A scam is a “trick” used by a criminal for financial gain and far too many continue to be successful, despite an increase in public awareness. Some scams net a perpetrator a small amount of money while others can ruin the lives of victims. Many of the scams we investigate today are twists of ones that have been successful for years so it’s important to be alert for potential thieves who are looking for your savings.
Identity theft continues to be a serious problem as thieves fraudulently use credit cards, access bank accounts, pass phony checks and even obtain loans. It’s more important than ever to keep track of your banking information and closely monitor your accounts. Although many lending institutions won’t hold you liable for false charges, you certainly will lose some money and have a lot of aggravation.
Trying to sell something large or valuable can be frustrating. The appeal of the Internet and potential buyers understandably draws interest from the seller. Unfortunately, plenty of con artists also surf the web, looking for victims. The “overpayment” scheme involves accepting more money than the advertised price with the understanding that the excess funds will be returned. The check written is usually counterfeit and never clears the bank. All too often, the item is sent along with a good check to the “buyer” with the excess funds.
Work at home scams can also be appealing; who would not want to work at home and make good money? Most of these scams involve worthless products, tedious work or the purchase of a large inventory to start. Nothing comes easily, especially when it comes to money.
Photo by MSDesigns.
Stop And Think Before You Get Scammed
February 7, 2008 by Rich | 0 Comments
In Consumers, Crime, Ecommerce
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