John Deutzman's Blog

I'm sure most of you have gotten lost even though you spent hundreds of dollars on a GPS or used something like Mapquest to make sure you didn't get lost. I find all of these new systems fascinating and very useful but there are still some streets and addresses which are impossible to find. Of course this becomes a matter of life and death if the cops or fire department can't find your house. Police and fire departments rely on various systems to get them to destinations fast. The most important information is getting the right cross streets near your house.

In our story, the woman had burglar alarms accidentally go off and cops couldn't find her house. In her case those are automated calls from her burglar alarm system to her burglar alarm company to the New York City 911 system. Most 911 calls are made by real people and hopefully they would be able to clear up any address confusion. For example tell the operator "People always get lost coming to my house. We are at the intersection of Smith and Jones streets and here's how you get here..."

However it's difficult for someone who's having a heart attack or who's just been shot to give clear directions and that's why most systems automatically can tell where you are and how to get there. In fact, in many cases they can now pinpoint you if you are calling on a cell phone.

Doing this story I learned the following about mapping companies:

1) No matter what service you are using, the various companies welcome any suggestions you have about confusion or wrong addresses. They want people to call them with any mistakes. They will go out and check the information and make the changes.

2) If a mapping company makes changes, they generally make updates four times a year. If you have a GPS or any other system you are using, you need to download new information as frequently as possible to make sure you are up to date.

3) It seems most mapping companies rely on data provided by Navteq or Tele Atlas. Ultimately these two companies are the ones who need to be notified if there is a problem. Here are the links to their sites:

>>NAVTEQ.COM

>>TELEATLAS.COM

It took dozens of phone calls and lots of legwork to track the recent life and rebirth of the scooter. Everyone involved with it seemed legit but you have to worry about something like that eventually being sold to someone with bad intentions. It looks like we broke the chain and now the stripped-down scooter can continue to scoot along and enjoy its retirement.

The vehicle and traffic law says that anyone who buys an NYPD vehicle has to remove all the markings and color schemes that resemble a police scooter within 15 days after registering it. The scooter in our story was not registered and not taken on the road. Not yet anyway.

You probably don't want to know. If you watched my REPORT you certainly learned about all the "goodies" that could come with a used mattress. If BEDBUGS aren't enough, the thought of bodily fluids from strangers may be something to consider before you purchase a used mattress.

There is an argument that poor people can't afford a new mattress. Our germ expert, DR. PHILIP TIERNO, says that if you are really in a financial bind you should consider an inflatable mattress. He says there are many quality inflatable mattresses on the market. In addition to being free of germs and bedbugs, an inflatable mattress might even be better for your back.

Some interesting things I learned:

The recent bedbug epidemic can be attributed in part to the lack of effective pesticides. The best stuff for bedbugs was DDT, which was outlawed in the 1970s.

The NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF STATE has the following in its materials regarding used bedding:

§385-a. Registration of sellers of used bedding.

1. Every person engaged in the sale of used bedding, including any mattress or boxspring which in its entirety is used and not repaired or renovated, shall file a notice with the Department of State which:

(a) states such person's name and address; and

(b) affirms that such used bedding has been sanitized in accordance with the standards established in regulation by the Department of State in consultation with the Department of Health

But there have never been any standards established for sanitizing used mattresses!!! Huh???

Experts tell us the only way to ensure a mattress is relatively germ- and bedbug-free is to steam it -- impractical -- or stick the entire mattress into an autoclave (oven) -- also impractical.

The company in our story claims they strip all of the material of the old mattress and basically cover the box spring with new material. Even then, there is the possibility of bedbugs and their eggs hanging out in the box spring and wooded area. Spaying it with special solutions just doesn't cut it, according to the experts.

This is a free country so you're welcome to buy a used mattress. Good luck!

>>WATCH THE REPORT

This latest investigation was pretty simple. The dad owes more than $10,000 in child support, and despite the fact he has a job he hasn't paid.

Not only that, it looks like he lied twice on his application to maintain his license as a barber. He honestly believes that what the court says doesn't mean anything and he knows how to take care of his kids.

One part of this story that doesn't translate on television is how cute and smart his little girl is. When she came home and we were there with her mom, I introduced my photographer.

"This is Alan," I said.

"Hello Alan, how are you?" she replied, with all the politeness and grace of a sophisticated woman.

That's what these stories are all about -- the kids who are getting shortchanged.

There are several unanswered questions related to my story about a United Nations security guard who somehow got her job even after living in the U.S. illegally for many years.

1. How did the woman, who is now using the official name of "Camille Noray" get a driver's license in 2002 using the name "Melinda Noray"? Post 9/11, there is supposed to be a thorough check of people's documents before they are issued a license. According to the DMV, she had all the appropriate documents to receive a license under the name Melinda Noray.

