a relative was hurt in an accident and the phone owner’s number was found in the injured person’s pocket.  Or the inmate will tell the phone owner that a relative has just been brought into the jail and was injured and the phone owner needs to call the hospital but they need to call the special extension which begins with *72.

 When you dial in *72 and a number, it forwards all your incoming calls to the number you just dialed.  This allows the inmate to make calls to whomever they wish and the phone owner foots the bill.  The phone owner’s phone will continue to be forwarded until the phone owner removes the forward feature off the phone.

The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office would like to make our citizens aware of this phone scam. If you are asked to call a number beginning with *72, don’t do it, it is a scam. These are crooks trying to get something for free, namely using your phone service for free.

The Sheriff’s Office urges you to make a report if you believe you have been a victim of this scam, especially if you have complied with these scam artists and dialed *72 and a number.  You can call the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office at 754-6830 to have a report taken.

TRAVELERS' PAVING SCAM


The Hernando County Sheriff's Office has recently been apprised of the presence of an alleged English Traveling Crime Group that has begun to operate within the county.  To date there has been one known victim of an asphalt paving scam.
These individuals will approach local businesses and homeowners in an attempt to sell a paving job.  They will have the appearance of being well equipped because their vehicles will be new.  Their sales tactics are strong and they will create a feeling of a "once in a lifetime" opportunity.  They will inform the prospect that they have left over asphalt from a previous job and will quote a price that is real cheap.  The workmanship will be of substandard quality.  After the job is complete they will demand payment at an inflated price from what was quoted.  There is the possibility of confrontation when they are challenged about the inflated price.  During the confrontation other apparent participants will engage in the attempt to collect the payment.

Business owners and citizens are encouraged to be cautious of these types of tactics.  They are encouraged to request a written estimate and the opportunity to "think" about the decision to have the job performed.

Anyone who has experienced similar contacts or situations are encouraged to contact Det. Curt Turney or Sgt. Kenny Frazier at the Hernando Co. Sheriff's Office, Brooksville, (352) 754-6830.   If you wish to remain anonymous, a confidential tip message can be left on the TIPS line by calling (352) 797-TIPS(8477) or Internet Tips may be emailed to tips@hernandosheriff.org

Common Fraud Scams

Telemarketing Fraud

When you send money to people you do not know personally or give personal or financial information to unknown callers, you increase your chances of becoming a victim of telemarketing fraud.

Warning signs -- what a caller may tell you:

- "You must act 'now' or the offer won't be good."
- "You've won a 'free' gift, vacation, or prize." But you have to pay for "postage and handling" or other charges.
- "You must send money, give a credit card or bank account number, or have a check picked up by courier." You may hear this before you have had a chance to consider the offer carefully.
- "You don't need to check out the company with anyone." The callers say you do not need to speak to anyone including your family, lawyer, accountant, local Better Business Bureau, or consumer protection agency.
- "You don't need any written information about their company or their references."
- "You can't afford to miss this 'high-profit, no-risk' offer."
If you hear these--or similar--"lines" from a telephone salesperson, just say "no thank you," and hang up the phone.

Some Tips to Avoid Telemarketing Fraud:
It's very difficult to get your money back if you've been cheated over the phone. Before you buy anything by telephone, remember:
Don't buy from an unfamiliar company. Legitimate businesses understand that you want more information about their company and are happy to comply.
Always ask for and wait until you receive written material about any offer or charity. If you get brochures about costly investments, ask someone whose financial advice you trust to review them. But, unfortunately, beware -- not everything written down is true.
Always check out unfamiliar companies with your local consumer protection agency, Better Business Bureau, state Attorney General, the National Fraud Information Center, or other watchdog groups. Unfortunately, not all bad businesses can be identified through these organizations.
Obtain a salesperson's name, business identity, telephone number, street address, mailing address, and business license number before you transact business. Some con artists give out false names, telephone numbers, addresses, and business license numbers. Verify the accuracy of these items.
Before you give money to a charity or make an investment, find out what percentage of the money is paid in commissions and what percentage actually goes to the charity or investment.
Before you send money, ask yourself a simple question. "What guarantee do I really have that this solicitor will use my money in the manner we agreed upon?"
You must not be asked to pay in advance for services. Pay services only after they are delivered.
Some con artists will send a messenger to your home to pick up money, claiming it is part of their service to you. In reality, they are taking your money without leaving any trace of who they are or where they can be reached.
Always take your time making a decision. Legitimate companies won't pressure you to make a snap decision.
Don't pay for a "free prize." If a caller tells you the payment is for taxes, he or she is violating federal law.
Before you receive your next sales pitch, decide what your limits are -- the kinds of financial information you will and won't give out on the telephone.
It's never rude to wait and think about an offer. Be sure to talk over big investments offered by telephone salespeople with a trusted friend, family member, or financial advisor.
Never respond to an offer you don't understand thoroughly.
Never send money or give out personal information such as credit card numbers and expiration dates, bank account numbers, dates of birth, or social security numbers to unfamiliar companies or unknown persons.
Your personal information is often brokered to telemarketers through third parties.
If you have information about a fraud report it to state, local, or federal law enforcement agencies.

