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Kokua Line June Watanabe |
Try to track suspicious
call immediatelyA "Kokua Line" reader had further advice to those of you who might inadvertently give out personal information over the telephone to a scammer or unknown person (see "Kokua Line," July 12).
In that column, the Social Security Administration warned that people were being asked for their Social Security numbers and/or other personal information by people pretending to be with the agency.
It offered advice on what to do if you fall into the trap.
"I would add one more piece of advice," a reader said. "Try to get your phone records from the phone company. If they can tell you where the call originated, you might be able to trace the party that way. If you get a number, give it to the police along with your report."
She said she was the victim of identity theft, and the lesson she learned was to "gather as much information on your own as you possibly can, to make the police officer's job very easy."
That's good advice: Try to track the suspicious call immediately.
However, phone records aren't just handed over to anyone, according to Verizon.
Law enforcement must request the record of the call by subpoena, said Kevin Laverty, media relations manager for Verizon, based in Everett, Wash. "This is because a criminal activity is being alleged."
What a Verizon customer can do is to immediately press *57 if a phone scam is suspected.
Pressing *57 activates call trace, which "immediately captures the inbound caller's ID," Laverty said.
That information is automatically forwarded to Verizon's Unwanted Call Center. A customer has 24 hours to notify the center of a suspected fraud. Laverty said this information is on the recording a customer hears after pressing *57.
If this isn't done, a customer then should give the time of the call to police so that they can then request a trace, he said.
But the "bottom line," still, is that a customer "must go through law enforcement to secure the identity of the caller," Laverty said.
Auwe
To all the illegal parkers. I've been living in Moiliili since 1984 and realize that parking is at a premium. Police do respond to complaints, as I see cars being tagged. But the concern is not so much citing people as safety for both drivers and people walking or riding bikes. Some areas should be designated "tow-away" zones because of the hazards, including areas on Nakookoo, Kahuna, Kaaha and Kuilei streets. People illegally park so close to the corners, forcing pedestrians and motorists to go into the paths of oncoming vehicles. It seems people just don't care anymore. At one "blind" turn off Nakookoo, there should at least be a "stop" and a "no parking" sign. The area is so densely populated, it's just a matter of time someone will be seriously hurt. Police shouldn't have to wait for someone to call. They should tag cars that have expired safety/registration stickers, and junked/abandoned cars should be towed as soon as possible so as not to compound the lack of parking. I hope someone is listening so this is more than getting something off my chest. -- B.K.
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