Cell phone ‘ping’ helps police narrow searches

By Charles McMahon
cmcmahon@fosters.com

Thursday, November 12, 2009

PORTSMOUTH — The ability to track someone’s cell phone signal to a specific area may not be something new for fans of CSI and other TV cop dramas but the use of the technology became very real this past week as police searched for a little girl abducted by her father.

Maine authorities issued an AMBER Alert on Monday afternoon to find 38-year-old Gary Traynham after he allegedly assaulted his two-year-old daughter’s mother and fled the mother’s Sanford, Maine, apartment with little Hailey in a stolen pickup truck.

The U.S. Justice Department’s Website describes the Amber Alert Program as “a voluntary partnership between law-enforcement agencies, broadcasters, transportation agencies, and the wireless industry, to activate an urgent bulletin in the most serious child-abduction cases. The goal of an AMBER Alert is to instantly galvanize the entire community to assist in the search for and the safe recovery of the child.”

And that’s what happened right after Hailey was taken. The airwaves were saturated with reports about her abduction.

Through witness reports and information received indicating that Traynham had ties to the Lakes Region, police began to scour communities throughout Central New Hampshire. Signs of the alert were visible everywhere, from the state, local and federal authorities positioned along Route 11 on Tuesday to the electronic construction signs that displayed messages about Traynham’s license plate number.

Hours into the eventual 30-hour manhunt, police caught a break when they were able to determine Traynham had made a phone call with his cell phone and the signal had “pinged” or transmitted off a communications tower in Alton.

Sanford Police Chief Thomas Connolly told WMUR that authorities were able to get an idea of where Traynham may have been headed when they received information his cell phone had used the signal from the tower.

“They were able to draw an arc on a map and said information from the cell phone indicates Traynham and his little girl were somewhere in that arc,” Connolly told WMUR. “Son of a gun they were found right in the middle of that arc.”

Hailey Traynham and her mother were reunited Tuesday night in Sanford, Maine, after a deer hunter spotted her and her father in a pickup truck on a logging road in Milton.

An unrelated incident in Portsmouth on Wednesday offered further proof that tracking cell phones for law enforcement purposes can be life-saving and in some cases an important precaution.

According to radio communications, around 10:30 a.m. local police were on the lookout for a possibly suicidal Connecticut man believed to be in the area. Radio transmissions indicated Connecticut authorities had received information that the man’s cell phone had last “pinged” off a tower in the Portsmouth area.

Police were then asked to be on the lookout for the man at area hospitals and eventually found him at a friend’s residence unharmed a short while later.

Portsmouth Police Community Relations Capt. Mike Schwartz said the effort in tracking someone’s cell phone is a team effort with law enforcement and phone service carriers and is only used in situations deemed to be an emergency. When police determine a situation necessitates using the technology, Schwartz said they contact the cell phone carrier, identify themselves as law enforcement and request a trace of the last known signal used.

Schwartz said the service is then able to tell authorities the last tower the cell phone signal “pinged” off.

“It’s for emergencies and there is tight criteria on it,” said Schwartz. “Every now and then we get people who say they lost their phone and ask, ‘can you ping it?’ We have to tell them ‘no,’ that’s not an emergency.”

The tracking is also not always 100 percent, said Schwartz, but does give law enforcement agencies a good starting point.

Michael Murphy, New England public affairs spokesman for Verizon Wireless, also acknowledged the relationship law enforcement and cell phone carriers have when it comes to potentially harmful situations.

“Verizon Wireless maintains a Law Enforcement Resource Team (LERT) that is ready and available 24/7 to assist authorities with life-threatening situations,” Murphy said.

Call ICORP Investigations regarding GPS tracking systems – Toll Free 866.984.2677

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Job Posting – Forensic Accountant

ICORP Investigations, Inc is seeking a Certified Forensic Account (CrFA) for hire. This position will assist in the development of investigative reporting and it will provide analysis of fraud.

Please fax resumes and desired salary to Steven Santarpia 631.285.7993

About ICORP Investigations Inc

ICORP Investigations Inc. is a fully licensed, insured and bonded professional New York based Private Investigation company. ICORP was founded in 2007 by licensed private investigators John L. Egan and Steven Santarpia.  ICORP specializes in  Family Law and Insurance Defense Investigations.  They’re committed to excellence and setting a high standard for the investigative industry today. ICORP’S team of investigators have over 35 years of investigative experience and are available to work throughout the entire State of New York, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Offices in New York, New York and Hauppauge, Long Island. Please visit our website for more information
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Long Island Private Investigators, ICORP Investigations Gives Major Reasons Why Cheating Spouses Should Hire Private Investigators

ICORP Investigations gives top three reasons why victims of a cheating spouse should consider hiring a private investigators to find out the truth.

