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Federal Trade Commission

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Scammers Posing As Well-Known Businesses, Agencies: Here's What To Know, Feds Say Scammers Posing As Well-Known Businesses, Agencies: Here's What To Know, Feds Say
Scammers Posing As Well-Known Businesses, Agencies: Here's What To Know, Feds Say Federal authorities are sounding the alarm over scams that impersonate well-known businesses and government agencies.  In 2023, data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alone show more than 330,000 reports of business impersonation scams and nearly 160,000 reports of government impersonation scams. That amounts to nearly half the frauds reported directly to the agency, the FTC said. Combined, reported losses to these impersonation scams topped $1.1 billion for the year, more than three times what consumers reported in 2020. Reports show an increasingly blurred line between busine…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
CT Dealership Accused Of Deceiving Customers, Charging 'Junk Fees': Attorney General CT Dealership Accused Of Deceiving Customers, Charging 'Junk Fees': Attorney General
CT Dealership Accused Of Deceiving Customers, Charging 'Junk Fees': Attorney General A car dealership in Connecticut is being accused of deceiving customers about the prices of its used cars and charging "junk fees" without consumers' consent, officials announced. These accusations were part of a complaint filed in US District Court against Hartford County auto dealer Manchester City Nissan by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and the Federal Trade Commission, Tong's office announced on Thursday, Jan. 4.  The complaint alleges that the dealership, located in Manchester at 30 Tolland Turnpike (Route 83), would often lie to customers about the prices of…

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by Ben Crnic
News
Police Issue Alert For Circulating Bitcoin Scam In Fairfield County Police Issue Alert For Circulating Bitcoin Scam In Fairfield County
Police Issue Alert For Circulating Bitcoin Scam In Fairfield County Police in Fairfield County are warning residents against the latest scam, this one involving Bitcoin. Fairfield Police Chief Robert Kalamaras said they learned of the latest scam when a resident alerted the department on Tuesday, Nov. 22 that they had sent $7,000 in Bitcoin currency to an unknown account prior to realizing it was a scam. The resident told officers she had received a call from an unknown male claiming to work for the fraud department of an online retailer. He told her that fraud was detected on her account and informed her that she would have to transfer her money to a Bitco…

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by Kathy Reakes
Police & Fire
Don't Fall For Them: Alert Issued For Student Loan Forgiveness Scams Don't Fall For Them: Alert Issued For Student Loan Forgiveness Scams
Don't Fall For Them: Alert Issued For Student Loan Forgiveness Scams Days after President Biden announced a sweeping plan to forgive thousands of dollars in federal student loans, authorities are warning of scammers preying on those with student debt. Several police agencies around the country are urging people to be on the lookout for “red flags” that may indicate a would-be scammer. Among them are promises to get student borrowers even more money, or claims they can get a borrower their money faster, police said. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) put out a statement telling student loan borrowers they don’t need to do anything or pay anybody to sign up f…

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by Michael Mashburn
Business
Scam Alert: Phishing Text Messages On Rise, New Report Says Scam Alert: Phishing Text Messages On Rise, New Report Says
Scam Alert: Phishing Text Messages On Rise, New Report Says Cybersecurity experts have reported an increase in phishing scam text messages, according to a new report from CNET. Josh Yavor, the chief information security officer at cybersecurity company Tessian, told the news outlet he has seen a recent increase in scammers using text messages for phishing, where they attempt to steal peoples' personal information by pretending to be reputable organizations. CNET also said a report from enterprise security company Proofpoint found that incidents SMS phishing increased by 24 percent in the United States last year. The Federal Trade Commission reporte…

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by Nicole Valinote
News
COVID-19: Feds Aim To Stop Deceptive Marketing Of Tea Product Advertised As Virus Treatment COVID-19: Feds Aim To Stop Deceptive Marketing Of Tea Product Advertised As Virus Treatment
Covid-19: Feds Aim To Stop Deceptive Marketing Of Tea Product Advertised As Virus Treatment Federal officials are seeking civil penalties after a tea company allegedly advertised that its product could prevent or treat COVID-19. B4B Earth Tea LLC, B4B Corp., and Andrew Martin Sinclair are accused of violating the COVID-19 Consumer Protection Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, according to an announcement on Thursday, March 3, from the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. The defendants reportedly advertised that the herbal tea product, Earth Tea, could prevent or treat COVID-19, according to a crimi…

