Attorney General Doug Peterson, along with the Federal Trade Commission and agencies from all 50 states, obtained a permanent injunction to dissolve two nationwide sham cancer charities and ban their president from profiting from any charity fundraising in the future under a settlement filed in U.S. District Court in Arizona.
Attorney General Doug Peterson is issuing a consumer alert for Nebraskans to be wary of scam text messages. Consumers may be receiving text messages purporting to be from Pinnacle Bank, warning that unauthorized account activity has been detected. The message contains a link that opens up a webpage requesting the customer's name, card number and ATM pin number. The text and the website may look legitimate, but they are not. This is a fraudulent text message attempting to compromise your online user credentials to gain access to other identifying information. If you receive this unsolicited text message, do not reply or click on the web link, and delete it immediately.
Over the last several days, city and county finance directors and small businesses across the state have been the subject of a targeted “spear phishing” attack. Spear phishers target select groups of people by masquerading as a trustworthy source through email or other forms of communication. The attacks have primarily targeted individuals from government and businesses that have control over finances.
The victim of the scam will receive an email that appears as if it is legitimately coming from his or her supervisor. The email requests the victim to wire or transfer funds from the entity’s financial account, and sometimes, the scammer expresses great urgency to rush the victim to action. The spoofed email address in the “From” line will be created with a forged sender address. Email spoofing is a technique that allows the scammer to imitate or trick the email recipient into thinking he or she is communicating with a trusted and regular contact within the organization.
In recognition of National Consumer Protection Week - a campaign that encourages consumers nationwide to take full advantage of their consumer rights and make better-informed decisions – the Attorney General’s Office has launched a new “Protect the Good Life” consumer protection website at protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov
Attorney General Doug Peterson unveiled the new Consumer Protection website during a press conference at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 7. National Consumer Protection week is this week (March 6-12), and the launching of the new website, protectthegoodlife.nebraska.gov and Twitter account @ProtectNE, promote awareness of issues related to consumer protection.
The Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office protects Nebraskans from deceptive, unfair, and unconscionable trade practices, ensures fair competition between businesses, and is responsible for oversight of charitable assets and entities. It accomplishes this through education, mediation of consumer complaints, and enforcement.
Travel clubs are a popular way for seniors to see the world. Many travel clubs promise alluring trips to exotic locations which include first-class accommodations, seemingly unlimited amenities and rock-bottom prices. While some deliver these things, others simply get the money and leave you stranded.
Recognize the signs that may indicate a scam:
The travel benefits sound too good to be true.
The company has no permanent address and all presentations are held in rented conference rooms.
Seniors lose millions each year in “get rich” schemes that promise high returns with low or no risk. Many of these scams are perpetrated by people posing as licensed investment professionals, estate planners, prepaid funeral consultants or salespeople with an “incredible business opportunity.” unfortunately, many of these businesses are robbing seniors of their hard-earned retirement funds.
Look for the warning signs that may indicate a scam:
Seniors are one of the fastest growing groups of online users. Internet criminals use high tech scams, product offers or fear tactics to deceive consumers into disclosing credit card numbers, bank account information or social security numbers.
Recognize the signs that may indicate a scam:
You’re a grandparent, and you get a phone call or an e-mail from someone who identifies himself as your grandson. “I’ve been arrested in another country,” he says, “and need money wired quickly to pay my bail. And oh by the way, don’t tell my mom or dad because they’ll only get upset!”
This is an example of what’s come to be known as “the grandparent scam.”
Common scenarios include:
