For 25 years, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has worked tirelessly to protect our kids. Whether reuniting families and recovering missing children, or tracking down those who would threaten their safety, NCMEC has been a champion of families all over the country. The AMW Safety Center gives you an inside look at how NCMEC works; showing you some of the high tech tools and the strategic partnerships they have forged with top government agencies to help keep our children safe.

Scams come in many different shapes — identity theft, credit repair, smishing, phone crammers, online dating — but they all have the same goal: taking advantage of you. If you are targetted by a scammer, you might be taken for cash, or worse, you could be the victim of identity theft. Someone could get control of your personal information and if you are unaware, they could continue spending money in your name, open new accounts, ruin your credit and ruin your life.

Over 9 million Americans fall victim to some form of identity theft each year, so it’s important to make sure you are taking the proper precautions to be sure you are protecting yourself.

The AMW Safety Center is full of information to help you identify all types of scams. And if you happen to find yourself the victim of a scam, we have a lot of tips for what to do to help you regain control. Continue reading Outsmart Scammers: Fighting Back Against Fraud »

On a seemingly normal day, mother Sandra Lopez had left her 3 children in the care of a family friend, Berny Figueroa. Sandra thought her to be trustworthy, but was unaware of Figueroa’s violent tendencies, which unfortunately turned deadly. A nightmare for any parent, Sandra is now forced to cope with the murder of her daughter, while Berny Figueroa remains at large.

Our children are our most precious resource, so it can be tough to find someone you trust to look after your kids when you can’t be around. When hiring a babysitter, you want to be sure you are leaving your kid in good hands. We’ve compiled a list of some of the most important criteria from Kids Health and the Red Cross that you should consider both in choosing your babysitter, and in making sure they’re prepared for an emergency while looking after your kids. Continue reading Choosing The Right Babysitter »

This year marks the 26th anniversary of the National Night Out program. All over the country, over 9,500 communities are participating in events during this week that celebrate residents and police officers working together to keep our neighborhoods safe. Citizens, businesses, schools and civic groups all participate in these campaigns that serve to send a clear message to criminals.

These celebrations take the form of block parties, cook outs, candlelight vigils, sports events, and or other activities that involve people of all ages.

The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. has seen NNO help local communities in several ways:

• Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness.
• NNO helps generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs.
• Bringing neighbors together by strengthening neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships.
• Sends a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

Contact your local law enforcement today to find out about events in your community, and check out the NNO site to find out what other communities have done.