NEW YORK, NY, October 09, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ — NYC leading Private Investigators, ICORP Investigations gives top three reasons why victims of a cheating spouse should consider hiring a private investigator to find out the truth.

According to a recent survey, 92% of participants admitted they would be unfaithful if they knew they wouldn’t get caught.

Although there are many people who discover their spouses have cheated on them, there is an enormous amount of people who will probably never find out the truth.

Married couples who are unaware their spouse is cheating are putting themselves at high risk legally, emotionally and they are putting their health at risk as well.

1. Legally protect yourself. In some states, when a spouse commits infidelity, this can be used as grounds for a divorce including states with no-fault divorce laws.

2. Protect yourself emotionally. If you have a constant unsettling feeling that your spouse is cheating on you, this can cause emotional wear and tear on your body. Once you discover what is truly going on with your spouse, you can finally begin to handle the situation.

3. Protect your health. When your spouse is committing adultery, this can put you at risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). If your spouse is involved in adultery and he/she is not using condoms, they are ultimately putting your health in jeopardy. If you find out your spouse is cheating on you, you can take the necessary precautions to protect your health.

ICORP Investigations led by Steven Santarpia and John Egan has become a leader in the investigative industry by helping several clients save time and money. They utilize a state-of-the-art online database system to keep their clients updated via phone and email 24/7.

In a recent interview ICORP’s CEO Steven Santarpia stated “Helping clients who are the victims of their spouses cheating give me hope, knowing that they will not be going through that anymore and can start to repair their life.

The private investigations team at ICORP Investigations has years of experience and only uses in-house employees. Unlike many private investigative companies, they do not subcontract investigators from other agencies to work on their clients cases.

Most of all, ICORP Investigations is fully licensed, insured and bonded in the state of New York.

The private investigation team offers free consultation for all of their private investigative services. Their private investigative services includes: Domestic, Spousal Surveillance, Child Custody, Background Checks and Insurance.

For further details about ICORP, visit: nycprivateinvestigatorsinc.com.

ICORP Investigations
New York City
300 Park Ave, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10022
T. (212) 572-4823
F. (212) 572-6499
http://www.nycprivateinvestigatorsinc.com

Private Investigators – Hampton Bays, Southampton, Bridgehampton, Noyack, Sag Harbor, North Haven, Mattituck, Cutchogue, Southold, Greenport, East Hampton, Amagansett, Suffolk County Long Island

Private Investigators – Levittown, Merrick, Bethpage, Glen Cove, Sea Cliff, Port Washington, Mineola, Garden City, Sands Point, Roslyn, Manhasset, Nassau County Long Island

New York Private Investigators, ICORP Investigations helps stop Fraud in Workmen’s Compensation Cases

Fraud is very a popular problem in Workman’s Compensation cases, ICORP Investigations help put an end to it in the New York area.

HOLBROOK, NY, October 10, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ — New York Private Investigators, ICORP Investigations helps many small business owners and corporations fight against Workman’s Compensation Fraud, Personal Injury and Liability Claims.

According to experts, 16,000 workplace injuries happen daily in the United States and approximately, 192 million are covered under workers’ compensation.

Although it is considered illegal for an employee to falsely claim benefits from workers’ compensation, there are countless people who are never brought to justice.

How does an employer know for sure that their employees who are currently collecting workman’s compensation benefits are being truthful? Unfortunately, many employers are unable to answer that question.
Many companies hire a professional private investigation team to investigate employees who are on disability in order to determine the truth.

Statistics show that companies who hire private investigators have a higher success rating than companies who do not when it comes to catching untruthful employees in the act.

ICORP Investigations Saves Business Owners Thousands of Dollars

Companies across the country have hired private investigators to use surveillance technology such as videotape. Many surveillance videos have exposed employees involved in sports, yard work, heavy lifting and other strenuous activity.

Fraudulent insurance claims cost business owners hundreds and thousands of dollars annually. The astronomical costs of worker’s compensation have resulted in several business owners applying for bankruptcy.

