Mandel Public Library Of West Palm Beach: Library Tips: National Consumer Protection Week

Press release from Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach:

03/03/2022 1:26 PM

We often get calls and questions at the library asking about scams. This week is National Consumer Protection Week, so we thought it was a perfect time to post about some tips if you come across something suspicious.

Did you know there were over 150,000 reported cases of fraud and identity theft totaling more than $300 million in monetary losses for Floridians last year? In Palm Beach County, the number one fraud activity is Impostor Scam. This is when someone calls claiming to be a representative of a reputable entity, such as the IRS or Social Security Administration, and asks you for personal information or money - or both. You can find out more about Impostor Scams with this handy guide.

To combat government and business impersonation scams and get money back to people, the Federal Trade Commission is considering changes to the law that would give the agency better tools. The FTC wants to change the law to make it easier to sue and get refunds for people who have experienced impersonation fraud. If you’ve experienced impersonation fraud, contact the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint or 877-FTC-HELP.

If you've spotted any scam, let the FTC know about it! You can report scams at the FTC's Report Fraud website or by calling 1-877-382-4357.

Looking to read more about how to protect yourself from fraud? Check out these titles from the library:

Scam Me if You Can: Simple Strategies to Outsmart Today's Rip-off Artists by Frank Abagnale

The Cyber Attack Survival Manual: Tools for Surviving Everything from Identity Theft to the Digital Apocalypse by Nick Selby

This press release was produced by Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach. The views expressed here are the author’s own.