Looking back on our March 2020 Fraud Newsletter, we wrote about Covid scams, Covid ‘cures’ and fake tests. A year later the scams keep coming. Scams played such a big roll in 2020 that Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received more than 4.7 million scam and fraud reports totaling nearly $3.3 billion in losses compared to a total number of $1.8 billion in overall fraud losses in 2019.
Recently, the Colorado Attorney General’s Office stated that the state’s top categories of complaints and inquiries were:
Airlines
Fraudulent or Unwanted Calls
Retail Sales
Collection Agency Complaints
Government Agency
Lending Complaints
Fraudulent or unwanted Emails
Telecommunication Providers
Individuals
Travel Agencies & Bureaus
And finally, unemployment scams are on the rise in Colorado. Read below about what to do if you have received a bogus unemployment claim from a current or former employee or if you, as an employee, received a 1099 Tax Form when you did not file an unemployment claim.
UNEMPLOYMENT SCAM
As a result of Covid-19, there has been a rise in legitimate unemployment insurance claims, yet at the same time, there has been an alarming rise in fraudulent claims. If you received a Reliacard debit card or other paperwork from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) and were not the person that initiated the claim, or if you are an employer and have received false unemployment claims, click here to file a report of fraud to CDLE.
TIPS:
Colorado Department of Labor Employment (CDLE) will never ask for personally identifying information by text message, social media, or email. Be wary about clicking links that purport to be from CDLE but do not begin with: ColoradoUI.gov or cdle.colorado.gov
Can You Trusting Shopping Online?
It’s important to read product reviews before you buy. But watch out for fake reviews. Did you know that an increase of just
1-star rating correlates with a 26% increase in sales?
Criminals love to post fake reviews. Make sure you look at the reviews for the same product on multiple sites.
TIPS
Do not store your credit card on the website. Input your credit card each and every time.
Change your passwords to shopping sites frequently and make sure you don’t use the same password for all sites.
BEEN SCAMMED?
If you suspect you’ve been scammed or exploited, report it to The Denver DA’s FRAUD HOTLINE: 720.913.9179
As always, keep safe and stay well,
Denver DA Beth McCann
Beth McCann
Denver District Attorney’s Office