Beware of spoofed websites and mailers from ‘lenders’

Patricia Perkins, director of the Idaho Department of Finance, is warning consumers to be aware of scams online and in the mail. 

Perkins is urging consumers to be aware of spoofed websites. The department recently became aware of a phony website purporting to represent Idaho licensed lender Ace Cash Express.

The department has taken immediate action to have these websites removed; however, historically perpetrators of website scams often create new sites under new names in an attempt to continue their efforts to victimize consumers.

Perkins urges Idahoans to exercise caution when visiting websites, especially those representing licensed lenders. 

“As these scams are growing increasingly sophisticated, it is more important than ever to do your homework,” Perkins said, in a news release, adding that a healthy amount of skepticism and research can help consumers identify fake websites. 

“Simply Googling the address a company lists on their website can be telling, if the address is an empty lot, a P.O. Box, or a private residence, these are definite red flags,” Perkins said.

Other tips to avoid falling victim to website spoofing scams include bookmarking websites you’ve confirmed are legitimate to avoid sifting through multiple results from a search engine. Call the phone number listed on the website and ask detailed questions. Look carefully at the URL, bad actors purposefully make slight changes to known web addresses to direct web traffic to illegitimate websites.

Above all, avoid providing any personal or financial information without first completely verifying the legitimacy of the entity. 

For a list of regulated consumer lenders in Idaho, visit the Department website https://www.finance.idaho.gov/ and select the “Licensee and Institution Search” tab. If you become aware of, or have fallen victim to, a spoofed financial lending website please contact Supervisory Examiner Tom Nate at 208-332-8086 or tom.nate@finnce.idaho.gov.

Mailers appearing to originate from unlicensed consumer lenders

Perkins is also warning consumers to look closely at incoming mail that may appear to be correspondence from regulated consumer lenders but are really third-party advertisements or even scams. 

The department is aware of an unsolicited mailer purporting to be from an Idaho-licensed regulated lender under the name Proper Funding, when in fact no information exists for such a business.

The department has observed a substantial uptick of consumer complaints regarding mailers from businesses and organizations falsely claiming to be licensed regulated consumer lenders in Idaho. Consumers are more likely to pay attention to correspondence when it appears to come from a familiar or legitimate source, and it can be difficult to differentiate.

Perkins urges Idahoans to review all solicitations and communications carefully before taking any action. 

“Inspect mailed correspondence thoroughly for disclosures that may be in fine print, or precariously placed,” Perkins said. “Verify the sender of any offer by using a confirmed contact and review the terms of any offer very carefully.”

Consider taking action to reduce unwanted solicitations by visiting https://www.optoutprescreen.com/, a free service operated by the four major consumer reporting companies. 

To file a complaint regarding a mailer falsely representing to be from an Idaho regulated consumer lender visit the Department website https://www.finance.idaho.gov/ and select the “File A Complaint” tab or contact our office at 208-332-8067.