Consumer Advocate 

As consumers of all ages rely more and more on technology, it’s important to understand how to protect your electronic devices and keep personal information private. That’s the goal of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s new educational initiative on cybersecurity.

You venture out to buy car tires and find a good buy on brand-name tires that look new and show no signs of wear. It’s no problem making the purchase and crossing that chore off your list, right? Wrong.

Families across Ohio are hurt every day by scam artists. Each year, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office receives thousands of complaints from individual consumers who have been defrauded. To fight back against financial predators, the Attorney General’s Office will host three fraud forums around Ohio in April and May.

The harsh winter has prompted many Ohioans to dream of warmer weather and tropical beaches. While the marketing of spring break travel packages may entice people to sign up for the first bargain they see advertised, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office cautions consumers to research travel packages thoroughly and ask questions. Don’t let the promise of a few days of fun turn into an expensive nightmare!

The Attorney General’s Office works every day to protect Ohio families from unfair and deceptive business practices and scams. The office accepts and handles consumer complaints through an informal dispute resolution process to assist consumers and businesses in reaching a mutual agreement to resolve issues.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, love is on many people’s minds. Some Ohioans are sure to meet that special someone online, perhaps through a dating website or social media. Some may truly find companionship, but others may actually be connecting with potential scammers.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office recently filed five lawsuits against Northeast Ohio car dealerships for failing to deliver motor vehicle titles as required by law. The Attorney General is seeking more than $32,000 in total reimbursements from the dealerships for payments made to resolve consumer complaints.

Imagine receiving a fax or letter from an unfamiliar company attempting to collect payment for a product or service. The company provides a legitimate-looking “invoice” and requests immediate payment. Unfortunately, businesses across the state are reporting similar experiences to the Attorney General’s Office.

Imagine filing your taxes only to learn that someone stole your identity, filed your tax return, and received a refund in your name. Unfortunately, this scenario may be a reality for many consumers this tax season.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine has announced a lawsuit against Darren C. Sizemore for sending unsolicited text messages to hundreds of thousands of consumers without their permission. 

Finding a new career is at the top of many Ohioans’ lists of resolutions. If you are in the market for a new job, you may have noticed job postings that sound too good to be true. What you may not know is that scammers who want to steal your money — and maybe even your identity — create many of these postings.

To help stay updated on the latest trends in consumer fraud, you can now sign up to receive scam alerts from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

Many consumers plan to spread the joy of the holiday season by donating to various charities. Unfortunately, many scammers plan to take advantage of consumers’ generosity by posing as legitimate charities and accepting “donations.” Before donating this holiday season, research the charities that you plan to help and learn the warning signs of a scam. 

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, along with the attorneys general of 36 other states and the District of Columbia, announced a $17 million settlement with Google Inc. concerning its placement of third-party cookies on Safari Web browsers during 2011 and 2012.

Retail stores everywhere are advertising online deals for the holiday season. With all of the email offers, website ads, and links posted on social media, it can sometimes be hard to distinguish between what is real and what is a scam. Many of those advertisements are ploys for you to click on malicious links or unknowingly reveal your personal information.

With the new year just around the corner, are you resolving to lose weight, learn to dance, or meet that new someone special? If so, you should be aware of the consumer rights involving “prepaid entertainment contracts.” In Ohio, state consumer protections apply to certain personal services for which a contract requires payment prior to you receiving any of the services that you have purchased. This includes many of the following:

• Gym and health spa memberships
• Dating services
• Dance lessons
• Martial arts instruction

Stores are already advertising seasonal décor and gift ideas, spurring the beginnings of holiday spirit among many of us. But before making all those purchases on your shopping list, be sure to read advertisements closely and review your consumer rights.

When the temperature begins to drop, some scams begin to heat up. Before cold weather arrives, many homeowners consider steps to prepare for winter, including getting their furnaces inspected, chimneys swept, and air ducts cleaned. Follow these tips to avoid wintertime home improvement scams:

Imagine discovering monthly charges on your credit card statement for a membership you don’t recall signing up for — and the frustration of trying to deal with those charges. That was the experience of many consumers who filed complaints with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office regarding charges to their credit cards or bank accounts for Affinion, Trilegiant and/or Webloyalty memberships.

Complaints filed with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office suggest that scammers continue to contact Ohio families with phony debt-collection ploys. Recently, people who have applied for or inquired into payday loans are among their targets. Using information possibly obtained from online payday loan applications, the scammers attempt to trick consumers into paying for loans they may never have taken out or have already paid off.

Ohio high school students in grades 9 through 12 can enter to win up to $2,500 in college scholarships by participating in the Attorney General’s fifth annual Take Action Video Contest.

Imagine not receiving your tax refund because someone else already obtained it or getting a medical bill for an unfamiliar procedure or prescription. Imagine pulling your credit report only to learn that someone used your personal information to obtain a loan — and now you’re responsible for the payments. These scenarios were realities for many consumers who have contacted the Ohio Attorney General’s Identity Theft Unit.

You feel like you’ve just scored a touchdown when you see 50-yard line tickets for your favorite team for sale online at less than their face value. The seller may say they have a sudden family emergency and even include a scanned image of the tickets as “proof” they are legitimate. Unfortunately, those tickets may be well-designed counterfeits or may not even exist, leaving you without your money and seats for the big game.

While most consumers are familiar with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly referred to as Obamacare, many are not aware of the specific procedures or important dates associated with the ACA. Fraudsters may use this lack of knowledge to scam consumers and possibly steal their identities.

In a typical phishing scam, a con artist pretends to be an employee of a bank or a government agency and asks for confirmation of account information by providing account numbers, passwords, or Social Security numbers. The scammer hopes consumers will fall for the scam and reveal personal information.

Smartphones and tablets allow consumers to stay connected, shop online, and even review bank account statements. Recent technology has taken convenience one step further, allowing consumers to use their smartphones as a mobile wallet.

Imagine a door-to-door solicitor pressuring you to purchase a home security system. He claims he can waive all installation fees and provide a 30-day right to cancel. However, after signing up, you notice unauthorized installation charges on your bank statements and unsuccessfully try to cancel the service. Similar situations have caused many consumers to file complaints with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

If you’ve ever received a vague email urging you to provide personal information or click on a link within the message, you’re certainly not alone. Maybe the email advertised an amazing sale or great job opportunity and made you curious to learn more. Before you click, remember that it’s important to weigh the potential for succumbing to a scam.