CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) — The West Virginia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division is committed to educating West Virginians about the latest scams targeting our communities and how consumers can protect themselves. Everyone is encouraged to visit the office’s website for information about the latest scams, techniques scammers use and how to protect yourself.
For the month of April, the Consumer Protection Division received 120 scam complaints.
The top 5 scams reported:
- Medicare Scams — Fraudsters pose as Medicare representatives to steal your personal information or bill for services you never received.
- Computer Phishing Scams — Fake emails or websites impersonate trusted companies to trick you into entering passwords, account numbers or other sensitive information.
- Robocalls — Automated calls pushing unsolicited offers or urgent warnings about funeral expenses, car warranties, loans and credit card purchases. Hang up — these are never legitimate.
- DMV Text Scams — Texts impersonating the DMV that claim you owe money for unpaid tolls or traffic tickets and threaten legal action or fines if you don’t pay immediately.
- Fake Court Notices — Texts or messages posing as county or municipal courts, claiming you have an outstanding traffic violation and demanding immediate payment.
“It is incredibly important for everyone to educate themselves on the tactics scammers are using to steal your money and your identity. Especially now that scammers are using artificial intelligence—specifically for voice cloning and deepfake videos and images—I encourage everyone to be extra careful. If you receive unexpected communication by phone, email or text, take a moment to investigate. My office is here to help consumers verify whether they have been targeted by a scammer—and if they have, help them navigate the next steps,” Attorney General JB McCuskey said.
Ways to protect yourself
- Be aware that criminals can “spoof” phone numbers – Your caller ID may show familiar numbers that aren’t actually calling.
- Be wary of any contest winnings, especially if you didn’t enter.
- Hang up and call back using numbers you have on file if calls seem suspicious – don’t engage with callers.
- Keep detailed records – Document all interactions with service providers and financial transaction.
- Research before you trust – Verify identities, companies, and claims independently.
What not to do
- Don’t handle money transfers for strangers – You could unknowingly participate in money laundering.
- Never accept or forward packages for online acquaintances – This may involve illegal activity.
- Never pay anyone with gift cards – Legitimate companies don’t accept gift cards as payment.
- Never pay money to claim prizes – Real contests don’t require payment.
- Never provide personal or financial information over the phone to unsolicited callers.
- Never send money to people you haven’t met in person – This includes online romantic interests.
You can find out more about scams, ways to protect yourself and file a scam report at ago.wv.gov. You can also call our Consumer Protection Hotline and speak with our Scam Coordinator at 1-800-368-8808.
