http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts en mshir@ago.state.ms.us Copyright 2012 2012-02-23T14:26:01-06:00 http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/hb211_sunshine_legislation_bill/ http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/hb211_sunshine_legislation_bill/#When:14:26:01Z The legislature’s so-called “sunshine” legislation has serious consequences for the State.  Read the Attorney General’s concerns and understand how this affects you. CLICK HERE to read the Attorney General’s concerns and understand how this affects you. Message from Attorney General Jim Hood on HB211 What if nobody stood between you—the law-abiding citizens of the state of Mississippi—and everyone else who would do you harm? What if a governor pardoned violent criminals and no one was there to try to stop it? What if giant, money hungry corporations stole your hard-earned paycheck and not one person made them give it back?  What if a company defrauded a state agency out of hundreds of millions of dollars, and the state agency did nothing about it? If HB 211 becomes law that’s exactly what may happen. The more than 200 men and women of the Attorney General’s Office who now help shield our residents from these misguided acts and wrong doers will be unable to properly protect them. And that’s why every effort must be made to put down this short-sighted attempt to strip the people of a constitutionally empowered Attorney General and replace him with a barrel full of hand-picked lawyers doing the bidding of a few politically minded individuals. Not only is it a recipe for disaster legally and ethically, it will cost taxpayers millions of extra dollars each year . The efforts by some legislators to virtually eliminate the mandated authority of a duly elected officeholder that you—the voter—saw fit to elect is bad in itself. But to create a situation whereby Mississippi could end up with a host of different lawyers with competing interests representing our citizens in state legal matters is simply government chaos in the making. And Mississippians will be the losers. These legislators should read our Constitution, which says there shall be an Attorney General, not several.  The drafters of our state Constitution knew that the State could only speak with one voice in a court of law. HB 211 would allow multiple state agencies – from the Board of Massage Therapy to the Division of Medicaid – to initiate, defend and control lawsuits without any central oversight from the Attorney General. The taxpayers will bear the cost of this fractured, counter-productive system that contains not one single benefit to the citizens of Mississippi. Think about this: If HB 211 were now law, the state would have received only $3.5 million from the MCI Worldcom lawsuit because the State Tax Commission would have settled the case. But because the Attorney General’s Office had the legal authority and the good sense to pursue the lawsuit, we collected over $100 million for our taxpayers. That’s just one example of what would happen if this misguided effort succeeds. There would be no healthcare trust fund or $4 billion tobacco settlement because the then-governor and the Division of Medicaid would have overrode the AG’s efforts to secure that money for our state. The fact is that the current system works well. Over the past seven years, the Attorney General’s Office has recovered more than $500 million for our taxpayers from wrongdoers and it did not cost the taxpayers one dime.  The law already allows state agencies to take legal action on their own if the Attorney General’s Office declines or even opposes such action. But our law is clear—the state of Mississippi speaks with one voice in the courtroom and it comes through your Attorney General. The voters of this state elect an Attorney General every four years to represent their interests in matters of law. To circumvent this system is to open the door to every kind of corporate wrongdoer, eliminating our ability to punish them and to recover the money that they have taken from you. The Office of Attorney General is your barrier, your shield, your designated hitter when it comes to representing you in court. It’s an office as old as our state Constitution of 1890. There is not one valid reason to change it now. I urge you to contact your representatives and senators and let them know that HB 211 is bad for Mississippi.  You may contact them at 601.359.3770.  Alerts 2012-02-23T14:26:01-06:00 http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/public_employees_retirement_system_pers/ http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/public_employees_retirement_system_pers/#When:11:38:00Z Read Attorney General Hood’s Letter to the Public Employees Retirement System Study Commission and his opinion to PERS concerning the State’s Retirement System.  Click here to read the letter and opinion to PERS Study Commission in adobe pdf format.  Alerts 2011-11-04T11:38:00-06:00 http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/mississippi_intellectual_property_crime_center/ http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/mississippi_intellectual_property_crime_center/#When:13:15:00Z The AGO leads state investigations and prosecutions of IP crimes. In September, 2009, the Mississippi AGO was awarded a federal grant to support the formation of a state-wide Intellectual Property Theft Task Force and an educational campaign under the project name Operation Knock Out Knock-Offs (Operation K.O.K.O). The Mississippi Intellectual Property Crime Center website was created through a grant from the Bureau of Justice (US Dept of Justice) to help inform the public about Intellectual Property crimes and its effects on our world. The public may also give tips to law enforcement on Intellectual Property crimes in their neighborhood. Attorney General Jim