As Americans begin the process of filing tax
returns, identity thieves are scheming to get their
hands on that money, the Adirondack Trust Co.
warned during Identity Theft Awareness Week
in January.

Tax identity theft has been the most common
form of identity theft reported to the Federal
Trade Commission for the past five years, bank
officials said.

“Identity thieves look for every opportunity
to steal your information, especially during tax
season,” said Charles V. Wait Jr., executive vice
president. “Consumers should be on high alert
and take every step they can to protect their
personal and financial information.”

Tax identity fraud takes place when a criminal
files a false tax return using a stolen Social
Security number in order to fraudulently claim
the refund. Identity thieves generally file false
claims early in the year and victims are unaware
until they file a return and learn one has already
been filed in their name.

Although energy efficiency measures are
often thought of as a way for residential customers
to save on cost, the same principles
apply to larger, commercial customers.

Recently, Quad/Graphics in Saratoga
Springs took advantage of National Grid’s
Energy Efficiency Incentive Program and
installed equipment that officials said not
only boost production but also save more
than 4.3 million kilowatt hours of electricity.

That’s about the equivalent savings of taking
about 380 homes off the electric grid for
an entire year, according to National Grid officials,
who said the upgrade will save Quad/
Graphics more than $380,000 a year in energy
costs while helping it increase production to
stay competitive.

National Grid provided $1.1 million to
Quad/Graphics to install a more efficient
printing press that replaced two older presses
and has increased production by more than
60 percent. The company said the incentive is
the second largest single incentive provided
by the upstate New York program since its
start in 2009.

Commercial user fees for entering the
United States changed Dec. 28, with fees for
commercial trucks arriving without a transponder
increasing from $10.75 to $13.05
per crossing, the U.S. Customs and Border
Protection announced.

“Commercial trucks prepared with an
ACE manifest and user fee transponder are
generally processed 50 percent faster than
non-prepared commercial crossers,” said Ann
Marie Paul, assistant director at the Customs
and Border Protection Buffalo field office.
“For carriers arriving at the border without a
transponder, they should be prepared to pay
the $13.05 fee with exact change or a credit
card to minimize delays.”

She said commercial truck drivers and
companies are strongly encouraged to purchase
a commercial truck transponder which
will assist with a more expedited crossing at
the border. Trucks with transponders do not
have to undergo a commercial fee transaction
when crossing into the United States, potentially
saving precious commodity movement
time. Commercial transponders are available
for an annual fee of $401.67.