Common Scams If you think you may be a victim of one a scam, contact our Consumer Protection team at 401-274-4400, prompt 1 or email us at consumers@riag.ri.gov. If you are over the age of 60 and in need of assistance, please contact the Elder Abuse Unit at 401-274-4400, prompt 6. Bogus Check/Mystery Shopper Scams Typically, a scam artist will send an unsolicited letter or email offering you an opportunity to earn money while acting as a “secret” or “mystery” shopper. The scammers will then send you a legitimate-looking check with instructions for you to deposit the check at your bank, then withdraw and send back a portion to them either through a prepaid debit card or a wire transfer. The check, however, is bogus. You are left responsible for any bank fees associated with the bounced check and out the money you wired to the scam artist. “Grandparent” Scams Targets older adults Usually starts with a phone call – a con artist poses as a grandchild or a person calling on behalf of a relative in trouble and in urgent need of money. In every case, the caller claims that an emergency has occurred and requests that money be sent immediately via wire transfer, cash left at your door and picked up by a courier service, or for cash to be sent via cryptocurrency. Sometimes the caller claims to be a lawyer or a close friend of the child, whose alleged problems range from being in prison in a foreign country, to being in a car accident, missing a wallet, losing an airline ticket, or having a credit card stolen while traveling. International Lottery or Sweepstakes Scams Foreign lottery scam e-mails typically notify you that you’ve have won a large sum of money and that, in order to collect it, you must wire a processing fee using Western Union or Money Gram. The sender will often ask for money more than once to process the bogus winnings. Investment Scams Investment scams are fraudulent schemes that aim to deceive individuals into investing in fake or illegitimate investment opportunities. These scams often promise unusually high returns or guaranteed profits, targeting individuals who are looking to grow their wealth or make lucrative investments. IRS Phone Scams Individuals claiming to represent the IRS contact taxpayers via telephone, telling you that you owe back taxes and demanding that you pay the money immediately with a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. Caller often threatens victims with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver's license. Medicare Scams Medicare Scams are fraudulent schemes that specifically target Medicare recipients, exploiting the complexity of the healthcare system and the trust individuals place in Medicare. Imposters contact you claiming to be representatives of Medicare, healthcare providers, or insurance companies. Scammers attempt to obtain personal information from Medicare recipients, such as Social Security numbers, Medicare numbers, dates of birth, or financial information so they can steal your money or commit identity theft. Scammers may tell you that they need to issue you a new or updated card, send you “free” medical equipment (for which you must pay a shipping fee), issue you a refund via direct deposit, or threatening to cancel your Medicare coverage unless you provide personal information. "Notice of Appearance in Court" Scams You receive emails claiming that you are ordered to appear in court. The fraudulent email with the subject line "Notice of Appearance in Court" is purportedly sent from a "court clerk" with a fictitious name instructing recipients to appear for "illegal software usage." The emails may also include the domain name of a legitimate law firm and contain an attachment, purportedly a copy of the court notice, which may link to a computer virus. The emails request that you bring an "identity document" on the specified court date. Rhode Island Energy Scams Individuals claiming to be from Rhode Island Energy contact a business owner or a residential customer to demand immediate payment or else the company will shut off the power supply. In some instances, the scammers have been able to provide the customers with detailed information such as last payment date and amount. While Rhode Island Energy may contact customers with past due balances by phone to offer payment options, the company never demands direct payment immediately over the telephone. Romance Scams Scammers create fake profiles on dating websites, social media platforms, or online forums. They may spend weeks or months cultivating a relationship, expressing love, affection, and sympathy, and learning personal details about the victim's life. They often claim to be living, traveling, or working abroad to explain why they are unable to meet in person. Once a level of trust is established, scammers eventually ask their victims for money claiming to be facing financial hardship, a medical emergency, or a sudden need to travel to create a sense of urgency. Common reasons for requesting money include medical expenses, travel costs, visa or immigration fees, or business ventures. Social Security Scams Social Security Scams typically involve scammers pretending to be representatives of the Social Security Administration (SSA) and targeting individuals to obtain their personal information or extort money. You may receive a call from someone claiming that your Social Security number has been compromised, suspended, or involved in criminal activity and that failure to act will result in legal consequences or loss of benefits. Scammers ask victims to provide their personal information, such as Social Security numbers, birth dates, bank account details, or even passwords. Tech Support Scams You receive an unsolicited phone call from individual posing as a tech support company (i.e. Microsoft, Norton Anti-Virus) telling you that your computer has "corrupt" files and needs to be fixed. Caller then walks through a series of computer commands, allegedly fixing the issue, but actually installing malware or other software that allows the scam artist to remotely control your computer. "Work from Home" Scams Work from Home scams prey on individuals seeking remote or flexible job opportunities on legitimate job sites. These scams typically promise easy money, minimal effort, and the convenience of working from home, but they often involve deceptive practices designed to steal your money and personal information. You may be asked to pay money up-front for certification, training materials, background and credit checks, or a job recruiter fee. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.