Showing posts with label fraud. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fraud. Show all posts

Attorney General Ferguson files against tech support provider scam

Monday, December 21, 2015

Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced a lawsuit against one of the biggest independent tech support providers in the world, iYogi, and its President, Vishal Dhar, to stop a scam that uses deception and scare tactics to pressure consumers into buying unnecessary tech support services.

The lawsuit, filed in King County Superior Court, alleges iYogi’s tactics are unfair and deceptive business practices that violate Washington’s Consumer Protection Act. The lawsuit also alleges iYogi induced consumers to install unnecessary software as part of its ploy to coerce them into buying tech support services, a violation of Washington’s Computer Spyware Act.

The state seeks to stop these illegal business practices and recover money for Washington victims. The total number of Washingtonians affected will be identified during the lawsuit, but is estimated to be in the hundreds, if not thousands. The state may seek up to $2,000 in civil penalties for each violation of the Consumer Protection Act and $100,000 per violation of the Computer Spyware Act.

“Tech support scams defraud consumers and often trade on the good reputations of legitimate businesses,” said Ferguson. “This lawsuit sends a message to tech support scammers that my office will hold them accountable.”

Tech support scams are a national problem with local ramifications. According to Microsoft, an estimated 71,000 Washingtonians lose $33 million each year to these schemes. Nationwide, an estimated 3.3 million Americans suffer $1.5 billion in annual losses from tech support scams.

Brad Smith, Microsoft’s President and Chief Legal Officer said “Over the past 18 months alone, Microsoft has received more than 180,000 customer calls regarding tech support fraud. Today’s announcement is an important step toward addressing this issue, which disproportionately affects the most vulnerable segments of our society.”

According to AARP State Director Doug Shadel, tech support scams can disproportionately affect older adults.

“Despite emerging years ago, the tech support scam continues to plague consumers around the nation, generating more reports to the AARP Foundation Fraud Fighter Call Center here in Seattle (800-646-2283) than any scheme except maybe the IRS Imposter Scam,” says Shadel.

“The bottom line is that manufacturers of computers DO NOT make phone calls or send ads to individual customers about problems with their machines. The best ‘fix’ for this problem is to simply hang up or contact your service provider independently with questions.”

The Attorney General’s Office offers the following tips to avoid tech support scams:
  • Never give control of your computer to a third party unless you can confirm it is a legitimate representative from a company where you’re already a customer
  • Ask if there is a fee or subscription associated with the “service.” If there is, hang up
  • Do not provide Social Security numbers, banking, or credit card or other financial information
  • Protect personal computers with legitimate and updated security software. Victim of a tech support scam? Contact the Attorney General’s Office.

If you believe you are a victim of the iYogi scam, or any other tech support scam, file a consumer complaint with the Attorney General’s Office.

For additional Internet safety tips, advice and information visit the Attorney General's website, here.



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FBI reminds shoppers to be aware of Cyber Criminals offering scams this Holiday Season

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

From the FBI Seattle Division

The FBI reminds shoppers at the start of this holiday shopping season to beware of cyber criminals and their aggressive and creative ways to steal money and personal information.

Scammers use many techniques to defraud consumers by offering too-good-to-be-true deals via phishing e-mails advertising brand name merchandise, quick money-making offers, or gift cards as an incentive to purchase a product.

Remember, if the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is and never provide your personal information to an unknown party or untrusted website.

Scammers often use e-mail to advertise hot-ticket items of the year that may become hard to find during the holidays to lure unsuspecting consumers to click on links. Steer clear of untrusted sites or ads offering items at unrealistic discounts or with special coupons. You may end up paying for an item, giving away personal information and credit card details, and then receive nothing in return, along with your identity compromised. These sites may also be offering products at a great price, but the products being sold are not the same as the products they advertise. This is known as the bait and switch scam.

Beware of posts on social media sites that appear to offer vouchers or gift cards, especially sites offering deals too good to be true, such as a free $500 gift card. Some may pose as holiday promotions or contests. It may even appear one of your friends shared the link with you. If so, it is likely your friend was duped by the scam after it was sent to them by one of their friends. Oftentimes, these scams lead to online surveys designed to steal personal information. Remember, if the deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. And never provide your personal information to an unknown party or untrusted website.

