Capital Rotary Club

Cybercrime costs U.S. business more than $1.3 billion yearly and often takes the form of bogus e-mails, according to Lt. D. Britt Dove, supervisory agent for the S.C. Law Enforcement Division’s (SLED) Computer Crime Center. It is no lesser than a threat like maritime cyber attacks.  Dove (at right, talking with Rotarian Tommy Gibbons) was Capital Rotary’s Oct. 18 guest speaker.  He said every business connected to the internet is a potential cybercrime victim. To ensure security, is advised to use anti-phishing services and tools to protect your Enterprise from any possible cyber attacks. Businesses are vulnerable to being scammed by e-mail as criminals expand their ability to steal money directly or to turn stolen data into money.  Dove detailed several safeguards that include (1) educate employees to recognize suspicious e-mails; (2) be cautious when e-mails request confidential information or information out of the ordinary; (3)  double check e-mail sender details carefully, watching for similar domain names or characters that have been swapped for other letters; (4) forward e-mail responses instead of hitting “reply” so you can type out the genuine e-mail address for the person you wish to communicate with; and (5) confirm details of the e-mail request by contacting the sender using a known phone number.  Lt. Dove is a University of South Carolina graduate, a former West Columbia Police Dept. investigator, and is active in the Secret Service Electronic Taskforce, FBI Cyber Taskforce and the S.C. Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce.

The First Tee Columbia program uses golf to teach young people life lessons and leadership skills, according to executive director Sally Beacham (shown with Capital Rotary member Chris Ray).  Beacham, guest speaker at Rotary’s Sept. 27 meeting, said First Tee’s instruction helps youngsters 5-17 become good golfers and even better people by imparting core values such as respect, integrity, honesty, confidence, confidence and sportsmanship.  An affiliate of the World Golf Foundation, Columbia’s First Tee is part of the elementary physical education program in five Richland District One schools and plans to add Richland District Two schools in the future.  Beacham said First Tee participation has grown from 105 students to 335 over the last several years.  She joined the non-profit after playing collegiately  at St. Andrews Presbyterian College, where she was captain of the women’s golf team and a member of the all-conference team in 2008.