Colorado consumers targeted by record number of scams amid pandemic
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The pandemic sparked new scams in Colorado, driving complaints of unemployment payment schemes and auto services to new levels.
Driving the news: The Colorado attorney general's office recorded 13,970 consumer complaints in 2021, a 15% increase from the prior year and a new record, data released Monday shows.
- "The pandemic has really been a painful opportunity for scams," Attorney General Phil Weiser told Axios Denver.
Zoom in: Retail sales make up the most complaints, often involving unauthorized memberships, services and delivery issues related to the pandemic.
- The spike in unemployment claims and benefits drove the second largest category for fraud.
The intrigue: The number of complaints about airlines and robocalls — the top two categories in 2020 — fell out of the top 10.
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