Man admits 9/11 fraud

[T. John 21]

Man admits 9/11 fraud

Scott Shields, the West Windsor resident now famous for allegedly false claims that his dog Bear helped discover victims of the World Trade Center collapse, has pleaded guilty to defrauding relief agencies of nearly $50,000 in the aftermath of Sept. 11.

http://www.nj.com/news/times/index.ssf?/ba....xml&coll=5

Here are a number of "related" sites to check out too:

• Welcome to the Scott Shields is a FRAUD web site!
• Trading in on tragedy for fame
• See for yourself - the "Bear Search and Rescue Foundation"

I share with you this information to help emphasize how important it is to verify a person's credibility, certifications and intentions. While I expect (and hope) that the fraud committed in this instance is a unique situation, there are no doubt people out there that will take advantage of disastrous situations for self-gain. It is very easy today for someone to impersonate a professional rescuer. All of us must be vigilant and to ensure that we do a thorough background check (and actually research) the background of individuals. What is frightening in this situation is how "credible" someone can look/act but, in reality, they may have absolutely no formal training, experience or background in a specific field.

Having been involved in US&R and technical rescue operations for many years, I have a great appreciation for the hard work and dedication of K-9's and their handlers. The K-9/partner teams must endure some of the most rigorous training compared to any other discipline. And, they train a lot. For someone to claim they are a professional K-9 rescue team with no training or experience is a slap in the face to the many hardworking recognized teams across the country.

I am in full support of resource typing, credentialing and other methods to ensure that we protect our rescuers and the public from fraud's like this.

As a side note, if you and/or your Department actively participate in "patch trading", this should serve as a big wake up call and warning. Don't jeopardize your Department's name/integrity or put other rescuers in jeopardy by sharing "official" merchandise - it may not end up on a wall but be used in some unlawful way.