Internet Scams

ON THE RISE AGAIN

Most of our clients found our company through the internet and the general consensus is that, the majority of business transactions are conducted on the world wide web.  Some clients busniess transactions did not end in  a favorable result.

 In this newsletter there will be “no” shop talk, instead let’s talk about something that may concern some of us; “INTERNET SCAMS”.  Each day I am seeing internet scams with new twists and turns, but it’s always an old scam if you look and dig deep enough but with a new twist.. 

While working as a Law Enforcement officer, I became aware of Internet Scams, One day while working the complaint receiving desk, I received a call from an individual from Hawaii.  He’d purchased a desk top computer online from an individual who lived in Brooklyn, New York.  The purchased was made three months prior to the phone call. I explained to the individual that Brooklyn was a big Borough and I would need an address.  Well needless to say the individual give me a non existing address and if memory serves me well, no traceable landline phone number. 

Now what do you tell an individual after receiving this information?  Well it went something like this.  “I don’t think you will ever see your money or the computer you purchased.  You bought an item from an unknown person using a fictitious address; if you’re a Business owner you can write it off on your taxes, if not, then it a lesson learned”. 

 Always check out an Individual or a Business before conducting any type of transaction involving money.  Back then Internet Scams were new to Law Enforcement, they really were any laws or stature governing this source of crime.                                                                  

Today, it’s a whole new ball game.  Law Enforcement Agencies have the tools to deal with this new crime.  Some have Cyber Police, patrolling the internet.

If you feel its phony then it is, go with your gut feeling then do your due diligence to find out the facts.

There are so many sites available with listings of new and old scams. Check out my site http://www.theduediligencemasters.com resource page to obtain these links.

Remember never give out your personal information to anyone, unless you made the initial request.  Continue surfing the web and stay safe

Phyllis L Jackson

Retired NYPD Officer  

Uniquely40, LLC

CEO/Founder

A Good Woman

 

I am always receiving poems or expressions from clients that makes me laugh, cry or just think.  A client give me this poem, he considers me a GOOD WOMAN.    The author is unknown, but I have worked and have known plenty of  GOOD WOMAN during my Life.  The best GOOD WOMAN I know is my MOTHER.  Hope you enjoy this.

GOOD WOMAN

 A A good woman is proud of herself.

She respects herself and others.

She is aware of whom she is.

She neither seeks definition from the person she is with,

nor does she expect them to read her mind.

She is quite capable of articulating her needs.

A good woman is hopeful.

She is strong enough to make all her dreams come true.

She knows love, therefore, she gives love.

She recognizes that her love has a great value and must be reciprocated.

If her love is taken for granted, it soon disappears.

A good woman has a dash of inspiration, dabble of endurance.

She knows that she will, at times, have to inspire others to reach the potential God gave them.

A good woman knows her past, understands her present and moves toward the future.

A good woman knows God.

She knows that with God the world is her playground, but without God she will just be played.

A good woman does not live in fear of the future because of the past.

Instead, she understands that her live experiences are merely lessons, meant to bring to her closer to self knowledge and unconditional self love.

 AUTHOR UNKNOWN

WHAT HAVE I LEARNT

I have learnt, my clients now are the best.  They’re professional and they know exactly what they want done.  We don’t go back and forth with questions that have been asked a million times before.  Why you ask I could say this, well I have instituted a better way of communicating with my clients. 

 My first initial contact with my clients is a free consultation which is recorded; the client is informed of the consultation being recorded. From that a proposal, retainer or project agreement is prepared.  One is email along with the recording to the client.  Whatever is said or negotiated on in the free consultation is mentioned in the contract.    If the client requires a second consultation before the signing of the contract, that client must first set up a special consultation with me which could be a paid or not paid consultation.  It is that simple, I hate stress so I have instituted a better way to service my clients.

What I give back, is my attentiveness to their projects and my availability beyond my office hours.   I have two (2) after hour voicemails which operates Monday to Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. EST.  One for the East Coast and Central time zones and other for the West Coast and Mountain time zones.  I have also added an onboard client’s only voicemail, if I am unavailable for a length of time my clients can call and leave detail instructions of what needs to be done in the next 12 to 24 hours.  This number is made available only to my onboard client’s.  This is the first thing I check at the beginning of my day, along with my task board.

During the course of my work day, my workspace from Central desk is opened to the project (s) I am working on; I am either emailing, texting, chatting with my clients.  I rarely answer the phone; my system is forwarded to my back up.

You might say I am leaving myself available at all time for my client, I don’t think so; I am giving them the service they requested.  If an emergency arises, I’ll notify my clients and my back up handles the assignments for the day.  Also, my clients know that after 11:30 p.m. Monday to Friday I am no longer available. 

With each signed contract, I enclose the day’s I will not work, my vacation for the year and my terms and policies.  Each year onboard clients receive my schedule.  To some  it may sound that I am to organized, but chaos ruled the day before this was instituted; this has worked for the last three (3) years.  I LOVE what I am doing.  This is not a job, but my AMBITION.

What Is A Virtual Assistant

Virtual Assistants are entrepreneurs they are highly skilled in their profession and are able to have an enormous impact on the productivity of those they work with.  They were traditionally known as secretaries, administrative assistants, executive assistants or bookkeepers. But with today’s technology the world is a much smaller place, and where more professionals are working from their homes or in satellite offices, the former assistant has become virtual and thanks to the Internet, worldwide. In today’s business world, a virtual assistant can assist you with Web design, accounting, press release, real estate, resumes, SEO, grant writing, networking, etc, etc.  The list is endless.

 A Virtual Assistant can be a long term collaborative partner with a business, a provisional solution to staffing or the per diem solution. They are the original outsourcers — they are called upon to tackle assignments in our field of expertise.  They are not temps or employees; they are, however, business owners and professionals. 

