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New app protects against ID theft, fraud.
Posted on July 16th, 2012 No commentsIf you live in Florida, the odds are you will come across way more identity thieves and fraudsters than hurricanes or alligators. So it may be worth adding the new app called Scam Detector onto your iPhone or Android device.
The app is free, so you’ve go nothing to lose checking it out. And in Florida, you have plenty to lose when it comes to bad guys wanting to steal your identity or cash.
Florida is among the worst in the nation for these types of crimes. It ranks first per capita in identity theft complaints nationwide, with more than 178 complaints per 100,000 residents; and ranks sixth in fraud complaints, with about 515 complaints per 100,000 residents, according to the Consumer Sentinel Network, which compiles data on consumer complaints received by the Federal Trade Commission and state agencies, such as the Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services.
Scam Detector is designed to prevent you from becoming such a statistic by keeping you informed of the latest schemes out there.
The app’s menu offers five categories to research: Auto, Face to Face, Internet, Telephone and Travel scams. Under the latter, I learned about the Beach Massage scheme, in which a woman walks up and offers a massage while you lay on your towel. By the time you open your eyes, there are two women both asking to be paid. And the ol’ Gym Membership scam, in which add-on charges for “insurance” and “maintenance and upkeep” appear on your bill after you sign up, not during the sales pitch.
If you believe you are a victim of fraud, contact the Florida Attorney General’s Office at 866-966-7226 or go to myfloridalegal.com. You may also contact the FTC at 1-877-ID-THEFT or visit FTC.com.
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How long to keep financial records?
Posted on May 2nd, 2012 No commentsIf you’re anything like me, you want to shred bills and documents as soon as you send the check in the mail or pay online. You don’t want all that extra clutter hanging around. While that can be good for some items (junk mail, magazines, etc.) it doesn’t always work for financial documents. If you own a home, have a credit card, are self-employed, have a job, or all of the above, here is some information about how long to keep your financial records.
Let’s start with home ownership documents. These include closing statements (your HUD or RESPA, for example). You’ll want to save that information for at least six years after you purchase the home. This is important for selling the home (if you do during that time period) because it can affect how much you pay in capital gains tax. It’s also important to keep any receipts for home improvement projects. Some could be a tax write-off and others may also affect property taxes and capital gains tax.
If you use your credit card to purchase items that can be a tax deduction, you’ll want to keep your statements for a good seven years. Otherwise, you can shred the statement once your receipts match what is listed on the statement for the month.
In terms of tax paperwork, it’s important to know that the IRS has three years from your filing date to audit your return if it suspects good faith errors. They have up to six years to challenge a return if they suspect you underreported your gross income by 25% or more. So you’ll want to keep all your tax returns for at least six years. You have three years once you file if you find a mistake on it and file an amended return for a refund.
You can easily get rid of regular bills once you see the check against it has cleared. You will want to keep any receipts or bills for more expensive purchases, such as jewelry, computers, televisions, etc. This you’ll want to save for insurance purposes.
You can get rid of paycheck stubs once you compare it against the W-2 you receive for all your work the previous year. If everything matches up, toss the original stubs. If not, you’ll want to request a corrected form from your HR department.
If you have more specific questions about how long to keep certain financial records, your CPA is the best person to speak to, especially if it’s related to tax information.
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SHRED-A-THON! MAY 20, 2012
Posted on May 2nd, 2012 No comments -
New Testimonial from the Boca Raton Police Services Department’s Crime Prevention Unit
Posted on February 16th, 2012 No comments -
Free Document Shredding Event!!!
Posted on January 17th, 2012 No commentsBoca Raton Police and Microshred Corporation team up to help fight identity theft.
Boca Raton, FL – On Saturday, January 28, 2012, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the Boca Raton Police Department and Microshred Corporation are again teaming up to help prevent identity theft by hosting a free document shredding event. The event will be held at the Boca Raton Town Center Mall, 6000 W. Glades Road, in the NW corner of the parking lot near Sears.
By shredding and properly disposing of all your sensitive documents, you will be taking a key step toward protecting your identity. According to reports from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, more than 15 million people reported having their identities either stolen or misused last year; and Florida had the highest per capita rate of reported identity thefts in the United States. The overall losses from identity theft last year were close to $37 billion.
Microshred Corporation will have document shredding trucks on-site and each participant will be given a Certificate of Destruction after all documents have been shredded. The event is open to all non-commercial participants. Officers from the Boca Raton Police Department Crime Prevention Unit, along with employees from Microshred Corporation, will be on-site to provide expert advice and tips to prevent identity theft.
For additional information contact Officer Craig Kolnick (Crime Prevention Unit) at 561-347-3934 or visit their website at www.BocaPolice.com.
View press release: http://www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/police/TopStories/vipernews.shtm
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CellMark Acquires Alcan International Network
Posted on January 10th, 2012 No commentsCellMark , a marketer of pulp and paper based in Gothenburg, Sweden, has acquired Alcan International Network (AIN) from Constellium. AIN is a global supply chain services company that provides links between manufacturers and customers in chemicals, minerals and raw materials and equipment for the foundry industry
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CellMark Acquires Alcan International Network -
bGreen Recycling Program Expands to Cardboard, Metals and In-House Service
Posted on January 10th, 2012 No commentsOptiglass PC , a plastic sheet and film supplier based in Statesville, N.C., has expanded its bGreen recycling program to include cardboard and metals. bGreen, marketed as a nationwide, full-service recycling program, was initially launched for the removal and recycling of industrial plastic polycarbonate and acrylic sheet drop and scrap
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bGreen Recycling Program Expands to Cardboard, Metals and In-House Service -
Waste Management Seeks to Build Single-Stream MRF in Nevada
Posted on January 3rd, 2012 No commentsWaste Management’s proposed EcoCenter Waste Management, based in Houston, has been in discussions with the City of Reno, Nev., over converting the city’s recyclables collection program from a source-separated operation to a single-stream collection and processing operation.
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Waste Management Seeks to Build Single-Stream MRF in Nevada -
OSHA Cites Missouri Recycling Company for Multiple Violations
Posted on December 13th, 2011 No commentsThe U.S.
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OSHA Cites Missouri Recycling Company for Multiple Violations -
BIR Autumn Roundtables: Stainless Production Falls Short of Expectations
Posted on November 3rd, 2011 No commentsThe scale of China’s stainless steel scrap usage will remain dependent on the LME (London Metals Exchange) nickel price, according to the guest speaker at the Bureau of International Recycling’s (BIR) Stainless Steel & Special Alloys Round-Table in Munich held in late October. Sven Tollin, chief statistician at the Portugal-based International Nickel Study Group (INSG), charted the steep rise in China’s nickel pig iron (NPI) production – from zero in 2005 to around 170,000 metric tons in 2010 – and also the “enormous” decline in the country’s stainless scrap imports from approaching 380,000 metric tons in 2009 to nearer 80,000 metric tons last year. NPI became a preferred option in China when LME nickel prices were higher than, typically, around $20,000 per metric ton, it was suggested
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BIR Autumn Roundtables: Stainless Production Falls Short of Expectations
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