The Federal Trade Commission asked a federal court to shut down a scam that targeted financially distressed Americans by pitching a phony debt relief and credit repair program, and by falsely claiming the program was provided and funded by the federal government and endorsed by President Obama. The FTC’s complaint targets the operators of two websites that were allegedly full ... Read More »

SCAM Alert! Beware of the following scam email making the rounds: “From: “Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI)” Date: December 31, 2013 at 8:53:45 PM EST To: BCC Subject: Re:Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Reply-To: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Counter-terrorism Division and Cyber Crime Division J. Edgar. Hoover Building Washington DC Dear Beneficiary, Series of meetings have been held over the ... Read More »

Fictitious correspondence, allegedly issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) regarding funds purportedly under the control of the OCC and possibly other government entities, is in circulation. Correspondence may be distributed via e-mail, fax, or postal mail. Any document claiming that the OCC is involved in holding any funds for the benefit of any individual or ... Read More »

Imagine receiving a phone call from your utility company saying they’re about to cut off your electricity. The caller ID looks like it might be a legitimate phone number, but you know you’ve paid your bill. The caller says, “I can stop this, but only if you pay me.” It’s a scam, but there’s a new twist. Instead of asking ... Read More »

Consumers who were more willing to take risks and those who had recently experienced a negative life event (such as a divorce, death of a family member or close friend, serious injury or illness in their family, or the loss of a job) were much more likely to have been victims of fraud and scams. Consumers who indicated they had ... Read More »

WARNING: Emails are going out that contain links that lead to efx-news.com. You can see a copy of that page below. It is a scam site and the Federal Trade Commission has previously shutdown other companies making similar claims about similar products using fake news sites. This site uses Fox News, Dr. Oz, Los Angles Times, ABC News, and HuffPost ... Read More »

The sad truth is that it’s easy to scam people with debt problems. Companies do it all the time. They promise magic outcomes for an advance fee. People in trouble believe the sales messages and fail to filter the promises of both for-profit and non-profit debt help companies. When people leap at the first solution that comes along or the ... Read More »

Attorney General Lawrence Wasden today warned Idahoans that lottery and sweepstakes scams have taken on a new format that sounds safe, but isn’t, and can lead to continued financial losses. “These e-mail and telephone scams have been around for years, but now they’ve taken on a dangerous new twist involving prepaid cash cards,” Attorney General Wasden said. “Prepaid cash cards ... Read More »

(Phoenix, Ariz. – May 25, 2010)  Attorney General Terry Goddard today reminded consumers about a “phishing” scam purported to be from Credit Union West, a Glendale-based financial institution, requesting personal information.  Over the last several months, the Attorney General’s Office has seen an increase in calls regarding this particular scam.Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile customers have received text messages stating that ... Read More »

West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw is warning travelers to be on guard due to a scam making an increased appearance in the hospitality industry. Travelers are experiencing convincing calls from scammers attempting to obtain credit card information. This scam is targeting guests staying in hotel rooms. Individuals receive a telephone call from the thief who claims to be an ... Read More »

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced today that the last suspect in a multi-state telemarketing ring is now in custody. Deputies with the Howell County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Office arrested Michael Sweigart last night. Several anonymous tips to the Attorney General’s Office led officers to a home in West Plains, Missouri, where Sweigart went into custody without incident. He had been ... Read More »

Maryland consumers should be on the lookout for the latest scam that seeks to steal personal information over the phone by using the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Federal Health Care Reform) as a ploy. “If someone claiming to be from the government calls and asks for your personal information, just hang up,” said Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler. ... Read More »

Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler is warning Maryland consumers not to be fooled by a new utility scam claiming to provide a federal government grant that will pay off utility bills. “Consumers should never give up their hard-earned money until verifying the legitimacy of an offer – no matter how enticing it may seem,” said Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler. ... Read More »

The following information appears as a scam warning for consumers to avoid. The email below is going out in an effort to extract advanced fees from unsuspecting consumers who falsely believe they have won a lottery. It is a scam. From: National Lottery uk Subject: Congratulations!! Reply-To: National Lottery uk Tuesday 10th April, 2012 Saturday, April 7th, 2012 Lottery Result ... Read More »