Mayor Derek Armstead, the City of Linden, and the Department of Parks & Recreation are pleased to offer Senior Citizen Arts & Crafts. Come along and enjoy an art-filled program. Each session will be focused on unique and enjoyable crafts. Let your creativity blossom!
Click here to view and/or download the informational flyer for this program.
Who: For Linden Senior Residents.
What: Come along and enjoy an art-filled program. Each session will be focused on unique and enjoyable crafts. Let your creativity blossom!
How: Free program for all Linden Senior Residents. To view full class description and register online, click here. For more information, call 908-474-8600. In person registration is available 9am – 4pm at the JTG Center (330 Helen Street) or the Linden Multi-Purpose Center (1025 John Street). Online registration is available 24/7.
How: To view full class description and register online, click here. For more information, email here or call 908-474-8600. In person registration is available 9am – 4pm at the JTG Center (330 Helen Street) or at the Linden Multi-Purpose Center (1025 John Street). Online registration is available 24/7.
Click here to view and/or download the informational flyer for this program.
Who: Two age groups: ages 5 through 10, and ages 11 through 17.
What: Mixed Martial Arts, an effective form of self defense. Marital Arts is an art form that tests not only physical strength and endurance, but mental perseverance, determination and patience. This is all through a positive attitude, discipline, and respect towards others and ourselves.
When: Six week program. Every Wednesday from January 17 through February 21, 2024.
Ages 5 through 10, from 5:45pm until 7pm.
Ages 11 through 17, from 7pm until 8:15pm.
How: Program cost is $50. To view full class description and register online, click here. For more information, call the Department of Parks & Recreation at 908-474-8600 or 908-474-8639. In-person registration is available 9am – 4pm at the JTG Center (330 Helen Street), or the Linden Multi-Purpose Center (1025 John Street). Online registration is available 24/7.
Click here to view and/or download the informational flyer for this program.
Who: For Linden senior residents.
What: Senior line dancing classes. Line dancing for seniors is a fun, healthy and rewarding activity and exercise. Dancing styles incorporated into the class include salsa, ballroom and country western.
When: Thursdays, January 18 through April 4, 2024, from 10:30am until 11:30am.
How: Free program for all Linden senior residents. To view full class description and register online, click here. For more information, email here or call (908) 474-8600. In person registration is available 9am – 4pm at the JTG Center (330 Helen Street) or at the Linden Multi-Purpose Center (1025 John Street). Online registration is available 24/7.
Mayor Derek Armstead, the City of Linden, the Department of Parks & Recreation are pleased to offer Kids Canvas Paint. Due to the popularity of this class, we are offering two dates per month to register your child for the class. Please choose one or the other. There are 15 slots per class and the classes fill quickly. Don’t be left out, register today!
Click here to view and/or download the informational flyer for this program.
Who: For kids ages 5 through 12.
What: Kids canvas paint classes. All supplies included. The painting classes are guided with the instructor showing every step. Small color copies of the painting will be handed out to the children for reference. Background music will be available to create a more creative and tranquil atmosphere for the young artists.
When: Due to the popularity of this class, we are offering two dates per month to register your child for the class. Please choose one or the other. Each class is from 6pm until 7:30pm.
January 16 or 30
February 13 or 27
March 12 or 26
How: $15 fee per class. To view full class description and register online, click here. In person registration is available 9am until 4pm at the JTG Center (330 Helen Street) or the Linden Multi-Purpose Center (1025 John Street). Online registration available 24/7. All first time registrants are required to call during business hours to have an account set up. For more information, email us here, or call 908-474-8600.
As you may know, many business and residential utility customers are targeted daily by impersonation scams. Scammers impersonate the utility company (such as PSE&G, Comcast, Verizon, NJ American Water and others) through in-person, phone, and online tactics, claim the utility bill is past due, and threaten to disconnect services unless a payment is made immediately. Customers are pressured to make payments via prepaid debit cards (such as Green Dot, MoneyPak, or Vanilla), wire transfers, cash apps (such as Venmo or Zelle), gift cards, or cryptocurrency (such as Bitcoin). Additionally, scammers may claim that the regular payment portal for the utility company is currently offline, but the target can submit payment through another portal via a link or QR code. This fraudulent payment portal creates a false sense of legitimacy by using spoofed domains, impersonation, and stolen branding. Phishing and smishing tactics attempt to convince the target to immediately take action, such as responding or calling a fraudulent phone number, disclosing sensitive information, or making payment.
In Person
Scammers may visit the target’s home or place of business in person, claim to be a utility company collector, present fraudulent identification, and ask for personal information, including account number or Social Security number. However, legitimate employees wear a uniform, visibly display a company ID badge, drive a company car with the utility company’s logo, and visit during a pre-scheduled appointment with the customer.