The Private investigation team at ICORP Investigations has solved many cases involving workers compensation. This has saved Long Island business owners a considerable amount of money in workers’ compensation costs. ICORP keeps their clients updated 24/7 via telephone and email. This is made possible through their web-based system.

About ICORP Investigations.

The private investigation team at ICORP Investigationshas combined years of experience in surveillance and has successfully conducted surveillance on Workman’s Compensation Claims including Personal Injury and Liability Claims. Their private investigative team thoroughly verifies whether or not insurance claimants are being honest about their disabilities.

Unlike many investigative agencies that only spy on a claimant at their place of residence or at work, ICORP is completely hands-on when it comes to investigating each assignment.

ICORP Investigations has developed a reputation for being persistent with their video documentation. When business owners challenge false claims, ICORP is considered number one.

To find out further information about ICORP Investigations workman’s compensation investigation service including personal injury and liability claims long onto: http://www.newyorkprivateinvestigatorssite.com

ICORP Investigations
New York Office
300 Park Avenue, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Tel: 212.572.4823
Fax: 212.572.6499
http://www.newyorkprivateinvestigatorssite.com

Computer Forensics

ICORP Investigations, Inc. provides forensic and e-discovery services on digital evidence in litigation and investigative matters. We have over 15 years in the computer forensic field and have worked with Local, State and Federal Agencies. You need a computer forensic investigation, evidence collection, recovery of deleted files to prove your case, or an expert witness to document or present evidence to the court, our computer forensics investigators will handle your case with the highest level of security and confidentiality. Many types of cases could benefit from discovery of electronic data whether:

• Bankruptcy
• Child Custody
• Class Action
• Corporate Espionage
• Divorce
• Employment Disputes
• Family Law
• Financial Crimes
• Health-care Fraud
• Identity Theft

We can recover data lost on digital media as the result of destructive viruses and spyware, corrupted or damaged hard drives, or from intentional or unintentional deletion of data. For more information, please visit ICORP Investigations Website.

Email us at pi@icorpinvestigations.com or call 866.984.2677

HOW CAN ICORP HELP YOU?

Researchers Advise Cyber Self Defense in the Cloud

Dan Nystedt, IDG News Service
Monday, October 12, 2009 3:30 AM PDT

Security researchers are warning that Web-based applications are increasing the risk of identity theft or losing personal data more than ever before.

The best defense against data theft, malware and viruses in the cloud is self defense, researchers at the Hack In The Box (HITB) security conference said. But getting people to change how they use the Internet, such as what personal data they make public, won’t be easy.

People put a lot of personal information on the Web, and that can be used for an attacker’s financial gain. From social-networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook to the mini-blogging service Twitter and other blog sites like WordPress, people are putting photos, resumes, personal diaries and other information in the cloud. Some people don’t even bother to read the fine print in agreements that allow them onto a site, even though some agreements clearly state that anything posted becomes the property of the site itself.

The loss of personal data by Sidekick smartphone users over the weekend, including contacts, calendar entries, photographs and other personal information, serves as another example of the potential pitfalls of trusting the Cloud. Danger, the Microsoft subsidiary that stores Sidekick data, said a service disruption almost certainly means user data has been lost for good.

Access to personal data on the cloud from just about anywhere on a variety of devices, from smartphones and laptops to home PCs, shows another major vulnerability because other people may be able to find that data, too.

“As an attacker, you should be licking your lips,” said Haroon Meer, a researcher at Sensepost, a South African security company that has focused on Web applications for the past six years. “If all data is accessible from anywhere, then the perimeter disappears. It makes hacking like hacking in the movies.”

A person who wants to steal personal information is usually looking for financial gain, Meer said, and every bit of data they can find leads them one step closer to your online bank, credit card or brokerage accounts.

First, they might find your name. Next, they discover your job and a small profile of you online that offers further background information such as what school you graduated from and where you were born. They keep digging until they have a detailed account of you, complete with your date of birth and mother’s maiden name for those pesky security questions, and perhaps some family photos for good measure. With enough data they could make false identification cards and take out loans under your name.

Identity theft could also be an inside job. Employees at big companies that host e-mail services have physical access to e-mail accounts. “How do you know nobody’s reading it? Do you keep confirmation e-mails and passwords there? You shouldn’t,” said Meer. “In the cloud, people are trusting their information to systems they have no control over.”

Browser makers can play a role in making the cloud safer for people, but their effectiveness is limited by user habits. A browser, for example, may scan a download for viruses, but it still gives the user the choice of whether or not to download. Most security functions on a browser are a choice.

