2016 is almost done and year 2017 winds its beginning. A brand new year will unfold, are we ready enough to protect ourselves from cyberattacks once again? Cybercriminals will certainly come up with newest unlawful schemes to deceive people. And we must be aware and mindful enough to protect ourselves from such threats. 

I prepared some tips to protect yourself from cyberattacks:

-One of the most important things to remember is that never give your personal and financial information right away when buying or selling online. Check their background first and purchase from a reputable and well-established sellers only. 

-Be cautious and discreet online. Do not share too much information about yourself on the internet and keep your personal and financial information private. Cybercriminals will definitely use that information to their advantage.

-“Generate a strong password” or “Create a strong password” are advice we constantly see online. Setting a strong password is important because it can stop or prevent various cyberattacks on your online accounts. Do not use passwords that are obvious and very predictable, if you use the same passwords on all of your online accounts then it will become easy for thieves to gain access and wreak havoc on your personal and financial life. You wouldn’t want that to happen right?

-Do not let your guard down when using social networking sites because cybercriminals are lurking there. Your privacy and security could be in danger so make sure to optimize your privacy settings.

-This may be a bit simple but make an effort to set a lock on your computer as well to the other electronic devices you have.

-Opening email attachments and links can be harmful because they sometimes carry spyware and malware such as Trojan horses, worms and viruses that can infect your computer and steal private information from you. It is better to ignore and delete emails from unknown senders.

-Understand and avoid the dangers of downloading free apps on your mobile phone. Free apps could contain harmful code that can damage your mobile device and compromise your personal data and expose it to identity thefts.

There’s no limit to all of the things we can do online to make our life more convenient. However, it can also make us susceptible to frauds and scams. If you notice any suspicious activity and became a victim, quickly report it to local authorities. 

Nearly 100 car sellers on Craigslist were targeted by a scam in the Chicago area that left sellers without their cars and holding rubber checks, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reported last year. In a 2014 case, a young student from Southern California was stabbed to death selling a car he advertised on Craigslist.

Selling your car online is a wonderful convenience, but it’s also become a feeding ground for scammers. The good news is that with a few precautions, you can avoid these traps.

Craigslist, the free, peer-to-peer classifieds website, is where you’ll find most used car bargains — and where con artists try to prey on gullible sellers. The online giant eBayMotors.com also lists used cars for sale or auction but has various purchase protection programs to discourage most types of fraud.

When asked why online car sales attract shady types, Frank Scafidi, public affairs director of the National Insurance Crime Bureau, answered, “In a word, ‘anonymity.’ The internet attracts a lot of positive people, but it also attracts people who try to work their scam and then disappear back into the ether.”

Automotive enthusiast Josh Sadlier, a content strategist for Edmunds.com, has been buying and selling cars on Craigslist for years. He says that he’s never had someone try to cheat him but that he’s developed a “sixth sense for when someone might be shady.” He adds that if he creates a professional-looking ad with accurate information and good photos, it tends to attract serious, knowledgeable buyers.

Despite the occasional, highly publicized crimes involving Craigslist ads, sellers flock to online sites because they want to maximize the value of their used car quickly rather than trading it to a dealer for a lower price. While they may pocket more money, selling online also requires them to meet with strangers and, usually, arrange test drives, exchange cash and sign documents.

Auto sales strong as industry nears record high for 2016

Here are five tips to help you avoid falling prey to an online scammer:

1. Profile the buyer. If your buyer is legit — and reasonable — the sale will flow smoothly. How can you check out a potential buyer without tapping FBI databases? First, speak with the buyer on the phone. Many scammers hide behind bogus email accounts that provide no information about their whereabouts. Ask buyers to give you their phone number and set up a time to chat; the swindlers will quickly disappear.

Exchanging text messages about buying a used car is normal these days, but push for a quick phone chat. As you talk with the potential buyer, pay attention to your intuition. If the buyer makes any unusual requests or if anything makes you uncomfortable, just wait for another buyer.

2. Follow the money. Nearly all online scams stem from some unusual financing request from the buyer. In a popular scam, the fraudulent buyer sends you a check with an additional amount to ship the car. You pay for the shipping, send the car and then the check bounces.

Before agreeing to meet, tell the prospective buyer you accept only cash. If the buyer insists on paying with a cashier’s check, arrange to meet at the bank and watch as a teller handles the payment request.

