Subject: American Community Security Update - March 29, 2002 We use this service to provide you the most up-to-date safety and security related information we have available. We will continue to do so, sending out messages as soon as new information becomes available. In addition to sharing security-related information, we will continue to include news and information about our American Citizens Services of a more general nature. This week's feature summarizes public announcements issued by our embassies in Manila, Jakarta and Rome. Public announcements and Country Information Sheets for the whole world are at the State Department's Consular Affairs web site; while we will include ones we think are generally useful to Amcits in Japan, travelers should always check http://travel.state.gov for the latest information. We further to take the opportunity to publicize a March 25 Texas court ruling which affects Texas overseas voters. Finally in this issue, we report on the growing danger of telephone scams in the United States and Japan, and how to protect yourself. ------------------ Security Situation ------------------ The security situation in Japan remains the same with no new threat information reported from either the American or the Japanese side other than the March 17 worldwide caution we already distributed via this channel. ----------------------------------------------------------- PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING THE PHILIPPINES AND INDONESIA ----------------------------------------------------------- In light of the recent deployment of U.S. military troops to the southern Philippines, the Department of State wishes to remind U.S. citizens of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group's practice of kidnapping American citizens in the extreme southwest Philippines, near Indonesia. This practice puts Americans in the border region of Kalimantan, North Sulawesi and North Maluku at potential risk. The Embassy urges American citizens to avoid traveling to these areas. Once again, we advise Americans in Indonesia to remain alert and take all appropriate measures to ensure their personal safety. The Embassy will continue to monitor and assess conditions in Indonesia and inform Americans of changes in the security situation. For further information regarding travel to the Philippines and Indonesia, please consult the Department of State's latest Consular Information Sheets for those countries, which are available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov ----------------------------------------------------- PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING EASTER SUNDAY IN ITALY: ----------------------------------------------------- This Public Announcement is being issued to alert U.S. citizens because of a possible threat to U.S. citizens in the cities of Venice, Florence, Milan and Verona on Easter Sunday from extremist groups. This Public Announcement expires on April 25, 2002. As stated in the Department of State's Worldwide Caution dated March 17, 2002, the U.S. Government continues to receive credible reports that extremists are planning additional terrorist actions against U.S. interests. The U.S. Government has learned that a possible threat exists to U.S. citizens in the cities of Venice, Florence, Milan and Verona on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2002, from extremist groups. These groups do not distinguish between official and civilian targets. Civilian targets may include facilities where Americans and the general public are usually known to congregate or visit, such as clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools or outdoor recreation events. Americans should increase their security awareness and avoid large crowds. For further information regarding travel to Italy, please consult the Department of State's latest Consular Information Sheet for Italy, which is available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov, and the U.S. Mission Italy web page at www.usembassy.it ---------------------------------------------------------- TEXAS TO ALLOW USE OF THE FEDERAL WRITE-IN ABSENTEE BALLOT IN RUNOFF ELECTION ON APRIL 9, 2002 ---------------------------------------------------------- On March 25, 2002, a federal court in Texas issued an order that authorizes the use of the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB), SF- 186, in the April 9, 2002 federal primary runoff election. Military and U.S. citizens located overseas and covered under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act who timely applied for absentee ballots from appropriate election officials for the April 9, 2002 federal primary runoff election are permitted to use the FWAB in this election. This action was taken due to the compressed period of time between primary and runoff elections that would have prevented voters from returning their ballots by the return deadline. Overseas Texas voters should vote using the FWAB and the names listed below or their regular absentee ballots as soon as possible. An overseas ballot must be placed in delivery by 7:00 p.m. on election day so that it arrives at the early voting clerk's office not later than two days after the date of the election. Be sure to allow sufficient transit time for the ballot to arrive by this deadline. ----------------------------------------------- TELEPHONE SCAMS IN THE UNITED STATES AND JAPAN: ----------------------------------------------- Note: Telephone scams are prevalent in the US and now in Japan. Users are reminded NOT to call back numbers with unfamiliar area codes. These can connect to sex lines, or expensive toll calls. Our advice is to ignore calls that you do not know. Do Not waste your time and money returning unknown calls on your cell phone or home phone. .The following advisory for U.S. Scams was sent out last year - and again this year - from AT&T: Please be aware if you receive notification to call a numbers with an area code of 809, 284, and 876 phone numbers. It may be part of a scam to make you dial overseas and easily end up costing you thousands of dollars if you make the call. These area codes appear domestic long- distance calls but they actually are area codes in the Caribbean and international calls and international rates apply. Trying to fight the charges afterwards can become a real nightmare. Here's How It Works: You will receive a message on your answering machine or your pager, which asks you to call a number beginning with area code 809. The reason you're asked to call varies. It can be to receive information about a family member who has been ill, to tell you someone has been arrested, died, to let you know you have won a wonderful prize, etc. In each case, you are told to call the 809 number right away. Since there are so many new area codes these days, people unknowingly return these calls. If you call from the US, you will apparently be charged $2425 per- minute. Or, you'll get a long recorded message. The point is, they will try to keep you on the phone as long as possible to increase the charges. Unfortunately, when you get your phone bill, you'll often be charged more than $24100.00. Why It Works: The 809 area code is located in the British Virgin Islands (The Bahamas). The 809 area code can be used as a "pay-per-call" number, similar to 900 numbers in the US. Since 809 is not in the US, it is not covered by U.S. regulations of 900 numbers, which require that you be notified and warned of charges and rates involved when you call a pay- per-call" number. There is also no requirement that the company provide a time period during which you may terminate the call without being charged. Further, whereas many U.S. homes that have 900 number blocking to avoid these kinds of charges, do not work in preventing calls to the 809 area code. We recommend that no matter how you get the message, if you are asked to call a number with an 809 area code that you don't recognize just disregard the message. Be wary of email or calls asking you to call an 809 area code number. It's important to prevent becoming a victim of this scam, since trying to fight the charges afterwards can become a real nightmare. That's because you did actually make the call. If you complain, both your local phone company and your long distance carrier will not want to get involved and will most likely tell you that they are simply providing the billing for the foreign company. You'll end up dealing with a foreign company that argues they have done nothing wrong.