Email Extortion Using Photos of Home

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In a new twist in the email extortion scam a photo of your home is sent with the threat to send compromising photos and videos of you to your contacts. Threats like these instill great fear and worry. The scammer advises you to scan a QR code, directing you to pay with Bitcoin or provide them with access to your computer. If you do not cooperate, they threaten to share your embarrassing photos and videos to your contacts.

In today’s internet age, information is easy to obtain. To find your home, scammers search related information about you to locate your address. Then, they use mapping programs like Google Street View to capture a picture of your house—even when thousands of miles away. While using Google Street View in Vermont, I was able to view the front façade of a hotel in Italy when referencing its address.

If Google Maps or another mapping service has traveled your street, a street view picture of your home likely exists.

Additional ways this photo may be obtained is through prior real estate listings, or potentially local tax appraisals.

These e-mails are scams. If you receive one of these e-mails, DO NOT send money and do not allow remote access to your computer. Only scan QR codes of known parties.

Tips from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov):

  • NEVER send compromising images of yourself to anyone, no matter who they are or who they say they are.
  • Do not open attachments from people you do not know. Links can secretly hack your electronic devices using malware to gain access to your private data, photos, and contacts, or control your web camera and microphone without your knowledge.
  • Turn off your electronic devices and web cameras when not in use.

If you are receiving email extortion threats:

  • Remember you are not alone as thousands are impacted by this scam.
  • Stop all interaction with the extortionist and do not be embarrassed or afraid to contact law enforcement.
  • File a complaint with the FBI IC3 at www.ic3.gov.

You can call CAP at 1-800-649-2424 if you need help determining if you have encountered a scam.

You can help stop scams by sharing this information with your community.

Reference:

Ic3.gov – https://www.ic3.gov/media/Y2021/PSA210902
www.icactaskforce.org/resource/RS00510153/view

Scam Targeting Wedding Officiants and Venders

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Do you officiate, photograph, cater or provide other wedding services? If so, scammers may try to steal your money by claiming to be potential clients.

Several Vermont Justices of the Peace reported to the Consumer Assistance Program a scam in which fake wedding planners reached out to them using fake email addresses. First they asked about their rates for service. Next, they sent a check for a large overpayment and requested a refund.

Wedding officiants are not the only businesses to encounter these fake orders of services. Photographers, caterers, as well as non-wedding related businesses have reported receiving fake requests for services or goods. The end result is always the same. The scammers claim they sent too much money (sometimes drawn on actual accounts fraudulently) and ask businesses to send the claimed overpayment back.

When businesses comply, they lose large sums of money. When the business remits funds by check, the business checking account and routing numbers are provided to the scammer, making businesses susceptible to possible identity theft.

Safeguard business funds by establishing internal protocols to prevent scams:

  • Consider how the email was sent. Was it sent to multiple parties? Was the email address itself an odd combination of letters and numbers? Does it look like a form letter? Are there spelling errors? These are usually scams.
  • Complete online searches to help make an informed decision . An online email verification checker can give you feedback on how the email address has been used. Cross-reference the information provided with information on wedding planning websites.
  • Call the event location and confirm whether there is an event registration under the parties’ names.
  • Require a video call and interview the parties before completing a written contract.
  • Plan to accept payment for the contractually agreed upon amount. The sender can cancel the overpayment and resend payment for the correct amount.
  • Add a multi-step verification process for abnormal payments (consult colleagues, do online research, talk to your bank’s fraud department about potential scams).

Please help stop scams by sharing this information with someone you know. If you have questions about this scam or have provided personal information or money to the scammers, please contact the Consumer Assistance Program at 1-800-649-2424 or https://ago.vermont.gov/cap/recover-scams.

Computer Tech Support Scam Alert

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Vermonters have reported an uptick of the Computer Tech Support phishing scam, specifically claiming to be from “V-Tech Solutions”. This scam usually comes as a robocall claiming that the recipient will be charged for antivirus software and instructing them to call back to cancel the charge.

Scam Alert issued by Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark

This scam uses a common scare tactic of an unauthorized charge made to one of your accounts. When you receive this or similar calls, hang up and take steps to verify.

  • Check with your financial institution directly to determine whether a charge has been made.
  • If you notice unauthorized charges on your account, dispute them through your financial institution.
  • Even if you get a call from a company that you do business with, call them back on a number you know to be valid, such as the number referenced on your contract or statement.

If you receive this or other scam calls, report it to the Consumer Assistance Program, at 1-800-649-2424 or online at ago.vermont.gov/cap

Small Business Flood Relief Resources and Action Steps

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Update August, 20, 2024: “FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of Vermont to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storm, flooding, landslides and mudslides from July 9-11, 2024” (https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20240820/president-joseph-r-biden-jr-approves-major-disaster-declaration-vermont).

As businesses rebuild what was lost and purchase new items after the floods, we urge businesses to engage trusted contacts to help consider the next steps and to help make informed decisions. Businesses with concerns can reach out to the Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) for help. Vermont businesses are covered by our state’s consumer protection law and CAP is a helpful resource available to businesses. CAP’s Small Business Advocate can assist businesses with any questions relating to consumer purchases and consumer complaint mediation.

