Reports of scams to the Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) totaled 5,154 in 2021, up just slightly from the previous year’s 5,021 reports. As imposter scams are of ongoing concern in Vermont, CAP recently distributed a video imposter scam prevention project, highlighting three concerning imposter scams with high dollar loss: the Romance Imposter scam, the Family Emergency/Imposter Scam, and the Business Imposter Email Scam. As highlighted in the prevention project, taking steps to verify can help individuals avoid scams. A simple verification process to follow for all scams is the SLOW Method.
Month: March 2022
No More Surprise Out-of-Network Medical Bills
there are several resources available to consumers to resolve medical billing disputes, particularly if a regulated business, such as an insurance provider is involved. In the medical billing realm, consumers have earned more protections just this January through the Federal No Surprises Act, aka the “No Surprises Act” or the “No Surprise Billing Act.” The No Surprises Act prevents surprise medical bills and has changed how unanticipated out-of-network bills can be assessed. The intention of the act is to remove the surprise that accompanies receiving large unanticipated bills after receiving health care services. There is a lot to know and there are already a number of resources to help you understand the act and your rights more thoroughly, including information on Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services websites.
SLAM the SCAM: Hang up on government imposters!
Receiving a call from someone claiming to be from the government can be alarming. These calls can be threatening in nature, claiming your personal information or identification was involved in a crime, or money is owed to a federal agency. On the other hand, sometimes these calls are more positive which offer fake opportunities for government grants, entitlements, or benefits. If you suspect that you are being targeted by a scam, the best thing you can do is not respond. If you receive a scam call, SLAM the SCAM by hanging up!
AG DONOVAN ANNOUNCES TOP 10 CONSUMER COMPLAINTS OF 2021
In 2021, CAP received 1,173 complaints and recovered more than $240,000 for Vermont consumers. Claiming the list’s top spots are complaints involving vehicles, retail, and home improvement, respectively – representing approximately 44 percent of all complaints filed.
Home Improvement Fraud Has No Boundaries
There exist many risks when considering who is acceptable to hire to complete the desired home improvement. Home improvement fraud (HIF) exists within the contractor profession. In HIF, contractors promise to improve your home, but leave projects incomplete. Before hiring a contractor for a home improvement project, do your research. Review tips for avoiding home improvement fraud. If you have a problem with a home improvement project or want to research a contractor before hiring them, contact CAP for assistance by visiting ago.vermont.gov/cap or by calling 1-800-649-2424.