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Monthly Archives: July 2011

Jury Duty Scam

Posted by Laurize Mimay

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Con artists and scammers have been around since man first learned to walk and talk. I assume they will be with us forever. This is just a recent variation of identity theft. Of course, I verified this as real on Snopes.

The scammer calls and claims to work for the court authority and tells you there is a warrant for your arrest because you did not answer a jury summons.

The victim RIGHTLY claims they did not receive a jury summons. The scammer asks for confidential information for “verification” purposes.

Jury Dutie Scams

THIS IS WHERE YOU SHOULD HANG UP! However, the victim then hands over their birthdate, Social Security number and sometimes credit card number. This is everything needed to commit identity theft!

This scam has been reported in nine different states.

About Laurize Mimay

Laurize Mimay is the Operations Manager for Michael Saad International and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the firm and supervision of it's divisions.

Social Media Sites in post-revolutionary Countries

Posted by Laurize Mimay

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Social Media sites such as YouTube and Facebook are helping protesters, particularly women, to reject traditional power structures.

In Egypt, a typically male-dominated society, women are using new access to social media sites to ensure their rights and freedoms. Before the revolution, women activists were arrested and quite possibly sexually assaulted.  Citizens who dared to challenge the system were literally without protection.

Things have changed. Now women know they can take video with their cell phone and post it.  Moreover, even if one phone is confiscated, or one person arrested, more people wlll post the same footage, shot from their phones.

Activists and women cannot act with immunity, but they are starting to usher in an era of transparency. More time is needed to thwart the many abuses committed across the Arab world by multiple governments; but a start provides hope.

About Laurize Mimay

Laurize Mimay is the Operations Manager for Michael Saad International and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the firm and supervision of it's divisions.

Latin American Etiquette – a Traveller’s Guide

Posted by Giovanni Guerra

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Etiquette in Latin America varies from country to country, but some generalizations can be made. The countries in Central and South America were colonized by Europeans and as such many customs and behavior expectations are the similar. Here are a few notable differences you should consider before you travel.

  • People from Latin America are often more comfortable with loud talk and exaggerated hand gestures. They may have a smaller sense of personal space. It may be rude to step away from someone while they are talking to you.
  • At some finer restaurants, the server will wait for you to request the check; anything else is considered rude.
  • The America gesture “come here” with the palm facing upward and opening and closing the fingers could be perceived as a romantic prelude.
  • Hand objects, don’t toss them. It’s not considered rude everywhere, but it is some places.
  • Don’t refer to yourself as “American” or from “America;” they are too. You are from the United States or perhaps North American. Using this terminology helps to avoid confusion.
  • Don’t talk about US Foreign Policy while in a foreign country. This seems like such a simplistic suggestion; but you would be surprised how many people forget this basic rule.
  • Religion is not taken lightly by many Latin Americans. While in Latin America treat religion with respect.

There are many other rules to follow while traveling to Latin America, but following these basic etiquette guidelines will help ensure you have a safe and fun trip.

About Giovanni Guerra

Giovanni Guerra is an Associate with Michael Saad International with extensive experience with security related issues and specializes in Latin affairs, customs, traditions and operational security & awareness in Mexico. Recently, Ms Guerra received her M.Sc. in Intelligence and National Security from the University of Texas at El Paso.