In this week’s installment of This Week in Scams, we see on the more heinous cons has reared itself again – an email that targets those who has already been victimized. An email, from test@islacad.org, claims to be from the “IC3.org-Internet Crime Complaint Center.” Although the email assures the recipient it will reimburse them for losses experienced in the a previous scam, it is actually an attempt to seek...
A car dealership is being accused of installing GPS tracking devices in vehicles without buyer knowledge that were used to find and repossess cars — even some that weren’t behind on payments. The Florida Attorney General’s office is suing Beach Boulevard Automotive in Jacksonville, Fla., on a variety of counts of consumer deception including: Requiring buyers to purchase several types of insurance as a condition of the sale, insisting...
A woman who was accused of scamming 8,000 people who were led to believe that were eligible for federal grants, was ordered by a federal judge to pay $1.7 million to the victims. The Federal Trade Commission, in conjunction with the attorneys general of Kansas, North Carolina, Minnesota, and Illinois sued Meggie Chapman, who ran the Grant Writers scam. Chapman was responsible for running the call centers that were...
When it comes to air duct cleaning, beware the hype. It often overtakes what little science there is, one state’s attorney general warns. Sales pitches typically feature some scary picture of what your air duct could look like if it’s dirty. Then there’s an offer of a big savings. But what are you really getting? Not much, according to Ohio’s attorney general. “Duct cleaning has never been shown to...
An old scam is making a strong comeback this month. The Better Business Bureau is warning that secret shopper offers are reappearing. Citing at least two new reports of the scam, the Bureau is cautioning consumers to steer clear of employment pitches that purport to set up recipients a secret shoppers, but that first require the victim to wire part of a large check to some other place, supposedly...
The Federal Trade Commission ordered a pair of smartphone-application marketers to stop advertising that their software can treat acne. In a pair of settlements, two companies have agreed to stop marketing their apps under those claims. “Smartphones make our lives easier in countless ways, but unfortunately when it comes to curing acne, there’s no app for that,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz said. Mobile applications AcneApp and Acne Pwner are the...
The FBI is warning consumers of online scam artists who claim to sell bargain-rate cars but end up exploiting consumers in need of quick, cheap wheels — sometimes using the guise of legitimate Internet channels. Shopping for a car can be scary enough — what with lemons, crafty sales reps, and everyone you know telling you the best make and model to buy — but these scam artists make...
Job seekers looking for exposure to that next potential employer are finding exposure of an entirely different kind via online searches. Scammers are making hay out of the newest wave of personal information that’s flooding job boards, and the Better Business Bureaus has issued a fresh warning to would-be online applicants. “Before posting your resume to a career site or inquiring about a job, make sure you know with...
Double-check your credit card statements. Mysterious charges have been appearing on consumers’ bills from a supposedly Colorado-based company. Rushaction.co rated a warning from the Better Business Bureau, which has cataloged at least 20 complaints of these charges, which tend to be below $10. It’s a trick that has been used before. Dale Mingilton, president and CEO of the Boulder/Denver area, claims that “because the charges that consumers are incurring...
The grandparents scam is alive and kicking. While it might seem hard to imagine that everyone hasn’t heard about this phone-based scheme already, new victims are reporting the crime daily. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine recently blogged a new warning about grandparent-scamming phoners who, in some cases, are taking the unsuspecting for more than $10,000 a piece. As it turns out, the calls are still succeeding around the country...