Hood is a national leader in the fight against these types of crimes that hurt consumers, businesses, and the economy as a whole. http://mipcc.ago.state.ms.us/ Alerts, Consumers, Crime 2011-08-17T13:15:00-06:00 http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/law_enforcement_officers_fire_fighters_disability_benefits_trust_fund/ http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/law_enforcement_officers_fire_fighters_disability_benefits_trust_fund/#When:09:25:00Z Effective July 1, 2011, Volunteer Fire Fighters and Reserve/Auxiliary Law Enforcement Officers are now eligible to receive benefits from the Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters Disability Benefits Trust Fund for any injury occurring after January 1, 2011. Please refer to the Policy and Procedures below and the Volunteer Application for Benefits - Exhibit D. Effective July 1, 2006, the MS Attorney General’s Office is accepting applications for benefits from the Law Enforcement Officers and Fire Fighters Disability Benefits Trust Fund. Any actively employed law enforcement officer or fire fighter who is accidentally or intentionally injured in the line of duty as the direct result of a single incident is eligible to receive benefits. (Important note: Chronic or repetitive injury is not covered and employees of independent contractors are excluded). Upon approval, the Attorney General’s Office will make a monthly disability payment equal to 34% of the covered individual’s regular base salary at the time of injury (some adjustments are made if the qualified individual also receives workers’ compensation benefits). Up to 1 year of payments for any single injury can be made. Applications for benefits should be submitted to the Attorney General’s Office. More information may be obtained by calling 601-359-3810 or email msag02@ago.state.ms.us. The following files are viewable in adobe format: Fund Policies and Procedures Application for Benefits - Exhibit A Employer Return to Work Letter - Exhibit B Application for Re-certification of Benefits - Exhibit C Volunteer Application for Benefits - Exhibit D Alerts 2011-07-01T09:25:00-06:00 http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/bp_oil_spill/ http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/bp_oil_spill/#When:08:09:00Z Information on the BP Oil Spill Thank you to everyone who participated in the Town Hall Meetings along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.  If you were unable to attend and would like to participate in our Gulf Coast Claims Facility ("GCCF") claimant survey, please download the GCCF Claimant Questionnaire, fill it out, and return it to the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Division by e-mail to consumer@ago.state.ms.us, by facsimile to (601) 359-4231, or by regular mail to P.O. Box 22947, Jackson, MS 39225-2947. Also, if you would like our office to request a copy of your GCCF claim file to assist us in our ongoing review of the GCCF, please fill out and sign the Authorization to Disclose Personal Information form.  Completed forms should be returned to the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Division by e-mail to consumer@ago.state.ms.us, by facsimile to (601) 359-4231, or by regular mail to P.O. Box 22947, Jackson, MS 39225-2947. Unfortunately, the Attorney General’s Office is prohibited by law from providing legal advice to private parties.  However, if you need assistance with your GCCF claim, there is a free legal aid program available through the Mississippi Center for Justice.  You may contact their office by calling their toll free number, 1-888-725-5423.  Information is also available online at http://www.mscenterforjustice.org/legal-assistance-oil-spill.php. Gulf Coast Claims Facility Contact Information All claims by individuals and businesses against BP for damages resulting from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico are being handled by the Gulf Coast Claims Facility.  Information is available online at http://www.gulfcoastclaimsfacility.com/, or by calling 1-800-916-4893. Natural Resource Damage Assessment To follow the progress of the Natural Resource Damage Assessment of the Gulf of Mexico resulting from the oil spill, please visit the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality’s website at http://www.mdeqnrda.com/. Other Important Contact Information To report oil on the beach, shoreline or other environment or community impacts, call 1-866-448-5816.  To report and access care for oiled wildlife, call 1-866-557-1401. Alerts, BP Oil Spill 2010-05-31T08:09:00-06:00 http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/advance_fee_loan_scams/ http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/advance_fee_loan_scams/#When:15:49:00Z The Attorney General’s Office, along with the Better Business Bureau, has received several complaints about an apparent advance-fee loan scam operating in Mississippi.  Click here to read more about the scam. Advance Fee Loan Scam Using Miss. Address BBB Issues Warning to Consumers: Ridgeland, Miss., May 20, 2010 - Consumers from across the nation have been calling the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Serving Mississippi about an apparent advance-fee loan scam which is using the address of a downtown Jackson, Miss. building, but investigations have determined that the address is false. A company called Boardwalk Capital Funding has been soliciting loans over the Internet, allegedly from an office located at 200 South Lamar Street in Jackson. Investigative efforts have determined that mail cannot be delivered since there is no such company at that address. Furthermore, Parkway Properties, which owns the building, has confirmed that no such company is a tenant in the building. A number of cash-strapped consumers have applied for loans with Boardwalk Capital Funding, and