Consumer Fraud

Identity theft occurs when a would-be thief acquires an individual's personal information illegally. An identity thief can ruin a person's finances, creditworthiness and reputation.

A credit card chargeback is a request to undo a legitimate charge made on a credit card, filed by the consumer with his credit card company. A credit card chargeback is very similar to...

A brute force credit card attack occurs when would-be thieves mechanically input random credit card numbers, hoping to find a valid number they can use. These attackers are merely guessing at...

Finding a charge on your credit card statement that you did not make yourself or finding a bank account suddenly depleted of its funds can be a scary and frustrating experience. A consumer may...

Scammers taking advantage of gullible consumers during an economic downtown spurred the Federal Trade Commission to form a task force to conduct a law enforcement sweep that commenced in July...

Consumer protection laws are intended to guarantee fair business practices. A business that does not operate within these laws can be sued for damages. If you think that a business owes you...

"Cash Gifting" is not illegal in the United States. In fact, it is a perfectly legal way to lower future estate tax debt. However, pyramid schemes that claim to use "cash gifting" as a method to...

Identity theft is a growing problem in Pennsylvania. Credit card fraud, bank fraud, utilities fraud and other types of identity theft affect thousands of Pennsylvanians every year. The office of...

Need to report a lost of stolen debit card (atm card)? Credit card fraud can be implemented in a matter of seconds. Your bank account could be drained before you even notice that your card is...

When your credit card is stolen, the thief can do a multitude of things with it. The first and foremost thing a thief might do is immediately purchase something with it, presenting themselves as...

The rise in popularity of the Internet and email has not stopped criminals from attempting mail fraud. This is a federal crime, and the best thing you can do when you suspect a scam is to report...

Credit card fraud is the use of a credit card as a false or illegal source of funds in a business transaction. Many times, identity theft victims are commonly subject to this type of fraud.

Some people love them and some people hate them, but no matter what you are feeling, timeshares remain a very popular vacation option. These businesses offer the consumer a guaranteed room,...

Check fraud ranked sixth in the 2008 top ten crime complaints reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, and number one for median dollar loss ($3,000). The National Check Fraud center says...

The availability of information on scams and a general rise in consumer awareness has decreased the success rate of scam artists. However, some people still get fooled into sending a check to an...

Each year, about 9 million Americans become victims of identity theft, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Thieves assume an identity other than their own and use either the victim's Social...

Trying to come up with unique passwords that you will easily remember can be a nuisance. The strongest passwords are the most difficult to remember, and this is a good thing for your internet...

With the incredible surge in credit card fraud these days one may think that it is a relatively harmless crime with few repercussions other than a slap on the wrist. On the contrary, credit card...

The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program was created to provide financial help to elderly, disabled and blind individuals who have little, if any, income. SSI also helps children with severe...

No one takes Social Security fraud lightly, least of all the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration (SSA). When he was appointed to the position in 2004, former Secret Service...

The National Do Not Call Registry was initiated in 2003 to allow individuals to register their home phone number and cell phone number to avoid unwanted telemarketing solicitors. If you register...

If you are dealing with a dispute with a credit card company, rest assured that there are laws creditors must follow to report your credit information accurately and provide you with accurate...

In this internet age, consumer fraud is running rampant. As a consumer, we must do all we can to shield ourselves against identity fraud crimes. We all know that we must shred our documents that...

A thief has many ways to get someone's personal information. Some methods are electronic in nature, while some involve face-to-face business transactions that turn out to be fraudulent. Several...

The Products Labeling Act, also known as the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA), requires labels on all products to state the identity of the product, the name and place of the manufacturer,...

Every legal resident in the United States has his own unique personal identification number assigned to him by the Social Security Administration. This number helps identify him to the U.S....

Many companies that offer credit repair services make aggressive claims in their marketing, "guaranteeing" they can remove negative marks from your credit report. But the Federal Trade Commission...

Anyone who writes a check knowing they do not have the funds available to cover the cost of the check in their bank account is doing so fraudulently. This is illegal, and can be punishable with...

The Federal Trade Commission reports approximately 8.3 million people were victims of identity theft in 2005. Identity theft happens in a wide variety of ways and affects people in all income groups.

Identity theft is one of the most prevalent crimes of the 21st century. According to a 2007 study by the Federal Trade Commission, 8.3 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2005,...

Identity fraud is one of the most prevalent crimes in our society today. But many people only associate it with credit card fraud or stolen social security numbers. Checking accounts are also the...

Identity fraud can happen to any of us. A lost wallet or purse can cause unneeded headaches and money loss if you do not know how to prevent identity theft and keep your finances secure. You may...

My office has been getting calls from concerned homeowners who feel lied to, tricked, scammed, or defrauded by loan modification companies. Here are some basic things to look for to avoid being a...

While the convenience of online shopping has drastically changed the face of modern commerce, it comes with a steep risk attached. While the concept of identity theft isn't wholly ubiquitous to...

Many products each year are put on the consumer market and then are found to be dangerous. Items from childrens toys with defective parts, to beverages with dangerous ingredients, and almost...

If you suspect a fraudulent activity during your car repair or are a victim of fraud activity, it is important that you file a complaint to Department of Consumer Affairs. Otherwise, other people...

The crime of identity theft involves an person inappropriately using the identity of another to gain unauthorized financial benefits. The person who has been victimized as the result of identity...

In legal matters, there are often issues that require lengthy and acrimonious procedures, but this is not always the case. In many instances, it is possible for parties to come to what is known as...

I know I usually tell you how to earn money online but this article will tell you how to save money or not be fooled by this obvious lottery check scam. IF IT SOUNDS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT’S...

There are at least four good reasons to check your credit score. According to the Lending Tree website, the definition of a credit score is "a measure of your past ability to make payments on time...

The United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was created after the tragedy of September 11, 2001, as part of the Department of Homeland Security. It oversees the security of the...

Identity theft affects thousands of people every year. Identity theft occurs when a thief uses another person's identity to purchase unauthorized goods. Identity thieves steal people's identities...

Many photographers claim that food photography is one of the hardest types of photography to master, or to engage in with some modicum of success. The problems typically arise from the food...

A class action lawsuit is serious business. Most people recognize that being part of one, means MONEY! So do the scammers trying to GET money from you. Don't be duped. Watch out for the latest...

I have come across a lot of freebies that are not really free. If you don't read the fine print you can be signing your life away. It is really a lot of scams and hidden ways for company to get...

Credit card theft is a form of fraud. Like most crimes, credit card theft has both federal and state guidelines. That means that any credit card fraud complaints can be handled by the United...

My experience with identity theft began with a phone call from the general manager of car dealership in Oregon. The first thing he asked me was whether or not I was the one currently standing in...

What would you do if you received a phone call from a car dealership in a different state asking if you were the person standing in their dealership about to purchase a brand new car? This...

If you banked with Bank of America between 2000 and 2007 you will want to read this. A class action law suit was recently settled with Bank of America for allegedly manipulating the posting order...