Tag Archives: Consumer

Identity Theft How to Guide: 5 Steps

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By Emily McDonnell and Katherine Rivers 

Protect yourself from Identity Theft

The state of Vermont defines identity theft as the unauthorized use of another person’s personal identifying information to obtain credit, goods, services, money, or property. It is common that identity theft occurs from use of your credit card and bank account information.  

There are some instances where your social security number and other personal information may be used to acquire identification, lines of credit, loans, or other consumer accounts fraudulently. For more information on Vermont laws regarding privacy and data security, click here. 

Identity theft is more common than you would think and it is evolving rapidly with the growth of technology. All our information is a couple clicks away.  

Here are 5 ways to protect yourself if you suspect you are a victim to identity theft:

  1. Review Your Credit Reports.  You can obtain your free credit report from each of the credit reporting bureaus through AnnualCreditReport.com. If you find anything that should not be there, be sure to save a copy of the report. Then, contact the credit reporting agency to dispute all inaccurate items.
  2. Place a Fraud Alert or Freeze on Your Credit Reports.  You can find out more information from the Federal Trade Commission about fraud alerts and freezing your credit files. To place a fraud alert or freeze on your credit files, contact the three credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian, TransUnion.  
  3. Close Accounts. Close any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.  
  4. File a Police Report. File an “identity theft” police report and ask for a copy for your records. Find your local policy agency.
  5. File a Complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. Click here to be directed to the complaint page of the Federal Trade Commission.  

Want More Info?  

Identity theft is a complex issue facing consumers all over the country. Find out more about identity theft by visiting identitytheft.gov, the Federal Trade Commission’s identity theft help and information site.  

Navigating the identity theft recovery process can be overwhelming.  Vermonters with questions about the process can call the Consumer Assistance Program at 1-800-649-2424 or the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-438-4338. 

Resources:

Federal Trade Commission and IdentityTheft.gov

Protect your Money from Scammers!

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Unfortunately, many scam encounters result in monetary loss in Vermont. In 2020, 249 Vermonters lost approximately $1.5 million to scammers. The most common scams associated with monetary loss were imposter scams (scammers posing as friends, family members, or romantic interests) and online classified listing scams (scams perpetrated on sites such as Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace). Scammers ask their victims to send money using a variety of methods, including gift card transactions, peer-to-peer payments apps like Venmo or CashApp, wire transfers, and cash or checks in the mail.  

Here are 5 things you can do to avoid experiencing a scam with monetary loss: 

  1. Don’t send money to someone you don’t know. This may sound simple, but it’s an important tip to remember. Take it slow. Scammers will pressure you to act quickly or face serious consequences. Do not provide unsolicited callers with your credit card or bank account numbers. If you are asked to send money via gift cards, wire transfer, cash in the mail, or peer-to-peer payment apps, it’s a scam.  
  1. Gift cards are for gifts and should be treated like cash. If you are asked to provide payment over the phone or via email using gift cards, it’s a scam. Typically, the scammer will ask you to purchase gift cards at a local grocery store or pharmacy, asking that you provide the numbers on the back of the card. In 2020, Vermonters lost approximately $128,000 to gift card scams (as reported to CAP). For more information about gift card scams, visit our Gift Card Scams blog post. 
  1. If it’s too good to be true, it’s not true. Scammers who perpetrate “free money” scams promise cash prizes, cars, and even grant funding in exchange for payment up front. Free money is always free. If you are asked to pay fees to receive a prize or grant, it’s a scam. 
  1. Scammers know exactly what to say. To get your money, scammers will often feed their victims  lines to use with bank clerks or cashiers in order to push through unusually large withdrawals, transfers, and purchases. They may ask you to say that the money is for a family member or a significant purchase to avoid suspicion from bankers and retailers.  
  1. Do not share personal or financial information with unverified contacts. Legitimate organizations and businesses will not call, email, or text you for your sensitive personal information. Scammers may claim there has been fraud and you need to verify your information – don’t take the bait. End communication with them and contact the associated business or organization using verified contact information.  

