The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection is warning residents to be on the lookout for the latest email scam, which tries to trick potential victims into sending bank account information under the guise of offering money from government settlement.
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) is warning residents to be on the lookout for the latest email scam, which tries to trick potential victims into sending bank account information under the guise of offering money from government settlement.
In the email, scammers claim to be Maureen Ohlhausen, the acting chairman of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The email states that if the recipient sends their bank account information they will receive funds from the government settlement with Western Union.
Officials warn that while the FTC is involved in a multi-million dollar settlement with Western Union, the refund process has not begun yet and these emails are a scam.
Consumers are warned that this is a scam and to never send information or click links in an unfamiliar email. If you are unsure if an email is legitimate, call the organization that the email claims to have been sent from to confirm.
DCP offered the following things consumer should look out for in possible email scams.
- Quick writing with grammatical errors
- Strange looking links, especially those that don’t start with https://, or don’t end in a familiar way like .com, .org, or .gov
- With government email scams – an email not from a .gov email address
- Logos that look similar to a government logo or seal, but a little distorted
- The use of strong pressure tactics urging you to act now, or face consequences
- A topic you’re not expecting. Remember, if you don’t think you are owed money – or you don’t think you owe money to someone, you are probably correct.
If you believe you’ve received a scam email, you can forward the email to the FTC at spam@uce.gov, and report it to DCP by emailing dcp.frauds@ct.gov.
