First of all, our best wishes to all for a Happy Thanksgiving! Now, our annual public service reminder to shop safely over the holidays: Many people will be using their credit cards more during the holiday season. This creates increased risk for identity theft. Here are some tips to keep in mind as you do…
The time has come to pick up the pieces after the storm once again. Last year it was Irene, this year it is Sandy. Hurricane, tropical storm, or Frankenstorm–whatever you call it the weather phenomenon that swept through the Northeast the last week of October, Hudson Valley businesses are wading through a lot of water damaged paper. …
Like it or not, the holiday commercials have already started running. Since the holiday season also brings higher rates of travel and package delivery, please be wary of another identity theft scam. These scams are typically through email with an alert notifying you about airline reservations or a package. If you follow the instructions, you…
Checking one of our favored alert sites, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) indicated we should all be wary of dating extortion scams. The IC3 recently received reports regarding a scam that baits individuals into intimate online conversations and then extorting them for financial gain. The scam was initiated after the victims met someone online, such as…
Following up on another successful event this past June, as Chair of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber’s Green Life Committee, I am happy to share that our Fall recycling day will be this Friday, October 26th 10am-4pm at the Hudson Valley Marketplace (130 Salt Point Turnpike Poughkeepsie). Flyer for October 26th Electronics Recycling In June, thanks…
In a recent press release, the FTC (the government agency charged with consumer protection) announced a major international crack down on tech support scams in which telemarketers masquerade as major computer companies, con consumers into believing that their computers are riddled with viruses, spyware and other malware, and then charge hundreds of dollars to remotely…
As the Chairperson for the Dutchess Chamber’s Green Committee I am excited to share the details about our latest electronics recycling event Friday, October 26th running from 10am-4pm. There is a suggested donation of $5 per carload for the public and $20 for businesses to benefit the Chamber Foundation. Businesses must pre-register with Whitney at…
We keep our eyes open for opportunities to help our community gain awareness of all the situations their identity may be compromised. In this week’s blog, we thank the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) for bringing another such situation into focus. In an automobile accident, the first concern is safety and the second is…
Always a wealth of useful information, the latest issue of Consumer Reports highlighted the latest in fraud scams. Especially with the rise in unemployment, fraudsters have found a vulnerable population in job seekers. Last May, job hunters using computers at a public library in Columbus, Ohio, to search the want ads were approached by a…
Continued from last week, this post provides part two of our two part series on red flags to help detect ID theft. Review the following to see if you may be a victim and not know it yet; if so, swift action will limit the damage: Your mail is missing. If you don’t receive your…