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We are all familiar with the Nigerian scams, and can usually spot a scam however our office was recently “probed” by a very sophisticated scam.

First of all, the email correspondence was well written, no typos, bad grammar, etc. It came from an Asian company with a link to their website in the email. The company really existed. They wanted us to collect debt from a Hawaii company that really exists and the connection between the two companies made sense (one manufactures an item that the local company installs) The BIG hook was that they used the NAME OF AN ATTORNEY FORMERLY ASSOCIATED WITH OUR FIRM AS A REFERRAL!! Unfortunately, this attorney received a cold call and was asked for the name of a Hawaii law firm that could help them and he did indeed give them our name.

The scammers hook the attorney into an attorney/client relationship (thus barring you from reporting them), then request funds to be sent immediately upon receipt of funds from the local company. (you get a check from the local company for “amounts due”, you deposit it, then wire the funds out before making sure the local check has cleared) Attorneys on the mainland have had hundreds of thousands stolen from their IOLTA accounts.
Things that should set off alarm bells:

1. The urgency of acting quickly. You must do due diligence.
2. Client wanting funds before checks deposited have cleared your IOLTA account;
3. When a logical referral name is used, check with the referral source about the legitimacy of the referral.
4. They make excuses that they cannot find a convenient time to talk on the phone, they strictly stick to email correspondence.
5. The email is different from the company email.

Make sure your attorneys do not make referrals to cold callers, let the HSBA referral line do that.

We have had a staff meeting regarding this latest development so everyone in the firm is aware. I have attached some info to supplement any staff meeting you wish to have.

lawyers targeted.pdf

I wanted to share some pictures of our new place and our first, and probably only, snow fall:

Snow is just starting here at about 2PM PST on 12/29

Front lawn area with a splashing of new snow

Fresh snow coming down in the neighborhood

Me getting snowed on… Its so cold here >.<

This is about 3:30PM PST, I’d say 3 inches had fallen then

Picture of the other side of the house. Wind was blowing some, so was getting even colder >_<

Small tree on the front side, getting a good amount of snow

About 4 inches total I’d say from this storm. Not bad!

Car after the snow.

Hope all is well, talk to you soon.
–
Brannon Huffman

http://www.supergeeks.net

(808) 531-GEEK

The personality of the Scion is different than the Mini so it makes sense to flow with it rather than ignore it. At the time we did the Mini, not a lot of companies were using it, especially as a “responder vehicle.”

The Scion has been around a while and the street racer guys have a particular way of using graphics and the custom decals.

The language on the scion comes out of Scion car culture, specifically the language they use to describe the names of companies or products that each Scion owner decides to use. The geeks are different so let’s celebrate it.

I made up the phrases to try and blend geek and scion culture. The graphics are intended to be made out of reflective material.

Mobility Systematics:
The Scion systematically transports people, parts and computers around town.
Repair Disorder: When something is in a disordered state you fix it.
k eeg on front of car: gee k in the mirror of the car in front. It’s too normal to not have the space, makes you wonder a bit.
k eeg powered: Geek Powered, same idea.
2.0: A pun on race car numbers and web 2.0. Also, this car is version 2.0 for the geek carfleet

It’s that time of the year again when we stop and remind ourselves what we are grateful for:  living in paradise, having a loving family, owning the greatest pet ever.

As a SuperGeek,  I am also grateful for tech tools that make my life easier and more fun:

iPhone
I am grateful for my iPhone.  Its maps lead me out of the most obscure places,  its chess application exercises my brain while I am waiting for my son at the pediatrician’s office,  it advises me what to eat and it delivers New York Times articles before the carrier does.

On a recent trip to Uruguay, I could call my brother who lives in Philly and my staff in Honolulu for free, using iPhone Skype app!

Google
If you read this column regularly, you know I am a big fan of Google.  Google embodies all the things I like: simplicity, power, results.  If your small child asks:  Why are leaves green?, Uncle Google instantly delivers scientifically correct answers and illustrations.

If you use Google docs instead of Microsoft Office, you can access your files from anywhere in the world and collaborate with your family or co-workers on the same projects.

