A.G. Schneiderman Issues End Of Year Holiday Shopping Alert

Schneiderman: As New Yorkers Make Last Minute Holiday Purchases For Their Family And Friends, It Can Be Easy To Fall Prey To Bogus Deals Or Scams

  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today issued tips for New Yorkers finishing up their holiday shopping.

“As New Yorkers start making final holiday purchases for their family and friends, it can be easy to fall prey to bogus deals or scams,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “We want to ensure that consumers spend their money safely and wisely this holiday season, and following our tips will help protect against fraudsters and scammers.”

Attorney General Schneiderman issued the following tips for consumers shopping for the holidays: 

• Beware of misleading bargains and added fees: The “sale” price may have been marked up before it was marked down, nullifying the impact of the sale. Often, the touted “sale” price may, in fact, be significantly higher than the price for that same item later in the season. Delivery charges and/or other added costs such as assembly fees are often not reflected in the “sale price.” In many cases, hidden costs like these may negate the value of the sale.
   
• Compare warranty terms. Not all warranties are the same. Make sure you read the terms of any warranty to learn what protections you get and the duration of those protections. This could significantly affect that cost of an item over the long-run.
   
• Know the terms of a layaway plan. The law requires merchants to give a detailed description of the merchandise to be purchased on layaway plans, the total cost of the items, including all charges, the duration of the plan, the required payment schedule, the consequences of missing payments, the refund policy and the location, if other than the place of purchase, where the merchandise is being stored.
  
  
• Check return and refund policies. The law requires all merchants to post their refund policies. A store that fails to do so must give consumers 30 days to get a refund in the manner that the purchase was made. Be especially vigilant of “final sales” or “cash-only – final sale” notices, as you will have little or no recourse if the merchandise proves to be defective. Some stores will require the original packaging and charge a hefty restocking fee for returned items.
  
  
• Beware of restricted gift cards. Be sure to read the terms and conditions of gift cards before purchasing. It is illegal to deduct any fees for non-use within one year of purchase or to have an expiration date of less than five years from issuance. Use your card as soon as you can. If it later appears that your card has expired, or that fees have been deducted, contact the company that issued the card. It may still honor the card or withdraw the fees.
  
  
• Shop only on secure Internet connections: Do not conduct any transaction that involves personal, financial or credit card information while using an open and unsecured Wi-Fi connection. Be careful not to shop, conduct business, or send sensitive or personal information out on these networks because identity thieves often stake out open networks seeking victims. When entering payment information online you should verify that HTTPS is in your address bar to protect yourself from identity thieves and cyber criminals. URLs that begin with https:// instead of the standard http:// are secured by SSL, an internet security protocol.
  
  
• Do not be tricked by confusingly similar website and domain names: Pay particular attention to your retailer’s URL when shopping online. Scammers use variants of a known company’s Internet address to try and lure users into visiting fake websites. They often target users through email or social media.  Avoid clicking on links from email or social media sites.  Watch out for websites with URLs that differ slightly from those of legitimate online retailers, and also links that appear genuine but direct your browser to a completely different URL. To ensure safe shopping online type the URL of your desired retailer directly into your web browser — and watch for typos.
   
• Protect yourself by using credit cards: With the advent of point-of-sale malware and rampant data breaches, identity thieves are now more sophisticated and dangerous than ever. If you are going to make purchases online, you can best protect yourself from the risks of identity theft and fraud by using credit cards. Credit cards generally offer better purchase protection and fraud dispute resolution than other methods of payment.
  
  
• Be wary of too-good-to-be-true contests and prize promotions: Consumers should be suspicious of any email, messages, or posts on social networks promoting giveaways or contests that seem too good to be true, , free high-value gift cards, tablets, and smartphones. These “contests” are often scams designed to bilk consumers out of money and/or to collect consumers’ personal information for resale. Genuine sweepstakes and contests are commonplace on the Internet; however, you should avoid any contest or promotion that requires you to pay money or to perform any sort of financial transaction. Also, think twice before participating in promotions that require entrants to register with multiple third-party websites; often these are ploys to build marketing lists. Promotions that require users to provide more than simple contact information may even be phony or run by scammers who resell consumer information to collect referral fees!
  
