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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MAY 13, 2022 Page 15 Better Business Bureau warns of summertime scam S ummer is coming, and rising temperatures mean high air-conditioning bills. Scammers have devised a new con that claims to “save you money.” Con artists, posing as local government and utility company representatives, are off ering phony home energy audits and services. Here’s what you need to know to spot the scam. How the scam works You are contacted over the phone or in person at your front door. The “representative” introduces themselves as working for your utility company or with the energy division of your local government. They might even show you identifi cation, but it isn’t real. The scammers inform you that you could be saving big on your energy bill. Some con artists will even insist on a tour of your home. These individuals might off er to install fi lters, thermostats or other energy equipment to lower your bill, or they might simply say you are eligible to pay less. In either case, they’ll ask you to sign a contract and possibly even run a credit check. They will also ask for billing information, including your debit or credit card number. In the end, you won’t receive any discount on your energy bill or any services; the equipment you were promised won’t be delivered — that’s because this “home energy audit” is a scam. However, you might be charged the fees mentioned in the contract, and your personal information will be in the hands of a scammer. How to avoid impersonation scams Don’t agree to anything on the spot. No matter how good the deal seems or how urgent the individual makes their offer seem, take time to do your research. Tell the person you need time to think about their offer and hang up or close the door. Scammers might tell you you’ll miss out on the deal, but taking immediate action isn’t worth getting scammed. Go to the source. Contact your local government agency or your utility company directly to confirm whether they really are offering energy audit services. This is the quickest way to find out if you are dealing with an impostor. Get help. If you aren’t sure about what you’re being off ered, talk to someone. Call a trusted friend or family member or contact your local Better Business Bureau to fi nd out if you are dealing with a scam. B Tax Foundation Reports MA is the 5th for Property Taxes OSTON — A new Tax Foundation report shows Massachusetts has the fi fth highest property tax rate in the country, with our state’s ranking not improving over the last few years. According to their report, Massachusetts has been ranked as the fi fth highest in 2022, 2021 and 2019. In 2020, Massachusetts was the sixth highest in the country. Many of the New England states rank in the top ten most expensive states in the country, but unlike those other New England states, Massachusetts is considering raising its income tax rate for high income earners and some small businesses at this November’s election through a ballot question. If the ballot question passes, these high income earners and some small businesses are likely to fl ee our state, further depriving Massachusetts of these revenues and increasing the property tax burden on those who remain. The Tax Foundation’s report notes that property taxes matter to businesses for a wide variety of reasons and pay a signifi cant part of the overall property taxes collected by states. A copy of the report may be found by clicking here. “According to the Tax Foundation, Massachusetts property owners pay among the highest property taxes in the entire country. Today’s report comes after April’s state tax collections numbers Highest State show that Massachusetts collected nearly 80% more in taxes this April than last April,” stated Paul Diego Craney, spokesman for the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance. “Making things even worse, Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka have a ballot question this November to raise income taxes by 80% for some high-income earners and small businesses. If their 80% tax hike passes, many affl uent and small businesses will fl ee out state, leaving the middle class to make up for the loss of tax collections, including property taxes,” continued Craney. “It seems like the Speaker and Senate President are driving the state economy right into a brick wall but they do not seem to care. Eventually, the high taxes, high spending, and high infl ation will catch up to them but it will come at the expense of the middle class who will be expected to pay for these reckless decisions by our State House leaders,” concluded Craney. Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance advocates for fi scal responsibility, transparency, and accountability in state government and increased economic opportunity for the people of our Commonwealth. AG’s Offi ce issues warning about scams targeting friends and family of incarcerated people A ttorney General Maura Healey is partnering with the Massachusetts Department of Correction (DOC), Prisoners’ Legal Services (PLS) and the Massachusetts Sheriff s’ Association (MSA) to advise residents with incarcerated loved ones to be wary of scams that off er to make or improve connections between those in correctional facilities and their friends and families for a fee. These scams target the families and friends of people who are currently incarcerated, offering deceptive or fake services that are often advertised online, over social media and in print media. In some cases, scammers purportedly offer supplemental calling plans, including false promises of “unlimited minutes,” to connect with incarcerated people. However, Massachusetts does not currently off er unlimited calling plans in any jail, House of Correction or prison. Ultimately, these scams fail to provide promised services, even after taking hundreds of dollars from consumers. “Scammers will use any opportunity to seek financial gain, including taking advantage of family and friends looking to connect with their incarcerated loved ones,” said Healey. “We are working with community advocates and our partners in law enforcement to ensure our residents know how to protect themselves from fraud and deceptive services and that they can report any instances of these scams to my offi ce. It is important that incarcerated individuals are able to connect with the people closest to them without their loved ones becoming victims of fraud.” “The Sheriffs stand united that one of our highest priorities is keeping incarcerated individuals connected to family members, friends and outside support systems,” said Suff olk County Sheriff /MSA President Steven Tompkins. “We want to warn citizens that these are most defi nitely scams and urge them to take the proper precautions. Taking advantage of people who are already dealing with the stress and emotional toll of having a loved one who is incarcerated is especially repugnant. Protecting our incarcerated individuals and their families from those who would prey on them must remain a top priority.” “The Department of Correction recognizes the importance of connected relationships of family and friends with their loved ones in our custody,” said the Department of Corrections’ Commissioner Carol Mici. “This collaboration with the Attorney General’s office will help to ensure this connection continues while thwarting opportunities for fraud.” “It is too often the case that families who are already fi nancially burdened and disproportionately people of color are also preyed upon by people seeking to take advantage of the painful experience of being separated from a loved one who is incarcerated,” said Prisoners’ Legal Services Executive Director Elizabeth Matos. “We appreciate the Attorney General’s eff orts to ensure that families and communities are not being scammed in this way.” The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, DOC, PLS and MSA are encouraging residents to take the following steps to protect themselves from fraud and targeted scams: Be cautious before posting about incarcerated loved ones on social media, as scammers looking for targets might try scanning social media activity. • Before signing up for a service, check the business’s website to make sure they off er reputable and legitimate services and to see if they have negative reviews. • Confi rm that you can contact the business/organization via phone, email, live chat or through their website. • Look out for all fees that will apply and check the business’s refund policy. • Avoid off ers that come from social media and, in particular, from questionable businesses or organizations that operate solely on Facebook or other social media websites. • Avoid unsolicited offers from sources you don’t trust or know, including texts and phone calls, unless you can confi rm that the product or service is legitimate. • If you decide to make a purchase, pay with a credit card, PayPal or other method that off ers purchase protections. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken recent action against these scams, stopping the operators of a scheme that preyed on families and friends of incarcerated individuals who rely on phone calls to stay in touch with their incarcerated loved ones — particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person visitations were suspended. A settlement was also reached by the FTC and the Florida Attorney General’s Offi ce with a company that scammed prisoners and their families by charging them for magazine subscriptions that either showed up late or not at all. Any consumers who feel they may have been scammed by these deceptive practices are encouraged to fi le a complaint online with the Attorney General’s Offi ce.

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