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Reducing the Risk of Identity Theft I have worked in the Information technology profession for over 25 years and have seen how
criminals can
break into almost any system and steal information. I have listed some helpful tips that can help you prevent this from happening to you.
Reducing
the Risk of Identity Theft
Identify theft
is the fastest growing type of crime in the United States. While recent concern centers on the Internet, much is accomplished
through ordinary, in person, theft. Here are some tips to help reduce your risk of identify theft should your purse or wallet
be stolen.
1. Have only your initial(s) and last name printed on checks.Anyone taking
your checkbook will not know how you sign your
checks,
but your bank will.
2. Put your work, not your home, telephone number on your checks or leave
the number off entirely. Never have your Social
Security number
put on your checks. This information can be added manually if necessary.
3. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, write "Photo ID
Required.”
4. Do not carry your social security card in your wallet.
5. Photocopy all the important cards you carry. Copy both sides of each
license, credit card, and debit card, and keep the copies in a safe place. You will then have a convenient record, with all
account numbers and contact phone numbers, if you should need to cancel your accounts. Carry a photocopy of your passport,
in a separate place, when traveling. It will be much easier to obtain a replacement, if you have all the information handy.
What to
Do if Your Wallet is Stolen:
Call your
credit card companies and cancel your accounts. File a police report immediately. This proves to credit providers you
were diligent and is a first step toward an investigation, if undertaken.
If your social security card is taken, notify Social Security
Administration’s fraud line at 1-800- 269-0271.Consider filing a report
with the Federal Trade Commission (www.consumer.gov/idtheft) as further documentation of the theft. Call the three national
credit-reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number.
Equifax: 1-800-525-6285 Experian:
1-888-397-3742 Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
Pennsylvania ''Steer It Clear'' Law Now in Effect
"Steer it Clear"
is now the law in Pennsylvania. How many times have you been stuck in traffic behind a minor accident? This new law is
designed to keep traffic moving when there's a minor fender bender by requiring the drivers to move their cars out of the
line of traffic. “It just changes the rules of the road when there’s
a simple accident from stop your car and wait for the policeman to push your car or move your car
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Police Dispatchers moving to County
Reprinted
from the county press
Two months after the resolution
initially appeared on the agenda, the Marple Commissioners voted unanimously, Feb. 13, to transfer the dispatch center from
police headquarters to the Delaware County Communications Center. The conversion is expected to require about six months.
The
township will join 34 of the county's 49 municipalities currently serviced by the Delaware County Emergency Services Department.
The enhanced 911 system, headquartered at the Fair Acres Geriatric Center in Middletown, handles more than one million calls
annually for police, fire and ambulance services. The balance of the communities is under the purview of the Pennsylvania
State Police.
"It is a wise move," said President Dan Leefson (R-7). "It is part of a continuing effort to save township
taxpayer money and eliminate a duplication of services."
Under the system, the county is divided into several geographic
sectors. 911 calls received by a call taker are forwarded to the appropriate
police or fire/EMS dispatcher, who contacts the proper department. The average lapse from call taker to dispatcher is approximately
15 seconds for a "hot" call, such as burglary in progress, 30 seconds for non-emergency contacts, said Chief of Police Tom
Murray at the board's January work session.
Operating under the county system will offer several benefits to township
residents, he added. The center is equipped with GPS, allowing it to pinpoint cell phones similarly equipped. 911 calls made
from land-line phones are accompanied on the screen by the name of the individual paying the phone bill at the location, the
phone number and police, fire and EMS serving the community, providing the dispatcher with crucial information should he or
she and the caller be disconnected. The Marple radio room is unable to provide either enhancement.
"We cannot afford the
technology to upgrade our system and make it serviceable and state-of-the-art," Murray said last month. "It is a matter of
money."
Calls placed to Marple Police at 610-356-1500 are presently received by one of the three full-time or four part-time
dispatchers, who forward the request to an officer on the street. With the recent transfer of Radnor Township to the system,
Haverford and Ridley townships and Media Borough will be the only communities to maintain local radio rooms.
The week
before the vote, Murray answered questions regarding the availability of funds from the Homeland Security Department to upgrade
the current radio room. He noted federal money is allocated to state administrative agencies, which delineate the funds for
regional, rather the individual, improvements.
"The key is interoperability" he added. "The state is looking to spend
the money regionally where it will do the most good."