  
• Read the fine print: Broadly worded promotional offers and advertisements often mislead consumers into paying full price for items they believed were on sale.  Consumers should carefully examine Internet deals by reading any and all fine print in the promotional materials, identifying the exact brand and model number on sale. Consumers should also avoid bait-and-switch advertisements or promotions that lure consumers with basement prices that are not guaranteed to be in stock. Fine print stating that quantities are limited is a tell-tale sign of this bait-and-switch tactic. 

A.G. Schneiderman Issues Consumer Alert After Second Yahoo Data Breach, Examines Circumstances Of Breach And Disclosure To Law Enforcement

Over 1 Billion Users Potentially Impacted

Schneiderman: I Urge All New Yorkers To Take Essential Steps To Increase Security Of Their Personal Information Online

   Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman urged all New Yorker to take immediate steps to protect their personal information online, in the wake of Yahoo’s recent disclosure that a third party had breached its servers and accessed the personal data of over 1 billion users. This follows news of a 2014 breach of Yahoo’s servers which compromised the data of a reported 500 million users.

The Attorney General’s office is in touch with Yahoo, and is currently examining the circumstances of the breach and Yahoo’s disclosure of the breach to law enforcement.

“This latest breach of Yahoo’s servers is a stark reminder that big data hacks are increasingly becoming the new normal,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “In light of that reality, I urge all New Yorkers to take essential steps to increase security of their personal information online and identify whether or not they’ve been the victim of identity theft.”

The data compromised includes email addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, hashed passwords (using MD5) and, in some cases, encrypted or unencrypted security questions and answers. The investigation indicates that the stolen information did not include passwords in clear text, payment card data, or bank account information. 

The Attorney General urges anyone with a Yahoo account  to change their passwords and security questions -- not only with Yahoo accounts, but for any other accounts which you use the same or similar information. The A.G. also recommends that consumers review all online accounts for suspicious activity; be cautious of any unsolicited communications that ask for personal information, including those that provide a hyperlink or attachment where you  are requested to click, or refer you to a web page asking for personal information. 

In light of the risks posed by data security breaches, individuals should remain vigilant and take action to protect themselves against breaches.

The Attorney General’s Office would also like to remind consumers about these common sense ways to protect themselves:

• Create strong passwords for online accounts and update them frequently. Use different passwords for different accounts, especially for websites where you have disseminated sensitive information, such as credit card or Social Security numbers. 
• Carefully monitor credit card and debit card statements each month. If you find any abnormal transactions, contact your bank or credit card agency immediately. 
• Do not write down or store passwords electronically. If you do, be extremely careful of where you store passwords. Be aware that any passwords stored electronically (such as in a word processing document or cell phone’s notepad) can be easily stolen and provide fraudsters with one-stop shopping for all your sensitive information. If you hand-write passwords, do not store them in plain sight. 
• Do not post any sensitive information on social media. Information such as birthdays, addresses, and phone numbers can be used by fraudsters to authenticate account information. Practice data minimization techniques. Don’t overshare.
• Use two-factor authentication. Take advantage of a websites offering of two-factor authentication, which uses a second piece of information besides username/password, that only the user would know, to authenticate the user prior to access to the account. 
• Always be aware of the current threat landscape. Stay up to date on media reports of data security breaches and consumer advisories.  

Under New York law, businesses with New York customers are required to inform customers and the Attorney General’s Office about security breaches that have placed personal information in jeopardy. The Attorney General’s Office investigates data breaches to determine if customers were properly notified of the breach and if the entity had appropriate safeguards in place to protect customers’ data.  The Attorney General recently proposed new legislation to make consumer information more secure.

