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

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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.  

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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.

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A Free Public Service

December 16, 2024

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

During the holidays, adding a dog, cat, or other adorable animal to the family is top of mind for many, and scammers know it. While there are lots of fur babies waiting for their forever home, scammers try to take advantage of the situation by posting fake ads for pets — all designed to take your money and leave you in the doghouse. Here’s what to know.

Scammers are posting ads (particularly for puppies), pretending these precious pooches are for sale. You might see these ads online or on streetcorners — sometimes advertising purebred puppies for a few hundred dollars when they often cost thousands — pushing you to act fast before they’ve gone to other homes. The scammer hopes the irresistibly cute puppy picture they posted will be enough to draw you in, and they’ll insist you pay for it up front. But if you pay, not only will you never see that puppy (who might not even exist), but you might also never see that money again.

If you’re thinking of getting a furry friend for yourself or a loved one:

• Do some research. Search online for the name of the seller or business and words like “review,” “scam,” or “complaint.” See what others are saying.
• Watch how you’re asked to pay. Only scammers say you must pay with gift cards, a payment app, cryptocurrency, or a wire transfer service like Western Union or MoneyGram since it’s hard to get your money back. Find out what to do if you sent money to a scammer.
• Consider a local rescue or animal shelter. Animals of all breeds and ages are waiting to be adopted. An online search will point you to them, where you’ll be able to adopt for a small fee.

If you spot one of these scams, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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A Free Public Service

December 10, 2024

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

REFUNDS FOR FORTNITE UNWANTED ITEMS

Attribution: US FTC.gov  

Avoid scams related to the FORTNITE refunds program.

The FTC is sending out over 600,000 payments worth $72 million to Fortnite gamers charged for unwanted items.

If you submitted a valid claim by October 8, 2024, you’ll get the payment via the method you requested. If you get a check, cash it within 90 days. If you get a PayPal payment, accept it within 30 days. You don’t need to do anything else to get your payment.

If you submitted a claim after October 8, 2024, the FTC will review your claim. You don’t need to do anything else.

If you think you’re eligible for a refund and haven’t already submitted a claim, go to ftc.gov/Fortnite to learn if you’re eligible and how to apply. All claims are due by Friday, January 10, 2025.

The FTC will never ask you to pay money to file a claim. If you get an email or text message that tells you to click a link or pay to get your refund, it’s a scam. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Get more information about the FTC’s Fortnite refunds program at ftc.gov/Fortnite.

If you submitted a claim after October 8, 2024, the FTC will review your claim. You don’t need to do anything else.

If you think you’re eligible for a refund and haven’t already submitted a claim, go to ftc.gov/Fortnite to learn if you’re eligible and how to apply. All claims are due by Friday, January 10, 2025.

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A Free Public Service

December 9, 2024

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

Maybe you’re pre-planning a funeral for yourself or a loved one and decide to get some pricing information by calling a few funeral providers. Or you need to make urgent arrangements for a loved one who passed away in another state. When you’re making funeral arrangements, you have a right to get funeral pricing information over the phone.

A new FTC staff report about funeral providers’ practices revealed that it can often be hard to get clear and accurate price information over the phone. FTC staff made calls to funerals homes at all times of day. They were unable to get funeral price information by phone from some providers. For others, staff had to make several calls, especially after hours.

When FTC staff did get price information by phone, some providers gave different prices for the same services on different calls. Others gave out estimated prices or price ranges, instead of specific prices. And some didn’t disclose required third-party fees or government fees unless asked.

The Funeral Rule gives you the right to get accurate information over the phone. If you’re researching funeral costs by phone

• Ask the funeral provider what types of services they offer, how much these services cost and what’s included in the price. If they offer a package of goods and services, ask about itemized prices. They must let you buy only the services you want and need.
• Ask if there will be other costs. For example, fees to transport the body, get required permits or death certificates, or place obituary notices.

If a funeral provider won’t give you accurate price information over the phone, try calling another provider. To learn more, check out Shopping for Funeral Services by Phone or Online.

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A Free Public Service

November 25, 2024

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

FUNERAL  PRICES INFO SCAM

Attribution: US FTC.gov

Maybe you’re pre-planning a funeral for yourself or a loved one and decide to get some pricing information by calling a few funeral providers. Or you need to make urgent arrangements for a loved one who passed away in another state. When you’re making funeral arrangements, you have a right to get funeral pricing information over the phone.

A new FTC staff report about funeral providers’ practices revealed that it can often be hard to get clear and accurate price information over the phone. FTC staff made calls to funerals homes at all times of day. They were unable to get funeral price information by phone from some providers. For others, staff had to make several calls, especially after hours.

