Consumer Advocate 

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and 32 other attorneys general announced a proposed $438.5 million settlement with JUUL Labs stemming from a two-year multistate investigation into the e-cigarette manufacturer’s misguided marketing and sales practices.

Consumers can protect themselves against identity theft by taking two simple steps: freezing your credit with the three major credit bureaus and establishing an Identity Protection PIN with the Internal Revenue Service.
 

Also coinciding with back-to-school season, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office is cautioning students and their parents about apartment and home rental scams.
 

As a new school year approaches, you can save some money by taking advantage of Ohio’s sales-tax holiday, which runs from Aug. 5 through Aug. 7.
 

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Robocall Enforcement Unit took legal action against the perpetrators of a scheme responsible for bombarding U.S. consumers with billions of illegal robocalls. Read more about this recent lawsuit and other actions taken to protect consumers throughout the Buckeye State.
 

Learn more about cryptocurrency and how to avoid being scammed when using it as a payment method.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Section offers free presentations – in person or online – on topics ranging from cybersecurity to consumer scams.

Although older adults are most vulnerable to scams, the Gen-Z population and other younger generations are not immune. Read on to find out how scams are snaring younger consumers in increasing numbers.

Fairs are meant for fun, but keep your guard up for potential scams and fraud when visiting sales booths at upcoming state, county and independent fairs.

While many consumers have a presence on social media, some may not realize how widespread scams are on those sites. Read about these scams and how to prevent falling for them.

With temperatures rising, you may be starting new home improvement projects. In order to avoid being scammed, be sure to research any companies or contractors you plan to use prior to starting. If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is!

Did you know that Ohio has more than 25 consumer protection laws? This article explores various laws that you may not even know exist in our state that are designed to protect you.

Speaking of warmer weather, vacations peak in the spring and summer months too! Consumers should beware of travel scams when planning their next vacation. The best way to avoid scams is to start planning early.

Please consider attending one of these upcoming conferences on elder financial exploitation in facility settings, or fraud investigations and prevention. Read on to learn more. 

Speaking of scams, some bad actors send out legitimate-looking emails and text messages that purport to be from popular companies. Learn how to spot the red flags to avoid falling victim to one of these all-too-common business impersonation scams.

Love may abound, but scammers do, too! Don’t get your heart broken by a fake love interest. Learn about the red flags of romance scams – also known as “sweetheart” scams – that infiltrate dating websites/apps, chat rooms and online message boards.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office received more than 20,500 consumer complaints in 2021. Find out what areas drew the most complaints, how the Consumer Protection Section handles the informal dispute-resolution process and what other free services are available.

Data Privacy Week was observed last month, but it’s always the right time to remember the importance of keeping personal information private. Read on for important privacy tips and data from the National Cybersecurity Alliance.

It’s the holiday season – and, to help keep it merry and bright, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office is sharing some tips for identifying shopping scams.

At a time when the weather outside can turn frightful, donations are delightful. Many charities draw a substantial portion of their contributions from year-end donations. Read on to learn how to be a wise donor this holiday season and to avoid potential charity scams.

Gift cards are popular presents during the year-end holidays, especially for last-minute shoppers. Here is some consumer protection advice involving gift cards, including security tips to help you prevent a scammer or thief from receiving your holiday present.

Amid the seasonal hustle and bustle, Ohioans should be on the lookout for package delivery scams, which typically rise at this time of year. Discover how to identify these scams and to avoid malware embedded in such scam emails and texts.

Consumers throughout Ohio are reporting losing money to advanced-fee loan scams. In some cases, they send hundreds of dollars out of the country for loans that, in truth, are nonexistent. 

These days, many types of products can be purchased through supposed “free trial” offers. Often, these offers come with terms including automatic renewals, which can result in significant costs to unsuspecting consumers.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and a perfect time to review the warning signs that a con artist is trying to get you to divulge personal information.

With the holiday season approaching, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office is sharing tips on shopping online, identifying false reviews and understanding return policies.

If you are considering investing in cryptocurrency, make sure you understand how it works and keep up on emerging cryptocurrency scams. Cryptocurrency is a form of payment that can be exchanged online for goods and services. Common types of cryptocurrency are Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Tether and Polkadot. Cryptocurrencies work using a technology called blockchain, which is a technology spread across many computers that manages and records transactions. 

Fraud can be difficult to detect, but recognizing the payment methods often used by con artists can help you spot a scam. Also, if you paid a scammer using MoneyGram between 2013 and 2017, read on for important info about a potential refund opportunity.