Police <http://highlandpark-ca.patch.com/search/articles?cat=1998198826> & Fire LAPD First Duped, then Debunks UPS Terror Scam LAPD duped into putting out false information. By Ajay Singh <http://highlandpark-ca.patch.com/users/ajay-singh> | Email the author <http://highlandpark-ca.patch.com/articles/lapd-first-duped-then-debunks-ups -terror-scam> | May 10, 2011 By its own admission, the LAPD--the nation's third-largest municipal police force--has fallen victim to a hoax. On April 29, the LAPD sent out an alert to the public to beware of the possibility of phony UPS drivers showing up at people's doors. "There has been a huge purchase, $32,000 worth, of United Parcel Service (UPS) uniforms on eBay over the last 30 days," the alert said, adding: "This could represent a serious threat as bogus drivers (terrorists) can drop off anything to anyone with deadly consequences!" The warning went further: "Additionally, if someone in a UPS uniform comes to make a drop off or pick up, make absolutely sure they are driving a UPS truck. UPS doesn't make deliveries or pickups in anything, except a company vehicle. If you have a problem, call your local law enforcement agency right away!" The alert turned out to be a hoax that was first picked up by a police agency in Southern California, according to Sgt. Rudolph Valadez of the LAPD's West Valley division. The alert was signed by the U.S.Department of Homeland Security, Bureau Customs and Border Protection, with a link to the following LAPD website: https://local.nixle.com/alert/4685215/?sub_id=312891. "We basically put out false information and we realized within an hour that it was a hoax," Valadez said, adding: "But this thing [the alert] spread its wings and went out across the country-we've been getting calls and emails ever since." Hardly surprising, given that the three-paragraph alert ended with this appeal: "TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY! Tell everyone in your office, your family, your friends, etc. Make people aware so that we can prepare and/or avoid terrorist attacks on our people! Thank you for your time in reviewing this and PLEASE send to EVERYONE on your list, even if they are friend or foe. We should all be aware!" The LAPD, said Valadez, "apologizes for the misinformation." [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [email protected]. -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [email protected] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [email protected] Unsubscribe: [email protected] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtmlYahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
