Currently, Social Security scams are the most commonly reported type of fraud and scam, and according to the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG), these scams continue to evolve. The OIG is now warning the public that scammers are making phone calls and then following up with emails containing falsified documents aimed at convincing people to pay.
You may have received one of these calls – either a recorded voice or a person falsely claiming to be a government employee, warning you of an issue with your Social Security number, account, or benefits, including identity theft. The caller may threaten arrest or other legal action, or they may offer to increase benefits, protect your assets, or resolve identity theft if you provide payment using a retail gift card, cash, wire transfer, internet currency such as Bitcoin, or a pre-paid debit card.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2018, the Hispanic population in the U.S. was made up of just under 60 million people, or nearly one-fifth of the nation’s population. The Consumer Financial protection Bureau (CFPB) has a selection of financial education tools and resources for our nation’s diverse Hispanic and Latino community that are available in both English and Spanish. It recognizes the great variation in the needs, interests, and financial well-being of Hispanic and Latino households. Its resources are intended to be useful for individuals and families during many different stages of their economic life, as they pursue the goals and aspirations that are important to them.
It’s back-to-school time again! MPPL wants to help young patrons, in alliance with their parents, learn about good money habits. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)’s Money as You Grow webpage has tips and activities that can help grow the money skills, habits, and attitudes of children of all ages. Money as You Grow Bookshelf materials helps parents and caregivers bring money topics to life during the time they are reading with their children. This program provides a list of books that are commonly found in libraries or bookstores for children ages four to ten. There are free downloadable reading guides for each book that help parents and caregivers explain key money ideas, and includes questions and activities that can help children understand and use the key ideas in daily life. Take a look and see what we have available!
The Public Library Association (PLA) and American Library Association (ALA) are working with Capital One Financial Corporation to bring innovative financial well-being resources to public libraries across the U.S. Through this project, PLA and ALA will help public libraries nationwide learn about Capital One’s Ready, Set, Bank℠ program, which teaches consumers basic mobile banking skills. Ready, Set, Bank is designed specifically for older adults, and offers numerous, unbranded videos to guide learners through every step of the process, with overviews and step-by-step tutorials to help them manage their finances online — regardless of where they bank. The curriculum is also available in Spanish, through Listos, Clic, Avance℠.
According to an article in the July 6, 2019 Daily Herald, a “miscalculation” of the senior freeze property tax discount by the Cook County assessor’s mainframe computer artificially inflated thousands of tax bills for low-income homeowners in Wheeling Township. The problem was isolated mainly to Wheeling Township seniors but a few errors were also discovered in other townships.
The Cook County Assessor’s office is issuing certificates of error to the affected homeowners. These bills will replace the ones issued by the Cook County treasurer’s office earlier this month. 3200 properties were reported to Wheeling Township Assessor Jerry Sadler but he also found about 100 other homeowners affected who were not on the list.
Those seniors eligible for the discount are encouraged to carefully check their bills. If you have questions, please contact the Wheeling Township Assessor’s office by telephone at 847-259-1515 or by email at taxpayerassistance@wheelingtownship.com. The assessor’s office will review your information.