SEATTLE - Many Washingtonians are playing right into the hands of crooks and identity thieves, according to a new statewide survey by AARP Washington. And it's the simple fraud prevention tips everyone has heard that, surprisingly, they're not putting into place.

Fifty-seven percent of those surveyed said they've left a phone or laptop in a vehicle in the last six months. Only about half have changed their online passwords lately or said they don't have online access to all their credit accounts. Doug Shadel, AARP Washington state director, says criminals follow the path of least resistance; so even small steps can be just enough resistance.

"It might be inevitable that, at some point, your data is accessed by an ID thief or one of these big, multimillion-dollar breach things," says Shadel. "But it is not inevitable that you become an ID theft victim - and the quicker you catch it, the better."

Other troubling survey findings: One in four people doesn't password-protect their mobile phone, one in five says they don't bother shredding documents, and four out of five say they haven't ordered the free annual copies of their credit reports in the past year to check for accuracy and fraudulent activity.

For an article in the latest issue of AARP The Magazine, Shadel interviewed a 34-year-old former drug addict and masterful ID thief in Seattle, as well as one of the women whose financial life she commandeered.

He says the thief was matter-of-fact in describing how easy it is to gain access to personal information.

"What she had was sort of a network of drug dealers and drug addicts who would go out, break into cars, Dumpster-dive into the garbage of people's homes - and she said, 'It's actually gotten easier because people recycle now. So, it's much cleaner and nicer, 'cause there's no spaghetti sauce in it.'"

He says a locking mailbox is another simple anti-theft precaution, but one-third of Washingtonians in the survey said they don't have one.

If you suspect identity theft, Shadel says file a police report and contact the Washington State Attorney General's office or the AARP Foundation's Fraud Fighter Call Center (800-646-2283).



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April is Financial Literary Awareness Month and Hoosiers who are worried about inflation or watching their retirement account on the stock-market roller coaster may be wondering what they should do.

Many households are still recovering from the economic impact of the pandemic, according to the Indiana United Way.

Todd Christensen, education manager for the nonprofit Money Fit Financial, advised creating a spending plan and identifying priorities are good first steps. If you are considering buying a car or house, or taking a vacation, he noted a budget is about more than dollars and cents.

"Whatever it is that motivates you, set a purpose, is number one," Christensen recommended. "Number two is not to start adding income. That's usually where people start, but you've got to prioritize expenses. If you don't prioritize them, you will inevitably have to start eliminating expenses anyway. And you'll go with your emotions rather than with the rational part of your brain."

Christensen sees cash, credit cards and the popular "buy now, pay later" apps as convenient tools consumers often misuse. Convenience prompts human nature to kick in and encourage overspending. He suggested having two checking accounts, one for automatic bill payment and another for fun purchases, and a savings account for long and short-term goals.

Christensen supports teaching kids good money management habits before they earn spending cash as teens by mowing lawns, babysitting or doing chores. If they are not taught how to take care of small amounts of money as early as possible, he cautioned, they will be "terrible" with larger amounts as adults.

"By age two, children have been in their parents' arms going through a checkout stand enough times that they know that there's an exchange going on," Christensen observed. "They're learning that there's something magical about that plastic card or about the phone that they tap."

The Indiana Department of Education mandates all students in grades eight through 12 must have one semester of personal financial responsibility instruction, including lessons on debt management, savings, retirement and investment accounts.


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Washington is one of 25 states where people can use the online "IRS Direct File" system, to file their income-tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service. But the future of the program is at risk.

For years, taxpayers' advocates had pushed for a free, simple tax-filing option for people who don't need a third-party tax preparer. But the Trump administration has said Direct File may be a waste of IRS resources.

Casey Lantz, free tax preparation campaign coordinator with the United Way of King County, said it is time for people to voice their support for the program. She's used Direct File and says, since the program auto-fills tax information from forms like W-2s, filing her income taxes this year was the easiest it has ever been.

"I think it's exactly what people wish tax filing was like. And I think the only chance we have of stopping them from cutting it is if enough people say something," she explained.

Direct File guides users through simple questions in English or Spanish, and offers live chat support in both languages. People can check their eligibility and get more information online at 'DirectFile.IRS.gov.'

Adam Ruben, vice president of campaigns and political strategy with the Economic Security Project, said the process removes intermediary tax preparers and uses information the government already has to make it easier to file federal and state tax returns. Ruben explained Direct File is for people with straightforward tax situations, such as employees who get a W-2 from their employer.

"Direct File is not yet available for freelancers or gig workers, or people with complicated investments or who work across multiple states," he continued.

Lantz said even if you are not eligible for Direct File, you can still use it to file an income-tax extension by April 15.


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Pennsylvania is among a growing number of states offering residents access to the Internal Revenue Service's free tax filing system, Direct File.

The online tool was created to save people both time and money by allowing them to file directly with the IRS while removing the need for costly tax-preparation services.

Lucas DeBartolo of East Stroudsburg said using Direct File was easy and recommended it for people looking to take advantage of available tax credits.

"And it could be hundreds to thousands of dollars back in their pockets," he said, "and this software is really good at seeing what tax credits people qualify for."

It's estimated about 20% of eligible taxpayers don't claim the Earned Income Tax Credit. DeBartolo said using Direct File was quicker than other online tools he's used and appreciated his quick refund.

Americans on average spend at least 13 hours filing their taxes each year. Direct File cuts down on that time by autofilling information the government already has, allowing users to simply verify its accuracy.

Adam Ruben, vice president for campaigns and political strategy at the Economic Security Project, said the program is user-friendly with no hidden fees and is available in English or Spanish.

"If you get stuck, there's free live chat support in both languages," he said, "and importantly, unlike most other tax software, it will also help you file your state tax return for free."

Ruben said Direct File is not yet available for freelancers, gig workers, people with complicated investments or those who work across multiple states. He said people can check their eligibility and get more information at the IRS website.


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