Don't be fooled: Here are the BBB's biggest consumer scams of 2016

3. Don’t be overeager. Many scams work because of “the victim’s own eagerness to close a deal they think is sweet,” Scafidi says. So remember that real buyers will have questions about the car and will probably want to dicker. If you’re selling your car to someone out of the area, expect that person to arrange with a mobile service to inspect the car.

4. Meet in a “safe zone.” Because so many people are arranging physical meetings after connecting over the internet, Scafidi says police departments are creating “safe zones” with video surveillance. These are good places to meet prospective buyers.

Sadlier recommends that you, the seller, choose the meeting place. “You can take a lot of variables out of the equation by insisting on ground rules like that,” he says. “If you feel vulnerable and you’re not an automotive expert, bring a friend who is.”

Hertz to sell used cars via online site Shift

If no safe zone is available, meet in a well-lit public place with plenty of people around. Also, if you have any suspicions, ask to see the buyer’s driver’s license before letting him or her drive your car.

5. Avoid buyers with too many stories. Many scams begin with pleas for help or unusual requests such as to ship a car out of the country. In some cases, scammers pose as members of the military to gain sympathy and elicit feelings of patriotism. Avoid all such requests. As Scafidi says, “Slow down, ask questions and don’t become emotionally involved in the sale.”

What do grocery stores and banks have in common? They’re both hotspots for credit card fraudsters in Texas, according to Rippleshot.

The fraud analytics company compiled a list of the top ten places fraudsters like to spend money and majority of the list includes various types of retail and wholesale stores. However, one of the hotspots confused analysts a bit.

“When we did the top ten list where people… actually go and spend fraudulent cards—grocery stores, home supply warehouse stores, wholesale clubs, department stores, gas stations—none of that was particularly surprising to us,” said Canh Tran, CEO of Rippleshot, a Chicago-based predictive technology provider with a focus on credit cards. “What was, was… federal reserve banks.”

Why would someone use stolen credit card information at a federal reserve bank? ATM access.

“It’s one of the trends we’re seeing in fraud scam,” said Tran. “ATMs and gas stations.”

EMV standard credit cards, otherwise known as cards with a chip, and merchants that require using them present fraudsters with more of a challenge in accessing funds or making purchases. But thanks to ATMs and gas stations these individuals have forged an easy way around this.

“ATMs and gas pumps are huge targets right now for skimming and using counterfeit cards because they have extra time to become EMV compliant,” said Tran. “And fraudsters are absolutely going to go after the low-hanging fruit.”

With the U.S. attempting to fully implement chip use and the growth of online banking, the nature of credit card fraud is constantly changing. Banks now possess the ability to analyze transactions in real time and send immediate alerts about suspicious activity. Meanwhile, fraudsters have mostly let go of traditional acts of committing fraud and focus on online fraud, something Tran expects to see even more of with the spread of chip use.

“What we’ve seen in Europe and Canada is at the beginning, regular merchant fraud goes down. But it turns out that what happens is that online fraud just balloons,” said Tran.

Though online fraud may balloon in the near future, right now some of the top Texas merchants that have been compromised are fast food and other eating/drinking places, gas stations, grocery stores, airlines, and banks.

For merchants, Tran stresses the growing trend and importance cyber data insurance.

“If you’re Target and you get breached, you’ll survive. At the end of the day, you’re big enough,” said Tran. “But a small mom-and-pop store or a small-to-medium sized business that gets breached and it's publicly known, there’s a 60- or 70-percent chance that in the next six months you’ll go out of business.”

To see the full list of where credit card fraudsters spend money, click through our gallery above.

Mathew Brigante

Expatriate for a foreign company

As a foreigner living in Japan, dealing with bureaucracies can be daunting and that applies especially to filing taxes. I needed an accountant to do my tax return who was affordable, competent, and who could speak English. Kaori Fuchi and her staff exceeded all of my expectations. From start to finish, and even after submitting my return, she promptly replied to my emails with clear, concise advice and support. I was even provided with step by step instructions on how and where to file my tax return all in English.

Filing taxes has never been easier. I'm already planning to use Kaori Fuchi Tax and Consulting for my 2014 tax needs because there's no other competition as they are the best!

L.Q. working in Tokyo

Expatriate for a major US apparel manufacturer

I requested help on my Japanese income tax return. I came to Japan as an expatriate of a foreign company, so I knew nothing about Japanese tax systems.

