Sorted by date Results 1 - 11 of 11
Attorney General Fox announced today he has urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow phone companies to utilize call-blocking technologies that would better protect consumers from unwanted calls and scams. Call-blocking technologies, such as NoMoRobo, Call Control, and Telemarketing Guard, have been developed to enable phone carriers to identify and block unwelcome sales calls at their customers’ request. However, some phone carriers have not implemented this technology, in part because of the belief that federal law p...
A recent bout of heavy storms and mountain snow may have pushed summer back a couple of weeks in parts of the state, but Attorney General Tim Fox’s Office of Consumer Protection has already heard about door-to-door home repair scams that pop up in Montana every summer. “Every year, almost like clockwork, my office starts hearing about these paving scams at the beginning of summer,” Attorney General Fox said. “Not every person who comes knocking on your door is a scammer, but when it comes to driveway pavers or other home repairs, I urge people...
The Office of Consumer Protection at the Montana Department of Justice wants to alert you to a message involving eBay accounts. Yesterday, eBay Inc. announced that the company asked all eBay users to change their eBay passwords due to a cyber attack that compromised a database containing encrypted passwords and other non-financial data. The database included eBay customers’ name, encrypted password, email address, physical address, phone number and date of birth. However, after conducting extensive tests on the networks, there is no evidence o...
The Office of Consumer Protection at the Montana Department of Justice wants to alert you to a scam involving utility companies which is targeting mainly businesses. It works like this: The person receiving the call will be told by the person on the phone, who claims to be from their utility company, that they’re about to cut off electricity services to their business. The caller ID may look like a legitimate local number, but more often than not this number is “spoofed.” Scammers can use computers/internet to make it look like they’re calling...
The Office of Consumer Protection at the Montana Department of Justice wants to alert you to a fast-moving phone scam called the largest of its kind targeting taxpayers across the country. Victims have reported threats of license suspension, arrest and deportation. What makes this timely scam so tricky? The scammers impersonate Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents and demand payment for taxes owed, and often: know the last four digits of the victim’s Social Security number; make caller ID appear as if the IRS is calling; send follow-up b...
On February 14, 2013, Nicole Waller left Fairview, Montana to return home to her three young children in Kalispell. When Waller, 32, didn't return, family members reported her missing; Waller's vehicle, a maroon 1999 Ford Expedition, was eventually found on the side of Highway 2 outside of Poplar. Although an extensive search was conducted, Waller was never found. Nearly ten months later, Waller has still not been located, and investigators are asking anyone with information to contact them....
With the launch of Montana’s health insurance exchange this week, the Office of Consumer Protection at the state Department of Justice is offering tips to help Montanans avoid identity theft scams related to medical services and health insurance products. “Montanans need to be aware that scammers may take advantage of the insurance exchange launch and attempt to trick people into revealing confidential information or into signing up for bogus product and services,” said Office of Consumer Protection Director Matt Dale. “When a large program lau...
Several new public safety laws will take effect in Montana beginning October 1. The measures, which were a priority of Attorney General Tim Fox during the 2013 legislative session, passed with overwhelming bi-partisan support. “The Montana Department of Justice found common sense solutions for taking on DUI offenders, protecting our most vulnerable citizens, and improving law enforcement infrastructure in Montana,” Attorney General Tim Fox said. “The level of support our initiatives had on both sides of the aisle indicated that our ideas were n...
Today, the Montana Department of Justice announced the availability of $67,730 in Chrome for Kids Wish Fund grants. These funds are made available through a special Chrome for Kids motorcycle license plate that is used to fund efforts by Montana-based nonprofit corporations which grant wishes to chronically or critically ill Montana children. “Thanks to the generosity of Montana’s motorcycle owners, the wish of a chronically or critically ill child can now come true,” said Attorney General Tim Fox. “Families who are dealing with a serious...
Attorney General Tim Fox announced today that Montana has joined four other states protesting the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) re-proposed rule to regulate hydraulic fracturing operations on federal and Indian lands. In a letter to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, the Attorneys General of Alabama, Alaska, Montana, Oklahoma, and West Virginia strongly assert that the BLM cannot justify a need for new federal regulations and requirements, which will duplicate existing state programs. “The BLM would be hard pre...
Attorney General Tim Fox joined Governor Steve Bullock yesterday as he signed legislation making Montana a safer place to live. SB 213, introduced at the request of Attorney General Fox, closes a loophole in current Montana law when it comes to convicted sex offenders -felons who often pose a continued risk to society. Previously, when a sexual or violent offender from another state was released from supervision, that offender was able to move to Montana and was required to register here as a sexual or violent offender. However, that offender...