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by Nicole Valinote
Police & Fire
New Alert For Scams Issued By Police In Fairfield County New Alert For Scams Issued By Police In Fairfield County
New Alert For Scams Issued By Police In Fairfield County It seems that every day a new scam is hitting the internet, and members of the Fairfield Police Department are offering tips on how to avoid becoming a victim. Many of the scams are common, but people still fall for them, Town of Fairfield Police Chief Robert Kalamaras said. Some common-sense reminders offered by the department include never give out personal or financial information to a person they do not know or whose identity cannot be verified. That includes Social Security numbers or credit card numbers.  Recently, Fairfield Police received a report regarding an elaborate scam t…

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by Kathy Reakes
Business
Amazon 'Gig' Drivers Win $61 Million Settlement On Tip-Stealing Complaints Amazon 'Gig' Drivers Win $61 Million Settlement On Tip-Stealing Complaints
Amazon 'Gig' Drivers Win $61 Million Settlement On Tip-Stealing Complaints Amazon has settled accusations that it stole millions of dollars in tips from Amazon Flex Delivery “gig” drivers. Amazon settled the charges and the deal was announced by the Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday, Feb. 2. To comply with the settlement, Amazon will have to pay back $61.7 million to drivers, provide only accurate information about tips and pay to both customers and drivers, and get drivers’ consent before changing how it handles tips in the future, the FTC said. The FTC said that mega online-retailer Amazon had kept drivers’ tips for years despite numerous job ads touting th…

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by Kristin Palpini
News
COVID-19: Police In Area Issue Warning Of Vaccine Scams COVID-19: Police In Area Issue Warning Of Vaccine Scams
Covid-19: Police In Area Issue Warning Of Vaccine Scams With allocations of the COVID-19 vaccine being shipped across the country, some law enforcement agencies are warning of schemers looking to take advantage of vulnerable residents during the pandemic. The Scarsdale Police Department was the latest to issue an alert advising of schemers who have been using the announcement of a COVID-19 vaccine to obtain personal identifying information or cash during scams. Scarsdale Police Chief Andrew Matturo said you may be in the midst of a COVID-19-related scam if: You receive a telephone call, text message, email, or computer pop-up that you did not …

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by Zak Failla
Business
COVID-19: Alert Issued For Callers Posing As Contact Tracers To Get Credit, Bank Account Info COVID-19: Alert Issued For Callers Posing As Contact Tracers To Get Credit, Bank Account Info
Covid-19: Alert Issued For Callers Posing As Contact Tracers To Get Credit, Bank Account Info Don’t fall for it. Fraudsters have been making the rounds, looking to take advantage of the COVID-19 crisis, posing as contact tracers seeking personal information from suspect victims amid the pandemic. Since the outbreak began six months ago, contact tracing has become a vital tool as health officials seek to identify positive COVID-19 cases, tracing back to the people they’ve been in contact with and isolating them to help curtail the spread of the virus. Recently, some state and federal officials issued a warning that some scammers have been posing as contact tracers, using that faux i…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Alert Issued For Package Text Message Scam Alert Issued For Package Text Message Scam
Alert Issued For Package Text Message Scam A new text messaging scam involving mailed packages that allow fraudsters to gain access to personal information has been making the rounds across the country, federal officials warn. The Federal Trade Commission is among the agencies that have issued an alert after consumers made numerous complaints after receiving a text message saying that a package pending, telling the user to click a link to set up delivery for the item. Once the link is clicked, users will be instructed to provide personal identifying information. Scammers have posed as drivers from FedEx, USPS, UPS, and other deliver…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Alert Issued For Contact Tracer Scam COVID-19: Alert Issued For Contact Tracer Scam
Covid-19: Alert Issued For Contact Tracer Scam Fraudsters posing as contact tracers have been exploiting the COVID-19 crisis to ascertain personal information from residents in the region. Multiple reports of scammers posing as COVID-19 contact tracers have been reported since the pandemic began, prompting officials to issue an alert and provide guidance on how to avoid becoming a victim. Officials said that the imposters claim to work on behalf of local law enforcement or health departments and are required to install contact tracing software onto their victims’ computers. The scammers have threatened fines, asked for personal financi…

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by Zak Failla
News
COVID-19: Beware Of Scammers Posing As Contact Tracers, FTC Says COVID-19: Beware Of Scammers Posing As Contact Tracers, FTC Says
Covid-19: Beware Of Scammers Posing As Contact Tracers, FTC Says Some opportunistic fraudsters are taking advantage of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis by posing as contact tracers hired by the state to obtain personal information and money. Since the outbreak began, state officials have stressed the importance of ramping up COVID-19 testing, then tracing the people they’ve come into contact with, and isolating those people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “contact tracing, a core disease control measure employed by local and state health department personnel for decades, is a key strategy for preventing further spread…

