by Dan Starcher | Aug 3, 2023 | Blog, Uncategorized
COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 27, 2023 – The Ohio Department of Public Safety today issued a warning about a sophisticated identity theft scheme impacting individuals across the country, including in Ohio.
The scheme, which was first identified in Texas earlier this year, involves the use of stolen personal information to answer online Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) security questions and gain access to individual BMV accounts. Once inside an individual’s account, identity thieves then request a driver’s license or identification card reprint be mailed to a new address.
“This scheme is incredibly concerning, not only because criminals are ordering up legitimate driver’s licenses but because they can use these cards and the stolen personal information to potentially access your bank account,” said Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson. “If you receive a postcard from the Ohio BMV telling you about an address change that you did not request, it’s important that you immediately take action.”
Thousands of replacement driver’s licenses were sent to unauthorized parties using stolen personal information in Texas. In Ohio, the BMV has initiated contact with around 90 Ohioans whose stolen information was used to obtain or attempt to obtain a driver’s license reprint. It is unknown where the criminals obtained the stolen personal information. No State of Ohio systems were breached.
The Ohio BMV has reported the fraud to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and has devoted additional resources to monitor for patterns associated with this criminal activity. Due to this additional monitoring, it is unlikely that additional fraudulently requested Ohio driver’s licenses will be mailed, however, if you receive a postcard from the BMV notifying you of online profile changes that you did not request, you should immediately contact the BMV at 1-(844)-644-6268. It is also recommended that you file a report with your local law enforcement agency, change answers to your online security questions, and place an initial fraud alert on your credit file.
More information on steps to take if your identity is stolen can be accessed via the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. An example of a BMV address change postcard can be found below. Postcards are mailed to customers’ old addresses any time an address change is made.
by Wayne Ohio | Oct 21, 2021 | Blog
COLUMBUS, OH, October 21, 2021 — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, First Lady Fran DeWine, and Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) Registrar Charles Norman today unveiled Ohio’s next generation of standard license plates.
The Ohio BMV designed the new “Sunrise in Ohio” license plate with input from Governor and First Lady DeWine, who took inspiration from the Great Seal of Ohio, the state’s diverse landscapes, Ohio’s past and present innovations, and the state’s bold, bright future.
“We wanted Ohio’s new license plate to reflect the heart and soul of our state and to encapsulate where we’ve been, who we are, and where we’re going,” said Governor DeWine. “The imagery on our new license plate symbolizes what makes Ohio beautiful, unique, and extraordinary.”
“Growing up and living in Ohio throughout our entire lives, Mike and I love the Ohio story,” said Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine. “With the new license plate, we wanted to feature Ohio’s beauty, talent, and rich history, while emphasizing with each new sunrise in Ohio, comes a new day and opportunity forward for an even brighter future.”
The “Sunrise in Ohio” license plate pays tribute to Ohio’s majestic waterways and rolling landscape. A farm field represents Ohio’s strong roots in agriculture, while a skyline represents Ohio’s momentum as a leader in technology and innovation. The airplane symbolizes Ohio’s history as the Birthplace of Aviation, and a child swinging from a tree with a dog nearby symbolizes Ohio’s youth and future generations.
“We are pleased and honored to be able to offer this new license plate to our customers,” said Ohio BMV Registrar Charlie Norman. “We look forward to seeing the “Sunrise in Ohio” plate proudly displayed on our great state’s roadways soon.”
The new plate will be available to drivers online at bmv.ohio.gov and at all local deputy registrar locations beginning on Dec. 29, 2021.
Over the past 20 years, four new standard license plate designs have been introduced, including the “Bicentennial” plate in 2001, the “Sunburst” plate in 2003, the “Beautiful Ohio” plate in 2009, and the “Ohio Pride” plate in 2013.
by Wayne Ohio | Oct 4, 2021 | Blog
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 4, 2021 — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost today announced that 161 people were arrested and 51 potential human trafficking victims were helped in a statewide operation for which nearly 100 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies partnered with non-governmental and nonprofit organizations.
Operation Ohio Knows, coordinated through AG Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC), was a collaborative effort that took place from Sept. 24 to Oct. 1 to address issues that fuel sex trafficking in Ohio.
“People who traffic other humans are doing it for a really simple reason — money. And if there’s no demand then there will be no market,” Yost said Monday morning during a press conference at the Statehouse, where he was joined by leaders of law enforcement agencies and social service organizations. “Reducing the demand means we reduce the number of people who are victimized by human trafficking.
“We will not rest until no one in Ohio buys or sells human beings.”
The operation included the arrest of 161 individuals seeking to buy sex – three of who sought to buy sex from minors. During the course of the operation, law enforcement officers also arrested individuals who possessed drugs and/or firearms. Most were charged with engaging in prostitution, a first-degree misdemeanor. A change in state law passed in the spring requires those convicted to undergo human trafficking education, a provision promoted by Attorney General Yost to decrease the demand for prostitution.
Among those arrested were a teacher, a professor, a firefighter, a pilot, municipal employees, and a city councilman.