Lucas Adamski, security underlord (that’s really what his business card says) at Mozilla, maker of the popular Firefox browser, offered several bits of cyber self defense advice for users, starting with the admonition that people rely on firewalls and anti-virus programs too much.

“You can’t buy security in a box,” he said. “The way to be as secure as possible is about user behavior.”

There is a lot of good built-in security already installed in browsers, he said. If you get a warning not to go to a site, don’t go to it. When you do visit a site, make sure it’s the right one. Are the images and logos right? Is the URL correct? Check before you proceed with filling in your username and password, he counseled.

Software updates are vital. “Make sure you have the most up-to-date version of whatever software you use,” he said. Updates almost always patch security holes. Key software programs such as Adobe Systems’ Flash Player and Reader are particularly important to keep updated because they’re used on so many computers and are prime targets for hackers.

He also suggested creating a virtual machine on your computer using VMWare as a security measure.

“It’s really hard to get people to change their browsing habits,” he said. People want to surf the Web fast, visit their favorite sites and download whatever they want without thinking too much about security. “Educate them, move them along, but don’t expect them to become security experts.”

Internet browser makers take great care in building as much security as possible into their products and putting them through rigorous testing.

The security team for Google’s Chrome browser, for example, will take the first crack at any major update to the software, hacking away to find vulnerabilities or ways to improve security, said Chris Evans, an information security engineer at Google.

After the Chrome security team takes a whack at the software and it is reworked to fix the holes they found, other security teams at Google will have a go at the product to see what trouble they can cause. Finally, the software is released in beta form, and private security researchers and others can hack away. Any problems are fixed before the final release goes out and then the Chrome team stands ready to make new patches for any other security issues that crop up.

Despite all the testing, browser makers are only one part of the security solution because they have no control over Web software or user browsing behavior.

The cloud is the Wild West: hackers and malware makers abound, phishers seek passwords and users do whatever they want to, recklessly surfing and downloading potentially dangerous content as judged by security researchers.

Companies developing Cloud applications and services will need to do more for Web security. Amazon.com with its Web Services and Google as it moves forward with initiatives, such as Google Docs, that attempt to draw people to Web applications and away from computer applications will need to work more closely with security researchers, Meer said.

And Google’s work on the security in the Chrome browser highlights the reason why: Computer applications such as Chrome face intense scrutiny by security researchers throughout the Web, while Web applications do not.

“Reverse engineering keeps [big software companies] honest,” said Meer. “If they hide something in the software code, sooner or later someone finds it. With Cloud services, you just don’t know because we simply cannot verify it.”

Cloud applications are built by one company, and nobody is looking at the code or how safe it is, said Meer. Applications for computers are different. They can be ripped apart by security experts then put back together stronger so there are no security holes, he said.

“Trust but verify,” said Meer. “Just because a guy does no evil today, we cannot trust that they will do no evil tomorrow because we simply cannot verify it.”

ICORP Awarded A- Rating By Better Business Bureau

ICORP accredited BBB Buisness

ICORP Investigations, Inc. is proud to announce it has been awarded an A- rating by the BBB for its exceptional services in the Private Investigative industry on Long Island. ICORP will continue its commitment to excellence and setting a high moral standard in the investigative field.

Our investigators are aware of the sensitive legal issues regarding surveillance and will continue to ensure that the use of the obtained information in court cases is not put at risk. You can be certain that your surveillance cases will be handled in a confidential and professional manner by the highly skilled and experienced private investigators at ICORP Investigations Inc. Our investigators conduct discreet surveillances in order to reveal the truth of a situation. You can be confident that our determination, diligence and attention to detail will expose what you need to know.    ICORP Investigations Long Island Web Site

We encourage the public to go to the BBB web site

ICORP Investigations is a BBB accredited business.

Private Investigators NYC – ICORP Investigations

ICORP Investigations, Inc – NYC Private Investigators – Surveillance Specialists

Experienced New York Private Investigators dedicated to serving our clients with professionalism, tenacity, and integrity. With our proven track record, we are the only choice for your investigative and case development needs. Our friendly and well-informed staff is here to answer your questions regarding our services. If you are in need of a professional New York Private Investigator, call us for a Free Consultation today. 212-572-4823

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Data-Mining Medical Records Could Predict Domestic Violence

Data-Mining Medical Records Could Predict Domestic Violence

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