HARRISBURG — This morning, Attorney General Josh Shapiro testified before the House Consumer Affairs Committee on the Office of Attorney General’s work combatting scams and protecting consumers.
“I ran on strengthening the Office of Attorney General’s consumer protection work, and that’s exactly what I’m doing,” said Shapiro. “Already, we have created a new Office of Public Engagement to step up our work engaging the public, we’re exploring new ways to use technology to make our operation more efficient and working with others in law enforcement to crack down on scams and fraud.”
In 2016, the Office of Attorney General opened 19,725 complaints and closed 20,775. Through mediation, the office saved Pennsylvania consumers $3.6 million. The Bureau of Consumer Protection also participated in 233 education and outreach events.
“The most effective way to protect consumers from fraud and scams is through education,” Shapiro testified. “When we see a surge in scams—like the grandparent scam or the Jamaican lottery scam—we’re getting the word out and letting people know how to protect themselves.”
“We’re working to make it as easy as possible for Pennsylvanians to contact our consumer protection bureau — you can reach us over the phone, online, by email or even on Facebook and Twitter,” added Shapiro. “If you think you’re getting scammed or ripped off, let us know and we may be able to help.” Shapiro highlighted the office’s use of a new email, scam@attorneygeneral.gov, as a way for consumers who believe they’ve been scammed to contact the office and report it.
