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Prolific Fraud Scams
The following is a short list of some of the most common ways confidence artists steal
your money. To stay safe from con games we suggest you incorporate these principles;
don't entrust anyone who you do not personally know with your money or property. If
the scenario offered seems too good to be real, it is. Get rich slowly; 99.9% of all get rich
fast schemes are ripoffs. Check out the companies and individuals with whom you
conduct business. Make sure the people who should be licensed, are! Make sure the
people who should be insured, are! Make sure people are who they say they are. Don't
be afraid to check people or businesses out before getting involve with them. Remember
not everyone is a theft, but you don't want to find out after its too late.
FREE GIFTS OR PRIZES:
You may receive notification of winning a prize or gift either through the mail or over the
phone. The notification tells you to call a "800" number. Mink coats, diamond rings or
watches, cameras, or even savings bonds are promised if you order their product.
Watch out. There is a catch to the giveaways. Prices for the products may be inflated.
You may never receive your gift after ordering. If you do, the "mink coat" or "diamond
ring" may be quite different than described or promised.
MAGAZINE SALES:
Buying magazines subscriptions from telephone or door to door salespeople, even
those who seem to represent legitimate organizations is risky business. Sometimes the
costs for the subscription actually exceed what you might pay at the newsstands. On
other occasions, the presenter pretends to be taking a survey about reading habits and
offers "free" or "prepaid" subscriptions or a "special deal" for sweepstake customers.
These come-ons are often gimmicks to sign you up for multiple subscriptions which you
do not want.
Check on the seller's reputation by asking for references and office phone numbers
which service the subscriptions before you buy.
WORK-AT-HOME SCHEMES:
You may have seen the classified ads for a "guaranteed salary" for individuals who want
to work at home by stuffing envelopes, assembling craft items, reading or editing book
manuscripts. You can tell a scam by the fact that you will have to purchase a "plan", a
"system", or even "equipment", before you begin working. Sometimes envelope stuffers
are charged a $1.00 to $25.00 fee for their letters and envelopes. You should be skeptical
of any claim of a "guaranteed wage", it may be inflated and the work may not be
available to make it profitable.
900 NUMBERS:
When you dial a "900" number for information on everything from the weather to the
latest baseball score, you are charged for the time you stay on the telephone line. Be
careful of services that do not tell you exactly how much the call will cost for each
minute and how long the call will be to obtain the information you wish. Some "900"
numbers are answered by machines and place the caller on hold until an automated
message is available. You will be billed for the entire call not just the time the message
was played. Make sure children are not using the "900" numbers. They don't know the
expense of the calls. A "900" number call blocking could be used with a home with
children.
You may receive a letter in the mail stating you have just won a guaranteed prize. The
letter may state the possibility of already winning $10,000.00. All you have to do is call a
"900" number to obtain the winning information. The letter even states the odds of
winning. The chances of winning a dollar is 1:1. The chances of winning the $10,000.00
is 1:15,000,000. The call however, is where the company makes the money. Each call will
average $25.00 per person inquiring to their chance at the big prize, but of course your
most likely only going to win a buck.
PIGEON DROP:
A person who you do not know may come up to you and ask for a favor. This person
somehow (the game changes regarding the item of value), has come in possession of
something very valuable, but for certain reasons cannot cash in on the item. The
unknown person gives you the circumstances in which he has obtained the item of
value and why he cannot cash in on the money. He/she will also tell you why he needs
the money.
He asks for you advise and help. He offers to share the profits if you help. Another
person unknown to you and seemingly unknown to the person who has the valuable
item comes into the conversation. The third person says he overheard the conversation
and has an idea of how to help and would also like to share in the profit. The third
person says he knows where he can sell, transfer or otherwise obtain cash for the item.
He offers "good faith money" to the person with the item for the period of time he has
the item until it is converted to cash and split up. The third person asks you to put up the
same amount of "good faith money" to the first person, just as he has, so that the owner
of the item will not feel as if he might lose the item's value.
You are faced with a decision. Do you put out $500.00 (or what ever amount determined),
to a stranger to get back a $1,000.00 in twenty minutes. If you give them the money,
you've lost it.
Of course the first unknown person knows the third unknown person. They are
wonderful actors and very convincing. This scam has been going on for decades and
will continue as long as people try to get rich quick or obtain something they do not
deserve. Our advice is to know when it is too good to be true, it is a scam, and the best
way to get rich is slowly.
BANK EXAMINER:
You receive a call at home and the caller identifies himself/herself as a bank security
officer. He tells you a story of theft occurring at the branch you commonly use. The
security officer says there is a teller stealing customers' deposits and he would like your
help to gain proof of the thefts. The bank security officer asks if you could withdraw (the
amount varies) $1,000.00 in cash from your account. The security officer says the teller
is suspected of making the bank records look like you withdrew $2,000.00. The security
officer says the teller is suspected of pocketing the difference, ultimately stealing from
the customer.
The security officer says he will be with you the whole way and right after you make the
withdrawal, he will verify the transaction as being a $1,000.00 withdrawal. He will take the
money and the receipt as evidence and audit the transaction made by the teller. The
bank security officer guarantees the money you withdraw will be credited to your
account and the theft will be caught.
If you make the cash withdraw and meet the bank security officer at the designated spot,
you have just lost your money.
This scam has been worked for a long time. It is usually employed on the elderly;
however, many young victims have fallen for the scam. Our advice is to never entrust
your money or property to anyone you do not personally know or have thoroughly
checked out.
