January 29, 2024 – Urban CNY

Consumer Alert: The New York Department Of State’s Division Of Consumer Protection Provides Tips To Avoid Check Washing Scams

by Urban CNY News
January 29, 2024

Avoid mailing checks from public collection boxes to protect yourself from fraud Secretary Rodriguez said: “To protect against having your bank account emptied, I encourage New Yorkers to follow our tips to protect themselves and their businesses.” Follow the New York Department of State on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for “Tuesday’s Tips” – Practical Tips to Educate and Empower New York Consumers on a Variety of Topics The Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is providing consumers with guidance to avoid mail theft and check washing schemes. During check washing schemes, thieves steal checks, often in bulk from U.S. Postal Service mail collection boxes and use common chemicals like nail polish remover to erase (or “wash”) the payee and dollar amount while preserving the check’s original signature. These scammers can then profit from making checks out to themselves or selling the stolen, signed blank checks. According to the US Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the number of check fraud crimes nationwide surged in 2020 and has worsened each year since. In 2022, FinCEN received over 680,000 suspicious activity reports related to check fraud, almost twice number recorded in 2021. “People may not be writing as many paper checks but check fraud is still a serious issue because check washing scams can cost consumers hundreds to even thousands of dollars and the fraudulent charges can take weeks to reverse,” said Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez. “To protect against having your bank account emptied, I encourage New Yorkers to follow our tips to protect themselves and their businesses.” According to Daniel B. Brubaker, Inspector in Charge of the New York Division, “When thieves violate the sanctity of the mail, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service will spare no resource to bring these nefarious individuals to justice for their crimes. Our persistence in investigating these crimes, along with recent enhancements to USPS equipment and other prevention efforts, are the many ways we ensure the public’s trust in the U.S. Mail.” Follow these tips to avoid mail theft and check washing scams: TIPS TO AVOID CHECK WASHING: What to do if you experience check washing: The Consumer Assistance Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm, excluding State Holidays, and consumer complaints can be filed at any time at www.dos.ny.gov/consumer-protection. For other consumer protection tips and consumer alerts, consumers can visit the DCP website or follow DCP on social media via Twitter at @NYSConsumer or Facebook at www.facebook.com/nysconsumer

Financial Empowerment Urban CNY Money

Attorney General James, CFPB, and Multistate Coalition Protect Consumers from Debt-Relief Company thatTook Over $100 Million in Illegal Fees

by Urban CNY News
January 29, 2024

Debt Relief Services, Harming Already Vulnerable Consumers AG James and Coalition Win Court Order to Immediately Stop the Illegal Scheme New York – New York Attorney General Letitia James, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), and a multistate coalition of six attorneys general sued StratFS LLC (StratFS), formerly known as Strategic Financial Solutions, LLC and a web of related shell companies for running an illegal debt-relief enterprise and defrauding consumers. Also named in the suit are the scheme’s key operators, Ryan Sasson, CEO of StratFS, and Jason Blust, who controlled the purported law firms alleged to have been involved in the scheme. The day after filing suit, Attorney General James, CFPB, and the coalition won a temporary restraining order (TRO) immediately stopping the fraudulent scheme. StratFS tricks consumers into paying exorbitant fees by claiming that the company’s network of law firms will negotiate down their debts, but most work is done by non-attorneys. Since 2016, StratFS has swindled thousands of financially vulnerable consumers out of more than $100 million. StratFS is based in New York, with offices in Buffalo and New York City, but provides its so-called services to consumers nationwide. With this lawsuit, Attorney General James, CFPB, and the coalition are seeking to stop StratFS from illegally operating and are asking the court to order damages, penalties, and restitution for impacted consumers. “People can fall into debt, but New Yorkers — and all Americans — should not face even greater financial hardship when they attempt to seek help,” said Attorney General James. “StratFS, Sasson, and Blust preyed on hardworking consumers and charged illegal fees to unjustly enrich themselves and their business. Let this lawsuit serve as a warning to all who would follow in their footsteps: we can and will use the full force of the law to stop predatory schemes and protect consumers. I want to thank CFPB and my fellow attorneys general for their continued partnership in protecting hardworking Americans.” “The operators of this scheme established a network of shell companies and law firms to hide their illegal activities from law enforcement,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. “The CFPB and state attorneys general are seeking to shut down this outfit’s illegal activity.” The complaint alleges that StratFS runs a scheme that targets financially vulnerable consumers and their families with misleading advertisements that trick them into believing they qualify for loans to pay down their debts. When consumers call the advertised number seeking help, StratFS employees typically instead tell consumers that they do not qualify for the advertised loan. The employees then persuade consumers to enroll in the company’s debt-relief services with the promise that its network of purported law firms will negotiate lower debt amounts. StratFS instructs consumers to stop paying their creditors, which can lead to creditors charging additional interest and fees and can have a significant negative impact on their credit score. Consumers are told to make payments into an escrow account. StratFS collects illegal advance fees before settling any debts, leaving many consumers worse off than when they entered the program. For one consumer who enrolled in debt-relief services, approximately 84 percent of the funds she paid into her StratFS account were extracted as fees, and only 16 percent of the funds were paid to creditors to relieve her debt. Another consumer paid StratFS more than $7,000 before a payment was finally made to a creditor. Ultimately, only 6.5 percent of the funds she put into her StratFS account went to paying off debt. Attorney General James, CFPB, and the coalition allege that StratFS violated the Telemarketing Sales Rule. In addition, Attorney General James alleges that StratFS engaged in fraudulent and deceptive business practices in violation of New York Executive Law § 63(12) and New York General Business Law § 349. Specifically, StratFS harms vulnerable consumers by: Attorney General James, CFPB, and the coalition filed the complaint and requested a TRO and preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York on January 10, 2024. On January 11, 2024, the court granted the request for a TRO, ordered a freeze of StratFS’ assets, and appointed a temporary receiver. Joining Attorney General James and CFPB in this action are the attorneys general of Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. Any consumer who feels that they have been a victim of fraud is encouraged to file an online compliant with OAG. Attorney General James has been a steadfast protector of consumers in New York and has taken action against several predatory businesses in Western New York. In 2022, Attorney General James and CFPB shut down a predatory debt collection operation that used deceptive and abusive tactics to illegally collect millions of dollars from hundreds of thousands of consumers. In 2021, Attorney General James banned debt collector, Andrew Fanelli, and his company Northwood Asset Management Group from the consumer debt collection industry, for allegedly collecting debts using deceptive and illegal tactics. In 2019, Attorney General James announced a $60 million judgment against debt collection kingpin, Douglas MacKinnon, who also used deceptive and illegal tactics. This matter is being handled by Christopher L. Boyd, Deputy Assistant Attorney General in Charge of the Buffalo Regional Office, with assistance from Assistant Attorney General Genevieve Rados, Senior Consumer Fraud Representative Karen Davis, Regional Supervising Investigator Ken Peters, and Supervising Investigator Jennifer Terranova. The Division of Regional Affairs is led by Deputy Attorney General for Regional Affairs Jill Faber and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.