BONUS TIP: Look out for the scams below, which were associated with 95 of the 249 scam with loss reports we received in 2020: 

Imposter Scams / Phony Relationship Scams 

The scam: There is a wide variety of phony relationship scams. Sometimes, the scammer pretends to be someone you know, like a love interest, friend, relative, or even a religious leader. They typically reach out to you online or on the phone, claiming to need money.  

How to spot the scam: They ask you to send money immediately, often in the form of wire transfers or gift cards. If you met the person online, but they refuse to video-chat or talk on the phone.  

What to do: If they claim to be someone you know, call the person using a verified phone number. If you receive a suspicious email, be sure to double-check the email address. If you’re feeling suspicious, get the real story and talk to someone you trust. Cut off communication with the scammer. If you receive an email from a friend or coworker asking for money, do not send money. Be sure to call that person directly—it’s most likely a scam. 

Online Classified Listing Scams 

The scam: Sometimes the scammer responds to a seller post, overpays with a check, and asks for the remainder to be wired back. Sometimes the post is for a fictitious rental property and the scammer is looking for the deposit and first month’s rent to be sent immediately. Scams even happen when you are looking for that perfect puppy or pet to expand your family, but the transport of the animal is supposedly held up at the airport or elsewhere. 

How to spot the scam: If you feel suspicious, stop the sale or purchase. The scammer may ask you to wire them money, send a bank transfer, or pay using gift cards. They may not want to talk on the phone or meet in person. Remember, you should not provide a rental deposit before signing the lease or contract in-person. 

What to do: Complete your transactions in cash and preferably in-person. If they refuse to meet in-person or talk on the phone, ignore them and end communication. 

For more information about avoiding monetary loss and fraud, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website:  

Have you experienced monetary loss due to a scam? Report it to CAP:

Call (800) 649-2424 OR Complete the Vermont Attorney General’s scam reporting form. 

Contributing Writer: Madison Braz

Content Editor: Crystal Baldwin

Puppy Love

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By Crystal Baldwin 

Nothing quite beats puppy snuggles to lift spirits and brighten moods. Though I speak now mostly from personal experience as the owner of a sweet cuddly chihuahua, Bobby, my sweeping generalization is based in fact. Loving on animals induces the cuddle chemical, oxytocin, giving the body a calming feel-good rush. Who couldn’t use a bit of pick-me-up right now?  

Lap dog Bobby snuggling

I know I’ve been cuddling with my dog more. I feel lucky to have him and to have purchased him as a purebred puppy for the discount price of $225 from a legitimate breeder in Kentucky when I lived there. $225 was a steal for my companion. In retrospect, I would have paid much more for him and the joy he has brought my life. And realistically, I know many Vermonters do. They spend hours searching for the perfect pet to expand their family and when found, spare no expense to bring them home. 

Sadly, scammers know this. They’ve devised skilled, deceitful plans to connect you with fake puppy companions, take your money, and give you nothing in return—except, perhaps, a broken heart. These scammers are mostly lurking in indiscreet corners of the internet, posting poached photos of someone else’s pets, claiming they are for sale and that they’ll ship them to you. Sometimes they’ll claim you can get the pet for the unbelievable price I paid, $225 or less. Sometimes they claim the pet is free but you must pay shipment fees or for medical complications that arose. Drawn by the plethora of adorable photos and the anticipation to snuggle your cutie, you send the money. The website looks legitimate and with all those photos, you never consider that this pup-for-sale is part of an intricately woven tale of fiction.    

Puppy Love image warns: Don't get scammed by Puppy Love. Find out more about online pet listing scams on the CAP blog: blog.uvm.edu/cap

What are you to do then? News sources have reported more people are purchasing furry friends during the pandemic. While we’re tethered to our homes, online buying seems to make the most sense.  What we’ve seen at the Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) through scam reports, however, is that when consumers purchase from online puppy sellers sight unseen, even from supposed Vermont businesses, folks are sending money and not getting a pet as promised.   