Kaori not only speaks English, but understands what is important to foreigners. She has been a great help to me, as she does everything professionally and promptly. I intend to ask Kaori to take care of my tax matters for the duration of my stay in Japan. Thank you Kaori and I really appreciate it.

Ansel Simpson

Managing an English Coaching & Consulting company in Japan

The Socratic Review improves your English communication skill, advances the client’s ability powerfully, effectively and rapidly, and is the only Coaching & Consulting company in Japan that guarantees the goal achievement in English communication skill improvement.

Kaori was recommended to us by one of her clients. Kaori always provides the necessary information promptly. She responds to mails very quickly as well. She talks to the tax office for us to lead the discussions to the right direction. I think that for foreigners doing business in Japan, a quick response is very important. Japanese business practice is at a somewhat different pace to that of Western countries, but her prompt response is always of great help.

David France

Yoga instructor

I work as yoga instructor, body work therapist, and physical therapist. As an American needing to do tax return in Japan, I needed somebody who can advice me about this. Kaori was really kind! Dealing with tax matters in a foreign country in foreign language has been like walking in a dark jungle. It caused me a great stress and fear, but everything was made clear and I was really relieved. It was really reassuring to have somebody explain in English.

June Chin, Portico Financial Inc.

Tax Control, Investment Control and Asset Control on Properties

We chose Kaori Fuchi Tax and Consulting because we felt they offer high quality service to their clients. We also ask the office to act as our administrator of tax payment. Working with Kaori has been a good learning experience for us. She speaks fluent English and therefore can communicate with us properly.

Ken Hanawa

Owner of oversea real estates

I met Ms. Fuchi in July 2011. I own several assets (rental properties) in USA as I lived in USA for a long time, so when I immigrated to Japan I needed advice regarding their treatment in tax return. I got an impression that she grasps client’s need very quickly and provides precise advice. I consulted Ms. Fuchi as a tax accountant with knowledge on international tax matters, and she appeared to have had experiences in variety of cases and has answered to the contents of my consultation very accurately. I assume there had been a thorough preparation behind it. She also followed up after the meeting, and I am really grateful for her sincere handling of my case.

"Pollution is also a weapon of mass destruction." Most people believe in this while others continue to pretend that pollution is not a problem to mankind. But a lot of major cities today always experience a smoky environment due to a lot of cars and other types of vehicles emitting exhaust fumes into the atmosphere.

Pollution could also cause harm to our health and each of us is vulnerable to its effects. But, you can still minimize the effects of exhaust fumes with a proper exhaust control.

A good exhaust control has good effects that are helpful to the environment as well as to the car owners. This particular approach can first, reduce noise levels. Proper design and installation of an exhaust pipe system can minimize noise pollution where you can ask the help of a professional car service provider like Tyre&Auto Southbourne Groupto do this specific task for you. A broken exhaust pipe could also lead to increased noise levels, so in case you're facing such concern, contact a car service provider immediately.

A proper exhaust control also means that direct exhaust is away from the passengers since exhausts were designed at the tail end of a car, or raised high up to support the escape of exhaust fumes into the atmosphere. To assure a more stress-free ride, let a car service provider such as Tyre&Auto Southbourne Groupcheck if there’s any clogging or leaks in your car.

A good exhaust control also results in better engine performance. In case you notice a reduced power and performance in your car, then it could be due to a defective exhaust pipe since it decreases the engine's ability to maximize its burning capability. Inefficient disposal of the waste gases from the combustion process could also lead to a large percentage of lost in an engine's power.

A proper exhaust control can lastly, make fuel consumption more effective since increasing the effectiveness of fuel consumption depends on proper burning. Furthermore, a decreased car mileage is due to a defective exhaust system; and having a faulty exhaust pipe system could pollute the environment as well as burn your money.

Tyre&Auto Southbourne Groupstrives to always give excellent car service to their customers to help them take care of their cars as well as the environment. The company believes in the importance of being responsible for controlling the quantity and quality of exhaust fumes, and seeing significant value in the good effects of a proper exhaust control.

Shopping online offers convenience (and great deals!). But with the good comes the bad—in this case, the Internet scammers who continue to devise new methods to dupe honest folks and commit insurance fraud. Some are even committing crimes in ERIE’s name.

The Issue—and Why it Matters

Gene Robertson, director of special investigations and analytics at Erie Insurance, battles online insurance fraud nearly every day. During his 20-plus years with ERIE and previous experience with the U.S. government, he’s pretty much seen it all.