report wiring funds, then being hit up again when alleged “problems” come up with the loan applications. As of Wednesday, three consumers from Florida, Arizona and Ohio had filed complaints with the BBB. Several other consumers have contacted the BBB seeking information about the company, and reporting similar concerns. Consumers report paying funds up-front to start the paperwork for loans, but have found that after wiring thousands of dollars (often to Madrid, Spain), that no loan is forthcoming. Typically, consumers have paid funds up-front as “collateral”, and then are called back requesting additional payments because of credit issues, or in some cases, problems with “foreign investors”. Consumers report losing as much as $5,500.00. Detective Martin Cohan, a cybercrimes investigator with the Peabody, Mass. police department, began investigating the company recently after being contacted by a consumer. He noted that the company’s website, http://www.boardwalkcf.com, was registered to a California company, but ultimately leads to an address in the Netherlands. Cohan believes the scammers are operating from Canada. “Consumers should know that advance fee loans are illegal, and as soon as you wire funds, you have lost the money,” said Bill Moak, President of the BBB Serving Mississippi. “If you are having financial issues, or need credit, please seek the help of a qualified nonprofit financial counseling service, or contact a local bank to see if they can help you obtain a legitimate loan.” If you have been victimized, the BBB advises consumers to report it immediately to the local police, or to state or federal authorities. For more information on advance-fee loan scams, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website at http://www.ftc.gov.  For tips from the Federal Trade Commission to avoid Advance Fee Loan Scams, visit: :  http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/moneymatters/dealing-with-advance-fee-loans.shtml Alerts, Consumers, Consumer Scams 2010-05-25T15:49:00-06:00 http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/reports_of_emergency_scam_targeting_elected_officials/ http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/reports_of_emergency_scam_targeting_elected_officials/#When:12:50:00Z E-mail scammers are “hijacking” email addresses of well known public officials and using it to con consumers, warns Attorney General Jim Hood today.  The Attorney General first issued a warning about the scam this past July.  “It’s not a new scam, but of course these con artists continually tweak their techniques in order to fool even the most astute consumers,” said Attorney General Hood.  “In several recent reports, the cons have spoofed the email addresses of some of Mississippi’s elected officials who reported the crime to our office.  We are looking into these specific instances, but our immediate best reaction is to warn consumers that it is going on and urge them to be cautious.” E-mail scammers are “hijacking” email addresses of well known public officials and using it to con consumers, warns Attorney General Jim Hood today.  The Attorney General first issued a warning about the scam this past July. “It’s not a new scam, but of course these con artists continually tweak their techniques in order to fool even the most astute consumers,” said Attorney General Hood.  “In several recent reports, the cons have spoofed the email addresses of some of Mississippi’s elected officials who reported the crime to our office.  We are looking into these specific instances, but our immediate best reaction is to warn consumers that it is going on and urge them to be cautious.” In the recent reports, the spam email claims that the public official is overseas and is in need of money because the official has lost his through some sort of accident.  The recipient is then instructed to immediately send money to Western Union in London.  “We are looking into it, but we do know that somehow these criminals have also accessed the official’s email address book, so the victims don’t necessarily consider it out of the ordinary to be receiving email correspondence from the official,” said Attorney General Hood. The scam, in its traditional form is known as the “emergency scam” because the criminal always trys to use the scare of an emergency situation to force the victim to respond quickly.  It has also developed the nickname of the “grandparent scam” as the cons often target grandparents while pretending to be their grandchild in the middle of a crisis, perhaps a car accident or needing bail money.  The grandparent is told to act quickly and to keep the correspondence a secret. “Everyone should look with suspicion at any unsolicited emails that seek to play on your emotions and your pocketbook,” said Attorney General Hood.  “Always protect your personal information and keep your anti-virus software up-to-date.” Some key tips to remember: -Do not respond to any unsolicited e-mails of this nature. -Do not click on any attachments associated with such emails, as they may contain viruses or malware.  -Educate yourself and your family on how the scam works.  -Be suspicious of anyone who is vague in identifying themselves on the phone.  -Be suspicious of anyone who calls unexpectedly and wants you to wire money--especially out of the country. - Typically, the scammer will tell you to keep the conversation a secret.  Know that the right thing to do is to call someone else in the family to verify the situation. -Consider creating a “code word” or a “password” for your family to use in emergency situations as verification of identity and do not tell it to anyone outside of the family.  -Always protect your PII (Personally Identifiable Information).  Giving it out could cause you to become a victim of identity theft.  