When purchasing gift cards online, be leery of auction sites selling discounted or bulk offers of gift cards. When purchasing gift cards in the store, examine the protective scratch off area on the back of the card to see if it has been tampered with.

Be on the lookout for mobile applications designed to steal your personal information from your smartphone. Such apps are often disguised as games and are often offered for free. Research the company selling or giving away the app and look online for third party reviews before installing an app from an unknown source.

Tickets to theater, concerts, and sporting events are always popular gifts during the holidays. If you purchase or receive tickets as a gift, do not post pictures of the tickets to social media sites. Protect the barcodes on tickets as you would your credit card number. Fraudsters will create a ticket using the barcode obtained from searching around social media sites and resell the ticket. You should never allow the barcode to be seen on social media.

If you are in need of extra cash at this time of year, beware of sites and posts offering work you can do from the comfort of your own home. Often, the work from home opportunities rely on convenience as a selling point for applicants with an unscrupulous motivation behind the posting. You should carefully research the job posting and individuals or company contacting you for employment.

As a consumer, if you feel you are a victim of an Internet-related crime, you may file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Here are some additional tips you can use to avoid becoming a victim of cyber fraud:

  • Check your credit card statement routinely.
  • Protect your credit card numbers from “wandering eyes”.
  • Do not respond to unsolicited (spam) e-mail.
  • Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
  • Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders. Scan the attachments for viruses if possible.
  • Avoid filling out forms contained in e-mail messages that ask for personal information.
  • Always compare the link in the e-mail to the link you are actually directed to and determine if they actually match and lead you to a legitimate site.
  • Log on directly to the official website for the business identified in the e-mail, instead of “linking” to it from an unsolicited e-mail. If the e-mail appears to be from your bank, credit card issuer, or other company you deal with frequently, your statements or official correspondence from the business will provide the proper contact information.
  • If you are requested to act quickly or there is an emergency, it may be a scam. Fraudsters create a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly.
  • Verify any requests for personal information from any business or financial institution by contacting them using the main contact information on their official website.



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AARP Fraud Watch Network Thursday at Shoreline Library

Monday, November 16, 2015

AARP Fraud Watch Network

Identity theft, investment fraud and scams rob millions of Americans of their hard-earned money.

Last year, 13 million people were victims of identity theft alone – that is one person every 2 seconds.

The Fraud Watch Network presentation covers Fraud Trends and Behaviors, The Con Artist’s Playbook and Prevention Strategies.

Ultimately attendees will be able to safeguard against ID theft and fraud and help keep from becoming a victim of con artists.

Registration required.

Thursday, November 19, 6:30 - 8:30pm, Shoreline Library Large Meeting Room, 345 NE 175th St, Shoreline 98155.



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State Patrol warns of phone scam

Friday, November 13, 2015

Over the past 4 months, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) has received numerous phone calls from the public indicating they have been contacted by the agency soliciting donations. Based on the information received from the public, the phone calls have been from individuals attempting to scam the public for money.

The Washington State Patrol Troopers Association (WSPTA) is one of many police unions or associations contacting the public soliciting donations. The telemarketing company used by the WSPTA does not employ hard sell tactics nor will they ask for credit card numbers or personal financial information over the phone. You will never receive a call from a trooper soliciting donations.

The WSP wants to warn the public to be leery of any calls from anyone soliciting money for the agency or asking for credit card numbers or personal financial information over the phone. If you suspect it is scam, hang up and contact one of the local WSP district offices.



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Sheriff's office reports Jury Scam

Tuesday, September 29, 2015


The King County Sheriff's Office reports that there have been a large volume of fraudulent calls that are allegedly coming from the Sheriff’s Office saying there is a warrant out for your arrest for not showing up for Jury Duty, or nonpayment of back taxes. THIS IS A SCAM!!!

The Sheriff’s Office does not solicit for funds over the phone under any circumstances.

Criminals are able to use false or “spoofed” numbers to make it appear that the call is coming from the Sheriff’s Office phone number, or from the Courts.

If someone contacts you and tells you there is a warrant out for your arrest because you missed jury duty or that you owe back taxes, this is a scam. Discontinue the call immediately.