If you need to convert a currency, watch a funny video of a baby dancing to Beyonce’s latest hit, keep track of the volatile stock market, shop for board shorts (See Google Products), consolidate your 5 email accounts, or create a simple website (Google Sites), you can do it well and for free.

Netbook
As a person who is always on a road, always working, and always wanting to stay plugged in, I really appreciate my little Fujitsu netbook and carry it all over the world.  Yes, at 7 years old, it is a grandma of current netbooks, but it allows me to work go online in some third world countries without having to hop on public computers , which are unsafe.

Online shopping
I don’t shop very much and I abhor shopping crowds in general.  However, sometimes I must buy an airplane ticket to New Mexico to visit my mom, buy a bluetooth device for my iPhone, and buy supplies for my martial arts business. Again, I travel a lot and always need to reserve hotels, cars, buy airplane tickets and tickets to events.  If it weren’t for kayak.com, hotels.com, TripAdvisor, Priceline.com, I would spend countless hours on the phone and driving around before each trip.

Thanks to Amazon + Kindle, I don’t need to go to a book store anymore. Retailmenot.com and Fatwallet.com have the best deals and online coupons.

Twitter
Since I am always busy and on the run, yet still curious about the world, Twitter is perfect for me.  I follow the major news organizations and people I find fascinating .  Twitter can provide news from around the world and close to home in convenient snippets. Yes, I still prefer a fresh newspaper on a lazy Sunday afternoon.  However, during the work week, I don’t have this kind of time.  Twitter allows me to stay current with minimum time investment.  Naturally, I use Twitter it via my iPhone.

The Problem:
A friend recently said something provocative, “You know, Hawaii is so…fragile.”

She went on to explain how a little bit of rain can slow traffic to a snarl, how severe rains always lead to mud slides and road closures, how oversized trucks and low-level overpasses can turn a H-1 freeway into a parking lot…and how earthquakes can turn off power across the islands for a day.

True, her comments may have been a bit overstated. But still. There are times when Hawaii does seem vulnerable. And as business owners, it’s enough to make us quiver in our boots.

Does your business have a disaster plan?

The Solution:
For us small business owners, a significant disaster can put us out of business. Unlike the big boys, who can spread their risk across several geographic regions and a healthy bank account, we small companies have to face the danger on our own two feet. And having a plan can make a difference between survival and bankruptcy.

So where should you start?

Secure your data.
The continuity of your operations significantly depends on your staff’s ability to access ‘good’ data. This means your financials, schedules, contact info for your clients/vendors/clients, inventory management systems, etc. Buying new hardware and software to replace damaged equipment is the easy part. Getting your company’s data up and running is what really counts. If necessary, spend the money on an automated tape backup system. Budget about $2500 for parts and labor. Backup daily and keep a current copy offsite just in case.

Know how to get in touch with your people.
Create a contact sheet and be sure it has everyone’s numbers and their friend’s, spouse’s or family member’s contact info on there, too. Remember, when disaster hits, the primary contact info might not be sufficient. You can never have too much info in the event of an emergency.

Configure your office for remote access.
There are now several decent and relatively inexpensive solutions for working from home…or anywhere with an internet connection. You can create and edit files, send and receive emails, etc. and you can do it all as if your were right there in the office. Remote access is especially useful in the event transportation is hampered and it’s difficult to get to the office.

Lockup your hardware.
Hawaii is a special place. It’s tough to imagine any looting. But still, your servers should be kept in an air conditioned space, off the floor, away from leaks and flooding waters. It’s also wise to physically locked it up so it’s not so easy for anyone to walk off with it.

Use surge protectors and UPS
The recent power outage destroyed a lot of hardware in spite of surge protectors. However, it’s prudent to use surge protectors and it’s prudent to use UPS (uninterrupted power supply.) The UPS – which is basically a big battery – comes with surge suppression. Equally important, though, it gives you a limited source of power in the event of power loss so you can safely exit programs and such down hardware. Remember, unplug all devices from the wall after shut down and wait until power is restored before plugging then back into the wall.

For more info on how your can gear up your business for disaster, checkout these sites:
www.redcross.org/services/disaster
www.ibhs.org
www.fema.gov/business
www.OfficeDepot.com/getprepared

Let me know if I can help with anything.