🌱 Tax Season Is Scam Season! Beware! + Feels Like Spring!

Good morning, hello! I'm back with your fresh edition of the Essex-Chester-Deep River Patch newsletter. Come along to find out the most important things happening around town. Today you'll find news about:

• Watch out for scams during tax season!
• Was Chuckles right? Will there be an early spring!
• Furry friends in need of homes!

But first, today's weather:

Cooler; breezy in the morning. High: 45 Low: 28.

📢 I'm looking for business owners and marketers in Essex-Chester-Deep River who want to build awareness, connect with customers and increase sales.

I have a limited number of sponsorships available to introduce our readers to local businesses they need to know. If that's you, then I invite you to learn more and secure your spot now.

Here are the top three stories today in Essex-Chester-Deep River:

1. Residents beware! Scam of the Week! Tax season is cybercriminals' favorite time of the year. Taxes are a sensitive topic that can easily be used to catch your attention or manipulate your emotions. Over the next few months, cybercriminals will likely mention taxes in phishing attacks and disinformation campaigns. Tax season is also a vulnerable time for your sensitive information. Tax documents from employers, banks, and other organizations typically include personally identifiable information. If cybercriminals get their hands on this information, they can use it to steal your identity, your money, and more. According to the Town of Essex website, follow [these] tips to stay safe during tax season: Always think before you click. Cyberattacks are designed to catch you off guard and trick you into clicking impulsively. Use extra caution when handling tax documents. For digital documents, use password protection. For physical documents, keep paperwork in a secure location and shred anything that is no longer needed. Be suspicious!" (essexct.gov)
2. It seems like Chuckles, the state groundhog, was right and the Nutmeg State is going to have an early spring. Friday's temperatures are a testament to this. The warm weather broke Connecticut records. According to News 8’s team of meteorologists, the highest temperature listed in the state was in Chester, which was a balmy 61 degrees. (WTNH.com)
3. Do you want to add a shaggy ball of four-legged love and affection to your family? Look no further than these Essex-Chester-Deep River animal shelters for a pet available for adoption. Many pound animals are still looking for their forever home and facilities are still working to place pets with families. Here at Patch, with a little help from our friends at Petfinder, we compile a list each week of all the pets recently put up for adoption in your area. If you're a cat person, meet Jingle, a Domestic Short Hair up for adoption. Or if dogs are more your thing, there are several great dogs available, too. (Essex-Chester-Deep River Patch)

Today in Essex-Chester-Deep River:

• STEAM Saturdays: Bouncy Balls (Gr. K-6) (10:00 AM)
• Local Author Talk: The Morning Light, the Lily White: Daily Dips into Nature and Spirit (11:00 AM)
• SEED: Passive House - Essex Library Association (1:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Essex Board of Trade: "Eagles on our river! Get to see one… or many… on the Connecticut River Museum tour. Great winter activity!" (Essex Board of Trade via Facebook)
• Deep River Public Library: "Pop into the Deep River Library to see the work of the River Valley Artists." (Deep River Public Library via Facebook)
• Tri-Town Youth Services Bureau: "It’s going to be so good!" (Tri-Town Youth Services Bureau via Facebook)
• Town of Essex – Government: "With landfill costs rising it is more important than ever to do what we can to recycle and keep what we can out of the garbage. The Essex Transfer Station provides recycling services FREE to Essex residents. " (Town of Essex – Government via Facebook)
• Town of Essex – Government: "It’s Friday scam of the week. In most countries, it’s cybercriminals' favorite time of the year: tax season. Taxes are a sensitive topic that can easily be used to catch your attention or manipulate your emotions. " (Town of Essex – Government via Facebook)

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• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Fresh Perks Every Week (February 14)
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That's it for today! I'll see you soon.

— Karena Garrity

About me: Journalism is in my veins. I have been a community reporter for the better part of the past 20 years. I love my community and I am honored to be a part of Patch.com. You can reach me at; karena.garrity@patch.com.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Essex-Chester-Deep River Patch newsletter? Contact me at karena.garrity@patch.com