Alerts 2010-04-27T12:50:00-06:00 http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/scam_emergency_or_grandparent_scam1/ http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/scam_emergency_or_grandparent_scam1/#When:12:52:00Z The “Emergency Scam” (sometimes referred to as the “Grandparent Scam”) has been around for years.  The scam traditionally operates as a telemarketing scam where con-artists contact potential victims while posing as a family member or friend in urgent need of cash. The typical scenario involves an accident or arrest while travelling abroad, with a request that cash be sent immediately through a money transfer company, such as Western Union or Money Gram. The “Emergency Scam” (sometimes referred to as the “Grandparent Scam”) has been around for years. The scam traditionally operates as a telemarketing scam where con-artists contact potential victims while posing as a family member or friend in urgent need of cash. The typical scenario involves an accident or arrest while travelling abroad, with a request that cash be sent immediately through a money transfer company, such as Western Union or Money Gram. There are commonly two methods used in an attempt to fulfill this scam. 1) In the typical scenario, a grandparent receives a phone call from the fraudster claiming to be one of his or hers grandchildren.  The caller goes on to say that they are in some kind of trouble, usually a car accident, returning from a foreign country, or even bail money and need money immediately. A typical call can go something like this: Con-artist: Hi, Grandma/Grandpa Victim: Hi. Con-artist: Do you know who this is? Victim: John? Con-artist: Yeah. Victims don’t verify the story until after the money has been sent as the caller specifically asks that they do not want other relatives to know what has happened by asking “Can you please help me?  I’m in jail (or in the hospital / or in some type of financial need). But don’t tell Dad.  He would kill me if he found out, please sent the money ASAP. I’m scared” Wanting to help their grandchild, the victim sends money by a money transfer company such as Money Gram or Western Union. Variations on the scam exist such as an old neighbor, a friend of the family etc. but predominantly the emergency scam is directed toward the Grandparents. 2) In a recent variation of this scam, compromised contact lists from hijacked email accounts are used to send the potential victim an “urgent” email request for money from a friend or relative with whom they have a correspondence. Common themes continue to be hospitalization or imprisonment while away from home.  The friend is unaware that their account has been used to send out these requests to everyone on their contact list. Tips to Avoid the Scam: -Do not respond to any unsolicited e-mails of this nature. -Do not click on any attachments associated with such emails, as they may contain viruses or malware.  -Educate yourself and your family on how the scam works.  -Be suspicious of anyone who is vague in identifying themselves on the phone.  -Be suspicious of anyone who calls unexpectedly and wants you to wire money--especially out of the country. - Typically, the scammer will tell you to keep the conversation a secret.  Know that the right thing to do is to call someone else in the family to verify the situation. -Consider creating a “code word” or a “password” for your family to use in emergency situations as verification of identity and do not tell it to anyone outside of the family.  -Always protect your PII (Personally Identifiable Information).  Giving it out could cause you to become a victim of identity theft.  Alerts 2010-04-22T12:52:00-06:00 http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/home_repair_fraud_arrests/ http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/home_repair_fraud_arrests/#When:20:23:00Z The Attorney General’s Office investigates Home Repair Fraud all over the state.  Once investigations are completed the cases are commonly referred to the local prosecutor. The Office often acts in a support role or actively prosecutes at the discretion of the local prosecutor. While a case is pending, neither law enforcement personnel nor prosecutors are allowed to discuss specific details of the cases with the media or the public. Disclaimer:  Charges against those arrested (and/or the businesses they operate through) are merely accusations and all are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. View the Home Repair Fraud Arrests Listing here. Alerts 2010-02-01T20:23:00-06:00 http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/crack_down_on_mortgage_modification_and_foreclosure_rescue_scams/ http://www.ago.state.ms.us/index.php/alerts/crack_down_on_mortgage_modification_and_foreclosure_rescue_scams/#When:10:09:00Z FTC, State Enforcers Sue Scammers, Warn Others; Announce Education Campaign Designed to Reach Borrowers Directly.  The FTC is seeking to halt the proliferation of these mortgage relief scams – which target distressed and vulnerable consumers who are delinquent or facing foreclosure – through increased law enforcement, consumer outreach, and close coordination with federal, state, and non-profit partners. “Scammers are taking advantage of people in a difficult situation – people who are trying to modify their home mortgages or those who are trying to avoid foreclosure. We’re enforcing the law against these scam artists; we’re putting others on notice that unless they change their ways, they’re next; and we’re working with other government agencies, non-profits, and mortgage companies to reach out to our neighbors in distress with the details of how to get help,” said Chairman Leibowitz. Click here to visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website to read more on this topic. Consumer Alert (in adobe pdf format) from John Allison of the Department of Banking and Consumer Finance. Alerts 2009-05-13T10:09:00-06:00