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WPCNR FROM ACROSS THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S DESK . From Westchester District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah. March 24, 2021:

SAFEGUARD AND MONITOR ALL PERSONAL INFORMATION TO AVOID IDENTITY THEFT AND UNEMPLOYMENT FRAUD

Amid increasing incidents of identity theft relating to the filing of bogus Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims, Westchester District Attorney Miriam E. Rocah is urging county residents to be vigilant about monitoring and safeguarding all personal information.

Identity thieves are obtaining personal identifying information (PII) including name, address, date of birth, Social Security number and place of employment, and using that information to illegally apply for UI benefits, which have been enhanced for many recipients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PII “Personal Identifying Information” is procured through the dark web – websites that are hidden to most internet users – or data breaches. PII is also obtained through email and text phishing schemes, sometimes with messages that appear to be government agencies asking for confirmation of PII.

Victims may not be aware of identity theft until they receive via regular mail paperwork from the New York State Department of Labor (DOL) relating to a UI application they never made, or a KeyBank debit card containing UI benefits.

Victims’ employers may also receive notification from DOL. In some instances, multiple individuals from the same government agency, school district or other entity have had their PII compromised. 

“The DA’s Office continues to aggressively investigate these cases and has been successful in recovering some of the criminal proceeds, and we are also advising all county residents to be vigilant in safeguarding all personal information and monitoring personal mail,” Rocah said.

  “If you receive a letter or other notification indicating that your PII has been used by someone else, report it to your local police department or call the DA’s Office hotline, 914-995-TIPS (914-995-8477).”

Rocah noted that identity theft victims can also contact DOL at 888-598-2077 or online at https://dol.ny.gov/report-fraud.

“Unemployment Insurance benefits are a lifeline to New Yorkers in their time of need, and it is unconscionable that these criminals are trying to steal from them in the midst of a pandemic,” said Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon.

“We applaud District Attorney Rocah’s office for their partnership in helping us to combat this fraud. Weurge New Yorkers to be vigilant in protecting their personal information and to refrain from responding to any emails, text messages or other communications that are not legitimately from the New York State Department of Labor.”  

Victims of UI-related identity theft may also face tax implications, Rocah noted, because UI benefits are taxable income reported to the state and federal government and must be declared on personal income tax returns.

Victims are advised to consult with their financial advisers or tax preparers to address this matter, and as appropriate they should also file an Internal Revenue Service form 14039 Identity Theft Affidavit and a New York State Department of Taxation and Financeform DTF-275 Identity Theft Declaration.

Individuals who believe they have been a victim of identity theft should also request a credit report to ensure there are no other unknown or unidentified uses of their credit. 

Federal law entitles each person to one free credit report per year from each credit reporting agency. To order a report, visit annualcreditreport.com. You may thereafter place a fraud alert on your credit with one of the three credit reporting agencies:

Equifax: 800-525-6285

Experian: 888-397-3742

TransUnion: 800-680-7289

WPCNR COUNTY CLARION-LEDGER. From Chair of the Board of Legislators, Benjamin Boykin. March 24, 2021: The Board of Legislators has officially adopted the report of the County’s Police Reform and Reimagining Task Force in a unanimous vote on Monday night, after weeks of review by the Board’s Public Safety Committee. The adoption of the report establishes a blueprint for police reform intended to promote more equitable policing in Westchester.  The 177-page report contains 51 recommendations for the County’s police, correction and other public safety operations including: implicit bias and intercultural competency training for law enforcement personnel a formal review of the County Department of Public Safety’s use of social media for branding and community outreach creation of community liaisons, increased multi-lingual communications training in implicit bias and restorative justice for School Resource Officers, joint de-escalation training with the Department of Correction, increased Police Academy training in procedural justice, cultural diversity and bias-related crimes, creation of a County Office of Police Accountability. In 11 meetings, including a session for public input, over more than a month, the Public Safety Committee took a deep dive into the report recommendations and the process by which those recommendations were arrived. The committee heard from Task Force members, including co-chairs Mayo Bartlett and Leroy Fraser as well as the County’s Department of Public Safety and other law enforcement representatives. The report itself was the culmination of nearly seven months of work by a 38-member Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of thirty-eight members, which include County and local law enforcement professionals, clergy representatives, criminal justice and police reform advocates, human rights professionals, the Executive Director of the Westchester County Youth Bureau, the Executive Director of the Westchester County Human Rights Commission, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, representatives from the Westchester County District Attorney’s office, three Westchester County Legislators, and other public servants.  The Westchester County Executive additionally attached six staff liaisons to the Task Force in order to ensure that the group had access to all available resources and assistance. Under Executive Order 203 from Governor Cuomo, all municipalities statewide must adopt a police reform and reimagining plan to the State by April 1. County Executive George Latimer  had previously announced plans for a County police reform task force, which he then expanded to address the requirements of the Governor’s order. Read the Westchester County Police Reform and Reimagining Task Force report at: https://www.westchestergov.com/images/stories/pdfs/policereformreport.pdfPlease forward this E-News to family and friends who may be interested in this information.