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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

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Scam Alert

Whether via a robo or direct call, fear is always the bait to get people to respond. 

It starts with a scary message that your SSA number has been suspended or that the account is threatened in some way that requires immediate action. 

Next, they will ask to confirm your SSA number and personal information or say you need to withdraw money from the bank and store in gift cards that they will then assist you in “safekeeping”.

Stay safe by following these simple rules provided on FTC.gov.

The real Social Security Administration will never contact you out of the blue. If the administration is trying to reach you, they will send a mail notice.

Best practice: Call SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213 to find out if SSA is really trying to reach you via phone or email and why.

Do not trust caller ID. Scam calls may show up on caller ID as the Social Security Administration and look like the agency’s real number. 

Best practice: let it go to voice mail. To check legitimacy, call SSA directly.

Never give the caller your Social Security number or other personal information. If you already did, visit IdentityTheft.gov/SSA to find out what steps you can take to protect your credit and your identity.

Report government imposter scams to the FTC at FTC.gov/complaint. To learn more, visit ftc.gov/imposters.

In-Print, Community May 2022 Scam Alert
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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