“DRIVE SOBER OR GET PULLED OVER” CAMPAIGN

Information from the County Attorney's Office

By Steven J. Franzen, Campbell County Attorney

If you choose to drink and drive in Northern Kentucky – beware.  Law enforcement throughout Northern Kentucky will be participating in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign which runs from August 16th to September 4th.

This nationwide impaired driving crackdown will include high-visibility enforcement, high-profile events, and will be supported by national paid advertising, creating a comprehensive campaign to curb impaired driving.

Locally, we aggressively watch for impaired drivers year-round but this campaign will ensure that our roadways are safer for everyone during the heavily-traveled Labor Day holiday.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on average, there is one alcohol impaired driving-related fatality every 51 minutes.  High-visibility enforcement such as the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign reduces alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. 

In Kentucky in 2015, there were more than 4,200 collisions involving alcohol, resulting in more than 1,900 injuries and 119 fatalities. During the Labor Day holiday weekend, there were more than 60 collisions involving alcohol, resulting in 30 injuries and three fatalities. 

Adding one more tool to combat drinking and driving, Kentucky Office of Highway Safety partnered with Mobile Life Solutions last year to develop a free “Drive Sober Kentucky” application that may be downloaded at www.DriveSoberKY.com.  

 The app contains phone numbers to taxi and limousine services and sober ride programs, along with a one-touch dial feature to report a drunken driver and information about the designated driver HERO campaign.  If a local taxi, limousine or sober ride program would like to participate but is not included in the app, send contact information to info@driversoberky.com

We hope the campaign will serve as a reminder that those who choose to drink should never get behind the wheel.  Driving impaired is simply not worth the risk. So don’t take the chance.

For more information, visit the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Campaign Headquarters at www.nhtsa.gov/drivesober.

CREDIT CARD SCAM

Information from the County Attorney's Office

By Steven J. Franzen, Campbell County Attorney

Sadly, our office routinely gets calls from citizens about various types of online scams where their credit card information is stolen.  I thought it may be helpful in this article to discuss some examples of various scams to assist you in avoiding such misfortune.

Although use of a lost or stolen credit card is very common, there are a variety of other scams involving credit cards that are commonly used as well.  Below are several examples of how crooks commonly try to scam individuals credit card information

1.      Sale of credit card loss protection by using scare tactics and false information. 

2.      Promises to “fix” your credit report.

3.     Claims of Phantom debts owed by an individual and that serious consequences will occur if the debt is not paid.

4.      Scams based on promises of receiving scholarships for education.

The scams previously mentioned are just a few of the many out there today.  You can protect yourself by remembering the following:

1)  Never give your credit card number or bank account number over the phone unless you have initiated the contact. 

2)  Beware of shipping fees.  This is one of the most common scams.  People may be paying huge amounts for shipping to receive what ultimately may be a $15.00 prize.

3)   Hang up if you are asked to pay for a prize. 

4)   Ask the company to send you written material on the offer.  If the company is unwilling to do this, chances are the offer is not legitimate.

5)   Avoid high-pressure tactics.

6)   Ask detailed questions.  Find out about the company’s cancellation and refund policies.  Ask if there are additional charges.

7)  Research the company or charity through the local Better Business Bureau.  The local Consumer Protection Agency and the Attorney General can provide even more information.

8)   Report fraud promptly.  Victims of credit card abuse avoid most or all financial liability if they report fraud immediately.

For more information about prevention and common scams, you can visit the National Consumers League website, www.Fraud.org.  Also, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office has a toll-free Consumer Protection Line, which can be reached at 888-432-9257.  Lastly, you can register on the Telemarketing Do Not Call register (both federal and Kentucky) at: http://nocall.ky.gov/default.aspx or through the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office website, http://ag.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx. 

If you have any topics you would like to have covered in this column, please contact my office by e-mail at countyattorney@campbellcountyky.org, by phone at 491-7700 or by regular mail addressed to 319 York Street, Newport, Kentucky 41071.