Suggested activities

h Write down for whom the following tips are important:

• check all the monthly bills received by post.......................................................................

• check if mail comes regularly.............................................................................................

• send important mail from an official postal pick up box....................................................

• never give personal information over the telephone..........................................................

• never throw documents in the trash...................................................................................

• never carry many credit cards in the wallet or purse.........................................................

i Answer the following questions:

j Discuss with your group-mates the meaning of the statement: Information is a valuable commodity in today's market.

k Agree or disagree and substantiate your viewpoint:

1 Criminals are very inventive.

2 Sentences passed for such offences can be a few years of imprisonment.

Text 3: Bank Cards

There are a few types of bank cards. The most popular are credit cards and cash cards, which look very much alike. Here is the face and the back of a sample cash card:

Cash dispenser, automatic teller machine or cashpoint are some of the names given to machines from which customers can withdraw money from their bank accounts, using their cash cards.

If customers want to pay for goods or services by cheque, they can use their card to guarantee their cheques. In a shop the salesperson will ask to see the bank card or cheque guaranteed card. The salesperson will write down the number of the customer's bank card on the back of the cheque. In this way the customer's bank guarantees payments up to a 50 or 100 limit. The salesperson also makes sure that the customer's signature on the cheque is the same as the signature on their bank card. The sort code of the bank is also on the bank card. This number, and the name of the bank, should be the same as on the cheque.

Credit cards are also very convenient because it is possible to buy things in shops, pay with for different services and so on. When a customer pays for his purchases in a shop, for example, he presents his credit card to the seller. The seller takes the details of the card: the number, the credit limit and the expiry date. The customer signs the seller's voucher (making two copies) which the seller uses to collect payment from the credit card company or the bank later.

For this service the retailer pays a fee, around 4 per cent of the value of the transaction. Each month the credit company or the bank sends the cardholder a statement which lists that month's transactions and interest charges.

When the company or the bank receives the vouchers it pays the banks of the payees through the clearing system the value of each retailer's total sales minus the commission. At the same time it debits the cardholders' accounts.

Vocabulary notes

§ Word study

a Give the English equivalents:

наименование банковской карточки.....................................................................................

номер карточки......................................................................................

срок действия......................................................................................

банк-плательщик.....................................................................................

магнитная полоска.....................................................................................

подпись владельца карточки.....................................................................................

гарантированная (банком).....................................................................................

максимальная сумма чека.....................................................................................

банкомат.....................................................................................

кассир (в банке)....................................................................................

комиссионные....................................................................................

система безналичных расчётов....................................................................................

снять со счета фирмы сумму....................................................................................

перевести на счёт фирмы....................................................................................

b Say:

с Translate the following sentences into English:

1 В соответствии с условиями контракта расчеты за услуги могут производиться по кредитным карточкам.

2 В контракте должно быть указано, по каким именно кредитным карточкам могут производиться расчёты, т. е. должны быть указаны эмитенты карточек.

3 Они не принимают к расчету эти кредитные карточки с 1-го числа этого месяца.

4 Просим сообщить, возможно ли оплачивать услуги турагентов по банковским карточкам.

5 В случае утери карточки вы должны написать соответствующее заявление.

d Write what you know about bank cards in circulation in Russia.

Skim and scan:

Read the text quickly and say if it describes only credit cards frauds.

Text 4 (continuation of Texts 1 and 2)

Question: Someone lias gotten credit cards in my name and I don't know who it is. What do I do?

Answer: When you are notified by a credit company that someone is using your identity to obtain credit you should:

1 Advise the credit company that you did not open the account.

2 Advise them not to extend credit to the person.

3 Contact your local police agency and make a police information report regarding «imposter fraud».

4 Contact the credit bureaus (TRW, CBI, EQUIFAX, etc.) and request that they «flag» your file.

These cases are very difficult to investigate. Due to the nature of the crime, you by definition under Fla. law, are not the victim of a crime. If the individuals responsible are ever identified they can be charged with their illegal acts and you could also bring a civil action against them. This could be very costly. Due to information kept in computer banks about you these types of crimes are becoming more prevelent.