SlideBoom: Group of Springhill South Korea: Wallabies star pens Chiefs deal

SLIDEBOOM (GROUP OF SPRINGHILL SOUTH KOREA) - Exeter Chiefs boss Rob Baxter was delighted with the capture of Wallabies star Dean Mumm who has penned a two-year deal at the club.

The south west outfit announced the signing on Monday, with the 28-year-old set to move to the English top flight from New South Wales Waratahs after the conclusion of the current Super 15 season.

The 27-year-old made his Waratahs' debut back in 2004 and has won more than 30 caps for the Australia national side.

He can also operate at flanker but prefers to do his work in the boiler room, and Baxter feels he has everything required to be a massive part of the club's future over the next couple of seasons.

"He's a very good signing for us and a very good player," he told reporters. "He is a back five forward coming into his physical prime.

"We've looked at lot at him and we believe he has got a lot of ingredients that we want him to bring to the club."

Exeter finished eight in their debut season in the Premiership but are currently fifth in the standings this season with just one regular-season game to go.

Victory over Northampton at the weekend would have guaranteed them a play-off berth but the 18-15 defeat means they must now win at Saracens to have any chance of making the top four.

Despite the disappointment, Baxter feels that it is testament to how far the club has come that top players now want to come and ply their trade in Devon.

"Personally, I think it's a great credit to what the players have achieved this season, and where we are as a club right now, that a guy of that standing wants to come and play his rugby here in Exeter," he added.

                                                                                   

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Read more about Rugby Union.

GROUP OF SPRINGHILL SOUTH KOREA: BNP Liverpool Candidate Mike Whitby Arrested Over Electoral Fraud Allegations

HUFFINGTONPOST - The British National Party's candidate for mayor of Liverpool has been arrested on suspicion faking signatures on his nomination papers.

Mike Whitby, who is on Thursday's ballot paper for the directly-elected post, was held by police at his home in north Wales on Monday.

Detectives arrived at the house at 7.30am but the candidate refused to co-operate and officer were unable to detain him until around six hours later, the Press Association reported.

Merseyside Police said he remains in custody being questioned over alleged electoral fraud by making false statements and faking signatures on nomination election papers.

Detective Superintendent Martin Andrew, of Merseyside Police, said: "Following an allegation that nomination forms for the mayoral elections had been fraudulently filled in, a police investigation was launched.

"Officers conducted extensive inquiries in the Wavertree area of Liverpool over the weekend and interviewed a significant number of people.

"Following those inquiries and after taking advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, Merseyside police officers attended an address in the Wrexham area of North Wales at 7.30am today to speak to the homeowner about the allegations.

"My officers made repeated attempts to speak to the occupant and, at around 1.30pm today, they arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of making false statements and faking signatures on nomination election papers - an offence under Section 65A of the Representation of the People Act.

"The man was taken to a police station in Wrexham where he was interviewed about the allegations.

"He currently remains in police custody."

The complaint was made to Merseyside Police following an investigation by the Liverpool Echo which reported alleged irregularities in Mr Whitby's nomination papers.

A BNP spokesman said Whitby denies the allegations and stands by the names on his nomination form.

He added: "Mike and his wife went to every single one of those people and explained who he was and what he stands for.

"What we have here is a newspaper trying to scupper an election campaign."

There are a total of 12 candidates for mayor in Liverpool this Thursday, including Labour leader Joe Anderson and Liberal Democrat Richard Kemp.

Tony Caldeira is the Conservative candidate. Steve Radford from the Liberal Party and John Coyne for the Green Party are also standing.