We found this alert of a jury duty scam that is spreading rapidly on a blog serving the Oak Park, IL and surrounding areas - http://TheSoPBox.com.

Most of us take Jury Duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty that a new and ominous kind of fraud has surfaced…

The caller claims to be a “Jury Coordinator”. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the scammer asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant. Give out any of this information and bingo, your identity was just stolen.

Eleven States including Oklahoma, Illinois, and Colorado have reported this insidious swindle. When someone calls and asks for information, be aware and stay safe.

Communities in Florida, New York, Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado, Oregon, California, Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona, and New Hampshire reported scams or posted warnings or press releases on their local websites in the past and it would appear that there may be a re-emergence of this scam.

As always, please remember that you should never give your information out over the telephone, email, or text message to someone that has contacted you. Even if you have initiated the contact, be sure you know who you are giving your information to, and the reason that it is required.

As you can see from the above quote, scammers and thieves will think of creative ways to steal your identity and everyone should be wary of these vultures.

- Best Regards,

Marcus Tilghman
http://guardianhost.com

The Osceola County Extension Service Program provides many classes and seminars to the public. Registration is required for ALL programs. Classes are taught in English and are free unless otherwise specified. Please call 321-697-3000 or the number provided for registration and more information.

If you are someone who enjoys the out of doors, likes sharing adventures with others, enjoys learning about nature, wildlife and our local surroundings…then one of our guided Woods Walks may be something you would truly enjoy!

We will begin holding Woods Walks shortly. To be notified directly, please email your name and phone number to Cindy Rutherford at crut@osceola.org or call 321-697-3000 to get on our list!

Upcoming Schedule of Events

• Friday, February 5, 2010
  Insomnia - Wellness
  4:30pm - 5:30 pm
  Sheriff’s Office - 2601 E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway
  Registration is required. Please call 321-697-3000.
  Many people suffer from one or more forms of insomnia and don’t know what to do. Since more and more research is indicating that sleep is essential to good health, learn the tricks to sleeping better and know when to get this condition treated.
• Wednesday, February 11, 2010
  Take Control of Your Money - Wellness
  9:00 a.m. - 12:00 pm
  Extension Services, Osceola Heritage Park
  1921 Kissimmee Valley Lane, Kissimmee
  Located at the intersection of Bill Beck Blvd. & US 192.
  Registration is required. Please call 321-697-3000.
  Stop wondering where money went and letting it control you. Instead establish financial goals, discover your financial potential and develop a plan to make your money work for you.
• Thursday, February 18, 2010
  Homeowner Irrigation Workshop
  10:00 am - noon
  Saint Cloud Civic Center
  3001 17th Street, Saint Cloud
  Registration is required. Please call 407-957-7344
  Learn how to: Save on your water bill, operate your irrigation controller, keep your landscape healthy, check your system for leaks.
• Wednesday, February 22, 2010
  Take Control of Your Money - Wellness
  5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
  Extension Services, Osceola Heritage Park
  1921 Kissimmee Valley Lane, Kissimmee
  Located at the intersection of Bill Beck Blvd. & US 192.
  Registration is required. Please call 321-697-3000.
  Stop wondering where money went and letting it control you. Instead establish financial goals, discover your financial potential and develop a plan to make your money work for you.
• Tuesday, February 23, 2010
  Finding Money to Save
  3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
  Osceola County Admin Building
  1 Courthouse Square Kissimmee FL - Rm. 4727
  Registration is required. Please call 321-697-3000.
  Find the money you’ve been searching for and implement different saving strategies into your management of personal finances.
• Wednesday, February 24, 2010
  Good Carbs vs. Bad Carbs
  11:30 am – 12:30 pm
  Historic Courthouse Room 315
  3 Courthouse Square, Kissimmee
  Registration is required. Please call 321-697-3000.
  Americans are spending billions on low - carb foods. Learn the clever labeling lingo and the difference between complex and simple carbohydrates and why all carbs are not bad.
• Wednesday, February 24, 2010
  Using Power Pay to Get Out of Debt
  1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
  Osceola County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau
  Registration is required. Please call 321-697-3000.
  Is debt stressing you out and keeping you up at night? Use PowerPay to create a debt reduction plan to better manage current debt and get out of debt faster.
• Friday, February 26, 2010
  Green Industries Best Management Practices Training
  9:00 am – 3:00 pm
  Extension Services, Osceola Heritage Park
  1921 Kissimmee Valley Lane, Kissimmee
  Located at the intersection of Bill Beck Blvd. & US 192.
  Registration is required. Please call 321-697-3000.
  For landscape professionals; fulfills the training requirement for the new Limited Commercial Fertilizer Applicator Certificate.

Find out more about this program by visiting their website.