“From my perspective, you used to see door-to-door snake oil salesmen,” he says. “Now they’re in your inbox.”

These scammers are highly sophisticated, and they know exactly how to lower your barriers. As a result, today’s victims are often highly educated, technologically savvy adults.

“Often, the scammer and the soon-to-be victim trade emails to lend an air of legitimacy to the transaction,” Robertson says. “But the key to the scam is the wiring of money and the transaction code generated during the wiring transaction. Once you wire the money, the transaction code is the key to the kingdom.” Scammers often get victims to do this after they present counterfeit ERIE checks that, courtesy of high-quality scanners and check stock, appear surprisingly legitimate.

All of this translates into bad news for honest Policyholders. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), insurance fraud is the second most costly white-collar crime in America. What’s more, insurance industry studies reveal that 10 percent or more of property/casualty insurance claims are fraudulent, and that makes everyone’s premiums more expensive.

Here are three common insurance scams out there—unfortunately, there are even more being used and thought up every day.

The Out-of-State Buyer Scam

What happens: A “buyer” scanning a classified ads website decides to purchase something that you’re selling. He says that he owned an item just like yours, but it was lost or stolen. Because of that, the scammer says his insurer—in this case, ERIE—will overnight a check to you in order to cover his claim.

The catch: The scammer says you must wire money to cover the shipping costs, but you’ll be reimbursed by “ERIE.” You agree and end up receiving an official looking (but fake) ERIE check to cover the shipping and the item. You then wire the “shipping” money straight into the scammer’s pocket. Later, when you try to deposit the “ERIE” check, you discover it’s fraudulent.

The Email Harvesting Scam

What happens: Professional fraudsters harvest your email address through a spam mailing. They’ll then review a list of all the people you email and target the ones you sometimes contact. Figuring you care about them but don't know their whereabouts in the same way you know those of family members and close friends, they'll pretend to be stranded overseas and in need of money.

The catch: You need to wire money—and the sooner, the better.

The Counterfeit Check Scam

What happens: Scammers use emails to foster the illusion of trust while communicating with a seller listing a car online.

The catch: The buyer insists on presenting a check at the first in-person meeting instead of cashing it at a legitimate financial institution.

The result of all these scams: The victim loses the money he or she sent and the value of the item. However, certain types of these losses may be covered under ERIE’s Identity Recovery Coverage. See your ERIE Insurance Agent for details.

Don't be Another Statistic

Avoid falling into any of these traps by keeping these tips in mind:

• Be aware. Don’t be afraid to second-guess someone’s intentions, especially if you didn't initiate the transaction. “My rule is that if you don’t request it, reject it,” Frank Scafidi, director of public affairs for the NICB, says.
• Ask to call a potential buyer or seller—remember, most scammers fear being identified.
• When you receive a check, ensure the money is cleared before you ship anything out. “Wait 10 days,” advises Robertson. “If the scammer has to wait that long, they’ll often run like there’s no tomorrow.”
• Be especially wary of a non-U.S. resident who has a stateside contact who will send a requested item.
• Never wire money for shipping or other fees after the “buyer” has paid you. And, if you’re receiving a check, ask that it’s from a financial institution that has a local branch for follow-up.
• When selling an item online, refrain from sharing your phone number. Crooks use reverse phone lookups to find out more personal information about you.
• Stay away from anyone willing to greatly overpay for an item. They’ll sometimes ask you to return the overpayment—your check will clear while the one they gave you will bounce.

If you suspect a case of insurance fraud, don't hesitate to call ERIE’s toll-free Fraud Hotline at (800) 368-6696 or send an email to fraud.finders@erieinsurance.com. All calls and emails are confidential.

You can also call the NICB toll-free hotline at (800) 835-6422 or your state’s bureau of consumer protection. Finally, you can forward suspicious emails to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov—if they find that something‘s up, they’ll generate a case against the senders.

Protect Your Good Name with ERIE’s Identity Recovery Coverage

Did you know that victims of identity fraud spend an average of 60 hours and hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars to undo the damage?

Luckily, Identity Recovery Coverage from ERIE can spare you the time, expense and aggravation this sort of situation entails. Available for a low annual fee, Identity Recovery Coverage not only provides a trained case manager to assist you with the entire recovery process—it also reimburses you up to $5,000 in lost wages, certain legal fees and more.