2. How could she have pulled off landing this job with the U.N. without inside help from the U.N.? It would seem difficult for a woman who had spent several years as a diner waitress to somehow qualify for a position as a U.N. security officer after just a brief return to Trinidad.

3. How many other people are in the city right now under this special "G-4" status that have not been thoroughly checked out? The State Department only denies G-4 status in certain situations involving terrorism and potential danger. There are supposedly systems in place to make sure that no dangerous people are allowed in under G-4 status but since people are not fingerprinted, it would seem to be a way to wash away all kinds of bad history including criminal history.

Maybe the three names she used could be explained away as variations of her first and middle names (Melinda and Camille) and her real last name (Noray) and her husband's last name (McKenzie) but it still doesn't explain how she got by the U.N. screening process to get the security job.

It would seem that either:

a) the U.N. didn't care about her illegal immigration status (highly unlikely or she would not have been suspended as the result of our investigation);

or

b) someone was not honest in the screening process;

or

c) the screening process did not include certain basic tools that would have raised a red flag.

At the very least, the process should have determined that she had a driver's license issued under another name. A simple check of databases available to most investigators would reveal that Melinda Noray and Camille Noray appear to be the same person who lived in Brooklyn for many years.

It sure takes a lot of chutzpah to knock down a cement wall and create a driveway without going through the proper channels. But it’s absurd that some poor guy got ticketed and towed from the illegal driveway.

Even more disturbing is that records show that the city received a complaint about this illegal driveway back in July and the original inspector either didn’t bother to go look at or couldn’t read the plans for the new building. The inspector determined the driveway was part of the project. However, the only driveway that was part of the project was the real driveway that was in front the new building. Then in August the city received another complaint about the illegal driveway and the inspector referred to the July inspection and took no action.

Kind of strange that no one noticed that cars would have jump the curb and have to drive over the sidewalk to get in and out of the driveway!

The problem with the Hope for a Cure Foundation for Parkinson's Research is simple. You are given the impression that the money you donate goes to Parkinson's research yet none of their legally required tax documents shows that any money went to Parkinson's research or to anything else for that matter.

Charities that take in more than $25,000 in a fiscal year have to file what's called an IRS Form 990. It's a document that not only is subject to an IRS audit but it is also available for public inspection. It's supposed to be used as a guide for people to look at before they consider donating to a charity. However, most people don't look at 990s. Most kind-hearted people assume that the money they donate will go to the cause advertised.

In doing our research for this story we found:

1. Despite taking in $40,862 in fiscal year 2005, the charity failed to file a 990 as required by law.

2. Strangely, in the same fiscal year (2005), charity founder and president Matthew DePace filed a "Char 500" with New York State claiming they did not make more than the required $25K to report. (Both forms are signed under the penalty of perjury.)

3. Their most recent 990, filed for fiscal year 2006, lists $83,490 for "Supplies" and line 13 "Program Services" is blank. "Program Services" is the line that designates what the organization is actually doing for the charity. So, despite advertising and verbal assurances that money donated to the charity would be donated to "Parkinson's Research," no money, nothing went to anything related to Parkinson's according to the 990.

4. When confronted by Fox 5 on April 13, Matthew DePace claimed they made a mistake on their 990.

5. Less than one day after Fox 5 confronted Matthew DePace, the charity produced a "revised" 990. The revised 990 line showed $2,722 went for supplies--that's $80,768 less than what was on the first return. There were many other changes on the revised 990. Then the charity told us the revised 990 is wrong.

Perhaps the most important things on the tax documents are the following statements:

"Under penalties of perjury I declare that I have examined this return, including accompanying schedules and statements and to the best of my knowledge and belief it is true, correct and complete.

"Form 990 is available for public inspection and, for some people, serves as the primary or sole source of information about a particular organization. How the public perceives an organization in such cases may be determined by the information presented on its return. Therefore, please make sure the return is complete and accurate and fully describes in Part III, the organization's programs and accomplishments."

Upon inspection of the records of this charity we did see several checks written to other Parkinson's charities. But the last one was dated November 8, 2005. That's more than two and a half years ago. In late March of this year, some insiders started asking tough questions of the charity, and several members of the media, including Fox 5, received a tip that something might be wrong. So on April 11, two and a half years since the last check went out, Hope for a Cure wrote a check for $10,000 for the Parkinson's Unity Walk and then right after my e-mail notifying the charity when our story would air, they told us they were sending another $8,000 to the Parkinson's Unity Walk.

I'm not an accountant or a charity expert but the best simple assessment I could make of their records is that most of the money generously donated was used to raise more money--not much benefit to Parkinson's victims in that scenario. To date I have never heard from the president and founder of this charity, Matthew DePace, since our meeting at the dog walk.

As always I'd like to hear from you, your thoughts and opinions on the story or on charities in general.

