Recently, the first payments for the Child Tax Credit Advance from The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 went out to qualified recipients. Shortly after, the IRS warned recipients about an increasing number of social engineering scam attempts.
According to this article posted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), “The FTC knows that people who talk about scams are much less likely to fall for them. So, when people of any age are on their own too much, they don’t have the chance to talk things out. And when scammers — who are calling, emailing, and texting — might be a person’s main source of contact, nothing good happens next.”
A digital wallet (also called a “mobile wallet”) is an electronic method of securely storing and using your credit cards – and other types of cards, tickets, and coupons – so you don’t have to carry these items physically with you. Instead, you use your iPhone, Android smartphone, or other smart device to make contactless transactions in stores, restaurants, drive-thrus, movie theatres, and more.
The Criminal Investigation (CI) unit is a special criminal division of the IRS. The CI is tasked with investigating and uncovering tax-related crimes and prosecuting these cases. Each year the CI provides the IRS an annual report detailing the work of the CI and highlighting their successes and enforcements related to tax and financial crimes.
In today’s world it is more important than ever to focus on the things that we can control to better safeguard our financial future. It’s easy to get complacent, lulled into a false sense of security, when there are many other more urgent things to think about.
Sweetheart scams, also known as romance scams, are becoming increasingly common as people seek out connections online. The FTC reports that Americans lost over $209 million to sweetheart scams in 2019 — which is 40% more than reported the previous year.
The holidays are upon us, and so is the increase in risk for identity theft. Fictional characters are a big part of the season, but sadly they’ve also become a big part of identity thieves’ tool kits as well. According to a Federal Trade Commission Report, over the last five years, Synthetic Identity Fraud has become the fastest-growing type of financial crime in the United States and accounts for 20% of the credit-related losses.
The rise of online shopping during the pandemic has led to a proportional increase in online fraud and scams. As the Holiday season approaches, we want to make sure you are armed with the knowledge and the skills to protect yourself. With a little awareness, you can avoid online shopping fraud as the busiest time of the year for retail shopping is shifting into high gear.
We’ve recently taken a deep dive into the dangers of the Dark Web. We continue our series by shedding light on how transactions happen in the Dark Web and the criminal enterprise that exists in this mysterious, hidden place. Why is this important? The more you understand about how criminal activity works, the better prepared you will be to protect yourself and your family from this growing threat.
Criminals use the Dark Web, an anonymous region of the internet, for buying and selling stolen identity information, among other things. But what does this have to do with you?
SESLOC is pleased to announce that as of November 1, 2024, there has been a reduction in overdraft fees. This change is part of our commitment to providing cost-effective solutions for our membership and community. These savings will be extended to members but will have the greatest impact on those facing financial challenges, who need a break from fees to begin saving and building healthy financial habits.
SESLOC’s 2024 Shred Day events break nine years of records by serving 746 visitors and shredding nearly 42,000 pounds of paper! Thanks to our members who attended the events at our San Luis Obispo, Atascadero, Arroyo Grande, Paso Robles and Santa Maria branches, plus our new Lompoc event location. In total, we recycled 133 total bins with about 21 tons of shredded paper— saving 357 trees, 147,000 gallons of water, 63 cubic yards of landfill space, and 84,000 kilowatts of electricity!
On Friday, October 11, SESLOC returned to Pacific Beach High School in San Luis Obispo for a second year to engage 55 students in the Bite of Reality simulation. This hands-on event immerses students in a realistic budgeting app, providing them with valuable insights into managing finances. Through interactive scenarios, participants learn to navigate the distinction between needs and wants, equipping them with essential budgeting skills for real life.
Did you know that recycling one ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, and 4,000 kilowatts of electricity? Thanks to members at this year’s SESLOC’s Shred Days at our SLO, Atascadero and Santa Maria branches, we recycled 113 total bins with 17.79 tons of shredded paper— saving 302 trees, 124,530 gallons of water, 53.37 cubic yards of landfill space, and 71,160 kilowatts of electricity!
SESLOC Credit Union is thrilled to introduce the Instant Funds loans, a new short-term, small-dollar loans program designed to support individuals in need of emergency financial assistance. Keeping the credit union philosophy of “people helping people” in mind, we are introducing this product to ensure there is financial support for the underserved and underbanked in the Central Coast community.