The simplest way to avoid online puppy scams is to commit to “pet the pet” before turning over any money. If you don’t have the lovable furry friend in hand: 

  • Don’t wire transfer money 
  • Don’t give the seller gift card information  
  • Don’t send a peer-to-peer payment (Venmo, PayPal Friends/Family, Zelle) 
  • Don’t mail cash, money orders, or/checks 
  • Don’t give out automatic debit information of your bank account or read off a check number 
  • Don’t provide a credit or debit card number 
  • Don’t give the seller remote access to your computer 
  • Don’t secure the pet purchase by providing copies of your license or Social Security card. 

I wish I had a better solution for you. I wish there was a magical website that connected each person to their pet family member. I wish I knew of a place in Vermont, or New England for that matter, where a person could buy a purebred puppy for as little as $225, like I did—believe me, I consider myself lucky. I am sad to say that I don’t. Absent this magical website, the best thing you can do is connect with people in your network and ask where they got their dogs. If your friends are like my friends, you will likely be referred to the Humane Society (Addison County Humane Society, Central Vermont Humane Society, Humane Society of Chittenden County, Franklin County Humane Society, Rutland County Humane Society, Springfield Humane Society, Windham County Humane Society). 

Want to learn more about scams and scam prevention? 

For more information about common scams and scams on the rise, we encourage you to utilize the following resources:  

CAP Connection: Consumer Assistance Program Blog  

Common Scams in Vermont  

Federal Trade Commission Scam Alerts  

If you would like to help stop scams, consider being a CAP Cares Ally, by getting scam alerts and notices from our office and committing to sharing scam information with those in your community.  

Get alerts from our office:  

To receive scam alerts about scams on the rise in Vermont by phone call, text, or email, use the following link to sign up for Scam Alerts:  https://ago.vermont.gov/scam-alerts-signup-form/. Need assistance signing up? Call the Consumer Assistance Program at 800-649-2424. We can help you sign up and we can assist if you have questions, concerns, or need help determining if you have been a victim of a scam.  

Internet Scams to Avoid

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By Crystal Baldwin 

This time last year, I had no idea my whole life would be online—work, exercise, shopping excursions, and more.  Now that pretty much every facet of my life, and likely yours too, involves the internet, we must be on the lookout for new and developing scams to prevent ourselves and our friends and loved ones from being scammed.   

Common scam signs are unverified requests for personal information and money, whether requested through gift card, wire transfer, cash, peer-to-peer payment, postal money order, or check. 

The following are some anticipated internet scams to avoid: 
 
CEO/boss and business/organization personnel imposter scams:  Business personnel working remotely, in distracting environments and away from regular exchange with colleagues, may receive urgent messages from someone purporting to be their boss or colleague ordering funds to be transferred. 

  • Spot the Scam:  Scammers create an email address like your colleague’s and assign the name of the email account holder to be the person’s name. 
  • How they trick us:  It is easy to miss that the details of the email address have changed, particularly when operating on mobile devices, which often only display the email sender’s name.  
  • Scam Prevention:  In business operations, put into place verification checks.  Ensure one check includes verifying requests directly with the sender through a phone call or video chat.  Also, require a third party to be involved, such as another colleague

Job and work-at-home offers and business opportunity scams:  These involve enticing offers to make a lot of money in exchange for performing simple tasks and transmitting money.  

  • Spot the Scam:  Commonalities among all such scams offer work that is too good to be true, ask for payment or your personal information at some point, and refuse to communicate with you by video chat on your terms. 
  • How they trick us:  These scams can hide in plain sight, often posting in known online listings, like LinkedIn and Indeed, and even post listings under known business names.
  • Scam Prevention:  Standard application and onboarding procedures apply to home-based jobs as onsite positions:  You never provide your personal information up front. You never have to give money to your employer.  For business opportunities, the FTC prohibits the exchange of payment prior to the issuance of very specific disclosures.  

Friend-in-need and fake crowdfunding scams:  We have heard reports of Vermonters responding to emailed and messaged requests for help for various needs, such as to support missions and charitable causes, some scammers even claim to be the pastor of a congregation.  The scam pulls us in as we strive for connection and community through this time of isolation. We want to be helpful but can’t volunteer in the personal ways we used. 

