Bill OBoyle: Capitol Roundup: AG Henry warns Pennsylvanians of gift card scammers
Dec. 10—WILKES-BARRE — Attorney General Michelle Henry is warning Pennsylvanians to be aware of scammers targeting holiday shoppers who purchase gift cards.
Referred to as "card draining," the scam involves bad actors recording information — card and associated pin numbers — from unpurchased gift cards.
Once those cards are then purchased by an unsuspecting consumer, the scammer immediately uses the numbers to make purchases, leaving the buyer with a worthless gift card.
The scam has reportedly been used more than 100 times at an eastern Pennsylvania grocery store and is happening elsewhere in the state and country.
"The holidays present additional opportunities for scammers to deceive and steal from consumers who choose gift cards as presents for loved ones," AG Henry said. "Be sure to take a careful look at the cards you purchase and keep your receipts, just in case."
How to Protect Yourself
—Make sure the gift card is sealed and the protective cover and the tape covering the pin is intact.
—Ensure the gift card does not appear to be tampered with.
—Keep the store receipt in case the gift card you are purchasing is found to have been compromised.
—If a purchased gift card is found to be compromised, immediately report it to the gift card company directly, to request a freeze on the card, and request a refund.
Other scams out there
The Office of Attorney General is also advising regarding these common scams:
—Email and Text Phishing — In this scam, you may receive an email or text message directing you to enter personal information on a fraudulent website. These fraudulent emails or texts can appear to be from a shipping/delivery company or retailer that may claim to be an order confirmation you didn't place.
—Delivery Stealing — If no one is home when deliveries are made, try to make arrangements with a trusted neighbor to hold your deliveries until you arrive home, or ask your employer if your deliveries can be dropped off at your place of employment.
—Credit Card Skimming — Be vigilant of credit card skimmers that steal your credit and debit card information at the ATM, gas pump, or other payment kiosks. Instead of inserting your credit or debit card into the slot of a merchant's payment processing machine, consider using a payment app on your smartphone. For Pennsylvanians without smartphones, keeping track of your bank statements and transactions is also crucial to any lost money taken by skimmers.
—Romance Scams — Romance scammers strike up what appears to be a serious relationship, then ask their victims to pay for plane tickets, customs fees, visas. In addition, they may appear to transfer a large sum of money to a victim's checking account, but the money transfer turns out to be fake.
—Online Pet Scams — Pet sale scammers pose as online retailers, charging hundreds or thousands of dollars for the puppy or kitten, plus airline and transport fees. A common twist is the scammer notifies you the animal is at the airport, but additional fees are needed from you before the animal will be delivered. Check with your local animal rescues or shelters for particular breeds or sizes, or only deal with a seller in person where you can visit and meet the parents of the puppy or kitten, and inspect the premises.
—Online Pop-up Advertisements — While on your computer or mobile device, you may see pop-up ads claiming you've won a gift card or a valuable prize. Never click on these links, as they may contain a virus or make your device susceptible to being hacked.
—Online Marketplace Deals — Be suspicious of sellers promising deals on peer-to-peer apps and online marketplaces, offering the latest popular toys and games that are difficult to find.
Anyone who believes they may have been scammed should file a police report, and file a complaint with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General by visiting — https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/submit-a-complaint/ — or by emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov, or by calling 1-800-441-2555.
Rep. Meuser votes for legislation protecting
Americans' right to buy gas-powered vehicles
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, this week voted in favor of legislation to protect Americans' right to buy the car of their choice.
H.R. 4468 — the Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act — curtails the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in finalizing, implementing, or enforcing a proposed rule that would largely phase out the sale of gas-powered cars in the United States.
In April 2023, the EPA introduced a proposed rule titled "Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Year 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles." This rule sets forth onerous emissions standards, which the EPA forecasts would result in more than two-thirds of all new vehicles being electric by 2032. By prohibiting the EPA from moving forward with these standards, the CARS Act will protect Americans right to purchase the vehicles they want.
Meuser said preserving the freedom of consumer choice is essential to maintaining competition, encouraging innovation, and ensuring access to reliable and affordable cars. He said electric vehicles (EVs), on average, cost $13,000 more than gas-powered car, meaning a rapid transition to EVs would place a significant financial burden on American families already struggling with inflation.
Further, Meuser said moving toward a majority EV market in the United States would greatly benefit China, as they control a staggering 78 percent of the world's manufacturing capacity for EV batteries. Therefore, Meuser said the EPA mandated push toward EVs not only bolsters China's influence in the international electric vehicle market but also solidifies its foothold within the American auto industry.
"President Biden's top-down, big government transition to EVs will restrict Americans' right to consumer choice," Meuser said. "While Americans are already facing record-high inflation and soaring energy costs, this EPA rule will only further burden families. The CARS Act will curb executive overreach, ensure Americans have access to affordable gas-powered cars, and protect domestic auto manufacturers. At its core, this legislation supports an all-off-above and all-of the-below energy solution to aimed at restoring our energy dominance and keeping prices low for consumers."
H.R. 4468 passed the House 221 to 197 and awaits further consideration in the U.S. Senate.
Sen. Casey introduces bill to fight social
isolation, loneliness among older Americans
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) this week introduced the Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults (SILO) Act.
As many older Americans face a crisis of social isolation and loneliness which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the bill would help improve social connection for older adults and adults with disabilities by providing funding for Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and community-based organizations.
"The COVID-19 pandemic showed us all just how devastating social isolation can be for our mental and physical health," Casey said. "However, for older Americans and people with disabilities, isolation and loneliness have long been serious issues. The Addressing SILO Act will fund new programs to improve social connection and reduce loneliness among older Americans and help ensure that Americans do not have to spend their golden years isolated and alone."
As of 2019, there were 54 million adults aged 65 and older in the U.S. and a quarter of those were socially isolated. Life transitions and disruptive events, like retirement, the loss of a spouse or friends, or children moving away put older adults at higher risk for social isolation and loneliness.
Social isolation and loneliness pose significant public health risks, particularly for older adults, contributing to poor health outcomes, such as declines in mental or cognitive health and the onset or worsening of chronic diseases, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Social isolation not only impacts health outcomes and overall quality of life, but also it carries a heavy price tag. Social isolation among older adults accounts for an estimated $6.7 billion in annual excess Medicare spending.
The Addressing SILO Act would improve social connection and reduce isolation and loneliness among older adults and adults with disabilities through grants and training programs for Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and community-based organizations. Specifically, the bill provides $62.5 million in annual funding to support AAAs and community-based organizations in:
—Providing training for their staff to better address and prevent social isolation and loneliness.
—Conducting outreach to individuals at-risk for social isolation and loneliness.
—Developing community-based interventions to mitigate social isolation and loneliness.
—Connecting at-risk individuals with social and clinical supports.
—Evaluating the effectiveness of the programs developed and implemented through the grants.
Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