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by Zak Failla
Lifestyle
COVID-19: Alert Issued For Department Of Treasury Stimulus Scams COVID-19: Alert Issued For Department Of Treasury Stimulus Scams
Covid-19: Alert Issued For Department Of Treasury Stimulus Scams As more than 80 million Americans have either already received or are awaiting economic stimulus automatic deposits in their bank accounts or checks through the mail,  the Treasury Department is warning of scams associated with the payments. "If you receive calls, emails, or other communications claiming to be from the United States Treasury Department and offering COVID-19 related grants or stimulus payments in exchange for personal financial information, or an advance fee, or charge of any kind, including the purchase of gift cards, do not respond, "the department said. The Federal T…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
FBI Warning That Hackers Can Use Smart TVs To Spy On You Prompts Call For Federal Probe FBI Warning That Hackers Can Use Smart TVs To Spy On You Prompts Call For Federal Probe
FBI Warning That Hackers Can Use Smart TVs To Spy On You Prompts Call For Federal Probe Your smart TV may “see you when you’re sleeping, and knows when you’re awake,” according to officials calling for a federal probe into security and data protection of one of the holiday season’s most popular gifts. The FBI issued a warning that smart TVs, which can connect to the internet and collect data on users, may present a potential security threat since they’re often equipped with features such as microphones and cameras. According to U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, TV manufacturers, app developers, and hackers can gain access to critical data that smart TVs collect on users, risking the ex…

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by Zak Failla
News
Scam Warning: New Alert Issued For Unsolicited Apple Phishing Calls Scam Warning: New Alert Issued For Unsolicited Apple Phishing Calls
Scam Warning: New Alert Issued For Unsolicited Apple Phishing Calls Police agencies are issuing warnings of a new Apple scam targeting iPhone users. An alert has been issued cautioning that users have been receiving phone calls from fraudsters who make the call from a spoofed number that comes across the screen as “Apple.” According to police, you’re told that your account has been compromised or some other issue exists with your iPhone, laptop or other devices. The purported remedy is to purchase gift cards, and provide the serial numbers of said gift cards to the scammer on the other end of the phone. In Westchester, a Yorktown resident recently re…

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by Zak Failla
News
Warnings Issued For Text, TV 'Smishing' Scams Warnings Issued For Text, TV 'Smishing' Scams
Warnings Issued For Text, TV 'Smishing' Scams Officials are warning of new “smishing” scams that have been making the rounds. The Federal Trade Commission issued an alert cautioning consumers of new scams that have been using text messages, not the traditional emails. One such scam involves the fraudster offering to provide major savings on television services. The scams involve the victims sending back personal information, or infecting devices with malware. According to the Better Business Bureau, this new scheme is called “smishing” which stands for SMS fishing, as opposed to “phishing,” which involves email. “We’re kind of condit…

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by Zak Failla
News
Scam Warning: New Alert Issued For Unsolicited Apple Phishing Calls Scam Warning: New Alert Issued For Unsolicited Apple Phishing Calls
Scam Warning: New Alert Issued For Unsolicited Apple Phishing Calls Police agencies are issuing warnings of a new Apple scam that has been making the rounds targeting iPhone users. A new alert has been issued cautioning that users have been receiving phone calls from fraudsters who make the call from a spoofed number that comes across the screen as “Apple.” According to police, you’re told that your account has been compromised or some other issue exists with your iPhone, laptop or other devices. The purported remedy is to purchase gift cards, and provide the serial numbers of said gift cards to the scammer on the other end of the phone. In Westchest…

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by Zak Failla
News
There's A New Spin On Gift-Card Scams, FTC Warns There's A New Spin On Gift-Card Scams, FTC Warns
There's A New Spin On Gift-Card Scams, FTC Warns The Federal Trade Commission is warning of a new spin on a well-known scam involving gift cards. You’ve probably heard the stories: a victim receives a call, email or even a text message requesting funds for a seemingly legitimate and worthy cause. The victim is asked to send gift cards or otherwise transfer money to the scammer, who then disappears without a trace. The FTC says scammers are now pretending to be religious officials - pastors, rabbis, priests or bishops - and are asking worshipers for gift card contributions. “Appeals are often made by email, but we’ve heard people are also…

