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Important Resources: The Federal Trade Commission, Credit Agencies, and Thwarting Identity Theft

Did you know that checking your credit report is an effective way to find out if you are a victim of identity theft?  The Federal Trade Commission has a website that provides details on how to access your credit report as well as what to look for when you check it.  Good news, it’s free to check your reports.   The FTC oversees a federal law that entitles you to one free copy of your credit report from each of the three nationwide Credit Reporting Agencies (CRA) every 12 months.  To monitor your credit report, it might be a good idea to check every four months by rotating between each of the three CRAs.  You want to make sure everything is accurate, especially before you buy a house, or a car, or apply for a job.  If you notice inaccuracies, contact the credit reporting company and business providing the information to correct the error.  The FTC has tips on how to dispute errors.  If you believe that you are the victim of Identity theft, visit the FTC’s ID theft website for information about what to do.  If you believe that you are a victim of other fraudulent activity, please visit FTC’s website or contact by phone at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).

8/14/2012

National Park Service Offers Free Military Passes

The National Park Service has begun to issue free annual passes to active duty members of the U.S. Military and their dependents. This pass will allow access to all 397 national parks in America – from patriotic icons like the Statue of Liberty to awe-inspiring national parks like the Grand Canyon.  Passes are available at most National Park Service locations that sell annual passes.  Military members must present their Common Access Card (CAC) and dependents must present a Dependent ID Card (Form 1173) when requesting their pass.  Additionally, many veterans and seniors qualify for discounted passes.  More information can be found on the National Park Service website: http://www.nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm

Family Connection South Carolina

The following post was written by Deb Blickenstaff, Constituent Service Director for Senator Jim DeMint.

I recently had the opportunity to attend the “Hopes and Dreams” annual conference held by Family Connection of South Carolina.  This two-day conference brought families who have children with special needs together with professionals who provide services for these children.  Participants attended workshops offered on an array of topics relating to the needs of families and their children with special needs.  Exhibitors from across the state were available to discuss their services with conference attendees. This conference gives families the opportunity to relate to other families and with professionals.  

Family Connection is a non-profit organization that was started in 1989 by a group of parents who saw the need to have a centralized place for families with children with special needs to go to for information, education and support.   They are the state's Family-to-Family Information and Education Center with the HRSA Maternal and Child Health Bureau.   This organization uses volunteer families to support other families who are experiencing similar needs and concerns.  They have also developed a database of services that are available for children with  special needs.   If you are a parent of a child with special needs ,  please go to FamilyConnectionSC.org or call 1.800.578.8750.

Passport Day 2012

Passport Day 2012

Passport day in the USA will be held on Saturday March 10, 2012. All across the country, individuals in need of a new passport or renewal will be able to go to any participating regional passport agency without an appointment or visit a participating passport acceptance facility to apply for a passport. For more information or to locate the regional passport agency or acceptance facility near you, please click here.

Veterans Jobs Fair

Hiring our Heroes

On Tuesday, March 6, several agencies and organizations are sponsoring a free hiring fair for veterans, military members, and eligible spouses at Fort Jackson in Columbia. The event will take place from 9:45 am and lasts until 4:00 pm.

Please see the event website to register and for additional details: http://www.uschamber.com/veterans/columbia-fort-jackson-sc.

Senator DeMint’s Charleston Staff Hold Constituent Service Day

Staff from U.S. Senator Jim DeMint’s Charleston office hosted a Constituent Service Day on November 21, 2011 in Conway and Pawleys Island.  Staff members were able to assist constituents with various issues and were available to hear constituent concerns.  By holding mobile office hours, constituents, especially those that may not be able to travel to one of the Senator's offices, are given an opportunity to interact directly with staff.  Staff members heard from several constituents regarding their concerns over the direction our country is moving, as well as localized requests like the need for increased street sweeping.

DeMint Staff Visit Charleston Passport Center

Passport

In October, staff from U.S. Senator Jim DeMint’s Charleston office toured the Charleston Passport Center to view operations and thank the staff for their hard work. 

These employees work hard to protect the integrity of the United States passport as proof of U.S. citizenship here and abroad.  According to the U.S. Department of State, there are approximately 102,183,989 valid U.S. passports in circulation. 

Detailed and up-to-date passport information can be accessed on the U.S. Department of State website.

Hurricane Irene Emergency Information

Hurricane Irene

Hurricane season officially begins on June 1, 2011. To learn more about what you can do to be prepared for the season, please visit http://www.ready.gov/america/beinformed/hurricanes.html .

You may also visit the SC Emergency Management Division’s website http://www.scemd.org/Prepare/hurricanes.html. If you’d like more SC specific information, SCEMD can be reached by calling 803-737-8500.

** UPDATE: For more detailed information on emergency preparedness, please click here to visit the FAQ portion of this website.

Passport Day in the USA

Passport Day

The U.S. Department of State has rescheduled its “Passport Day in the USA” for Saturday, September 17. That day, you will be able to apply for a passport without an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency, which are usually closed on Saturdays (closest agency to South Carolina is the new Atlanta Passport Agency). Please check the State Department’s “Passport Day in the USA” link for more details: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_5535.html.

(All information and images courtesy of the U.S. Department of State)

IRS Open House in Greenville - July 16, 2011

The IRS will be hosting an Open House on Saturday, July 16, 2011, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 440 Roper Mountain Road in Greenville, South Carolina to provide free assistance to taxpayers who need help resolving their tax problems.   

