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SAVE OTTUMWA POST 2. Look for red flags.

Typos, grammatical errors and unusual return email addresses are giveaways of phishing emails.

Scammers often use a fake address that mimics the address of a trusted source. To “unmask” the sender, hover over the visible address to reveal the real source. Additionally, be wary of investment scams that promise skyhigh returns. If your gut is telling you it’s too good to be true – it probably is.

3. Monitor your accounts. Check account transactions and balances frequently to keep an eye out for suspicious or unauthorized charges.

In 2023, Americans reIf you do not recognize ported they were the victims of more nearly $10 an expenditure or suspect fraud, contact your billion in financial fraud1. financial institution imWith fraud increasing in mediately. If available, frequency and intricacy, activate alerts to receive investors must stay vigilant about protecting their immediate notification of suspicious activity on all financial security. Here are six steps you can take bank accounts and credit cards. As an added preto help protect yourself: caution, request a free 1. Actively avoid scams. credit report annually from the three major credit buThe best advice for byreaus. Review your report passing fraud involves to spot any changes in a series of don’ts. Don’t your credit rating or unaupick up calls or respond thorized applications for to texts from numbers credit. you don’t recognize. If your bank leaves a mes4. Manage your passsage, return the call only after double-checking you words. The security of your accounts is only as have the correct number good as the privacy of for your financial instituyour passwords. Secution. Don’t click on links rity experts recommend or download documents updating important passunless you are certain of the source. Don’t provide words regularly (every three to six months) or account information over the phone, email or social sooner, in case of a data leak. A strong password media.

How to Protect Yourself from Financial Fraud

is long, randomized and unique. Consider using a password manager, which securely stores and completes login fields.

5. Take advantage of two-step verification.

With two-factor authentication (2FA) activated, your user ID and password will prompt a request for your phone number or email. You’ll receive a unique passcode to complete the login process.

This extra layer of security makes it much more challenging for bad actors to hack into your secure accounts. If your password is compromised, 2FA creates one more barrier to entry.

6. Avoid public Wi-Fi. Most public Wi-Fi sources are insufficiently secure.

As a result, cyber criminals often hack into public Wi-Fi in search of financial information to exploit, such as passwords, account numbers or personal data. If you must rely on public Wi-Fi, use a virtual public network (VPN) to protect your connection. If you don’t have access to a VPN through an employer, download and subscribe to a reputable network so you can safely access Wi-Fi when away from home.

It is important to remain vigilant. Pay attention to reports of fraud in the news and take note of new ploys to avoid becoming a victim. Know that there are many resources available to

JUNE 5, 2024 protect your financial accounts and security. A financial advisor can help you understand the best measures to put in place to protect your financial information.

1 Federal Trade Commission- Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book

Duane J Lusson, CFP, ChFC, CLU, MSFS, is a Private Wealth Advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. in Ottumwa, Iowa. He specializes in fee-based financial planning and asset management strategies and has been in practice for 30 years. To contact him, call 641-684-4200 or stop by

his office at 527 W. Second in Ottumwa, Iowa.

Investment products are not insured by the FDIC, NCUA or any federal agency, are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed by any financial institution, and involve investment risks including possible loss of principal and fluctuation in value.

Securities offered by Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2024 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.

File #6414159.2

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Stranger in the Night In the spring, as soon as we see the first oriel, we put grape jelly in a dish on a nearby tree so we can attract and keep them in the area. We enjoy watching the colorful little birds as they feed and build their unique socklike nests. The problem I have found in feeding grape jelly to the birds is that everything in the world seems to enjoy it also. One year, we put a plastic dish of grape jelly on a fence post bordering the horse pasture. It did not take long for a horse to stop by, eat the jelly, and chew up the dish. If it is close enough to the ground, the dogs will eat the jelly. Raccoons, opossums, flying squirrels and many other types of bird also enjoy a bit of grape jelly.

Though our feeder is dog and horse-proof now, it is difficult to keep the other critters away.

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PAGE 3

mallows inside and We were not mallows were gone.

Last night, waited for the mystery having a problem with The jelly dish was on thinking I needed to top of the feeder but jelly thieves this year solve the mystery so I to be solved.

