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Should sex offenders be banned from Facebook?
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Many states believe it's too risky for sex offenders to be near a kids' playground. Is it just as dangerous for a sex offender to be on social media sites where children are allowed? Either way, parents should closely monitor kids' online accounts. - photo by Amy Iverson
When Lester Gerard Packingham Jr. was 21 years old, he had sex with a 13-year-old girl. He says the relationship was consensual and that he never knew her age. Still, a jury convicted him of indecent liberties with a minor, and he served 10 months in prison. That was 15 years ago.

Three years ago, Packingham signed up on Facebook under the name J.R. Gerrard and posted about his joy in getting out of a traffic ticket. Problem is, Packingham is a registered sex offender, and in North Carolina, its illegal for that group to access any social networking site.

The state Legislature passed this law in 2008 in an effort to keep sex offenders from contacting minors online. The law only applies to social networking sites that allow those under age 18 to sign up, like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. North Carolina has prosecuted more than 1,000 people under the law, and detectives caught Packingham during a sting operation.

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the case with Packinghams attorneys claiming the law violates his First Amendment right to free speech. North Carolinas Supreme Court upheld the statute in November.

During Mondays arguments, Packinghams lawyer, David Goldberg, said, "The law forbids speech on the very platforms on which Americans today are most likely to communicate, to organize for social change, and to petition their government. He argues and a lower court agreed that the law is too broad. Louisiana, for instance, has a similar law that only applies to those previously convicted of offenses against minors, not simply all sex offenses.

There is no doubt that sexual predators use the internet to make contact with children. There are countless stories of young people meeting a shady character in person after chatting with them online. Some of those stories end just fine, but others end in horror and tragedy. While there are definitely steps parents can take to minimize the possibility of such contact, nothing is foolproof.

Those in favor of this law claim it is similar to those that forbid sex offenders from being within a certain distance of a school or playground. Does it pose the same possibility of danger for a sex offender to log onto Twitter as if they walked in to an elementary school? It definitely could.

One problem, though, is the wide variation in offenses for those on the sex offender registry. It matters to me whether someone on the list was convicted of public urination, or at the other end of the spectrum, the rape of a child. I might have no problem in having the former on Facebook although I doubt I would friend that person but might think twice about the latter having an account.

Also at issue is the question of what constitutes a social media site. The North Carolina statute defines it as a website that facilitates the social introduction between two or more persons for the purposes of friendship, meeting other persons, or information exchanges. So that would seem to include any website that merely allows comments (Deseret News, Amazon, Google).

That would also include banning registered sex offenders from something like an online classifieds site. This law also does nothing to prevent a predator from creating a completely fake account to catfish an unsuspecting victim. The only way a registered sex offender can be caught under the current law is if they are using enough real information that a police department can flag it.

This argument really goes back to the basic debate over which rights people lose after they are convicted of certain crimes. Would it be fair for registered sex offenders to have a scarlet letter attached to their profiles on social media? Or do those convicted sex offenders have every right to post on Facebook and friend whomever they choose once they have served their time?

While the Supreme Court seems to be leaning toward striking down North Carolinas law, we dont expect a ruling until June.

No matter what they decide, this is a good reminder for parents to monitor closely childrens online activity. Its essential to know what theyre doing in the social media world and who theyre chatting with online, and to make sure they only friend their real-life friends. Above all, communicate. Talk with your children about the reasons why its so important to follow the rules you have set for them in their digital lives. But first, make sure you have those rules in place. Theres no better time to make it happen than right now.
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New Medicare cards are in the mail and scammers are on the prowl
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has begun mailing new Medicare Health Insurance ID cards. The program no longer uses Social Security numbers to identify people. - photo by Lois M Collins
The federal government is beginning to send out new ID cards to the 58 million Americans who benefit from Medicare. But since many of the people who will receive them don't know they're coming or why, scammers are already gearing up to take advantage.

An AARP survey shows as many as three-fourths of Americans 65 and older have no idea the cards are coming, so some individuals may be duped with claims that they're supposed to pay a fee or provide personal information that will be used, instead, to defraud them.

The new cards are the first reissue in years, and the most striking part of the redesign is that the cards no longer carry the beneficiary's Social Security number. Congress mandated the removal of that number as an identifier for Medicare beneficiaries by next April. Instead, the card has a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier number, an 11-digit combination of numbers and letters.

The new Medicare cards are now being mailed out in batches, starting with the Eastern seaboard and moving west. Most Medicare beneficiaries will receive their cards over the next six months, as long as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has their correct mailing address. Once the cards are in hand, people can share the new identification number with their health care providers. During a transition period, either card is valid.

The old cards, which used Social Security numbers as the personal identification number, should be destroyed.

AARP recently launched an education campaign to warn consumers about scams related to the new Medicare cards.

The membership organization's "Fraud Watch" consultant, Frank Abagnale reformed con man, scammer and the subject of the movie and book "Catch Me If You Can" tells senior citizens the only time they need to carry the actual Medicare card is to health care appointments. Otherwise, it should be left in a safe place. If they want to carry one in their wallet or purse, he says, make a copy and black out the first seven numbers.

Since the cards were announced, scammers have already:

  • Called seniors and asked for their bank account information so that money on their old card could be returned. There is no money on the old card and CMS never asks for personal information over the phone.
  • Offered to send the new card after Medicare beneficiaries pay a $25 fee to cover expenses related to the card. The card is free.
  • Said the card will be mailed out as soon as the older person verifies his or her Social Security number, mailing address and other personal information. CMS already knows the beneficiary's Social Security number and it's no longer being used in conjunction with health care.
AARP and the Federal Trade Commission will hold a free online seminar about the cards and the fraud attempts they have spawned on Thursday, April 19, at 7 p.m. EDT. Register at: www.aarp.org/FraudWebinar. CMS also offers a "frequently asked questions" guide to the new cards.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network says consumers can sign up for its Watchdog Alert emails that deliver breaking scam information, or call a free helpline at 877-908-3360 to speak with volunteers trained in fraud counseling. Abagnale also hosts a weekly podcast for AARP, called The Perfect Scam.
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