Consumer Advocate 

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected businesses and their employees. Ohioans searching for new job opportunities should beware of employment scams, such as fake offers to work from home.

Turning to credible sources for the latest COVID-19 news will keep you informed while helping to stop the spread of misinformation. Read on to find reliable resources.  

Scammers are taking advantage of the fear and uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 to prey on consumers. Protect yourself with tips from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

Ohioans filing their taxes should be on the lookout for potential scams, including “ghost” tax preparers. Read on to prevent yourself from becoming a tax scammer’s next victim.

Consumers should be cautious when using the web to purchase a government-regulated permit, such as a dog or fishing license. Third-party websites are cleverly disguising themselves to look like official government agency websites, but they will take your money and provide nothing in return.

Apple customers may be vulnerable to imposter scams where con artists pose as Apple employees. Learn how to protect yourself with our consumer tips.

2020 is a census year! Once every ten years, the U.S. government conducts the census, but with so many scams out there, it’s vital to discern between the real census and imposter surveys designed to steal personal information. Read on for clues to help ensure the census you respond to this year is the real one.

Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams involve a con artist impersonating someone with decision-making authority by using a hacked or spoofed email account.

With all the excitement of getting a new electronic gadget, some consumers don’t realize when they’re being tricked into paying fake activation fees by imposters posing as customer support agents.

It can be frustrating to answer the phone and hear an automated telemarketing message, especially when your phone number is on the national Do-Not-Call Registry.

With the holiday season upon us, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost offers the following holiday consumer protection tips.

When moving into a new apartment, condo or home, many Ohioans choose to hire a moving service. Read on to learn about common moving scams.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has launched an online tool to help Ohioans gauge the reputations of businesses and steer clear of those with problematic pasts.

With 147 million Americans’ information compromised in the Equifax data breach, learn what a recent agreement between the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and state attorneys general means for you.

Before you agree to genetic testing, understand how a recent scam is convincing older adults to hand out their personal information.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office offers consumer protection tips ahead of Thanksgiving weekend, one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year.

Peer-to-peer services give consumers the ability to transfer funds online or through an app directly from their bank account. Scammers are taking advantage of these payment services by accepting money for products such as popular event tickets and then failing to deliver the tickets.

With our aging population, it’s important for family members and friends to provide guidance, education and support to older adults who may be vulnerable to financial fraud and exploitation.

As the summer season wraps up, some Ohioans will be looking for great places to rent. Before sending any money, make sure your new landlord isn’t a con artist. Learn how to detect a phony rental posting designed to steal your money.

As consumers prepare for Ohio’s sales tax holiday and the upcoming school year, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is offering back-to-school shopping consumer protection tips.

A password manager stores your login and password information for all the websites you use and helps you log into those websites automatically.

Searching for a job can be stressful. Scammers often advertise in the same places where legitimate job placement services advertise.

A money mule is someone who – often unwittingly – is recruited to launder money.

Consumers should beware of travel scams during spring and summer vacation months.

If you’ve recently received a call from someone claiming to be with the Social Security Administration, you’re not alone. The current Social Security scam is a version of the impostor scam, which involves scammers representing themselves as government employees in order to access your personal and/or financial information.

Consumers throughout the country are receiving emails claiming that their computers have been hacked and that their online activity will be made public unless they pay money. What is so alarming to unsuspecting consumers is that scammers often provide an actual password previously used by the victim as “proof” that the account is hacked.  

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the winners of the 2018 Take Action Video Contest, which was open to Ohio high school students.

With warm and stormy weather comes less-than-reputable home improvement contractors who go door to door seeking your business. They may tell you they have extra materials from a nearby job and can offer a special deal because they’re already in the neighborhood. Although a few of these stories may check out, others are ploys to take your money and do little or no work.