November is Colorado Consumer Protection Month! What is that you ask?  Colorado Consumer Protection Month is a statewide initiative to increase public knowledge of consumer fraud issues, including raising awareness of current scams and financial abuses affecting Coloradans.

Follow READYColorado and Stop Fraud Colorado on Twitter as we educate and join forces with law enforcement, regulatory entities, and non-profit programs across the state to help Coloradans learn how to identify, prevent and report fraudulent activity.

Why Consumer Protection?

Colorado continues to see a growing population, which provides an ever-increasing number of opportunities for unscrupulous actors who target Coloradans with profitable fraud schemes to exploit and victimize consumers.  Everything from cyber fraud, identity theft and tax fraud to roofing scams or charity scams.  The victimization and financial exploitation of Coloradans impacts not only individuals and families, but causes harm to communities as a whole throughout our state.

November is the beginning of the holiday season.  Identity theft is always a risk but it increases around the holidays.  Additionally, lots of packages are delivered during the next several weeks drawing out the porch pirates and other criminals, who are out to ruin your holiday celebrations.  It also brings out charity scammers who want to take advantage of your giving spirit and ensure your “donation” goes right into their own pocket and not to help someone who is truly in need.  Many Coloradans will also travel during this time of year to see friends and family in other states and this increases the need for families to protect themselves and their homes while they are away.

What Can You Do?

Stay informed.  The Colorado Attorney General has a Consumer Fraud Bulletin registration form. These bulletins are designed to increase awareness of the various types of fraud that are affecting consumers and businesses across our great state. In addition, the Bureau of Consumer Protection collects complaints and conducts investigations to protect people from fraudulent and deceptive business practices.

Periodically, the Colorado Attorney General’s office will send out electronic notifications of the various types of fraud affecting consumers, their efforts to curtail such activities and a variety of other helpful tips and resources.  Want to register to receive the Stop Fraud Colorado tips and alerts?  Register directly at: https://www.stopfraudcolorado.gov/fraudawareness

Interested in learning more?  Next Sunday's article will explore several specific holiday-related survival tips as they relate to frauds and scams.

The article was written with material from the Colorado Attorney General’s Stop Fraud Colorado program and the Federal Trade Commission Bureau of Consumer Protection.  You can learn more about these important agencies at https://www.stopfraudcolorado.gov/ccpm and https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection