Letter may look legit, but beware

Idon’t know what it is about the holidays, but last week the volunteers at Call 12 for Action and I were bombarded by scam alerts.

Most of the scams used official-looking memos that appeared to come from government agencies.

Just as I was commenting on this phenomenon, an alert showed up in my e-mail from the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. It showed that what viewers were telling us is happening at an alarming rate.

Attorney General Tom Horne is now warning Arizona consumers and small businesses to be wary of solicitations that appear to be an official notification from a government agency.

According to Horne, an official-looking mailer is being sent out by the “Labor Standards Compliance Office” requesting a fee (generally $295) from consumers in return for providing up-to- CALL 12 FOR ACTION

date notices for businesses to post to comply with the state of Arizona and the federal government.

This mailer is not affiliated with the government. It is from a private non-governmental business. Small businesses are not required to purchase these posters and should be wary of the “FINAL NOTICE” and “DUE NOW” claims stated on the mailer.

The Arizona Attorney Gen- eral’s Office advises consumers to read all fine print, do research on companies that are listed on mailers, and be cautious about the authenticity of mailings that appear to be from a government agency.

If you believe you have been a victim of consumer fraud, please contact the Attorney General’s Office in Phoenix at 602-542-5763; in Tucson at 520-628-6504; or elsewhere at 1-800-352-8431. Consumers can also file complaints online by visiting the Attorney General’s Office website at www.azag.gov.