Fifty individuals offering to sell sex – men and women – were arrested. Law enforcement officers interviewed 51 potential human trafficking victims, who were provided services from health care and social services organizations.
A simultaneous operation carried out by the U.S. Marshals Service recovered 10 missing children.
Also participating in the press conference with the attorney general was Mandie Knight, a human trafficking survivor, who spoke about the role law enforcement played on her road to recovery.
“When I was being trafficked, I knew that law enforcement was somewhere I could turn to when I needed a safe way out, and that’s what happened,” said Knight, now resource manager for Freedom a la Cart and a wife, mother, and student in forensic criminology. “Had I not been arrested, had I not gone to jail, and had I not suffered some consequences for the decisions I was making, I wouldn’t be here today and I wouldn’t be as successful in life.”
Operation Ohio Knows is the latest anti-human trafficking operation under Attorney General Yost, whose office hosts an annual human trafficking summit and provides coordination, education, and outreach on the subject.
by Wayne Ohio | Apr 8, 2020 | Blog
COLUMBUS, OH, Apr. 2020 — Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose today released the postcard that Ohio voters will soon receive as part of the effort to complete the 2020 Ohio primary election. In-person voting on March 17th was blocked by an order from Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton to combat the spread of Coronavirus/COVID-19, following an announcement by Governor Mike DeWine on March 16th that Ohioans over the age of 65 should remain home and barring gatherings of greater than 50 people.
The Ohio General Assembly then met to set April 28th as the date on which the primary election would be complete and directed Secretary LaRose to mail a postcard to all registered voters in the state informing them about how to request an absentee ballot to vote by mail. The legislation, H.B. 197, passed the General Assembly with a unanimous, bipartisan vote.
The 7.8 million postcards are currently in the data validation and printing phase. They are expected to begin arriving in mailboxes next week. Printing, applicable fees, and postage is estimated to be $2.4 million.
Interested voters may request a vote-by-mail ballot in one of the following ways:
1. Visit VoteOhio.gov, print, and fill out the vote-by-mail ballot request form, sign it, affix postage, and mail it to your county board of elections.
2. Call your county board of elections and ask them to send you a ballot request form, fill out the form, sign it, affix postage, and mail it to your county board of elections.
3. Voters who can’t print their own form may also simply write the following information on a blank sheet of paper and mail it to their board of elections:
· Full name
· Date of birth
· Full registration address including county
· Address where the ballot should be mailed if different from your registration address
· One of the these: Ohio driver’s license number OR last four of your social security number OR include a copy of an acceptable form of ID
· State that “I’m a qualified elector and I’m requesting an absentee ballot for the March 17th Ohio primary”
· Indicate if you want a: Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, OR Issues Only ballot (choose only one)
· Sign it
· Today’s date
· Phone number (optional, but suggested)
· Email address (optional, but suggested)
Posted by Dan Starcher, public communications specialist for the Wayne County government.
by Wayne Ohio | Oct 1, 2019 | Uncategorized
WAYNE COUNTY, OH, Sep. 2019 — It’s almost here! The opening day of the 170th annual Wayne County Fair is this Saturday, Sept. 7th. This year’s edition of the annual event gets “techie” thanks to a grant and the efforts of the OSU Extension Wayne County.
Earlier this month, Extension Educator Doug Foxx and his team unveiled the Wayne County 4-H application for mobile devices in both the Apple and Android stores. According to Foxx, people are visiting the fairgrounds early to check out the new Event Center and get a feel for the new layout. And, as fairgoers get their bearings, there is a new piece of technology available for free that can help.
“We are really excited about this app,” Foxx said. “It was created just in time for the Wayne County Fair. It has the fair schedule, the 4-H calendar of events for the entire year. It will really be helpful to people during the fair. The show books, auction programs, show results — all of the information that people are looking for at the fair — will be right at their fingertips.”
The application also features maps and a video section. Foxx explained that Jr. Fair Board members will be roaming around the grounds recording video to be featured in the app. “They will be like roving reporters during the fair,” he said. “They have a video camera and will be conducting interviews and capturing some of the stories that people have. Whether it will be a Grand Champion winner or a long-time 4-H volunteer, we want to share those stories.”
Although it is the first iteration of the application, it is fairly robust. And, Foxx maintains, it will continue to be upgraded. “We would like to expand the video features more in the future,” he said. “And maybe offer a password-protected area for our committee members to store documents.
Currently, Foxx said, there are more than 500 active users of the application, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. “We will learn some things from this year’s fair,” he continued. “There will be things that we want to tweak.”
The application is free and there is no need to enter an email or password. According to Foxx, the app is ready to go as soon as it is downloaded and it even features a photo booth. Visit Wayne County 4-H on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WayneCty4H and the Wayne County Extension Office at www.facebook.com/OSUEWayne.
OSU Extension Wayne County is funded, in part, by the Wayne County Board of Commissioners, State and Federal Government, private donations, and grants.
By Dan Starcher, public communications specialist for the Wayne County government.
