UpSide413

05/15/2026

⚠️ BERKSHIRE COUNTY SCAM ALERT: Protecting Our Veterans This Memorial Day ⚠️

As our community prepares to honor the brave service members who made the ultimate sacrifice, the Berkshire Consumer Services Program wants to remind residents to stay vigilant. Scammers frequently use the emotional weight of Memorial Day to target local veterans, military families, and generous donors.

Dishonest actors are active right now, looking to exploit hard-earned benefits or redirect well-intentioned community donations into their own pockets.

Here are the top red flags the Berkshire Consumer Services Program recommends watching out for:

🔴 High-Risk Veteran Scams
"Pay-to-Play" VA Claims: Be highly skeptical of anyone charging upfront fees to help a veteran file for benefits or promising "expedited" processing. Free, accredited, and official assistance is always available.

Look-Alike Charities: Scammers invent patriotic-sounding organization names to pressure you into immediate donations via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.

Spoofed Government Forms: Scammers may pose as official VA representatives who are "verifying" file information or direct deposit routing numbers.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself & Your Loved Ones

Verify the Charity: Before donating a single dollar, check the organization's rating and legitimacy on CharityNavigator.org or Watchdog.org.

Never Pay for VA Assistance: Never utilize unaccredited individuals or companies to handle VA claims. Work strictly with official VA resources or recognized, accredited Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs).

Keep Personal Data Secure: The VA will never cold-call, text, or email demanding your passwords, full Social Security number, or financial credentials.

Report Scams Locally!
If you or a loved one in Berkshire County encounters a suspicious offer, identity theft attempt, or a potential scam, don't keep it to yourself. Reach out to the Berkshire Consumer Services Program for local guidance, education, and consumer advocacy.

You can also file an official report nationally at VSAFE.gov or ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Let’s look out for our local veterans the way they looked out for us. 💙❤️

04/24/2026

The City of Pittsfield’s Department of Community Development has released the draft Annual Action Plan outlining how federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds will be used to address housing and community development needs in Pittsfield for the HUD Program Year 2026.

The Community Development Office, in conjunction with the City Council’s subcommittee on Community and Economic Development, will hold a public hearing on May 5 at 6:00 p.m. on the proposed CDBG program budget and draft 2026 Annual Action Plan. The public hearing will be held at City Hall, 70 Allen Street, in the Council Chambers.

The hearing is part of a 30-day public review process that is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that provides an opportunity for public input on the draft plan. Through what HUD terms an entitlement grant, HUD provides the city with CDBG funding on an annual basis. The 30-day public review and comment period runs from Wednesday, April 22, 2026 until 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 22, 2026.

The draft 2026 Annual Action Plan proposed budget of $2.1 million consists of $1.2 million in estimated new CDBG funds and $400,000 in expected program income and reprogrammed funds as well as an estimated $500,000 in available revolving loan funds.

The Department of Community Development has proposed using CDBG money during the upcoming 2026 fiscal year for projects that include public facilities, removal of architectural barriers, public services, housing rehabilitation, economic development, clearance, planning activities, and administrative costs.

Beginning April 21, 2026, copies of the draft 2026 Annual Action Plan are available for public review in the Community Development office, and on the city’s website: www.pittsfieldma.gov/235/Community-Development-Block-Grant.

Written comments can be submitted to Community Development at any time during the 30-day comment period via email at [email protected] or by mail to the Department of Community Development, 70 Allen St., Room 205, Pittsfield, MA, 01201. People with special needs should contact Community Development at (413) 499-9368 or TTY 413-499-9340 prior to the public hearing and every effort will be made to accommodate their requests.

03/19/2026

🛡️ CONSUMER ALERT: Protect Your Summer at Tanglewood!

The Berkshire Consumer Services Program at UpSide413 is issuing an urgent advisory for all concertgoers planning to attend the 2026 Tanglewood season.

Our office has already received reports of scam tickets and fraudulent transactions targeting fans of this year’s Popular Artist Series. We want to ensure your summer memories are defined by the music, not by the stress of a ticket scam.

⚠️ How to Spot a Ticket Scam

• The "Official" Impersonators: Some sites use "Tanglewood" or "Lenox Music" in their URL and mimic the BSO's branding. Always check that you are on Tanglewood.org or BSO.org.
• Sky-High Prices: Unverified resellers often list tickets for 3–4x the original price—or even sell "speculative" tickets they don’t even own yet!
• The "Free" Ticket Trap: Scammers have been known to sell student or lawn tickets for hundreds of dollars that were originally distributed for free or a fraction of the cost.

✅ The Golden Rule: Buy Official

To guarantee your seat and pay the correct price, only purchase through these verified channels:
1. Online: Tanglewood.org or BSO.org
2. Phone: 888-266-1200 (M-F, 10 A.M. - 4 P.M.)
3. In-Person: The Tanglewood Box Office (Main Gate) or the Symphony Hall Box Office in Boston.