When FTC staff did get price information by phone, some providers gave different prices for the same services on different calls. Others gave out estimated prices or price ranges, instead of specific prices. And some didn’t disclose required third-party fees or gov.

If a funeral provider won’t give you accurate price information over the phone, try calling another provider. To learn more, check out Shopping for Funeral Services by Phone or Online.

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A Free Public Service

November 18, 2024

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

MEDICARE COVERAGE SCAMS  

Attribution: US FTC.gov

Looking to make changes to your US-Medicare coverage? Now’s the time:

Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period started October 15 and goes until December 7. But as you compare your coverage options, keep an eye out for scammers — they know about Open Enrollment, too.

Scammers often pretend to be from Medicare, or connected to Medicare, to try to steal your money or personal information. They might contact you and say they need your Medicare, bank account, or credit card number for your “new” Medicare card. That’s a scam — Medicare sends its cards to you automatically for free.

Scammers might also say they need your Medicare number for a “medical equipment claim” you don’t remember making. That’s a scam, too. They want to file fake claims using your Medicare number.

Don’t give personal information to someone who contacts you unexpectedly and claims to be from Medicare. Medicare will never unexpectedly call, email, text, or message you on social media to ask for your Medicare, Social Security, or bank account numbers. They also won’t try to sell you anything or tell you to pay for your Medicare card. That’s always a scam.

Don’t trust your caller ID. Your caller ID might show Medicare’s name or phone number. But caller ID can be faked. It could be anyone calling from anywhere in the world. If you think a call might be real, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to check.

Report Medicare impersonators and other Medicare scams at 1-800-MEDICARE

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A Free Public Service

November 12, 2024

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

VETERANS DAY SCAMS

Attribution; US FTC.gov

Every November, scammers put out social media posts to honor family and friends who’ve served in the military. But did you know that servicemembers and veterans reported losing more than $350 million to fraud last year? Chances are, fraud has happened to someone you know. This year, make sure your Veterans Day tribute includes ways to help veterans, servicemembers, and military families spot scammers.

When you talk about scams you’re seeing, you help veterans spot and avoid them too. So, tell your neighbor if you’ve heard about scammers who call claiming to help veterans file for benefits — but they’re really trying to steal their personal information or military benefits. Let grandpa know about a scam call you got that sounded real and said there’s something supposedly wrong, like unauthorized charges, with your bank account. You knew it was a scam because the caller told you to withdraw cash and deposit it into a specific Bitcoin ATM to protect it (big red flag!), so help your family members spot that scam. Offer to help your newly enlisted cousin sign up for free active-duty credit monitoring to restrict access to their credit report and protect against identity theft.

Once the conversation gets going, let them know you’re there to help. Share advice and resources to help them spot scams — and to know what to do if they were scammed.  Here are three resources to get you started:

MilitaryConsumer.gov/blog gives you the latest on scams. Subscribe to get updates sent straight to your inbox.

VSAFE.gov combines federal resources to help veterans learn about many different fraud types and how to handle them — from car-buying to housing to military and veteran benefits.

The National Veterans Financial Resource Center (FINVET) knows that financial well-being is linked to better mental health. Check out their tools to protect your money.

If you or someone you care about spots a scam, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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A Free Public Service

November 6, 2024

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

PAYDAY LOAN

Attribution: US ftc.gov

With the holiday season approaching, you might be looking for extra funds to cover things like gifts and trips. But if you’re planning to borrow the money, make sure a payday loan isn’t your first — or only — choice. Sure, you might get the money fast, but the added fees and interest could make the payback really slow — or nearly impossible.

Payday loans offer quick cash for a fee to borrow the money for a short time. You walk out with the money you needed and a plan to pay it back in a few weeks. Easy, right? Not exactly. Watch this video to find out how payday loans work and why paying them back isn’t always as simple as it sounds:

The cost of taking out a payday loan racks up fast. The fees and interest alone could be in the triple digits. And if you can’t pay the loan back right away (which happens often), you might need to do a rollover — or pay extra fees to extend the loan. In the end, you’ll still owe the original loan amount and fees plus the new ones, too.

Before you get a payday loan, ask yourself: Are there any less expensive (and less risky) options to get the money? Maybe you ask for more time to pay your bills or see if you can borrow it from family or friends. Credit unions typically offer loans with lower interest rates than banks or other lenders. Check to see if a personal loan or “payday alternative loan” is a better choice. No matter what choice you make, make sure you know the real cost of any loan before you sign, and learn more about payday lending.

If you think a payday lender has been dishonest, report it to your state attorney general and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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