Rudy Schaffhauser, who spoke against the proposal during several
meetings, urged the commissioners to postpone the vote for six months. The delay would have allowed the township to judge
the impact of the addition of Radnor to the county system.
"I suggest you to take some time, then discuss it and vote
at a later date," he said.
Help Wanted – Broomall Fire
Company
The Broomall Fire
Company 610-356-1639
and Marple Ambulance
Corps. Are looking for additional members, for Information call 353-5225
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Crum Creek Neighbors oppose 218
home project
WHOSE TOWNSHIP
IS IT ANYWAY?
By Jules Lapides
Five of the seven Marple Commissioners belong
to the Marple Republican Party. The virtually in unison voting record indicates
that they are marching to the same drummer. Their actions and concessions as
it relates to their handling of the Pulte Homes development of the Gaster-Robinson tract on Old Marple Road caused
many residents to ask, why are you doing this? The very steep slopes and
proximity to our Crum Creek drinking water supply makes it an environmentally sensitive one.
The imposing design is in disharmony with the surrounding areas. We are
still waiting for a creditable answer as to, why?
The Commissioner’s actions are another matter. We know them to include:
1.
The property was sold to a local developer and partners for $5,000,000 who within a short period of time found
that Pulte Homes would pay as much as $15,000,000 for the property. What was
there about the property that made it suddenly so much more valuable? On January 10, 2005 our Commissioners approved zoning changes and code wording changes
essentially as written by Pulte Homes. These changed a major portion of the property
1.
from 2 acre to high-density multi-unit zoning. The definition of
steep slopes in Marple’s code was weakened and this further reduced restrictions governing what can be placed on the
property. The sketch plans show 4, four story condominiums containing 160 units
plus 58 townhouse units that are jammed into about 15 of the sites 35 acres. The
design is imposing and out of character and carved into an environmentally sensitive location.
2.
Allowing for many more units made the property more valuable. Yet,
why did the 5 Commissioners quickly acquiesce to Pulte’s proposed changes and ignore residents who spoke out against
it? Why were residents who informed their neighbors about this get accused of
using scare tactics? Whose Township is it, anyway?
3.
Three of the Commissioners who voted for the changes to the zoning and wording changes admitted to meeting privately
with Pulte. A record of what was discussed was not revealed.
4.
County Planning had comments
about the Pulte proposal that Democratic Commissioner Butler thought should be made public at a commissioner’s meeting. An invitation was made, only to have it cancelled by the Township. What might County Planning
have said that they did not want us to hear?
There is a law in physics that states that for every action there is a reaction. Our Commissioner’s actions seem to not be exempt from this law. A new 100+ member organization of residents that is not affiliated with any political party has formed. Its name is Crum Creek Neighbors, or CCN. It
has forced the Commissioner’s to acknowledge many of their concerns by making them a written part of the conditional
approval that was granted on April 11, 2005. The actions required are in the form of specific actions that are required of Pulte and the Township
as it relates to the site work. This was unanticipated based on past actions. CCN has raised enough money to hire a professional engineer with recognized standing
to help with the oversight. A CCN member who is a professional ecologist made
valuable contributions with regard to the specific requirements indicated in the conditional use provisions. The CCN engineer after visiting the site and reviewing Pulte’s preliminary designs, questioned the
workability of the environmental designs. This resulted in the DEP taking over
the permitting process from the Conservation District. CCN says that they
are going to continue to participate in the process. You can find out more
by visiting their website at www.crumcreekneighbors.org. CCN, P. O. Box 21, Broomall,
PA 19008.
Growing Greener Bond Issue Wins
Do you favor authorizing the Commonwealth to borrow up to $625,000,000, for the maintenance and protection of the environment,
open space and farmland preservation, watershed protection, abandoned mine reclamation, acid mine drainage remediation and
other environmental initiatives? Municipality County
Yes 1,283 22,310
No 363 6,001 .
Thomas Massey House Information. n
The historic 1696 Thomas Massey House is located
on Lawrence Road and is open on Sundays from 2:00pm till 4:30 pm for tours till the last Sunday in October. They are also planning to have a series of children’s colonial cooking classes this summer for students
aged 9 thru 13 years of age. Information on their programs call 610-353-3644
or their web site Http://marple.net/township/massey.html
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