A new scam targets both automobile sellers and buyers. The scammer poses as a potential buyer of a used car. The scammer is usually well-dressed and indicates that s/he has recently been in an accident that resulted in the total loss of his/her vehicle. The scammer wants to buy a car advertised in a forum [...]
The requests seem innocent enough: a candy jar placed at the counter of a local business or a request from a charity you believe you’ve heard of. These are just two of the many charity-based scams that are victimizing people who want to help. In the former case, a candy jar or donation box may [...]
Today’s scam artists are increasingly targeting elderly persons, many of whom may be vulnerable due to age, diminished capacity and their relatively large personal savings. Investor Protection Trust, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving investment education, says that one in five American seniors has been the victim of a fraudulent scam.
A new scam is making the rounds and this one targets prospective renters. A scammer lists a home for rent on a site like Craigslist. The scammer indicates that the home is vacant and the owners are on an extended trip to Africa. The ad seeks a deposit, which is to be sent to the [...]
Buying a car, whether new or used, can be a trying experience. Dealers usually offer “captive financing” plans through the vehicle manufacturer. Used car dealers may also use captive financing if they sell new and used cars, or they may have another financing option for walk-in customers.
The Internet has opened up many legitimate business opportunities, and just as many illegitimate ones. One popular scam that makes frequent rounds is a “pay-money-to-get-money” scam. Currently, many of these scams take the form of a “Nigerian” or “lottery” scam, but the premise is the same: the potential victim is asked to pay money in [...]
Despite their obvious “design flaw,” pyramid schemes remain a popular vehicle for scams, nearly 400 years after the first known pyramid scheme was unveiled. A basic pyramid scheme involves a primary participant who recruits other participants in the scheme. Each participant is promised a return based on the number of participants s/he recruits. As more [...]
In today’s tough economy, people are looking for gainful employment or ways to make extra money. The notion of working at home may be very appealing, but there are a number of “work at home” scams that promise big returns and produce little real income. How can you avoid work at home scams? Being diligent [...]
Phishing (pronounced “fishing”) is a type of online scam that entices a person to relay private login and password information for their banking or credit card accounts. A phishing attack relies on a potential victim’s belief that an email has been sent from the victim’s bank or credit card company. Often, the scam email reports [...]
There are hundreds – perhaps even thousands – of email scams that come delivered directly to your inbox. Avoiding them is as easy as hitting the delete key, but some people have trouble determining that an email is really a scam. Perhaps the email appears to have been forwarded by a friend, contains a tragic [...]