In this scam the caller says that they are from the King County Sheriff’s Office, or from the Courts of King County, stating that because you missed jury duty and there is a warrant for your arrest. They will tell you to pay hundreds of dollars to avoid being arrested. They use high pressure tactics to get you panicked and are very professional sounding.

If they get you to agree to pay the money, they will tell you to purchase a cash card from a well known store. Once you purchase the card they will have you call them back with the special pin number on the back of the card. Within seconds the funds will be transferred to their account.

They will then tell you to go down to the King County Courthouse and sign up for jury duty and that King County will reimburse you with a cashier’s check for the amount you paid them.

The King County Sheriff’s Office or the Courts will never call you for money on a warrant or tell you in advance they are coming to arrest you.

If you are a victim of this scam:
  • You may file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission.
  • If you received a false call and actually sent/confirmed funds and wish to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission you can do so here.
For more information on the topic:


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SEC announces asset freeze against Potala Place Shoreline developer

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

The developer of Potala Place Shoreline in Aurora Square is under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission, charged with fraud. See previous story.

Washington D.C., Aug. 25, 2015 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced an asset freeze obtained against a man in Bellevue, Wash., accused of defrauding Chinese investors seeking U.S. residency through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Pilot Program by investing in his companies.

The SEC alleges that Lobsang Dargey and his “Path America” companies have raised at least $125 million for two real estate projects: a skyscraper in downtown Seattle and a mixed-use commercial and residential development containing a farmers’ market in Everett, Wash.  But Dargey diverted $14 million for unrelated real estate projects and $3 million for personal use including the purchase of his $2.5 million home and cash withdrawals at casinos.

“We allege that Dargey promised investors their money would be used to develop specific real estate projects approved under the EB-5 program, but he misused millions of dollars to enrich himself and jeopardized investors’ prospects for U.S. residency,” said Jina L. Choi, Director of the SEC’s San Francisco Regional Office.

According to the SEC’s complaint filed yesterday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington:
  • Under the EB-5 program, foreign citizens may qualify for U.S. residency if they make a qualified investment of at least $500,000 in a specified project that creates or preserves at least 10 jobs for U.S. workers.
  • Dargey and his companies obtained investments from 250 Chinese investors under the auspices of the EB-5 program.  Path America SnoCo and Path America KingCo operated as regional centers through which EB-5 investments could be made. 
  • Dargey told U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and EB-5 investors that he would use investor money only for the Seattle skyscraper and Everett, Wash., projects.
  • Dargey and his companies misled investors about their ability to obtain permanent residency by investing in the Path America projects.  For example, Dargey knew that USCIS can deny investors’ residency applications if investor money is used for a project that materially departs from the approved business plan presented to USCIS.  Dargey failed to tell investors that he and his companies had departed from the business plan by using investor money for personal expenses and unrelated projects.

Late yesterday, the court granted the SEC’s request for an asset freeze and issued an order restraining Dargey and his companies from soliciting additional investors.  The SEC also was granted an order expediting discovery, prohibiting the destruction of documents, and requiring Dargey to repatriate funds he transferred to overseas bank accounts.

The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Brent Smyth and Michael Foley of the San Francisco office and supervised by Steven Buchholz.  The SEC’s litigation will be led by Mr. Smyth and Susan LaMarca.  The SEC appreciates the assistance of the USCIS. 

Assets from the alleged fraud project were frozen by Judge James L. Robart. Dargey is scheduled for a preliminary hearing for the three fraud claims on Sept. 14 in the U.S. District Court in Seattle.

updated 08-28-2015

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Seahawks Fan falls victim to scam but suspect arrested

Friday, August 21, 2015

If it's too good to be true ... it's probably not true

On August 20, 2015, a Tacoma Seahawks fan traded his tablet and money for stolen Seahawks tickets in a scam perpetrated by a Seattle man. The suspect was arrested by King County Sheriff’s Office deputies and detectives when the suspect met them to sell more tickets.

The nineteen year old victim in this case had listed his tablet on Offerup.com. He was contacted by the suspect, a thirty-two year old man, who offered the victim Seahawks tickets in exchange for the tablet. The victim met with the suspect, who made the trade and sold him an additional ticket for $35.00.