Gang operating sophisticated credit card fraud swindle hundreds of thousands of euro from Irish

The gang, which consists of three men and a woman, are using cloned and stolen cards to steal high-end goods.

A gang operating a sophisticated credit card fraud have swindled hundreds of thousands of euro from towns across Ireland in recent days.

The gang, which consists of three men and a woman, are using cloned and stolen cards to steal high-end goods.

The gang have hit a number of towns in recent days including Letterkenny in Co Donegal as well as Dublin city centre.

Gardai in Letterkenny estimate that more than €20,000 in laptop computers, phones, jewellery and perfumes was stolen using bogus card in just one day recently.

Another spate of robberies using cloned cards took place across Dublin, including Grafton Street, on Friday afternoon last.

A Garda source revealed how a jewellery store in Dublin had €5,000 worth of goods taken by the gang.

It is understood the cloned cards belong to wealthy card owners whose banks would not ‘red flag’ larger purchases and allow transactions through.

The cards being used in the latest spate of robberies are ones which would not normally be in circulation in Ireland.

The gang are highly-mobile and use both public transport and private cars between shops.

They base themselves between Belfast and Dublin and are aged in their 40s and 50s.

Sgt Paul Wallace, Crime Prevention Officer in Co Donegal, said retail staff must take the time to go through the various security checks on credit cards.

“It is not a coincidence that staff in shops who have gone through various security checks are the shops who have not suffered as much as others.

“We are appealing to retail owners to sit down with their staff and to run through the security checks.

“If they are unsure of checks, they should consult the safecard.ie website.

“This gang and other gangs operating in this area are highly organized, confident and know exactly what they are.

“And they are also targeting younger people who may only be in stores working for the Christmas period and not completely familiar or confident with the operation of their systems,” he said.

Group Health Insurance

Company Insurance for various businesses:

Our employees and their families need the reassurance that wherever they are in the world and whatever happens, they can rely on receiving assistance to obtain prompt access to expert medical treatment and care. We serve companies in the various industries, including any established company in Oil and Gas, Maritime and many others. Please contact us to learn more about our insurance products.

-Company Coverage

-Oil and Gas Coverage

-Maritime Coverage

-International School Coverage

If you don’t have health insurance then you’re playing a very risky game. A hospital visit without health insurance can easily rack up a bill in the thousands. Especially if you have to have emergency surgery or something like that.

Health insurance covers your medical costs and helps you get in and out of hospitals with no worries about your finances. It’s a small cost that can go a long way. Can you really put a price on your health? See what affordable health insurance plans there are for you today and don’t take a chance with something as important as your life. You only get one after all.

We offers four levels of cover: Gold Superior, Gold, Classic and Essential.

Essential, which covers all in-patient costs and outpatient surgical operations.

Classic, Which builds on the Essential offering but also includes cover for out-patient treatment such as x-rays, consultation fees and complementary medicines.

Gold, which is a comprehensive level of cover that includes additional benefits such as family doctor treatment, prescribed drugs and dressings and accidental dental treatment.

Gold Superior, which is the most comprehensive level of cover. Includes further additional benefits including optical cover.

Auto dealers in most states must file a surety bond with the state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) before they can receive their auto dealer license. Unfortunately, purchasing an auto dealer bond can be one of the most confusing parts of getting a dealer license. That's why we developed the following comprehensive guide to auto dealer bonding.

Surety bonds are designed to protect customers and the state from auto dealers that commit fraud. A surety bond will help ensure that your dealership will follow the car dealership legislation and regulations in your state.

On this page you'll find a general overview of dealership surety bonds. For specific information about what type of surety bond you'll need and what documents you'll need to submit to satisfy the surety bond requirement of your dealership licensing process, please contact the appropriate motor vehicle agency in your state.

General Surety Bond Requirements

As with other surety bond types, auto dealer bonds provide financial guarantees that help regulate the industry. Auto dealer bonds protect customers, sellers, financial enterprises, and/or government agencies. If a dealer commits fraud or conducts business in other unethical ways, the bond helps these entities recover from any resulting financial loss.

Additionally, having a surety bond gives your dealership credibility to both your customers and the appropriate agencies in your state.

Depending on where you work and what kind of dealership you plan to operate, you might need to file one of many different auto dealer bond types. Some common ones include:

- DMV bonds.

- RV bonds.

- Motorcycle dealer bonds.

- Used car dealer bonds.

- Wholesale car dealer bonds.

