Scams

April 1, 2008 -- JEFFERSON CITY - Missouri Governor Matt Blunt today commended the House of Representatives for their work on legislation he called for to protect Missouri families from fraudulent mortgage practices.

“Homeownership is one of the greatest opportunities for personal wealth and savings, but unscrupulous mortgage lenders are turning the dream of homeownership into a nightmare for some Missouri families,” Gov. Blunt said. “I commend the House for taking action to protect Missouri homeowners from deceitful lending practices.”

The bill, sponsored by Rep. David Pearce, creates civil and criminal penalties for mortgage fraud and further enhances consumer knowledge about the mortgage process. The legislation:    » read more »

March 28, 2008 -- The Maine Bureau of Insurance is advising consumers to beware of three specific scams circulating via fax machines and through telemarketers.

“In this time of economic hardship, consumers must be especially vigilant for people whose goal is to take advantage of them financially,” stated Maine Insurance Superintendent Mila Kofman. “We have become aware of fax machine solicitations to sell health insurance. These solicitations involve the unauthorized marketing of a licensed insurance company’s products,” stated Kofman.    » read more »

(Boise) - Mortgage Assistance Solutions, LLC, a Florida foreclosure rescue company that sent advertisements to consumers claiming their homes were in foreclosure, can no longer do business in Idaho, Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said. Mortgage Assistance Solutions entered into a settlement agreement with the Attorney General that prohibits the company from advertising or engaging in any transaction involving an Idaho consumer or property in Idaho.    » read more »

Overseas telemarketers use credit card offers to steal your personal information

March 18, 2008 -- Raleigh: Scammers are using robo calls that promise better rates on credit cards to try to steal your identity and run up charges in your name, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper warned today.

“These scammers are out to steal your information and your money, not help you get a better credit card,” Cooper said. “If you get one of these calls, hang up and call my office instead."    » read more »

March 18, 2008 -- Jefferson City, Mo. — Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon says his office is getting consumer complaints about a familiar scam during tax time - con artists claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service, asking for personal information.    » read more »

March 18, 2008 -- LOS ANGELES -- California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today shut down Lifetime Financial, Nations Mortgage, Greenleaf Lending, Virtual Escrow, Olympic Escrow and Direct Credit Solutions, accusing the predatory lending companies of pushing homeowners into “illegal and unconscionable loans.”    » read more »

March 3, 2008 -- Jefferson City, Mo. — Missouri businesses, schools, churches and non-profit organizations that were billed by a Florida company for Internet advertising they didn’t know they were purchasing will receive more than $10,458 in restitution under a 26-state settlement, according to Attorney General Jay Nixon. The agreement is the result of an investigation by Nixon and other state Attorneys General regarding the use of “activation checks” by Directory Billing LLC, which does business as USDirectory.com.    » read more »

Massachusetts to Receive over $16,000 in Settlement Monies

March 03, 2008 -- BOSTON - Today, Massachusetts Attorney General ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Martha Coakley’s Office reached a settlement with Florida based Directory Billing, LLC, (doing business as USDirectory.com) resolving allegations that the company engaged in deceptive business practices by using “live” activation checks to require businesses and organizations to pay for a preferred business listing on Directory Billing’s on-line yellow page directory, located at www.USDirectory.com.    » read more »

March 3, 2008 -- (Boise) – Directory Billing, LLC, an online yellow pages directory doing business as USDirectory.com, has agreed to change its business practices and provide partial refunds to certain business customers, Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said today. The agreement is the result of an investigation by Idaho and 25 other states regarding Directory Billing’s use of “live” activation checks.    » read more »

February 29, 2008 -- HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett today urged consumers to be watchful for email messages or telephone calls from scam artists requesting personal information in order to "process" your tax refund. The email messages or callers often claim to be from the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Social Security Administration or other government agency.    » read more »

02/26/2008 -- (DENVER) – Colorado Attorney General John Suthers today issued a consumer advisory warning Colorado consumers and businesses about a new email scam being reported to his office.

Businesses and consumers have reported receiving unsolicited email messages claiming to be from the United States Department of Justice and concerning a supposed consumer complaint filed against the recipient. The email usually contains an attachment that is either a blank complaint form or some other document.    » read more »

February 13, 2008 -- Jefferson City, Mo. — Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon said his office has received approximately 50 calls just this afternoon from mid-Missourians who are receiving phone calls from people claiming to be with Central Bank but who, in reality, are trying to steal bank account and other financial information.    » read more »

February 13, 2008 -- TALLAHASSEE, FL – Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced that a Hillsborough County woman pleaded guilty to criminal charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering. Adrienne L. White was involved in a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scam that stretched across the state and involved one of the nation’s largest sub-prime mortgage companies.    » read more »

February 12, 2008 -- Texans should be aware of a scam that has emerged in connection with the proposed federal economic stimulus package. Under recently passed legislation, the IRS will mail tax rebate checks to eligible Texans over the next few months. President Bush has indicated he will sign the package into law on Wednesday.    » read more »

February 11, 2008 - The Vermont Attorney General’s Office warns of a fraudulent email that is circulating soliciting information for processing a tax refund. “Never send a bank account number, credit or debit card or PIN number, or other personally identifying information through the internet unless you initiated the contact and know whom you are dealing with,” warns Attorney General Bill Sorrell.    » read more »