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1 • Thursday, January 19, 2017 - The Independent
Independent
TAKE ONE
Bensenville
VOL. 14 • NO. 11
WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM
IRS phone scams spike in Illinois ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK The Better Business Bureau is warning of a recent spike in phone scam attempts across Illinois. Steve Bernas, president and CEO of Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois, says this is a long-running operation in which people pose as IRS agents and demand immediate payment. “Normally, people will wise up and not send money,” Bernas said. “That’s how scams go out of business. But this one has taken on a life of its own and keeps growing.” A clear sign of a scam call is the request for money sent in a short amount of time. “If you have to pay money immediately, that day, right away, nobody does that to you,” Bernas said. “The IRS is not going to call you and tell you that you have 30 minutes to pay. The only thing you should pay within 30 minutes is a pizza delivery man. Anybody asking for money in 30 minutes is 110 percent a scam.” Callers also might inform victims
The skies were alive with kite stunts during the annual Kite Fest held Aug. 5 at Berens Park in Elmhurst. Some of the Midwest’s best professional kit flyers entertained with kite stunts and tricks. Kids were able to learn kite building first-hand.
The Walk steps off at 10 a.m. It will take place at Busse Woods, Grove 5-16. Enter the East entrance on Higgins Road. Walk participants will complete a 3.2 mile walk and will learn about Alzheimer’s disease, advocacy opportunities, clinical studies enrollment, support programs and services from the Alzheimer’s Association.
Inside:
Police Reports......4, 5 Sports �������������������� 14 Super Savings...........7 Classifieds..........15-17
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2017
Taking to the sky
that an arrest warrant has been issued due to attempted tax fraud. Bernas says the scammers are skilled at convincing victims of harsh consequences if they don’t comply. “I have people calling me from all walks of life,” Bernas said. “I had a reporter call me. I had a reporter’s mother call me. It’s so real to them that they think it’s truly the IRS.” According to the Better Business Bureau, the IRS does not make phone calls to issue threats about payments. They also make multiple contact attempts via mail before resorting to any other method of communication. Bernas also says you can’t simply trust your Caller ID to alert you to a suspicious number. “Most consumers don’t know Caller IDs can be altered with a simple program that can be found online for about $20. It’s spoofing.” The Better Business Bureau asks you to report all scam phone calls to www.bbb.org, whether successful or not.
Association plans 2017 Walk to End Alzheimer’s
SUBMITTED PHOTO Bensenville Independent
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The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s will take place on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Busse Woods in Elk Grove Village. Nearly 850 people from the area are expected at this year’s event to raise awareness and funds to fight Alzheimer’s disease. Registration begins at 8 a.m., followed by a ceremony at 9:30 a.m.
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