Each year, consumers lose billions of dollars due to fraud. Scammers use creative approaches to encourage consumers to part with their hard-earned money and/or their personally identifying information. Understanding how scams work, and knowing how to avoid them, can help protect consumers from falling victim.

Before I Hire a Home Improvement Contractor (video)
The Division of Consumer Protection presents a short video on how easily you can be victimized by unscrupulous home improvement contractors and provides tips on how to help prevent becoming a victim.

Anatomy of a Scam
Understand how scammers use various techniques to try to defraud consumers.

Business Opportunity Scam
Thinking about buying a business? Learn what questions to ask to help you
determine if a business opportunity is a scam or the real deal.

Tips to Avoid Scams
Follow these steps to help avoid falling victim to scams.

How to Report Scam E-mails
Report e-mails you suspect are fake to the authorities.

Scam Alerts
Read about recent consumer scams affecting New York consumers.

Last Modified: December 19, 2011