On September 1, 2022, the CFPB published a blog post warning consumers that scammers are using CFPB employee’s names and imagery to try and steal money from consumers. According to the CFPB, they have confirmed that several people, specifically older adults, were defrauded thousands of dollars from scammers pretending to be with the CFPB.
The scammers pretending to be from the Bureau are contacting consumers and saying that they’ve won a class-action lawsuit in a foreign country, or can receive other large, unexpected amounts of money, but must use the CFPB’s assistance to claim the funds. The CFPB reiterates that the Bureau will never call anyone to confirm that they have won a lottery, sweepstakes, class-action lawsuit, or about any other fees or taxes.
The CFPB described the scams as often having multiple parts, starting with receiving a call or email notifying of an opportunity to participate in a class-action lawsuit or winning a lawsuit, which ultimately leads to collecting money from the consumer. The agency also provided signs to guide consumers in identifying an imposter scam and encourages consumers to report suspected fraud activities.
The CFPB’s blog post can be found here.
