Do not open these emails or click on any links.  This email technique is known as “phishing” and is designed to steal your personal information.  Sometimes when you click on a phishing link, it will surreptitiously install malware on your computer that copies your keystrokes as you enter passwords. Sometimes, you will be directed to a site that seems to be the official site of the Better Business Bureau, your bank or even the Internal Revenue Service.  Then it will ask you for all kinds of personal information and steal your identity.

Click here for some tips from the Federal Trade Commission to help you avoid phishing and identity theft.

Other popular phishing emails have titles such as: Rejected ACH Transfer; Federal Tax Transfer Rejected; and Direct Deposit #123456 Declining.

It is essential  to have good anti-spam and anti-virus software, and if you don’t have an Information Technology department, you should investigate an IT consultant that will help you protect yourself and use best practices.

Related articles

• Malware: BBB “Complaint from your customers” and billycharge.com (wales4u.wordpress.com)
• Better Business Bureau Warns About Scam Emails (newyork.cbslocal.com)
• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Other Ways to Submit Consumer Complaints (savings.com)
• Avoiding Identity Theft from Phishing Scams (turbotax.intuit.com)

For the time being, the answer is “no.” On Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano temporarily halted the removal (deportations) of Haitians with standing removal orders. Those who do not have removal orders, but are detained in detention centers, will remain jailed.

Since the earthquake on Tuesday, President Obama has been receiving increasing pressure from members of Congress and other special interest groups to grant Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) those Haitians who are in the U.S. unlawfully. This status is sometimes granted to countries when conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately.

In plain language, TPS allows eligible nationals who are in the U.S. unlawfully to remain and work in the U.S. until such a time as that their home country reaches a point that DHS determines will allow for a safe return. Currently, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Somalia, and Sudan are designated by the Department of Homeland Security for TPS.

Many of us at Sands Anderson have made personal donations to help the earthquake victims. We encourage everyone to consider doing the same, but please be careful who gets your money. It is unfortunate, but many people will try to make a buck off this disaster. Don’t be a victim of a scam.

Here are some tips from the Better Business Bureau on how to vet charities asking for Haiti donations:

• Rely on expert opinion when it comes to evaluating a charity; not every blogger or web site has researched its recommendations.
• Be wary of claims that 100 percent of donations will assist relief victims.
• Be cautious when giving online, particularly if you receive an email asking for donations.
• Find out if the charity has an on-the-ground presence in the impacted areas.
• Find out if the charity is providing direct aid or raising money for other groups; it may make your dollars go further if you avoid the middleman.
• In-kind drives for food and clothing&emdash;while well intentioned&emdash; may not necessarily be the quickest way to help those in need – unless the organization has the staff and infrastructure to be able to properly distribute such aid.

In addition, be very careful in donating by text message. Before texting, go online and verify the number.