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TAXPAYER ALERT: Fraudsters Never Sleep
Comptroller Peter Franchot reminds Maryland taxpayers to remain vigilant, as fraudsters never sleep. Criminals are always looking for new opportunities to scam money from hardworking Marylanders. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, we have seen a sharp increase in scams ranging from stimulus check theft and grant money offers to elder financial fraud schemes and persons posing as tax collectors.
The key to fraud prevention begins with education. If something sounds too good to be true, then it usually is. However, there are other indicators to help you identify a con artist. If you receive an email, examine the domain name. Does it match the domain name of the actual organization? If you receive a phone call from someone you do not know, do not provide any personally identifying information.
If you are unsure if something is a scam, the best thing to do is not respond. Hang up the phone, do not reply to the email or letter, and instead contact the organization directly. If for example, you received a “certificate” from the Comptroller of Maryland promising grant money, take a closer look. Is there a Maryland phone number? Is the notice grammatically correct? Do you recall applying for a grant? The best course of action is to reach out to our office and ask if it is legitimate by calling 1-800-MD-TAXES.
“We are aware that thieves are upping their game during this pandemic, and it is important for Marylanders to keep their elbows up,” Comptroller Franchot said. “My office will never call you and ask for your personal information.”
Many helpful fraud prevention tips and resources can be found by visiting www.marylandtaxes.gov .
The Pepco Team
We have been closely monitoring severe thunderstorms approaching our area that are expected to bring 35-39 mph wind gusts, heavy rainfall of 1.5-2.5 inches and frequent lightning to our Pepco service area late afternoon into this evening (between 4pm-10pm). Due to the nature of these thunderstorms, scattered wind gusts of 40-50 mph are possible with some of the stronger cluster of thunderstorms. Also, there is a possibility today may produce isolated tornadoes.Before a storm approaches, we advise our customers to listen to the weather forecasts and plan ahead by having the following items on hand: flashlights, fresh batteries, battery-operated clock radio, non-perishable foods, water, local maps, blankets and a fully-charged cell phone. Please make provisions for special needs family members, such as the elderly, disabled, medically affected, or infants. You can also enroll in our Emergency Medical Needs program for those who rely most on medical equipment, , https://www.pepco.com/MyAccount/Customer…
This program provides notice of scheduled outages and severe weather alerts to qualified participants who depend on electricity for emergency medical and life-support equipment so you can potentially have more time to seek alternate arrangements in the event of an outage.If you haven’t already, please download our app and get the latest restoration estimate for your outage. Our mobile app makes getting information quick and easy, and it’s especially handy in the event of an outage as a result of a storm.Here’s what you can do right now to prepare before the storm hits.
Read more: https://www.pepco.com/Outages/StormCente…Should you experience a power outage or see a downed wire we encourage our customers to report the outage by visiting www.pepco.com/outage, by texting “OUT” to 48710 (customers must first text “ADD OUTAGE” to 48710 to sign-up for the service), or by calling 1-877-737-2662.In the event that outages do occur, please know that crews will be working safely and as quickly as possible to restore power. We thank you for your patience, and please stay safe.
Camp Springs Civic Association 