Tag:

Federal Trade Commission

Private Pics Cost Glen Rock 'Sextortion' Victim $20,000, Police Pursue Fugitive Cyberthief Private Pics Cost Glen Rock 'Sextortion' Victim $20,000, Police Pursue Fugitive Cyberthief
Private Pics Cost Glen Rock 'Sextortion' Victim $20,000, Police Pursue Fugitive Cyberthief An elderly lonely heart from Glen Rock was “sextorted” out of $20,000 after sending compromising photos to a scammer he thought was a woman -- and was about to hand over another 20 grand when his bank mercifully refused, authorities said. Online romance scammer Ali H. Maman, 59, of Frederick, MD (photo above), has so far eluded authorities, Glen Rock Police Chief Dean Ackermann said this week. Posing as a woman, Maman communicated with the Glen Rock senior through Instagram and WhatsApp, the chief said on Wednesday, April 10. The victim was convinced to share the risqué photos, then w…
Gold-Bar Scam Totaling Nearly $1 Million Lands CA Man With Charges In Montgomery County: Police Gold-Bar Scam Totaling Nearly $1 Million Lands CA Man With Charges In Montgomery County: Police
Gold-Bar Scam Totaling Nearly $1 Million Lands CA Man With Charges In Montgomery County: Police A man who made nearly $1 million targeting elderly victims in a gold-bar scam was arrested in Montgomery County, authorities announced Friday, March 22. The investigation began in early March, when a victim reported being contacted by a man who identified himself a member of the Federal Trade Commission, MCPD said. The woman was advised that she had been the victim of an identity theft leading to a federal investigation involving drugs and money laundering.  She had been instructed to transfer all of her assets into gold bars to be picked up by a courier to be taken to an “FBI Agent” …
Manchester Dealership Accused Of Deceiving Customers, Charging 'Junk Fees': Attorney General Manchester Dealership Accused Of Deceiving Customers, Charging 'Junk Fees': Attorney General
Manchester 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…
'Your Computer Has Been Hacked': Tech Support Scam Costs Bergen Man $150,000 'Your Computer Has Been Hacked': Tech Support Scam Costs Bergen Man $150,000
'Your Computer Has Been Hacked': Tech Support Scam Costs Bergen Man $150,000 It might be emotionally painful for some to learn that a Bergen County man lost nearly $150,000 to a “your computer has been hacked” scam. Sadly, it’s true. The victim got a computer popup message “alerting” him to the purported hack earlier this month, Glen Rock Police Lt. Frank Riggio said. “Over the following days, he was advised to secure a large sum of money from his bank accounts to avoid further hacking,” the lieutenant said. The victim gave the con artist nearly 150 large "under the false pretense that this party was helping protect the victim from further financial hacking," Rigg…
Piscataway For-Profit School Deceived Students, Forced To Pay $4.6 Million: State AG Piscataway For-Profit School Deceived Students, Forced To Pay $4.6 Million: State AG
Piscataway For-Profit School Deceived Students, Forced To Pay $4.6 Million: State AG A for-profit school in Middlesex County is being forced to pay a $4.6 million after the state said it deceived students and offered unlawful loans. Sollers Inc. which is based in Piscataway, used false and misleading job advertisements to funnel students into its programs and falsely claimed that agreements requiring students to pledge a portion of their future income in exchange for money upfront for their programs was not a loan, Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. Sollers also reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.  As part of the settlement, Sollers will cancel …
They Steal Your Heart, Then Steal Your Money: Romance Scammers Make It Look Easy They Steal Your Heart, Then Steal Your Money: Romance Scammers Make It Look Easy
They Steal Your Heart, Then Steal Your Money: Romance Scammers Make It Look Easy It's heartbreaking to discover that someone you've become enamored with online isn't into you, but it’s even worse to realize that person just made off with $3,500 of your money. That’s what happened to a Glen Rock resident who ended up wiring the dough to a sweet talker in the Dominican Republic. Suffice to say: It wasn’t coming back. Although $3,500 is a significant sum to some, it’s couch cushion change compared with the $450,000 in crypto lost last year by another romance scam victim from Glen Rock. According to the Federal Trade Commission, a staggering $1.3 BILLION was lost by 70,000…
Don't Die In Massachusetts. It Costs Too Much Don't Die In Massachusetts. It Costs Too Much
