• According to the “powers that be,” most of us will begin seeing our “stimulus checks” direct deposited into our accounts in the next couple of weeks. With the promise of money come the fraudsters, unfortunately. Remember: the government already has your Social Security number and date of birth, and if you have your tax refunds and Social Security benefits sent directly to your account, they have that information as well. Anyone calling or e-mailing you asking for this information is looking to steal your identity and your money. Don’t fall for it!
• Many of you are spending more time than usual on social media (particularly Facebook). You may have encountered posts asking you to share photos of your first cars, your parents, and other seemingly trivial things. You may have also seen questionnaires asking you questions about yourself so you can see “what kind of dog would you be,” or “what country should you really live in.” Cyber-criminals have been busy creating these posts so they can get information that makes it easier to figure out your passwords to bank and credit card accounts. Don’t participate — even if the person sharing the posts are known to you. Facebook has tried to reduce the number of scammers on its platform, but there are just too many of them to keep up.
• The Indianapolis Public Library is partnering with the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis to help parents whose jobs are deemed essential during the COVID-19 crisis by delivering books to their children ages 5 – 12 who are receiving day care at various YMCA centers. The centers are using the Library’s Bunny Book Bags that consist of board books focusing on early learning concepts such as ABCs, numbers, colors and shapes, along with picture books of various stories that highlight diversity. Also provided are chapter books that cover all reading levels and interests. YMCA centers receiving Library resources are the Baxter YMCA, 7900 S. Shelby St.; Benjamin Harrison YMCA, 5736 Lee Rd.; Irsay Family YMCA at CityWay, 430 S. Alabama St.; and Jordan YMCA, 8400 Westfield Blvd. To learn more about the Library’s free resources, visit www.indypl.org.
• The City of Indianapolis has allocated money to send absentee ballot applications to every registered voter in Marion County for the primary election, set to be held June 2. Voters can fill out the application, use the pre-paid envelope to mail it back, and will receive a ballot at home. Voters are encouraged to vote absentee to avoid potential crowds at polling places.
• Some bad information is going around that you can sterilize single use face masks in the microwave. DO NOT DO IT! There is a thin strip of metal in most masks that can create a fire.
• Thank you to all the donors who have contributed to our GoFundMe campaign! We appreciate your support and kind words. We’d also like to thank our new subscribers, who are helping us get the good news out there every week!