Scams are at the top of the Ohio Attorney General's mind these days. His office just unveiled a $2 million project targeting scams, fraud, ID theft and more. The website is www.OhioProtects.org.
You've seen scam victims featured on NewsChannel 5.
"She would just put the whole amount inside the book, tape the book up and then put it in a box and send it. She sent $20,000 that way," said the loved one of a recent local victim.
How about those who work for organizations that go after scammers? "It actually happened to a person very close to me that I wouldn't have thought that it would happen to,” said Ericka Dilworth who is the Director of Operations for the Cleveland BBB. Her loved one got a fake tech support call saying something was wrong with her computer. "She believed it to be true. And she gave her credit card information and they locked her computer.”
Dilworth likes the Ohio Attorney General's new initiative. The website streamlines filing a complaint with the AG's office, getting information about the most recent scams, and even helping you be more aware of scammers through videos.
27,000 complaints are submitted annually at the Ohio AG's office. Cleveland BBB reports $8.6 million in submitted losses from scammers last year in our area. The need for more awareness is definitely there.
"It's very important that we tell consumers what to look for, what to be aware of, and when to be cautious," said Dilworth.
And the BBB has a Scam Tracker on its own site that keeps you informed about scams happening in our area and across the country.