Small business flood relief: Resources and action steps. Document everything, apply for relief, beware of scams. ago.vermont.gov/cap

First and foremost, businesses must document everything. Take pictures and write down all actions you are taking. This step will be integral in applying for relief and insurance claims down the road.

Making Repairs to your Business:

Below are a few tips to follow before making changes to your business as you repair and rebuild what was damaged in the flood.

  1. Contact your insurance company as soon as possible and do not make any permanent changes to your business until you get approval from your insurance company.
  2. Beware of dubious contractors that may appear with promises to restore damages immediately in exchange for immediate payment. Never pay in full upfront for a commercial project. Make sure you have a contract. Before working with a contractor, always check the Attorney General’s Home Improvement Fraud Registry and residential contractor registration status with the Office of Professional Regulation in the Vermont Secretary of State’s office.
  3. Contact the Consumer Assistance Program by phone at (800) 649-2424 or by email at ago.smallbusiness@vermont.gov for questions relating to hiring a commercial contractor.

Legal Assistance:

Small businesses may also need the advice or services of an attorney. Below are legal resources available to small businesses during this time.

  • Vermont Bar Association (VBA) offers low-cost consultations. A lawyer will provide a 30-minute consultation for $25 to help answer questions.  You can reach the Lawyer Referral Service at (800) 639-7036 Monday-Friday 8am – 4pm. Please visit vtbar.org for updates.
  • Small Business Legal Assistance Project offers support and outreach on legal topics impacting diverse and disadvantaged businesses and business owners in Vermont.

Beware of Disaster Relief Scams:

The Consumer Assistance Program is warning Vermonters and small businesses to beware of disaster-relief scams and price gouging. Scammers may impersonate FEMA or the State of Vermont. To learn more about these scams, please review CAP’s Avoid Scams and Fraud During Flood Recovery blog post.

How to Contact the Small Business Advocate:

If you have any questions on the above related material, please contact Emily McDonnell, Small Business Advocate at ago.smallbusiness@vermont.gov or call CAP at (800) 649-2424.

Many Vermonters are going through a traumatic period. If you or someone you know is having a hard time with the emotional impact of this crisis, you can call or text the National Disaster Stress Hotline, (800) 985-5990, or 9-8-8. You are not alone.

Summer Scams

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By Katharine Clark, SHECP Intern

With increased vacationing, sightseeing, and attending events, summer is a fun-filled time in Vermont. Have a safe and happy summer by avoiding scams that may seek to intercept your vacation rental search, sell you fake tickets, or purport to be extended family stranded while on vacation.  

When searching for a vacation rental or event tickets online, be sure to do extensive research before agreeing to complete a purchase. If a family member calls in need, always take steps to verify. 

Vacation Rentals 

When looking for a vacation rental—some listings may seem too good to be true. Scammers can create fake listings to rope interested renters into dangerous schemes. Learn how to catch and avoid rental scams so you can rent safely and protect your money. 

Spot the Signs: 

  • Too Good to Be True: If the price is significantly lower than other similar properties in the area, the listing likely isn’t real. 
  • Unprofessional Listing: If a listing has many typos or poor grammar, it was likely made by a scammer. Serious listings are seriously made, and they will be carefully constructed and proofread. 
  • Double Listings: If rentals appear multiple times across platforms, and especially on a single platform, it is likely that the duplicates are scams. Scammers will frequently copy a legitimate rental and add their own information. 
  • Unverified Address: Scammers can list properties that either don’t exist or are unavailable (E.g. foreclosed properties). Scammers can also take advantage of vacant properties, sometimes even agreeing to show the listing in person even when it is not actually available. 
  • Payment First: If you must pay and/or provide personal information before meeting the seller, seeing the property, or signing the rental agreement, it is likely that the seller is either withholding information or attempting to scam you.  
  • Untraceable Payment: Though there can be exceptions, be wary of listings that require untraceable/non-refundable payment such as cash, wire transfers, money transfer services (like Western Union or MoneyGram), or more suspiciously, gift cards or cryptocurrency, including crypto kiosks. Scammers can also go through legitimate services like Airbnb but request payment through another service or an escrow account. 
  • Faulty or Missing Agreement: Scammers can manipulate incomplete leases (filled with blank spaces or vague writing) without your knowledge or consent. Or they can simply take your money with no legal documentation if there is no lease at all. 

