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Mass Consumer Affairs Blog
The Official Blog of the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation
As part of our ongoing consumer education and outreach, OCABR is again sharing its “Top 10 Worst Products for Massachusetts Consumers List” of 2021. The use of the products featured on this list have resulted in legal or legislative action, recalls, and/or other measures to protect …Continue Reading Top 10 Worst Products for MA Consumers List of 2021
The Emergency Broadband Benefit program is a pandemic relief program through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that provides a discount on monthly broadband bills for qualifying low-income households. If eligible, your household can receive up to a $50/month discount on your broadband service and associated …Continue Reading Disconnect from Emergency Broadband Scams
Online fraud and identity theft prevention efforts are often focused on people who have less experience and knowledge of the internet, such as the elderly. However, even the most technologically savvy people can fall victim to scams. Scammers’ latest hunting ground for these younger victims is Snapchat, a popular …Continue Reading Steering Clear of Snapchat Scams
The holiday season brings out the best in people, and that often means making charitable donations. While we get into the gift giving spirit this month, scammers are finding new ways to take advantage of your generosity through charity scams. This year Massachusetts joined the …Continue Reading Scam Alert: Charitable Giving Fraud
Consumers are constantly using new and emerging technologies both at work and at home. As a society we’ve become more dependent on internet connection as events, employment, and momentous occasions move to virtual platforms. This in turn presents a need for increased security in our …Continue Reading Cybersecurity Awareness Month #BeCyberSmart 2021
Retailers aren’t the only ones hoping to capitalize on the upcoming long weekend shopping sprees, scammers are waiting to take advantage of consumers enjoying Labor Day discounts. While some shoppers will hit the mall, most will access the internet in search of sales or to …Continue Reading Labor Day Deals and Online Shopping Scams
Distribution of the approved COVID-19 vaccines is well underway, but fraudsters are gaining access to vaccine-related data almost as fast as the rollout. According to the latest numbers from the Department of Public Health (DPH), more than 4 million people in Massachusetts have received at …Continue Reading FRAUD ALERT: COVID-19 Vaccine Survey Scam
Tax Day is quickly approaching, and this year more Americans are planning on filing their taxes online, according to McAfee’s 2021 Consumer Security Mindset Report. Filing taxes electronically is a more convenient and efficient process but may open you up to scammers hoping to steal …Continue Reading Protect Yourself Against Scams this Tax Season
Everyone wants to share Valentine’s Day with someone special, and online dating sites put hundreds of potential partners at your fingertips. Hoping to connect with you for their own gain, scammers use these same dating websites as well as social media to establish relationships and …Continue Reading Love, or Lies? What You Need to Know About Romance Scams
The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have sent millions of Americans a second round of stimulus payments this month. As checks roll out, scammers are working to defraud consumers of these funds. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that consumers lost over $200 million to COVID-19 …Continue Reading Fraud Alert: Stimulus Check Scams
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2021