Don't Die In Massachusetts. It Costs Too Much If you plan to die, do it somewhere outside of Massachusetts. According to a new study, the Bay State is one of the nation's most expensive places to perish.  Forbes recently tallied all the financial costs of losing a loved one. That included end-of-life care and funeral expenses. What they found is that not only is the cost of living rising, but so is the price of dying. Alaska was the priciest place to die, with it costing more than $33,000 on average. That's $24,400 for end-of-life care and an average funeral price tag of $9,300, according to the Forbes study. Hawaii is next,…
NY Law Requiring Businesses To Warn Customers Of Gift Card Scams Takes Effect NY Law Requiring Businesses To Warn Customers Of Gift Card Scams Takes Effect
NY Law Requiring Businesses To Warn Customers Of Gift Card Scams Takes Effect Leaders in New York have given consumers another tool in their belt to help fend off would-be fraudsters. New legislation that went into effect on Tuesday, June 20, requires businesses that sell gift cards in New York to post a notice warning customers about gift card scams. Notices must be posted near where any gift card or gift certificate is displayed or sold. The law was introduced by Long Island State Sen. Kevin Thomas, a Democrat whose 6th Senate District covers central Nassau County. Thomas chairs the senate’s Consumer Protection Committee. “I am happy to see the Department of St…
Mastermind Of Historic $175M Psychic Mail Scam Convicted, Feds Cite More Than 1M Victims Mastermind Of Historic $175M Psychic Mail Scam Convicted, Feds Cite More Than 1M Victims
Mastermind Of Historic $175M Psychic Mail Scam Convicted, Feds Cite More Than 1M Victims The mastermind of a mass-mailing scam that stole $175 million from more than a million victims, most of them elderly or ailing, was convicted by a federal jury in New York City. Patrice Runner, a 57-year-old Canadian and French citizen, directed a ruthless psychic mail scheme for over two decades, beginning in 1994, the jurors found. It was one of the largest -- if not the largest -- scam of its kind ever, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Friday, June 16, in announcing the verdict reached a day earlier on Long Island. Runner sent mailings to millions of Americans that claimed t…
North Hills Woman Wires $49K To Scammer Posing As Microsoft Employee North Hills Woman Wires $49K To Scammer Posing As Microsoft Employee
North Hills Woman Wires $49K To Scammer Posing As Microsoft Employee A New York woman was scammed out of tens of thousands of dollars over the phone. The 85-year-old Long Island resident, of North Hills, was using her computer when she received a prompt to call a phone number, according to Nassau County Police. A man on the other end claimed to be a Microsoft employee and instructed her to go to her bank and transfer $49,000 to another bank account, which she did.  Once the transfer was complete, the man then instructed the victim to send him a copy of her driver’s license and the bank receipt for the transfer, police said. Nassau County Police said …
'Real Housewives' Star Gets Prison Time For New York-Based Fraud Scheme 'Real Housewives' Star Gets Prison Time For New York-Based Fraud Scheme
'Real Housewives' Star Gets Prison Time For New York-Based Fraud Scheme A former "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star was sentenced to several years in prison for her role in a nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme based in New York.  Jennifer Shah, age 49, who appeared on the show beginning in 2020, was sentenced to six ½ years in prison on Friday, Jan. 6 for targeting elderly victims in the scheme and defrauding them out of their savings, according to the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams.  Beginning in 2012 and lasting until her arrest in March 2021, Shah was the leader of the scheme which ended up victimizi…
Town Of Fairfield Police Issue Alert For Circulating Bitcoin Scam Town Of Fairfield Police Issue Alert For Circulating Bitcoin Scam
Town Of Fairfield Police Issue Alert For Circulating Bitcoin Scam 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…
US Attorney In Virginia Reportedly Investigating Washington Commanders For Financial Misconduct US Attorney In Virginia Reportedly Investigating Washington Commanders For Financial Misconduct
