L.A. Agency Watches Y2K Schemes

Still feel underserved by consumer help lines? Wait, there’s more.

This week, the Los Angeles Department of Consumer Affairs joined with the city’s Police Department to announce a new toll-free number to handle questions and complaints about Y2K-related frauds. Calls to the number, (888) 355-4Y2K, will be answered by consumer affairs officials, who will route cases to the LAPD for investigation. The city attorney’s Consumer Protection Unit will prosecute the cases.

Common Y2K schemes include:

* Telemarketing come-ons urging consumers to take their money out of banks because of potential computer glitches and to invest it instead in stock, metals or collectibles schemes.

* Investments in nonexistent companies or products touted as fixes for the Y2K bug or useless programs sold as fixes.

* Calls from bogus bank or credit card company employees, who get consumers’ account information by telling them they need to transfer it to Y2K-safe files.

* “Trojan Horse” computer-fixing schemes, in which businesses hire unscrupulous programmers who promise to fix Y2K problems, but instead steal data or privileged files.

* Price gouging on survival supplies such as water, candles, communications devices and “guaranteed” supplies of fuel and food in case of a Y2K meltdown.