  • Spot the Scam:  The message comes as a surprise and you can’t reach your friend through other methods, such as by phone, except the digital way in which you received the message.   
  • How they trick us:  We are convinced that the communication is actually coming from our friend and we do not know that their account was likely hacked or a fake account was created to solicit you.  
  • Scam Prevention:  Take steps to verify, even if the solicitor requests you not to tell others. A phone call to the person directly or another who is aware of the person’s whereabouts is key here.   

Fake news and affiliated endorsement of cure-all products:  Scammers will take advantage of consumers accessing news online and claim to have exclusive cures and vaccines.    

  • Spot the Scam:  The news popped up in a social media feed, in an email, or in a news alert with a media name you did not recognize. The information is not verified in other reputable news sources, or through a known health organization.   
  • How they trick us:  The alerts and ads use compelling stories and scare tactics that trigger us to respond emotionally, rather than rationally, to false promises.   
  • Scam Prevention:  Regularly check-in with trusted websites, such as the CDC and Vermont Department of Health for updates on the status of the virus and how it is being treated.  

Fake charities:  As is common with disaster and crisis scams, consumers can expect fake charity scams to prey on their generosity to help others in need.  They will most definitely occur online but may also occur by phone.      

  • Spot the Scam:  Unsolicited requests for donations by a charity you have never heard of and cannot verify.   
  • How they trick us:  They take advantage of our desire to help others and the sense of urgency to respond.   
  • Scam Prevention:  Verify the charity by using websites like Charity Navigator and the BBB’s Giving Wise Alliance.  Always request solicitations in written form to give you time to do your research and consider the ask. Give to known charities and assign designation to specific causes. 

This is not a comprehensive list of the scams that may be encountered online.  New scams will develop, and when they do, we ask that you share the information with your community as well as with the Consumer Assistance Program at ago.cap@vermont.gov . 

Help us stop these scams by sharing this information with those you care about. Get notified about the latest scams: Sign up for VT Scam Alert System alerts. 

Staying Warm This Winter

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By Crystal Baldwin

Heat is a precious commodity.  This was an easy lesson to learn when growing up in Vermont.  At my house, once the thermostat was set at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, when the front door opened, you’d hear my dad call down the hall, “Close the door, you’re letting all the heat out!”  Much of the time, the door would have long been closed.  But, that did not keep the puff of cold air that entered from lingering.   

The cost of heat motivated my dad to be conscious about conserving it.  My siblings and I did our best to do just that.  We learned to bundle up in sweaters and long underwear to keep the chill off.  There were never too many blankets at bedtime. I am thankful that I never felt too cold or too uncomfortable from the cold—except maybe when shoveling during a Nor’easter.  This winter, my personal hope is that every Vermonter will be warm and will know how to gain access to heat.   

Resources in VT to stay warm. Find help now.

If you or someone you know is having trouble affording heat this winter, I encourage you to seek out programs that can assist:  

•     Vermont’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program known as Fuel Assistance and Crisis Fuel can help those who qualify for the program.  Vermonters seeking assistance can call 1-800-479-6151 or connect with their local Department of Children and Families or Community Action Agency.

•     Community Action Agencies provide additional support through their WARMTH Program, a heating assistance program supported by private donations.   

•     Also, check with your fuel dealer. The Vermont Fuel Dealers Association has the “Split the Ticket Fund” that delivers free heating fuel to individuals through donations from fuel dealers, local businesses, organizations, and private donors. 

•     The United Ways of Vermont information and referral hotline, 2-1-1 can connect you to additional regional resources. 

If you would like more information, watch the following video.  The Consumer Assistance Program’s Assistant Director, Lisa Jensen, was recently on Across the Fence with the Director of Chittenden Community Action, Travis Poulin, discussing this important topic.   

Across The Fence Program: Keeping Warm-Know Your Rights & Community Resources

May you and yours be warm this winter.  If you find that you are not warm, please seek out the assistance outlined above.  If you are warm this winter, consider spreading warmth by checking in on neighbors with a wave or a phone call, or consider a gift of warmth to support a heating assistance program. You’ll be glad you did.    

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