A Free Public Service

January 30, 2025

UTILITY BILL SCAMS

Attribution: scambusters.org

Since most of us rely on utility companies for one or more services, it’s no surprise that crooks use them to pull off a number of different utility scams.

Overdue bill threats and phony financial aid offers are among the most common utility scams.

Although most of their con tricks have been around for years, scammers still know how to make them seem convincing, and they’re still responsible for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars, probably millions, from us every year.

Some scammers steal power from utilities of heat, water and more providers — but some crooks rely mainly with their dirty work mostly on cheating via utility scams.

By far the most common utility scam at the moment is the bogus threat to disconnect your power supply because you’re supposedly late with your bill payment.

Legitimate utility firms simply don’t operate this way. They don’t cut you off without writing several times and then providing written notice of disconnection.

The crooks usually say your power will be cut within a matter of hours unless you send a wire payment — causing victims to panic into paying, even though they know they’re up to date.

Sometimes, the scammers supply another phone number you’re supposed to call, and give you a reference number to use before paying by credit card. So, if you get a call like this it’s 100% a scam. Hang up. But if you feel uneasy about it, call the utility company using the number you’ll find on your latest bill.

Also, report to US FTC.gov

                                                     #

A Free Public Service

January 16, 2025

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo, CA, USA.

THEFT AWARENESS WEEK  

Attribution: US FTC.gov

Are you interested in learning more about how to protect yourself from identity theft?

Check out Identity Theft Awareness Week. During the week, the FTC and its partners will host free webinars and other events to talk about how to spot, avoid, report, and recover from identity theft. Mark your calendars. Identity Theft Awareness Week starts Monday, January 27!

Identity theft can happen to anyone and can take many forms. Someone could open a credit card or utility account in your name, or use your information to get a loan, a job, or medical care. They might even file taxes in your name to get your refund.

Identity Theft Awareness Week is an excellent opportunity to learn and talk about identity theft to help protect yourself, your family, and your friends. Here are some ways you can participate in and support your community during Identity Theft Awareness Week:

Visit the Identity Theft Awareness Week 2025 website to find out about scheduled events you can participate in. Get information in multiple languages about how to spot, avoid, and report identity theft at ftc.gov/languages and share it in your community.

Watch and share videos on social media in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Korean.

Share images before and during Identity Theft Awareness Week on your social media to help gather support and attention.

Order publications, including bookmarks and one-page flyers, and share them with people you know or place them at places of worship and libraries where people can find them. Keep an eye out for updates on the Identity Theft Awareness Week events at ftc.gov/IDTheftWeek! Whether you’re chatting with friends and family, posting on social media, or speaking at a community group meeting, talking about identity theft can help protect you and your community.  

                                                                          #

A Free Public Service

January 11, 2025

SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California, USA.

GIG WORK GUESSWORK

Attribution: FTC.gov

Are you thinking about becoming a gig worker? Here’s how to evaluate the opportunity:

The US Federal Trade Commission says Handy’s ads displayed an inflated hourly rate that most people weren’t likely to make. Other ads claimed you could get paid right away but didn’t disclose a fee would be deducted to expedite payments. Handy, now owned by Angi Services, also charged gig workers fines for incomplete jobs if a customer didn’t properly cancel or let them do the work. The FTC says Handy failed to clearly explain how gig workers could avoid those fines.

To Do:

*Research the company online. Read about how it pays workers and any other conditions of the job. Understand any charges or penalties that may be deducted from your pay and how to avoid them.

*Consult with other gig workers. Ask them about their experiences, income, and expenses.

*Check earning claims. Find out if you’ll be paid hourly or by gig.

*Get a breakdown of your earnings when you’re on the job to see if you’re getting paid what they promised.

Do you suspect a company is not delivering on its hourly earnings promises or unfairly deducting money from your pay? Tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

                                                          #