Home Repair / Contractor Scam

This video essay discusses political corruption allegations in India, focusing on how the BJP appears to avoid corruption charges while opposition parties face various scams and legal actions. The video then explains the 2G spectrum scam of 2008, where the Indian government allocated mobile spectrum to companies at artificially low prices through administrative allocation rather than auction, resulting in an estimated loss of 1.76 lakh crore to the national treasury—a controversy that contributed to the fall of the UPA government and led the Supreme Court to cancel 112 spectrum licenses in 2012. **Note:** This is a political commentary/educational piece rather than a scam affecting individual elders, so it falls outside the typical scope of

Suffolk County DA's office conducted a multi-agency fraud prevention presentation at the Boston Elks Lodge in West Roxbury to educate seniors about common scams, including romance, home repair, and government impersonation fraud schemes that cost consumers $8.8 billion in 2022. The "Fraud Fighters" workshop, led by DA Kevin Hayden, aimed to help older adults identify and avoid scams before they occur, emphasizing that prevention is more effective than intervention after fraud happens.

Contrary to common assumptions, Gen Z (ages 18-24) loses the most money to online scams, averaging $155 per person in 2022, primarily through employment, online shopping, and investment/cryptocurrency scams. A Better Business Bureau report found that scammers are increasingly targeting even younger children (ages 7-18), with 16% of surveyed parents reporting their kids were targeted in the past year, up from 11% in 2022, while adults 55-64 lost the least at an average of $91.

In a brushing scam, criminals send unsolicited cheap items (such as beauty products or nail polish) to recipients' addresses, often from Amazon or affiliates. The scam attempts to steal personal information by including QR codes that, when scanned, direct victims to fake product review sites designed to extract data from their phones or devices. To protect against this threat, authorities recommend monitoring accounts closely, changing passwords frequently with strong credentials, enabling multi-factor authentication, and remaining cautious even if QR codes are avoided, as scammers may already possess other personal information.

The Better Business Bureau warns homeowners in disaster-affected areas to be cautious of home repair scammers who exploit vulnerable property owners seeking contractor services. Residents are advised to research contractors thoroughly through online reviews and the BBB website (bbb.org), verify BBB accreditation to ensure the business is required to respond to complaints, and confirm proper licensing and insurance before hiring.

The Steuben County Sheriff's office is warning residents about two active scams in the county: one involving calls from scammers impersonating law enforcement who demand bail or court-related payment via digital transfer services like PayPal, Venmo, or MoneyGram, and another involving door-to-door solicitors offering home improvement services. Sheriff Jim Allard emphasizes that legitimate law enforcement will never call demanding money and will always conduct official business in person.

Romance scams spike around Valentine's Day, with nearly 65,000 people reporting romance scams in 2023 and losses totaling $1.14 billion, according to the Federal Trade Commission. These scams involve fraudsters creating fake profiles on dating apps to gain victims' trust and manipulate them into sending money. Key protective measures include using reverse image searches to verify profile photos and being cautious of requests for financial information.

Financial losses from scams in Maine are rising significantly, with scammers employing increasingly sophisticated and relentless tactics that have intensified since the pandemic, according to AARP Maine experts. Common scam types affecting Maine residents include door-to-door scams and romance scams, among others, and anyone can become a victim regardless of demographics. Experts emphasize that knowledge and vigilance are critical to protecting oneself from these evolving fraud schemes.

This educational piece features Frank Salona, president/CEO of the Better Business Bureau in Canton, discussing scam prevention during National Consumer Protection Week. He emphasizes that scams affect all consumers regardless of demographics and highlights seasonal fraud schemes, particularly storm-chasing scams targeting homeowners with fake repair services during severe weather seasons like spring storms and flooding.

The Better Business Bureau's 2024 Scam Tracker Risk Report identifies the five riskiest scams targeting consumers. Cryptocurrency investment scams rank first, with 80% of victims losing an average of $5,000 through pressure to trade or store funds on fake exchanges; other high-risk scams include employment fraud (fake job offers requesting personal information and payment for training), romance scams (where victims send money to fabricated relationships), and scams using fake checks or overpayment schemes. Scammers continually adapt traditional fraud methods with new twists to exploit victims.