When the victim got home, he realized that the deal may have been a little too good to be true. He called the Seahawks ticket sales and discovered that the tickets were stolen. The victim called the Sheriff’s Office, and they went to work to set up another transaction with the suspect. The suspect offered more stolen Seahawks tickets to a detective which led to the suspect’s arrest. 

People looking to purchase tickets should shop on reputable third-party ticket exchanges, get them from friends, or just shop at the official Seahawks ticket retailer to avoid becoming a victim in a similar scam.



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Life insurance mail scam

Sunday, August 9, 2015

From the Office of the Insurance Commissioner

Some Washington residents are receiving mailers from National Processing Center advertising a “state-regulated life insurance program to pay Final Expenses for just pennies a day… Return this card today and you will receive the latest information on how this Special Program will pay 100% of all funeral expenses not paid by government funds, up to $25,000 (TAX FREE), for each Washington citizen covered.”

This is a mail phishing scam and we are alerting consumers to not return the card or provide any personal information.

Here’s what the mailer looks like:


Here are some red flags we identified in this mailer that consumers should be aware of:
  • The mailer doesn’t identify the name of the insurance company.
  • The mailer doesn’t give an agent or broker to contact. 
  • The card gets returned to “National Processing Center,” which is not an insurance company. 
  • The mailer gives no information about the policy. 
  • The Virginia Better Business Bureau issued a consumer alert about the mailings in 2013.
A handful of companies are authorized to sell final-expense life insurance policies in Washington, which typically are purchased to cover funeral expenses.

Before you buy any insurance, you should make sure the person or company selling the policy is licensed to do business in this state. If you are interested in finding one of the companies that sells final-expense life insurance, you can contact our consumer advocates at 1-800-562-6900 for a list.




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New scam: pay your bill for using toll road

Friday, August 7, 2015

By Diane Hettrick

Here's an opportunistic scammer, taking advantage of WSDOT's billing mess-up with the Good to Go passes. (see King5 article)

This appeared in my In Box:


Notice to Appear,

You have a unpaid bill for using toll road.
You are kindly asked to service your debt in the shortest time possible.

The copy of the invoice is attached to this email.

Regards,
Arthur Morton,
E-ZPass Manager.

Since we don't have toll roads in the north end, this one was easy to spot as fraud. If you read the message without the panic it is meant to induce, you can see that the language is stilted. Often there are grammatical errors. There is a complete lack of specific information - what road, what car, what day. what bill?

In addition, the email address of the sender is a string of numbers, instead of a recognized government agency.

The scammers are counting on an immediate reaction, preferably one that leaves them with your credit card information.





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Car insurance scam

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Don’t fall for Pay My Deductible offer for auto accidents 

Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is alerting Washington consumers to be wary of any solicitation from the Pay My Deductible Club, which offers to pay your auto insurance deductible if you are involved in an accident. 

Several payment options, including a lifetime membership, are offered to join the club and become eligible for the deductible payments.

The company claims to be based in Beverly Hills, CA. However, the firm is not licensed in Washington and is not authorized to do business here. 

Although the company claims its deductible benefit is not insurance, the commissioner sees otherwise. To offer this product in Washington, the firm would need to apply for and receive approval to operate as a property and casualty company. 

Other states have also alerted consumers about Pay My Deductible.

Some tips to consider if you do receive a solicitation from Pay My Deductible or any other company seeking to sell you an insurance product or one that sounds like it could be insurance:

  • Check the Washington Secretary of State’s website to see if the company is registered. 
  • Search the OIC website to determine if the company is authorized to sell insurance in Washington. 
  • Check the company’s website. If you get an error message such as “under construction” or that the security certificate is registered to another entity, consider those red flags. 
  • Don’t give out any bank account information if you are suspicious about a company. If you've received an offer for this product, contact the OIC office and they will investigate.


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Washington State Patrol phone compromised

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) Headquarter’ s telephone was compromised. The WSP received 30 complaints from citizens stating they were called by someone who falsely identified themselves as a WSP trooper.