This mornuntil about a week ago. only part of the jelly would have a concluwas eaten. This was Sure, we had a robin sion in today’s column, ing, with great anticibecoming a real myspation, I went down to or flicker stop by for a I brought the jelly inthe trap. Not one of mouthful occasionally, tery. A raccoon could side for the evening. I not get into the trap, but we can live with then took scissors and the marshmallows had steal the marshmallows cut two marshmallows been touched. I dethat. One morning I and get out without cided there is some went out to the porch into several pieces. strange creature of the to have my usual morn- springing the trap. He With these I made a ing coffee and noticed would also eat all the trail leading to the door night trying to drive me jelly rather than just crazy. the jelly dish was on of the trap. I placed a the ground and empty. some of it. couple more marshThe next Our most common morning, the first thing thieves are raccoons, so I assumed that was I noticed was the door on the trap was shut. I the culprit. I got the AUTO MALL Hwy. 34 West, Fairfield | 641-472-3121; 800-422-5269 | www.feslerautomall.com live trap out and baited had finally caught my Open Monday-Friday 8:00AM-5:00PM; Saturday 8:00AM-NOON thief, or so I thought. it with grape jelly and When I got to the trap, marshmallows. RacI discovered I had coons enjoy a nice #31942 MSRP $59,850 marshmallow as much caught a baby rabbit. I as grape jelly. The next don’t think he was my Fesler Discount - $15,000 marshmallow bandit morning, before I let the dogs out, I checked and I know he was not the trap. I have learned, climbing trees to get the jelly. I think he must it is difficult to carry an angry raccoon in a have been hopping by live trap with two dogs and dummied into the trap. trying to kill it. I was *Final price does not include tax, license or $95 documentation fee Thinking surprised to find nothsomething must have ing in the trap. More surprising was that the been reaching through marshmallow and jelly the side of the trap to were gone. To me, this get the marshmallows, that evening I pushed a seemed impossible. long nail through a couThe trap has a hair ple of them and poked trigger and anything large enough to eat the the nail into the ground through the bottom of bait would easily trip the trap. Whatever was the door to the trap.

The jelly was also gone getting the marshmalfrom the oriole feeder. lows would have to be inside the trap and The next night, I baited the trap work at stealing them. with a couple of marsh- The next morning, there was nothing in mallows. In the mornthe trap and the marshing, the trap was not sprung but the marsh- mallows were gone.

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PAGE 4

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JUNE 5, 2024

GARY WELSH ESTATE saturday, june 8 | 10 am 7223 235th street blakesburg, ia 52536 1990 marshfield mobile home • shop related supplies tools & equipment • horse harnesses & supplies many antiques • garden & outdoor tools • household

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PAGE 6

SAVE OTTUMWA POST time after that.”

The Suit Our daughter’s wedding was this last weekend. I would get ahead of the game and break my usual habit of being late and behind schedule.

Well before the wedding, Melissa ordered a new navy blue necktie to match her dress. Encouraged by my wife, I took my suit from the closet five weeks before the wedding and tried it on to make sure it fit well and did not need to be altered.

I walked back to my van with pride in my step. I took my long “to-do list” from my pocket and drew a line through ‘suit to cleaners.’

“How about that, Nova Mae? Fifteen errands on the list, and they’re all done.” It was a fun ride home, knowing I was totally on schedule for once in my life.

The freshwater tank was filled, the LP gas tanks were full, the battery was fully charged, the refrigerator was on and cold, all the bedding was washed, The suit fit fine, which was and the bed was made. I needed to replace a tail good. However, it also light cover, which I had on meant I didn’t lose the hand. (A new lens from fifteen pounds I wanted to before Annie’s big day. Two Bullyan RV was one of weeks before the wedding, my 15 errands in Duluth.)

Finally, I inspected the I took my suit to the dry tires and checked the air cleaner in Duluth. Before pressure. The Scamp was driving to Duluth, I loaded my Stihl chain saw into the ready road-trip worthy. All we had to do was throw in van. the groceries and our bags.

With the Scamp ready, I I have two chain saws, which are Stihl brand. Both could relax and enjoy the weekend with my wife. have served me well. My “little” chainsaw is about On Memorial Day, I planted twenty years old and has two Autumn Blaze Maple been a real workhorse.

Trees in the yard. The However, it needs a new gnats were horrid! Melissa clutch. The big saw is in brought me my safari hat perfect working order, with mosquito netting atneeding nothing. With my suit hanging and the chain- tached. I’ve never used it before, and boy, was I saw on the back floor, I impressed. called my dog. “Nova, do you want to go with me?”

Gnats swarmed my head She’s always up for a car and face while I worked, ofride. We hopped in the van ten landing on the netting. and drove to Duluth.

I laughed in their little gnat faces as I sang, “I hear you I first dropped the chain knocking, but you cannot saw off at the repair shop, come in, da, dah, da dah…. then ran several errands Although the gnats couldn’t in Duluth and Superior.

