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Page 22 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, OCTObER 9, 2026 Sa Sa a Say y Senior enior Sen by Jim Miller How to Better Protect Your Social Security Number Dear Savvy Senior, I’m retired and was a victim of identity theft a while back. I’ve already frozen my credit to protect myself, but I recently heard that I can also “lock” my Social Security number. What exactly does that mean, and is it something I should do? — Recently Scammed Dear Recently, Freezing your credit was one of the smartest steps you could take after identity theft. But there’s another layer of protection many people don’t know about: limiting how your Social Security number (SSN) can be used. While you can’t actually “lock” your Social Security number the way you can freeze a credit report, you can block two of the most common ways criminals misuse it – using it to get a job and gaining access to your online Social Security account. Your Social Security number is the master key to much of your fi - nancial life. It’s linked to your taxes, Social Security benefi ts, Medicare, banking and employment records. With data breaches becoming routine and identity thieves using increasingly sophisticated tactics – including AI-generated scams – protecting your SSN is more important than ever. Criminals don’t need your Social Security card; they only need the number. E-Verify Self Lock The fi rst tool is E-Verify Self Lock. It prevents someone from using your SSN to get a job with employers that participate in the federal E-Verify system. If someone uses your Social Security number to get a job, the wages they earn may be reported to the IRS under your name. That can trigger IRS notices, delay tax refunds and require months of work to correct your tax and Social Security records. To activate Self Lock, create a free myE-Verify account at e-verify. gov and answer a few identity-verifi cation questions. Once the lock is in place, employers using E-Verify won’t be able to confi rm your Social Security number unless you fi rst remove the lock. It remains in eff ect for one year and can be renewed annually. If you ever return to work for an employer that uses E-Verify, you can temporarily remove the lock online and reactivate it afterward. Electronic Access Block The second protection is the Social Security Administration’s Electronic Access Block, which helps prevent criminals from taking over your online Social Security account. An Electronic Access Block disables online and automated telephone access to your Social Security record – including your own. That prevents scammers from changing your direct deposit information, redirecting your benefi ts or updating your personal information. To set it up, call the Social Security Administration at 800-7721213 or visit your local Social Security offi ce and request an Electronic Access Block. If you later want online access restored, you’ll need to verify your identity before the block can be removed. For many retirees – especially those who’ve already experienced identity theft – that extra step is well worth the added security. Extra Safeguards A credit freeze remains one of the best defenses against identity theft, but it only prevents someone from opening new credit in your name. It won’t stop someone from using your Social Security number for employment or trying to access your Social Security account. For even greater protection, create your personal my Social Security account before a scammer does by visiting ssa.gov/myaccount. Keep your credit reports frozen unless you need to apply for credit, and request a free IRS Identity Protection PIN. The six-digit PIN acts like a second password for your tax return, preventing someone else from fi ling under your Social Security number. You can get one by searching “Get an IP PIN” at irs.gov. Identity theft has become a fact of modern life, but taking a few simple steps now can help protect your Social Security benefi ts, tax records and fi nancial future, and give you greater peace of mind. Send your questions or comments to questions@ savvysenior.org, or to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070. nr ior Beacon Hill Roll Call Volume 51 - Report No. 40 September 28 - October 2, 2026 By Bob Katzen THE HOUSE AND SENATE: There were no roll call votes in the House or Senate last week. On November 3, or prior to that for voters who take advantage of early voting between October 17-30, all voters will have the opportunity to vote on nine ballot questions that will become law if approved by the majority of voters. To get on the ballot, the groups backing each ballot question were required to collect and submit at least 74,574 signatures last fall. The Legislature had until May 5, 2026 to act on the proposed law. The Legislature did not act on any of the proposals by the May 5 deadline. At which point supporters were required to collect another 12,429 signatures by July 1, in order to get their question on the ballot. All nine groups gathered suffi cient signatures to get their question on the 2026 ballot. Although neither the House nor Senate voted on any of the nine proposals, the Committee on Initiative Petitions did hold public hearings on the questions. The committee eventually issued a majority report recommending that the Legislature take no action on each proposal. The Legislature never acted on the reports which were simply “placed on fi le,” where they died. Secretary of State Bill Galvin has issued an 88-page book via the U.S. mail and online with details about each question. If you would rather not read the entire 88-page book, Beacon Hill Roll Call will be presenting a report on each ballot question over the next several weeks prior to the election. BALLOT QUESTION 3 – Here is a look at Question 3: QUESTION 3: ELIMINATE POLITICAL PARTY PRIMARIES FOR STATE ELECTIONS AND INSTEAD ESTABLISH A SINGLE, ALL-PARTY PRIMARY. SEVERAL STATES ALREADY HAVE THIS ALL-PARTY PRIMARY SYSTEM WHICH HAS EARNED THE NICKNAME “JUNGLE PRIMARY.” This question asks voters if they approve of a bill that would eliminate political party primaries for state elections and instead establish a system where there would be a single, all-party primary in which all candidates, regardless of their party affi liation, would be listed on one ballot, and voters could vote for any candidate on the ballot. The two candidates receiving the most votes in the all-party primary would advance to the general election, regardless of their party affi liation. The proposed law would provide political party status to any group whose candidates for any statewide offi ce received at least 3% of the ballots cast in the prior state primary. It would require candidates for governor and lieutenant governor to run and be listed jointly on the ballot in the all-party primary. WHAT SUPPORTERS TOLD BEACON HILL ROLL CALL “Question 3 makes Massachusetts elections more competitive and opens the door to new, fresh voices,” Danielle Allen, chair of the “Yes” on 3 Campaign told Beacon Hill Roll Call. “Right now, too many popular candidates never make it past low-turnout primaries and gatekeepers, and in 2024, 61% of our elections had just one name on the ballot. Under Question 3, every voter and every candidate takes part in the same primary, and the top two vote-getters advance to November, where they face a much larger, more diverse and more representative general election electorate.” Allen continued, “Opponents are trying to scare voters because the status quo suits them and their incumbent friends, but the truth is that all-party primaries give voters more choices; produces a dynamic, voter-driven general election instead of one decided months earlier by a BEACON | SEE PAGE 23 - LEGAL NOTICE - CITY OF EVERETT BOARD OF LICENSE COMMISSION 484 BROADWAY EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS 02149 PHONE: 617-944-0211 philip.antonelli@ci.everett.ma.us annette.debilio@ci.everett.ma.us Public Hearing Monday, October 19, 2026 @ 6:30 PM This notice is to inform you that a public hearing will be held on Monday, October 19, 2026 @ 6:30 P.M. at Everett City Hall, 2nd Floor, in room 27. Opinions will be heard regarding the following application: An application has been presented to the License Commission from Walgreens of Massachusetts, LLC, 405 Broadway, Everett, MA for a Change of Officers/ Directors/LLC Managers and a Change of Ownership Interest All interested parties may attend. Phil Antonelli Chairman October 09, 2026

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