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Author, direct marketing guru, and always entertaining Denny Hatch focuses on a major story in the news and shows how businesses can take advantage of–or avoid the pitfalls from–the lessons to be learned in terms of marketing, sales, PR and communications.
Aug 26, 2008 : Vol. 4, Issue No. 48

The Scams, Scandals, Hoaxes, Frauds and Pranks of August

All a bemused observer can say is, 'Whew!'
A   A   A   A
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IN THE NEWS
Sour Grapes
The news that Wine Spectator magazine was scammed into giving an Award of Excellence to a non-existent restaurant has been greeted with guffaws by schadenfreude fans and with fury by the magazine's editor.
--Nick Fox, Diner's Journal, The New York Times, August 21, 2008

Takeaway Points to Consider

* A legion of miscreants around the world would love to steal your ID, your ideas, your customers, your business, your family members (for ransom) and/or make you look like a fool.

* How secure is your business model? Could a prankster make you look the fool by doing something similar to what Robin Goldstein did to Wine Spectator?

* How ethical is your business model? The pharmaceutical companies are constantly getting caught for questionable practices.

* Is it possible for hackers to get into your computer system and send out forged e-mails and text messages in your name?

* How secure are your data? Can hackers get into your system and swipe customer info, e-mails and/or corporate secrets?

* It is my personal opinion that if customer data are lost or stolen, the result should be automatic jail time for the CEO. Not IT. Not VP operations. Not the schlub that hit the wrong key. The CEO should be fired and go into the slammer. The buck stops there.

* Do you have potentially embarrassing e-mails on your computer? Remember, e-mails can be forever, and if released over the Internet, can be seen by billions worldwide.

* When traveling in a dictatorship such as China or Russia, it's probably not the best idea to stage a protest--or even talk about it.

* How good is your company's screening process when it comes to hiring? Do you scrupulously check resumes and references? Could a "Clark Rockefeller"--someone with a questionable past and a string of aliases--wind up in a position where data, money or personnel are compromised?

Web Sites Related to Today's Edition

Wine Spectator Award to a Non-Existent Restaurant
http://tinyurl.com/6f93jq
http://tinyurl.com/6kb359
http://tinyurl.com/5tokdr

"Data Breaches Have Surpassed Level for All of '07, Report Finds"
http://tinyurl.com/57ftg6

"Book claims White House ordered faked letter to tie Saddam and 9/11"
http://tinyurl.com/5k4s3z

John Edwards: The Picture of a Scandal: New developments in the story that cannot be reported.
http://tinyurl.com/55bkk9

"Some Beijing Olympic Fireworks Faked."
http://tinyurl.com/6y6kne

"China Had 'Cute' Girl Mime Opening Ceremony After Singer Banned For Crooked Teeth"
http://tinyurl.com/5u3t6t

"Scandal of the Ages: Documents Reveal Underage Chinese Gymnast"
http://tinyurl.com/5qecbz

"Bottle Cap Drive for Cancer a Hoax"
 http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/27086374.html

"7-year-old boy admits making hoax call to Coast Guard"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26271465/

"Defense: Prosecutors bending law for MySpace hoax"
http://tinyurl.com/5j222g

"Researcher: Bigfoot just a rubber gorilla suit"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26298733/

"Journal takes on drugmaker 'seeding trials'"
http://www.philly.com/philly/business/27168734.html

Drug seeding, all about
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/331/20/1350

"Too Old and Frail to Re-educate? Not in China"--Aged Protesters
http://tinyurl.com/66buu3

"Text hoaxes plague Obama VP plan"
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12704.html

"Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Sides With Banks Against Consumers on Credit Card Reform Proposal"
http://tinyurl.com/6k8tfw

Larry Mendte Pleads Guilty To Hacking Into Lane's E-Mail
http://www.nbc10.com/news/17268588/detail.html

"Ready-Made Rockefeller"
http://tinyurl.com/67637h

 
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