New scams are targeting Minnesota consumers and they’re using the Better Business Bureau’s name to attempt to convince people into believing they’ve won prizes such as new cars or millions of dollars – and to convince them to wire hundreds of dollars to the scammers, or provide them with their bank account information.

Consumers have contacted the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) to say they’re receiving calls from a company called Global International. The callers tell people they’ve won $8.5 million dollars and then give them a ‘BBB Code of Approval,’ which they say they will need to claim their prize. However, the Better Business Bureau is not affiliated with any lottery or sweepstakes and there is no such thing as a ‘BBB Code of Approval.’ It’s simply a combination of letters and numbers likely invented by the scammers. One of the bogus codes, given to at least two potential victims, is 0054-JL. Two consumers who reported this scam to the BBB have stated the scammers were also fraudulently claiming an affiliation with Bank of America.

“They tell me that one tenth of one percent of the population controls more than forty percent of the wealth. Oh America, how often have you taken necessities from the masses to give luxuries to the classes... You can work within the framework of democracy to bring about a better distribution of wealth.”
—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Sermon at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, AL, November 4, 1956

Two popular sayings are: “Now or never!” and "Today is the first day of the rest of your life."

Getting on with your life's work implies a career transition for an individual in which he exploits his achievements and experiences to date. This is often true of successful entrepreneurs. It is the rare entrepreneur who starts a business as his first job.
The forces driving such transitions come from many sources. In the case of the former athletes featured here, it was the inevitability of the end of their football careers. Others start businesses because they believe in the opportunity represented by a product or an idea. For others, still, unemployment may be a factor.

The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota (BBB) and the Minnesota Cyber Crime Task Force (MCCTF) are issuing a warning to all small businesses that process credit cards. Foreign hackers are targeting smaller U.S. businesses with outdated or no online security software, stealing customer credit card information and then turning around and selling it on the Internet.

Businesses that are targeted by these cyber intrusions could be liable for any losses involving stolen credit card data, which could potentially bankrupt smaller businesses. All small businesses that process, store or transmit credit card information are urged to update their security software and become PCI compliant immediately.

Walmart and the Walmart Foundation last week announced a $2 billion cash and in-kind commitment stepping up their efforts to help end hunger in America, said Margaret McKenna, president, The Walmart Foundation.

According to a November 2009 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) report, hunger rates in the U.S. are the highest since 1995 with nearly 15 percent of households lacking access to an adequate supply of nutritious food.

President Obama has referred to hunger as a problem “we can solve together.”

Skill building at the Ramsey County WorkForce Centers

The real cost of hiring a person who cannot learn and perform a job is prohibitive, both for the employer and the worker. The National Career Readiness Certificate solves that problem. It is a work-related skills credential issued by ACT, the nationally-known testing service based in Iowa. The Certificate provides fair and objective measurement of workplace skills.

“A skills mismatch is eating away at productivity and revenue across all businesses, industries and government agencies,” says John O’ Phelan, Business Services Representative for WorkForce Solutions of Ramsey County, “To not fall further behind, we must address skills deficiency with urgency.”

Ramsey County WorkForce Centers are taking the lead by offering a nationally recognized assessment and development system for job seekers and businesses.

Sabathani Senior Center will sponsor an Estate Planning Fair from 10 am to 1 pm Friday, May 14 at Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th St., Suite 106. The event is free of charge and is geared toward senior adults.   

Teams of lawyers from Dorsey & Whitney LLP and UnitedHealth Group will be available to draft simple wills, health care directives and financial powers of attorney. Pre-registration is required. All participants must bring all documents related to their needs, including relevant information about their assets, insurance and the names and addresses of designated beneficiaries. Documents will be prepared for completion and signature on the day of the event.

Pre-register for this event by calling the Senior Center at (612) 821-2306 to make an appointment. Sabathani Senior Center is a program of Sabathani Community Center, Inc.