Bad economy brings out bad people

As the economy declined, the number of complaints from people who fell victim to financial scams skyrocketed, Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray said.

Cordray visited the Boardman branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County today to kick off National Consumer Protection Week and to raise awareness of scams.

In 2009, Cordray’s office received more than 30,000 complaints from people victimized by various scams, he said. That’s a 20-percent increase from the previous year.

The numbers in the Mahoning Valley aren’t as bad as the statewide figures.

There was a modest decrease in Columbiana County and a small increase in Trumbull County. While the numbers were up in Mahoning County, it saw a 13.7 percent increase, lower than the state average, according to statistics provided by the attorney general’s office.

For the complete story, read Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com