With Valentine’s Day approaching, it is important to remain cautious of suitors trying to gain access to your personal information online. Con artists are targeting those Arkansans looking for love. Scammers will befriend someone online, slowly gaining trust and access to more personal information, including financial information, birthdates, and social security numbers. This is commonly […]
AG to announce Officer of the Year for 2020 at luncheon Jan 29th in Benton
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge will host the 2020 Arkansas Law Enforcement Officer of the Year luncheon on January 29, 2021, beginning at Noon at the Benton Event Center in Benton, 17322 Interstate 30. Rutledge will announce state, region and county officer of the year winners. Due to Covid-19, the luncheon will be held under […]
Use these 6 tips to avoid the online “Secret Santa” scam
“Secret Santa” and “Secret Sister” scams are popular on social media. They are often disguised as a fun holiday exchange, when in reality, they can turn into a scam costing money, your personal information, and heartache during the holidays. This type of scam works by requesting that participants send online “friends” relatively inexpensive gifts, gift […]
AG announces $17.5 million settlement with The Home Depot over 2014 data breach
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge announced today that her office, along with attorneys general of 45 other states and the District of Columbia, has obtained a $17.5 million settlement against Georgia-based retailer The Home Depot. The settlement resolves a multistate investigation of a 2014 data breach that exposed the payment card information of approximately 40 […]
Benton Utilities warns customers of recent shut-off scam
Benton Utilities warns the public of a recent scam with someone posing as a collection employee. If you’re thinking “stop, I’ve heard this one,” remember that there wouldn’t be scam artists if no one was falling for the scam. In this particular case, someone is contacting people by phone call, text and also email. They […]
6 Tips to Keep from Getting Puppy Scammed by Fake Breeders
The best way to avoid a scam by fake breeders is to adopt from a local shelter. However, if you are looking to buy online, there are some steps to take that will greatly reduce the chance of getting ripped off and ending up without an animal at all. According to the Attorney General’s office, […]
Benton CEO pleads guilty to charges related to Medicaid overbilling
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today announced Chirie Bazzelle pleaded guilty to obstructing governmental operations. Bazzelle is the owner and CEO at New Beginnings Behavioral Health Services (New Beginnings). In 2018 alone, New Beginnings billed the Medicaid program over $5.3 million. As a result of this investigation and Bazzelle’s arrest New Beginnings is no longer a Medicaid provider. “This […]
Phone scammers want your info to apply for unemployment
The Saline County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) is warning residents about scam phone callers that seek your personal information so they can steal your identity. A statement from SCSO says they have received several complaints about callers posing as police officers. The caller claims that the person’s identity has already been stolen. Then they ask the […]
Saline County man gets a 20-year sentence for several counts of possession of child pornography
Roughly two years after a Benton man turned himself in, he pleaded guilty to child pornography charges and was sentenced in court, according to the Attorney General’s Office. David Jefferson Brown, age 46, of Benton was convicted of 4 counts of distributing, possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, a class […]
AG going to U.S. Supreme Court to fight high Rx prices; protect small pharmacies
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge on Tuesday February 25th filed a brief with the United States Supreme Court in the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) case in Arkansas. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in that case on April 27, 2020. In this case, the AG’s office says Rutledge seeks to protect small businesses in […]