US Attorney In Virginia Reportedly Investigating Washington Commanders For Financial Misconduct On the same day embattled Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder opened the door to a potential sale of at least a portion of the franchise, federal officials are reportedly launching an investigation into the team’s financial improprieties. ESPN and other national outlets reported late on Wednesday, Nov. 2 that the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia launched an investigation into the team that is focused on alleged deceptive business practices. According to the report, prospectors “are focused on several areas and that the inquiry was triggered by a letter the Ho…
Boston Police Seeking Scammer Who Stole Over $13,000 From 79-Year-Old Man Boston Police Seeking Scammer Who Stole Over $13,000 From 79-Year-Old Man
Boston Police Seeking Scammer Who Stole Over $13,000 From 79-Year-Old Man Boston Police are seeking the public's help in locating a suspect's car who apparently scammed a 79-year-old man out of $13,500 dollars.  The man told police that someone called him saying his needed to be bailed out of jail grandson following an incident with a woman who was seriously injured, police said. A second person, claiming to be a public defender, reiterated the situation and said bail bondsman could meet the and pick up the money.  The trade-off was arranged in the Longwood area because the man said he needed to bring a family member to the hospital. That…
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…
Scammer Steals Thousands Of Dollars From Scared Boston Grandparent: Police Scammer Steals Thousands Of Dollars From Scared Boston Grandparent: Police
Scammer Steals Thousands Of Dollars From Scared Boston Grandparent: Police A Boston granddad is out thousands of dollars after a scammer preyed on his love for his grandson.  Last month an 83-year-old man got a phone call from a "public defender" who claimed the man's grandson was in a lot of trouble after police arrested him on a reckless endangerment charge, Boston police said. The fake lawyer said the octogenarian would need to fork over thousands of dollars to bail the young man out of jail.  He sent the money, but none of it was real.  Boston police said the call came in from the 151 Tremont St. area. A surveillance video captured the person o…
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…
Stanfordville Man Among Four Charged In $40M Scam Stanfordville Man Among Four Charged In $40M Scam
Stanfordville Man Among Four Charged In $40M Scam A Hudson Valley man was among four charged in an 11-count indictment for allegedly stealing more than $40 million in investor funds as part of a cryptocurrency scam, federal authorities announced. On Tuesday, March 8, US Attorney Breon Peace announced that four owners and operators of online cryptocurrency companies - including one from Dutchess County - are facing a host of charges for allegedly running a sophisticated scheme to steal from investors and later attempting to obstruct justice as they were being investigated. Those charged, according to the US Attorney’s Office: Gregory Agg…
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…
63-Year-Old Hackettstown Woman Loses $7K In Scam Involving Bogus PNC Bank Worker, Police Say 63-Year-Old Hackettstown Woman Loses $7K In Scam Involving Bogus PNC Bank Worker, Police Say
63-Year-Old Hackettstown Woman Loses $7K In Scam Involving Bogus PNC Bank Worker, Police Say Police have issued a warning to local residents after a 63-year-old Hackettstown woman was scammed out of $7,000 by someone posing as a PNC bank worker. The scammer posed as a bank employee and told the victim that her bank account was compromised, police said in a Wednesday release. “According to the victim, the scammer was very persistent and then the scammer allegedly convinced the victim to pay with various gift cards to have her accounts secured,” police said. The victim bought $7,000 worth of Best Buy and Target gift cards, scratched off all of the PIN numbers, and told the informati…
GRANDPARENT SCAM: Rochelle Park PD Nabs Bronx Man After Elderly Victim Is Conned Out Of $7,800 GRANDPARENT SCAM: Rochelle Park PD Nabs Bronx Man After Elderly Victim Is Conned Out Of $7,800
Grandparent Scam: Rochelle Park PD Nabs Bronx Man After Elderly Victim Is Conned Out Of $7,800 Rochelle Park police nabbed a phone scammer from the Bronx who convinced an elderly victim to mail $7,800 in cash that he said was needed to bail out his just-arrested grandson, authorities said. Posing as a police officer, a caller told the 80-something Washington State resident that his grandson had been arrested, Detective Lt. James DePreta said. The caller said his son needed $16,800 for bail, then directed him to mail $7,800 to a Rochelle Park address, DePreta said. Believing it was real, the victim sent the money, the lieutenant said. He eventually realized it was a scam and called…
