BBB...Wary of Scams, Spoofing & Identity Theft

Last week, the United Methodist Women of Millington First United Methodist Church held their annual fall luncheon, which featured this yummy box lunch of chicken salad on a croissant, broccoli salad, chips and a brownie catered by Lisa Field. Contact Ms. Field at (901) 605-6125 if you're planning a lunch or dinner event.

Over the past few years, I've learned if you attend church in Millington or have friends who attend church, you'll find you stay busy going to all sorts of events and activities sponsored by our community's many churches, from breakfasts, lunches and dinners to fundraising auctions, craft fairs, day trips..and much more, along with lots of opportunities to lend a hand to those in need in our area through a broad range of outreach ministries.

Last week, I attended the United Methodist Women's annual fall luncheon at Millington First United Methodist Church where Nancy Crawford, director of marketing and communications for the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of the Mid-South was the guest speaker. She presented an informative program on scams and identity theft. I thought I would share some of what I gleaned from her presentation here in this space, as I feel there may be lots of folks who could benefit from the information she provided.

First off, here are a few statistics...Some 26 million Americans "reported" being victims of scams last year. Crawford believes the number is actually much higher as this number reflects only those who reported being scammed. Last year, 16 million people in the U.S. were victims of identity theft. It is the fastest growing crime in this country. In 2017, 1,600 data breaches where reported. In 2018, the number of data breaches decreased to 1,200 but the number of records exposed increased by 126 percent.

"Your personal information is worth more than the money in your bank," Crawford said.

Crawford noted senior citizens and young military families with a steady income who may be far away from family members to provide advice, are key targets for scammers. And while it's assumed senior citizens are most often the victims of scams, young adults who are constantly connected to technology and their electronic devices, are oftentimes quick to respond to texts, emails and cell phone calls before realizing they have been scammed.

To protect yourself from scams, Crawford counseled to beware of these sales tricks or pitches:

- Phantom riches or get-rich-quick investments. (Men 65 and older are most often the victims of this scam.)

- Scarcity, when there are only a few items left or a short amount of time in which to purchase.

- Authority, when an item is being advertised or pitched by a celebrity.

- Reciprocity, invitations to lunches or dinners to listen to a presentation about a product or service. Remember you are under no obligation to buy.

She also stressed to use common sense, seek advice from professionals and DO NOT give out your personal information.

Crawford also addressed spoofing -- all those phone calls from what look like local numbers or close to your own. Ninety percent of those calls are not coming from the numbers listed. Use your voicemail to screen calls from numbers you don’t recognize, and use the block function on your cell phone as well.

In response to robo-caller “Rachel, from credit card services," the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) awarded a $25,000 grant/prize to two companies that created cell phone apps to solve the robo-call problem. One of those apps is Nomorobo, recommended by Crawford. There are now several apps to choose from. Crawford said to check costs, permissions and reviews before downloading. 

Because of spoofing the "Do Not Call List" doesn't work, and the FTC removes 20,000 new reported phone numbers each day. She noted that spoofing is actually legal in specific instances involving persons fleeing from domestic violence situations, but illegal when used to commit fraud.

To protect your credit, Crawford advised letting your credit card company know when you are traveling. If you use mobile apps for banking, you can set those apps to alert you each time a credit card purchase is made. She also recommended checking your credit report. Free credit reports are available from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion at annualcreditreport.com. If you don't anticipate making a major purchase such as a new car or home for a while, you can also request a credit freeze from the FTC, so no one can access your credit information. It's free, too.

Crawford also warned people to cover their hands when entering their pin numbers at ATMs and to check for skimmers (devices that can record your credit card information) at ATMs, gas stations and other places that accept credit cards, by pulling on the device where the card is inserted before using it.

"Exercise your rights and responsibilities as a consumer," Crawford stressed.

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The Better Business Bureau is a more than 100-year-old nonprofit organization that provides information about a company before you do business with it, and helps to resolve a dispute if you have a complaint. There are more than 100 BBB's in North America. The Better Business Bureau of the Mid South covers 21 counties in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi. For more information contact the Better Business Bureau of the Mid South at (901) 759-1300 or email: info@bbbmidsouth.org.

Laundry Love: Where Love Never Ends and Neither Does Laundry

Rev. Jack Rogers, pastor of St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Millington is most concerned about children having clean clothes, to help ensure they go to school prepared to learn and are not subjected to bullying. 

On every other Tuesday of the month from 4-6:30 p.m., church friends and new acquaintances gather for Laundry Love, a community outreach ministry conducted by members of St. Anne’s Episcopal Church at Spin City, a bright, clean Laundromat with shiny new washers and dryers, in what had once been Millington’s McDonald’s, located at 4735 Navy Road.

As someone who worked at McDonald’s through high school and summers in college, it was a bit strange to walk in and find it transformed into a Laundromat. The restaurant had a nautical, Navy theme back then, red, white and blue with mirrored, brass portholes (which I polished many times) and military cartoons on the walls. Some of the booths have been retained to offer a place for people to sit, visit, listen to music, work on a computer or watch TV, while their clothes spin. And, on the particular Tuesday I visited, there was also food to share: cream of tomato soup, grilled cheese and bologna sandwiches, cookies, water and juice, brought in by volunteers from St. Anne’s, who have been offering this community ministry to those in need since 2017.