BROOKLYN MAN INDICTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER OF NYPD OFFICERS

Gunfight At Midday On Election Day, A Half-Block From School Polling Place 

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Brooklyn man has been charged with Attempted Murder and 11 other crimes for shooting at police who were responding to a robbery he and an accomplice had just committed. 

  District Attorney Clark said, “This defendant opened fire on a police officer and a sergeant who were responding to a victim’s cry for help. He fired seven rounds and they returned nine shots. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, despite the gun battle taking place just a half-block away from a high school where people were voting on Election Day. Anyone who puts our police officers in jeopardy will face the fullest extent of the law.” 

   District Attorney Clark said that Zachary Irizarry, 19, of Bushwick Avenue, Brooklyn, has been charged with first and second-degree Attempted Murder, first, second and third-degree Robbery, second and fourth-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon, first-degree Attempted Assault, first and second-degree Reckless Endangerment, first-degree Criminal Use of a Firearm, second-degree Obstructing Governmental Administration, Resisting Arrest, first degree Burglary, fifth-degree Attempted Criminal Possession of Marijuana, seventh-degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Unlawful Possession of Marijuana. He was arraigned today before Bronx Supreme Court Justice William Mogulescu. He was remanded and is due back on January 17, 2017.

   A second defendant, Jordan DeJesus of East 169th Street, the Bronx, was arraigned on the Robbery, Criminal Possession of a Weapon and Attempted Criminal Possession of Marijuana charges in the indictment on December 6, 2016. He was released on $25,000 bail. 

   According to the investigation, on November 8, 2016 at about 1 p.m. in front of 862 East 164th Street, a half-block from Bronx Regional High School on Rev. James A. Polite Avenue, NYPD Sergeant Michael Bletcher and Police Officer Juan Candelario saw a man run out of the building and heard him shout, “He’s got a gun.”

   Irizarry, who with DeJesus had allegedly just robbed the victim during a marijuana deal, fired several rounds at the officers, who were in plainclothes but had their police shields displayed. The officers fired nine rounds and Irizarry fled down the block. 

   The officers pursued him and he broke into a private house on 165th Street. Irizarry was arrested and his gun was recovered behind a washing machine in the house.

   The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Joseph Marciano and Kiran Rosenkilde of the Public Integrity Bureau, and Omer Wiczyk, Deputy Chief of the Public Integrity Bureau, under the supervision of Wanda Perez-Maldonado, Chief of the Public Integrity Bureau, and the overall supervision of Stuart Levy, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Division, and Jean T. Walsh, Chief of the Investigations Division. 

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

Comptroller Stringer Releases Fiscal Year 2016 Popular Annual Financial Report

To boost transparency, report outlines City’s revenues, expenses, budgets, and capital projects in an easy-to-read format

  New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer released the Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) for Fiscal Year 2016, which breaks down for the public the City’s revenues, expenses, budget, and capital projects in 25 easy-to-understand pages of graphs, charts, and plain-language explanations.

“Transparency is more important than ever before. With $73.7 billion in spending just last year, there’s no doubt that our City’s finances are complex, but we believe in simplifying them for the public. New Yorkers deserve to know how their government works. We break down important information in a way that is accessible to everyone and I encourage all New Yorkers to take a look,” New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer said.

Last year’s PAFR – the City’s first – received the Government Finance Officers Association’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting. The Fiscal Year 2016 PAFR has been submitted for the same award this year.

The majority of the data in the PAFR comes from the Comptroller’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, which is released every year on October 31st. This year’s PAFR highlights information including:

New York City Saw Sustained Job Gains

• The City added 98,100 private-sector jobs in FY16, a gain of 2.7 percent;
• Breaking a five-year trend, more than half of the new private-sector jobs were in mid- to high-wage sectors;
• All five boroughs had their lowest unemployment rates since FY08 – 4.5 percent in Manhattan, 4.6 percent in Queens, 5.3 percent in Staten Island, 5.4 percent in Brooklyn, and 7.2 percent in the Bronx;