The following is a short list of some of the most common ways confidence artists steal
your money. To stay safe from con games we suggest you incorporate these principles;
don't entrust anyone who you do not personally know with your money or property. If
the scenario offered seems too good to be real, it is. Get rich slowly; 99.9% of all get rich
fast schemes are ripoffs. Check out the companies and individuals with whom you
conduct business. Make sure the people who should be licensed, are! Make sure the
people who should be insured, are! Make sure people are who they say they are. Don't
be afraid to check people or businesses out before getting involve with them. Remember
not everyone is a theft, but you don't want to find out after its too late.
FREE GIFTS OR PRIZES:
You may receive notification of winning a prize or gift either through the mail or over the
phone. The notification tells you to call a "800" number. Mink coats, diamond rings or
watches, cameras, or even savings bonds are promised if you order their product.
Watch out. There is a catch to the giveaways. Prices for the products may be inflated.
You may never receive your gift after ordering. If you do, the "mink coat" or "diamond
ring" may be quite different than described or promised.
MAGAZINE SALES:
Buying magazines subscriptions from telephone or door to door salespeople, even
those who seem to represent legitimate organizations is risky business. Sometimes the
costs for the subscription actually exceed what you might pay at the newsstands. On
other occasions, the presenter pretends to be taking a survey about reading habits and
offers "free" or "prepaid" subscriptions or a "special deal" for sweepstake customers.
These come-ons are often gimmicks to sign you up for multiple subscriptions which you
do not want.
Check on the seller's reputation by asking for references and office phone numbers
which service the subscriptions before you buy.
WORK-AT-HOME SCHEMES:
You may have seen the classified ads for a "guaranteed salary" for individuals who want
to work at home by stuffing envelopes, assembling craft items, reading or editing book
manuscripts. You can tell a scam by the fact that you will have to purchase a "plan", a
"system", or even "equipment", before you begin working. Sometimes envelope stuffers
are charged a $1.00 to $25.00 fee for their letters and envelopes. You should be skeptical
of any claim of a "guaranteed wage", it may be inflated and the work may not be
available to make it profitable.
900 NUMBERS:
When you dial a "900" number for information on everything from the weather to the
latest baseball score, you are charged for the time you stay on the telephone line. Be
careful of services that do not tell you exactly how much the call will cost for each
minute and how long the call will be to obtain the information you wish. Some "900"
numbers are answered by machines and place the caller on hold until an automated
message is available. You will be billed for the entire call not just the time the message
was played. Make sure children are not using the "900" numbers. They don't know the
expense of the calls. A "900" number call blocking could be used with a home with
children.
You may receive a letter in the mail stating you have just won a guaranteed prize. The
letter may state the possibility of already winning $10,000.00. All you have to do is call a
"900" number to obtain the winning information. The letter even states the odds of
winning. The chances of winning a dollar is 1:1. The chances of winning the $10,000.00
is 1:15,000,000. The call however, is where the company makes the money. Each call will
average $25.00 per person inquiring to their chance at the big prize, but of course your
most likely only going to win a buck.
PIGEON DROP:
A person who you do not know may come up to you and ask for a favor. This person
somehow (the game changes regarding the item of value), has come in possession of
something very valuable, but for certain reasons cannot cash in on the item. The
unknown person gives you the circumstances in which he has obtained the item of
value and why he cannot cash in on the money. He/she will also tell you why he needs
the money.
He asks for you advise and help. He offers to share the profits if you help. Another
person unknown to you and seemingly unknown to the person who has the valuable
item comes into the conversation. The third person says he overheard the conversation
and has an idea of how to help and would also like to share in the profit. The third
person says he knows where he can sell, transfer or otherwise obtain cash for the item.
He offers "good faith money" to the person with the item for the period of time he has
the item until it is converted to cash and split up. The third person asks you to put up the
same amount of "good faith money" to the first person, just as he has, so that the owner
of the item will not feel as if he might lose the item's value.
You are faced with a decision. Do you put out $500.00 (or what ever amount determined),
to a stranger to get back a $1,000.00 in twenty minutes. If you give them the money,
you've lost it.
Of course the first unknown person knows the third unknown person. They are
wonderful actors and very convincing. This scam has been going on for decades and
will continue as long as people try to get rich quick or obtain something they do not
deserve. Our advice is to know when it is too good to be true, it is a scam, and the best
way to get rich is slowly.
BANK EXAMINER:
You receive a call at home and the caller identifies himself/herself as a bank security
officer. He tells you a story of theft occurring at the branch you commonly use. The
security officer says there is a teller stealing customers' deposits and he would like your
help to gain proof of the thefts. The bank security officer asks if you could withdraw (the
amount varies) $1,000.00 in cash from your account. The security officer says the teller
is suspected of making the bank records look like you withdrew $2,000.00. The security
officer says the teller is suspected of pocketing the difference, ultimately stealing from
the customer.
The security officer says he will be with you the whole way and right after you make the
withdrawal, he will verify the transaction as being a $1,000.00 withdrawal. He will take the
money and the receipt as evidence and audit the transaction made by the teller. The
bank security officer guarantees the money you withdraw will be credited to your
account and the theft will be caught.
If you make the cash withdraw and meet the bank security officer at the designated spot,
you have just lost your money.
This scam has been worked for a long time. It is usually employed on the elderly;
however, many young victims have fallen for the scam. Our advice is to never entrust
your money or property to anyone you do not personally know or have thoroughly
checked out.
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