According to the citizens, the caller impersonating a trooper accused the citizens of various violations including outstanding warrants, unpaid tickets, and unpaid school taxes.

The WSP does not call citizens to advise of violations, warrants, or collect fines.

If citizens receive phone calls from someone stating they are a WSP trooper calling to collect or advise of fines, they should do the following:

  • Do not answer any questions
  • Do not agree to pay any fines
  • Do not share any personal information
  • Hang up the telephone

The WSP takes these acts very seriously and is currently working on a solution to remedy the problem.



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AG makes crowdfunded company pay for shady deal

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced the successful conclusion of the first enforcement action in the nation against a crowdfunded project that didn't follow through on its promise to backers.

King County Superior Court Commissioner Henry Judson ordered Edward J. Polchlopek III, otherwise known as Ed Nash, and his company, Altius Management, to pay $54,851 as a result of the 2012 “Asylum Playing Cards” Kickstarter campaign.

“Washington state will not tolerate crowdfunding theft,” said Ferguson. “If you accept money from consumers, and don't follow through on your obligations, my office will hold you accountable.”

Crowdfunding can be a positive way to secure financing for initiatives directly from a diverse pool of backers who generally provide small amounts of financial support. Crowdfunding campaigns have supported a broad range of initiatives from movie-making to high-tech gadgets to charitable giving.

In 2012, the Asylum Playing Cards campaign raised $25,146 from 810 backers, including 31 from Washington state. Polchlopek claimed his company would print and market a deck of cards and other items featuring artwork created by a Serbian artist.

Project backers were promised the playing cards and other rewards with an estimated delivery date of December 2012. The project was not completed and none of the backers received any of the promised items or any refunds. Additionally, the company has not communicated with its backers since July 2013.

Kickstarter’s terms of use make clear that companies are legally obligated to fulfill the promised rewards or provide consumer refunds. On the website it states: “When a project is successfully funded, the creator must complete the project and fulfill each reward. Once a creator has done so, they've satisfied their obligation to their backers.”



                     

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AG's office warns: Beware of ‘tech support’ scammers

Sunday, June 14, 2015

The calls are often along the same lines: A “technician” claiming to be from a well-known company, like Microsoft, tells you your computer is infected with a virus. He throws around some technical jargon, often walking you through some benign activities like opening a Web browser or some computer utility.

He may ask you to perform a series of tasks that causes you to unknowingly allow the cyber criminals remote access to your computer and the personal data stored on it. You may also be tricked into installing malware (malicious software) that could steal your personal information.

Then he claims to have identified the problem and demands payment to fix it with software updates, service contracts, specialized PC cleaning software and other solutions. He offers to accept credit card payments over the phone, and may request payments via Western Union or Money Gram or direct you to fraudulent websites set up to collect personal and financial information. 

Scammers have updated age-old scare tactics for modern consumers. And this particular type of scam, which the Federal Trade Commission and Microsoft issued warnings about, is still making the rounds.

“These scammers may sound credible at first, but what they really want is access to your computer, and ultimately, your money,” Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson said. “Never give a caller access to your computer or any financial information before verifying they are legitimate.”

The Attorney General’s Office offers tips on how to avoid this and other scams:
  • Never give control of your computer to someone who calls you out of the blue; 
  • Be vigilant in safeguarding personal information; 
  • Do not provide Social Security Numbers, banking, or credit card or other financial information to anyone who calls, no matter who they say they are; 
  • Never give out passwords; 
  • Protect personal computers with legitimate and updated security software; and 
  • Have a reputable computer technician remove any software that may have been added by the scammers; 
  • Change passwords; 
  • Contact your financial institution; 
  • Monitor bank and credit card account activity; and 
  • File a consumer complaint with the Attorney General’s Office.

For additional Internet safety tips, advice and information visit the Attorney General's website, here. Watch a video AARP produced on the tech support scam, here.



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FTD, Classmates.com to pay $11M over deceptive practices allegations

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Restitution available for eligible Classmates subscribers

Attorney General Bob Ferguson joined with attorneys general from 21 other states to announce that social networking site Classmates.com and floral delivery company FTD have agreed to pay $11 million to resolve allegations the companies engaged in misleading advertising and billing practices.

