In
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It’s Tax Season By Brian Hartman, #866 Scottsdale Police Department Crime Prevention Officer, Via Linda District
It’s everyone’s favorite time of the year…that’s right, tax season. While filing your taxes may not be anyone’s most enjoyable activity, it can serve as a great reminder to double-check our sensitive personal information. The Social Security Administration is a great source of information and provides numerous useful tips on keeping that information safe from would-be criminals. The Social Security Administration does keep our records confidential, but those would-be criminals are constantly exploring new ways to get that information from us. Identity Theft: Identity theft still remains one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States. A dishonest individual who obtains your social security number will often use it to get other personal information about you. They can use your SSN and your good credit to obtain more credit in your name. They then utilize those credit cards without worrying about paying the bills. You may not discover that your identity has been compromised until you get turned down for credit or you start to receive calls from creditors demanding payment for items that you never purchased. How might someone steal your Social Security Number? • Stealing wallets, purses, and your mail (bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, new checks, and tax information). • Stealing personal information, you provide to an unsecured site on the Internet, from business or personnel records at work and personal information in your home. • Rummaging through your trash, the trash of businesses and public trash dumps for personal data. • Posing by phone or email as someone who legitimately needs information about yours, such as employers or landlords. What if you think someone is using your Social Security Number? If you suspect that someone is using your social security number for work purposes, you should contact the Social Security Administration to report the issue. You may also review earnings posted on your Social Security Statement. The Statement is available online to workers 18 and older. To get your Statement, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount and create an account. What if an identity thief is creating credit problems for you? You should go to www.idtheft.gov and report the identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). That website is a one-stop national resource to learn about the crime of identity theft. It provides detailed information to help you deter, detect, and defend against identity theft. You may also want to contact the IRS to check your recent tax returns. Identity Thieves often use the social security numbers of their victims to file false tax returns. If you are eligible for a tax refund, the thief could file a tax return before you and collect the refund. If you think you may have tax issues from identity theft, go to www.irs.gov/uac/Identity-Protection or call 1-800-908-4490. You should monitor your credit report on a regular basis. You can get free credit reports online at www.annualcreditreport.com. 26
February/March 2021
Stability. Hope. Resilience. Helping Kids to be Ready to Handle Whatever May Come Next In a normal year, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale provides more than $1 million in program assistance for families in need, as well as programming at no charge for children in Foster Care. There has been nothing normal about this year, but kids are still counting on the Clubs like the Virginia G. Piper Branch in the Scottsdale Ranch neighborhood. We continue to adapt to the changing needs of families in our community, providing the vital services and a sense of stability our youth so desperately need-—now more than ever. We know kids need a safe place to have fun, build relationships, learn new things, and be supported. But we do more than that. We provide homework help, an evening meal/snack, WiFi and a place to do remote schoolwork. And perhaps most importantly, the Club is an enriching place where kids gain confidence and the resilience to handle whatever may come next. For many of the youth we serve, the Club is a home away from home and the one constant in their lives when everything else has changed. Please don’t wait. Make your Arizona tax credit gift TODAY to help kids right here in our community ... kids who need us most. Go to www.bgcs.org/ taxcredit to learn more and make your donation.
