'TIS THE SEASON FOR SCAMS

From Attorney General John Kroger:

Many con artists take advantage of the hectic holiday season. Regardless of how you celebrate, Attorney General John Kroger urges Oregonians to be alert for opportunistic scam artists. The Oregon Department of Justice has received complaints about some of the following holiday scams:

Delivery Confirmation Scams. Victims receive a very convincing email stating that a package could not be delivered and instructing the recipient to open and print an attached claim form. The attachment is actually malware - a virus that sends your personal information to identity thieves. DHL, UPS and other delivery services may send email notification that a package was not delivered, but rarely include attachments. Con artists also send malware that appears to be a holiday e-card.

Free iPad Pop-up Ads. Shoppers should be cautious of products like iPads or gift cards offered for free or at prices far below competitors'. A recent scam using Facebook offered $1,000 gift cards to the first 20,000 people to complete a series of quizzes. Websites, quizzes and pop-up ads that offer free products are often created to steal credit card and personal information, by either installing malware or simply asking for it. Victims will not receive the product, but may have a few surprises "pop-up" on their credit card or bank account statement.

Lampooned Holiday Vacations. If you have ever tried booking a last minute getaway during peak travel times, you know availability can be sparse and prices expensive. Be wary of holiday rentals that seem too good to be true. Cyber-thieves post fake vacation rentals and ask for down payments by credit card or wire transfer, leaving would-be vacationers stranded with a different kind of memorable experience.

Whether you are braving holiday travel, looking for those last-minute deals online, or planning the perfect New Years' getaway, Attorney General Kroger offers the following advice:

· Do not open suspicious email attachments. If you think it may be a legitimate delivery confirmation email but are unsure, call the delivery company or try to track the package online.

· Avoid the lure of pop-up ads and cheap vacation rentals. Never give personal information unless through a secure site.

· As always, be mindful of free wi-fi in places like hotels and airports. Thieves use unsecured networks to hack into your computer and steal information.

· Make sure your computer has up-to-date antivirus software.

· If you suspect a virus or malware is lurking on your computer, stop shopping, banking, and other online activities that involve user names, passwords, or other sensitive information.

· Use your antivirus software to perform a scan and delete flagged items.

· For more on what to do in an e-mergency see: www.onguardonline.gov.

Attorney General John Kroger and the Oregon Department of Justice are committed to protecting Oregon's marketplace and keeping the Grinch from ruining your cheer.

If you or someone you know has been scrooged, please call the Consumer Hotline at 1-877-877-9392.

BUYER BEWARE: DOOR-TO-DOOR MAGAZINE SALES

Attorney General John Kroger warns Oregonians to be on the lookout for unscrupulous door-to-door magazine peddlers.

Door-to-door magazine companies are a perennial source of frustration for Oregon consumers, generating more than 150 complaints in the past year alone. Employees of travelling sales crews - mostly young adults - sell magazines and other products door-to-door using a variety of misleading sales pitches in order to obtain orders.

Most recently the Oregon Department of Justice has seen influx of complaints about Atlantic Circulation, Inc., a magazine distribution company. The sales crews employed by Atlantic Circulation have allegedly tried to boost sales by suggesting the magazine subscriptions will benefit a charity. In fact, many consumers who purchased subscriptions from the company never received their orders and there was no charitable donation.

Travelling sales crews don't just raise consumer protection concerns, the crewmembers themselves are sometimes victims of scam and physical abuse. While these smooth-talking hucksters may pepper you with stories about raising funds for college, athletics, troops abroad, church or a local charity, many are employed by for-profit operations that take advantage of vulnerable youth and homeless teens.

Don't be fooled. There are legitimate organizations that conduct fundraising or sell products door-to-door. Nevertheless, Oregonians should proceed with caution when contemplating transactions at the door.

Here are some things you can do to avoid being bamboozled:

• If you're not expecting someone, don't answer the door.
• If you answer the door, don't open it wide and NEVER invite them in.
• Don't feel pressured to buy on the spot; before you buy anything, check whether the business is registered to solicit door-to-door with the city you live in.
• Ask for materials in writing before purchasing the product.
• If you feel threatened, call the police.
• If you gave a check and want to cancel your order, cancel the check first, then call to cancel the subscription.
• If you gave a credit card number and are concerned it will now be misused, call your credit card company and cancel the card. You may also need to monitor the charges that appear on your account for a while.

Oregon has a "cooling off rule" allowing consumers three days to cancel purchases over $25 that are made at your home. Under the Cooling-Off Rule, the salesperson must:

• Tell you about your cancellation rights at the time of sale.
• Give you two copies of a cancellation form (one to keep and one to send).
• Give you a copy of your contract or receipt.

Anyone who believes they have been approached by a scammer should call the Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Hotline at 1-877-877-9392 or go to the Department's Web site: www.oregonattorneygeneral.gov. Attorney General John Kroger recently unveiled a new feature on called Be InfORmed, which allows consumers to look up complaints about businesses on-line: www.oregonattorneygeneral.gov/beinformed.