IRS staff will be available on site or by telephone (1-800-829-1040) to help taxpayers work through their problems. This location will be equipped to handle issues involving notices and payments, return preparation, audits, disaster information, and a variety of other issues.

Red Cross Emergency Communication with Service Members

The American Red Cross has announced it is easing access for Soldiers and their families who need to communicate in case of emergency. By calling 877-272-7337 the Red Cross will be able to send urgent notifications to service men and women in the event of the death or serious illness of a family member, the birth of a child or grandchild or some other event where urgent communication is needed.

DeMint Staff Bring Constituent Service to Union

On Monday, May 2, 2011, staff members from Senator DeMint’s Greenville office traveled to Union to hold mobile office hours at USC Union. They were available to meet with citizens who required assistance with the grants process, Social Security disability, veterans issues, and any other federal issues. Mobile office hours allow constituent service staff to interact face to face with constituents who live in areas outside of our office locations. For information on future Constituent Service Days, please continue to check the website.

DeMint Staffer visits Nicholtown Groundbreaking Ceremony

A representative from Senator DeMint’s Greenville office was on hand at the groundbreaking ceremony for affordable housing in the Nicholtown area of Greenville.  The ceremony took place Tuesday, April 26, with many supporters on hand.  The crowd consisted of not only business people and developers of this housing plan, but also the members of the Nicholtown Neighborhood Association and residents of the area. The homes will be completed by September and the elderly residents of Nicholtown will have priority in the selection process.  The assistance will allow the renters to pay $450 or less depending on their income.  This was a collective effort by the community, but this movement would not have taken root without the outpouring support by the residents of Nicholtown.

DeMint Staffer attends VA Town Hall Meeting

A representative from Senator DeMint’s Greenville office attended the recent Greenville VA Outpatient Center Town Hall Meeting on April 19th.  

The VA’s website, www.myhealth.va.gov, was among the topics discussed at the meeting.  The website is a helpful tool that veterans can use to keep track of VA medical appointments and contact their VA health care team.  There was also a brief discussion on the plans for two new VA Outpatient Center facilities.  The two facilities will be located in Greenville and Anderson.     

New Department of State Adoption Web site

For information on international adoptions, please visit the State Department’s new website www.adoption.state.gov.

Questions or concerns can be directed to askci@state.gov or 1-888-407-4747.

Emergency Numbers for American Citizens impacted by the Earthquake/Tsunami in Japan

For concerns about US Citizens in Japan, please email JapanEmergencyUSC@state.gov or call the emergency assistance center at 1-888-407-4747 (Calling from outside the U.S. + 1-202-501-4444). If you have concerns about a specific U.S. citizen in the Tsunami zone outside of Japan, please send the state department an e-mail at PacificTsunamiUSC@state.gov . Family members of Department of Defense personnel should call 1-800-342-9647.

Please go to travel.state.gov to obtain additional information. 

Middle East Travel Assistance

U.S. citizens in the Middle East are encouraged to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). U.S. citizens without internet access may enroll directly at the U.S. Embassy. By enrolling, U.S. citizens make it easier for the Embassy to contact them in case of emergency.

Updated information on travel and security in the Middle East may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. Check the http://travel.state.gov website for Travel Alerts pertaining to specific areas.  If you need additional assistance, do not hesitate to contact my Greenville office at 864-233-5366.

Missing your refund?

The Internal Revenue Service is looking for taxpayers whose refund checks were returned by the U.S. Postal Service due to mailing address errors. All a taxpayer has to do is update his or her address. The IRS will then send out any check that is due. 

Taxpayers who did not receive their anticipated refund can use Where’s My Refund? on www.irs.gov to check on the status of the missing refund, initiate refund tracers and update their addresses online. Taxpayers without internet access can call 1-800-829-1954 to check on a missing refund.  In South Carolina alone, there are currently 1,551 undeliverable refund checks totaling $1,806,035, with the average refund being $1,164.

No Paper Tax Forms in 2011

Individual and business taxpayers will no longer receive paper income tax packages in the mail from the IRS. These tax packages contained the forms, schedules and instructions for filing a paper income tax return.  The IRS is taking this step because of the continued growth in electronic filing, the availability of free alternatives, and to help reduce costs.

Taxpayers can get the necessary forms and instructions online at IRS.gov, by visiting local IRS offices or participating libraries and post offices, or by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676) after January 10, 2011.  For more details and a copy of the postcard, click here.

Constituent Service Representatives Attend VA Town Hall

Constituent Service Representatives from Senator Jim DeMint’s office recently attended the Department of Veterans Affairs Greenville Outpatient Clinic Town Hall Meeting on September 29th.  The staffers were present for an informational presentation by members of the VA Healthcare System, which included the Director of the Wm. Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Medical Center.  They were also able to participate in a Q&A session with veterans residing in the Greenville area. 

Constituent Service Representatives Attend Congressional Briefing

Representatives from Senator DeMint's state staff recently attended the annual congressional briefing for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), USDA Rural Development (RD), and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Each agency gave a brief presentation to update congressional representatives on their programs and resources available for South Carolina constituents.

More information about these agencies can be found on their websites:

Constituent Services Spotlight

DeMint Staff Visits Passport Office

Constituent Service Representatives from Sen. DeMint's office attend the 10 year anniversary of the Charleston Passport office on May 7. The staffers joined the passport employees for a celebration lunch, which was followed by a tour of the passport facility.

Last year, DeMint’s staff assisted 115 individuals with their request to obtain expedited passports. The staffers enjoyed getting a first-hand look at the process that the passport office go through to complete each application. (Click here if you need assistance getting a passport.)
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