Stories of Loss and Love

Posted in Board Brief on Mar 18, 2020

More and more adults are using the Internet to find companionship and love. While finding the right match is possible, there's growing risk more than your heart will be broken. Here is an all too typical story that has cost its victims money and heartache.

Woman Believes she was a Victim of a Dating Scam Fraud
A man she did not know, who claimed to be from the U.S. but temporarily in a foreign country (tending to family business and awaiting an inheritance), began communicating with her via Facebook Messenger. There was a common interest between the two, as the man also claimed to work in the...

Tax Identity Theft

Posted in Board Brief on Feb 19, 2020

Tax identity theft occurs in one of two ways.

1. When someone else uses your Social Security number to file a fraudulent return to get a tax refund or
2. Your personal information is used to secure employment, which can make it appear you earned more income than you actually did.

After years of identity theft and tax fraud increases, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has reported a substantial decline in the number of taxpayers who reported being a victim of identity theft. The decline is a result of a partnership between the IRS, state tax agencies, tax preparers and other tax industry experts. ...

Check your Statements Early and Often. It can Save you Money!

Posted in Board Brief on Jan 15, 2020

It is an important practice to check your credit card and draft/checking statements (especially if tied to a debit card) as early and as often as you can. This is particularly true at times when you are making a lot of purchases, like during holidays and on vacations.

2 Simple Reasons Why

Duel Charges Dual charges are more likely to appear when a consumer is making a purchase at an establishment they do not frequent. Many times, dual charges are not even connected to fraud. Dual charges can occur for innocent reasons where the sales receipt is unknowingly processed twice. This is particularly ...