jackson weather: 57f (14c)
home > Noise > State
Hood Warns of Stimulus Scams
File Photo
Attorney General Jim Hood warns of scams about the federal stimulus.
March 9, 2009
[verbatim from the Mississippi Attorney General’s office]
Attorney General Jim Hood, along with the Federal Trade Commission, is warning consumers about bogus web sites and emails promising to help them qualify for a payment from President Obama’s economic stimulus package. The scammers tell consumers they can help with only a little information or for a small payment from the consumer.
The scams come in different forms. Email messages may ask for bank account information so that the operators can deposit a consumers’ share of the stimulus directly into the consumer’s bank account. Instead, the scammers drain consumers’ accounts of money and disappear.
The scam may be in the form of a bogus e-mail appearing to be from government agencies and asking for information to ”verify” that you qualify for a payment. The scammers user that information to commit identity theft. Some e-mail scams don’t ask for information, but provide links to find out how to qualify for funds. By clicking on the links, consumers have downloaded malicious software or spyware than can be used to make them a victim of identity theft.
Some sites suggest that for a small sum of money—as little as $1.99 in some cases—consumers can get a list of economic stimulus trans for which they can apply. But two things can happen: the number of the credit card the consumer uses to pay the fee can fall into the hands of scam arts, or the $1.99 can be the down payment on a “negative option” agreement that may cost hundreds or thousands of collars if the consumer does not cancel.
“We are continuing our diligent effort to educate Mississippi consumers on new scams that arise daily,” said Attorney General Jim Hood. “With knowledge comes power and we want Mississippians to have the power to protect themselves against these scam artists.”
Consumers who may already have fallen for these type scams should carefully check their credit card bills for unauthorized charges and report the scam to the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s office (1-800-281-4418) and to the Federal Trade Commission (1-877-382-4357).
This alert and others like it can be found on the Consumer section of the Attorney General’s Web site.
posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/09/09 at 07:50 AM. [printer version] Share |
COMMENTS
There were a ton of these ads on Facebook for a while, and I started reporting the ads because I got sick of looking at them. They've finally disappeared, so apparently Facebook finally got hip to the problem.
posted by L.W. on 03/10/09 at 06:11 AM
:: recentcomments
Mar 20, 2010 | 07:41 PM[Pass The Mic] Auto-Tune: A Rant
DrumminD21311: What about T-Pain?
Mar 20, 2010 | 07:30 PM
Barbour Leads Anti-Health Reform Rhetoric
Brian C Johnson: Browse down on this page to see the latest outrageous signs from the teabaggers. We have Obama emerging from a donkey's rear, above a sign reading "Warning: If ...
Mar 20, 2010 | 08:43 AM
St. Paddy's A Boon for the City
NewJackson: Ben Allen is this the actual design of the convention center hotel http://www.downtown- jackson.com/index.php/dev elopments/development-inf o/101/, if it is it will be a nice ...
Mar 19, 2010 | 03:44 PM
Barbour Leads Anti-Health Reform Rhetoric
ladd: BTW, we just added in this *very* vital information to the story above; please do not believe the myth that this legislation would apply to businesses with fewer than 50 ...
Mar 19, 2010 | 03:14 PM
Barbour Leads Anti-Health Reform Rhetoric
ladd: Here's a link to a factcheck of health-care statements on both sides.
Mar 19, 2010 | 02:05 PM
Barbour Leads Anti-Health Reform Rhetoric
Brian C Johnson: As for the dreaded "deem and pass," only a Washington politician like Barbour could imagine that the American people are going to rise in revolt over ...
Mar 19, 2010 | 01:59 PM
Barbour Leads Anti-Health Reform Rhetoric
Brian C Johnson: I am sure that Barbour would have railed against the passage of Medicare and Medicaid as well. Without these programs, a huge percentage of people in ...
Mar 19, 2010 | 01:55 PM
Medical Examiner Bill Sent To Barbour
WMartin: LOL @ Jbreland, He can use that in his campaign ads.
Mar 19, 2010 | 01:49 PM
Seale Conviction Upheld Again
Brian C Johnson: I acknowledge that the "permanent vacation" comment was hyperbole. I stand behind my comment that he is not particularly engaged.
Mar 19, 2010 | 12:17 PM
Medical Examiner Bill Sent To Barbour
jbreland: Then again, if we can't put innocent people in prison, what will the Innocence Project do with their time? Lets thank Hood for keeping this project alive.
Mar 19, 2010 | 12:15 PM
City Works to Cover $2.3 Million Shortfall
jbreland: Yeah. As long as you don't crash into a pothole on your way to the links, you'll be fine.
Mar 19, 2010 | 12:13 PM
Bill Adds Teeth to Stalking Law
jbreland: Neat. What did he say about despicable forensic pathologists? What is Payne's commission? Does he get an extra percentage if the client is found guilty?
Mar 19, 2010 | 10:08 AM
Seale Conviction Upheld Again
Mark Geoffriau: Fair enough. Perhaps the difference here is really that we find different values to be most important in our Supreme Court Justices -- I'm not terribly concerned with ...
Mar 19, 2010 | 09:54 AM
Seale Conviction Upheld Again
Brian C Johnson: I did not regard it as a personal insult, and your point on the limited importance of asking questions during oral arguments is well taken. But we are hardly the first to ...
Mar 19, 2010 | 08:46 AM
One Lake Instead of Two?
Aeroscout: A former city planner wanted the city to buy up the riparian lands and use it for recreation...NE residents are very fearful of public access on the river. Marginal lands or wetlands ...
jfp latest tweets
» Health. Care. Now. #justdoit Sat Mar 20 10:13:33 pm 2010
» Drop into the big party at Fenian's tonight -- JFP is sponsoring! Sat Mar 20 05:49:57 pm 2010
» What the 'tea party' has come to: "They were shouting the N-word. It was like a page out of a time machine.” Roll Call: http://bit.ly/a8QhME Sat Mar 20 05:29:22 pm 2010
just commented on...
» [Pass The Mic] Auto-Tune: A Rant 
1
» Barbour Leads Anti-Health Reform Rhetoric 5
» St. Paddy’s A Boon for the City 1
» Medical Examiner Bill Sent To Barbour 6
» Seale Conviction Upheld Again 13
most recent posts...
» Monday, March 22
» Sunday, March 21
» Barbour Leads Anti-Health Reform Rhetoric 5
» St. Paddy’s A Boon for the City 1
» Events: Green and More Green This Weekend
jfp featured event
V-Day 2010
Mar 25, 2010 - The two-day event includes performances of the play "The Vagina Monologues" by Eve Ensler, a groundbreaking play about women's experiences, and the showing of the documentary "What I Want My Words to Do to You," a look into the lives of 15 female inmates. Performance times for the play are at 7 p.m. on March 25 and 9 p.m. on March 26. The movie will be shown at 7 p.m. on March 26. Proceeds benefit the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Women's Fund.
Purchase tickets online:
- Vagina Monologues Only (choose either 3/25/10 or 3/26/10)
- Vagina Monologues + Screening of "What I Want My Words To Do To You" on 3/26/10
jfp best bets and recommended
|
Guests online: 102
© Jackson Free Press, Inc. - portions of code by CC with EE. |
