FRAUD
OPM again warns of scams targeting federal annuities
A company already under investigation by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is one of several offering cash payments in exchange for all or part of beneficiaries’ annuity payments.
“We have specifically received numerous phone calls from one company in particular asking us to not just verify annuity amounts but also banking information, including routing numbers and account numbers,” warned Ken Zawodny, associate director of retirement services for the Office Personnel Management, in a June 15 blog post.
These companies are offering cash payments typically worth less than the long-term value of federal employees’ annuities, and they’re often charging high interest rates and fees, OPM said.
Annuitants who receive these calls should report them to the agency’s Office of Inspector General hotline or use its online complaint form. CFPB is urging annuitants not to sign over control of their benefits.
“Companies sometimes arrange for monthly payments to be automatically deposited in a newly created bank account so the company can withdraw payments, fees and interest charges from the account. This leaves you with little control,” the blog post said.
In March, OPM warned of another scam that threatened to end an annuitant’s retirement unless the retiree immediately sent a payment.
Similar scams have also targeted the IRS, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the General Services Administration. – Joana Suleiman
FOODBORNE ILLNESSES
Shortage of public health veterinarians could threaten food safety
Incidents of foodborne illnesses from listeria, salmonella and E. coli have increased in recent years, and the ongoing vacancies and funding shortages for public health veterinarians — particularly within the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service — could impede efforts to ensure the safety of U.S. meat products and overall public health.
Public-health veterinarians perform several specialized tasks in protecting food safety, including anti-mortem inspections for animal diseases and post-mortem verification of food safety, disease and conditions and carcass disposition.
According to the National Association of Federal Veterinarians, FSIS inspectors have recorded a four percent increase in listeria, a two percent increase in salmonella and a 21 percent increase in E. coli.
“Leaders and directors of FSIS must be required to have formal food safety education and expertise,” NAFV stressed, adding that “these qualifications are currently lacking at the highest level of FSIS management.”
There were 750 FSIS veterinarians working in food safety inspections in 2016, reflecting an 11 percent vacancy rate, according to data collected by NAFV. About $10 million in FSIS appropriations would be needed to bring the agency’s food-inspection force up to full strength.
“USDA needs more professionals with formal professional food safety education and credentials, as well as food safety expertise, to better implement continuous improvements in food safety and avoid increases in food illnesses as reported by FSIS in 2016,” says the NAFV. – Joana Suleiman
SECURITY
Assaults on border patrol agents surging
Despite a decrease in illegal immigration, violence along the border is up, with assaults on U.S. Border Patrol agents nearly doubling so far in 2017, the agency’s acting chief Carla Provost warned Congress last week.
Agents have reported more than 550 assaults through June 1, up from 300 assaults at the same time last year, she said. While not speculating on what could be spurring the rise in assaults, it comes as the immigration debate in the United States and Mexico heats up under President Trump.
Officials acknowledged that Border Patrol agents face one of the most dangerous jobs in law enforcement, with “rocking” incidents, in which those on the Mexican side toss large boulders over the fence to try to injure agents, are common.
Customs and Border Protection, which oversees the Border Patrol, is looking for plans that would allow visibility through the Mexican side, which helps prevent attacks. – Joana Suleiman