Pro Tip: For the 2026 Popular Artist Series, the BSO uses Mobile Delivery or Box Office Hold to protect you from fraudulent printouts. If someone tries to sell you a "PDF" or "screenshot" of a Popular Artist ticket, it’s likely a scam!

Share this post to help your fellow music lovers stay safe. 🎻✨

03/05/2026

Are you struggling with a defective product, a debt collection issue, or any other problem with a business? The Berkshire Consumer Services Program, in cooperation with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, provides free mediation and counseling to help you resolve disputes.

Join us at Berkshire Community College on March 10th from 12-2 PM for National Consumer Protection Week. We’ll be sharing practical tips to help you:

Identify and report common scams 🕵️‍♂️

Understand your rights as a consumer 📜

Safeguard your digital identity 🔒

📍 Where: Susan B. Anthony Student Lounge
🗓️ When: March 10th | 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
🎁 Bonus: Grab some free resources (and maybe some swag!)

02/04/2026

All of us at UpSide413 (formerly BCRHA) are deeply saddened by the passing of our former colleague and friend, Lauren Bolio.

Lauren dedicated 10 years of her life to our organization, serving our community with unwavering compassion, strength, and care before retiring in 2017. She was a fierce advocate for justice and a true believer in the people she worked alongside and those we serve. She was an incredibly effective leader, serving as the Program Director of the Tenancy Preservation Program for many years. Her empathetic nature, humor at just the right moments, patience and understanding, and appropriate levels of stubbornness bolstered the staff she supervised and supported as well as the entire organization.

Lauren’s driven spirit, her deep kindness, and her love of life left a lasting impact on everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. Her presence made our organization stronger, and her legacy will continue to inspire us.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to Lauren’s family, friends, and all who loved her. She will be greatly missed and always remembered. May her memory be a blessing.

View Lauren J. Bolio's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

01/27/2026

📢 UpSide413 wants to share with you an important resource for MA Residents!

Navigating the affordable housing market can be overwhelming for many families and individuals. Housing Navigator MA is a non-profit, state-wide tool.

How to Get Started:

1. Visit housingnavigatorma.org
2. Enter your preferred town, city, or zip code.
3. Use the "Filters" tool to narrow down results by rent, bedroom size, and availability.

01/26/2026

🛡️ Is your identity as safe as you think?

It’s Identity Theft Awareness Week. In the time it takes you to read this, someone’s personal data could be compromised. Here are 3 non-negotiable ways to lock down your life:

1. Freeze Your Credit. It’s free, and it’s the #1 way to stop scammers from opening new accounts in your name. ❄️

2. Audit Your Passwords. Use a password manager. If you’re still using "Password123" or your dog’s name, it’s time for an upgrade. 🔑

3. Turn on MFA. Multi-Factor Authentication is your digital deadbolt. Even if they have your password, they can't get in without that second code. 📱

Don't wait for a notification from your bank to start caring about data privacy. Which of these have you done lately? Let’s swap tips in the comments!

01/07/2026

📢We're Hiring at UpSide413!📢

UpSide413 is seeking passionate, community-driven professionals to join our team and help empower lives and create stability across our region.

Now Hiring for the following positions:
Tenancy Preservation Program Service Coordinator- Berkshire County
https://www.indeed.com/job/tenancy-preservation-program-service-coordinator-b9453f5c7271bbb2

Housing and Consumer Counselor/Mediator - Berkshire County
https://www.indeed.com/job/housing-consumer-counselormediator-aac59528269854bc

Tenancy Preservation Program Service Coordinator - Pioneer Valley
https://www.indeed.com/job/tenancy-preservation-program-pv-service-coordinator-cd379a62aa74a6c9

12/31/2025

As we ring in the New Year, please note our office will be closed on Thursday, January 1st. We will resume normal business hours on Friday, January 2nd.

Thank you for your continued support. UpSide413 wishes everyone a safe and Happy New Year!✨

12/22/2025

UpSide413 will be closed on Wednesday, December 24th and Thursday, December 25th so our staff can take a well-deserved pause to rest, recharge, and spend meaningful time with loved ones.

We wish you a season filled with warmth, reflection, and connection — however you choose to celebrate. 💙

12/15/2025

🛑 Berkshire Consumer Services Program Alert: Protect Your Wallet This Holiday Season

🎄The holidays are a peak time for online shopping—and for retail scams. Don't let fraudsters ruin your celebrations!

Watch out for these common holiday scams:

❌ Phishing Emails/Texts: Unexpected "shipping problem" or "account locked" messages asking you to click a link.

❌ Fake Websites: Sites mimicking major retailers with slightly altered URLs (e.g., amazon.co instead of amazon.com).

❌ Gift Card Scams: Calls demanding payment in the form of gift cards—no legitimate business will ever ask for this.

Here’s how to protect yourself:

✅ Verify: Go directly to the retailer's official site instead of clicking links in emails.

✅ Secure Payments: Use credit cards or secure payment services like PayPal, as they offer better fraud protection than debit cards or wire transfers.

✅ Track: Monitor your bank and credit card statements for unauthorized charges.

Share this post to help friends and family stay safe!