The states allege that Classmates, Inc. (Classmates), Florists’ Transworld Delivery, Inc. and FTD.com, Inc. (collectively, FTD), engaged in misleading, unfair and deceptive practices in violation of state consumer protection laws. The businesses were affiliates, until they spun off to form independent companies in 2013.

The states’ investigation focused on the companies’ relationships with third-party marketing partners like discount buying clubs and travel rewards programs. These groups used “negative option marketing,” a sales practice requiring consumers to either opt out or be treated as having assented to charges.

Unbeknownst to the consumer, Classmates and FTD would share consumers’ personal information, including credit card account numbers (a practice known as “data pass”) so that the consumer could be billed for these offers if they did not opt out. Congress banned data pass in Internet transactions in 2010 with the passage of the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act.

Today’s agreement also provides for restitution to eligible consumers who were enrolled into Classmates’ subscription service without authorization or who experienced difficulty when trying to cancel their Classmates subscriptions.

The attorneys general investigated Classmates’ renewal and cancellation practices in connection with subscription services offered to consumers through its website, Classmates.com. Classmates subscribers are eligible for restitution if Classmates charged them for a subscription without their authorization, obtained their authorization through a misrepresentation or omission when the consumer initially subscribed to the service, or charged the consumer after the consumer cancelled the subscription.  

Washington consumers who believe they are eligible for Classmates subscription refunds are urged to file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office before Aug. 24, 2015.  Consumers who previously filed complaints with the AGO regarding Classmates’ renewal and cancellation practices may also receive restitution under the settlement.



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National Consumer Protection Weeks: advice from Attorney General and BBB

Monday, March 2, 2015

For National Consumer Protection Week, the Better Business Bureau and the State Attorney General's Office offer the following tips for avoiding trouble as consumers:

• Thoroughly research businesses or organizations before shopping with them or donating money. Start at the Better Business Bureau

• Keep antivirus software up-to-date and surf the Internet with caution.

• Shred all physical copies of important documents when they are no longer needed. Review BBB’s Records Retention Schedule for tips, and find community shred events on the AGO’s webpage.

• Do not give out personal information, such as Social Security numbers and bank account numbers, to strangers who make contact by phone, Internet or mail.

Finally, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

If you believe you have been scammed, file a complaint with the AGO and BBB.



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Attorney General’s Office investigation leads to $90 million “cramming” payout from T-Mobile

Friday, December 19, 2014

Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced a $90 million nationwide agreement with T-Mobile, resolving allegations the company placed unauthorized third-party service charges on subscribers’ telephone bills.

Consumer victims of this practice, called “cramming,” are socked with charges, typically $9.99 per month, for “premium” text message services (PSMS) — such as horoscopes, trivia, and sports scores — that they have never requested or even heard of. 

“I will not tolerate deceptive billing practices,” Ferguson said. “My office will hold any company accountable that tries to hide unauthorized charges in the fine print of a consumer’s bill.”

Under the agreement, T-Mobile will pay at least $67.5 million in restitution to consumers around the country in the form of refunds or debt forgiveness.  Consumers must contact T-Mobile to request a refund.

According to T-Mobile’s records, an estimated 230,754 Washington customers may be eligible for restitution. 

The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division worked with the attorneys general of all 49 other states and the District of Columbia as well as the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to bring about today’s resolution.

T-Mobile is the second mobile telephone provider to enter into a nationwide settlement which Washington has helped to lead to resolve allegations regarding cramming. Attorney General Ferguson announced a similar, $105 million settlement with AT&T in October of this year. T-Mobile and AT&T were among the four major mobile carriers — in addition to Verizon and Sprint — that announced they would stop billing customers for commercial PSMS charges in the fall of 2013.

The agreement requires T-Mobile to stay out of the PSMS business, which law enforcement agencies believe represents the lion’s share of the cramming problem. 

Beginning now, eligible current or former T-Mobile customers should submit claims to the T-Mobile cramming refund program by visiting the refund website.

On that website, consumers can submit a claim, find information about refund eligibility and how to obtain a refund, and can request a free account summary that details PSMS purchases on their accounts. 

Consumers who have questions about the program can visit the program website or call the Refund Administrator at (855) 382-6403.


