TTC_02_10_21_Vol.17-No.16

Page 8 www.TheTownCommon.com
February 10, 2021
Community News
Community Announcements,
from page 7
could affect your aid.”
• Launch a startup – while in
college. A global crisis has made
some college students and recent
grads realize that perhaps the best
path to job stability and career
fulfillment is starting their own
business. “Sometimes the best
fit with your passion is starting
your own business, even if it’s
on a shoestring and part-time,”
Thompson says. “You could
take entrepreneurship classes to
augment your business, gaining
classroom education and making
connections at the same time.”
• Do your homework. “It may
be one of the toughest job markets
in decades, but you can find
opportunities faster than ever
before because of the internet,”
Thompson says. “If you’re thinking
of changing career paths,
Google everything you can on
that career. Then go after it like
someone has assigned you to
write a thesis on this new career.
And it’s also a big help to look up
people in that field on LinkedIn.”
• Stay motivated, show flexibility.
Your dream job might
be out of reach right now, but
Thompson says it’s vital to shift
from the disappointment and
discouragement you feel to focus
on the opportunities available
for working – especially
remote working. “Building a
new narrative,” Thompson says,
“and producing a brand story
about how you turned this time
of great challenge into a great
opportunity will speak volumes
to future employers.”
• Develop new skills. “Developing
a diverse skill set can expand
your appeal to a larger number
of employers,” Thompson says.
“Nowadays, you’ve got lots of opportunities
to learn online at your
own pace, either taking individual
courses or enrolling in certificate
programs for different trades.”
“The most important thing to remember
is that your career is your
own,” Thompson says. “It will be
a big part of your life, and ideally,
it will embody your passion, your
best skills, and define your professional
success. The path you take
isn’t as important as it is to keep
moving down the road toward
your preferred destination.”
AARP
Massachusetts
Monthly Fraud
Watch For
February
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE
Did you know that someone’s
identity gets stolen every
two seconds? The AARP Fraud
Watch Network provides you
with tips and resources to help
you spot and avoid identity
theft and fraud so you can protect
yourself and your family.
Our watchdog alerts will keep
you up to date on con artists’
latest tricks. It’s free of charge
for everyone: AARP members,
non-members, and people of all
ages. Be a fraud fighter. If you
can spot a scam, you can stop
a scam. Report scams to local
law enforcement. Contact the
AARP Fraud Watch Network at
www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork
for more information on
fraud prevention.
The AARP Fraud Watch Network
is:
An Educator: Get real-time
alerts about the latest scams,
tips on how to spot them, and
the inside scoop on how con
artists think so you can outsmart
them before they strike.
A Watchdog: Our nationwide
scam tracking map gives you
access to a network of people
who've spotted scams and the
opportunity to pass along your
own experiences, so together we
can beat con artists at their own
game.
A Resource: Get connected
to a real live person trained in
Notice is hereby given by Newburyport Towing Service, Inc. 27 S. Hunt Road, Amesbury,
MA, pursuant to the provisions of Mass G.L c. 255, Section 39A, that they will auction the
following vehicles February 10, 2021 on the website http://sta.ibidsmart.com. The auction will
end at 1:00 pm and buyer registration is required. Those that do not sell at auction will be sold
on or after February 10, 2021 by private or public sale to satisfy their garage keepers liens for
towing, storage, and notices of sale:
1. 2000 Toyota Camry VIN JT2BG22K2Y0468086
2. 2003 Acura TL VIN 19UUA56673A011634
3. 2011 Chevrolet Impala VIN 2G1WG5EK9B1177353
4. 1998 Toyota Camry VIN 4T1BG22K7WU197230
5. 2004 Nissan Sentra VIN 3N1CB51D24L870107
6. 2010 Ford Escape VIN 1FMCU0D72AKB66143
Vehicles are being stored at Newburyport Towing Service and may be viewed by appointment only.
Signed,
Walter L. Lowell
President
1/27, 2/3, 2/10
how to avoid fraud and advise
you if you or a loved one has
been scammed by calling our
fraud hotline or attending a forum
in your community.
Free for Everyone: Anyone,
of any age, can access our resources
at no cost.
SCAM ALERT #1: ID
THEFT AWARENESS WEEK
The first week of February is
Identity Theft Awareness Week.
It’s a good time to think about
a sobering reality: your personal
information has been stolen.
Many entities have our personal
information – credit card
and bank account numbers,
Social Security numbers, and
health-related information –
and data breaches have exposed
it. So, what can we do to protect
ourselves after the fact?
Here are three steps to protecting
yourself against identity
fraud. 1) Place a security freeze
on your credit accounts with the
three big agencies so no one can
open a new credit line in your
name; 2) Establish online access
to your financial accounts
and monitor regularly (you can
typically set up text alerts for
activity on these accounts); 3)
Use unique passwords for every
online account; consider
purchasing a password manager
that creates complex passwords
and stores them securely.
SCAM ALERT #2:
ROMANCE/IMPOSTER
SCAMS
February means Valentine’s
Day, but romance scammers
abound every month of the year.
It’s important to understand that
a “romance” scam isn’t about romance
at all. It’s about people
looking for social connections
online – whether a dating site, an
online game, or a neighborhood
listserv. Criminal imposters are
more than happy to provide that
connection – at great cost.
How can you tell if your new
online connection is fake and
what can you do if it is? First, be
wary of a new relationship with
someone who suddenly bestows
on you overwhelming affection;
this is what criminals call
‘grooming.’ Second, check their
photos using your web browser;
both Google and Bing offer image
search. You may find your
Romeo’s picture is actually one
of a Marine sergeant’s or from a
magazine ad. Most importantly,
don’t engage with any financial
transaction – this is the biggest
red flag and the one that can
cost you thousands of dollars
and great emotional pain.
SCAM ALERT #3:
MONEY MULES
We know that criminal scammers
steal billions of dollars
every year. But how do they
avoid law enforcement tracing
all that money? Enter the money
mule. A money mule transfers
illegally acquired money or
packages. The unfortunate reality
is that many money mules
have no idea they are involved
in criminal activity.
Using money mules helps
criminals launder money stolen
through scams and fraud or
other crimes like human and
drug trafficking. They add layers
of distance between criminals
and their victims, making
it hard for law enforcement to
follow the money.
The Department of Justice
has seen an increase in victims
becoming involved in money
laundering schemes without
knowing they were committing
a crime. These money mules
respond to fake job ads or social
media posts promising easy
money for little effort. They
think they’re making a fast buck
legally but don’t know they are
helping international criminals
launder billions.
If anyone tries to get you to
move money in any way – by
opening accounts, sending you
checks to disperse with a money
app, by purchasing gift cards
and sharing the information off
the back, or sending and receiving
cash – walk away.
SCAM ALERT #4:
UNEMPLOYMENT SCAMS
AND TAX TIME
It’s tax filing season, which
means sorting through forms
and paperwork. This year, preparing
to file may take an unexpected
twist for people who
suddenly discover they have a
Community Announcements,
page 9