 Virtual Assistant works independently away from a traditional office setting; almost every task that can be accomplished in the traditional office can be completed virtually.  They work from their own office, and provide home, small and large business, executives, entrepreneurs, solo-preneurs, and busy individual the back office or administrative support that they need.

It’s a Virtual Assistant responsibility to know the latest office and administrative technology, solutions and systems to resolve any administrative support issues and needs.  The tools to complete this job are: a phone, a fax and a computer.

When hiring a Virtual Assistant, make sure they are a full time VA.  If they are part time and you need to speak with them during the day and they are not available, there is nothing you can do.  REMEMBER THEY OWN THEIR BUSINESS AND SET THEIR HOURS.

Also make sure that the VA has been set up as a business entity in the state where their office is located.

VA pricing for their services varies; pricing starts from $25.00 to $75.00 or more, depending on the services that’s require.  Some set their pricing per hour or a set number of hours for a set price with a charge for additional hours used.

Most Virtual Assistant owned their company’s so customer satisfaction is paramount. Every assignment should be performed per the customer specifications. 

Some Virtual Assistant may have their customers contact them via e-mail, airmail or phone with any questions and/or details of services they require.

Confidentiality is vital to our business. No work should be disclosed.

In my VA practice, I sign a Non Disclosure Agreement with every customer.  At the conclusion of the assignment, customers files will be copied to a floppy disk or a CD, and the original files will be deleted from our computers and its mail to them.  On the other hand,  my Retainer and Seasonal customer files are kept on my office computer for easy access.   I do ask my customers for the usage of mentioning the work which is done  in my Professional Portfolio.  Occasional customer names, address and pone numbers are kept in our data base.

Microsoft Encarta Dictionary definition of a Virtual Assistant is, “long distant assistant — somebody who uses a computer and phone links to work from a distance as a personal assistant to somebody else”.

 A Virtual Assistant can work from another state or another country, we’re worldwide. 

 Phyllis L Jackson

Founder/CEO

Uniquely40, LLC

Domestic Violences – It’s a KILLER

*** I remember reading this poem somewhere before, then someone posted it on our forum.  If you know anyone  involved in Domestic Violence situation, give it to them, maybe this will help them gather the courage to leave. ******** 

I GOT FLOWERS TODAY

We had our first argument last night, and he said a lot of cruel things that really hurt me.  I know he is sorry and didn’t mean the things he said, because he sent me flowers today.  I GOT FLOWERS TODAY, It wasn’t our anniversary or any other special day.  Last night he threw me into a wall and started to choke me.  It seemed like a nightmare, I couldn’t believe it was real.  I woke up this morning sore and bruised all over.  I know he must be sorry because he send me flowers today.  I GOT FLOWERS TODAY, and it wasn’t mother’s day or any other special day.  Last night he beat me up again, it was much worse than all the other times.  If I leave him, what will I do?  How will I take care of my kids?  What about money? I’m afraid of him and scared to leave.  But I know he must be sorry because he sent me flowers today.  I GOT FLOWERS TODAY.  Today was a very special day, It was the day of my  FUNERAL! Last night, he finally killed me.  He beat me to death.  If only I had gather enough courage to leave him, I WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN FLOWERS TODAY.  (Author unknown)

****Domestic Violence is a crime, It can hurt and it can kill.  If you know anyone who is a victim of Domestic Violence.  Tell them to, REPORT IT, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, AND MOST OF ALL LEAVE IT.  Women are not the only victims of this crime; what is least reported is Domestic Violence where a man is the victim*****

Where Were You on 9-11-2001

I don’t know about the rest of you, but this is what I remember from 9/11/2001.  It was a Tuesday Morning, which was also an election day in the City of New York and it is also my brother’s birthday. 

 

After voting, while walking back to my car, I happen to look up and across the skyline of Brooklyn, I had a clear view of the twin towers, I saw smoke.  I called my brother and was going to tell him that the World Trade Center was on fire, he instead told me that a plane just flew into the tower, my next question was where is, “Deb”, that’s our sister she worked in the tower, he said she is leaving the building.

 

I looked up again and I show an explosion, that was the second plane hitting the tower, I didn’t see the plane hit I saw the explosion.  I thought it was an electrical fire that was out of control.  I had just finish working  a 12 hour shift as a NYPD officer, so I went home and fell asleep.

 

Around 4 pm, I heard my phone ring, it was my sister’s husband telling me he couldn’t find my sister, I in turn told him about what I saw in the morning, he asked haven’t I been looking at the News, my answer was, “No”.  He then went on to tell me about the twin towers falling, to say the least I was shock.  On went the TV and I tried to reach my sister via cellphone, which at this time was dead in the city.  I call my Police Command and told the situation, I told them I would respond to the scene, after I have located my sister.  Four hours later my sister called me and said she was alright, but she was lost and could find her way home, she told me where she was I told her how to get home. 

 

After locating my sister, I went to work, we as first responders worked

16 hours shift for the next two weeks without any days off, thereafter 12 hours shifts with two days off.  I was one of the luck ones, my sister live to talk about her ordeal and many others didn’t.  One officer I worked with died that day, I still can’t believe he is gone.

 

Phyllis L Jackson

 Retired New York City Police Officer

Should I or Should I use a VIRTUAL ASSISTANT?

If you’re an Entreprenuer, Soloprenuer, Home Base Business, Self Employed or any individual that has an office and your office work is become a huge pile of papers, scheduling appointments, returning important phones, invoicing, etc., then yes, you NEED AN VIRTUAL ASSISTANT.  Why don’t you blog with us, we can show how we can cure your office headache, maybe you’ll will come to use our services and soon we’ll cure your headache,    BLOG WITH US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Phyllis L