OKLAHOMA CITY – A new law giving greater protection to Oklahoma consumers is among those that officially took effect this month. Senate Bill 871, by Senate Democratic Leader Kay Floyd, of Oklahoma City, and Rep. Meloyde Blancett, D-Tulsa, makes it a violation of the Oklahoma Consumer Protection Act to pose as a state agency representative in a letter or advertisement to defraud citizens, a crime known as an imposter scam.
“I am grateful this new law is on the books to protect Oklahomans from imposter scams. Citizens receive a letter that appears to be from a state agency or state official telling them they need to file certain documents and offering to help do so for a fee, but in reality, those documents can be filed online by the consumer for free or for a lower cost,” Floyd said. “Having this new law on the books gives us another tool to fight this kind of exploitation.”
Imposter scams are the most common form of fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and it’s a growing problem. Nationwide, such crimes cost consumers more than $2.3 billion in 2021, almost double the 2020 total. Nearly 985,000 complaints about imposter scams were filed in 2021 alone.
"It's not only irritating for businesses to pretend to be representing a state agency or official when trying to coerce consumers into buying something, but now, it is clearly illegal. And about time too. I'm tired of bad actors and I know Oklahomans are,” Blancett said.
AARP Oklahoma also underscored the importance of getting this legislation into statute, particularly for senior Oklahomans who are often targeted by scammers.
“Senate Bill 871 is another vital step in combatting the escalating issue of scams and financial exploitation which poses a threat to all Oklahomans, especially our older population,” said AARP Oklahoma State Director Sean Voskuhl. “AARP Oklahoma applauds Senator Floyd and Representative Blancett for their leadership in taking a stand against deception and shielding Oklahoma residents from imposter scams and fraudulent schemes, demonstrating that the protection of our citizens is paramount."
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