Additionally, air duct cleaning services may advertise a low price, but then charge you a much higher amount once a representative is in your home performing the work.

In his inaugural remarks, Attorney General DeWine explained his top priority: to protect families. He said it is especially important to protect the most vulnerable among us.

A Franklin County resident said he received an e-mail message that appeared to be from the IRS. The e-mail indicated that the consumer was late in submitting his W-2 form and instructed him to click on a link to send the updated form. Fortunately, the consumer recognized that the e-mail was a scam, and he did not click on the link nor provide any personal information.

A Trumbull County consumer said he found a 2005 all-terain vehicle for sale on Craigslist. The seller told him to send $1,600 via Western Union to London, and promised to send the vehicle. Although the consumer sent the money, the vehicle never arrived.

They often prefer payment via wire transfer, because a wire transfer leaves very little paper trail, helping scammers get away with their ploys.

In addition to the immediate environmental impacts, flooding also can cause serious damage to vehicles, and some damaged vehicles eventually get sold to unsuspecting buyers. 

In honor of NCPW 2011, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office is joining other government and nonprofit organizations to provide events and workshops throughout the state.

Older Ohioans are a valuable resource, with their knowledge, skills and experience. Unfortunately, seniors have long been a target of scam artists, and as the population of older Ohioans grows, that trend likely will continue.

According to recent reports from U.S. Census data, Ohio’s median age is growing, and the number of Ohioans who are 65 and older grew by about seven percent from 2000 to 2010.

In support, the Attorney General’s office provides a free complaint dispute resolution process for small businesses and nonprofits. This effort has helped save small businesses thousands of dollars. 

The indictments were the latest development in a statewide effort to increase the number of consumer protection cases prosecuted criminally.

DIRECTV agreed to provide compensation for eligible consumers under a 2010 settlement with the Ohio Attorney General, 48 other states, and the District of Columbia to resolve allegations of deceptive and unfair business practices.

The settlement involved advertising, contract terms and other issues. If you believe you might be eligible, file a written or online complaint with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office by May 30 at www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or by mailing a complaint form to the Consumer Protection Section, Ohio Attorney General’s Office, 30 E. Broad St., 14th Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215.www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/ConsumerComplaint

Since January, the Attorney General’s Office has received dozens of reports of grandparent scams from consumers across the state. In some cases, victims lose $10,000 or more.

“It’s me. Me and my friend are in Canada and got stopped by the police. I need a $1,000 to get out. Could you wire it to me? Please don’t tell mom or dad. You know how they are. Thanks.”

A recently reported job scam requests a $38 fee to apply online for state jobs and civil service testing. In reality, government job information is available for free at www.Ohio.gov (state jobs) and www.USAjobs.gov (federal jobs).

Some companies offer “free” vacations, flights or other perks to entice you to sign up for a membership or a more expensive trip.

Senior citizen? Child of a senior?

The gift of hope.

“I want the survivors to know that sometimes life doesn’t bring you what you want, but I can assure you that life brings you what you need,” said Leon, whose late husband, Cleveland police officer Wayne Leon, was shot while making a traffic stop nearly 11 years ago. “I hope peace fills your hearts and loving memories bring you comfort.”

People applying for Social Security, Veterans benefits or other federal benefits on or after May 1, 2011 will receive their payments electronically starting with their first payment. People currently receiving federal benefit checks will need to switch to an electronic payment option by March 1, 2013.

Those who do not choose an electronic payment option at the time they apply for federal benefits or those who do not switch by the deadline will receive their benefit payments via the Direct Express® Debit MasterCard® card, so they will not experience any interruption in payment. People who are already receiving benefit payments electronically do not need to take action. They will continue to receive their payment as usual on the payment day.

The Attorney General’s Office enforces more than 25 consumer laws regarding advertising and business sales practices. To help businesses better understand these laws, the office’s Consumer Protection Section offers a free workshop, “Supporting Ohio Small Businesses,” which covers complying with Ohio consumer law and avoiding scams targeting small businesses.

To enter the contest, high school students may submit a 60-second video on Internet safety. Entries may come from individuals or teams of two students.