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…
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…
State Police Issue Alert For Pet Scam State Police Issue Alert For Pet Scam
State Police Issue Alert For Pet Scam New York State Police have received multiple calls from people scammed out of hundreds of dollars after answering classified ads for purebred puppies for sale. Victims report after answering the ad, the suspects provide a photo of the breed they are looking for and arrange a deposit to be paid, said Trooper James O’Callaghan. Once the deposit is cleared, the victim is provided an address, which does not exist, to pick up their puppy.  Recently, these fake addresses have been in the St. Lawrence County area. State Police warn the public of some common themes in this scam: The…
Did You Get Your Refund? FTC Recovered $17 Million For MA From Alleged Scammers Did You Get Your Refund? FTC Recovered $17 Million For MA From Alleged Scammers
Did You Get Your Refund? FTC Recovered $17 Million For MA From Alleged Scammers More than $17 million is being returned to people in Massachusetts who had fallen prey to false advertising or another business scam since 2018. According to data provided by the Federal Trade Commission, since July 2018 more than 99,000 Massachusetts residents have been bilked out of $17.65 million through savings and loans, unauthorized debts and charges, grant, and payday loan scams among other types of deception. When the FTC sends refunds, it usually uses customer lists and contact information it gets from the defendants, the FTC said. If that information isn’t available, the agency …
Young Hudson Valley Man Falls Victim To Romance Scam, Loses Thousands Young Hudson Valley Man Falls Victim To Romance Scam, Loses Thousands
Young Hudson Valley Man Falls Victim To Romance Scam, Loses Thousands Police are investigating a case where a young man fell victim to a romance scam. The woman in Rockland County told the man she was corresponding with through a dating app she needed some financial assistance with a business matter, Ramapo Police said. The woman said she would mail him a check to deposit into his bank account, and that he needed to mail back a check for a lesser amount – in essence, he was allowed to keep the difference for his trouble.  Days later, his bank contacted him saying that the check he deposited was bogus. He is now out several thousand dollars, Ramapo Polic…
COVID-19: Police Issue Warning For Vaccine Scams COVID-19: Police Issue Warning For Vaccine Scams
Covid-19: Police Issue Warning For 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 …
There Is No COVID-19 Vaccination Wait-List - New Scams Exploit Pandemic Fears There Is No COVID-19 Vaccination Wait-List - New Scams Exploit Pandemic Fears
There Is No Covid-19 Vaccination Wait-List - New Scams Exploit Pandemic Fears The winter holidays typically see a surge in scams and this year, crooks are exploiting people’s fears around COVID-19 to get them to open their wallets and/or share personal information. On Tuesday, Dec. 15, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office warned the community about a host of new COVID-19-themed schemes that are already being used against people. The Federal Trade Commission said vaccine-related scams have begun to make the rounds. To better prepare yourself against being tricked out of money or information, the FTC and DA advised people of the following: You likely will not…
NJ, NY, Feds Shut Down Sham Charity Operation That Scammed Donors Out Of Tens Of Millions NJ, NY, Feds Shut Down Sham Charity Operation That Scammed Donors Out Of Tens Of Millions
NJ, NY, Feds Shut Down Sham Charity Operation That Scammed Donors Out Of Tens Of Millions Kind-hearted donors in New Jersey and New York were scammed out of tens of millions of dollars by a telephone soliciting operation that claimed to raise money for homeless veterans, retired and disabled law enforcement officers, breast cancer survivors and others in need, authorities said Wednesday. A joint lawsuit filed by the state of New Jersey, the Federal Trade Commission and the attorneys general of New York, Minnesota and Virginia has permanently shut down the operation headed by Mark Gelvan, a telemarketing consultant who'd been banned for life from raising funds for charity more th…
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…
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…