The scam report
Scams are ubiquitous these days. They arrive by email, post, Internet, telephone, newspapers and magazines, even door-to-door. And as the economy worsens, you can bet these scams will increase. They attack homeowners, car owners, unemployed, job seekers, seniors, students, rich, poor, middle class. I’ll show you how they go phishing. How can you protect yourself? This article will answer those questions and help you protect your pocketbook.
These scammers have one thing in common, GREED! They want your money and will stop at nothing to do so, including lies, intimidation, bragging, and even physical threats. Let’s see the different means with which they do it.
In printing. Sometimes they run a full page ad in a magazine or newspaper. Most of us want something for nothing, or the best alternative. Get it ‘below wholesale’. Typically, a scammer omits the most important element of an ad. NO name, NO phone, NO email, NO website. There is NO way to contact them except the postal address to send your check to. And some don’t even accept a check. They want cash or money order.
They generally do not accept credit cards as they would lose their merchant account as soon as they are discovered. If the ad does not have this information and requires cash or money order, STOP! Don’t send for it. It’s probably a scam. A legitimate business will proudly post their full name, who they are, a website, an email if you have questions, and a phone number, usually a toll-free number.
And they will accept credit cards. Placing an order with a credit card protects you, as you have some recourse with its help. One way to help prevent others is to write a letter of complaint to the publication. Why are they helping a scammer? If it’s legitimate, you might get a response from the publisher.
Via email. Email, for the scammer, is an inexpensive way to massively communicate with millions of people virtually instantaneously. 20 years ago they had to do it with my postal mail, and the postage gets expensive. The email will have an outrageous title. You click on the ad response and you are directed to a website extolling the virtues of the program and how you can get rich too.
They say tomorrow is too late. Click now and have your credit card ready. Or it’s FREE, but you end up paying $ 50 to $ 100 or more on your credit card without even realizing it.
By phone. The telemarketing scam. They call and appeal to your generosity in the past, and ask you to donate, (via credit card) to their ‘charity’. Another is the jury duty scam, where someone calls saying they are from the police department or court, and they did not show up to serve as a jury (even though they were never selected).
Then scam you out of a few hundred dollars, taking advantage of your fear. Warning: Never give your credit card number or social security number over the phone.
By mail. You receive a letter stating that you won a lottery in Canada, Europe, or another nation. Call this number and pick up. But first you need to pay the ‘taxes’ or other ‘fees’ to collect. Then they charge you several hundred dollars to collect your ‘winnings’ of thousands. Or the infamous Nigerian scam.
That’s where he receives a letter stating that an official in Nigeria dies and that they need to get millions out of the country. And if you allow them to deposit the millions into your bank account, you get a percentage of the money. Once they get your bank account and social security number, they disappear along with your money.
Identity fraud. You receive a call or email telling you to visit a website that looks identical to your bank’s website. They want you to confirm certain information, like account numbers, passwords, social security number. So, of course, they have access to your account.
Foreclosure fraud and loan modifications. They take advantage of troubled homeowners and fleece them by the thousands, sometimes losing their home in the process.
Work offers. More recently, scammers have been drawn to websites with resumes of job seekers. They promote a fake job, allowing you to complete job applications and pay information or fees, and obtain personal information.
Counterfeit or Counterfeit Checks. The FBI reports that this is a fast growing crime. By sending you a fake check, they look so real, then you deposit them into your account. If you are selling your car, say for $ 5000, they will send you a “Certified Check” for $ 6000, stating that the additional thousand are for shipping costs, and please forward those thousand to some company. You transfer the money and a week later the ‘certified check’ goes unpaid and you run out of money.
Other scams include, home repair, auto repair, deaf and dumb people using TTY, identity theft, assembling products at home, stuffing envelopes, matching children and seniors who are scammed. Other scams include: dating, business opportunities, tax refunds, pyramids, cheating of missing children, online auctions, weight loss, anti-aging, and promotions for ‘government bailouts’ and bogus investments. And now, the ‘NEW Stimulus Checks’ scam.