Taxes and Revenue

• Overall, the City brought in more than $80 billion in revenues in FY16, split between program revenues – such as grants – and general revenues, like taxes.
• In FY16, New York City received $26 billion in grants and program revenues – about even with the previous year. The largest associated revenues were for education programs, which received nearly $12 billion, and social services, which brought in almost $5 billion.
• Another $55 billion came in through general revenues, an increase of $395 million from the previous year. Sources included $23 billion in real estate taxes, $11.5 billion in personal income taxes, and $8.5 billion in sales and use taxes.
• In the last year, 42 percent of tax revenues came from real estate taxes, compared to 21 percent from personal income tax, 16 percent from sales and use tax, and 19 percent from other taxes.

Expenses Grew

• In FY16, the City spent $73.7 billion from its general fund – an increase of roughly $3.5 billion from FY15.
• The largest share of resources was dedicated to education, at $22 billion.

Capital Project Commitments Decreased

• Capital commitments totaled $8.5 billion, about $800 million less than in FY15.
• This drop in capital commitments was led by the Department of Environmental Protection, which saw a decrease of $513 million, and the Department of Education, which had a decrease of $380 million.
• Still, roughly one-third of the FY16 capital budget – $2.5 billion – was dedicated to the Department of Education. The Department of Environmental Protection was next with $1.6 billion, or 19 percent, followed by the Department of Transportation at $1.2 billion, or 14 percent.

Peer-City Comparisons

• In 2014 – the most recent comparison available – New York City had 58.3 million tourists, outpacing Chicago, which had 52.75 million, and Philadelphia, which welcomed 39.7 million.
• New York City boasts more than 39,000 acres of parkland, compared to roughly 12,500 in Chicago and 11,000 in Philadelphia.

Each city provides different types and levels of service for its residents. In FY16, New York City spent over $10,000 per resident, while Philadelphia spent about $4,000 and Chicago spent $2,600.

Comptroller Scott M. Stringer Releases Analysis of the City’s Financial Plan

Comptroller’s analysis shows outyear gaps exceeding $3 billion in Fiscal Years 2018, 2019, and 2020

  A new report on the City’s November Plan released by New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer today forecasts modest economic growth at the national and City levels for the next several quarters. The report indicates that revenues could fall short of projections while expenditures will likely exceed estimates in each year of the Financial Plan. The Comptroller is required by the City Charter to submit the report.

The analysis identifies risks ranging from $585 million to $1.02 billion over the Plan period – from the current year (FY 2017) through FY 2020 – resulting in outyear gaps of more than $3 billion. With major shifts in federal fiscal and economic policies looming, significant uncertainties weigh on the forecast.

Among the key findings:

Tax Collections

• Non-property tax revenues were revised downward in the Mayor’s November Plan to reflect shortfalls in collections through the first three months of FY 2017, relative to the June Plan.
• The Comptroller’s Office forecast extends this trend into the remainder of the year and beyond, lowering anticipated tax revenues by a further $180 million in FY 2017, and $288 million in FY 2018.
• Total City tax revenues during the first ten months of 2016 fell 1.0 percent from the same period a year ago.

City Spending and Saving

• Despite the decrease in forecasted tax revenues, the total FY 2017 budget of $83.46 billion is $1.34 billion more than the Adopted Budget, due primarily to higher federal and state reimbursements for Hurricane Sandy and other programs.
• The November Plan lays out modest City-funds agency spending increases of $131 million.
• The Plan includes a Citywide Savings Program that totals $691 million in the current Fiscal Year and $1.7 billion over the four years of the Plan. The FY 2017 savings from the Citywide Savings Program enable the City to compensate for the decrease in revenue estimates, offset agency spending increases, and generate a budget surplus of $439 million to prepay FY 2018 debt service.
• Much of these savings are based on spending re-estimates, including accruals savings and aligning estimates to reflect year-to-date spending – adjustments that are part of the budget modification during the course of the Fiscal Year, even in the absence of a Citywide Savings Program.
• Only four percent of the FY 2017 savings is derived from proposed efficiency and productivity initiatives, such as more efficient use of the City’s vehicle fleet. Because most of the efficiency and productivity initiatives have recurring savings, they account for about 12 percent of the total recurring savings over the Plan period.
• The Comptroller’s forecast anticipates lower revenues as well as a number of likely spending needs not recognized in the November Plan, including higher overtime spending, additional assistance to New York Health + Hospitals, and increased spending on homeless shelters to maintain the current level of support.

