Carter Lawrence is State Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI). With seven external divisions and about 750 employees, about 650 full-time, the TDCI is relatively small to medium-sized as far as Tennessee agencies go. Despite its size, it manages several important tasks. DCI regulates all insurance products and insurance producers in the state. It also manages TennCare oversight and the State Fire Marshal’s office which, among other things, sets professional standards for firefighters. The group also manages the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training (TLET) Academy. Regulatory boards which handle occupational licensure from barbers and cosmetologists to accountants are also within its purview. In addition to that, it is responsible for numerous types of commerce and licensure complaints. Commissioner Lawrence described one of the commission’s main goals as helping protect people at the Noon Rotary Club meeting Thursday.
Tennessee is 10th per capita for fraud complaints and amounts lost to scams. Credit card fraud, identity theft, employment or tax-related fraud and bank fraud are recurring issues across the state. Debt collectors making threats or using obscene and profane language or constant harassment by repeated calls are a just few of the many issues TDCI urges citizens to report. Kevin Walters, Communication Officer for TDCI, pointed out some types of consumer affairs issues are now under the auspices of the Attorney General but you can still reach out to TDCI with any consumer fraud or scam complaints and concerns and they can make sure it is routed in the right direction.
June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The elderly are a prime target for financial fraud and scams. They can often be more isolated and may be embarrassed to speak up if they are victims of such a crime. On top of that, they often have more money than other demographics. All that taken together makes them an attractive target for financial criminals of all stripes. In 2021, more than 92,000 elderly Americans lost around $1.7 billion to scammers as per FBI statistics. That is a 74 percent increase over the year prior according to figures supplied by the Department of Justice.
TDCI uses data-driven methods to not only investigate but also track turn-around on everything from licensing issues to consumer fraud investigations. TDCI also does its best to be responsive. You can make a complaint online at tn.gov/commerce or ask questions via social media or to ask.tdci@tn.gov. You can also call 615-741-2241 to talk to not only a live person but a Tennessean ready to assist you.
