Tag Archive for: #ncattorneygeneral

The Local Skinny! Beware Of Latest DMV Scam

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— Information from the office of N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson

Attorney General Jeff Jackson is warning North Carolinians about a new wave of scam text messages falsely claiming to come from the North Carolina DMV and threatening license suspension, fines and other penalties.

The message claims the recipient has an unpaid traffic ticket and directs them to a website that looks official but is not connected to the State of North Carolina.

“This message is a scam,” Jackson stated. “The DMV does not collect traffic tickets by text, does not threaten people this way, and does not send links asking for payment.”

“We are aware of multiple fraudulent text scams that have gone out requesting payment for fees, fines, or tolls,” said NCDMV Commissioner Paul Tine. “We will NEVER request payment by text. If you get one of these texts, don’t respond. Instead, report it as spam and delete it.”

Signs This Is a Scam
Consumers should watch for these red flags:

  • Fake web address: The link includes the word “.gov,” but it is not a real government site. The true domain ends in .cc, not .gov. The true domain, .cc, is the country-code for the Cocos Islands near Australia.
  • Fake penalties: The text threatens things that do not exist under North Carolina law, including a “35% service fee at toll booths” and credit score damage from the DMV.

What To Do
If you receive this message, do not click the link.

  1. Report It: The Attorney General’s Office tracks these scams to work with telecom providers to shut them down. Report the message to our Consumer Protection Division at https://ncdoj.gov/report-robocalls/.
  2. Verify Status: If you’re unsure whether an email, text, or letter from the NCDMV is legitimate, you should contact the agency directly at (919) 715-7000.
  3. Block and Delete: Once reported, block the number delete the message.

The Consumer Protection Division protects North Carolina consumers from scams and fraud. If you spot a scam, let us know by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or filing a complaint online at ncdoj.gov/complaint.

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Phase 2 Of Operation ‘Robocall Roundup’ Expands Crackdown On Illegal Calls

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— information courtesy of the office of N.C. Attorney General

N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson kicked off Phase 2 of Operation Robocall Roundup, expanding the crackdown on illegal robocalls to include four of the largest voice providers in the country. As part of an ongoing investigation, the bipartisan Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force, led by Jackson, has directed Inteliquent, Bandwidth, Lumen, and Peerless to stop transmitting suspected illegal robocalls across their networks. The letters to the companies are available here.

In a statement Thursday, Jackson said “Phase 2 of Robocall Roundup is about the larger companies that are knowingly pushing through millions of scam robocalls. “We’re giving them thirty days to clean this up. If they don’t, we’re prepared to use every tool we have. The scale of this abuse is outrageous and we’re not going to tolerate it.”

In August, Jackson sent warning letters to 37 smaller voice providers that were allowing suspected illegal robocalls onto the U.S. telephone network. This next phase targets companies with far larger footprints in the U.S. telecom ecosystem. The four companies are continuing to transmit hundreds of thousands – and in some cases, millions – of suspected illegal robocalls.

In 2022, 51 attorneys general joined forces to create the Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force, which is led by North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. The Task Force investigates and takes legal action against companies responsible for significant volumes of illegal and fraudulent robocall traffic routed into and across the United States.

Phase 1 of Robocall Roundup included sending warning letters to 37 companies, with positive results:

  • 13 companies were removed from the FCC’s Robocall Mitigation Database, meaning no provider in the United States may accept their call traffic.
  • 19 companies stopped appearing in any traceback results, indicating they ceased routing suspected illegal robocalls.
  • At least four providers terminated high-risk customer accounts identified as transmitting illegal traffic.

Jackson said the changes demonstrate that enforcement is working. “But to protect the public, the largest carriers must meet the highest standards,” he said.

 

N.C. Attorney General Investigation Into PowerSchool Breach Continues

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— information courtesy of the office of N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson

A security breach of the company many public school districts have used as their data management system has affected about 4 million teachers, students and parents in North Carolina. N.C. Attorney General Jeff Jackson said he is demanding that the company, PowerSchool, disclose more information about exactly how the breach happened and how it affected as the investigation continues.

Students and staff affected by the data breach have until July 31, 2025, to enroll in free identity protection and credit monitoring (offered for adult students and educators) here. You can also find out more about setting up a free security freeze here.

Vance County Schools was part of the security breach. Visit  https://www.vcs.k12.nc.us/about/powerschool-data-breach for the most current information about the breach.

“Last year’s data breach compromised the personal information of teachers, public school employees and families across North Carolina,” Jackson stated in a press release.  “I’m demanding more information from PowerSchool about how this breach happened and who it affected, and what we learn will drive our next steps.”

Jackson issued a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) to PowerSchool that legally requires it to provide to him the following information:

·          The exact number of North Carolinians impacted by the 2024 data breach.

·          Details about PowerSchool’s cybersecurity measures that were in place to protect users’ personal information leading up to the breach.

·          Which security flaws may have contributed to the breach.

·          Information about PowerSchool’s response and actions in the immediate aftermath of the breach.

·          Steps PowerSchool has taken to address the cybersecurity failures that contributed to the data breach and strengthen data protection methods.

·          PowerSchool’s work to communicate with and assist consumers affected by the breach.

PowerSchool sells software products used by schools across the country, including public schools across North Carolina. In December 2024, a hacker gained access to that software, potentially exposing Social Security numbers, addresses, names of minors, and medical and disciplinary information. The breach impacted more than 62 million people across the country. PowerSchool later paid a ransom to the hacker to delete the information that was stolen, but a hacker then tried to extort North Carolina public school districts again.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice charged 19-year-old Massachusetts college student Matthew Lane with hacking PowerSchool’s system and facilitating the 2024 data breach. Lane entered a plea deal with the federal government in May. Lane pleaded guilty to cyber extortion conspiracy, cyber extortion, unauthorized access to protected computers, and aggravated identity theft.