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Scammers target utility customers by phone, email and in-person visits

Monday, December 15, 2014

Seattle City Light wants to empower its customers to “Spot it, Report it, Stop it”

As temperatures continue to drop and the importance of keeping your home warm rises, scammers are taking full advantage of the situation by targeting utility customers; threatening to shutoff power unless payment is made to a fraudulent bill collector.

Seattle City Light is receiving 25 to 30 reports per week from customers targeted by such scams, often some of Seattle’s most vulnerable residents.

Scammers commonly target non-English speaking individuals, elderly and small business owners. They use phone calls, email, even home visits, posing as Seattle City Light employees. In the scam, they demand the customer’s financial and personal information in addition to payment with a pre-paid credit card (MoneyPak/GreenDot) or else the customer will face an immediate shutoff of service.

Seattle City Light does not call, email or visit customers demanding immediate payment to avoid shutoffs. Anyone who falls behind on payments will receive at least two written notifications before the shutoff process starts.

Additionally, City Light employees will never need to enter your home to conduct any kind of test

If someone claiming to be from City Light approaches you at home and asks for personal or financial information, requests to enter your home, or cannot provide you with employee identification, immediately shut your door, secure your home and call 911.

If a customer suspects a scam attempt or has any questions regarding their bill, City Light urges them to call a customer service representative at 206-684-3000.

City Light is taking a proactive approach toward stopping scams through its “Spot It, Report it, Stop it,” scam prevention campaign.

To learn more about how you can end scams, see this website. The website offers various resources for customers to protect themselves and their family and friends from scams.

Seattle City Light is the 10th largest public electric utility in the United States. It has some of the lowest cost customer rates of any urban utility, providing reliable, renewable and environmentally responsible power to nearly 1 million Seattle area residents. City Light has been greenhouse gas neutral since 2005, the first electric utility in the nation to achieve that distinction.


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Shoreline Office of Emergency Management offers these safety tips for Secured Shopping

Thursday, November 27, 2014


Last month marked the 11th Annual National Cyber Security Awareness Month sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to raise awareness about cyber risks and online safety. 

As the holiday season approaches, many customers who want to avoid long lines and crowds in stores may prefer online shopping to complete their gift lists. While the Internet offers convenience, it also provides opportunities for hackers to access personal and financial information of unsuspecting shoppers. Hackers use three common techniques to take advantage of online shoppers. These methods are:
  1. Targeting vulnerable computers;
  2. Creating fraudulent sites and email messages; and
  3.  Intercepting insecure transactions.
Don’t let holiday hackers ruin your Cyber Monday activities. Here are a few tips to stay safe while shopping online:
  1. Keep personal information private and passwords secure; 
  2. Use secure websites for purchases. Look for the locked padlock icon at the bottom of the screen or “https” in the URL address;
  3. Shop with companies you know; and
  4. Use anti-virus software, a firewall, and anti-spyware software.
Cyber security is a shared responsibility. Visit the DHS Stop.Think.Connect. website for more ideas on how to make using the Internet a safer experience this gift-giving season and throughout the year!


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Phone scam - "Windows support"

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

By David Matthews

There is a new instance of an old scam being perpetrated right now that I wanted to warn everyone about. 

I am a semi-retired computer security expert so I recognized them for what they were immediately. A person with a very heavy accent called to say he was from "Windows support". I kept him on the line as long as possible to try to get some information to pass on to Law Enforcement and just to slow them down, but he hung up pretty fast anyway. 

Let me help you with your computer...
bwahhhahahahah


They will ask you to press CTRL, the Windows key and 'R' on your keyboard and then ask you what pops up. On some versions of Windows that will open the 'Run' window and if you continue to follow their directions, they may be able to gain remote access to your computer - then... game over. They can do whatever they want, and will do so. 

In another version of this scam they will have you open what's called a command prompt (or just use this "Run" window), then type in some commands that will result in output that is normal but they will tell you it indicates a virus. 

Their goal is to have you either purchase fake antivirus or "security" software from them and/or get you to give them access to your computer and/or to get your credit card information from you. All by scaring you into thinking that you've been infected. 

