Connecticut State Department of Consumer Protection

02/28/2020

Consumers Encouraged to Participate in National Consumer Protection Week

National Consumer Protection Week is March 1st-7th

Friday, February 28th, 2020 – Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull, Attorney General William Tong, and the Better Business Bureau Serving Connecticut are encouraging Connecticut consumers to participate in National Consumer Protection Week, which starts this Sunday, by doing a few simple things to protect themselves.

 

We’re encouraging consumers to:

 

  • Check your credit report for free. Visit annualcreditreport.com to get your free credit report. You’re entitled to one free copy of your credit report per year from each of the three credit reporting agencies. When you review your report, check for any accounts that look unfamiliar, and any payment records that don’t seem right. That way, you’ll know if you need to contact the credit agencies further for something like a credit freeze.
  • If you donate to charity, make an annual giving plan. When tragedy occurs, most of us want to help. But, scammers also take advantage by tugging at our heart strings and asking for money immediately. If you have a giving plan, you’re less likely to deviate from it if a scammer asks you for money.
  • Visit Connecticut’s 2020 Census site, Connecticut Counts 2020. The census only happens every ten years, and when it does, families may be susceptible to scams. It’s important to understand what information you will be asked for, and how you’ll be asked for it.
  • Organize contact information for your utility companies, and government agencies you work with. The Federal Trade Commission reported that last year, imposter scams were the most reported scam in the State of Connecticut. It’s more important than ever to be prepared with the real contact information for your utility company, any agency you are licensed by, and even the IRS in the case you get a fraudulent communication you need to report.

 

“National Consumer Protection Week is a great opportunity for families to get organized, and make sure that they’re prepared for any scam artist who may try to cheat them out of their hard-earned money,” said Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull, “We hope that everyone who can will take some time this week to protect themselves, but we encourage consumers to implement best practices for consumer protection all year, and, reach out to us if they have any questions, or need to file a complaint.”

 

“Every day, consumers – particularly the most vulnerable – are susceptible to the potential threats of identity theft, data breaches and new sophisticated scams. During National Consumer Protection Week, we are encouraging residents to remain vigilant and to arm themselves with the tools needed to recognize and report a scam or instance of fraud. We need to do everything we can to help consumers safeguard their personal data and money,” said Attorney General Tong.

 

“BBB is a great consumer resource that Connecticut residents can turn to throughout the year. You can use BBB.org/ct to read and file complaints and reviews for any business in the U.S. as well as determine if they are trustworthy or not. BBB also continues to provide scam prevention tips to consumers all year long and is proud to join the Attorney General’s Office and DCP in promoting the protection of our consumers statewide.” said Luke Frey, Associate Communications Director at the Better Business Bureau Serving Connecticut.

 

Consumers are encouraged to follow the state on social media and watch for updates about the week’s events.

 

Department of Consumer Protection:

 

Office of the Attorney General William Tong:

  • @CTAttorneyGeneral on Facebook
  • @AGWilliamTong on Twitter

 

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Media Contacts:

Department of Consumer Protection
Lora Rae Anderson
lorarae.anderson@ct.gov
(860) 713-6019 (office)(860) 247-8711 (cell)

 

Office of the Attorney General
Elizabeth Benton
Elizabeth.benton@ct.gov
(860) 808-5324 (media office)

 

Better Business Bureau Serving Connecticut
Luke Frey
lfrey@ct.bbb.org
(860) 740-4502 (office)
(860) 384-5875 (cell)

Twitter: DCP on Twitter
Facebook: DCP on Facebook