Much more than sandwiches, however, Laundry Love’s primary mission is to provide clean clothes to those in our community living on the margins. Laundry Love provides all the laundry products such as detergent, bleach, stain remover and dryer sheets, along with the funds needed for the washers and dryers, so struggling families can have clean clothes. Through this ministry, the limited funds that would have been spent on laundry can be used by Laundry Love patrons for other necessary items such as food, shelter, transportation, medicine or utility bills.

According to federal U.S. Census Bureau statistics, the poverty rate in Millington is more than 23 percent. Millington Municipal Schools also are classified as Title 1 by the U.S. Department of Education, which means Millington’s schools have a large concentration of low-income students. Families and individuals served by Laundry Love are most often referred to the ministry by the Millington Crisis Center, Millington Food Pantry and by administrators and teachers from Millington Municipal Schools, meeting federal poverty criteria and guidelines.

St. Anne’s volunteer Carrie Marcinko who helps to oversee the ministry says the idea of helping low-income families through clean clothes originated from a 30-hour training program called “Holy Currencies,” conducted by the Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee to help congregations to move beyond time, talent and treasure to missions and ministries that reach outside their congregations into their neighborhoods.

Marcinko estimates that it costs her small, aging congregation of approximately 70 members around $300 each Tuesday a Laundry Love event is held. For a family of four the average cost for laundry every two weeks is about $20. She says more than 200 people have been helped through Laundry Love since its inception.

Rev. Jack Rogers, pastor of St. Anne’s is most concerned about children having clean clothes, to help ensure they go to school prepared to learn and are not subjected to bullying. “On Tuesdays, Spin City is an extension of St. Anne’s from a sacramental point of view, both an inward and outward sign of spiritual grace, particularly in how it makes people feel. I can be having the worst day, and leave Laundry Love feeling hopeful.” He stresses, Dressed for school in clean clothes, children “don’t get singled out, bullied or picked on.” He adds, building relationships with children through Laundry Love, “they have become less reserved as we tutor them, help them with homework and provide them with nutritious snacks. And for a third year, we’ve also helped many of them go to Mud Camp at St. Columba,” a summer day camp for children in the Memphis area.

William, an amputee, liver transplant recipient and U.S. Army veteran has been coming to Laundry Love since its beginnings. He says, Laundry Love “means everything to me. It helps put gas in my car and affords me the luxury of a sandwich or an extra can of beans.”

Kathy has been coming to Laundry Love since last winter. Her monthly income is about $700 for herself and a teenage girl in her care. Laundry Love “helps” she says. She uses the money she saves on laundry for transportation (gas). “I’ve struggled, but the pastor and this church, they do a lot for me.”

Clean clothes are something many of us may take for granted, but for families struggling to make ends meet, it can help them feel better about themselves and the challenges they may be facing, as well as preserve their sense of human dignity and self-worth.

Spin City owner Mark Hickey provides the venue and donates 10 percent of the monies spent by St. Anne’s each Tuesday, back to Laundry Love. If you are interested in helping the congregation of St. Anne’s with their Laundry Love mission in our community, or for more information about Laundry Love, contact the church at (901) 872-0303. St. Anne’s is located at 4063 Sykes Road in Millington.

Laundry Love’s mission is to provide laundry services for individuals and families in the Millington area who face financial challenges in getting their clothes cleaned. The profound effect of providing clean clothes and linens to those who are challenged daily to survive helps to raise their self-worth and dignity, especially the children who are less likely to be singled out for peer abuse and bullying. Acknowledging those living in poverty through this act of service brightens their lives through the blessing of wellness and fellowship.

Welcome to Millington Stories

Millington Stories: People, Places & Pastimes

This charming artwork was created by Heidi Hensley (heidihensleyart.com) for Boatwright Pharmacy and can be purchased there in various forms including postcards, plaques and prints.

Welcome to Millington Stories

Hi, I'm Linda Cooper. I grew up here in Millington after my dad retired from the U.S. military, and I moved back as an adult to care for my ill and aging parents. They have since passed away, and I stayed.

As a journalist, I find it distressing that my profession is dying. In my opinion, it seems many people no longer have the time or inclination to read more than a text, tweet or Facebook post these days. But if you're like me, and you like to read, then perhaps this space is for you. Part blog, with my own personal reflections of what it was like to grow up in Millington, as well as what it's like to live here now, I hope it will also serve as a news source for the city, featuring what I hope you'll consider interesting, informative and enlightening stories about the people, places and pastimes in this community.

What you won't find here are stories about city politics and government or sports, because I don't want to write those stories, and I think The Millington Star covers these areas of city life well. So if you want to read about those things, please support and subscribe to our local newspaper. A yearly subscription is $30.

In this space, I plan to focus on lots of good things that are happening in my hometown: the arts, music, entertainment, food, our local small businesses and schools, and good people helping people, with a bit of history and nostalgia mixed in from time to time as well.

So if you grew up in Millington, lived here for a time, or live in Millington now, I hope you'll follow me on this blog journey, sharing Millington's stories.

Linda Cooper is a freelance writer with more than 30 years of experience as a public relations practitioner, fundraiser, U.S. Senate press secretary and journalist. She holds a degree in journalism and political science from Mississippi University for Women.