No matter the specific name of the bond, they work in the same basic way. If a bonded motor vehicle dealer breaks the bond's terms, the wronged party (i.e. a customer, bank, or government agency) can make a claim against the bond to get compensation.

Vehicle Dealership Surety Bonds in Every State

The state agency that is in charge of licensing auto dealers should tell you if you need a bond before you begin the application process. If you haven't been told that you need a bond, it's a good idea to contact the agency and make sure you don't need one. You might also take the time to learn more about the dealer licensing process in your state.

Generally, obtaining and filing a surety bond is a normal part of the dealer licensing process in every state.

Cost of a Surety Bond for Your Dealership

- The exact price you'll pay for a surety bond will vary for a few reasons, such as:

- The required surety bond amount.

- Your application and financial credentials.

- If you choose to finance your bond premium.

- Your credit score.

Generally, if your financial credentials qualify you for the standard market, your premium could be calculated as just 1% of the bond amount, which would only be $500 for a standard $50,000 bond. Conversely, dealers with poor credit could pay a premium that's a higher percentage of the bond amount. The best way to determine your exact surety bond cost is get a free price quote from a surety provider.

What we do at SC Advisors is not just a science; it's also an art. We value quality over quantity and choose to work on substantive projects with a limited number of public and private clients. We customize our strategies and operating plans to meet each client's specific business and/or policy objectives and then guide them through each stage of the real estate development process. With more than 40 years of team experience and $2 billion in development and transactions behind us, we have the proven industry experience to meet clients' specific business and/or policy objectives.

DEVELOPMENT

We guide our public and private clients through every stage of the development process from the first idea to project completion:

- Site selection

- Entitlement and zoning

- Market feasibility

- Financial return modeling and analysis

- Capital or debt structure and commitments

- Planning and design development

- Budget and schedule management

- Contract procurement

- Risk and asset management

DESIGN + BUILD

We manage all aspects of Design and Build Projects, including:

- Site selection

- Entitlement and zoning

- Capital or debt structure and commitments

- Planning

- Programming and design development

- Budget and schedule management

- Team and contract procurement

- Risk management

- FF&E and OS&E procurement and installation

- Pre-opening commissioning and close-out

ACQUISITION + DISPOSITION

We deliver the highest levels of integrated planning and project execution, which typically comprise:

- Property selection

- Listing contract negotiations

- Due diligence, including market feasibility, pricing, operating performance, and financial return modeling and analysis

- Cap X evaluation

- Asset management

ADVISEMENT

We advise and manage the phases of all real property assets, such as:

- Disposition

- Acquisition

- Development strategies and operating plans

- Asset management

International Financial Securities Regulatory Commission

Adding power capacity is a matter of urgency in Zambia, where only one fifth of the population has access to electricity and two years of drought have crippled existing hydropower facilities, causing a national electricity crisis.

It was in this context that the southern African country signed up to try Scaling Solar, a World Bank Group program designed to make it easier for governments to procure solar power quickly and at low cost through competitive tendering and pre-set financing, insurance products, and risk products.

The results of the first auction, which took place in May, have surpassed even the most optimistic expectations, with seven of the world’s leading renewables developers competing for the opportunity to build Zambia’s first large-scale solar plants.

The winning bids were for just 6.02 cents per kilowatt hour and 7.84 cents per kilowatt hour—the lowest prices for solar power to date in Africa, and among the lowest recorded anywhere in the world.

“This is a tremendous result for Zambia and for Scaling Solar, which has proved itself as a vehicle to open up new markets for clean energy,” said Philippe Le Houérou, IFC’s Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President. “It is now possible for governments across sub-Saharan Africa to look first to solar power as a solution for inexpensive, quick-to-build power—something unimaginable outside of South Africa until now.”

Because the 6-cent Zambia tariff is fixed for 25 years and won’t rise with inflation, it represents about 4.7 cents per kilowatt hour over the life of the project—on par with recent auctions in Peru and Mexico.

Scaling Solar has also delivered on its promise of speed: Zambia’s results come just nine months after the government first engaged IFC to advise on the transaction. The winning bidders—Neoen/First Solar and Enel—are expected to reach financial close on the projects within three months and complete construction a year later. This is especially critical in Zambia, where blackouts happen daily. The two new solar power plants will increase the country’s available generating capacity by 5 percent and will also help to restore water levels in its dams.

