Is it amour or time for armor?

There are perfect matches online, and there are scammers. How can a person tell the difference when online profiles of scammers can be just as good as, if not better than, profiles of existing people? Scams that prey on trust and deceive through relationships of confidence and romance are among the most heart wrenching. How can you look for love online, while keeping your heart protected? Armor your heart by using verification strategies and knowing the signs of a scammer.

Top 10 Scams of 2022 Released by Attorney General’s Office

BURLINGTON, VT – Reports of scams to the Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program totaled 3,685 in 2022. In keeping with the previous year’s trend, a scam claiming that an unauthorized order was placed, or a package is pending delivery, sometimes naming Amazon, took the number one spot on the list, totaling 19 percent of the… Continue reading Top 10 Scams of 2022 Released by Attorney General’s Office

Medicare Open Enrollment Scammer, or the Real Deal?

During Medicare Open Enrollment, scammers may contact you about updating or switching coverage. Always take steps to verify unknown callers. If you are looking to update your plan, do so on your terms. First, get help navigating Medicare plans by connecting with Vermont programs and Medicare directly.
Call the Consumer Assistance Program at 1-800-649-2424 to report scams.

Student Debt Relief, or a Scam?

Now that the government is, in fact, giving certain qualified borrowers some student loan debt relief, watch out for student loan debt relief scams! Make sure you are connected to the most accurate information when claiming your portion of student loan forgiveness by connecting with legitimate sources. Never pay to claim your federal loan forgiveness. Ignore government solicitations. Hang up on callers asking for your personal information. When considering debt relief in Vermont, only seek out licensed debt adjusters.

Shred events help to prevent identity theft

Banks periodically host events where they gather one or more mobile shred trucks, equipped with an industrial shredder and invite the public to offload their shredding. Shred events help prevent fraud and financial identity theft by giving people an easy way to dispose of confidential paperwork. News of data breaches and the message to stay safe online and protect your electronic information remains true and important. And still, some of the more involved and impactful crimes of identity theft, such as the creation of new accounts and huge losses, are often committed by people close to us: a relative, supposed friend, or neighbor. Some of these folks may know exactly where you keep your boxes of personal files. Destroying documents that you no longer need is the best method to prevent potential theft and misuse of that document. Keeping such documents around your home, or neglectfully discarding them in original form makes you more susceptible to identity theft.