The Idaho Department of Finance (IDOF) is pleased to recognize the month of December as Identity Theft Prevention and Awareness Month. Identity theft is defined as a crime where a consumer’s personal or financial information is illegally obtained to commit fraud.

The Idaho Department of Finance (IDOF) urges Idaho consumers to exercise heightened caution when purchasing cars, recreational vehicles, farm equipment, and other high-dollar items online. IDOF recently received several reports from victims of online purchase scams that risked losing thousands of dollars due to being lured into purchasing from a phony website or fake ads in various online marketplaces.

Boise, Idaho… The Idaho Department of Finance (IDOF) urges the public to be aware of a recently reported scam targeting small business owners. Scammers impersonating various law enforcement agencies are contacting business owners claiming they are being investigated for fraudulently obtaining Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, regardless of whether or not they have been repaid or forgiven.