By COLlive reporter
Phony IRS agents and other imposter scams topped the list of fastest-growing complaints to state and local consumer protection agencies last year, according to the latest report from the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and the North American Consumer Protection Investigators (NACPI).
33 consumer agencies from 21 states participated in the survey, which asked about the most common complaints they received in 2015.
“If someone calls or emails you unexpectedly claiming to be from the IRS, your utility company, a tech support company, or even your employer, don’t assume that it’s true,” said Susan Grant, Director of Consumer Protection and Privacy at CFA.
“Be especially wary if you’re asked to send money immediately or provide personal information that the person should already have – these are danger signs of fraud.”
In a new type of imposter scam described in the report, crooks infiltrate the emails systems of companies or organizations and send messages purporting to be from the CEOs to employees with urgent instructions to wire money somewhere.
Another new problem that agencies mentioned is the use of iTunes gift cards as a method of payment. Once the scammers get the codes on the gift cards from the victims, they can use those cards to make purchases or sell them on gift-card resale websites.
Top Ten Complaints in 2015
The top complaints were those most frequently cited by the agencies as the most common complaints they received last year.
1. Auto. Misrepresentations in advertising or sales of new and used cars, lemons, faulty repairs, leasing and towing disputes.
2. Home Improvement/Construction. Shoddy work, failure to start or complete the job.
3. Utilities. Service problems or billing disputes with phone, cable, satellite, Internet, electric and gas service.
4. Credit/Debt. Billing and fee disputes, mortgage modifications and mortgage-related fraud, credit repair, debt relief services, predatory lending, illegal or abusive debt collection tactics.
5. Retail Sales. False advertising and other deceptive practices, defective merchandise, problems with rebates, coupons, gift cards and gift certificates, failure to deliver.
6. Services. Misrepresentations, shoddy work, failure to have required licenses, failure to perform.
7. Landlord/Tenant. Unhealthy or unsafe conditions, failure to make repairs or provide promised amenities, deposit and rent disputes, illegal eviction tactics.
8. Household Goods. Misrepresentations, failure to deliver, faulty repairs in connection with furniture or appliances.
9. Health Products/Services. Misleading claims; unlicensed practitioners.
10. (Tie) Internet Sales. Misrepresentations or other deceptive practices, failure to deliver online purchases; Fraud. Bogus sweepstakes and lotteries, work-at-home schemes, grant offers, fake check scams, imposter scams and other common frauds.
The scammers have gotten even more brazen in their scams. After being told by so many that the IRS will not contact you by phone, they started sending letters. If the letters have a telephone # starting with an 850 #, throw it out or call the attorney general of your state.
Good Shabbos.
To #2, commonly if they want to communicate with someone they use the mail. If it’s in person they immediately show ID. A personal visit is usually for something significant and expected.
I can get you the latest list of scams going around the internet :)))
RULE OF THUMB!! IRS WILL NEVER EVER CONTACT YOU BY PHONE!! NEVER!!! Either via mail or in person, but NEVER BY PHONE!!!
sounds bad!!!!!