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by Valerie Musson
Business
FTC/FDA Issue An Alert For Misleading Medical Ads, Claims FTC/FDA Issue An Alert For Misleading Medical Ads, Claims
FTC/FDA Issue An Alert For Misleading Medical Ads, Claims Health officials are warning consumers of misleading advertisements for products that claim to treat or prevent serious health conditions. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that they issued warning letters to certain companies. The FTC and FDA said that those companies make unfounded claims that their products can treat or cure Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions. Letters were sent to  Gold Crown Natural Products, TEK Naturals, and Pure Nootropics, LLC. They were sent out Tuesday, Feb. 5. “Unfortunately, these products o…

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by Zak Failla
News
Don't Fall For It: This Social Security Number Scam Has Cost 35K Victims $10 Million, FTC Says Don't Fall For It: This Social Security Number Scam Has Cost 35K Victims $10 Million, FTC Says
Don't Fall For It: This Social Security Number Scam Has Cost 35K Victims $10 Million, FTC Says A consumer alert has been issued about a new phone scam that has already cost tens of thousands of victims millions. Imposters pretending to be from the Social Security Administration call victims and tell a fake story about their Social Security number being compromised in an attempt to obtain personal information, according to the Federal Trade Commission.  In 2018, the scam cost 35,000 victims $10 million. “To compare: in 2017, we heard from 3,200 people about SSA imposter scams, and those people reported losing nearly $210,000,” the FTC said in a statement. Th…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Scam Alert: Calls Tell Businesses, Consumers They're Behind On Bills Scam Alert: Calls Tell Businesses, Consumers They're Behind On Bills
Scam Alert: Calls Tell Businesses, Consumers They're Behind On Bills Opportunistic fraudsters have been making the rounds in Fairfield County, posing as utility workers threatening to turn the lights off at local businesses. The Shelton Police Department issued an alert, cautioning that local businesses have recently been targeted by scammers calling and pretending to be from United Illuminating. The businesses are told that they are behind on their electric bills and that the power will be shut off immediately unless a payment is made. “It’s an old swindle with some new twists,” officials from the utility company stated. “Caller ID may show the call is comi…

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by Zak Failla
News
Scam Alert: Beware Of Card Skimming At The Gas Pump Scam Alert: Beware Of Card Skimming At The Gas Pump
Scam Alert: Beware Of Card Skimming At The Gas Pump With Thanksgiving weekend and December holiday travel coming, a new warning has been issued about skimming scams at the pump. Skimmers are illegal card readers attached to payment terminals. These card readers grab data off a credit or debit card’s magnetic stripe without your knowledge. Criminals sell the stolen data or use it to buy things online. You won’t know your information has been stolen until you get your statement or an overdraft notice. While your eyes are on the road, scammers' eyes are on your wallet. Here are a few tips from the Federal Trade Commission to help you avoid a s…

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by Joe Lombardi
Lifestyle
Police Caution of Phone Scam Involving Apple Gift Cards Police Caution of Phone Scam Involving Apple Gift Cards
Police Caution of Phone Scam Involving Apple Gift Cards Police are making the public aware involving a scammer posing as a member of the Department of Justice regarding a recent scam that is targeting local residents. The Eastchester Police Department issued an alert recently about a new phone scam making the rounds in the area, following reports from area residents who have been targeted. During the phone calls, police said that the victims were told that the caller was a representative from the Department of Justice, including a false name and badge number. Police said that the caller stated that the victim's social security number had been st…

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by Zak Failla
News
FBI Issues Alert On Imposter Scam Phone Calls FBI Issues Alert On Imposter Scam Phone Calls
FBI Issues Alert On Imposter Scam Phone Calls The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service are warning Americans to be on alert following a recent rash of phony phone calls from opportunistic fraudsters. National law enforcement agencies issued an alert warning of several recent reports of imposter scams involving individuals claiming to be U.S. marshals, court officers, or other law enforcement officials. During the calls, officials said that scammers attempt to collect a fine in lieu of arrest for failing to report for jury duty or various other offenses. They then tell victims they can avoid arrest by purchasing a prepaid debit card and read t…

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by Zak Failla
Police & Fire
Troopers Warn Of Scammers Claiming To Be From Connecticut State Police Troopers Warn Of Scammers Claiming To Be From Connecticut State Police
Troopers Warn Of Scammers Claiming To Be From Connecticut State Police FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- Scammers are claiming to be from the Connecticut State Police in order to fraudulently obtain money from unsuspecting victims. A victim recently reported that they were contacted by an unknown person, claiming to be from the state police. The caller said that the victim had written a check to the Connecticut State Police and that the check had bounced. The caller provided a "case number" and claimed that the bad check was in reference to a payday loan. The victim was informed that payment was now owed for the bounced check. Connecticut State Police are a…

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by Casey Donahue