Zambia has already committed to a second round of Scaling Solar tendering, and Senegal and Madagascar have also signed up. Given growing interest in the program, Scaling Solar is now targeting developing 1 gigawatt of solar power in the next three years. At the tariffs recorded in Zambia, this would provide African consumers with more than $7 billion in savings compared to oil-based power, which costs about 20 cents per kilowatt hour.

Scaling Solar has financing support from USAID’s Power Africa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, and the Infrastructure Development Collaboration Partnership Fund (DevCo). For more information, visit www.scalingsolar.org.

Salary: Competitive             

Location:  Markham, ON, Canada

Job Type:  Permanent, Full time

Company:  TD Bank Group

Updated on:  31 May 16

Senior Analyst, Card Fraud Analytics

About TD Bank Group

The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its subsidiaries are collectively known as TD Bank Group ("TD" or "the Bank").

TD is the sixth largest bank in North America by branches and serves over 24 million customers in three key businesses operating in a number of locations in financial centres around the globe:

•Canadian Retail, including TD Canada Trust, TD Auto Finance Canada, TD Wealth, TD Direct Investing, and TD Insurance;

•U.S. Retail, including TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, TD Auto Finance U.S., and an investment in TD Ameritrade; and

•Wholesale Banking, including TD Securities.

TD had CDN$1.1 trillion in assets on January 31, 2015. TD also ranks among the world's leading online financial services firms, with approximately 9.7 million active online and mobile customers. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol "TD".

Department Overview

The Financial Crimes & Fraud Management Group (FC&FMG) is an enterprise-level organization within TD Bank Group that strives to protect TD customers, shareholders and employees from financial crimes and fraud. FC&FMG leads TD's enterprise-wide fraud strategy, develops and evolves enterprise policies, advanced analytics capabilities and operational efficiencies to improve governance, oversight and collaboration between fraud management and other control functions within the Bank. Our mission is to be a best run, integrated; customer and employee focused financial crimes and fraud management organization to protect TD from global, sophisticated financial crimes.

Job Type

Regular

Job Status

Full Time

Hours

37.5

Business Line

Corporate

Job Category - Primary

Business Analysis | Reporting

Job Category(s)

Business Analysis | Reporting

Job Description

The role of Senior Analyst is responsible to develop and monitor fraud rules to mitigate fraud risk while balancing the impact to the customer experience and our operations. The role provides a unique opportunity to apply analytical and technical skills leveraging industry leading detection systems. The role requires detailed and timely analysis of fraud patterns as well as the agility to shift with changing priorities. Strong communication skills and a proven ability to develop effective relationships with external and internal business partners are required.

Job Requirements

•Responsible for the development and implementation of Credit Card fraud strategies and ensure that they meet false-positive and detection rate benchmarks

•Be accountable for loss targets and the customer experience generated by fraud strategies

•Mine customer, account and transactional data to develop segmentation to improve fraud detection and minimize impact to legitimate transactions

•Convert analytic insights into recommendations for specific fraud operations initiatives, developing the business case and performing post-implementation tracking to ensure that targets are attained

•Represent Card Fraud Analytics on projects and in the planning of new initiatives and product launches

•Strong ability to communicate strategy analysis in both technical and non-technical terms, either verbally or in in documented format

•Ability to work independently and in teams, including managing cross functional or special project teams as required.

•Must possess strong organizational skills and the ability to manage a range of tasks and issues simultaneously to a positive outcome and in a timely manner

•Participate as a team member, promote team effectiveness and contribute to a positive work environment

Additional Information

•University degree in a numerate discipline e.g. Math, Statistics, Business

•3-5 years of work experience in analytical capacity

•Strong interpersonal and leadership skills and comfort in interacting with senior leaders.

•Ability to work independently in a dynamic environment with tight timelines

•Knowledge of Payment Card Industry is preferred

•Knowledge of Fraud Detection Systems such as CardGuard, Falcon, PRM is preferred

•Proficient with data extraction/mining tools: SQL, Knowledge Seeker, SAS

•Proficient with Microsoft Office applications; Advanced Excel

•Previous experience in fraud is an asset

#LI-SK2

Inclusiveness

At TD, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible environment, where all employees and customers feel valued, respected and supported. We are dedicated to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of our customers and communities in which we live and serve. If you require an accommodation for the recruitment/interview process (including alternate formats of materials, or accessible meeting rooms or other accommodation), please let us know and we will work with you to meet your needs.

**Province/State (Primary)

Ontario

City (Primary)

Markham