The city plays hardball when it comes to those illegal posters and flyers you see around town and for good reason. These things can become a huge eyesore and are a major source of complaints to the NYC Sanitation Department. I have to say, the unit that does this seems to be a dedicated bunch of people who seem to have their act together and feel they are on a mission that ultimately helps clean up the city.

Unfortunately, if you don't know the law you can be whacked big time putting up what seems like innocent ads. Can't say I didn't warn you!

The following is the Department of Sanitation's response to some of the questions I asked:

1) What is your department's position on these illegal handbills and why are they enforced so aggressively?

It is the law, and posters on public property are an eyesore which can become litter after a heavy rain. The Department receives over a thousand complaints every year regarding illegal posters. There are also a number of community groups who take it upon themselves to remove posters as fast as they go up. One large group in Queens calls it "street spam."

Posting: "It is illegal for any person to paste, post, paint, print, nail or attach or affix by any means whatsoever any handbill, poster, notice, sign, advertisement, sticker or other printed material upon any curb, gutter, flagstone, tree, lamppost, awning post, telegraph pole, telephone pole, public utility pole, public garbage bin, bus shelter, bridge, elevated train structure, highway fence, barrel, box, parking meter, mailbox, traffic control device, traffic stanchion, traffic sign (including pole), tree box, tree pit protection device, bench, traffic barrier, hydrant or other similar public item on any street. There is a rebuttable presumption that the person whose name, telephone number, or other identifying information appears on any handbill, poster, notice, sign, advertisement, sticker, or other printed material on any item or structure is a violation. Every handbill, poster, notice, sign, advertisement sticker or other printed material shall be deemed a separate violation. Anyone found to have violated this provision, in addition to any penalty imposed, shall also be responsible for the cost of the removal of the unauthorized postings. Fine: $75-$200 1st offense

2) Is it legal to put posters on certain things? It seems many construction sites have them plastered on the plywood.

The Department has no jurisdiction regarding the posting of signs on private property, such as construction sites.

3) As far as the fine goes, what determines the severity of the fine? Right now I am assuming that these guys didn't pay, so the fines max out is that correct?

Fines start at $75 per poster and if in default up to $200 per poster cited. There is a $150 if the poster is on a tree using staples or nails, and the default penalty is $500.

The department issued 46,890 Notices of Violation citywide in Fiscal Year '07 and during Fiscal Year '08, covering a period from July 1st through March 31st, issued 22,940.

Investigations into ID theft can take a long time and agencies from the local police to the IRS and FBI have to set their priorities. They simply don't have the manpower to devote to the thousands of suspected cases out there.

You would think that the IRS computers should be able to send a serious red flag to the agency when duplicate social security numbers are being used and that everyone who's using the same number automatically becomes a suspect. Agents should be able figure out who the real person is and who the impostor is relatively quickly.

However, from what I can tell, it's not as simple as that. The IRS has to treat every return like it's legit until they have good reason to believe otherwise, once they have reason to suspect someone of fraud they have to prove that it's intentional and not a mistake. They also spend time seeing if there is a pattern with the same suspect. One case of ID theft can turn into an organized ring of ID thieves.

I've seen so much of this stuff that I have become completely paranoid. So every morning I check my bank accounts and credit card account. I also subscribe to a service that lets me know if anyone might have used my social security number to open an account.

Unfortunately, you have to devote lots of energy to prevent this from happening to you and if it does happen you will feel completely helpless like this family.

Love to hear your thoughts!

Meantime, here is information from the IRS about contacting a taxpayer advocate:

10 Metro Tech Center
625 Fulton St.
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-488-2080

201 Como Park Blvd.
Buffalo, NY 14227-1416
716-686-4850

290 Broadway, 5th Fl.
Manhattan, NY 10007
212-436-1011

Or you call the Taxpayer Advocate Service toll-free phone number: 877-777-4778.

We were coming home from a story and heading north on Park Avenue during the typical Christmas snarl up. We could hear sirens behind us and see the lights. The traffic was so jammed up it was almost impossible to move out of the way for what we thought was an ambulance.

WATCH THE REPORT

When it passed, I saw it was an NYPD School Safety van. Common sense told me that if a school safety van had to respond to an emergency we either had a major breaking news story occurring or more likely the school safety agents, who are not real cops, were being rude and inconsiderate and making everyone pull over for whatever their personal errand they were on.

I would never follow or question a real cop or police vehicle in a situation like this but this one made no sense to me a screwed up traffic even more on Park Ave. What were they doing? To this day nobody knows nada about nada.

A huge chunk of the stories we do come from tips. Tips like this one are solid because the law doesn't allow out-of-state vehicles to transport kids to and from school in New York.

So it's the little stuff things that don't look or feel right to you that always leads to bigger stuff.

John