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KANABEC COUNTY TIMES
DECEMBER 1, 2016 www.moraminn.com
Protect yourself from identity theft
SCOTT MCKINNEY| TIMES
The kitchen at the soon-to-open Kev’s Depot needed little changes in preparation for their opening.
KEV’S DEPOT: Telander readies to open new bar ‘I think people are looking for a different option.’
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rearrange a few things. And the banquet area is just as the previous owners left it.” While Kevin plans to host special events in the banquet area, he has set his priorities on the main dining area. “We’ll concentrate on opening the bar and restaurant first, and then ease into hosting banquets and events,” he said. “We know it’s important to do things really well, to set ourselves apart with good service and good food. We’ll focus on a smaller menu, concentrating on preparing 30 to 40 items really well. We’ll serve a couple of different sandwiches that people won’t be able to get anywhere else. We’re installing a bigger tap system, so that we can offer twenty different draft beers.” Kevin and his wife Kati met while they worked together at the Crystal.
Kati Telander She intends to help out at Kev’s Depot. “I think people are looking for a different option,” she said, “people my age, and my parents’ age. It’ll be a place to host events. And we welcome our local veterans to come in.” Kevin is optimistic about his new venture. “I was born here, and lived here all my life,” he said. “Most people know my last name, and everyone knows this place. We’ve planned Kev’s Depot to be family-friendly; we want the place to be appealing to all and offer as much entertainment as we can.” Scott McKinney is a contributing writer for the Kanabec County Times.
In 2014, 17.6 million Americans were victims of identity theft, including an increasing number of tax-related theft. In 2015, 781 recorded data breaches exposed 169,068,506 records. ID theft occurs when a person uses someone else’s information for fraud. Taking steps to protect your identity can reduce your risk Your Legal of becoming a victim. Rights
Lori Swanson
COMMON METHODS IN WHICH INFORMATION IS STOLEN There are numerous different scams and schemes thieves use to obtain people’s personal information. Some of the more common methods include: Phishing: In a phishing scheme, identity thieves pose as a trusted corporation or government entity to obtain personal or financial information. Hacking: Hackers may attempt to download harmful malware or spyware on your computer to sift through information you may file electronically. This malware or spyware can be downloaded by visiting insecure websites, “clicking” dangerous links or opening
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attachments from unknown email senders. Stolen records and dumpster diving: Financial statements, medical information or checks sent by mail contain sensitive information that identity thieves misuse. Card skimming: Some of the largest cases of ID theft in the United States occurred through card skimming, in which thieves electronically capture and store the details stored in a card’s magnetic strip. HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF AGAINST ID THEFT You can take several steps to protect yourself from ID theft, some of which include the following: Monitor your credit report: You can obtain a free copy of your credit report from the credit bureaus once every year online at www. annualcreditreport.com, by calling 1-877-322-8228 or by writing to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta GA 30348-5281. Monitor your financial statements: Carefully review your credit card and bank account statements each month for unauthorized charges or fraudulent use. Protect your information: Store documents that contain sensitive information in a secure location.
You may ask each credit bureau to place a “fraud alert” in your file to require creditors to contact you before a new account is opened in your name. You may contact the credit bureaus to place a fraud alert in your file as follows: Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 -TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289 -- Experian: 1-888-397-3742 Shred and delete sensitive documents: Before you dispose of documents that contain sensitive information (credit card or bank statements, etc.), shred them. You can opt out of prescreened credit card offers online at www. optoutprescreen.com or by calling 1-888-567-8688. When disposing of electronic devices, make sure they are wiped clean of any personal information that may be stored on them. Secure electronic devices and online accounts: Hackers try to get at people’s information by accessing it directly from their devices or from websites. Make sure your devices have security software, such as a firewall and anti-virus protection that is up-to-date. Create strong, unique passwords for your devices and online accounts and log off when you are done. Encrypt and password protect your home Wi-Fi, and avoid using public Wi-Fi to access accounts or make online purchases.
Utilities campaign to protect consumers from scams Gas and electric utility companies across the United States and Canada, as well as the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota (BBB), are joining forces to protect customers from long-running scams targeting customers of utility service providers. Reports of phone, email billing and door-to-door scams are back again and represent thousands of dollars lost by customer victims. “These schemes often ramp up with the change in seasons,” said Dana Badgerow, president and CEO of the BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota. “Like most scams, it plays on peoples’ fears and has proven to be quite effective, unfortunately.” During the phone scam, a customer receives a phone call from an individual who falsely claims to be a utility representative. The scammer warns that the utility will disconnect the customer’s electric or natural gas service if the customer fails to make a payment, usually within a short timeframe. Scammers have even duplicated utilities’ telephone messages and automated response systems so when customers call phone numbers provided by the scammer it sounds legitimate. Some of these scammers also use caller ID spoofing to replicate utilities’ customer service numbers. The campaign encourages the public to share these messages to help guard against scam activity. Some Minnesota utilities experience an increase of more than 30 percent in customer scam attempts when colder temperatures set in. RED FLAGS FOR SCAM ACTIVITY The scammer tells the customer his or her account is past due and service will be disconnected if a large payment isn’t made, usually within less than an hour. The scammer instructs the customer to purchase a pre-paid debit or credit card, widely available at retail stores,
then instructs the customer to call back to supposedly make a payment to the utility.
HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF Utilities never ask or require a customer with a past due account to purchase a prepaid debit card to avoid disconnection. Customers with past due accounts receive an advance disconnection notification by mail, not a single notification one hour before disconnection. Know which utility providers serve you. If you suspect someone is trying to scam you, hang up and call your utility at the phone number listed on your bill and report it to the BBB. Never dial the phone number the scammers provide. Customers who suspect or experience fraud or feel threatened during contact with one of these scams, should contact local authorities. The utility companies of Minnesota and the BBB continue to enhance efforts to educate the public. For the first time, in 2014, Minnesota utilities joined forces with the BBB to launch “Slam the Scam,” a coalition and awareness campaign aimed at warning customers and preventing scams. The coalition is encouraging customers who think they are being targeted by a scammer to simply end the conversation and “slam” down the phone. The Better Business Bureau of Minnesota is closely tracking these types of scams. UUAS is a collaborative effort among the electric, gas, and water utility industries to help prevent utility service fraud through education, awareness, and customer advocacy initiatives. A primary goal of this collective effort is to help customers learn how to identify and avoid utility-related scams. Learn more about the UUAS effort at www.eei.org including further tips and resources to help spot and avoid utility scams.