Finally, I took my suit to the get to my face, I had my sleeves rolled up to work, cleaners. and they chewed up my I arrived just a few minutes forearms pretty well! before closing, and the Once the trees were plantclerk was happy to accept my suit. “A three-piece suit ed and staked, my thoughts turned to other steaks, and will be $24 to clean. What I fired up the Weber grill. day do you need to pick it Despite my itchy arms, Meup,” she asked. morial Day was great, but “I’m working out of town for the days following would be busy getting everything the weekend and won’t be back until Tuesday,” I said. else packed to go to Sioux City, Iowa, for the wedding.

“No problem,” the clerk said. “We’ll have it ready for Tuesday morning, Nova Mae and I returned to you to pick up next TuesDuluth with a fresh “to-do” day.” list; first, we picked up the I explained, “I’m going to chainsaw. be really busy when I get home; then, with Memorial “Your chain saw is pretty old,” the clerk told me. “It Day weekend, I may not will cost way more to repair be able to pick it up until a week from Tuesday. Is that than it’s worth.” I was sad to hear this, but the saw okay?” served me well. I planned “We’ll have it ready this to use the saw until she Tuesday,” she said. “And died. “It’s $25 for the diagyou can come get it any nosis,” the clerk said. Fair

The clerk asked my name and went to the backroom to get my suit. She returned, asking, “Do you have the claim ticket?” I never keep those claim tags, but this time, I knew it was in the cup holder in my van. I retrieved the ticket, and she disappeared into the back room, returning to the counter without a garment. “I can’t seem to find it,” she said. “What color was the suit?” I told her it was a gray, threepiece suit. She went to look again, coming back to the counter empty-handed. “I’m sorry, sir, I can’t find your suit.”

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I arrived at the drycleaners Wednesday morning at 8:00, giving her time to find my suit. “I’m very sorry, I haven’t been able to locate your suit yet,” the owner said. “I’m calling in another worker to help look.

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enough. I paid the man and waited. “Did you need anything else, sir?”

“I need my chainsaw,” I answered. The man went to the backroom and returned with a box. I was stunned, to say the least, looking at a box with my disassembled, trusty chainsaw.

“You didn’t put it back together?” The man said it wasn’t worth fixing and that reassembling it would cost The following week was another $100. “I brought busy, getting ready for the you a running chain saw, wedding. Nova Mae and and you hand me a box of our cat Edgar Allan would pieces and parts? That’s be traveling with us, so pretty crappy!” I took my we planned to take the box with the dissected, Scamp to the wedding and trusty chain saw to the van. camp rather than staying in I was not happy, but I had a the motel - it’s just easier lot to do today. I moved on with pets. I made sure the to item two: picking up my Scamp was ready to travel. suit from the cleaners.

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“YOU LOST MY SUIT?” I was quite alarmed. “My daughter is getting married on Saturday, and I need my suit!”

“We didn’t lose it, sir. It’s here somewhere; I just can’t find it,” the clerk said.

I’ll call the owner; she can find anything.” I waited while she made the call.

The owner said she would come in and find it tomorrow.

“It’s a hundred-forty miles round trip drive from my house,” I said. “Can she come in and find it today?”

The clerk made another call and said, “She said she won’t be here until tomorrow. She comes in at 7:30 a.m.” I had a lot of things I wanted to say, but there was no sense in shooting the messenger. “Can I keep the claim tag?” the clerk asked.

“No, I’ll be taking the claim tag with me,” I answered, but I let her take a copy before leaving.

“Where’s your suit,” Nova asked when I returned to the van.

“They lost my dang suit,” I told Nova. “I should be grateful for getting my chain saw back in a box of parts! At least they could find it! I hope this isn’t a sign of how our next ten stops will go!”

We will find your suit.”

“And if you don’t,” I asked.

“Then what?”

“It has to be here someplace,” she said. We will find your suit.” Not feeling very confident, I left to run other errands, returning to the drycleaners three hours

later.

…something is going to go wrong…a bad blowout... mosquito swarms…

“We still haven’t found it,” the owner said. “But we figured out whose garTo read the rest of this ments were on the rack story visit ottumwapost. beside your suit. We’re com. hoping your suit was accidentally given to him when he picked up his suit. I have a call into him, but he’s at work until 5.”

“And what if he doesn’t have my suit. Then What?”

“If you have to buy another suit, I will pay for it,” the owner said.

“My wife and I are leaving at 10:00 tomorrow morning,” I explained. “How do you suppose I am going to find another suit that happens to be just the right shade of gray and have it altered before the end of the day?”

She repeated, “We WILL find your suit!” Her words were not very reassuring; I felt sick as I drove away.

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PAGE 7

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PAGE 8

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JUNE 5, 2024