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Police issue fraud alert about abbreviating '2020' in legal documents

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Now that 2020 is here, police are issuing words of warning that could protect you from fraud in the new year.

The East Millinocket Police Department in Maine posted on Facebook that when signing legal or professional documents from now on, don't abbreviate 2020 to just 20.

For example, if you write Jan. 2, 2020 as 1/2/20, crooks can easily manipulate and modify that date to 1/2/2002, 1/2/2018, or any other year.

Instead, write out the entire numeral 2020 when signing documents. So Jan. 2, 2020 should be 1/2/2020.

"This is very sound advice and should be considered when signing any legal or professional document," the police department wrote on Facebook. "It could potentially save you some trouble down the road."