Higher Outyear Gaps

• Consequently, the Comptroller has identified net risks of $585 million in FY 2017, $1.02 billion in FY 2018, $908 million in FY 2019, and $722 million in FY 2020. These risks would result in gaps of $585 million in FY 2017, $3.26 billion in FY 2018, $3.80 billion in FY 2019, and $3.10 billion in FY 2020.
• With $1 billion in the General Reserve and $500 million in the Capital Stabilization Reserve, the danger of a shortfall in FY 2017 is remote.
• However, the risks in the outyears are significant. Even with the use of available Plan reserves, including the $1 billion General Reserve and the $500 million Capital Stabilization Reserve, the City could still face a budget gap of as much as $2.3 billion for FY 2018, rising to over $3 billion in the latter half of the financial plan.

“There is a high degree of uncertainty about our economy in the future. We may see cuts from Washington that would likely fall most heavily on the most vulnerable New Yorkers. With potential long-term deficits looming, it is critical that we prepare now. We urge City Hall to take meaningful steps in the Preliminary Budget to prepare for the challenges ahead,” Comptroller Scott M. Stringer said.

It is more than likely that the Comptroller’s Office’s view of the economic and fiscal outlook for the City will change when President-elect Trump assumes office next year. Corresponding changes in policy may affect this forecast.

Westchester Square Tree Lighting and Toy Giveaway

  It was a bitter cold Friday evening, but about 100 people were at Westchester Square to see the tree lighting and visit Santa in his local workshop to receive a free toy to the children on hand. The Westchester Square BID along with Assemblymen Mark Gjonaj and Michael Benedetto, Tom Messina of Congressman Crowley's office, local merchants, CB 10 Vice Chair John Marano, Santa's Elves and Reindeer were on hand. 

Above - All stand in front of the tree before it is lit, as everyone awaits santa's arrival.

Below - A lovely lit tree is now behind the group with Santa.

Above - Santa's Elves prepare the workshop for Santa and all the children.

Below - Rudolph arrives to tell the Elves Santa is about to arrive. 

Above - A group photo of Santa, the elected officials, merchants, and Santa's helpers, but someone is missing.

Below - Assemblyman Michael Benedetto is now in the photo after drinking some delicious hot chocolate which was provided with fresh baked cookies. 

Above and Below -Children then came in to sit on Santa's lap and receive a free toy.

Above - Another child sits on Santa's lap then receives a toy.

Below - Santa asks this young lady what she wants for Christmas.

COUNCIL MEMBER ANDY KING RELEASES REGARDING DATE SET FOR OFFICER HASTE DEPARTMENTAL TRIAL

  NYC Council Member Andy King Expresses Satisfaction Of January Date Set For Departmental Trial for NYPD Officer Richard Haste

“While I am extremely grateful that a date has been set for the departmental trial of Officer Richard Haste, it is my hope that the process, based upon the facts, will result in justice with Haste and the other officers being held accountable for their actions. This is long overdue, it was nearly five years ago when Ramarley Graham was killed,” said Council Member Andy King.

MAYOR DE BLASIO, HUD SECRETARY CASTRO, AND T-MOBILE ANNOUNCE 5,000 FAMILIES IN BRONX PUBLIC HOUSING TO RECEIVE FREE TABLETS AND MOBILE INTERNET SERVICE

  At a press conference yesterday Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the first 5,000 families in NYCHA housing to receive free Tablets and mobile Internet service. Statements are below with photos. It must be noted that when the mayor took questions this reporter asked why can you give free tablets and Internet service, but residents in NYCHA houses must wait over five years for necessities like a stove or refrigerator. I also asked about the condition of the curbs after streets are milled for repaving, and damaged by the contractors. The mayor replied that the second part of my question about curbs was off topic, and as for the stoves and refrigerators he went into how NYCHA has an eighteen billion dollar backlog of repairs, blaming the federal government for not putting in its fair share of funding into public housing. 