Calls
Additionally, if customers receive an urgent call from their utility company’s trusted customer service number claiming termination of services for non-payment and that someone will arrive in 15 minutes to disconnect service, slow down the conversation before making any quick decisions and verify the information through official sources, as the phone number may be spoofed (faked)!
Web Searches
Hackers are targeting customers who use search engines to contact their utility companies. The search engine results may contain fraudulent websites with fake phone numbers that, if called, will put unsuspecting customers at risk for threat actors to collect personal and financial information. Furthermore, service disconnections are not immediate; there is a multi-step process, including payment arrangement options and multiple notifications to the customer, typically by mail and noted on their regular monthly bill.
QR Codes
Traditional attack techniques of malicious links or attachments are often detected by email security, forcing threat actors to pivot to QR codes as the primary attack method in various schemes. QR codes, sent through unsolicited communications or posted in publicly accessible locations, may appear to be associated with a reputable brand or organization and could direct targets to phishing websites, fraudulent payment portals, and unsuspecting malware downloads. In one campaign, the threat actors persuade their victims to withdraw money from their financial accounts and transfer it to them using a QR code and cryptocurrency ATM to avoid service disconnection. Once the funds are deposited into the ATM to purchase cryptocurrency, the QR code with the embedded address is scanned, and the money is transferred to the scammers.
Please make sure to be vigilant of these and similar impersonation scams. Refrain from answering unsolicited or unexpected communications, especially those containing QR codes. Additionally, do not provide personal or financial information or transfer money, especially in cryptocurrency, to unverified entities. If you need help with this or another type of scam, please call my office at (908) 474 8493 so that I can help.
Click here to view and/or download the informational flyer for this event in English. Click here to view and/or download the informational flyer for this event in Spanish.
Who: Union County residents only.
What: Drive-through emergency food distribution hosted by the County of Union. The first 2,000+ persons will receive a special holiday food box produce with all the trimmings on a first-come, first-served basis.
When: Saturday, December 17, at 8am.
Where: Kean University, which is located at 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ 07083.
How: One food distribution per vehicle, while supplies last. Refrigerate any perishable items shortly after distribution. Please make sure to clear out the vehicle’s trunk prior to arrival to make room for food boxes. Bring one (1) proof of Union County residency, NJ residency (Utility bill, Driver’s license, ID card). Event will take place rain or shine. With any questions, or for more information, please email the DHS Action Line or call 908-677-5405.
During the holiday season and all-year round, it is common for consumers to purchase gift cards for themselves, for family members and friends. Hackers seek to exploit this common purchase in the form of gift card scams.
How does this happen?
Hackers will initiate fraudulent requests by spoofing a known or trusted person – such as a person in leadership or a position of authority within an organization, a friend, or a loved one – to make the request appear legitimate. They also create a sense of urgency with a fake story or emergency to convince the recipient to act quickly without verifying. These fraudulent requests may be sent through email, SMS text messages, and social media platforms.
Authorities continue to receive reports of gift card scams from New Jersey residents and organizations. For example, an employee received an email sent from an external account purportedly from the CEO, who was attending a meeting out of state. The CEO requested their phone number to perform a task. The employee provided their phone number and then communicated through SMS text messages. The request was to purchase two $500 Apple gift cards, to which the victim complied and submitted the back of the gift cards. The request was was only identified as a scam when the victim was asked for the remaining balances.
Example of a real attempt to defraud.
In the above campaign, the hackers stated that they are traveling and having an issue purchasing a $500 Apple gift card for their niece’s birthday. They request the recipient to purchase the gift card and will pay them back as soon as they get back. Other campaigns may, for example, apologize for bothering the potential victim and inquire if they have an Amazon account or order from them.
What should we do?
Refrain from responding to unsolicited communications, clicking links or opening attachments from unknown senders, and exercise caution with communications from known senders. If you are unsure of am email’s legitimacy, then contact the sender via a separate means of communication, such as by phone, before taking action. Call the sender from a phone number that you already have, and NOT from a phone number provided in the email requesting the gift cards.
Refrain from complying with requests to purchase gift cards and sending the numbers to someone without first verifying the request via a separate means of communication. These are unusual requests or demands, typically portraying a sense of urgency, and should be handled with suspicion.
What should I do if this is happening or already happened to me?
If gift card information was already sent, then immediately contact the company who issued the gift card to inquire if the funds are still on the gift card and can be frozen.
Incidents should be reported on https://www.cyber.nj.gov/report (the NJCCIC Cyber Incident Report Form), and https://www.ic3.gov (the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center), and to the Linden Police Department at 908 474 8502.
Let’s all remain vigilant of these and similar scams.
New Jersey Audubon is hosting public programs for all ages at Hawk Rise Sanctuary. Come out to Hawk Rise to experience the sights, sounds and smells of winter.
Click here to view and/or download informational flyer for the Winter 2023/2024 New Jersey Audubon programs.
Who: Appropriate for all ages.
What and When: New Jersey Audubon programs at Hawk Rise Sancturary from 10am until 11am.