Police Department
Gates Mills Police Department
Proud to Serve…Sworn to Protect
From Your Police Department:
National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) is scheduled for March 6-12. NCPW is a coordinated campaign that encourages consumers to take advantage of their consumer rights and make better informed decisions.
NCPW.gov offers consumers a myriad of helpful information from federal and state government and non-profit partner organizations. The website provides safety tips in the areas of banking, health, safety, home, automobile, technology, identity theft, investing and shopping. The NCPW webpage is worth a look.
It is that time of year again to file our taxes. Please be conscious of Tax identity theft during this time and do not become a victim.
Tax identity theft is one of the fastest growing forms of identity theft in the U.S. Tax identity theft occurs when someone uses your Social Security Number (SSN) to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund. Below are some helpful tips for avoiding tax identity theft:
-File your tax return early in the season.
-Use a secure internet connection if you file electronically, or mail your tax return
directly from the post office.
-Protect your personal financial information at home and on your computer.
-SHRED copies of your tax return, drafts, or calculation sheets you no longer need.
-Know the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) won’t contact you by email, text or social
media. If the IRS needs information, it will contact you by mail.
-Only provide your SSN when YOU initiate the contact or you are sure who you know is
asking
-Research a tax preparer thoroughly before you hand over personal information.
-If your SSN has been compromised, contact the IRS Identity Theft Protection
Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490.
-Check your credit report annually.
Until next month – Proud to Serve…Sworn to Protect
Yours in Service,
Gregg Minichello
Chief of Police
(440) 423-4405 ext. 112
gminichello@gatesmillsvillage.com