Business Transition/Succession Planning Urban CNY Excellence

MOST Boards of Directors Welcome 6 New Members

by Urban CNY News
January 29, 2024

(Syracuse, NY) The Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology (MOST) welcomes 6 new members to its 2024 boards—the MOST Board of Trustees, which is tasked with overseeing the day-to-day operations, and the Foundation Board of Directors, which raises money for the museum’s operating budget. Joining the 2024 MOST Board of Trustees is: Terry Hopkins, administrative principal at C&S Companies, oversees community relations, learning and development, and DEI initiatives. She is highly involved in STEM/STEAM initiatives throughout CNY and chairs the CNY Engineering Expo. Terry serves on the boards of the Onondaga Community College Foundation and Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, and is active with the CNY STEM Hub, Finger Lakes STEM Hub, and OCM BOCES Career and Technical Education Advisory Council. Joining the 2024 MOST Foundation Board of Directors are: Victoria Coit, is a senior organizer with the New York Civil Liberties Union and has more than 15 years of community outreach, organizing, and communications skills. She is the founder of Cuse Culture Media Group. She most recently served as the director of public affairs for Senator John Mannion’s office. She also serves on the boards of OnPoint for College and House of Psalms 34. Shawni Davis¸ CEO of Luminary Electrical, is NYS’s first African American woman master electrician. She is deeply involved in the community, mentoring children and helping them on a path to career success as she helps change her industry to one of more inclusion. She is on the board of the National Electric Contractors Association and the Central New York Community Foundation’s Black Equity & Excellence fund. Landon Loeber is the STEM outreach coordinator for Micron Technology, Inc. With a background in education, he leads K-5 STEM education and educator development programs for the Micron Foundation. He partners with organizations to engage students in STEM activities. Landon has worked closely with the MOST on many joint initiatives with Micron, including the museum’s STEAM Explorers programs and the new DECONSTRUCTED permanent exhibit about semiconductors and memory. Jean Sharlow, superintendent of schools for the Marcellus Central School District, has more than 20 years of public service to her credit. She oversees the district’s elementary, middle, and high schools, serving nearly 1,500 students. Rebecca Shiroff, president of eTruck LSV USA, has a diverse background in community development and philanthropy. She lends her expertise to numerous nonprofit boards, including being a founding member of the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation and serves on the board of directors for Hope for Heather. Ms Shiroff worked for the Onondaga County Office of Economic Development as a program snalyst and was co-owner and spokesperson of Metro Mattress, until 2018. In 2022, she ran for NY State Senate’s 50th District, which to date has been the tightest senate race in NY State history. Ms. Shiroff recently established The Shiroff Family Mental Health Advocacy Fund through the Upstate Foundation. The Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology (MOST) is a hands-on science and technology museum located in historic Armory Square in downtown Syracuse. The MOST is focused on dynamic science education that engages learners of all ages and abilities. It features 35,000 square feet of interactive permanent and traveling exhibits plus the state-of-the-art National Grid ExploraDome theatre. The museum operates numerous STEM education programs and community outreach events throughout the year. The MOST’s mission is to provide informal science learning experiences that ignite curiosity, encourage discovery, and inspire investigation. The MOST is open from 9:30 to 5, Thursday through Sunday, and is open for most school holidays and breaks. To learn more, visit most.org.

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Consumer Alert: The New York Department Of State’s Division Of Consumer Protection Provides Tips To Avoid Check Washing Scams

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MOST Boards of Directors Welcome 6 New Members

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