   Reporters such as Marcia Kramer from Channel 2 News then asked about the fine by the Campaign Finance Board, and two investigations into dealings which involved the mayor. Mayor de Blasio said that the question was off topic and he was not going to answer it, and after the third reporter asked the same question the mayor said he was not taking anymore questions and quickly left the room. 

$2 million in tablets and discounted mobile internet service provided by T-Mobile complement Wi-Fi networks under construction in public housing communities in all five boroughs and the New York Public Library’s Mi-Fi hot-spot loan initiative, advancing the City’s goal of achieving universal affordable internet access by 2025 

  Mayor Bill de Blasio and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro today announced in partnership with T-Mobile that families living in public housing in the Bronx will receive 5,000 new tablet computers connected to T-Mobile’s high-speed data network. As part of this commitment, T-Mobile will also become a national stakeholder in the Obama Administration’s ConnectHome initiative. Beginning in January, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) will distribute the tablets – valued at $159 each – to qualifying families with children under 19 years old..

“Increasing internet access across the city is not just a noble goal – it’s a necessary one. These days, the internet is virtually a requirement for people searching for jobs or students doing homework. We are thrilled to find one more way to boost access in the Bronx – and we’re thankful to our partners at T-Mobile and HUD for helping to make this happen,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

“The ConnectHome program is providing children and families the tools they need to stay competitive in this 21^st century global economy,” said U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro. “With this new commitment to ConnectHome, T-Mobile and the City of New York are making a meaningful impact to close the digital divide for thousands of New York public housing residents.”

This investment is part of the de Blasio Administration’s commitment to expanding internet access, which recognizes that high-speed internet is no longer a luxury but a critical service that must be affordable to all city residents. 

The tablets come preloaded with apps and links connecting users to City services and directories, including the award-winning MyNYCHA app, the 311 app, the New York Public Library’s SimplyE app, ACCESS NYC,mystudent.nyc, openebooks.net, and links to information on IDNYC and local computer centers. T-Mobile will provide free introductory training for recipients. In addition, the New York Public Library will expand digital literacy and mobile tablet training programs at nearby branches in the Bronx, which will help New Yorkers learn about computer and internet basics, social media, protecting online information and privacy, career development, coding, and more.

T-Mobile has committed $2 million in devices and discounted service for this initiative and the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications is overseeing and will be funding the two years of discounted high-speed mobile data for these tablets at a cost of $1.2 million. Eligible developments and the schedule for distribution events, including T-Mobile tablet trainings, will be announced in January 2017, when residents will be able to register for the tablets online or through a phone hotline. NYCHA will also distribute flyers to eligible residents prior to the opening of registration.

Nearly 26 percent of households in the Bronx have no internet at home and no mobile internet plan – well above the citywide rate of 19.8 percent. This commitment will bring affordable, high-speed internet access to more NYCHA households in the Bronx. The tablet distribution complements the Administration’s $10 million investment in building wireless networks that serve public housing residents in the Queensbridge, Red Hook and Mott Haven, Jefferson and Stapleton Houses communities, which the Mayor and Secretary announced last year. Free Wi-Fi service launched this week for the first section of the Queensbridge Houses.

Above - Mayor Bill de Blasio listens to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro about public housing in the city and the needs of the families.

Below - Bailey Benson holds her new mobile Internet accessible phone from T-Mobil. 

Above - the Benson family poses with the mayor and Secretary Castro and the new tablet given to the family.

Below a close up of Mayor de Blasio as he is about to bolt the press conference after the third question about the CFB fine and questions of investigations of him.