Phone Scammers Portraying Themselves as the Indiana State Police
The Indiana State Police has received several concerns from citizens reporting an apparent phone scam. ISP receives numerous reports of phone scams each year, but this particular scam involves using the ISP General Headquarters phone number. The scammer is using a Caller ID showing “Indiana State Police” with “317-232-8248”. The scammer then identifies him/herself as an Indiana State Police Trooper and tells them they have drug charges pending in Texas. The scammer then threatens the citizen with arrest if a payment is not made. The ISP would NEVER call and ask for or demand any sort of payment for any reason whatsoever.
The ISP reminds all citizens that phone scammers are persuasive, convincing, and technically savvy. Scammers will often play on your emotions and fears in order to get your personal information and money.
The easiest way to protect yourself from being scammed over the phone is to either ignore unsolicited calls from unknown callers or just hang up when something doesn’t seem right. If you feel as though you have been a victim of a phone scam, immediately report the incident to your local law enforcement agency and alert your bank as soon as possible so the payment can be stopped.
As a reminder, never give out personal information such as date of birth, social security number, or bank/credit card numbers. Many of these scammers want you to make a hasty decision and may pressure you to get your money or personal information. Be aware that transactions made by prepaid card or wire transfer are nearly impossible to recover once sent.It is important for everyone to talk to their family about these phone scams and to have a plan in place should a scammer call you or someone you love. Being aware of potential scams is a great first step in protecting yourself from falling victim to one.
Partnership supports TechPoint’s Mission41K goal of growing state’s workforce by 41,000 new net tech workers by 2030
Ivy Tech Community College and TechPoint today announced a partnership that will support a statewide strategy designed to solidify the state’s reputation as a vibrant tech hub. The collaboration provides career pathways for Hoosiers that meet the needs of employers for tech and tech-reliant talent through Ivy Tech’s Ivy+ IT Academy and supports TechPoint’s Mission41Kgoal of cultivating the next generation of tech leaders over the next seven years.
In October 2022, Ivy Tech announced the IT Academy would launch this year, offering students the most advanced and innovative way to get in-demand IT training and skills quickly. IT Academy offers Indiana employers a “one-stop shop” for employees who need training with the largest variety of information technologies and tools offered anywhere. Also in 2022, TechPoint brought together nearly 200 public, private, academic, and community leaders to launch Mission41K, a bold collaborative movement to inclusively grow the state’s tech workforce to meet the demands of tech employers who see Indiana as their next home base.
Ivy Tech and TechPoint’s goals of a focused, digital workforce partnership support existing statewide initiatives, including Next-Level programs of study and adult apprenticeships. In addition to their relationships with some of the biggest tech companies in the world, the partnership will seek to accelerate learning and provide rapid upskilling to Indiana students through the most thorough and comprehensive IT portfolio training anywhere.
Under the partnership, TechPoint will help raise awareness of the Ivy+ IT Academy. This will include surveying Hoosier companies to determine the most in-demand tech jobs and developing work and learn opportunities in support of next-level programs. The partnership will support dual enrollment, modern youth apprenticeship, and adult apprenticeship, and the collaboration will also aim to align Ivy+ Academy pathways to TechPoint modern youth and adult apprenticeship programs that will drive participant recruitment, support adjunct faculty hiring, and help market Academy programs to prospective faculty and students.
Ivy Tech currently has more than 6,000 students per year in the School of IT in degree-granting technology programs. For more information on the partnership or to enroll in the Ivy+ IT Academy, click here.
Automatic Taxpayer Refund (ATR) Resources
DOR has created three Automatic Taxpayer Refund (ATR) instruction guides and an ATR checklist to help customers determine if they qualify for Indiana’s $200 refundable tax credit and how to claim it if they didn’t receive it in 2022. See more ATR information and resources.
Nominations sought for 2023 Bloomington Human Rights Award|
The Bloomington Human Rights Commission (BHRC) is seeking nominations for the 2023 Human Rights Award, recognizing an individual or group that has made specific, significant contributions to improving civil rights, human relations, or civility in our community. The deadline for nominations, which are accepted online at https://bton.in/lzi72, is Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 5 p.m. The recipient(s) of the BHRC’s Human Rights Award will be honored at a public ceremony later this year.
The BHRC especially welcomes nominations of people demonstrating success in ensuring rights to equal access to housing, employment, or education; equal access to community life for people with disabilities; and nominations of people or organizations who have done exemplary work and advocacy in increasing civility in our community.
The mission of the BHRC is to protect human rights in Bloomington. The BHRC is designed to enforce Bloomington’s Human Rights Ordinance in a fair and timely manner, educate community members about their rights and responsibilities under civil rights laws, raise awareness on all human rights issues, ensure that contractors and subcontractors on city jobs pay employees applicable common wages, ensure that the City, as an employer, governmental entity, and provider of public accommodations, complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and provide the community with information about the ADA.
This Week in Hoosier History
1889 – Benjamin Harrison was sworn in as the twenty third President of the United States. After moving to Indianapolis in 1854, Harrison served his state as a civil war officer, Supreme Court Recorder, and United States Senator. Eventually, he would be nominated by the Republican party as their candidate for the 1888 presidential election. He would serve as commander in chief for the next four years. He passed away in his home in Indiana and was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.
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