What to Do: 

  • Protect Your Information: Before viewing the rental, never give out your social security number, bank account, or debit or credit card information. 
  • Verify the Address and Price: Look up the property and verify that other results (either duplicate listings on different sites or more information about the property) show the same listing with the same seller information. You could also do a public records search with the town clerk to verify the property owner. If the results differ between listings, or if the property is not actually available for rent, it is a sign of a scam. 
  • Verify the Price: Check the prices for similar rentals near the listing to verify that the seller’s price is in line with expected costs. If it seems too good to be true, it is safe to assume that it is. 
  • Seller Reputation: Look at reviews of the seller online to find complaints from former tenants. If words like “scam” frequently appear, avoid the listing. 
  • See the Property and Meet the Seller: Try the view the property and meet the listing agent/landlord either on a video call or, ideally, in person. If the seller refuses, avoid the listing. 
  • Check the Rental Agreement: Try to have someone review your lease for completion and quality before signing, and if there is no written rental agreement, avoid the listing.  
  • Send Your Money Wisely: Whenever possible, insist on paying all fees, deposits, or rent through traceable and recorded forms of payment like a credit or debit card. Only pay after verifying where you’re sending your money. 
  • Websites to Look Out For: Be extra cautious when looking at listings on websites like Craigslist, Zillow, or Facebook Marketplace. These are sites that interested renters frequent and scammers know to target. When using designated vacation rental website like AirBnB and VRBO, look out for sellers requiring payment through external services. 
  • Go With Your Gut: If you don’t trust the listing or if something feels off, avoid it. 

Online Ticket Sales 

This summer, Vermont will be filled with fun, ticketed events that you and your loved ones will be eager to attend. Before buying your tickets, learn these steps to avoid being scammed by fraudulent ticket sellers and keep your summer plans safe from scams.  

Spot the Signs 

  • Prices are Too Good: If most other sellers are listing similar tickets for much higher prices, the ticket you’re considering buying is likely a scam. 
  • Untraceable Payment: Ticket scams will often require untraceable/non-refundable payment methods such as gift cards or wire transfers. Scammers can also pose as legitimate sellers on trusted sites like Ticketmaster but require off-site payment.  
  • Phishing: Emails, texts, and social media messages can be used to phish for personal information through ticket scams. If the email address has a strange or unfamiliar domain name, or hovering over an included URL looks suspicious, it is likely a phishing scam. Scammers might also use lookalike websites (E.g. slightly misspelling  as “Ticketsmarter.com” to appear as the known ticketmaster.com). 
  • Sold-Out Tickets: Though there can be exceptions, sold-out tickets are often used as scams, especially if the seller has very little information available and refuses to meet in person. 
  • Printed or Replicated Tickets: Scammers can print the same ticket multiple times or replicate a bar or QR code on a ticket being resold. If there is no secure digital form of the ticket, or if the seller included photos of the ticket with a visible barcode or QR code (even if crossed out), it is likely a scam. 
  • Fake Support Numbers: Scammers can create a website or ad with a fake customer support number for real ticketing services. These numbers may appear as the top results when searching for support from specific companies. Once called, these scammers will pretend to be agents with the company and ask for your personal information.  

What to Do 

  • Purchase your tickets directly from official sources like the box office (ex. Flynn Center) or a primary ticketer like Ticketmaster or StubHub (E.g. Vermont Lake Monsters Tickets) 
  • Whenever possible, use traceable forms of payment and pay directly to the ticketer. Avoid third-party payment or unconventional payment methods like peer-to-peer payment (PayPal, Venmo) gift cards or cryptocurrency/kiosks. 
  • Be cautious of ticket customer support numbers you find online. Fake numbers for well-known companies like Ticketmaster, are often used to scam customers seeking support online. 

Family Emergency While Vacationing 

With increased travel of family members during summer months, family imposters may strike. Scammers can pretend to be a relative in an emergency – in need of money immediately because they’ve been stranded, or in an accident while traveling. Know the signs so you and your real loved ones can stay safe from family emergency scams this season. 

Spot the Signs: 

  • Scammers call about a family member in an unlikely but dire situation such as a medical emergency or arrest and need money immediately. They often share specific details that could make the scam more convincing like names and school information. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has even warned about scammers using advanced technology such as voice cloning. 
  • They will often ask for money to be sent through untraceable/non-refundable methods such as gift cards. 
  • Common forms of this scam include the grandchild imposter, or “grandparent scam,” in which scammers claim to be one’s grandchild. 

What To Do: 

  • Stay up to date with the information your loved ones are sharing online. Personal information and pictures, especially when shared on public accounts on social media platforms, can be stolen and used by imposter scammers. 
  • Create a secret code to use among family members in cases of emergency.  
  • Keep trusted contacts of loved ones in an easy to locate place. 
  • Never send money parties you can’t verify 
  • If the scammer threatens to come to your house or you are told that someone will come to pick up the money, do not answer your door and call the police. 
  • Establish a family plan now, before contacted. Plan to go S-L-O-W: 

Slow down and calm down. Scammers will try to spike your emotional response with emergency situations requiring immediate reactions. Take your time to verify the legitimacy of the situation. 

Log the contact. Write down the information of whoever contacted you and disengage. 

One call. Call either the number you know to be the person the scammer is impersonating or call a trusted contact. A trusted contact should be someone you can meet/have met in person. 

Warn others: Help others to identify scams by reporting them.  

If you notice a scam, disengage and report. Report scam encounters to FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. If you sent money, contact the financial institution right away. The Consumer Assistance Program at the Vermont Attorney General’s Office is your Vermont resource for scam prevention and information.