Florida Consumer E-Newsletter
March 2009
Charles H. Bronson
Commissioner
A Message from the Commissioner
Dear Friends:
With the promise of the stimulus package comes scammers who will try to lure unsuspecting consumers into giving them their personal information. These scammers will promise to help you get a tax rebate by using email, online pop-up messages, and even the telephone if the consumer will just give them a little personal information and of course pay a “small fee.” But be aware, buried deep inside the small print of the agreements on these websites is the automatic enrollment in a program or even multiple programs that could end up costing consumers several hundred dollars or more.
Another version of this phishing scheme is an email that tells the consumer they have already received a grant, but in order to process this grant, they would need you to provide your personal financial information. This scam would most likely result in identity theft. These emails and websites display so-called testimonials from people who were awarded grants of $10,000 or more and now they can pay off those past debts or get their car repaired. Even though the government offers legitimate grants to people to go to college or to businesses in specific industries, they do not offer grants to help you pay off your past debts or to get your car fixed.
Whether it is a new scam or just a newer version of an older scam, consumers should always be wary of anyone asking for personal information over the phone or internet. Remember… consumer education is the best defense against fraud and deception!
Sincerely,
Identity thieves have geared up to take advantage of an already suffering economy and are using the new stimulus package to do it. They send emails, use online pop-up messages, or even call consumers on the phone under the guise of helping you get the most of the $900 billion stimulus package by asking for your personal information to complete a so-called Internal Revenue Service (IRS) form. These scam artists will ask you for far more information than the IRS ever would. Some will try to persuade you to reveal your email and mailing address, date of birth, Social Security number, credit card number, and bank account information. They make it look legitimate by using messages such as “After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity, we have determined that you are eligible to receive a stimulus payment.”
Keep this in mind – the IRS does not initiate taxpayer communications through email. The IRS will not request detailed personal information through an email, nor will they send emails requesting your PIN numbers, password or similar information for credit cards, banks, or other financial accounts. If you receive an email from someone claiming to be with the IRS or directing you to an IRS webpage to fill out a form, do not reply! Do not open any attachments or click on any links as these may contain a virus or spyware that will infiltrate your computer. If you clicked on links in such an email and entered confidential information or if you have any questions about the validity of correspondence from the IRS, call them at 800-829-1040 or visit them online at www.irs.gov.
Another stimulus related scam is a message that promises a CD that will show you how to claim your economic stimulus grant. They might even display testimonials such as “I found the grant I needed and filled out some forms, sent them in and in about two weeks I received a check in my hand for $12,000.” This CD may be free but you will be asked to provide your credit card information to cover the shipping and handling charges. Revealing your credit card information is inviting a thief to charge you any amount they want to and by the time you realize it they’ll be gone.
The last thing people who are already under trying economic conditions need is a phishing scam that is designed to steal their identity. Please take this newsletter as an advisory to you and anyone you know to make them aware of scams like these. For additional information about phishing or identity theft, give us a call at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) if you are calling within Florida, 850-488-2221 outside of Florida, 1-800-FL-AYUDA (352-9832) en Español, and a consumer specialist will be happy to assist you. You can also visit us online at www.800helpfla.com.
Additional Resources
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The links below are for your information only. The goal of the Division of Consumer Services is to provide additional information to consumers. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services does not review or confirm these sites for accuracy.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Information from the IRS on how to Report and Identify Phishing, E-mail Scams and Bogus IRS websites.
ABC News - Consumers Duped by Stimulus Scam
On Wednesday the Federal Trade Commission revealed bogus websites, hoaxes and other scams that promise to help consumers tap into a chunk of the money.
