ID theft, scams workshop Tuesday in Ramsey

CHICAGO – The Office of Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka will present an ‘Identity Theft, Frauds, and Scams’ workshop in Ramsey on Tuesday, July 22 to assist residents in learning the proactive and reactive steps to take when dealing with identity theft.
 
Part of the office’s Take Charge initiative, the identity theft workshop will take place from Noon – 1:00 p.m. at the Ramsey American Legion 429 E 5th St., and address everything from information about the most common types of financial fraud to how to prevent yourself from becoming a victim. Comptroller staff members will also be available for questions and to conduct Check for Cash searches on the state’s online database. Check for Cash seeks to reunite Illinois residents with their uncashed state checks.
 
“In this era of easy credit and online access, identity theft has become the nation’s fastest growing crime,” Topinka said. “Consumers need to know how to protect themselves because if their personal information gets into the wrong hands now, it could ruin their credit and cause endless frustration.”
 
Initiated by Topinka, Take Charge presentations are designed to assist residents in addressing credit, mortgage, and other financial challenges, exasperated in today’s economy. The initiative allows communities and organizations to schedule free financial workshops that address everything from the tracking of daily expenses to identity theft and how to prevent against financial scams. For more information, or to arrange a customized workshop for a local group, please contact the Consumer Affairs Division at 217-782-2673.

SCHEDULE FOR TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2014:
WHO:        Office of the Comptroller
WHAT:      ‘Identity Theft, Frauds, and Scams’ Workshop
WHEN:      Noon – 1:00 p.m.
WHERE:   Ramsey American Legion
                   429 E 5th St., Ramsey