Live Help | Agencies | Online Services | Policies
Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel Presents: Be Street Smart | Street News & Events
Street News & Events

RSS

Don't Get Fleeced by a Financial Scam

LITTLE ROCK--Scammers are trying to capitalize on the recent economic turmoil by rehashing some of their favorite solicitation schemes, like those involving the IRS and Treasury Department. Thus, today, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued this consumer alert to warn consumers about the latest wave of financial e-mail scams. "These scam art...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Oct 10, 2008

Don't Get Tricked by the Treat of a Fake Check

LITTLE ROCK - Counterfeit check schemes can take many forms. For instance, you may receive a prize check in the mail from an international lottery, even though you didn't enter the sweepstakes. Alternatively, you may be contacted about a job in which you are promised a percentage of a transaction or even a set salary for only working a few hours by...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Oct 3, 2008

Government Money Not Granted by Telemarketers

LITTLE ROCK -Attorney General Dustin McDaniel's office has recently received an increased number of consumer inquiries regarding offers of easy access to grant money available from the U.S. government. Consumers are receiving calls in which the caller claims that they can obtain thousands of dollars in government grants in exchange for a fee paid i...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Sep 26, 2008

Bogus Collectors Use Extortion

LITTLE ROCK – In such tough economic times, many people are struggling to make ends meet and finding themselves behind on mortgage, credit and bill payments. Unfortunately for these consumers, calls from bill collectors have become an unwelcomed addition to their daily routine. But what happens if you get a phone call from a debt collector for a de...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Aug 29, 2008

An Alarming Trend

According to a recent study, prescription drug abuse by Arkansas teenagers between the ages of 12-17 is higher than prescription drug abuse by teens in any other state in the nation. Yet, Arkansas teenagers are not alone in experiencing this problem. In fact, prescription drug abuse is a persistent, yet rarely discussed, problem affecting millions ...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Aug 22, 2008

Don't Leave Your Data Behind

LITTLE ROCK – Today, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued this consumer alert to remind Arkansas consumers to guard against the potential exposure of personal information when buying a new cell phone or other mobile electronic device. “The ubiquitous cell phone has become an essential communication device for hundreds of thousands of Arkans...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Aug 15, 2008

It's No Mystery, It's a Scam

LITTLE ROCK – Today, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued this consumer alert to warn Arkansans about the resurgence of the "secret shoppers" or "mystery shoppers" scam. In the last few weeks, the Public Protection Department of the Office of the Attorney General has received an increased number of complaints and inquiries about this scam, which...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Jul 18, 2008

Odds Are You're Not a Winner

LITTLE ROCK – A lottery scam is not a new phenomenon. In fact, every day, thousands of Arkansans are notified, usually by email, that they are big winners in international sweepstakes. The allure of a million dollar payout, or more, can be hard to resist, as is evident by reports this week that an elderly woman in Rogers was scammed out of $48,000 ...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Jul 11, 2008

Don't Drive Off With A Bad Deal

LITTLE ROCK – Today, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued this consumer alert to provide Arkansans with tips on how to get the most bang for their buck when buying a car. "With the end of the model year approaching, many consumers are starting to shop for a bargain; however, shoppers should take the same precautions that they would at any o...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Tuesday, Jul 8, 2008

Knock Knock. Who's There? FRAUD.

LITTLE ROCK –Recently, sales people have been canvassing Little Rock neighborhoods selling home security systems at purportedly discounted rates in exchange for placing the company's sign on the homeowner's property. While the offer sounds sweet, it is actually a ruse to ensnare people into signing costly long-term monitoring agreements with a comp...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Jun 13, 2008

Some Auto Warranties May Only Guarantee a Bad Deal

LITTLE ROCK – Have you received a phone call or letter in the mail recently regarding the expiration of your car's warranty? If you have, beware. While this may seem like legitimate correspondence from your car's manufacturer or your dealership, odds are that it's actually not; rather, it's an advertisement from a company aiming to lure you into ...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, May 30, 2008

Don't Fall for the Quake Shakedown

LITTLE ROCK – Earlier this month an earthquake, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, rocked Sichuan province in western China, where more than 15 million people live. Already, the disaster has left 5 million people homeless, claimed 55,000 lives and still threatens to claim more as rivers continue to overflow in the aftermath. Naturally, with a la...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, May 23, 2008

Businesses Beware Phony Placemats Pitch

LITTLE ROCK – Businesses, as well as individual consumers, can be targets for scam artists, who use a variety of ploys and tactics for the purposes of committing fraud. Most recently, the Public Protection Department of the Arkansas Attorney General's Office has received a handful of complaints about a new advertising scam sweeping across the stat...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, May 16, 2008

Costly Deeds Offer a Dud Deal

LITTLE ROCK – Sorting through the pile of solicitations you get in the mail each day, you may come across a pitch from the National Deed Service offering to sell you a certified copy of your property's deed for $69.50. In the solicitation it emphasizes the importance of having a certified copy of your deed so that you can prove the property is le...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, May 9, 2008

