Alisher Usmanov Takes On The Bloggers And Bloggerheads

As Tim Ireland tells me, his Bloggerheads site, and sites operated by Craig Murray, Bob Piper and Boris Johnson have been downed by Alisher Usmanov. Tim suggests the Arsenal fans might like to take the matter up in song.

Who's Usmanov?

As the Guardian writes:

Arsenal's newest shareholder, the Uzbek minerals billionaire Alisher Usmanov, continues to police discussion of his past and of his intentions for the Gunners after paying £75m for David Dein's 14.58% share in the club.

Schillings, the lawyers acting for Usmanov, have been in touch with several independent Arsenal supporters' websites and blogs warning them to remove postings referring to allegations made against him by Craig Murray, the former British ambassador to Uzbekistan.

And:

Usmanov was jailed under the old Soviet regime but says that he was a political prisoner who was then freed and granted a full pardon once Mikhail Gorbachev came to power as president. Schillings have warned the websites that repetition of Murray's allegations were regarded as "false, indefensible and grossly defamatory".

Keep up with it all on Anorak

ID Theft: Reclaiming Your Identity Costs 350-400 Hours

Not too far back we read of Derek Bond, a 72-year-old British grandfather arrested in South Africa by the police on the orders of the FBI.

It transpired that a man had passed himself off as Mr Bond. The felon had got hold of Mr Bond’s birth certificate and a passport identical to his. He had, in short, stolen Mr Bond’s identity. That he went on to commit multi-million dollar fraud was all the worse for Mr Bond.

And it is not uncommon. In the United States, there are an estimated 750,000 new cases of identity theft each year. This is a painful crime for the victims, who are left with a massive mess to sort out.

In the UK things are getting worse. The CIFAS is a body charged with helping victims of identity theft. Last year, they had more than 10,000 people come to them for help. Victims can lose everything - their back accounts are cleared out.

So what can you do to stop yourself being victim?

Continue reading >>

The Taxman Is Hit By Email Scammers Who Want To Give You Money

The taxman has been targeted by email scammers.

As Dizzy notes:

Everyone gets spam these days, and most of receive all manner of phising scams. Usuually they get sent from a bank you're not with telling you give them you're password straight away. Sometimes they even do it claiming that it's to stop fraud.

Continue reading >>

Before You Buy A Property Find Out The Crime In The Area With Oakland Crimespotting

If you look up your new street on the web and find it dubbed "the Murder Mile" or "the frontline", be warned. What you gain in ammo and access to recreational drugs you lose in property prices, TV and car stereos.

You are making the biggest investment of your life. No, not the drugs - the house. You do not want to buy in the wrong area.

In America, a company has designed a service that plots crime on a map. Handy. Says Oakland Crimespotting:

Continue reading >>

KT Tunstall Admits Theft From Boots

Is shoplifting ever justified?

KT Tunstall, singer, tells Q magazine that there are justification for petty theft.

“It’s just disgustingly overpriced,” says she. Ms Tunstall has been to Boots.

“It’s £7 for a f***ing eye pencil. I wanted to do gigs and I wanted to look nice, but I couldn’t afford it. And the end of the day, Boots can claim some credit for my success. Let’s just say they sponsored me in the early days.”

Rock ‘n’ roll, people. (Do Boots sell TVs?)

We Should Spend Traffic Fines On Toys & The NHS: Discuss

How should all that money earned from speeding motorist be spent? On roads? Nonsense. It should be spent where the money is needed most.

In Belgium:

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Revenge: Wasting The Scammers Time, A 419 Dead Parrot Video

You receive a 419 letter or email. You will give the honest writer your bank accont details and all your cash it he can just prove his identity in some way. Could he and a friend re-enact the Dead Parrot scetch? Oh, go on... Cheers.

via [419eater.com]

How to Spot The 419 Internet Scam And Not Get Poor Quick

“I will like to solicit your help in a business proposition, which is by nature very confidential and a Top Secret.”

Really. Tell me more…

“I am Mr. and I am the General Manager of the African Development Bank PLC and I and my partners have decided to seek your help in transfer of a huge sum of money requiring maximum confidence.”

Continue reading >>

Spotted: 419 Scam Ads In Newspapers

Tim notices this is from the Irish press, via Damien Mulley.

It's a scam, of course (one of two possible actually. It's either processing stolen money or draining your account via something akin to kiting). So, could those who actually get dead tree newspapers in the UK have a quick look through the ads in them? Can we see if anyone is currently advertising this in the UK press? Could be some fun to be had with any newspapers that have taken such ads.

Drop links in the comments or email scans of the ads to me, your choice.

via[anorak]

Cybercrime: What Happens To Phishing Victims And Getting Your Money Back

SIMON Gregg is a victim of fraud.

Gregg, a vicar, received an email from his bank. Or so he thought. The email asked Gregg to verify his account details and password.

He complied. And Gregg became the victim of phishing. He was the phish shot in the barrel.

The fraudsters accessed his account and withdrew £3,300.

Continue reading >>

How To Save Money On Cigarettes And Tobacco

In the last year British Customs have destroyed over 10 million cigarettes bought over the Internet. Why? Because the purchaser or vendor failed to pay UK duty. All cigarettes bought via the Internet must bear UK taxes. There are, sadly, no loopholes.

The current rate of duty on tobacco is:

* Cigarettes: an amount equal to 22 per cent of the retail price plus £108.65 per thousand cigarettes.
* Cigars: £158.24 per kilogram.
* Hand-rolling tobacco: £113.74 per kilogram.
Other smoking tobacco and chewing tobacco: £69.57 per kilogram.

Now before you start complaining that this is beginning to sound like some Government sponsored public announcement, read on. There are other ways to stock up on tobacco without falling foul of the law.

Continue reading >>

Arsenal's Red Card & Manchester United's Gold One, Best Savings Acounts, Top Rip-Offs & Work Out Your Mortgage

Football's red and gold cards - Football has come a long way from half-time cups of Bovril and rickety terracing. Now it’s all cappuccinos and club credit cards. Alison Steed, at the Telegraph, takes a look at the financial products provided by the nation’s clubs. Although her description of “The big three – Arsenal, Manchester United and Chlesea” is sure to leave many a Scouser fuming. But, then, this is about money. (Send hate mail writen on old tyres to the usual address.)

Best savings accounts - Over at the Motley Fool, Cliff D’Arcy points us in the direction of the best savings accounts on the market and warns us to always read the small print. Why don’t banks and institutions simply make it bigger so it’s easier to read?

Top 25 Rip-Offs - Do you think we’re living in ‘Rip-Off Britain’? Well, it’s worth taking a look at the Daily Mail’s top 25 list of the biggest every day rip-offs that target you and I, the humble consumer. From payment protection insurance to gym memberships, we’ve all been stung.

Pension fund muscle - Clever-clogs Chris Gilchrist at Msn.money gives you some tips on how to add some muscle to your pension fund, if you have one that is.

Repayment mortgage calculator - While over at the Guardian, money expert Virginia Wallis is on hand to explain just how a mortgage repayment is calculated.