If you get a call like this, record the caller ID (though that will likely be fake) and then hang up (after telling them where to put their "support", if it will add a little cheer to your day! ;-) ). 

You can contact the non-emergency line for your local police and report it. 

Shoreline Police contact info:
24-Hour Non-Emergencies: (206) 296-3311 
(May also call 911 and say "non-emergency")

Lake Forest Park Police contact info:
Non-Emergency: 206.364.8216
(May also call 911 and say "non-emergency")

You can also post a report online to the FTC.

While this fraud is extremely difficult to stop, every bit of information that the FTC or Law Enforcement receives adds to their store of information and in the end it might be usable to prosecute someone. 

Of course, if you've actually been a victim of this or any fraud you should immediately notify police (see above) and take a look at some of the following links on how to deal with fraud or identity theft. 


Be safe out there!

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Hillwood resident David Matthews is the former Director of Incident Response for Expedia, Inc. He has facilitated three regional cyber event exercises. He is also the founder of the Cyber Incident Response Coalition and Analysis Sharing group.

Besides the CISSP and CISM he is a Digital Recovery Forensics Specialist (DRFS), and CyberSecurity Forensic Analyst (CSFA). He is the author of “Electronically Stored Information: The Complete Guide to Management, Understanding, Acquisition, Storage, Search, and Retrieval”, published in the summer of 2012. David was the recipient of the 2012 Information Security Executive of the Decade - West award.


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AG Ferguson first to enforce federal law protecting online shoppers

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Approximately 38,000 Washington consumers affected

In the first enforcement action of its kind, Attorney General Bob Ferguson is suing a Philadelphia-based online company for violations of the federal Restore Online Shopper’s Confidence Act (ROSCA) and the state’s Consumer Protection Act.  

The Attorney General’s action was filed Monday in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington against Internet Order LLC and its CEO, Daniel Roitman, doing business as Stroll. The company is accused of using deceptive marketing tactics to lure millions of customers nationwide, including more than 38,000 in Washington.

The company markets and sells foreign language audio courses online, mostly via the website www. pimsleurapproach .com. The courses are widely marketed under the brand name Pimsleur Approach with advertisements featuring their basic language program. The website and marketing promote the “Quick and Simple Course” with a low price “introductory offer” on a set of self-instruction CDs for “only $9.95.”

According to the lawsuit, consumers who purchased the introductory set for $9.95 were unknowingly and automatically enrolled in a “negative option” purchase plan, which obligated them to receive up to four advanced-level additional courses at a cost of $256 each.

In order to avoid charges, consumers were required to ship the advanced-level courses back to the company at their own expense within 30 days. If they failed to do so, they would be automatically charged $256 on the card they used to purchase the introductory “Quick and Simple Course.” The consumers’ total obligation under the negative option “Rapid Fluency Program” could amount to as much as $1,024. 

“The company hid the terms of the negative option program in its advertising, and misled consumers into thinking they’d only ordered the inexpensive introductory course for $9.95,” said Ferguson. “Consumers were shocked to find significant charges appearing on their credit card statements for products they hadn’t ordered, and then angered when the company refused to cancel those charges.” 

Although each program included a “100% money back guarantee” and a “risk free” 30-day trial, Ferguson alleges the company’s unfair policies made it unreasonably difficult for customers to cancel their enrollments or return items they hadn’t ordered.

Consumers were required to obtain special authorization from the company before they could ship back unordered products, were charged $64 “restocking” fees in some instances, and were subjected to high pressure sales tactics even after stating that they hadn’t ordered anything beyond the introductory course.

“To make matters worse, consumers who refused to pay were hounded with dunning letters and threatened with collection agency action,” Ferguson said.

The company is accused of:
  • failing to clearly disclose the terms of its negative option sales program;
  • failing to obtain agreement from consumers to sign up for the program;
  • failing to provide simple mechanisms to cancel the program as required by law; 
  • making misrepresentations in the context of its advertising; and
  • using unfair methods in its collection practices. 

Washington is the first state to bring an action under ROSCA, which went into effect in December 2010. Senior Counsel Paula Selis is leading the case for Washington. The Pennsylvania Attorney General has also filed a lawsuit against the same company for violations of its state consumer protection laws. 


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