Since August 1, the Consumer Assistance Program has received approximately 275 reports of the Social Security number phishing scam! Here’s how the scam works: You receive a phone call stating that there has been criminal or fraudulent activity involving your … Continue reading
No matter what the scammers say when they initiate the “Grandparent Scam,” the introduction is sure to spike emotion. That is what they hope. They call claiming to be one of your most cherished loved ones—your grandchild—and ignite fear that those you care about are in dire need. With emotions running high and deep, how can you not engage with the call, stay on the line, and find out more? You are worried and feel helpless because all you have to validate this story is the phone in your hand and the fear of what if. What if you do nothing and your grandchild really was in trouble? Continue reading
On April 27, 2020, our office issued a scam alert to warn about an email extortion scam that has been contacting Vermonters. The email threatens exposure of compromising home video and pictures, unless you pay, usually in Bitcoin. The email … Continue reading
The Consumer Assistance Program has recorded a 220% increase in gift card scams with loss reports since December. Gift card scams take many forms; however, all request a gift card as payment and for the numbers on the back of … Continue reading
This week, during National Consumer Protection week, our staff members are opening up and sharing stories of when they were scammed. Because no one is invincible to being #scammed. Let’s keep the dialogue moving, share this post and your own … Continue reading