If you answered that it means taxpayers’ dollars were saved and people in need of medical care got more help, you’d be right.

The following will help you understand and deal with unexpected calls.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 34 percent of 10- to 17-year-olds had posted their real names, telephone numbers, home addresses, or the names of their schools online, and 45 percent had posted their dates of birth or their ages. Plus, one third of young Internet users (34 percent) had an unwanted exposure to sexual material.

How can you tell? Here’s one certain sign: It will direct you to deposit the check into your account and send money in return, keeping a nice “bonus” for yourself.

Many mobile phones today are essentially mini-computers. They can be conveniently used to browse the Web, check e-mail, and make financial transactions.

But without proper security features, hackers may be able to use fairly simple technology to manipulate your phone and the information stored in it.

Police knew there had been skirmishes between rival gangs and “takeovers” of local bars in which a gang would lock it down and line up patrons to see if any belonged to a rival gang. There were warnings out, too, that a gang’s “enforcer” was in the area.

National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) is a coordinated campaign that encourages consumers nationwide to take full advantage of their consumer rights and to make better-informed decisions.

National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) is a coordinated campaign that encourages consumers nationwide to take full advantage of their consumer rights and to make better-informed decisions.

To apply for federal financial aid for free, visit www.fafsa.ed.gov. Other similar-sounding websites and companies may charge fees for their services.

For example, a Central Ohio consumer said she completed what she thought was a free government application for financial aid. She later discovered that it was an application to a student aid advisory service that charged $79 to complete the application.

The first place team was Billy Lewandowski and Todd Thompson from Pymatuning Valley High School (Ashtabula County), who won a $2,500 scholarship for their video, “Too good to be true? It probably is.”

Reporting a missing person is the first step a family member or other loved one can take when faced with this situation. There is also the Missing Persons Checklist available from the Ohio Attorney General's Office. Leads to the whereabouts of missing persons can also be submitted.

In early March, Attorney General DeWine announced that former Jackson County Prosecutor Jonathan Blanton will join the office’s Consumer Protection Section to assist local county prosecutors in the preparation and prosecution of consumer fraud cases.

A recent execution-style double homicide in Ashtabula County is the latest link in a disturbing chain of prescription drug-fueled crimes. The Ashtabula County sheriff said that the trafficking of OxyContin and Percocet -- the two most popular prescription drugs in his jurisdiction -- was "running wild."

The imposter may be a family member, friend or a stranger. He or she may use the child’s name and Social Security number to open new accounts for cell phones, utilities, credit cards and even mortgages.

For example, a Central Ohio consumer received a call saying she qualified for a loan worth up to $5,000. In order to receive the loan, she first had to send $300 via wire transfer to India. She sent the money, but never received the loan. It was all a scam.

Under Ohio law, if you need to get a document notarized to verify your signature on the document, you must be physically present with the notary public at the time you sign the document.

The consumer’s sister forwarded a link about the grant, and soon the consumer began chatting with an official who said he was from the Federal Government Humanity & Empowerment Program.

The federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act protect consumers from abusive, deceptive and unfair debt collection practices.

Charitable scams tend to emerge after large-scale disasters, and Ohioans who want to help fund relief efforts need to be wary of scam artists trying to exploit their generosity.

For years, experts have warned web users to avoid posting too much personal information, such as street address, date of birth, or license plate numbers, to protect against online predators.  

Some job placement services are legitimate, but others misrepresent their services, promote outdated or fictitious job offerings, or charge high fees for services that never lead to a job.

• Gym and health spa memberships
• Dating services
• Dance lessons
• Martial arts instruction

This year, the sales-tax holiday will span 10 days – from Tuesday July 30 through Thursday Aug. 8. The event permits tax-free online and in-person purchases on all eligible items up to $500 per item. Though traditionally associated with back-to-school purchases, the holiday includes many other items. The few exceptions include boats, automobiles, liquor, tobacco, vapor products and items containing marijuana.

Remember: If you’re asked to move your money to protect it, it’s likely a scam.

For questions about the Ohio Sales Tax Holiday, call the Department of Taxation at 1-888-405-4039.