Question: I have given money to a telemarketer and have not received anything, what do I do?

Answer: Contact your local police agency and they can direct you to the correct reporting agency.

Question: Do the police work every case referred to them?

Answer: In an ideal world probably. In a realistic world, it depends. Due to governmental cutbacks, cases have to be prioritized. Cases which are of a high priority will more-than-likely be worked first.

Some agencies have placed thresholds on the amount of loss incurred by the victim as to whether they work the case.

In many cases, involving loss of money, civil actions can he taken in small claims court to seek redress.

§ Vocabulary notes

Words and Grammar

a Write out the English equivalents:

получить кредитную карточку на чье-либо имя.....................................................................

Я не знаю, кто это и что мне делать.....................................................................

когда вы получаете сведения от кредитной организации.....................................................................

сообщите кредитной организации.....................................................................

получать кредит.....................................................................

предоставлять кредит.....................................................................

b Translate into Russian:

1 Contact your local police agency. 3 Request the credit bureau to «flag» your file.

2 Make a police information report. 4 These cases are very difficult to investigate.

с Choose the correct prepositions:

Due for/to the nature of a crime, the person, by/in definition under Fla. law, is not a victim of/from a crime in this case. If the swindler is identified he can be charged about/with the illegal act and the person can bring a civil action on/against the swindler. These types in/of crimes are becoming more prevelent.

d Reproduce the answers to the following questions:

1 I have given money to a tele-......................................................

marketer and have not received.......................................................

anything, what should I do?......................................................

2 Do the police work every case......................................................

referred to them?......................................................

e Say what the speaker meant by the following words, to your mind:

• governmental cutbacks

• Cases have to be prioritized.

• Such cases will more-than-likely be worked first.

f Discuss with your group-mates the following topic: Cases of a high priority

Pre-reading questions:

1. Are you glad the last text of the series is coming?

2. Do you think it will be the most important one? Skim and scan:

Read the text quickly and say which question seems most important to you.

Text 5

Question: I'm a small businessman and think that I have a dishonest employee. What do I do?

Answer: You must attempt to determine yourself whether the individual is dishonest.

If you have proof that the employee is stealing from you, based upon surveys done, you must report it to the police. Once you report it you must be willing to follow-up and prosecute the individual. If it's worth reporting it's worth following up. If you do what most other small businesses do and terminate the employee he will move on to another business and victimize them the same way.

Question: Igot a counterfeit ($10, $20, $50, $100, $500). Who do I call?

Answer: The United States Secret Service (USSS) is responsible for the investigation of counterfeit treasury notes. It is however, sometimes quicker and easier to contact local law enforcement. They will take a report, once the bill has been determined to be counterfeit.

They will make a property receipt, and place the bill in evidence.

The counterfeit currency can then be obtained by the USSS at their convenience.

Question: I know someone who was flim-flammed on the street but they are ashamed to report it. What should I do?

Answer: Unless the victim of the crime is willing to cooperate it is not of much use for you to make a formal report. However a call to the «Crime Stoppers» line could prove to be of some help if you have any information about the subjects and location.

Question: I think my mother/ father/ grandmother/ grandfather/ another elderly person is being exploited by someone, who do I report it to?

Answer: You have a choice: You may report it to the Division of Health & Rehabilitative Services (HRS) or your local law enforcement agency. The simplest way is to call the 1-800-ABUSE line, they will handle it from their end once the report has been made.

§ Vocabulary notes

§ Word study

a Group the following words and word combinations from the box into a few logical units and fill in the table:

b Use one of the following words in these sentences, based on the text:

1 The USSS is responsible for the............of counterfeit treasury notes but sometimes it is easier to contact............

2 HRS stand for Health and............Services.

3 The employer must............himself that he has a dishonest employee.

4 He must do a............proving that the employee is stealing from him and then he must report it to the police.

5 If it is............reporting, it's............following up.

с Translate the following words into English:

поддельная банкнота.......................................................................

определить, что банкнота поддельная.......................................................................

местный орган правопорядка.......................................................................

выдать квитанцию о приеме банкноты.......................................................................

получить банкноты.......................................................................

b Match the English and Russian equivalents: