Rockland County Consumer Protection

Article written for the November/December edition of "Moving Forward" published by the Rockland County Office For the Aging. Credit and Your Consumer Rights By James Elcik Director and Public Advocate...Continue reading

NYS DIVISION OF CONSUMER PROTECTION AND DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE REMIND CONSUMERS TO BE ALERT OF PHONE SCAMMERS SPOOFING UTILITY COMPANIES. Phone Scammers Claim Payment is Needed to Try to Steal Personal Information. Consumers Should be Alert and Follow Basic Tips to Keep Information Protected. The New York State Division of Consumer Protection(DCP) and the Department of Public Service are alerting consumers of a phone scam in which scammers, pretending to be from a utili...Continue reading

County Executive Ed Day discusses the latest COVID-19 developments. Topics covered include: Enforcement Actions... Latest Case Numbers Restrictions Census 2020 National Adoption Month See more

On Tuesday October 6, 2020, the Weights & Measures division from the Rockland County Office of Consumer Protection were inspecting the pumps at the Exxon gas station and car wash located at 120 Route 9W in Haverstraw. During the inspection, Inspectors Helena Smith and Jake Daniels observed a vehicle engulfed in flames pull into the station and park adjacent to a pump. The female driver exited the vehicle to call for help leaving a female child in the back seat. Without hes...itation, Inspector Smith transferred the child from the vehicle to the interior safety of the gas station store. Attendants at the location were able to extinguish the vehicle fire. If not for the quick thinking and heroic actions of the Inspectors and attendants, this may have had a tragic ending. The Rockland County Office of Consumer Protection is proud to have true professionals such as Inspectors Smith and Daniels who are dedicated to serve the people of Rockland County in many ways. See more

Watch Live County Executive Ed Day discusses the new Commissioner’s Order on Face Coverings and enforcement efforts underway here in Rockland.

The Rockland County Office of Consumer Protection opened an investigation in response to a consumer based complaint about an exceptionally high price for Lysol Disinfectant Spray at the New City DeCicco’s supermarket. A Consumer Protection Inspector was dispatched to the location in order to investigate the claim. The Inspector made contact with one of the store owners who was aware of the negative feedback from the community because of the price that they were selling the ...Lysol product. The owner explained that he is aware that Lysol Disinfectant Spray is in very high demand due to the pandemic and that the supply chain for the product was very low. He further explained that he was able to secure a Bardonia based wholesaler who had plenty of the product available but for a much higher price. Thinking that his patrons would appreciate the availability of the product, even at higher retail, the owner purchased a few thousand cans at a price far above fair market value. The owner feels that he was truly performing a public service in acquiring the product even though the higher retail cost was being passed onto the consumer. The owner was able to provide a full invoice of his purchase from the Bardonia wholesaler. This office believes that DeCicco’s markup to $19.99 per can of Lysol Disinfectant Spray is not excessive given what they had paid to the supplier. This office also made contact with other supermarkets in the area and learned that their supplies of the same product are essentially non-existent due to demand.

County Executive Ed Day provides the latest information on the local response to COVID-19. Topics covered in this update include: New Informational Resources Ho...w to Stop the Spread Contact Tracing Governor’s Orders Active Cases Halloween See more

The Rockland County Office of Consumer Protection would like to remind residents that all plumbers and electricians performing work in our county require a license. A license ensures that you are receiving services from a qualified and vetted tradesperson who has met all experience and insurance requirements. A Master Electrician license allows the contractor to perform electrical services across the spectrum. A plumbing license has several sub-categories which are plumbing, heating, air conditioning, refrigeration and sheet metal. Ensure that the contractor that you hire is licensed in the work that they are performing. If you have questions about the license status of contractor or would like to file a complaint, please call the Rockland County Office of Consumer Protection at (845)634-3901.

Article written for the September/October edition of Moving Forward published by the Rockland County Office of the Aging. Protect Yourself Against Scams By James Elcik Director and Public Advocate...Continue reading

Scam Alert! A Clarkstown resident recently contacted me asking for my assistance in spreading the word about a scam in which she was targeted that plays on the ...shortage of homes available for rent in the county. The woman’s home in Clarkstown was legitimately listed for sale, but a scammer took the listing information and created a fake rental advertisement for the property and posted it on Facebook Marketplace. Some of the potential renters researching the fake rental advertisement found the legitimate ‘For Sale’ listing and began contacting the homeowner and her real estate agent about the rental. Even worse, the homeowner has spoken to a few people who have paid up to 2 months advance rent to the scammer, believing that they would be moving in on September 1st. The homeowner advised everyone to file police reports, but the scammer continued undeterred. Yesterday, a young couple stopped by the house stating they had paid $4,200 to rent the home and were preparing to move in within 2 days. The Clarkstown Police Department and the Rockland County Department of Consumer Protection were just made aware of this situation so there is no confirmation from either department as of yet if this scam is widespread, but it seems likely given the demand for home rentals in Rockland County.

Recently, a Town of Ramapo resident was scammed out of a substantial amount of money after receiving a phone call from their grandson and his attorney. They ...were told their grandson had been involved in a motor vehicle accident, that the person whose car they struck was pregnant and that their grandson had been arrested for Driving While Intoxicated. The attorney asked them to FedEx money to cover bail and expenses. The victim received a second call from the attorney stating that the pregnant woman’s child had died as a result of the accident and that the bail had been increased. The attorney asked for more money to be sent via FedEx. The victim forwarded more money and when asked a third time for an increased amount of money, the victim called a family member and learned that their grandchild had never been in an accident nor arrested. Besides reporting the scam to your local police department, te Federal Trade Commission recommends taking the following steps if you fall victim to a scam: If you paid a scammer with a credit or debit card, you may be able to stop the transaction. Contact your credit card company or bank right away. Tell them what happened, and ask for a chargeback to reverse the charges. If you paid a scammer with a gift card, prepaid card, or cash reload card, contact the company that issued the card right away. Tell them you paid a scammer with the card, and ask if they can refund your money. The sooner you contact them, the better the chance they’ll be able to get your money back. If you paid a scammer with a wire transfer, call the money transfer company immediately to report the fraud and file a complaint. Call the complaint department: MoneyGram at 1-800-MONEYGRAM (1-800-666-3947) or Western Union at 1-800-325-6000. Ask for the money transfer to be reversed. It’s unlikely to happen, but it’s important to ask. If you paid a scammer using a money transfer app, contact the company behind the app. If the app is linked to a credit card or debit card, contact your credit card company or bank first. If you gave a scammer remote access to your computer, update your computer’s security software. Then run a scan and delete anything it identifies as a problem. If you gave your username and password to a scammer, change your password right away. If you use the same password for other accounts or sites, change it there, too. Create a new password that is strong. If you gave a scammer your Social Security number (SSN), visit identitytheft.gov to learn how to monitor your credit report to see if your SSN is being misused. If someone calls and offers to help you recover money you have already lost, don’t give them money or personal information. You’re probably dealing with a fake refund scam.

Article written for the July/August 2020 edition of "Moving Forward" published by the Rockland County Office For The Aging. Weights & Measures: Promoting a Fair Marketplace in Rockland County By: Kevin Guiney...Continue reading

Join County Executive Ed Day for the latest COVID-19 local update.

Rockland County has now entered Phase 4 of the NY Forward Reopening plan. Listen as County Executive Ed Day provides the latest local information related to COVID-19.

Business Surcharges Related To COVID-19 The Rockland County Office of Consumer Protection has received information about stores and businesses that are charging an additional fee related to COVID-19. These fees can be of legal nature only and if the consumer is made aware of the fee prior to purchase or engaging in services. Businesses must post signage in retail stores, restaurants and other service providers that are clearly visible to consumers upon their entrance into th...e location and while purchasing or receiving services. These fees should be set forth on price lists at retail stores and restaurant menus as well as other service providers. If any business is passing along these fees, consumers have the right to know about those fees and the costs involved before making their purchases. This will give the consumer the option to decide whether they still wish to conduct business with the establishment. Consumers need to know that there are no COVID-19 or Pandemic tax or fees that has been placed on goods and services, so these fees are being added by the establishments on their own. Consumers should never be charged a price above what is posted with the exception of sales tax. If you require more information about COVID-19 surcharges or would like to file a complaint, contact the Rockland County Office of Consumer Protection at (845)364-3901 or by email at [email protected]. Stay safe!!

Join County Executive Ed Day for his latest update on the local response to COVID-19. Rockland County is currently in Phase 3 of the NY Forward reopening plan.... Other topics addressed in this update include: Timing and details of Phase 4. Schools and Summer Camps. COVID-19 Testing.