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Denzel Washington faces off with John Travolta in the remake of the subway thriller "The Taking Pelham 1 2 3."

'My Sister's Keeper': Finders, Weepers
Movie schedules and times

Free Summer Concerts

Live on the Lake
Burbank Park/Wed., 6 p.m.
July 8, Sirsy
Concerts at the Lake
Windsor Lake/Sun., 7p.m.
Weather delay to July 5,
Pittsfield Eagles

Community Band
Lawn Concerts
Clark Art/Tues., 6 p.m.
July 7, The Doerfels

Sales Fliers

 
 

Daily Digest

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Check Pittsfield Cultural, DownStreet Art and our calendar.

A local bruin looks forlornly at the birdfeeders far from her reach in Joyce Harsch's back yard. Have a photo to share? Submit as a member or e-mail to info@iberkshires.com.
Public Hearings
Department of Public Utilities on National Grid's request for a 16 percent increase in distribution charges on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. at North Adams City Hall. What's this all about?
Berkshire Fine Arts' Charles Guiliano has an interesting take on the DownStreet (UpStreet?) scene.


Gov. Patrick is against a sales tax holiday this year because the state's dire financial position.

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Jobless Journey
Former Adams resident and radio host Sean Baker has been chronicling his adventures in unemployment on The Forecaster site in Maine.
Sen. Ben Downing has his own YouTube Channel.
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Obituaries

James V. Walsh, 62
Michael A. Massari, 51
Kenneth Russell, 92
Michael A. Massari, 51
Robert A. Harrington, 77
Leo Mayers, 86
Harry C. Sheehy Jr., 80
More obituaries

Sports


Boys of Summer: SteepleCats Return to Joe Wolfe
Q&A with Pittsfield Defenders Coach Carroll Land
NECBL July Schedule
Soccer sign-ups
Hoosac Tunnel Youth Soccer League/NBYMCA fall soccer sign-ups for  PreK-Grade 8 at Northern Berkshire YMCA until Aug. 1.; 413-663-6529 for more information.


Columnists

That's Life

Ice Cream Fever

Independent Investor

Rolling Over Your 401(k) — Or Not

Tobacco Talk

Helping Veterans Kick the Habit

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Beware of Stimulus Check Scam

Staff Reports - May 07, 2008
iBerkshires

NORTH ADAMS — As the first round of the economic stimulus checks start flooding into mailboxes and bank accounts across the country, local agencies — and the Internal Revenue Service — are warning consumers about online scams that ask for personal information to ensure the safe receipt of the money.

E-mails coming from senders who claim to be the IRS request that those wishing to receive their economic stimulus refund fill out a form so the check can be deposited.

"The scam is trying to get personal and/or financial institution account information for identity theft purposes. The IRS and financial institutions will never call or e-mail an individual for personal or financial account information," said Gwen Boillat, the assistant vice president and security officer at Greylock Federal Credit Union.

Many of the e-mails look authentic and even have an IRS banner and copyright information on them.

"Many of these scams involve official-looking e-mails that try to lure recipients into providing data at fake 'IRS' Web sites to get a rebate," said Boillat. "People also are receiving phone calls telling them that they can receive a tax rebate only if they provide bank account information for a direct deposit."

The IRS and Greylock have put scam warnings on their sites and a stimulus payment schedule has been posted.

"Taxpayers do not have to fill out a separate form to get a stimulus payment or have it directly deposited; all they had to do was file a tax return and provide direct deposit information on the return," the IRS site states.

The IRS recommends typing in www.irs.gov into your browser rather than clicking on a link in an e-mail or opening an attachment to avoid being rerouted to a bogus site.

Boillat said taxpayers who filed by April 15 through direct deposit will receive their checks the same way and the deposit to the account can be identified as "Tax Refund" issued from Treasury 220. Paper checks will have "2008 Economic Stimulus Payment" written on them.

Anyone who has received a questionable e-mail can forward it to a mailbox the IRS has established to investigate suspicious e-mails: phishing@irs.gov.

According to Boillat, individuals with at least $3,000 in qualifying income may qualify for an economic stimulus payment of $300 ($600 for married couples) plus the $300 per qualifying child payment. However, they must file a 2007 income tax return by Oct. 15, 2008, to receive a stimulus payment.

The tax rebates are a result of the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 that was passed by Congress in February in an effort to boost the struggling economy and avoid a recession through the encouragement of consumer spending.

To find out when your rebate should arrive, click here.
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