Cyber Buys Could Mean Real-time Trouble

LITTLE ROCK – With many Arkansans attending multiple weddings and graduations this time of year, consumers will not only go to local stores to purchase gifts but they will also shop online. In fact, most wedding registries are accessible via the Internet. While online shopping is a modern convenience that most of us utilize regularly and without ...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, May 2, 2008

Discount Health Care Plans May Leave You Shortchanged

LITTLE ROCK – Accessing affordable health care is not only a concern for Arkansans, but for the entire country. As usual, where there is a need experienced by consumers, there will be some less-than-honorable providers trying to take advantage. Today, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel wants to warn Arkansans about some of the issues that arise when ...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Apr 25, 2008

Don't Fuel Up on a Fraud

LITTLE ROCK – High gas prices have motivated many consumers to look for new ways in which to conserve fuel and money. Accordingly, when products that promise to increase fuel efficiency are advertised, energy-conscious consumers take notice. Unfortunately, however, very few of these "gas-saver" devices actually work, and for those that have any e...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Apr 18, 2008

Springtime is Scam-time

LITTLE ROCK – The spring season naturally motivates many Arkansans to get outside and tackle necessary home improvement projects that can't be done during the cold of the winter or the heat of the summer. At the same time, however, spring is also an ideal time for consumers to get cheated on home repairs. Home repair scams are not new, and seeming...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Apr 11, 2008

Watch Out for Fair Weather Contractors

LITTLE ROCK –Arkansas has been hit by a range of severe weather, from flooding to most recently, tornadoes. When these tragic events happen, most Arkansans want to dig deep, roll up their sleeves and help in the recovery and rebuilding efforts. Unfortunately, while most people simply want to help their neighbors, there are others who only want to h...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Apr 4, 2008

Protect Your Financial Health, Hang-Up the Phone

LITTLE ROCK – Most of us are used to getting calls from telemarketers, and we simply know to hang-up the phone or politely refuse to buy what they are selling. However, a new telemarketing scam has hit Arkansas and claimed at least 10 victims. Accordingly, today, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued this consumer alert to warn consumers about ...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Mar 28, 2008

Avoid a One-Way Ticket to a Rip-Off

LITTLE ROCK – Most of us would welcome the opportunity to make a little extra money, especially if the job does not require an advanced degree or years of experience. Accordingly, when consumers read ads in the newspaper about exciting jobs requiring no experience and offering a high-salary, they are understandably tempted to pursue the position. ...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Mar 21, 2008

Beware of Prisoner Phone Scam

LITTLE ROCK – Most of us dread the thought of getting a phone call from the police or hospital telling us that a loved one is ill or has been seriously injured. Unfortunately, scam artists prey on such emotions to defraud consumers; thus, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued this consumer alert to warn Arkansans of a recurring phone scam, which...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Feb 29, 2008

The Downsides of Debt Relief

LITTLE ROCK – Consumer debt has increased at a staggering pace in recent years. In 2007, the number of Americans filing for bankruptcy jumped by 40 percent, with more than 800,000 individuals seeking relief through bankruptcy last year alone. As debt continues to burden more and more Americans, debt relief services seem more and more attractive to ...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Feb 22, 2008

RALs Offer Raw Deal

LITTLE ROCK – While the warmer weather may be a sign that spring is right around the corner, another season is already in full swing: tax season. Today, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued this consumer alert to warn Arkansans about the pitfalls of refund anticipation loans (RALs). In 2006 approximately nine million American taxpayers rec...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Feb 15, 2008

Warning about Pay-Forwarding

LITTLE ROCK – Most of us would not mind making extra money for little work; however, when such job opportunities come along, they are usually not legitimate employment. Accordingly, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued this consumer alert to warn Arkansans about "pay it forward job scams" and provide helpful tips on how to avoid falling victim t...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Feb 8, 2008

Tax Time Means New Scams

LITTLE ROCK— As we enter the 2008 tax season, scam artists are coming up with new ways to take advantage of American taxpayers. Accordingly, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued this consumer alert to warn consumers about the latest tax scams. This week the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) warned Americans about several new scams, including t...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Feb 1, 2008

Don't be a Victim of Vishing

LITTLE ROCK— Most Arkansans are familiar with "phishing" schemes, in which con-artists typically solicit personal, financial information via email. In these phishing schemes, the consumer is directed to a fake Web site where they are asked to input their bank account number, Social Security number or other information the con-artist can use to comm...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Jan 25, 2008

No Quick Fixes for Bad Credit

LITTLE ROCK— If you have less than perfect credit, you have probably received solicitations in the mail, heard radio spots or scene ads on T.V. from companies that offer to fix your credit for a fee. Often, such ads "guarantee" that they can wipe away your credit problems, making it easier for you to buy that new house, car or even get a new job. U...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Jan 18, 2008

Watch for Fake Treasury Checks

LITTLE ROCK— Fake check scams are not uncommon or new; however, in certain parts of northeast Arkansas, consumers have recently received checks in the mail that appear to be from the United States Treasury. The check is similar to a tax-refund check in design and is accompanied by a generic letter, which instructs the consumer to contact the sender...
More

Posted under "Scam Alerts" Friday, Jan 4, 2008

Staff Login

back to top

 

Click to view Welcome Video