By Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs
To mark National Consumer Protection Week 2025, the Department of Consumer Affairs is announcing its new Scam Squad Guide, created with the expertise of more than three dozen Scam Squad partner agencies.
In 2024, scammers stole at least $3.4 million from Cuyahoga County residents, almost three times more than the previous year. According to the Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs, most of the 1,078 people who reported scams through the Scam Squad hotline or website in 2024 avoided a financial loss, however, those who paid scammers reported higher loss amounts than in past years. From 2023 to 2024, the average reported scam loss jumped from $11,228 to $31,844.
“The scams our residents face are growing more sophisticated,” says Sheryl Harris, Director of the Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs. “Based on the reports we receive, our residents have learned to recognize grandparent scams but struggle to fend off scammers posing as deputies or federal agents. The Scam Squad Guide was designed to help our residents understand how scams work and have strategies in place to protect themselves.”
The five most-reported scam categories in 2024 were:
- Government Imposters, who pose as law enforcement or government employees
- Company Imposters, who call or text warnings about pending account charges
- Imposter Persons, who use social media accounts to get payments or solicit investments
- Sweepstakes and Lottery Scams, which encourage people to pay repeatedly to claim a phony prize
- Generic or Abusive Robocalls
To report a scam or talk to an investigator, call Scam Squad at 216-443-7226 or visit Scam Squad online.
