With Texans working to recover from the Texas Winter Storm, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) is calling on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to take action and protect consumers from scams.  In a letter to FTC Acting Chair Rebecca Slaughter, Congresswoman Fletcher calls on the commission to coordinate with state and local law enforcement to identify, stop, and hold fraudsters accountable. 

“Times when people are most vulnerable are also times when some see opportunity for fraudulent products and scams,” Congresswoman Fletcher wrote to FTC Acting Chair Rebecca Slaughter.  

She continued: “While people across Texas were without power and water, predatory actors were already at work… Though the majority of Texans now have their power restored, these and other schemes relating to recovery projects from the storm—from repairing broken pipes to rehabilitating flooded homes—provide ample opportunity for scams.” 

Scams against vulnerable Texans began as families were experiencing the effects of the Texas Winter Storm.  On February 16, with 3.2 million Texans without power, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) warned residents of a scam asking customers to text their private account numbers to restore their power.  The day before, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo reported that people were impersonating the area’s utility provider to gain access to people’s homes.  In her letter to the FTC, Congresswoman Fletcher points out that while some of the scams originate locally, many will come through social media and the internet, necessitating the commission’s coordination and cooperation. 

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher is a member of the Consumer Protection & Commerce subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee.  You can read the full text of her letter to the FTC here.