CHFA Issues Warning on Personalized Housing Choice Scam Emails
(ROCKY HILL, Conn) – September 25, 2024- The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) is alerting the public to a new and increasingly targeted online scam that is currently circulating. Scammers are sending personalized emails to individuals, falsely claiming that their application, submitted by a “Housing Choice landlord,” has been approved by CHFA.
These emails are highly detailed, addressing recipients by their first and last names, referencing a housing specialist, and providing specifics about an available property. The fraudulent emails falsely claim that CHFA has approved the property and include the name and title of a CHFA staff member as the sender. At this time, it remains unclear whether the targeted individuals had applied for the Housing Choice program or had any prior connection with the housing specialist mentioned in the email. Recipients of these emails are instructed to complete an application and provide proof of identity.
So far, CHFA has only encountered digital versions of this scam, with no reports of printed copies. CHFA stresses that no applications for Housing Choice apartments have been approved in connection with this scam. CHFA is dedicated to protecting the public and actively raising awareness about fraudulent schemes.
If you or someone you know has received such an email or submitted personal information in response to this scam, CHFA urges you to take immediate action by:
- Filing a police report.
- Submitting a complaint to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Complaint Center.
- Filing a report with the Connecticut Attorney General’s Antitrust and Government Program Fraud Department, and/or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The Connecticut Housing Finance Authority is a self-funded, quasi-public organization. Its mission is to alleviate the shortage of housing for low- to moderate-income families and persons in this state and, when appropriate, to promote or maintain the economic development of this state through employer-assisted housing efforts.
